We’re in the final stretch, Minnesotans. Legislators are in the final month of the legislative session, there’s a lot of work left to, and the differences in priorities between DFLers and Republicans are becoming more obvious. While DFLers are pushing for the measures that Minnesotans care about most, Republicans are leaving us scratching our heads.
Here’s the worst of the week:
Failing to keep Minnesotans safe… still:
Minnesotans have been loud and clear about wanting commonsense gun violence prevention measures. We want to feel safe in our schools, workplaces, and communities, and that means ensuring that firearms don’t end up in the hands of those who will use them irresponsibly. DFLers understand this, and they’ve been pushing for gun safety legislation all session. Republicans on the other hand, no matter how many times Minnesotans ask to move them forward, have blocked these efforts.
Senate GOP leader @paulgazelka says gun proposals included in House DFL public safety omnibus remain non-starters: ““We’re just not going to do it. The bills are dead.” https://t.co/PrNgo6RjMz
— Torey Van Oot (@toreyvanoot) April 29, 2019
Taking Minnesota cities backwards:
To ensure that working Minnesotans in the Twin Cities earn enough to make ends meet, Minneapolis and St. Paul have both passed local ordinances increasing minimum wages. Up north, Duluth passed an ordinance providing paid safe and sick time to workers in the city. Countless Minnesotans came together to fight for these changes, but Republicans are threatening to undo them. What do Republicans have to lose from Minnesotans earning fair wages and paid time off to recover from an illness?
Cutting vision and dental care:
Maybe Republicans think that if Minnesotans don’t have access to vision care, they won’t be able to see through their bad moves in the Legislature. That’s about all that could explain the Senate Republicans’ move to cut vision and dental care for 510,000 Minnesotans. Any Minnesotan who has gone too long without a visit to the dentist or the optometrist knows how quickly a small problem can turn into a crisis, yet Republicans are willing to put Minnesotans’ health in jeopardy because, in their words, “we have to make choices.”
The obvious choice that Republicans continue to ignore? Protecting Minnesota’s Health Care Access Fund.
Shortchanging Minnesota kids:
And it’s not just health care that Republicans are making disastrous “choices” about. It’s education too. The differences in school funding between the House DFL proposal and the Senate Republican proposal are astronomical, and Minnesota could lose nearly 4,000 pre-k spots for early learners next year. Republicans don’t seem to understand: students, teachers and families deserve better.
Failing women and LGBTQ+ youth:
Republicans have been attacking Minnesotans’ access to safe, legal abortion care all session. Now, less than a month away from the deadline, they’re still trying to shame women and their doctors for making the best choices for their health. Meanwhile, they’re failing to protect LGBTQ+ youth from harmful “conversion therapy” practices that could have longlasting negative effects on their mental health and wellbeing.
Whether it’s in our schools, at work, in our communities, or with our health, Republicans are failing Minnesotans. Find out who represents you and let them know: Minnesotans deserve better.
