Category: Letters to the Editor

LETTER: Dean Phillips will continue to work across the aisle

To the Editor:

Over the last several weeks there have been letters attacking Dean Phillips, our Congressman for the Third District, and praising his current opponent Kendall Qualls.

Each letter made vague statements about how we deserve leaders who are focused, disciplined and honest. Well, we currently have someone who has all these things and more – Dean Phillips.

He holds numerous town hall meetings, he listens to us, he responds to our concerns. I can not think of one promise he has not attempted to fulfill (very difficult in the current Congress). I strongly feel that if the letter writers want to attack him and praise his opponent they should at least be detailed in your statements. Be specific. What do you not like and why? What does Qualls stand for on the important issues of the day I think you will come up very short? Dean has attempted and will continue to work across the aisle.

Frank Moriarty
Plymouth
July 14, 2020

Appreciative of Rep. Phillips’ work

To the editor:

It seems so long ago and yet just yesterday. Friday, March 13, kicked off an economic crisis that’s impacted nearly everyone in Minnesota and across the country.

States started imposing business restrictions and stay-at-home orders to slow the Covid-19 outbreak. The coronavirus has been brutal and deadly across all 50 states. That’s why I am thankful that Rep. Dean Phillips understands the situation facing small businesses in struggling to stay afloat and re-open in the face of adversity.

Thanks to Rep. Phillips’ leadership and authorship, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act passed Congress last week. Continue reading.

LETTER: Rep. Dean Phillips fights to protect Planned Parenthood

To the Editor:

The recent decision by President Donald Trump to cut funding for Planned Parenthood from Title X is an atrocity. Cutting funding from Planned Parenthood is specifically an attack on low-income America. Because of the affordability of Planned Parenthood, it is able provides safe health care to millions, who now because of the funding cuts could very well lose. This includes procedures that range from, not only abortion, but to cancer screening and other life saving much-needed procedures.

This is why I am beyond grateful to have a representative I know will fight against this attack on low-income women of America. U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips is the representative for Congressional District Three where there are two Title X funded Planned Parenthood clinics. Phillips has made it clear that “Hardened ideological politics have no place in an exam room.” We need to keep electing politicians that will support human rights, not selfish ideologies, so we can stop this attack on Planned Parenthood and prevent future attacks.

Madeline Pukite, Minnetonka
Sun-Sailor, September 11, 2019

LETTER: Phillips advocates for lower insulin costs, Paulsen is lobbying for big pharma

To the editor:

Oh, how times have changed. Reading about how Rep. Dean Phillips has been advocating for lowering insulin costs in Congress with H.R. 4010, has me both excited and astounded.

A year ago, with Erik Paulsen we would have never seen our District Three representative working for such an important bill. In fact, Paulsen is now lobbying for big pharma. The ones who are trying their hardest to make life saving medicine inaccessible to people who do not have the means to pay the ridiculously high prices. But, Rep. Phillips is acknowledging how high insulin prices are and the inaccessibility with working on The Emergency Access to Insulin Act (H.R. 4010).

The bill will not only help people get emergency supplies now, but also plan for the future with how to continue having access to insulin.

We have long needed a solution to this crisis and with a person like Phillips in office we are finally seeing one start to arise.

Madeline Pukite, Minnetonka
August 13, 2019

Federal leaders need to renew fund

On Sept. 30, a vital source of funding for Minnesota’s public lands expired. The Land and Water Conservation Fund has provided over $245 million to Minnesota’s parks and public lands, taking the burden off of Minnesota’s taxpayers. The LWCF takes revenue from offshore oil drilling and invests it in the shared spaces that help make Minnesota special.

A piece of the fund was set aside to complete a Boundary Waters land swap — that swap would provided better protection for the still-patchwork Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness while providing direct property tax relief for Minnesotans. Now that may never happen.

There is still time to revive the LWCF, though. We’re lucky to have supporters like Sen. Tina Smith helping push for LWCF, but we need Rep. Erik Paulsen’s support as well. Ask federal politicians if they know what the fund is — and whether or not they want to revive it.

Molly Muth, Minneapolis
Lakeshore Weekly News, November 23, 2018

Phillips represents regular voters

The source of campaign contributions is a trustworthy indicator of who will truly represent residents of the 3rd Congressional District: incumbent Erik Paulsen or his challenger Dean Phillips.

Paulsen currently occupies the eye-popping rank of No. 4 among reps who have accepted the most PAC money. That’s right — of 435 U.S. House reps, only three take more outside money than Erik Paulsen. He’s raked in over $2.6 million from political action committees. PACs are funded primarily by corporations and billionaires outside our district, and exist for one reason only: to influence elections and legislation.

Dean Phillips? Zero PAC money. Sixty-seven thousand individual contributors, donating an average of $33 each, have provided 100 percent of his campaign funds. And that’s who Phillips will listen to before casting votes in Congress: his constituents. The lion’s share of Paulsen’s votes, on the other hand, reflect the interests of the outside parties that pour money into his campaign coffers. Continue reading “Phillips represents regular voters”

Bid farewell to a representative who’s been no help with light rail

U.S. Rep. Erik Paulsen is an absentee congressman on so many critical issues — from climate change to gun-violence prevention and controlling assault weapons — that the time for change is long overdue. But after Paulsen’s complete and total inaction and rank partisanship in the face of a chance to expand not one but two light-rail lines in his district, voters should wish him well in his next endeavors.

The Third District is composed of the west metro’s largest suburbs, including Bloomington, Brooklyn Park, Eden Prairie, Minnetonka and Plymouth, and home to both the Southwest and Bottineau light-rail projects. Both lines have been planned for years. Each line has received multiple approvals from each of the nine cities through which they run. The only funding that remains to be received is from the Federal Transit Administration, which mysteriously refuses to allocate the money Congress has awarded specifically for the purpose.

It is clear that Paulsen has never assisted with any part of Southwest or Bottineau. Instead, he stands idly by while more than $3 billion in infrastructure remains tied up in bureaucracy. That’s $3 billion — more than three U.S. Bank Stadiums’-worth of jobs and physical infrastructure. Continue reading “Bid farewell to a representative who’s been no help with light rail”

“I’d trust Dean Phillips in my foxhole any day.”

Dear Editor:

I’d trust Dean Phillips in my foxhole any day.

On March 8 of 1965, as a Marine, I was airlifted into Vietnam. Before long I was digging foxholes. So I know what I’m talking about when I say if I had to have a person next to me in a foxhole, it would be Dean Phillips.

I’ve known Dean since he was three. I’m writing this because I’m angered by the way this outstanding man is being portrayed by Erik Paulsen and his dishononest squad of PAC snipers. Continue reading ““I’d trust Dean Phillips in my foxhole any day.””

Paulsen is on the take, torn between constituents and PACs

To the Editor:

The serenity prayer is a popular prayer and, in the case of this upcoming election, it is more relevant than I can imagine.

“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can…”

I am an army veteran. I fought for my democracy in 1970 and I am doing it now as a citizen. The democracy the Republicans have painted for us now is not the democracy I fought for. Stand up for it. Others will follow. Democracy is not free.

Voting is not enough if you are uninformed. Depending on how you feel (red or blue) that day, that’s how you are going to vote. We still have time and our voices matter. Change the unacceptable! Continue reading “Paulsen is on the take, torn between constituents and PACs”

Why I support Dean Phillips

To the editor:

The source of campaign contributions is a trustworthy indicator of who will truly represent residents of the third congressional district: incumbent Erik Paulsen or his challenger Dean Phillips.

Paulsen currently occupies the eye-popping rank of number FOUR among reps who have accepted the most PAC money. That’s right—of 435 U.S. House reps, only three take more outside money than Erik Paulsen. He’s raked in over $2.6 million from political action committees. PACs are funded primarily by corporations and billionaires outside our district, and exist for one reason only: to influence elections and legislation.

Dean Phillips? Zero PAC money. Sixty-seven thousand individual contributors, donating an average of $33 each, have provided 100% of his campaign funds. And that’s who Phillips will listen to before casting votes in Congress: his constituents. The lion’s share of Paulsen’s votes, on the other hand, reflect the interests of the outside parties that pour money into his campaign coffers.

Side note: Erik actually sits in FIRST place for taking money from politically conservative PACs. Combine that with his votes—98 percent of which support President Trump’s agenda—and it’s plain that Paulsen is a far cry from the moderate politician his commercials and campaign literature try to make him out to be.

On Nov. 6, my family and I will vote for Dean Phillips, who has proven by refusing to accept outside money that he’ll represent us and our neighbors.

Martha McNey, Excelsior
Minnetonka Sun-Sailor, October 25, 2018