R. James Maxson

Minot

I credit the Minot Area Development Corporation, of which I am a former board member and chair, for its recent release regarding the largest local employers. Minot Air Force Base, to nobody’s surprise, is the largest local employer. Trinity Health is number two. Minot Public Schools are number three. The City of Minot is number four and Minot State University is number five.

How many times have we heard the plea among community leaders and citizens for less government and lower taxes? The only non-government employer in the top five is Trinity Health. How much of Trinity Health’s annual income comes from Medicare and Medicaid, which are both forms of socialized medicine?

Without the Air Force to defend us, would we outsource nuclear weapons to the private sector? Would education be more affordable to the working class if Minot Public Schools and Minot State University were privatized? According to the Wall Street Journal, private colleges are dropping like flies. Will the private sector get Minot flood control? If Minot gets the government off its back, it can change its name from Minot to Grano, Forfar or perhaps Bantry. For a community that claims to be conservative, are we talking like Ted Cruz and walking like Bernie Sanders?

Excuse me for being truthful and not lying to get your love.