Minneapolis Star Tribune, March 4
A Minnesota thumbs up for Biden, primary system
Minnesota’s Super Tuesday results, which helped catapult former Vice President Joe Biden into the front-runner spot nationally, showed the party was right to forgo its caucus system for a presidential primary.
Some 885,000 Minnesotans turned out to vote in the primary, aided by a lengthy early voting period that allowed many to cast their ballots at their convenience. Compare that with the 318,000 Minnesotans who attended caucuses in 2016, when they had to show up at an appointed hour and place to take part in a process that, let’s face it, not everyone relishes.
With a broader swath of Minnesotans represented, Tuesday’s results showed the hunger for a more moderate, unifying voice. Sanders certainly has a still-sizable, loyal following in Minnesota and elsewhere, and the race will continue to play out in coming months. But it is evident that his message, taken to a broader electorate, did not resonate as it did in 2016. It’s also important to note that Sen. Amy Klobuchar’s withdrawal from the race - and her enthusiastic endorsement of Biden the same day - helped consolidate moderate votes. It also points out the risk in voting too early. The window to change one’s vote had closed some days earlier.
Caucuses, despite being a longtime staple of Minnesota politics, were always exclusionary in nature, particularly for those who work nights or simply shy away from that level of political interaction with neighbors. That doesn’t mean they want to forgo their chance to affect the outcome.
And on that note, we are going to renew our displeasure at the deal struck by major parties in this state that forced loyalty oaths and lack of privacy as the new price to be paid for voting in the presidential primary. Minnesotans seeking to vote this time found they needed to request a specific party’s ballot and sign a loyalty oath to that party. While their candidate choices will remain private, their names and choice of party ballot will be circulated among the Democratic, Republican and two cannabis parties.
There is simply no need for that unwarranted invasion of voter privacy. Archbishop Bernard Hebda urged priests in the Minneapolis-St. Paul diocese to refrain from voting in the primary, so as to keep their political inclinations private. That was based on guidance from the Minnesota Catholic Conference, which said specifically about the Minnesota law: “The possibility that the data may become public should discourage clergy from participating. If the law were different and protected privacy, maybe the calculus would change. But it is the opinion of the MCC that discouraging primary voting during this cycle (though not in the general election) is the prudent thing to do.”
There are others in sensitive professions who need to keep such information quiet, while other voters simply choose privacy. Other states have found alternatives. California is among the states that allow “no party preference” voters to select a nonpartisan ballot.
Ignoring the need or desire to keep party preferences private in a time when polarization is so high boils down to just a different way of disenfranchising voters. Although it’s too late for voters who stayed away from the polls Tuesday because of privacy concerns, Minnesota legislators still have time to address their mistake before the secretary of state must turn over detailed voter information to the parties.
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Mankato Free Press, March 2
Obesity a long term health concern
Like the readings on many bathroom scales that keep creeping up year after year, the rate of obesity in the U.S. continues to climb.
Government survey results released last week reveal the national obesity rate was 42%, which is higher than the 40% in a 2015-16 study, also done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The severe obesity rate was more than 9%, up from the 8% figure in the previous survey.
This information may have very well gotten just a cursory glance in light of all the recent attention paid to the spreading of coronavirus. But consider that being seriously overweight is a long-term medical concern that is affecting more children and adults as time goes on. Untreated obesity often leads to heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer.
The report clearly indicates the trend isn’t likely to fade away soon. Fifty years ago about 1 in 100 American adults were severely obese. Today obesity is 10 times more common.
A multi-pronged approach needs to rein in the growth of obesity.
Thorough education about the value of sound nutrition and exercise needs to come early and often, for everyone from young children to senior citizens. There is a lot of bad information circulating, including weight-loss scams that concentrate on the quick dropping of pounds rather than a sustainable way of living that means adopting sustainable good habits.
Government support of sound nutrition also needs to be front and center; if school lunches are allowed to be less nutritional than in the past, that’s a real disconnect between cause and effect. After all, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for establishing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which is supposed to be the nation’s go-to source for nutrition advice. Support in communities designated as food deserts also should be a priority so there’s access to nutritional food no matter where you live.
Medical providers need to keep stressing preventive measures with their patients instead of trying to fix problems after they are well-established. Along with that is providers taking a close look at family history, which can often determine a patient’s likelihood of problems. And of course, the more affordable preventive measures are for everyone, the better off we all are.
Obesity is not just a seasonal concern; it’s a long-term epidemic that will affect lives and the economy far into the future unless Americans and those in power pay more attention.
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