Letter: Precinct caucuses being held Tuesday
February 3, 2010 by Staff
Filed under Letters to the Editor
From: Tom Schoper
Glencoe
Most people don’t even realize Tues., Feb. 2 is a big day. That’s right; Tuesday is the day we hold precinct caucuses in Minnesota.
This is your opportunity to have a strong voice in what happens in Minnesota and in Washington.
The bid for election starts here for most candidates. When you show up to a caucus, you have an opportunity to become a delegate at the endorsing conventions. Elected offices doesn’t belong to the person serving the office, it belongs to you.
This is the first step in getting the right people to be on the ballot in November. All too often we think that caucus is for someone else and not for us. It is for you and it is easy to get involved. Just show up and participate.
As a civics instructor, I teach students about our system of government and how it works and many of my students will be attending the caucuses for class.
You’ve most likely all learned the same things. So let’s put it to practice on Tuesday, and set an example for our students attending party caucuses.
Letter: Plan to attend the Republican caucus
February 3, 2010 by Staff
Filed under Letters to the Editor
From: Diane Robinson
Hutchinson
Precinct caucuses will be conducted throughout Minnesota Tues., Feb. 2 (Groundhog Day) at 7 p.m.
I wish to extend a special invitation to all residents of McLeod County to attend the Republican precinct caucus this year.
We have seven locations throughout the county in Hutchinson, Glencoe, Stewart, Brownton, Lester Prairie, Winsted, and Silver Lake. If you need caucus location information, please call the secretary of state’s office at 877-600-8683 or go to http://caucusfinder.sos.state.mn.us.
There are two reasons why it is especially important for you to attend precinct caucus this year:
• Open seat State Senate Dist. 18 election – State Senator Steve Dille has announced that he is retiring. On Nov. 2 Dist. 18 residents will be electing a new state senator.
If you attend caucus on Tues., Feb. 2 you can seek to become one of the approximately 200 delegates to the Republican county convention which will be Sat., Feb. 27 at the Silver Lake Auditorium.
As county convention delegate you automatically become a delegate to the Republican Dist. 18 endorsing convention which will be Sat., March 13 at the Dassel-Cokato High School Performing Arts Center.
At the Dist. 18 endorsing convention, you will hear from our four candidates; Tim Benoit, Dean Mahlstedt, Scott Newman, and Randy Wilson. You will then cast ballots for the person whom you feel would do the best job representing Dist. 18.
The person who wins the endorsement will more than likely be the Republican candidate on the ballot in November and will more than likely be elected the next Dist. 18 state senator.
It is rare to have an open seat state senate election, you can have a tremendous influence in this important endorsement process, I urge you to take advantage of this opportunity.
• Gubernatorial straw poll – The night of caucus we will conduct a straw poll for our six gubernatorial Republican candidates; Leslie Davis, Tom Emmer, Bill Haas, David Hann, Phil Herwig, and Marty Seifert. The winner of this straw poll will receive statewide recognition; there will be extensive free publicity for that candidate.
If you have strong feelings of support for a particular gubernatorial candidate please make a point to attend caucus to participate in the straw poll.
The McLeod County Republicans welcome all residents of McLeod County to join them at precinct caucus Tues., Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. If you have any questions, feel free to call me at (320) 582-2420 or our Chairman and Chairwoman, Craig and Nicole Hoel at (320) 234-6284.
Letter: Partisanship or public interest
February 3, 2010 by Staff
Filed under Letters to the Editor
From: Randy Maluchnik
Carver County Commissioner
Partisan politics corrupts the functions of local government.
There is an effort by a small minority of local partisan extremists to make elected county, city, and township positions in Carver County partisan.
This dangerous concept would bring the polarization of partisan politics with its ineffectiveness to local government. Why would we in Carver County want to bring the gridlock of the Minnesota State Legislature and the division of Washington Beltway politics to our local governments?
Local government elections should be about choices and what is best for the public interest, not what party bosses think is best for us all.
Carver County has a long history of supporting a thriving democracy dependent on a well-informed citizenry that votes and takes civic engagement seriously. A nonpartisan election brings to the table greater competition to county, city, and township elections while placing the focus on the competency and qualifications of candidates, instead of partisan party politics.
Nonpartisan local elected offices are more accessible and more accountable to the citizenry. Candidates for local office in Carver County do not have to pass an ideological political party litmus test, just have a practical vision.
Local government officials in Carver County can take satisfaction in knowing that they were elected without attachment to a political party. These local officials were elected to really represent their constituents and not the special interests of the Republican or Democratic parties. Nonpartisan elected officials have an independence that is rarely possessed in the partisan systems.
County, city, and township government is a meat and potatoes type of government delivering basic local services.
Local government must respond to the day-to-day needs of our communities, from water treatment, law enforcement, building permits, fire protection, recycling centers, street maintenance, parks and recreation, to land use planning. Influence on these fundamental services should be from the people and not through a partisan process.
When a city council is trying to decide where to build a new fire station, does there really need to be a Republican and a Democratic position?
Elected officials who run under a party banner serve under that banner once they are in office. I often wonder whether their votes serve the people or the party. If they are following a party line are they really listening to the constituents that they are supposed to be representing?
Let’s keep local elected government in Carver County free from partisan politics and focus on the real public interest. I am interested in hearing from county residents concerning this issue. Please send your comments to my e-mail Randy@chaska.net.
Letter: The people need Sen. Dille to run again
January 25, 2010 by Staff
Filed under Letters to the Editor
From: Marie Thurn
Glencoe
I was recently informed that Senator Steve Dille is not running for another term because a few people told him that he is not conservative enough and does nothing.
That is not the Sen. Dille that I know.
The Sen. Dille that I know is a very knowledgeable person, who knows how to get things done. Sen. Dille is the force we need in the Senate, especially now.
We the people need to let Sen. Dille know that we need him to run for another term.
We the people need to encourage Sen. Dille to run for another term by bombarding his mailbox with letters, encouraging him to run for another term.
Mail him at the Senate office at 103 State Office Building, 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd, St. Paul, MN 55155; e-mail: sen.steve.dille@senate.mn; or call him at (651) 296-4131 (Senate office).
And if you should happen to see Sen. Dille on the street or at any of the upcoming area business expos, give Sen. Dille a pat on the back for a job well done and tell him we need him to run for another term.
If Sen. Dille is not at the Republican booth when you are, leave him a note, and encourage him to run again. We the people should not let a few people discourage Sen. Dille to not run.
We the people need Sen. Dille to run for another term.
Letter: Wilson is serious Republican candidate
January 25, 2010 by Staff
Filed under Letters to the Editor
From: William Ramige
Glencoe
Glencoe Mayor Randy Wilson is a serious Republican candidate for the Minnesota Senate in District 18 vacated by Steve Dille.
He deserves our vote for the following reasons:
• With 10 years of city government experience, he understands the issues that face Minnesota’s small towns and their residents.
• He offers ideas that result in consensus, rather than stalemates.
• He has the upright character that we want in our elected representatives.
• Finally, he gets things done for his constituents.
On a personal note, I have been Randy’s neighbor in Glencoe for nearly 20 years. I worked with him on advertising when he was in the hardware business, and I have sung in community and church choirs that he has directed. Never have I met anyone with greater integrity.
I want Randy Wilson to represent me, my family and my business in the Minnesota State Senate.
Letter: Winsted Little League needs help
January 18, 2010 by Staff
Filed under Letters to the Editor
From: John Entinger
2009 Winsted Little League President
The 2010 baseball/softball season is fast approaching, and we are in need of help in all areas of the Winsted LIttle LEague organization.
In the past, most of the work has been done by one or two people. To organize, sign-up, equipment ordering, fundraising, field repair and maintenance, etc., takes a group. Our organization is in need of some change.
This is not a school or government-run organization, it is a volunteer group of people to better our community and children. If we don’t receive more input and help from the parents, this program will no longer exist.
There is much more to the program than just getting your children to practices and games. Coaching is only a part of it. I am more than willing to show anyone what needs to be done. If we don’t get the help that is needed, we will be forced to stop the program.
There is an informational meeting Monday, Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. at Jimmy’s Pizza in Winsted to determine the future of this organization.
