Candidate for Minnesota House of Representatives - District 57A in 2022 Minnesota General Election.
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Get StartedThese are difficult times. I was recently in the grocery store to pick up some items, and I saw an elderly lady in a wheelchair staring at the price labels for the produce. I asked, “What do you think of these prices?” And she looked up at me, her eyes welling with tears, and confessed that she didn’t know how she was going to make ends meet. We have a lot of financial insecurity among us. Some work but are not paid a living wage. Some are retired on a fixed income. Some families have been devastated by medical expenses. We need better safety nets! This might include: More food shelves State revenue surpluses returned to those who need it most More social workers and non-profits working in financial and food insecurity Better public transport More options for free or low-cost health care Find more options for safe and affordable housing.
Most people know the answer here: The problem with government is polarization. Many republicans think the democrats hate America and are actively working to destroy it. Many democrats think the republicans are conspiracy nuts who are full of fear and rage. When we view the other side in such extreme terms, we can’t reason with each other or talk with each other. We get closed off, and the lack of communication makes the polarization worse. The answer? Listening. I recently went door knocking, and decided to go to an area that was heavily republican. I wanted to hear their stories, their concerns, and their struggles. People shared with me, and I shared with them. Did I change anyone’s political orientation? No, probably not. But I did give them reasons not to be afraid of democrats. At least this democrat. I think that’s how change starts—listening to people. Not listening to jump on them with a counterargument, but to listen with curiosity. People have stories, and those stories are powerful. Meeting and hearing each other, one on one, is where change happens.
When I told my neighbor that I was running for the Minnesota Representative position as a DFL candidate, his face went white, and he said, “Don’t take away my guns!” I know that’s been a familiar rumor. But it simply isn’t true. No one will be coming to your house to confiscate your guns. It simply won’t happen. However, we have a problem in this country with mass shootings. And ours is the only country where this happens. I will never “just get accustomed” to school shootings. We need to have some simple, common sense gun laws that will reduce mass shootings. No law will ever eliminate all the shootings. But we can reduce those shootings with some simple legislation, including: Expand background checks, to cover the loopholes such as gun shows, internet purchases of guns, etc. Raise the age of gun purchases to 21 (several of the recent mass shootings have been perpetrated by 18- and 19-year-olds. Reinstate the ban on assault weapons. These are weapons who’s only purpose is to cause maximum kills in the shortest time. I would support an optional (not mandatory) buy-back program for those gun-owners who would like to sell their assault rifles back to the government. Prohibit people who have been convicted of a hate crime from owning a gun. Minnesota already has such a statute, but about half of states do not. Ghost guns are firearms that are assembled-at-home. They do not have serial numbers and background checks are not required. These are showing up at crime scenes with increasing frequency. We need to be proactive about making sure these guns are traceable and regulated, before the problem gets worse. With a few common-sense laws, we can reduce the number of mass shootings—and protect our children.
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