Proposed Solutions to the Minnesota Gun Control Problem: Abortion Rights vs. Crime: What Do We Really Need to Know About America? A Conversation With Jim Schultz
WAYZATA, Minn. — Here in light-blue Minnesota, where I’m traveling this week, there’s a race that offers a pure test of which issue is likely to be more politically decisive: abortion rights or crime.
The incumbent attorney general insists that he will win his re-election if abortion is legalized in Minnesota.
But his Republican challenger, Jim Schultz, says the contest is about public safety and what he argues are “extreme” policies that Ellison endorsed after the 2020 murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis — the aftermath of which Minnesota is still wrestling with.
Schultz, a lawyer and first-time candidate, said in an interview that watching Floyd’s death under the knee of Derek Chauvin, a police officer who was later convicted of murder, had made him “physically ill.” He added that Ellison’s prosecution of Chauvin was “appropriate” and that he supported banning the use of chokeholds and what he called “warrior-style police training.”
Editor’s Note: This is a part of the CNN Opinion series “America’s Future Starts Now” in which people discuss how they have been affected by the biggest issues facing the nation and experts offer their proposed solutions.
A teacher at a community college in Texas working, in her words, “in an environment that feels more and more like a prison.” A Massachusetts lawyer who had an abortion when his girlfriend was pregnant, says the thought of women of reproductive age being forced to birth an unwanted child into almost inevitable poverty and abuse by an ignorant government is what he still thinks about today. A New Yorker who after losing her father to Covid is still most afraid of gun violence: “The violence is everywhere and it feels like it’s only a matter of time before I’m a victim. I’ve always had street smarts, but that’s not enough these days.”
For others, the fear was not about policy issues or even daily life, but about the political system itself, concerns for US democracy. One reader stated that the other issues wouldn’t matter if the integrity of our democracy wasn’t secured. One person said that democracy is on the ballot this fall. Timothy from North Carolina put it this way: “I vote in every election. As a US citizen, it’s a duty. This election is a referendum on the soul of our country.”
I feel like I am stuck somewhere in an invisible middle ground as a lifelong conservative-leaning independent. While I share many (not all) basic conservative views, I feel that the MAGA crowd has taken this GOP to a place that I just cannot see any of us, outside of pure anarchists’, would want to go. There are a number of important issues facing us that these midterms stand to have major import, so let us not kid ourselves. The elephant in the room is the return of Trump in 2024 and the influence he’s had on elected officials in these midterms. Should Trump manage to find his way back into office coddled by sycophantic election deniers at all levels, I truly fear our democracy may not survive.
I feel like I am being pushed away from those on the left when I listen to those on the left, because they are so far from representing me. I am for inclusion, equal rights, tolerance and open-mindedness but when it gets to the point of being closed-mindedness, it gets us nowhere.
So, of all these pressing issues we are faced with in these midterms, to me, without a doubt, the most pressing is this huge void between us. We hate and think that those who disagree with us are evil people who want to destroy our country. Not only is this sentiment not rejected and frowned upon by those who hold elected office, but it is often stoked mightily in attempts to appeal to respective bases, and garner votes. It’s like an out of control brush fire. Unless we start seeing each other as fellow human beings with different views and opinions, nothing else will be solved.
I’m a working woman in my late 20s with an advanced degree. I was able to avoid debt through school thanks to scholarships and working. After I married during Covid and then bought a house last month due to sky high prices and interest rates, I decided that my family should invest in our future. Our lives don’t stop because of the pandemic, inflation or political war. I want a proactive government less focused on forgiveness, leniency, and finger pointing. Stop reacting to things as they happen, and start strategizing for the future – that’s how you’ll connect with these “ordinary Americans” you’re always touting.
What I Know About My State, My Country, and Why I’m Interested in Voting in the November Midterm Election: Three Things I’ve Learned
I am a librarian. I’m a woman. I’m bisexual. Any of these three facts about myself could and should make me more interested in this midterm election then most. I was brought up in the belief that it is my responsibility as a citizen to vote, and have missed very few since I turned 18. I sure won’t be missing this one.
I have been sharing stories and giving access to information to people who need it. We cannot as a society have equitable access to information without libraries and the freedom of those libraries to carry the materials which will allow people of color to see themselves and their stories represented. Without a means for LGBTQ+ youth and adults to access the information they need to remain healthy and stories to know they are not alone, even if their families are the ones isolating them.
As a woman, I am terrified that I might get prosecuted if I need an abortion. I am not sure if I will have many years yet, so I decided to speak with my doctor about a hysterectomy instead of taking the risk. I am considering a surgery because my state doesn’t believe in bodily freedom.
As a bisexual single woman, I would really like to have the right to marry if I fall in love with a woman and have it recognized in the state I live. I am afraid I will lose that right.
The reasons for these things are my own. I empathise with people who are trans and their families. The only people who should be making decisions about the medical care of the child are the parents and doctors of those children. Not the government.
I believe that voting is equal. The moves against allowing equitable access to the polls is terrifying. I believe the gun control, climate control, and health care legislation which were passed were a good start, but do not go far enough.
And most of all, while I don’t like the turn our country has taken for the last several years, I do love my country. I want it to succeed. I want to be proud of it. So I will use my voice this November.
I’ve been voting for the Republican party for over 40 years. The Democrats can’t give money away fast enough and are saddling us with outrageous debt, but the Trump et al takeover of the Republican party leaves me no good choices. I can either vote for the irresponsible or the crazy. I will vote straight-ticket Democrat knowing full well the damage it does do to our economy against the current tribe that has taken the Republican party – and whether through intent or stupidity or personal avarice – to a place that threatens the very fabric of our country. One day, I hope our grand-children learn about Trumpism and McCarthyism, and wonder how we succumbed to the same fear mongering we did before. I pray for the return of civility and rational discourse to our political process.
The cost of living has the most direct impact. Every month we struggle to pay our bills and eat because we have been married for 52 years. We do know we are luckier than a lot of seniors though. Neither of us blames a political party on inflation. The country was basically shut down for 2 years, what did we expect? Everything else is the real stuff of nightmares. The attack on the Capitol, the loss of rights, and the crazed fanaticism to a cult leader are just some of the things that have happened. I still can’t get over how sad I am when I think of it. Not being able to afford a bag of potato chips is more emotional than not having an emotional balance. The hopelessness of the political Climate, racism, book banning, and pure lunacy is what has a negative effect on one’s mental health. I long for the day when once again I can be truly proud of our flag. I hope I live long enough to see a baby born.
As a California resident, I feel super conflicted about the midterms. On the one hand, national issues like the overturning of Roe v. Wade and the disgusting gun violence are exceedingly urgent and motivating to help halt any “red wave.” On the other hand, local politics have me extremely wary of voting for Democrats in city and state elections due to crime, homeless and the infuriating performance of out-of-control liberal DAs.
When I was a kid, living in Los Angeles in 2022 was quite different. I want to support Democrats in order to protect my civil liberties and ensure that women have the right to healthcare, but California is a mess right now. It is very difficult to justify an all out Democrats rally when the status of my home state and city is so dire. Likewise for New York CIty, which i called home for 10 years – it’s even scarier watching what is going on out there! My international friends now send me messages of sympathy and literal fear for my safety.
I used to support one party over the other. When the Supreme Court reversed the decision, it ended that. I think the current Republican Party is on the verge of collapse. There were basic rights for women to manage their own health taken away. Her reproductive health can be shared with her provider. This is beyond dangerous!
If there is a lack of knowledge about medical conditions, pregnancies, and the loss of life, then it will happen. A woman’s reproductive age is the most dangerous time when she is pregnant. Old White men with no medical background make medical decisions based on myths for women. Delaying having children is a way for women to have children when they are mentally, financially and emotionally ready for children. The decision to force pregnant women to carry to term is not right. I am not going to be voting for Republicans in the near future.
As a registered Republican, I’ve been frustrated generally by the party’s support of individual “rights” over the welfare of others, which if it continues, I feel will have a negative impact on our country as a whole. I believe that the majority of people will choose to do what is in the best interest of the country as a whole.
As a college student I have been most impacted by the cost of university education and the effects of Covid-19. Mental health issues have made life post-high school much more difficult. I will vote for candidates who advocate the reduction of college tuition as well as the expansion of health care for low income Americans.
Something has to be done about college costs. I attended Penn State from 1979-1983 and owed a total of $7500 when I graduated. I paid that loan off. I then went back to college to add another teaching certificate to address a critical need. I took only seven classes that I owe $21,000. Until we rein in the cost of college, students graduating will continue to have insurmountable debt. I graduated from Covid. I did not have to pay interest on my student loan because of a part-time teaching position that allowed me to pay it down. The high cost of college isn’t being solved by the federal government because they don’t have enough money.
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/opinions/midterm-elections-reader-response-voting-motivations/index.html
A Physician’s View of Local Law and Politics: Where Do We Stand? Where Do I Live, Where I Am and Where I Will Live?
As a physician who cares for a rural community I have been greatly impacted. I’ve voted for GOP, Independent, Green and Democratic over the years. I will never vote Republican again based on the party’s extreme change from its historic roots and the direct threat they caused to my personal life and my family’s.
They made the situation worse with abortion rights. My patients have been affected by this. If I can care for my community now, I might be a criminal for following evidence-based recommendations to care for my patients.
I care for all the farmers I care for and their ability to feed themselves and other people, which is affected by climate change, so it’s been sad to watch and listen to. Hopefully politicians will keep government out of my exam rooms.
There is gun violence. I have not been personally impacted in that neither me nor my family have been victims. But it is so hard to send your babies to school every morning knowing that it might be the last time you see them. And the powers that be in my state will not do anything about it.
While I worry about epidemics and inflation, I do not dwell on them because I believe there is very little we can do proactively about them. I don’t see the issues as long term issues. I have no other choice than to get my vaccinations and watch my spending. However, out of control rent increases scare me to death. I am a retired senior who will be priced out of my apartment within a year. Gun violence (coupled with our systemic racism) is my top issue. We can do something about it. Why would anyone believe that a private citizen needs to own a rifle? Innocents die every day and there is a lot of posturing and sound bites. A woman has a right to choose between her doctor and herself. Period. I don’t understand why a vocal minority makes such a big deal of this when a majority of Americans support her right to choose.
My hopes for the future: a kinder, gentler place to live and let live, including a greener planet. I used to not pay much attention to local elections. Never again. I vote now in every contest, I research the candidates, I use my unaffiliated status to work the others’ primaries, and I shall vote Democratic until I can longer take a breath.
I am married to a white male and have two college age children. Our whole family is influenced by the cost of learning. We want our children to have the peace of mind of knowing that they will not have to take on debt. The biggest worry I have for the future is that the balance of rights and responsibilities in our culture has become out of whack and that people who are different from each other are not being allowed to have a reasoned debate. That colors how all the issues listed here are being addressed. My biggest hope for the future, and source of optimism, is the young people I see taking ownership of critical issues, such as March for Our Lives or the students I read about recently who are taking it upon themselves to provide responsible and factual sex education to their peers that their schools won’t do.
My wife’s plan to be a librarylogist scares both of us because we are afraid of the violent threats against libraries by these right wing groups with their anti-diversity views. In our community a group of Proud Boys came and disrupted a library diversity event. The presenter had to escape through a back door. We are very afraid for our freedoms being quelled through violence by the very people who call themselves “patriots.”