Opinions

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

As the Twin Cities continues its steady population growth while much of rural Minnesota sees declining population, its influence in state political outcomes grows.

Consider this stark evidence of the power of just four metropolitan counties.

Despite President Donald Trump winning 75 of Minnesota’s 87 counties, he lost by 233,111 votes. Trump had 1,484,894 votes and Biden 1,718,005.

In just Hennepin and Ramsey counties, with the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul respectively, Biden beat Trump by 460,496 votes. When Dakota and Washington counties are included, Biden’s margin of victory in these four metropolitan counties was 512,056. These four counties alone supplied the Democratic vote to swamp a Republican “Red” wave in rural Minnesota.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

It’s far simpler to spread the coronavirus and the potentially deadly COVID-19 disease it causes than we could have imagined. We say this now from personal experience.

It’s an experience that has vividly taught us why it is so difficult to slow the disease’s spread. Its path through our society is made easy through ignorance, false assumptions, and shrug-of-the-shoulders attitudes by too many. Yet, even for those who do their best to be careful, it slips unseen by their defenses.

And, too many of us have an ingrained mindset that we don’t want to make unnecessary work for people who are already busy.  To go to the doctor, to get tested, when we really didn’t feel that bad seems an imposition on overworked medical staff.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Voting by mail was introduced in Utah in 2013. It soon became very popular, with some counties seeing 99 percent of the 2020 primary ballots come through the mail. It’s a deep red and religious state with Republicans firmly in control. It voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and will again Nov. 3.

Until this summer, Republicans in Utah were just fine with voting by mail. They trusted their ballots would be counted and that no one would mess with the process. Now they aren’t so sure. Not because the process has changed but because their faith has been undermined.
“Suddenly (residents are) worried about voting by mail,” Ricky Hatch, a local county clerk, and auditor, in the Salt Lake area told the press. “Voters refer to ballots being thrown in a ditch, a river, and dumpsters…or dogs receiving ballots.” And, of course, dead people voting.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

As many in America become increasingly impatient with social distancing, mask-wearing, bars and restaurants operating at reduced capacity, and postponements of weddings and funerals, some argue for letting the coronavirus run its course.

If we just get back to pre-COVID-19 life, we will create herd immunity to the virus, they say. Now, these same people have a supporter in the White House.

“Herd immunity occurs when a large portion of a community (the herd) becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely,” the Mayo Clinic says. “As a result, the whole community becomes protected — not just those who are immune.” Herd immunity creates enough dead ends for the virus that it can’t find another host.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

If there is one consequence of the current elections that will have long-term implications for all Americans in the coming years it is climate change. It doesn’t have to be a Republican or a Democratic issue, but humankind’s concern.

It is already having an impact on all life around the globe. The depth of those impacts will become more severe in the coming decades. It will mean more children dying of starvation. It will see more refugees fleeing coastal nations where sea rise has flooded their homes. It will mean more refugees fleeing drought-stricken nations seeking food and security, more shortages of water for drinking and irrigation, and more political instability in nations around the planet.

Generations of our descendants will live with the choices we make today, as individuals, as communities, and as a nation.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

An informed electorate is essential to the functioning of representative democracy. In small-town rural America, we hold those in power accountable through the reporting of our community newspapers. Citizens make informed decisions on tax levies, elections, bond sales, the quality of our schools and healthcare facilities, and our communities’ safety through the reporting of their local newspapers.

However, this fundamental underpinning of a democratic society is endangered.

To assess the growing threat and seek solutions, Sens. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, Brian Schatz of Hawaii and Michael Bennet of Colorado introduced the “Future of Local News Commission Act” last month. While the three are democrats, support for community news comes from both sides of the aisles.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

America is changing. We are becoming more diverse with each passing year and that diversity is going to start having an impact on elections. It’s a bitter thought for some who would hold on to America’s white, male dominated society of the past.

According to a recent Pew Research Center study, all 50 states in America saw their share of what are called non-Hispanic White eligible voters decline between 2000 and 2018. Ten states, in fact, saw their White eligible voter population fall by double digits. This change occurred because Hispanics are a growing percentage of their state populations and because they are getting older.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

There is an old concept in politics called the “loyal opposition.” The party that is out of power is not seen as the enemy but recognized as made up of fellow citizens with a different point of view when it comes to governing. They share common goals with the  opposing party but see different paths for attaining them.

The role of the “loyal opposition” is to keep the party in power from overreaching and taking the country, state, or other units of government too far in one direction or the other. The majority party consults the leaders of the opposition party, allowing their input, as they craft legislation.
That’s not true anymore. Now the differences between the parties is a chasm. The span so great that compromise cannot bridge it.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

Perhaps the most common complaint we hear about Congress today is how bitterly divided it is. Democrats and Republicans don’t socialize anymore. They don’t have friends across the aisle like they once did – friendships that  helped them respect one another and negotiate important legislation together.

Now the vast majority are in lockstep with their parties on voting with few crossing over to vote principal over party.

Not all members of Congress are this way but those who genuinely are respected on both sides of the aisle are hardly more than a handful. U.S. 7th District Rep. Collin Peterson is one of those few.

By Reed Anfinson
Publisher
Swift County Monitor-News

There is now less than a month for every Minnesotan to be counted in the 2020 Census. Failure by communities, counties and states to urge their citizens to fill out their census forms will have a deep impact on the future of the services they are able to offer. Failure will mean a loss of representation at the Legislature in St. Paul for rural Minnesota and in the halls of the U.S. House of Representatives. Minnesota would lose votes in the Electoral College.