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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.

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Joel Goldstein

Despite image as gaffe machine, Biden is a skilled VP

By Joel K. Goldstein | 05:00 am

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.

Dane Smith
Community Voices

What it takes to close the skills gap

By Dane Smith | 04/24/12

The comeback of Minneapolis' Phillips Neighborhood offers a model approach.

gray wolves
Community Voices

Minnesota's wolves: Dead or alive?

By Elanne Palcich | 04/23/12

Open season on the wolf is open season on our remaining natural heritage.

Michael Noble
Community Voices

This Earth Day, imagine a new energy economy

By Michael Noble | 04/20/12

What Earth Day needs is a credible narrative that the world can change the old energy economy for a better one that solves our world’s most pressing economic and security challenges — and is good for the environment to boot.

Ben Schweigert
Community Voices

Thoughts on Swanson v. Dayton

By Ben Schweigert | 04/20/12

However it turns out, the final resolution will set a precedent for the treatment of self-employed people under Minnesota’s labor law, and that could have importance beyond this case.

Ellen J. Kennedy
Community Voices

Remembering the Holocaust

By Ellen J. Kennedy | 04/19/12

Consider that we must do more than "remember." We must make "Never again" truly mean "Never."