Skip to Content

Community Voices

Community Voices

Community Voices features opinion pieces from a wide variety of authors and perspectives. MinnPost welcomes submissions on current topics of broad interest in Minnesota. We suggest that they be limited to 800 words.

If you'd like to join the discussion by writing a Community Voices article, email Susan Albright at salbright@minnpost.com.

Subscribe with RSS
Héctor García

To improve its economy, Minnesota should focus attention on global opportunities

By Héctor García | 05:00 am

There is an option of increasing revenues from enhanced innovation and productivity, from more exports of products and services as well as from foreign tourism, clientele and investment.

Community Voices

The perils of parking — and the price of getting it wrong

By Brandon Ferdig | 05/22/12

It damages city/citizen relations when people get ticketed for laws they never had the reasonable chance to know existed.

Stacy Becker
Community Voices

Human Capital Performance Bonds: Breaking the human-services mold

By Stacy Becker | 05/21/12

A pilot program makes Minnesota the first state to officially recognize that nonprofits create financial value that can be captured and used to fund services.

Community Voices

Women will always need access to safe, legal abortions

By Linnea House | 05/18/12

Two bills that Gov. Mark Dayton recently vetoed are part of the “incremental approach” to restricting a woman’s right to choose.

Eric Bergeson
Community Voices

Nursing homes deserve the fees that would-be heirs often want

By Eric Bergeson | 05/17/12

Sometimes it is offspring salivating over their parents' wealth who become the most infuriated at the cost of nursing-home care.

Joel Goldstein
Community Voices

Despite image as gaffe machine, Biden is a skilled VP

By Joel K. Goldstein | 05/16/12

Candor may take him off message, as it did regarding same-sex marriage, but transparency in politicians surely has a place.

Polymet Site
Community Voices

Given evasiveness, it's hard to trust PolyMet's assurances

By C.A. Arneson | 05/15/12

PolyMet VP Bradley Moore may be a nice guy, but he also showed himself recently to be a skillful evader.

Jeffery L. Bineham
Community Voices

Marriage amendment is about discrimination

By Jeffery L. Bineham | 05/14/12

Whatever backers intend, to single out one group for unequal treatment is a textbook definition of discrimination.

Melanie Ferris
Community Voices

Increasing social connectedness: Let's make a difference

By Melanie Ferris | 05/11/12

Through the Connect for Health Challenge, organizations will implement strategies to increase social connectedness in low-income communities.

Conrad deFiebre
Community Voices

Rough road ahead for Minnesota drivers

By Conrad deFiebre | 05/10/12

The hidden levy that poor pavement exacts in increased fuel consumption, mangled suspensions and premature wear and tear keeps going up.

Judge Steve Leben and Judge Kevin S. Burke
Community Voices

Judicial independence: The new threat from within

By Judge Steve Leben and Judge Kevin S. Burke | 05/09/12

Our nation cannot afford to have the impression that judges made decisions based upon their personal or political views.

Community Voices

3M shareholders should support resolution on political spending

By Mike Dean | 05/08/12

Corporations should resist the temptation to engage in this arms race because corporate political spending is both bad for business and bad for our democracy.

Neighborhood cleanup
Community Voices

The pond: A case for tending your little corner of the planet

By Mary Lilja | 05/07/12

This year we picked up five bags of garbage, two car seats, one bike, countless plastic bottles and bags, and 1,600 cigarette butts in and around the pond.

Wayne Cox
Community Voices

Monday's the date for real jobs legislation

By Wayne Cox | 05/04/12

Construction of needed public improvements would put real people back to work with real paychecks, thereby adding real customers for Minnesota businesses.

Sean Kershaw
Community Voices

What can Norma Desmond teach us about a better regional strategy?

By Sean Kershaw | 05/03/12

Our thinking and politics used to be big, but have gotten smaller and disconnected from reality over time.

voting booth
Community Voices

Voter ID? We don't see the need

By Jay and Iris Kiedrowski | 05/02/12

One has to wonder what the motivation is to change our Constitution on voting rights, when there are no facts to support such a move.

troops in Afghanistan
Community Voices

New U.S.-Afghan security pact an effort to square a circle

By Dick Virden | 05/01/12

The agreement tells Afghans we will not abandon them, the Taliban they can’t wait us out, and Pakistan its fear of a Taliban takeover is unfounded.

Students on computer
Community Voices

Cutting back on screen time: It’s still a good idea

By Edward Schiappa and Phillip Wilbur | 04/30/12

The more time each of us spends in isolation staring at a screen, the less physically active we are and the less we are interacting directly with our family, friends and co-workers.

Community Voices

Has your doctor disappeared?

By Ann Bauer | 04/27/12

It’s been nearly two years since I saw a doctor who knows me. And I think I may be seeing a trend.

SWLRT Route
Community Voices

A real prosperity catalyst: the Southwest LRT project

By Conrad deFiebre | 04/26/12

It's supported by a near-unanimous business lobby, local governments, federal officials and a strong majority of Minnesotans — but not the GOP.

Jason Marisam
Community Voices

The moral case against the Vikings stadium

By Jason Marisam | 04/25/12

While the NFL expertly earns billions of dollars a year, the league and its owners have dropped the ball when it comes to protecting their players from debilitating injuries.