|
Open Forum Ruud, Gazelka and Blaine receive awards
The Minnesota School Boards Association has recognized Sen. Carrie Ruud, Rep. Paul Gazelka, and Rep. Greg Blaine as advocates for local educational solutions. They were recognized for this award by standing up for local control of our school boards.
Many people pressured the Legislature to force expensive mandates on our local school districts that would take away options that often vary from district to district. The Minnesota School Boards Association realizes these issues are best decided locally. Our local schools rank far above the numerous mediocre schools of the metro region and should not be compelled to use similar expensive and ineffective requirements. The supporters of wasteful spending don't regard results for education, they just want more wasteful spending.
Our champions of local fiscal control deserve our thanks for standing firm against those who would make us waste money. Bravo! Thank you Carrie Ruud, Paul Gazelka and Greg Blaine for looking out for us, and for our children's education.
Rod Thoe
Fort Ripley
Long distance rail solutions
Except for a flat waterway, rail is by far the most energy-efficient system for moving people. Those of us who travel a lot have seen the marvelous urban and long distance rail networks in the developed countries of Europe and Asia. Those systems have a lot to do with their lower consumption of energy per unit of output than we have in the USA.
In a bipartisan act, our Minnesota legislature has approved $60 million for the Northstar line from Minneapolis to Big Lake. The feds will match. Even Gov. Pawlenty, who opposed rail transit when he was in the Legislature and vetoed last year's transportation bill, is now supporting the project.
The January opinion survey showing 84 percent of Minnesotans wanting transit didn't hurt in Capitol voting. We can thank Congressman Jim Oberstar, Democratic leader on the Transportation Committee, for his consistent support of both Amtrak and Northstar. Service on the Northstar should begin from Minneapolis to Big Lake in 2009 with five week day, in-bound trains in the a.m. and one outbound. Evening will have five out-bound trains and one in-bound. Three round trips are planned for Saturday.
The program includes linking the Hiawatha Line to Northstar at a Fifth Street bridge station, adjacent to the new Twins ballpark. This is a win for all of us.
Rolf Westgard
Bay Lake
Bush is pandering to evangelicals
If Bush is truly opposed to embryonic stem cell research, he should demand an immediate end to all in-vitro fertilization. That would cut off the supply of extra embryos and, at least for now, deflate the debate.
But we know that Bush is just pandering to his evangelical base. He has no heartfelt beliefs. Bush claims to be a born again evangelical. His recent faux pas during the G-8 meeting should dispel that nonsense. While talking to Tony Blair, he let one of his infamous four letter expletives slip, and while I'm not opposed to such language, he's got to be the only potty-mouth, born again Christian that I've heard of. It's well known that Cheney has a foul mouth, but he makes no pretense. He knows he's a cad.
Paul Bartlett
Eagan
Explaining why I'm pro-life
While door-knocking and talking to voters, I have been asked my position on the life issue. I am pro-life. The two main reasons I am pro-life are my spiritual beliefs and my physically handicapped arm, which makes this issue very personal to me. Even though my body is not "perfect," I was given the opportunity to live. However, being pro-life is more than just being against abortion.
Being pro-life is having a consistent ethic of life. Being consistently pro-life is taking care of our children and providing them with quality education and health care. Being consistently pro-life is helping our poor; working to create and retain living wage jobs that our families need in order to have economic stability. Being consistently pro-life means helping those who are homeless, have alcohol or chemical problems, or who cannot help themselves.
I believe being pro-life means protecting all of our vulnerable citizens from conception to a natural death.
John Ward
Candidate Minnesota House 12A
Brainerd
|
Mostly Clear, 80°
