As a born and raised Minnesotan, I want to ensure that we will be represented in the U.S. Senate by someone who will stand up for Minnesotans from all walks of life. Keith Ellison is the right candidate for the job, given his leadership in fighting for working families, peace and justice, and a brighter future for Minnesota and the planet.

If Democrats don't start standing up for working Americans, as opposed to the rich, voter apathy will cede control of our economy, environment, healthcare, society and justice to the wealthy oligarchs. Right now is the time to stop the tax scam, and although the Dems are a minority now, the future success of the party, and our country as a whole, will be decided by whether the tax scam is allowed to proceed.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman wrote an article he named “Saudi Arabia's Arab Spring, At Last." He maintained that Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman was bringing a new era of liberty to Saudi Arabia even though it is obvious that the reverse is happening. As Salman is grasping more and more power we see the ramping up of censorship, arrests, imprisonments without fair trials and other forms of repression against dissent. Friedman barely mentioned Salman’s war on Yemen terming it a “humanitarian nightmare” as if it were some natural event like a flood or earthquake rather than a deliberate attempt to force Salman’s will on Yemen through violence and siege. Nor does he explain that the U.S. government has given Salman a blank check for his violence and human rights outrages. Friedman’s article was a piece of propaganda and he should be disciplined by the Times out of respect for journalistic integrity.

We have the resources to pay for a great many health, education and retirement services. The rich must pay more not less to help all Americans lift themselves up. That's the right thing to do.

The issue facing nurses and doctors, as presented by http://dmfnursingregistry.com and http://blackmatters.com. Nurses and doctors who are African American are targeted to lose their livelihood by our healthcare system because of the inappropriate use of tools, such as cultural diversity, DNRs(Do-Not-Returns) and the tactics that are used by "Big Pharma," targeting minority health care workers. "Enough is enough."

This is about the working class that pays the taxes that keep the "do nothing party" (GOP) in office. It's time to make the White House and Congress start earning minimum wage to see what it is like to be the working class.

Because Republican legislators seem to think they know best and are not listening to citizen's concerns.

The Representative, already known for supporting white nationalism and making English the official language of Pennsylvania, behaved in a manner that is not only divisive, but dangerous. I am personally affronted and frightened by what I feel is the impending loss of our civil liberties, particularly for my LGBTQ brethren. While the target was not, in fact, gay, the language Rep. Metcalfe used is hate speak. Our elected leaders' ability to wield such language encourages other hate speak and hate crimes.

If we can not care for the most vulnerable among us, what are we doing as a nation? Signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1997, the Children’s Health Insurance Program provides coverage to children in low- to moderate-income families and to pregnant women. The percentage of uninsured children in America dropped from 14 percent when the program started to 4.5 percent in 2015. Congress last reauthorized the program in 2015 and was due to do so again by September 30, 2017. Except this time around, congressional leaders let that deadline pass. And while states contribute some money to the program, it is primarily funded by the federal government, which means its money will soon start to run out.

It is time for the world to know which companies are doing business and making their profits on colonial Israeli settlements which, in violation of international law, appropriates the land designated to be a Palestinian State.

I have a child who is about to enter military service. Choosing to serve one's country already involves making numerous sacrifices -- financial as well as risking life and limb. Military personnel and their families should not be asked to sacrifice even more while millionaires and billionaires sacrifice nothing.

Olive Street Park is not an appropriate location for the regional AIDS memorial in San Diego; and the site selection and design for such an important memorial should be transparent and follow an open public process. The Task Force and City officials should revisit the Olive Street Park decision and think carefully about the regional AIDS Memorial San Diego deserves. View a commentary by the BHCG President: https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/opinion/the-planned-project-is-not-the-aids-memorial-san-diego-deserves/ View the presentation from the Monday, November 20, 2017 BHCG meeting: https://www.bankershillcommunity.org/news/olive-street-park-presentation/ The Reader: https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2017/oct/31/stringers-aids-memorial-plan-not-great/# Voice of SD: https://www.voiceofsandiego.org/topics/arts/25-years-after-being-floated-a-massively-pared-down-aids-memorial-is-moving-forward/