Vote! It’s the best thing we can do for American and the world
Another election cycle is about to end. Tuesday Nov. 3 is the final chance we’ll have to cast our ballots. Polling results are pouring in from all across the country. It looks like Democrats have a chance to flip seats and regain some power in the Congress.
Republicans have held a majority for the past two years. With lock-step loyalty, they’ve allowed their president to bypass congressional authority as outlined in the Constitution, to make laws and to “control the purse.” Trump has enjoyed his unfettered spending spree (using taxpayer dollars) and his random rule by executive order.
Normally, a bill is introduced, in the House or Senate where it then gets debated, conferenced, revised, and then brought to the floor in both chambers for a final vote. It must pass the scrutiny of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, before it can become law. The process may seem slow and cumbersome, but when our system is functioning as it should, that time and deliberation best assures that our laws will reflect the will and interests of the people as closely as possible. It also helps protect the core principles of our republic. To paraphrase the words of Abraham Lincoln, “…a government of, by and for the people.”
After months of debate, the founders decided that elected representatives of the people should hold the power over the nation’s “purse”. Never could they have imagined how impactful their decision would be. Today, we’re talking about managing trillions of dollars. No one can deny the potential for disaster that mismanagement could trigger.
To illustrate this point, there are a couple examples we can turn to. Harken back to the early days of Trump’s second term. With the creation of his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Trump granted Elon Musk and his rag-tag team of investigators access to the files of every agency of the federal government, supposedly in search of “waste, fraud, and abuse.” This cadre of interlopers combed through budgets, records of operation, and what were secured data bases, to find whatever they could for reason to furlough or fire thousands of experienced civil servants from their posts. Nearly every agency’s budget and staffing were gutted. After months of disruption, our federal bureaucracy had been decimated. Musk claimed that his actions saved Americans “tens of billions of dollars” but those claims have yet to be substantiated. According to the Government Accountability Office, estimated losses due to the DOGE debacle now exceed $700 billion. They predict that number will continue to rise for decades as the country works to repair the damage to numerous essential agencies.
Since Trump’s return to the White House, the national debt has increased by nearly $5 trillion. The “Peace President” claims he’s ended nine wars and adds a casual tag, “soon to be wars.” He initiated the current, and very costly nine-month war with Iran. And there is no end in sight. Weapons, warships, aircraft, and ammo are very expensive to produce and to replace. His military incursions and trade and tariff wars which have led to market instability with our allies and largest trading partners are two major contributors to the national debt. The interest on our $40 trillion debt, much of which goes to foreign countries, has now reached $1 trillion annually!
In June of 2025, the Republican-led Congress passed their mega-bill known as the OBBBA, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. It cut funding or eliminated programs that offered assistance for food, rent, and energy needed to heat and cool our homes. But in addition, it granted a massive tax cut to the richest Americans. The loss in federal revenue is estimated at $5 trillion over the next ten years. While taking good care of the most well off, it has harmed lower-wage workers, disabled children and adults, and older Americans living on fixed incomes who depend heavily on Social Security benefits and programs that are part of our society’s social safety net. This “social safety net” has been there for all of us when hard times strike. For many, its existence may be a matter of life and death.
THE OBBBO cut Medicaid health insurance for 7-10 million low-income, elderly, and disabled Americans. Ten million more people will lose their health insurance under the ACA (Obamacare) as deep cuts to premium subsidies go into effect. Unaffordable health care costs, even for those with insurance, have created a crisis for millions of Americans. It’s also threatened closure for over 700 rural hospitals and clinic systems across America, including local facilities in Cook, Ely, and other nearby communities. The sorry fact is that Rep. Pete Stauber, along with other Republicans in Congress, won’t admit that their “Yes” votes for the OBBBA is harming their constituents.
Trump’s 2024 campaign promise to reduce inflation and bring down costs “on day one” of taking office, was empty rhetoric. American households and small businesses are still struggling. And his on-again, off-again tariffs have only made things worse. Pre-election polls show that many folks are fed up. They’re frightened by talk of tampering with the Social Security and Medicare Trust funds that our disabled and aging populations depend on for their survival. People fear what will happen if these programs are dismantled.
The upcoming election is our chance to put the brakes on the madness. With new leadership in Congress and other key offices, we can start addressing the massive corruption and incompetence of the current administration.
The mid-term elections are upon us. Trump isn’t on the ballot this time but his policies and the party that backs them is. Every member of the House of Representatives is up for reelection along with one-third of the Senate. Republicans have had majorities in both chambers for two years. We’ve witnessed the havoc that’s ensued and now see why checks and balances from the Congress must be restored.
On Tuesday, Nov. 3, it’s our job to step up and do what no one else can. Vote out the chaff and elect new faces, with fresh solutions for our problems, and a commitment to restore integrity to our government.
To those who have lost faith and trust in politics, you have good reason. But be reminded that our system of representative democracy requires our grassroots engagement. By each of us following the issues and discerning what’s at the heart of our disgust, sharing what we think and what we want from political leaders is essential to the health of our democratic system.
Voting is our time to hold elected officials accountable. It’s also what holds our democracy together, with the hope that we can make it better. Our engagement as voting citizens is the beating heart of a government “of, for, and by” the people. When we stop engaging, our democracy dies. So, yes there’s a lot to trigger disgust with our system, but now is not the time to abandon it. The stakes are just too high. Only by voting can we hope to change it.
A lot of Americans are feeling bullied or manipulated to vote a certain way. The barrage of negative messaging is taking a toll. It’s hard to know what’s accurate and what isn’t. Promises of checks in the mail if a certain candidate or party wins control should never be allowed. But this is the way it is, and we have to work together to clean it up.
It’s been said that “Out of adversity comes opportunity.” Nov. 3 can be our turning point. It’s our opportunity to bring back the politics of hope, an affordable way of life, attention to our warming planet, and respect for our country. Election results are in our hands. It’s time we believe it and vote for a better future, one that we can all look forward to.
If you haven’t voted already, please find your polling place in advance, make a plan to be sure to get there and VOTE on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Your voice really does matter. For more information on how to register to vote, where to vote, and how to vote, links to candidate biographies, and other election related questions, go to https://www.stlouiscountymn.gov, the St. Louis County Auditor or to https://www.sos.mn.gov, the MN Secretary of State.
