For the moment, we'll skip over the insanity that passes for governance in Washington, D.C. and other international capitols (why nations should spend 4% of their GDP on defense is beyond our comprehension). Our concerns at the moment are focused on two political races that we think represent potentially typical flaws. One is for the House of Representatives in our congressional district (MN CD8). The other is for county sheriff. Let's start with that one.
There are five candidates for sheriff in Chisago County, according to information from the Secretary of State web site. (The information below is buried several pages/links deep on the Secretary of State's web site.)
Please note that only four of the five candidates listed have provided URLs for a web site. That's one candidate better than the three candidates who submitted "filing statements" with the Chisago County Press [scroll down on the linked page]. Those three are:
Chisago County County Sheriff Candidate Name Party Website File Date J. Carlson Nonpartisan www.chisagocountyforcarlson.com 5/25/2018 Mark Osland Nonpartisan www.markosland.com 6/1/2018 Ron Rollins Nonpartisan rollinsforsheriff.com 5/30/2018 Cory Spencer Nonpartisan 5/22/2018 Brandon Thyen Nonpartisan www.thyenforsheriff.com 5/22/2018
- Cory Spencer (no web site, but social media accounts)
- Ron Rollins
- Mark Osland
Brandon Thyen was appointed in May to serve as sheriff until the election.
Our point is that for a significant local office, there seems to be no set of basic information that needs to be made available to the public. We're not sure what information is contained on the filing papers that are submitted to the Secretary of State? County Auditor? but believe both the candidates and the public would be better served if there were a legal requirement to provide the equivalent of a job application in a standard form.
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| the real question is HOW?
Photo by J. Harrington
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Our other frustration is partly related to public information and/or positions related to a very contentious issue in MN CD8, mining, especially copper mining. Some of the candidates have taken public positions in favor, claiming that Minnesota has necessary environmental regulations to protect our public resources. Others are firmly against allowing copper-sulfide mining in a "water-rich" environment such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. None that we've noticed has questioned the sufficiency of Minnesota's environmental regulations and mine permitting process. That troubles us deeply because there is a growing body of evidence that the regulations we have don't adequately protect our water quality. Plus, some of our current, and prospective politicians are busy substituting political chicanery by substituting legislation for regulatory and judicial processes, undermine the rule of law and the right to due process. While that's been going on, the mining and steel industry have been busy developing and testing processes to certify mining operations as responsible or sustainable. That may enable the mining industry to continue to secure the social license needed to operate in the future and some of the drafts appear to be more comprehensive than current regulations in Minnesota.
There is a proposed new global standard for the steel industry, ResponsibleSteel™. This may some day soon affect the iron mining sector in Minnesota as work is completed "to give businesses and consumers globally the confidence that all steel has been sourced and produced responsibly at all levels of the supply chain, from raw materials suppliers to end users."
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| do Minnesota's regs require best practices?
Photo by J. Harrington
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This standard may or may not (we haven't tried to compare) align with the mining sector's "Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) ... the Standard for Responsible Mining, a precedent-setting global certification program for industrial-scale mine sites. With growing awareness and demand for ecologically and socially-responsible products, jewelers, electronics businesses, auto makers and others have sought assurances that the minerals they purchase are mined responsibly."
We're probably fantasizing, but we'd be much happier if some, or preferably all, of the candidates for congress in MN CD8, plus our candidates for us Senator and state governor would state talking about the fact that standards like the ones mentioned here, developed and implemented with the participation of all affected parties, might give us better, more expedient decisions about where and how to mine, if at all, that the current piece-meal, opposing party advocacy process we currently use. If any political reporters come across this, try asking any of the candidates if they've heard of ResponsibleSteel™ or IRMA and what they think of them. If they haven't heard of them, why not?
Exquisite Candidate
I can promise you this: food in the White House will change! No more granola, only fried eggs flipped the way we like them. And ham ham ham! Americans need ham! Nothing airy like debate for me! Pigs will become the new symbol of glee, displacing smiley faces and “Have A Nice Day.” Car bumpers are my billboards, billboards my movie screens. Nothing I can say can be used against me. My life flashes in front of my face daily. Here’s a snapshot of me as a baby. Then marrying. My kids drink all their milk which helps the dairy industry. A vote for me is not only a pat on the back for America! A vote for me, my fellow Americans, is a vote for everyone like me! If I were the type who made promises I’d probably begin by saying: America, relax! Buy big cars and tease your hair as high as the Empire State Building. Inch by inch, we’re buying the world’s sorrow. Yeah, the world’s sorrow, that’s it! The other side will have a lot to say about pork but don’t believe it! Their graphs are sloppy coloring books. We’re just fine—look at the way everyone wants to speak English and live here! Whatever you think of borders, I am the only candidate to canoe over Niagara Falls and live to photograph the Canadian side. I’m the only Julliard graduate— I will exhale beauty all across this great land of pork rinds and gas stations and scientists working for cures, of satellite dishes over Sparky’s Bar & Grill, the ease of breakfast in the mornings, quiet peace of sleep at night.
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Thanks for visiting. Come again when you can.
Please be kind to each other while you can.
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