Gould first DFLer to announce for 3B

La Prairie City Councilor Joe Gould has announced his candidacy for House District 3B, the seat currently held by Rep. Carolyn McElfatrick (R-Grand Rapids). I will be covering House 3B the same way I’ve covered competitive races in 5B last winter and 7B years prior. Below is Gould’s press release:


(July 6th, 2011) La Prairie, MN – Before a gathering of family, friends, and supporters at his home Wednesday evening, La Prairie City Councilmember Joe Gould announced his candidacy for the District 3B State House race. Gould underscored the need for legislative leaders in Minnesota with not only courage and convictions but the art of compromise. He concluded that Northern Minnesota families deserve more than polarizing politics as usual.

Rooting his vision in a deep understanding of Minnesota history, Gould spoke to the Minnesota Miracle of 1971, when a conservative-controlled legislature and a young, progressive governor found common ground in restructuring how Minnesota funded schools.

“We must reinvest in our most valuable resource—our students,” Gould said, promising to focus first on educational reforms. “With your help I will be your legislator,” Gould continued. “When I serve you in the legislature, I will explore ways to deliver excellent education to students at affordable costs and how to create better post-secondary options in Northern Minnesota. I will also find new ways to support educators while ensuring the quality of instruction.”

Gould also stressed the importance of ensuring access to affordable health care as a fundamental right of all Minnesotans. Focusing on preventative care, Gould described that he would work to improve and expand health care to Minnesota’s most vulnerable citizens by reducing the costs. Gould emphasized the need to employ federal dollars to boost the medical infrastructure in the District 3B region. “The Itasca and Aitkin area can be a shining example medical care choices and facilities in this state,” Gould remarked.

“Minnesotans deserve a good job that pays a decent wage,” Gould insisted. He stressed the need for job training programs for young people to prepare them to compete in a global economy, and continuing education to acquire new skills or retrain for new jobs for an existing workforce. He also asserted the state’s needs to mandate an adequate minimum wage and safety net for those who are unexpectedly unemployed.

“We need a representative that shares our values as people. We need a representative who will listen to the people. And we need a representative who can bring a fresh perspective to the state capitol with relevant experience,” Gould stated. “That representative will be me, with your help.” He noted that new blood is needed in government, but not the kind that results in people losing faith in that government.

After thanking the people for pledging their help and support, Gould concluded his announcement with this quote from noted anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Comments

  1. “deserve a good job”?? Sounds like Range politics as usual…a good job is a right….

  2. This is Great, we clearly do not have a representative that will speak up for the Middle-Class. The Representative that we currently have only supports a few issues, and does not support a well rounded platform.

  3. The current rep does a great job of representing working people, as opposed to unions.

  4. Wow, you’re really going down that road, DG? Listen, I get where you’re going with this. But union workers are workers, too, and have played a not insignificant role in the establishment of our American middle class which allows us to sit here today and argue about union dues and labor costs, as opposed to food lines and civil unrest.

  5. >>But union workers are workers, too

    Absolutely. But then to be even handed when we refer to Labor we should not be referring to unions as most people who labor aren’t union members.

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