Category: Letters to the Editor

Frustrated with Rep. Paulsen’s false claims

Dear Editor:

As a citizen frustrated with the current political climate, I am eagerly anticipating the upcoming elections. I find myself discouraged and depressed however, at the ridiculous barrage of false advertising – particularly from our current representative, Erik Paulsen.

As someone who has voted for many Republicans and Democrats, I always look at candidates with skepticism. However, the easily disproven, fraudulent attacks by the Paulsen campaign against Dean Phillips are particularly unsettling. Of the numerous negative attacks, one stands out above the rest: the accusation that Phillips covered up harassment at Allina’s Health System Clinics. This is blatantly false, and disputed by both the business and the women themselves. Paulsen has yet to stop running the ad or apologize for the debunked claim, cynically hoping that voters simply swallow it. This new, corrosive trend of creating your own truth and lying to the public is destructive. Fabricating a story involving harassment because it is currently such an emotional issue is repulsive.

We’ve also been told that Dean Phillips avoids paying his taxes (he doesn’t) and doesn’t provide healthcare to employees (he does), and as more of these dishonest attacks are unveiled, we learn just how far Erik Paulsen is willing to go to keep his job. Continue reading “Frustrated with Rep. Paulsen’s false claims”

Vote blue

RNCC ads attacking Angie Craig and Dean Phillips, Democrats running for Congress in the 2nd and 3rd districts of Minnesota, are misleading and downright deceitful according to fact check articles in the Saturday, Oct. 13, Minneapolis Star Tribune. Not any different here in the 8th. RNCC ads attacking Joe Radinovich are equally misleading. Republicans cannot run on their record—tax giveaways, raiding Medicare and Social Security, EPA debacle, health care dismantling, fraud and mismanagement by this administration’s officials the list goes on ad infinitum. They must lie about their opponents so they can continue their control of Washington and complete the “job.”

When you see RNCC sponsorship of a political ad, know you’re being scammed. Source check the “information” being offered. These ads represent a political party so desperate to hold on to power they are stooping to the lowest levels imaginable. I have one bit of advice. Vote blue.

Marian Severt, Brainerd
Brainerd Dispatch, October 17, 2018

 

Flier’s attack on Dean Phillips as ‘heartless’ is false

Erik Paulsen attacks again, falsely, might I add.

Recently I received a flier telling me that Dean Phillips is “heartless” because when he was “in charge,” 12,000 nurses went on strike when their health insurance was threatened.

That is false. Here are the actual facts: Continue reading “Flier’s attack on Dean Phillips as ‘heartless’ is false”

How I will be voting this year and why.

In the Nov. 6 election, I will do something for the first time in 50 years. I will be voting a straight DFL ballot.

After almost four decades as a Republican Hennepin County commissioner, 50-plus years as a Republican activist, and having probably chaired more Republican conventions than anyone in the state, let me say it simply: President Donald Trump is unhinged, and some of us who have been Republicans have to say it loud and clear.

Trump has hijacked the Republican label. Trump has little to do with the principles and standards of the Minnesota Republican Party over many years. Continue reading “How I will be voting this year and why.”

Paulsen is not Mr. Nice Guy

To the Editor:

Political candidates should talk about what they are going to do for our district instead of trashing their opponent. I am disgusted by Erik Paulsen’s negative TV ads opposing Dean Phillips. They constitute a Trump-worthy, personal smear campaign.

I cringe and mute the TV or change channels every time they come on. Based not on factual information but partial truth and innuendo, I see traces of antisemitism at the margins of these ads. I hope my district will not be fooled by the special interests funding them. We are smart enough to see through the tactics of using character assassination to get votes.

The Minnesota I know and love deserves representation for all of us in the 3rd Congressional District, regardless of party. We deserve and should demand a representative with civility who examines the issues, listens to all sides of an argument and builds consensus. Erik Paulsen won’t meet with his constituents, publishes strategic photo ops with veterans and makes school visits to court the 18-year-old vote. These are all superficial attempts to portray himself as Mr. Nice Guy. He is not. He votes the conservative Republican agenda 97.8 percent of the time, according to ABC’s FiveThirtyEight. We do not need Donald Trump representing the 3rd District. Please vote for Dean Phillips.

Mary Jane Miller, Minnetonka
MInnetonka Sun-Sailor, October 15, 2018

Vote for Mother Nature this fall

This letter is about human-induced climate change. We cannot ignore it! And this is what the Republican Party is doing while kicking the proverbial can down the road. Yes, our climate has changed and will to continue to change even without our intervention. Yet we are here and prospering quite well as we continue to harvest Mother Nature for all it’s worth.

I was first apprised of global warming during the ’70s with news that the ozone layer is being destroyed by fluorocarbons and we then subsequently banned aerosol cans. I don’t recall the Republican’s denying it then and wondering if they still think the banning of aerosols is still valid?

We have been pumping and fracking our land, gulping our water and belching its remains in our air for far too long. Luckily we have scientists who study and report these effects on our environment. Our outgoing mayor, Nancy Tyra-Lukens, attended a Robert Redford summit with mayors with a focus on protecting our environment. She spearheaded the 20-40-15 and with its success this is now the Sustainable Eden Prairie. Continue reading “Vote for Mother Nature this fall”

Messages are dividing the country

The upcoming election is again subjecting voters to inflammatory and deceptive advertisements by candidates and special interest to artificial divide our country.

Recognizing that these divisive advertisements have some success in creating harmful divisions, I have faith we can still agree on something: Congress isn’t working as confirmed by Gallup Inc.’s 40 years of polling America’s approval of Congress. Since 2010 approval of Congress has hovered between 10 percent and 20 percent. The institution is broken. Why?

Listening to eulogies for Sen. John McCain, I was struck by one speaker’s words of the senator: “He did understand that some principals transcend politics, that some values transcend party. … he understood that if we get in the habit of bending the truth to suit political expediency or party orthodoxy, our democracy will not work.” Continue reading “Messages are dividing the country”

Vote DFL Nov. 6

To the editor:

Most of my neighbors and I agree that the Republican Party candidates in the upcoming election do not do near enough to challenge and stop the drumbeat of Donald Trump and his ideological base at all levels.

Since when do Americans tolerate daily lies and distortions of reality?

Since when do Americans tolerate hateful views of immigrants and people of color and the degradation of women? Continue reading “Vote DFL Nov. 6”

Dean Phillips looks out for the little guy

To the Editor:

I encourage everyone in Congressional District 3 to vote for Dean Phillips. I am extremely impressed with his grasp of the issues, his hard work and his creativity. He readily admits that he is “lucky” to have his family background of wealth and education. As voters, we must remember, wealth is not a bad thing; it is how you use the wealth that is important. Dean has used his mostly for the little guy. To create a “government repair truck” and ride around the district meeting people is a refreshing change from our present nearly invisible representative.

Dean has invited our present representative to a series of forums that have been scheduled; he has not shown up to any. To build an ice house on Lake Minnetonka last winter and invite people in is a sign of someone who truly listens to voters. But, most of all I am heartened by his true commitment to getting “big money” out of politics. Thousands of individual contributions are funding his campaign; he rejects all special interest, PAC and SuperPAC money. That cannot be said of our present representative. Continue reading “Dean Phillips looks out for the little guy”

Paulsen, super PAC teamed up to tear Phillips down with lies

To the Editor:

Here we are, about two months away from midterm election day and the voters of Minnesota’s Third District are on the edge of their seats. We are paying attention to our candidates and determining who will be the best representatives of our interests. But instead of seeing incumbent Erik Paulsen put his best foot forward, we see attack advertisements, special interest money and smear politics.

This has to end. The Congressional Leadership Fund Super PAC and Erik Paulsen have teamed up to try to tear down Dean Phillips’ reputation with lies. Is that how campaigns should run? It’s incredibly misleading and quite honestly annoying. I don’t want our candidates filling the voters’ minds with falsehoods. Let’s provide facts only, please.

Here are some facts: Dean Phillips is a business owner who is passionate about getting money out of politics, saving the environment, making health care accessible to all and much more. He is being attacked for not providing health care to his employees at Penny’s, but he does, in fact, provide for all full-time employees. Continue reading “Paulsen, super PAC teamed up to tear Phillips down with lies”