Commentary

Ask Rusty – Must I Pay Income Tax on Social Security Benefits?

Dear Rusty: I do not recall the rules on my income tax obligation for Social Security benefits. Can you please explain these rules to me? Signed: Senior Taxpayer

Dear Senior Taxpayer: I’ll be happy to review the rules about income tax on Social Security benefits for you. If your combined income from all sources is low enough, your Social Security benefits aren’t subject to being taxed by the IRS. But some of your Social Security benefits will become taxable if your combined income from all sources exceeds certain thresholds, and the thresholds are dependent on your tax filing status (single or married).

IGNORING HIS DUTY

Jessie Waters asked Texas Governor Greg Abbott if President Biden had ever even called to talk to him about the border situation. We all know the president hasn’t been there and migrants are flooding into the United States like never before. His answer was simply “no.” They expect close to six million migrants entering the United States and three million of them will come into Texas. This problem being like it is, our President has never even consulted with the governor of the state about the border. In addition to this fact, he has not even visited the border. This is clearly dereliction of his duty and he is testing the American people to see if we really care. What’s sad is that this has become old news to the American people and the number protesting is dwindling. Biden’s border policy is simply dereliction of duty and an impeachable offense.

STRANGE, STRANGE SITUATION

What are God’s attributes? What do they mean and why it matters!

When we talk about attributes of God, we are basically trying to answer questions like, who is God, what is God like, what kind of God is He? An attribute of God is something true about Him. I know our minds cannot fully comprehend who God is because we are limited as human beings. But God does make Himself known in a variety of ways and He reveals Himself and His ways in His Word and in His creation. This lets us wrap our minds around Him as Creator and God.

God is worthy of your worship because God’s will brought all things into existence. God made the decision to create ALL things and to have ALL things exist. I believe that God is worthy of worship because He created you and me and He decided for us to exist. He is ruling, exerting His authority, He sustains the world and creation. If we are not interested in giving glory, honor, and thanks to the Lord who sits on the throne while on the earth, what makes you and I believe that we will be in heaven where this is all that happens day and night? If you and I are unwilling to choose worshiping God now, why do you think we will be in heaven where every created being worships Him?

Last weekend, my older son, Reece, came home for the summer after finishing his freshman year at LSU.

And even though his room is full of musical equipment and dirty clothes, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Reece is our musician, so he is often delighting us with jazz music that he plays by ear on the piano.

And even though Reece will soon be busy with a local internship, I’m so glad that his music will fill the house often until mid-August.

My son Bryce just finished tenth grade, and will soon be busy with football practice in the mornings and working the rest of the day. He’s always trying to gain weight, so I’ll be at Kroger twice as often so that I’m prepared when he raids the refrigerator all summer!

And Juliana, who just finished sixth grade, is a competitive swimmer, so we will be at swim practice or swim meets every single day in June.

Ask Rusty – Will My Husband’s Benefits Continue After He Dies?

Dear Rusty: My husband is 65 and I am 55. He has recently been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer. My question is, will I continue receiving his full social security check every month after his passing? Will the amount decrease? Signed: Tearful Wife

THE ABORTION ISSUE The political left, whose criticism of those Supreme Court Justices who might

The political left, whose criticism of those Supreme Court Justices who might overturn Roe vs. Wade, are going all out with harassment by stalking the Justices’ homes in an attempt to intimidate them. Where did they come up with this type of ridiculous idea to do this form of harassment. Probably from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, who stood on the Supreme Court steps in March of 2020 as the court considered a previous abortion case and stated, “I want to tell you, Kavanaugh, you have released the whirlwind and you will pay the price. You won’t know what hit you if you go forward with these awful decisions.” He literally screamed this speech. He was referring to justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Even worse, he was elected by voters from New York. Vote him out.

I’m the oldest of three sisters, all whose names start with “A”.

The middle sister, Ann, and I are about eighteen months apart, and then the youngest sister, Ashley, is about six years younger than us.

Despite having little in common in our teen and early adult years, the three of us are now best friends.

But the problem is, there’s an odd number of us. Three.

So that means we sometimes become jealous of each other’s time.

For example, one of our recent ridiculous repartees was about who calls whom after dropping off kids in the morning car line.

‘Well, I would call but the two of y’all are always chatting it up on the way home from car line and won’t answer my calls.’

‘Well, I don’t have a missed call from you.’

‘Okay. Sure.’

‘You’re being ridiculous. We talked for two hours yesterday.’

‘Yeah but you two chat for a long time after car line and no one calls me.’

‘Well, get a grip.’

‘Okay.’

25 years ago

May 7, 1997

The Battle of Pleasant Hill was featured in that week’s paper.

The Many Police Department was investigating a rash of burglaries that were happening within city limits.

The Sabine Parish Coroner’s office was preparing to ask the Police Jury for an increase in their budget.

Billy Pickett announced his candidacy for 11 ^th Judicial Judge.

Fisher Trade Days was ready to rock and roll that weekend.

The Sabine Raceway prepared for a special stock car race that weekend.

Local high school golf teams were allowed to play the brand new course at Cypress Bend.

The Many Tiger track team placed 5 ^th and 10 ^th in recent competitions. At their home meet, Douglas Rutherford had longest distance in shot put with a 44 foot, 12 inch throw. Lane Isgitt won the pole vault event with a nine foot, six inch jump.

May 14, 1997

MOTHERS DAY

We all love(d) our mothers. Those who knew me well, knew how close I was to my mother. My family came through some hard times after the depression and it was through the creativity and compassion pf my mother that we made it alright. We never really had any money following this catastrophe. My mother took up sewing and she got very good at making dresses curtains and various other apparatuses. My dad had to leave to do his trade.

I remember that it was a time that corduroy coats became very fashionable in high school. I saw some at school and man, I really wanted one. My mother got out the sewing machine (operated by foot) and she made me one. I commented after completion whether people would know it wasn’t “store bought.” She remedied that and took a new coat and took the label from that coat and sewed it on mine. Then I was fixed up.