News & Articles

Antonin Scalia, Sly Dog

The late Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia was sly. He advocated a theory called “originalism” that says the Constitution of the United States must be interpreted in a way that each word in it has the same meaning that word had over two hundred years ago when the document was written. The idea is that the way people who wrote the document thought should be applied to issues we face today. Originalism is brilliant. It allows a justice to pretend to know what a person was thinking hundreds of years ago, and apply that supposed thinking to current issues.

Originalism is asinine for at least two reasons. It is impossible to know exactly what someone who wrote the Constitution was thinking in regard to a current issue. It is also a stretch to imagine that the people who wrote the Constitution left it ambiguous in many areas if they meant for us to divine what they were thinking and then apply their thoughts to current issues and situations they could not have imagined.

Originalism does allow conservative judges like Scalia, and Donald Trump’s latest nominee, Amy Coney Barrett to come up with any decision they desire and then cover themselves by blaming it on the founding fathers. Originalism allows conservative judges to legislate from the bench.
Yes, Antonin Scalia was a sly old judge.

Jason Maloney
Washburn

Vote Quinn

This is not about Don or Joe. I guess most minds are already made up about that contest. But scan down the ballot to some races that are important to all of us as Minnesotans and as residents of the 8th District. The important names are Tina Smith and Quinn Nystrom.

We all know Senator Smith as a fighter for working people. For years she has made the high costs of healthcare and prescription drugs her top two priorities, fiercely advocating for generic drugs, mental health services, and to improve the availability of health care in rural areas.

Quinn Nystrom is a rising star in Minnesota politics. Like Tina, she is a strong advocate for affordable health care and prescription drugs. Quinn’s opponent, Pete Stauber, has failed to honor even one single promise he made in 2018 regarding health care.

If elected, Quinn vows to continue her fight to lower costs for life-saving medications and to put forward legislation to lower out-of-pocket expenses and deductibles. She will also work to strengthen the Affordable Care Act and protect coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has complicated the health care landscape, but the only way through this is to work together. So, the three things we need to do to protect all Minnesotans are:

1) Vote Tina Smith for Senate
2)  Vote Quinn Nystrom for Congress in the 8th District and…
3) Wear our masks!

Guy Roger
Isle

True colors

Trumpers don’t care about any kind of logic. Clearly they don’t care about any kind of functional democracy. They know their revered idol is a blatant liar, a cheat, a philanderer, and possibly even a traitor, but they don’t care. As the current administration shreds the constitution, and the high court turns Catholic, they respond to T-Ball’s wolf whistles enthusiastically, because he’s playing their song. They remain faithful to him for one reason and one reason only. He ain’t Obama.

It was a mistake to run Hilary in 2016; we see that now. She may have won the popular vote, but for these guys, she carried the legacy of Obama. That’s what these Boogaloo Bois and Proud Boys couldn’t stand; that the country had been run by a man of color. They chafed at the first time he was voted in, and split their blood vessels at his popular re-election.

So the Repubs got busy, stacking state legislatures, disbanding the Post Office, and Catholicizing the public educational system. They have fouled up the electoral process by gerrymandering and voter suppression. This was to ensure that the next president, if nothing else, was at least a white male. He would restore the order that they want; making America great (read that ‘white’) again. Racism is what it’s about. It’s what it’s always been about. Those beefy, tattooed and heavily armed thugs, who call themselves T-Rex’s ground troops, are ready to start a war on American diversity. White just has to be on top.

To this I say: No Trump! No Republicans! Vote color; vote women! Almost anybody would be better than the gutter trash that’s in office now. Don’t let these brutes prevail. Our dad taught us kids how to love our country, and I do. I just don’t see it continuing after four more years of this. It’ll be ‘President for Life’ and secret police and death squads.

It will be clear what is going to be going on. Our country will be under a racist ruler devoted to the dellusion of white supremacy, and we won’t survive the effects of that. I celebrate the diversity of our culture. Very soon, I fear, I will be ducking bullets for the choices I’ve made.

Ray Allard
Duluth

New runway is inadequate

The original runway at Sky Harbor Airport was better than the new one. It was nearly 500 feet longer with grass overruns at each end. Also, the first runway was closer to the trees which were very much needed for crosswind takeoffs and landings.

I had a 67-year career in aviation beginning in 1948 in the U.S. Air Force. Through the years I learned a lot about  airports and seaplane bases. I became a pilot and flew for 64 years with more than 30 years as a commercial pilot and flight instructor. I was involved at Sky Harbor since 1960 except for some years that I was airport manager at Superior.

It’s too bad that so much money was spent (I was told $12 million) and then to end up with a less desirable runway which is only 2,600 feet long.

Many business-type aircraft require a longer runway. As much as the pilots would love to use Sky Harbor because of the close distance to downtown, they have to land at Superior instead, which has two long runways.

Don Macor
Hermantown

Debates No. 1: The Day After

 I decided to wait on my next letter until after the 1st Presidential debate. I have intentionally not listened to any media responses so I can give a clean overview. The debate started off nasty and remained nasty to the end. Yes, maybe Trump should not have interrupted so often but when Biden was saying so many stupid things, it was an automatic response! Also, Biden was totally acting as a child with his name calling (liar, racist, clown) but all of those names could apply to Biden!

The top 3 issues which Biden either responded poorly or not at all:  1. Sanders Medicare For All – Biden did not explain the “manifesto” (Biden lost votes) 2. Antifa – Biden said it was an “idea” not an organization. Really? Just Google antifa and you will see that Biden is wrong (Biden lost votes) 3. Law & Order – Trump asked Biden which police organizations supports Biden and he could NOT answer (Biden lost votes).

So, it was obvious that Trump won the debate and Biden lost even more votes!
Finally, I continue to be disappointed with the media especially on the New York Times article about Trump’s taxes. Even the mediator of the debate, Chris Wallace, had to go there. What the media nor Wallace failed to mention is that Trump has donated his Presidential salary ($400,000/year) to various government agencies (parks, health care, veterans) but has to keep $1.00/year so he is not working for free. BTW, the Supreme Court will make the final decision on the election results due to the ballot fraud.

Chuck Bracken
Cannon Falls