Candidate for Minnesota House of Representatives - District 50A in 2018 Minnesota 2018 General Election.
View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.
Get Startedwhere red flag laws ARE in place and as an advocate of domestic abuse survivors, I don't think most do enough to remove weapons from threatening partners, including police and military personnel who should be stripped of their issued weapons until their mental health issues are resolved or they're maintaining the OFP/RO from the person being hurt for a structured amount of time. Learn more
I'm an advocate of letting private sources help - like Lebron's school in Cleveland or commercial ad space for sale within reason - so with a combination of creative funding sources, we can reduce the tax burden, while still giving every educator all the resources they need for all learners. Learn more
Standardization ensures mediocrity and we're stifling creativity - by the teachers and the students - at every turn. I do not believe it's government's job to decide how ANYone should learn, their only role should be to get the dollars from tax allocation to educator with as few stipulations or middlemen in between as possible. Learn more
There has to be an easier way where we acknowledge that education costs DO vary by kid (ESL, SpEd, GT, etc.), area (longer bus routes = higher transport cost), or demographic (low income outside educational opportunities v. high income), but without incentivising fraud for ineligible free lunch applications, misdiagnosed learning disorders, or administrative level deceit Learn more
Whether it's a voucher system or a change in the current funding formula, imagine a single mom being able to afford to home (or un)school her kid who doesn't function well at 30 hours a week surrounded by 700 other people, or giving more dollars to online schools that have open enrollment borders, or supporting innovative charter school learning models that create hybrid classrooms that integrated real world learning, online resources, and in-school lessons. There are so many options, but the conversation gets shut down with us v. them too often. I'd like to open the door to more ideas on the future of ALL schools in America. Learn more
'm also not naive to the fact that MANY gun owners opt to buy, sell, and trade among themselves with no licensing or background check included. I don't believe that tightening these laws will do much except make life slightly more inconvenient for rule following gun buyers. Short of creating a thought-police, there's no way to have "no exceptions" to people obtaining guns without background checks. Learn more
I'll support background checks as they stand, because 90% of Minnesotans want them, and because the massive drop in gun violence since NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) was passed in 1993 seems to be strongly correlated. Learn more
And really, handguns are killing people at a 10 to 1 ratio against ALL other rifles COMBINED (that's all bolt, lever, pump, AND semi rifles). The AR-15 is just scary looking to civilians, so it's often used as the scapegoat for increases in gun control. Learn more
The biggest indicators for violence - gun and otherwise - are ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences) - and we need to work education, family services, department of health, and a take a whole 360 approach to address those before we jump to gun bans. Learn more
where red flag laws ARE in place and as an advocate of domestic abuse survivors, I don't think most do enough to remove weapons from threatening partners, including police and military personnel who should be stripped of their issued weapons until their mental health issues are resolved or they're maintaining the OFP/RO from the person being hurt for a structured amount of time. Learn more
Red flag laws should be in place for emergency psychiatric evaluation and treatment placement, NOT for gun seizure. Learn more
As for the bump stock, it was approved by the Obama Administration's ATF "to be intended for people with limited use of their hands." Like the current straw debate that the left is losing, I'm not interested in removing tools that primarily benefit the disabled because of a 0.0001% negative use of the product. Learn more
we ALL want to reduce gun violence, I just believe the "how" is not through gun policy, but through much earlier stages of prevention. Learn more
Insurers would improve their marketing to brand packages to stage of life buyers and then diversify their clientele to make up the differences for the low payouts of healthy 20-somethings to the ongoing medical issues of old age. MUCH better than mandating and fining the free market, open it and remove government to support innovation. Learn more
we're fortunate to have a government that views good health as an important quality for our citizens to strengthen the readiness of a whole nation, and that allocates tax dollars to programs for basic healthcare for anyone who needs it. That's why I appreciate the safety nets in place for the old, young, and disabled, and I'd like to see more done for those w preexisting and genetic conditions and other issues beyond our own control. Learn more
while there ARE flexible components, like elective surgery or enhancement medications, there are also demand-static items that are inflexible despite supply, despite cost, and we need to come up w a pricing solution that both covers their requirement, but also allows money for innovation and development. Learn more
By allowing health care to operate in a car insurance model - where it's NOT tied to your job, where you can choose to buy a minimal plan of EHBs (Essential Health Benefits, currently, that includes things like pediatric, preventative, and emergency services among others) or get the Cadillac plan that has elective surgeries, brand name medication over generics, etc. you can do that, too. And from there, add what you need Learn more
Open health insurance across state lines and reduce the mandated requirements of plans. Learn more
changing patent laws in America to reward innovators but also open competition to drive down cost, and then to create drug-specific public utility pricing model like we have for water and gas services to our house, that objectively sets a fair price ceiling for the product, plus padding for invention and development in the field. Learn more
All health care cannot stand alone in the free market. Learn more
Health care is not a right. Learn more
In the model I imagine, people who opt out of the union would also take on the personal responsibility to negotiate their own pay, benefits, leave, etc. If they are envious of their union coworkers, they can opt in to the union at any time, and vice versa. If the unions are doing way better, it will be easy to see their value add, and if the individuals are doing better, it will force the union to reevaluate their tactics or dissolve. Learn more
I don't believe unions are evil, I thank them immensely for everything they fought for 100 years ago that we still enjoy today, and I hope they can evolve into something that is helpful to everyone, not just to half the country. Learn more
I think unions need to get out of the political field and put that money back into human rights and community. Spend it on charities that fight human trafficking, sponsor nonprofit job programs or homeless shelters, invest more in trade training and integrate w schools to give them the supplies they need to prepare an energize students about your job. Learn more
View your personalized ballot, check your voter registration, make a plan to vote, and research every name and measure on the ballot with BallotReady.