Vote for Judge Janet

On April 4, 2023, the citizens of Wisconsin will have the opportunity to help restore women's reproductive rights, protect voting rights, design fair maps and protect the environment. Our Wisconsin Supreme Court has for too long been the tool of ultra-conservatives and big business.

Judge Janet Protasiewicz has made clear in her campaign that she supports a woman's right to choose and make her own decisions regarding her reproductive health care. When the U.S. Supreme Court over-turned Roe v Wade, Wisconsin law reverted back to an 1849 law that makes it a felony crime for a doctor to perform an abortion unless the mother could die. Already medical students in Wisconsin are crossing state lines to receive abortion training and administrators of medical schools in our state are worried about future recruitment of OB-GYNs.

Dan Kelly is an extremist who supports Wisconsin 's 1849 criminal abortion ban even in cases of rape, incest and the health of the mother. He has garnered support from extremist organizations that not only would threaten health care abortion providers with imprisonment but also want to ban birth control. Dan Kelly has worked with the Alliance Defending Freedom. an anti-LGBTQ hate group that is on the Southern Poverty Law Group's list of hate groups. He has said same sex marriage "robs marriage of meaning." Dan Kelly could be the deciding vote on upholding Wisconsin's antiquated abortion law, on stripping rights away from the LGBTQ community, on retaining the most genymandered maps in the U.S .. and on deciding the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. We need a justice on our Wisconsin Supreme Court that actually respects the values of most Wisconsinites. Vote for Janet Protasiewicz April 4.

Susan Flemmen, Lake Nebagamon, Wis.

Minnesota Is the Best  

Minnesota is rated the best state to live in overall of all continental U.S. states.  

Climatewise, Minnesotans would rather wear a winter coat than endure frequent tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, wildfires and even earthquakes. We have excellent schools, health care, roads, public spaces and more.  

We now have a people-friendly trifecta government (one-party control) but where bipartisanship is also on display. Take for example recent legislation giving laid-off mine workers extended unemployment benefits.  There is also proposed budget legislation to return to most households a possible $2000 check from the state’s current surplus.  

Not all legislation, though, is bipartisan. Take for example very recent legislation passed that respects women’s dignity by removing government control over their bodies.  

Something many don’t realize is that nearly all people, Democrats and Republicans alike, consider themselves prolife. Prolife includes pro-education, safety, shelter, food security, non-invasive government, and more.  

Something else that many don’t realize is that prolife also means respecting a woman’s dignity and body choices. That’s why the Minnesota state government will no longer have this control, but even so, it is untrue to say that any of us are proabortion. An authentic Christian society, both legislatures and individuals, does not judge, whether it agrees or disagrees.  

I expect that over the next two years we will be seeing a lot of people friendly legislation, both partisan and nonpartisan, that will make all of our lives better.   We are all blessed, Democrats and Republicans alike, to live in the Great State of Minnesota with our great skies, water and now government.  

We can and will continue to be the absolute best state in continental America to live in because Democrats Care About People.  

Jack Pick, Goodland, Minnesota     

MN vs. CA – OMG  

Well, folks, with a one-party rule in Minnesota we have now surpassed California In the race to become the “bluest” state in America! In this race, the Democrat legislators have tossed out common sense to win this contest. We have gained national recognition on new bills and other legislation to change Minnesota forever!  

I will list these issues/topics (ranked by me) which in record time have been implemented or soon to be implemented as follows:

Abortion – the most “extreme” abortion legislation in America. A woman can abort her baby legally one day prior to due date. Walz has dropped his 2022 pledge!

OMG Driver licenses for all – this proposed bill is being touted to making our roads safer. However, what is not being discussed is the possible voter fraud by thousands of illegal immigrants.

OMG Teacher certification -  changing to include specific classes our new teachers mandated to take to focus on CRT teaching.

OMG Transgender sanctuary – proposed legislation to make Minnesota a “go to”  for all transgender folks.

OMG Taxes – with a $18 Billion dollar surplus it is obvious that Minnesota has become one of the most taxed states in America (income taxes at 9.85%, tax on social security, etc.)

OMG Energy bill – eliminate carbon emissions by 2040 (also known at the blackout bill).

OMG   I predict that Minnesota will now surpass California in residents moving to “red” states. Minnesota nice? Not so much!  

Chuck Bracken, Cannon Falls, Minnesota

We should lead on nukes

Nuclear weapons can and must be eliminated.  The production of these weapons alone creates massive amounts of hazardous materials at every stage of the process.  The potential for catastrophic accidents involving these weapons has been an intense concern many times since they were invented. 

Their intentional use would be disastrous on a scale that it is nearly impossible to imagine. The United States remains the only nation to have used nuclear weapons against a population, infamously attacking civilians in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.  It continues to have a nuclear “posture” which retains the concept of “first use” if its “interests” or those of its “allies” are “threatened.”  

The United States spent $44.2 billion on nuclear weapons in 2021, more than three times the amount spent by any other nation. The nine nuclear powers combined spend more than $156,841 PER MINUTE on these weapon as “millions of their own citizens struggle to access health care, heat their homes, or even buy food.  Spending on nuclear weapons is violence that costs lives” (International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons). 

Return of these resources to our communities could save and improve lives by being used for housing, health care, education and preserving/restoring the environment. In 2021, the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons went into effect. 

It provides a verifiable process for universal disarmament.  No one nation would act alone to give up its weapons.  The United States government has openly worked against the Treaty.  There is currently a bill (HR 1185) in Congress to change that and advocate for joining the Treaty, which “also calls on the United States to lead a global effort to prevent nuclear war.” 

This bill needs and deserves widespread support. Across the country and indeed around the world, people and communities are acting to get their governments to sign and ratify the treaty.  The Duluth City Council will vote on a resolution encouraging our federal representatives to join the Treaty on March 13. This resolution is supported by a coalition of local and national groups, the Twin Ports Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons.

It is up to citizens and our local communities to demand an end to the nuclear threat, and to support a future for our children and grandchildren.  This nation can be a leader in that effort.  Learn more at ban-nukes-twin-ports.com.

Dorothy Wolden, Lake Nebagamon, Wisconsin