Take your medicine, DFL, and go to work

The prevailing chaos within the Minnesota House of Representation is a degradation of our legislative process. At best, it is a costly dilemma for the proper functioning of the legislative branch of state government. At worst, it is doing irreparable harm to voter attitudes about government and their future participation in the electoral process.

As a lifelong DFL activist, it pains me to suggest the DFL is largely responsible for the current quagmire. The situation could have been avoided had House District 40B DFL leadership, and the participants in its endorsing convention, exercised better judgment before endorsing an individual who did not live within the district. Once endorsed, the leadership of the House DFL caucus should have been more proactive in making sure all DFL House candidates maintained an active residence within the district they sought to represent. Finally, the voters who participated in the DFL District 40B primary should have ignored the recommendation of party leadership and voted for the best candidate who met the residency requirements.

The solution to the current dysfunction in the House is clear. The House DFL caucus should end its refusal to participate in House floor sessions, thereby allowing the House to elect a Speaker, appoint committee chairs and begin the work they were elected to perform. In return, the House Republican caucus should agree to seat all House members who were elected by a majority of the votes able to be counted. This solution would help restore public confidence in the legislative branch of government.

— Jim Gelbmann, Woodbury The writer is a former deputy Minnesota Secretary of State and was manager of Mark Dayton’s 2000 U.S. Senate campaign

Time to see if this crew can right the ship

I belong to neither political party but am a conservative to the right of center and am continually surprised by many of my fellow Minnesota citizens at their lack of “understanding” about current political events. One writer said that the Minnesota Supreme Court sided with the Democrats in not permitting the Republicans to take control of the Minnesota House. They did no such thing. All they did is rule that a quorum was required to do the business of the people.

But the Democrats continue to avoid doing their duty to show up for work because they may not hold all the power for once. Bad on their part.

In another article a writer says that Trump has begun his campaign of “retribution and vengeance.” Call it what you want but he is simply doing what he said he would do — remove people from his administration who participated in trying to jail him and/or conspire against him. After all, he is now the head of the executive branch. What leader wouldn’t remove people from their administration who so strenuously opposed him? Even if you don’t think these people violated any legal or ethical standards in opposing him, it only makes sense that he would want people in his administration that favor his viewpoints.

Elections have consequences. It is now the turn for a more conservative administration to see if they can get the U.S. ship going in the right direction.

— Ray Grinsteinner, Stillwater

A path of rapid descent

How long can we continue to pretend that America isn’t on a path of rapid descent?

If the current remaking of our country continues, it will be unrecognizable in less than 100 days.

Last November, 77,303,573 misled voters plunged us into a constitutional nightmare. They left 258,122,998 citizens at the mercy of a team of undemocratic faux leaders who are filling top government posts with incompetent misfits. They were fed obvious lies and incapable promises by a campaign carefully designed to manipulate the truth.

The fate of the United States of America will be in the hands of the 119th Congress. If the 535 voting members don’t act and act quickly, life as we and those before us knew it will be altered indefinitely. Will enough congressional members have the courage to stand up and stop the demise of America?

— Roger Schlemmer, Hudson

Alternate headline

The headline for the article on page 4, Feb. 2, reads: “Abortion rights likely at stake in court race.”

An alternate headline might read “Unborn people’s right to life likely at stake in court race.”

— Michael Bird, St. Anthony

Is this what they voted for?

To the slightly less than 50% of the 2024 voters who voted for Donald Trump: Did you vote for letting the violent Jan. 6 rioters who attacked policemen out of jail? For trying to change the 14th Amendment of the Constitution by Royal Proclamation? For freezing federal grants and loans that organizations like Meals on Wheels rely on, and that small towns need to fix their drinking water systems? Is this really what you voted for?

— Dale R. Lutz, Maplewood

Better use for the money?

The federal Education Department budget is $238 billion per year. There are 49.6 million K through 12 students in US public schools right now. If the Education Department budget were distributed over all public school students, it would average $4,800 per student.

What has the Education Department done for us lately? Would an extra $4,800 per student be more useful than what they have done?

Per pupil spending in Minnesota is $13,302 per year now. If Department of Education funds were distributed there would be a 36% increase in Minnesota.

— Dennis A. Helander, White Bear Lake