Voting: Armed ‘security’ at polling sites disturbing
Unnecessary interference in the state’s elections by private security agencies or armed citizens who aim to “defend” right-wing ideology is a dangerous escalation of tensions.
Mankato Free Press
Early voting: Welcome to Election Weeks
Pre-pandemic, no-excuse absentee voting was a time-saving convenience. Today it also serves a public health purpose.
In tribute to John Lewis: Renew the Voting Rights Act
John Lewis, civil rights hero and congressman, has died with his cause unfinished.
Panic stockpiling unnecessary, causing more angst
Hoarding much more than needed isn’t just unnecessary, it’s a selfish act that harms others.
Federal tobacco law needs state backup
The federal law raising the sales age for tobacco to 21 is welcome, but without state lawmakers following up, the law has little bite.
Support bipartisan push for halting ethanol waivers
Crop prices have been decimated as oil companies have been exempted from ethanol production requirements.
Curbing vaping will be uphill battle
With dangers of vaping increasingly clear, the states and federal government need to get more aggressive at curbing e-cigarettes.
New approach to heading off mass school shootings is worth trying
Putting more emphasis on building a more stable school culture makes more sense than only training how to react to mass shooters.
Probation: Technical probation violations needlessly filling our prisons
Society isn’t well served by a probation system that sets up too many adults for failure or is used unnecessarily on some juvenile offenders. The Legislature needs to revisit the issue in the next session.
Candidates: The Democratic field is not too large
Most of the two dozen or so “major” candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination will fall away quickly.
E-cigs: Crackdown on e-cigarettes is well justified
The increasing us of e-cigarettes among youth is an epidemic that government health agencies need to aggressively tackle.
Space Force the wrong approach to a genuine threat
The military’s space operations do require reform and resources, but they don’t need a new, built-from-scratch bureaucracy to get the job done.
Economy: Trump’s bump has been blip so far
President Donald Trump’s promises of economic gains have not yet panned out.
Immigration: Separating families immoral, inhumane
The Trump administration took deliberate action to separate children from their parents in border crossing cases, creating trauma for families.
State budget: Invest in critical higher education
The Minnesota State university system provides the biggest bang for the buck on educating Minnesota’s workforce for the future.
Distracted driving: Ban the use of hand-held cellphones while driving
Distracted drivers using cellphones have caused numerous fatalities in Minnesota. Passage of this common sense public safety bill should be a no-brainer.
Elder abuse: State, Legislature must act quickly for safety
Minnesota’s system of pursuing elder abuse cases is so broken it threatens the safety of the elderly on a daily basis.
Charlottesville: Trump ignores most hateful facts
President Trump’s credibility continues to crumble even among his own team with his implicit endorsement of white supremacy groups.
Broadband: Minnesota is still lagging
Broadband internet has become a critical tool for growing jobs and economic development in outstate Minnesota.
Political shenanigans: Don’t waste taxpayer money on theatrics
Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican legislative leaders are now embroiled in what could be a costly and trust-eroding legal battle.
