Letter - Simple plan to eliminate lobbyists' influence and return control to voters

To the editor:

I submit with the technology available to the Legislature that representatives and senators be required to open up to their constituents an opportunity to vote on important and controversial matters. Each voter should be able to vote in a simple electronic straw ballot, during the session, regarding issues such as expansion of gaming, the stadium, budgetary matters, and other matters in which our legislators have shown a reluctance to go with the majority of their constituents.

This of course would not be binding, however they would be available to the public and we could see how influenced our legislators are, by the interests of lobbyists or constituents.

This is available to reality TV and could be available to the Legislature. Controls could be placed on the polling so that only eligible voters (age) and those residing in the state could make their choices known.

We have legislators who feel they know more that their constituents. An example is the White Earth band offering to pay the state’s portion of the stadium-required monies in exchange for the White Earth band being given the opportunity to build and run a casino located in E Block in Minneapolis. The band also offered to provide 50 percent of the proceeds to the state. This sounds like a win/win for the state, yet leaders in the house and senate scoffed at the proposal and would not even look at it. This screams of lobbyists controlling the agenda.

Lets take back control of our legislative branch and tell lobbyists goodbye.

Charles Olson

Farwell, MN

Tags: opinion, letters