That’s why we have the Bill of Rights

Tim Walz was recently quoted saying, “There’s no guarantee to free speech on misinformation or hate speech, and especially around our democracy.” Surely, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and George Mason would be outraged and alarmed to hear such a statement from a vice presidential nominee. This type of thinking from a politician is literally the reason they amended the Constitution and created the Bill of Rights ensuring, first among others, the right to free speech.

— John Conway, Mendota Heights

Our fellow humans

“God wants us to be better.” This is a quote from J.D. Vance talking about Donald Trump’s immigration policies before he became a Trump supporter and candidate. I’m quoting it because I am so disturbed about what is being said of the people of Springfield, Ohio.

I’m sure the citizens of Ohio want their U.S. senator to be better. They should be concerned that their senator is terrorizing his constituents by his and Trump’s lies. We should all be deeply concerned about the way all our fellow humans are being treated. In the words of Paul Wellstone, “We all do better when we all do better.”

— Margaret Anderson, Woodbury

Get real about bikes

A couple of weeks ago an article appeared in the PP in which Mayor Carter extolled the prospect of removing one of two traffic lanes from Concordia Avenue between Snelling Avenue and Marion Street. I recall he stated he rode his bike along the route and found the roadway needed considerable work before it would be safe for bike use.

I drove my car, not my bike, from Snelling to Marion on Concordia and then returned on the north side of 94 on St. Anthony. I acknowledge that neither street looks or rides like the recently repaved Cleveland, Randolph, Fairview or other recently resurfaced streets. However, I submit they are very usable and safe routes for bike traffic, except as noted below But really now, who does the mayor expect will bike on this route?

As a result of the creation of 94 Concordia and St. Anthony are now primarily service roads. They were never intended for bike traffic. I drive Concordia occasionally and do not recall ever seeing a bike on it. In addition, such a conversion will most likely result in loss of some on-street parking, because it always does. I would also suggest that making Concordia a designated bike lane would not promote safety, but in fact the contrary. The Lexington Avenue and Dale Street intersections with Concordia are high-traffic areas and, in my view, dangerous for bikers.

Lastly, who will pay for such so-called improvements to Concordia Avenue? There is a USPS office, Concordia University, Central High School, Capitol Hill Magnet School, St. Paul College, as well as some nonprofit entities located along this street. I hope we are all aware of the recent prolonged litigation the city lost. The Minnesota Supreme Court determined that the city may not legally assess government and charitable entities with such assessments. I guess that what is left is the few homeowners and private businesses on Concordia, and of course the remaining St. Paul property owners. This is just another feel-good idea that needs to be promptly filed in the round circular file.

It has been said previously, but not heard by our city fathers and mothers, that for the most part biking for most citizens is a seasonal activity, while alterations to a street are permanent. The mayor and City Council continue to raise property and sales taxes. Let’s identify and resolve real problems and not imagine new ways to spend the citizens’ hard earned money on imagined problems and “benefits.” Enough said.

— Richard Wilhoit, St. Paul

Not the right expense

Regarding the early learning special levy that we St. Paulites will vote on in a few weeks, I would like to suggest a few points to consider. While I agree that early childhood education is vital, raising property taxes on an average home $200 the first year and then growing that each of the subsequent 10 years until it is tenfold that number (city of St. Paul EL site) is not the appropriate response. The program would only marginally fund the program, and quality measures and other performance metrics have yet to be determined. According to economist Rob Grunewald, the city needs an additional $39 million annually (for comparison, the St. Paul library budget is about $21 million).

St. Paul cannot afford to tackle this issue that, because of its magnitude and complexity, needs to be addressed at the federal and state levels. It will make future potential funding increases for roads, housing, safety, and schools that much more difficult to address. Possibly that is part of why the St. Paul Schools teachers union has come out strongly opposed to this proposal.

— Alan Ickler, St. Paul

A vote doesn’t define you

I am a Republican who will be voting for Donald Trump. Most of my friends are Democrats, including my immediate family. We decided long ago not to even discuss politics. We still love each other, have fun with each other and support each other. I could never understand how families or friends would break apart over this issue.

However, last Sunday, I discovered it could. I had a dear friend who passed away about a year ago. Another friend of hers whom I had never met before bought her house. We bonded over our loss of our friend. We stayed in contact. This new “would be friend” invited me to her house. It was nice being there, and we reminisced about our departed friend and had a pleasant conversation.

This new friend brought up politics. When asked who I planned to vote for, she appeared shocked. She started asking me a lot of questions, and it turned into a political debate. I tried to explain that I did not care if she voted for Kamala Harris. She doesn’t know me that well, and who you vote for does not define you. She could not judge me on my character or behavior, only who I was going to vote for. In the heat of our conversation she stated that once I walked down her driveway, I would not be invited back. I was in disbelief and tried to tell her how disappointed and sad this made me. She said she would have to really think about whether we saw each other again. Arriving home that day, I discovered another attempt had been made on Trump’s life. Would Democrats calling him Hitler, have anything to do with this?

I am voting for Trump because of the facts of his accomplishments during his administration, not his personality. I would also hope that others vote for Harris due to the facts of her accomplishments during the current administration, not because she is a woman of color and promises joy. During the debate between Trump and Harris, Harris did not answer the question, “were you better off four years ago than today.” Think about this carefully before you vote.

— Vicky Moore, North St. Paul

Who’s at fault?

The political climate in our nation is like a stick of dynamite with a short fuse. It is being fanned by billions of dollars in donations, often from people like the Soros clan, to politicians who are willing to sell their souls to the highest bidder. Some will say that President Trump was the instigator, but I say his presidency actually opened our eyes, as the Democratic Party spent four years attacking him, using a work of fiction as the source.

January 6th then became the rally cry of those same Democrats. I am still dumbfounded, that an unarmed protest/demonstration at the nation’s capital could be considered an insurrection.

So here we are, after apparently two attempts to assassinate President Trump, suggesting that he is the problem.

The Democratic Party is so insecure about their presidential nominee that they resort to “Hitlerizing” President Trump. Ms. Clinton in 2016 called Trump supporters deplorables, and Mr. Walz, from our great state, considers the Republican nominee and VP “weird.”

Harris and Walz are the most radical nominees for president this nation has ever seen. VP Harris was brought into the Biden administration because they could check a few boxes and get broader support. One important one was omitted, she does not have the ability to lead and be president based on her past performance.

— Jerry Wynn, St. Paul