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Let candidates know that you care about the issues that affect Minnesota seniors |
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By Marlowe Hamerston
MnSF Metro Region member
The November election is close at hand and the question on everyone’s mind is whom to vote for. TV ads give suggestions every few minutes. Readers of Senior News have long ago progressed to voting for our own best interests. To this end, consider these suggestions:
- Don’t pay attention to TV ads. Many lie or at least twist truth. Try to attend a forum where candidates are face to face with you. Listen to what they say and how they say it. Try to break through the politician’s facade. Ask hard questions and demand straight answers. When they don’t answer your question, ask it again. Candidates who will not answer hard questions or refuse to debate opponents do not deserve your vote.
- One item that appears on the ballot and confuses voters relates to constitutional amendments. Most amendments are on their face good ideas. The trouble with many good ideas is that they have another side to them. When a constitutional amendment dedicates income to a specific use, it is taking those monies from other programs. The division of monies in Minnesota’s general fund is the prerogative of our legislature. The legislature can do anything through legislative action that a constitutional dedication of funding can do. If we simply dedicated all general fund expenditures to our various programs with constitutional amendments, we would no longer need our legislature.
Constitutional amendments negate the ability of our legislature to direct funding to those areas of greatest need. If such direction of funding is not being done in the manner that is in the best interest of the citizens of our state, then we need to change legislators, not burden our Constitution with another amendment.
It is extremely important to make your needs and interests known to those who aspire to govern Minnesota. To this end, seniors must participate in electing those who seek the governorship, or the office of senator or representative by voting in the coming election. Vote. Vote. Vote!
Dr. Seuss in The Lorax summed up the role of seniors in this election: "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." |
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