Rep. Jenifer Loon (R-Eden Prairie) and Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie) will host a joint town hall meeting 10-11:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 23, at the Eden Prairie Library, 586 Prairie Center Drive.

The informal meeting will cover topics for the upcoming 2016 legislative session, including tax relief and the latest budget forecast, as well as give citizens a chance to share their input.

Please consider attending this town hall meeting to make our voices heard! It’s time to refocus the attention back to the issues that matter to our communities, not the corporate lobbyists and extremists that have hijacked the GOP of SD48 and CD3.

Contact: Rep. Loon at [email protected] or 651-296-7449, or contact Sen. Hann at [email protected] or 651-296-1749

cd3 · David Hann · event · Jenifer Loon · SD48 Senate District 48

There is hardly any reason to doubt that the ECM Publishers Editorial Board has the best intentions when endorsing candidates for office (“Why endorse?  Newspapers have unique access to candidates for an insider’s perspective,” Nov. 13).

I could not agree more that constituents need to be accurately informed about a candidate’s votes and positions at least on key issues.

Having said that, I took exception to the board’s endorsement of Erik Paulsen for Congress in Congressional District 3.

He voted for the largest non-defense spending cut in American history in 2011 and always wants to reign in wasteful spending. Yet, Paulsen is against reducing our  bloated military budget containing numerous wasteful items.  Much of this money could be used to support homeless veterans, which comprise one-third of all homeless in America.

Earlier this year, he voted to gut the nation’s hazardous waste regulations and is against federal regulation of greenhouse gas emissions but for offshore drilling.

Regarding health care, Paulsen distorted and misrepresented outcomes of a public option while voting for Paul Ryan’s 2012 budget destroying Medicare and for repealing the Affordable Care Act.

He has voted for dramatic cuts to domestic and international family planning, against reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act in 2012 and against fair pay for women.

While the nation grapples with gun violence, he has refused to make his position known on restrictions on the purchase and possession of guns as he is endorsed by the NRA.

Finally, given the low voter turnout, the congressman has yet to state what, if anything, he specifically has done to help prevent unconstitutional, discriminatory practices disenfranchising voters throughout the country.

With all due respect and in light of the above, it seems to me that Sun Current readers deserve further clarification of the board’s endorsement of Congressman Paulsen.

Richard Laybourn
Bloomington Sun-Current, November 19, 2014

cd3 · Congressman Paulsen · Erik Paulsen · Third Congressional District

The afternoon of October 18, Sen. Franken and Sen. Warren come to the CD3 DFL’s Campaign Office to talk with volunteers between shifts of door knocking and phone calls. Our thanks to Kevin McColl for the photos from the event:

Al Franken · Buck Humphrey · cd3 · DFL · Elizabeth Warren · HD48A · HD48B · House District 48A · House District 48B · Joan Howe-Pullis · Rep. Selcer · Sen. Franken · Sen. Warren · third congressional district DFL · Yvonne Selcer

Do you miss a fully functioning Congress yet?

Across America political campaigns are communicating their ideas for full employment, a balanced budget, an educated population, national security, reformed immigration policies, rebuilt infrastructure, a healthy population, solvent Social Security and Medicare and, in sadly far too few campaigns, climate change.

None of these or other important issues will be dealt with in Washington if citizens choose either not to vote, or not to do their homework on candidate positions and the impact those positions would have on “ordinary” citizens, or vote solely for incumbents without knowing their voting record, or not to ask where gridlock emerged.

In Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, I have determined the best candidate is the Democrat, Sharon Sund. Sharon has a well-documented record of cooperation and flexibility to act on concerns and issues. As a member of our U.S. House of Representatives she would make determinations on behalf of all 3rd District residents, with an eye first toward what would most benefit ordinary citizens. Sharon will say “yes” to education, responsibly balancing the budget, affordable health care, ensuring Social Security and Medicare are solvent, protecting workers (employed and unemployed) and, most significant for me, addressing what I am convinced is the most urgent long-term issue facing our nation and the world, climate change.

Sharon is an exceptional “ordinary” gal who will work exceedingly hard to recover a functioning Congress in order to do what government can do best: serve the people.

Amelia Kroeger
Bloomington
Sun-Current, October 11, 2014

cd3 · Sharon Sund

Think again.

Here’s a photo from Morning Joe July 11, 2014 showing Speaker Boehner talking about the Republican House moving forward with their law suit against President Obama.

Who’s that in the background (at Boehner’s right hand)?  CD3 Representative and SD48 resident Erik Paulsen. So much for being a Ramstad moderate.

3rd Congressional District · cd3 · Erik Paulsen · law suit · Obamacare · Rep. Paulsen