Do something

Source: Wikimedia Commons, By Inqvisitor (Own work) CC-BY-SA-3.0

With about a week-and-a-half to go to Election Day, both parties are hoping to amp up voter enthusiasm and get out the vote. The Democrats are trotting out every prominent member of their party, except for the President, to stump for the DFL. Republicans are also working to increase voter turnout, always a challenge in a non-Presidential election year.

To all those enthusiastic party faithful whom I met at our precinct caucus, I have just one last request.

Do something.

There are still many folks who dutifully filled the seats at caucus and convention whom I have not yet seen at a parade or phone bank shift. I have not seen their by-lines in the letters to the editor. I am not seeing them in Facebook photos of candidate events. Granted, I was not able to attend my Senate District gala this year, so maybe they were all there and I just missed them.

If everyone who attended their precinct caucus would just work one get-out-the-vote phone bank shift, stood on a corner waving a candidate sign for one hour on election day, wrote one letter to the editor, posted or shared one party or candidate post on their Facebook page, brought one friend to the polls, if everyone did something, it could tip a close election the "right" way.

#DoSomething

Vote what I say, not what I do

Source: Wikimedia Commons (John Snape) CC BY-SA 3.0

Republicans face an uphill battle in a state like Minnesota, where words matter more than deeds. As long as the majority of voters like what they hear, that's who gets their vote.

The KSTP/SurveyUSA Poll results announced at the beginning of October revealed an interesting dichotomy among the voters questioned by the survey:

52% of respondents disapprove of the performance of Minnesota's government health insurance exchange, MNSure, which in the wake of scandal and mismanagement has made healthcare less affordable and resulted in less choice for consumers.

66% of respondents disapprove of the new $77 million Senate Legislative Office Building (SLOB), passed by the DFL-controlled legislature in a classic dead-of-night, end-of-session, buried-in-a-tax-bill gambit.

61% of respondents rate Minnesota's roads, highways, and bridges as "Fair" or "Poor," compared to 38% who rate them "Excellent" or "Good." But at least we have trains and bike paths that are useless for commerce or for hauling the fishing boat up to Brainerd.

The survey didn't need to ask whether Minnesotans are satisfied or dissatisfied with the educational achievement gap in the school districts with the highest per-pupil state funding (Minneapolis and Saint Paul).

And now for the bad news for Republicans:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Mark Dayton is doing as Governor?

53% Approve
37% Disapprove
10% Not Sure

Minnesotans elected a state auditor (twice) without a background in accounting or auditing, a governor who was "unaware" of certain key provisions in major legislation until after he signed them into law, and a United States Senator who votes with his party 97% of the time.

There is a saying, "I hear what you say, but I believe what you do." On Election Day, many Minnesota voters seem to be saying, "Hear no evil," or perhaps they are too enamored with bread and circuses to care.

There was a glimmer of hope for Republican candidate for governor, Jeff Johnson, in a more recent KSTP/SurveyUSA poll. Johnson's support among independent voters has increased, with Gov. Dayton's lead in that demographic now in the single digits. Independents are by definition less ideological than the party faithful, which should favor the more pragmatic, results-oriented candidate. If Republicans can get out the vote, that may be just enough.

Gov. Dayton is taking Minnesota's kids in the wrong direction

Video: Minnesota Action Network

Education funding vs. education outcomes

Gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson at Global Academy, Oct. 13

Jeff Johnson needs to steer the focus of the K-12 education conversation away from "cutting funding" to improving outcomes.

The Minneapolis and Saint Paul school districts receive the most money per pupil, thanks to Minnesota's highly political school funding "formula," yet the Gopher State's achievement gap remains among the highest in the country. It doesn't matter much how Representative Johnson voted on this or that education finance bill back in the day. Why? Because Minnesota funds schools, instead of each child.

For decades, the cards at the Capitol have been stacked in favor of the teacher's union and big city school districts. Education Minnesota has the slick TV ads, a huge permanent presence in the Education Building at the State Fair, and a forward operating base across the street from the Capitol. Make no mistake, in spite of the cheerful public relations and your fondness for your child's teacher, the union exists to act in the best interests of its members.

Johnson's visit this week to the Global Academy public charter school in Columbia Heights highlighted how kids can benefit when academics take precedence over politics. Among the school's challenges:

• 98% of students are immigrants themselves or children of immigrants
• 92% of students receive free or reduced-price lunches
• 74% of students are non-white
• 10 different languages are spoken by student body
• In 2008, 88% of students were classified ESL (English as a second language)

In spite of these challenges:

• In 2014, just 46% of students are classified ESL, due to its students becoming proficient in English
• Global Academy students score higher than the state average (of all students regardless of race or income) on all three subjects tested (reading, math and science)
• On average, Global Academy students score 30-40 points higher on state standardized tests than peer students in traditional district public schools
• In 2014, Global Academy students ranked #1 in reading on the Star Tribune “Beating the Odds” list (highest proficiency among metro-area schools with at least 85% poverty)
• Global Academy ranked #6 in math in the Star Tribune list

Charter schools, even though they are still public schools, are anathema to the education establishment. With outcomes like this, don't you wonder why?

When Republicans focus on excellent education outcomes (or lack thereof in the case of those who put the "L" in the DFL), they can win. In a contest over who can outspend the other on cradle-to-grave government education programs, Republicans don't have a school prayer.

Lowering standards for teachers and academics will not close the achievement gap

 

Lowering standards for teachers and academics will not close the nation's widest achievement gap and give Minnesota and our kids a bright future. Put Minnesota's students first, not the teachers' union. Vote Jeff Johnson for Governor and Ryan Rutzick for Representative in Minnesota House District 44B.