By Jane Peck
Lanesboro, MN
In this time of life and death due to illness and violent policing, it is helpful to wonder how we can elect politicians who appreciate that laws can save or cost lives. We need politicians that understand their solemn responsibility to vote for measures that promote life and health. A few examples might help.
NewYork Governor Cuomo is accused of causing thousands of deaths by delaying the lockdown in New York City. Now he has saved thousands by having strict regulations for the reopening of his state. New York had 600 deaths per day at it’s worst in April and the daily death rate is now five deaths per day. President Trump’s encouragement to governors to reopen the country with no restrictions has allowed Florida and Texas deaths to total 1,756 people per week in July, while during the April shutdown their total was 45. Trump’s latest threat to defund COVID testing will cause untold suffering as the pandemic decimates our population. Yes, politicians can indeed save lives, or sacrifice them in negligence.
So how do we elect politicians who truly understand and respect the power that they have over our lives? An election is coming and we need to consider this. I recommend we look at a candidate’s background. Did they choose to work in jobs of compassion for the public like teaching or healthcare or work with underserved communities? Did they work to protect our country in the military? A candidate’s experiences are our strongest indicators of who one is actually electing behind the political claims. Please, let’s check into candidates’ background choices.
President Trump’s background includes growing up in a millionaire real estate family. He inherited his business which he drove into bankruptcy six times, each time refusing to pay hundreds of small business creditors. Compassion? Did we actually paid attention to this?
This fall we have two choices for Congress from Southern Minnesota. One is the incumbent Jim Hagedorn, a Republican. He grew up in Washington D.C. in a Minnesota politician’s home. In his early 20s he went straight into politics. He is a career politician as is Greg Davids, our Republican state legislator. Neither has military experience or work in teaching, healthcare, or in underserved communities. It is no surprise that Jim Hagedorn claims, “Nobody in the U.S. goes to sleep at night wondering if they’ll be able to feed their families.”–Worthington Daily Globe, 2019. Child food insecurity in Southern Minnesota has averaged one in eight for the last two years. This fall in Southern Minnesota is projected to hit one of every five children. Can we expect Hagedorn to vote for economic support for southern Minnesota families during this time of job and small business insecurity? It’s not likely he will value life over beating the other political “team.”
Our better choice is Dan Feehan, a Democrat running for Congress against Hagedorn. Dan fought with the Army Rangers in Iraq, he taught school in inner city communities in Chicago and Gary, Ind. Dan’s approach on most issues is centered around lifting working families so they don’t find themselves needing food stamps/SNAP. He writes, “The costs of health care, childcare, and education have far outpaced wage growth. That is why I have plans on how to make health care, childcare, and education more affordable and accessible to ensure that working families keep more of their paycheck on a monthly basis.” Dan was helping deliver for the Mankato food shelf in May. He values life: yours, mine, and our neighbors.
Before we vote in November let’s ask ourselves: which candidate will take their solemn life-or-death responsibilities seriously?
Ken says
Wasn’t Cuomo that put covid 19 patients in nursing homes?
GERALD BOYUM says
What you are talking about are derivative beliefs and actions that come from fundamental beliefs that are based on how we perceive the world around us, including the supernatural. These basic beliefs are then used to evaluate the validity of subsequent beliefs and actions as discussed below.
1. In voting, the first and foremost consideration should be the political ideology associated with the presidential candidates. When we elect a president, we are also choosing a political philosophy associated with the candidate and all the people who will be appointed by that person, including Supreme Court justices and judges, which will go a long ways in determining how these people will govern, what direction they want to take America, and what programs will be promoted. Is it going to be American Conservatism under Trump and Republicans based on Biblical/Christian principles that has made America the greatest country that has ever existed or Democratic Socialism with Biden and Democratic Socialists based on godless Marxism that has failed, sometimes catastrophically, wherever it has been tried?
2. All human governments ever established was the result of definable political theories that came from their definition/understanding of Ultimate Reality or Ultimate Authority (no higher authority can be appealed to). The source of America’s political philosophy was the Bible which was the primary document the Founders used in developing two of the greatest documents produced by man, the Declaration of Independence and our Constitution. Key elements and comparisons are:
a. Foundation/Ultimate Authority. Belief in a Creator God as revealed in the Bible vs. flawed Man or his institution, the government, which is based on godless Marxism. All belief systems have a foundation or starting point that must be accepted by faith which is used to evaluate the validity of subsequent beliefs. Ideas have consequences and theological ideas have tremendous consequences.
b. Source of Individual Rights. God vs. Human Government (rights are not unalienable; they can be taken away). Without the right to life, all other rights would be meaningless.
c. Equality. Spiritual equality vs. universal material equality. All are created equally in the eyes of God and equally subject to His judgment. To the Left, material inequality is the greatest evil that must be eliminated, even to the point of eliminating “evil” people who oppose their utopian fantasies. Under the banner of “equality”, socialist/communist governments have murdered over 100 million people in the 20th century alone and have persecuted/tortured millions more.
d. Property. Private ownership vs. State/Government owned or controlled. Private ownership of property is a key part of individual liberty and prosperity, but socialists believe that it promotes greed and inequality.
e. Economic System. Capitalism vs. Socialism. Capitalism (market-based economy) where the means of production and distribution (farms, factories, mines, railroads, etc.) are privately owned and operated for profit vs. socialism where the means of production and distribution are controlled by the central government.
f. America. Greatest Country That Has Ever Have Existed vs. Bad Country. America is “bad” only when compared to a utopian fantasy that has never existed and never will. A “perfect” country could only be possible if people were perfect. John Adams: ”If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” [also no police or military]
g. Real World Applications and Results. United States vs. former Soviet Union, South Korea vs. North Korea, West Germany vs East Germany before the wall was torn down.
Socialism/communism has failed wherever it has been tried due to fundamental flaws such as stifling individual initiative and creativity, concentration of political power (bigger the government, the smaller the individual), corruption and cronyism, leaders will always work for the common good, etc. Venezuela is the most recent example of a socialist “paradise” where people are “voting with their feet.”
When people focus on the most important criteria that should be involved in choosing our leaders and ignore the distraction, distortion and outright falsehoods put out by much of mainstream media; and educators who indoctrinate instead of educate, the choices should not be too difficult: American conservatism with Trump/Republicans that has resulted in the greatest country to ever have existed or Biden/Democratic Socialism which has failed wherever it’s been tried, sometimes catastrophically.
Winston Churchill: “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
I will add: With the exception of the leaders and managers of the means of production who consider themselves “more equal” than the “workers”, just like what’s happening in Venezuela. Ordinary people are experiencing severe shortages of common goods, food, high inflation, etc. while their dictator and party hacks are living in luxury. It all started with attacking the police, burning and looting, destruction of statues, etc. Venezuelans have warned us many times about falling for their utopian promises and fantasies!
Anonymous says
Shame on you for your lying!!! May our ancestors forgive you!!!
Gwen Boyum says
May our ancestors forgive you for all your lies..