Letters, Dec. 17, 2020

Rep. Stauber is not in touch

Rep. Stauber has done it again. Half truths, omissions, falsehoods. Drug legalization and tiger owning were not the reasons Congress was called back into session. The reasons were many and varied.

Let’s consider National Defense Authorization, which includes improvements in military housing, quality of life considerations for military personnel, military child care, veterans benefits. Let’s consider the urgent need for a comprehensive COVID-19 package which includes economic relief for most Americans, the whole vaccination program and it’s distribution, unemployment insurance continuance, rent moratoriums. Let’s consider Title IX legislation that is protective of all Americans. Let’s consider looking at the Hyde amendment and rewriting or removing it. Let’s consider all of the lying, the waste of time and money, the obfuscating that has gone on with, and promoted, by Rep. Pete’s own political party. Drugs and tigers. Yep, that is what Rep. Pete sees and thinks. Many of us believe that he could and should do better.

The question was asked if Rep. Stauber was in touch with his constituents. I guess only if one believes the untruth that the recent General  election was rigged, fraudulent, and stolen. The man certainly does not speak for me. Lindsey Graham in a different suit.

Ely Salyards
Duluth, Minnesota


Little Peter and the GOP Utopia 

The first thing I noticed is how much Little Petey Stauber is following in the clay footsteps of his anti-hero, Donald, the Lyin’ King, due to his use of the “Denial and Blame” tactic. 

As with ALL addictive, fear-based personalities, Little Petey denies he has issues, and once in denial of his issues, he feels free to blame all his problems on people who differ from him.  Then, just like the “False Messiah,” he de-mands that everyone else change what they think and how they act, because, YOU KNOW “They’re the problem. I’m not the problem.”

As with most Republicans I know, Little Peter wants to impress us all with his “good intentions. At all times, he wants to keep us from looking at the consequences of his decisions and the other side of all the stories and opinions he presents.

Gov. Walz tried to open the state for more economic recovery, leading to a greater spread of the Covid virus, more hospitalizations, and more deaths.  For Little Peter and his cronies, that’s not important. It’s “BUSINESS” and the “ECONOMY” that’s all-important.  Who cares how many Minnesotans get sick-und-die! 

As it turns out, doctors, nurses, health care and essential workers, and many others are furious, deathly tired, suffering from PTSD, and frustrated with the Republicans’ refusal, (starting with the Trumposter,) to take the virus seriously, leading to filled hospitals with no beds in the ICU units. 

Why can’t Little Peter hear THESE people?

In his letter, Little Petey rants about Pelosi supporting a bill to “legalize drugs,” and never, once, names the drug(s). Would the heinous drug (of choice) be marijuana, which numerous other states have decriminalized? 

Why is he so paranoid about naming the drug? Is he aware that the main reason we have so much drug use in this country, and in the world, is because of a group he’s a member of?  That he’s ignorant of this fact, proves he’s not paying attention to what he needs to be paying attention to.

In mentioning his issues with Pelosi, he conveniently avoids telling “we the people” that (last I heard) Mitch McConnell has more than 200 House bills on his desk that he won’t allow the Senate to work on.

So almost everything Pelosi does is blunted by McConnell. Supposedly McConnell won’t bring anything to the Senate floor that he knows Trump will veto.  So, no, Little Petey, most of the blame should go on McConnell and Trump.

And now we learn that Minnesotan House members have signed on to support a specious amicus brief to throw out ballots of people from four states, based on lies from Donald, the Lyin’ King that fraud was committed, an’ “he was robbed.” (Paxton from Texas, who brought the suit, is being investigated for bribery, and other things.)   

Salon writes:  “it’s ultimately about the Republican belief that elections should be democratic in name only, and the only real choice available to voters should be to vote Republican. If the voters are foolish enough choose otherwise, their right to vote should be stripped away.” 

In reality, that’s what Minnesota House representatives such as Little Petey Stauber are supporting. which is seditious. According to the 14th Amendment, they should be barred from holding government office for life.

Trump (and cronies) have blood on their hands, (more than 300,000 dead) while his base continues to drink the Trump Kool-aid. Under the facade of hatred of liberals is the Republican/patriarchal male fear of not being able to control everyone who differs from them. What they want to do is control everyone – but themselves, which is why they’ll end up being Fascistic in nature, and eventually fail. But only after creating chaos and destruction, all in the name of trying to set up their version of Utopia.

Maybe Little Peter Stauber and his Republican colleagues should be considered traitors, taken out back to be drawn and quartered, tarred and feathered, and run out of town on the proverbial rail.

Gary Burt
Marble, Minnesota

Thanks for asking

Thank you for reprinting (Rep. Peter Stauber’s press release in the Dec. 10 Reader) and asking for what we think.  

Rep. Pete Stauber is not in touch with his constituents. The divisive language in his press release sounds more like rhetoric from the House Republican leadership rather than his own words. The tone of his piece needs to be less negative and more descriptive of how we are going to get through all this together. On a daily basis, his constituents live, work and socialize with people that do not share the same political views but somehow, they all find common ground in their community.  Rep. Stauber, you need to be honest with us and represent all your constituents as you claim to.  

Patrick McConnell
Duluth, Minnesota

Stauber’s name etched in infamy

Mr. Stauber’s name will be forever etched in history along with the words treason and traitor linked to the 18 state AGs and 126 House members. Who attempted to overthrow an election and a democracy. Curiously, he accepted the election results for his reelection.

Like his mysogynistic idol he attacks the house majority leader Nancy Pelosi, suggesting she is “tone deaf.” From my vantage point she sees and hears quite clearly what the Kool-aid drunk, deaf, dumb and blind Trumplicans are silently permitting the current occupant to undermine what’s left of our democracy.

A suggestion for Mr. Stauber – check your windage, lower your sights, your target should be the obstructionist Moscow Mitch not Nancy Pelosi.

But I understand the Trumplican playbook easy targets are women, minorities, blacks, browns, LGBTQs and the poor.

Mr. Stauber touts his “war on drugs” law enforcement career like a badge of honor without acknowledging the lifelong, permanent damage {due to excessive and unnecessary incarceration} of blacks, minorities and the poor.

I suggest a book for Mr. Stauber – The New Jim Crow, unless like most Trumplicans he doesn’t read. A question about his law enforcement career: Were moneyed, powerful people – like Trump – given a “free pass” like your alliance with the lawless-one appears to have done?

Stauber mentions several times the need for bipartisanship in solving problems. A nice idea but meaningless to Trumplicans as that ship sailed during the Obama Presidency.

As an 80-year-old Marine Corps vet and UMD alum I remain confused how someone/anyone who has served could claim to be a staunch supporter of a; draft-dodging, Gold Star family mocker, describe generals as “idiots and pussies,” and mock those who served and died as “losers and suckers.”

My father was KIA in WWII, best friend KIA in Nam, Nephew KIA in Kuwait. I am angered and appalled at the language and behavior and will never understand Stauber’s alliance with such a piece of garbage. He evidently is also OK with Russian ransom money for U.S. troops.

I have a question for Mr. Stauber – when you took the oath of office, did you agree to uphold the Constitution? Serve the people? Serve a party? Serve a dictator? Serve a cult?

I have news for you, you are in a CULT!

Any parent of a handicapped child or one with preexisting condition who can accept someone as lacking in; empathy, sympathy, morality or decency is astonishing.

Another question for Mr. Stauber – when your head hits the pillow are you proud of who you are, what you stand for, who you have chosen for role models not only for yourself but your children and grandchildren?

A final suggestion for Mr. Stauber – grow a set, put on your big boy pants and don’t be afraid to ruffle the blubber of the conman carnival barker.

William Soderlind Sr.
Duluth, Minnesota