Readers Write: Minneapolis politics, Trump’s budget, hot tub rentals

Opinion editor’s note: Strib Voices publishes letters from readers online and in print each day. To contribute, click here.

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I give the Strib much credit for devoting many more resources than other metropolitan newspapers to Minneapolis City Hall coverage. But the “progressives vs. moderates” story, as much as any, increases my exasperation that they “just don’t get it” as far as the split in city politics (“Who will control Mpls. council?” June 6).

It is not a matter of who is progressive and who is more progressive. It is that we have a Democratic Party, and we have a Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) party. They are not the same. One is not just to the left of the other. The DSA, in its national platform, actually declares itself as opposed to both the Democratic and Republican parties and offers itself as an alternative to both.

The DSA favors complete defunding of police. Complete emptying out of jails and prisons. Complete dismantling of capitalism. Anyone can see this and its other positions just by googling its website.

However, it is smart politically, and where its members see they can win more seats by running as Democrats, that’s what they do.

The Strib seems to continue to miss this point. It continues to characterize the divide as “left” and “more left.” It’s not. It’s Democrats vs. DSA.

Well, the convention season is over and now it is up to the various campaigns to define themselves and their opponents. I hope the Democratic campaigns will sharply define the distinction between Democrats and DSA candidates. (By the way, I have no animosity to the DSA folks; I just want them to present their agenda honestly. Let the people decide.)

But let’s get some help from the Strib as well, in coverage that lays out the true dynamics of city politics.

David Therkelsen, Minneapolis

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I am very politically active, so I receive lots of emails and texts from political campaigns and entities. Today I received an email from Mpls for the Many, a local political action committee which is supportive of extreme left-leaning candidates and critical of pragmatic DFLers. Today’s email implies that the Minneapolis police supported Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the FBI in its militarized incursion on Lake Street. This is misleading, and I felt compelled to call them out for this dishonest statement.

Demonstrators who came to resist what appeared to be an immigration raid had every reason to be fearful and react as they did, and I applaud them. The use of military-style gear and vehicles by heavily armed masked officers was designed to be intimidating. In this era of baseless immigration deportations, we’ve been conditioned to assume the worst. However, the Minneapolis Police Department and the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office were at the scene to safeguard Minneapolis residents and control traffic, not to participate in the raid, as clearly stated by Police Chief Brian O’Hara, Sheriff Dawanna Witt and Mayor Jacob Frey. At the time of the raid, information was in short supply and the police and sheriff were doing exactly what they should have been doing, and the folks at Mpls for the Many know that.

Scoring cheap points by lying needs to be called out. Readers should view everything generated by Mpls for the Many with similar skepticism.

Scott Graham, Minneapolis

The writer ran for Minneapolis City Council in Ward 7 in 2023.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has issued its report on the estimated impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (and aren’t we at least a little embarrassed that our Congress is considering a bill with such a childish name?), and it is not pretty. They estimate that the bill alone will add $2.4 trillion to the deficit over the next decade. And it will do that while cutting huge holes in the safety net, as the CBO estimates it will leave 11 million people uninsured because of cuts to Medicaid. The director of the CBO, Phillip Swagel, is a brilliant economist and Republican. Our president tells us that the CBO is wrong and that the bill will not add to the deficit. But he is a failed businessman with a history of multiple bankruptcies who added $8.4 trillion to the debt during his first term after campaigning on balancing the budget. Who should a reasonable person believe in this matter?

Philip Ahern, Shorewood

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I have to believe that 50-100 years ago we didn’t have these 1,000-plus-page bills being pushed through Congress that addressed numerous topics and needs. With these large, bloated bills, in order for your congressperson to vote for, say, an income-tax cut, they also have to vote for increased spending on something they think is stupid or to accept some policy change that seems irrational. I don’t care what side of the aisle you sit on, this is a dumb way of conducting business. All this method does is give cover to your representative, allowing them to state that they had to vote for the bill to get X, even though they were against Y (even they though secretly they supported Y because they received huge campaign contributions from the entity poised to benefit!).

This current big bloated bill, H.R. 1, addresses changes to agriculture, armed services, education, energy, manufacturing, the Environmental Protection Agency, artificial intelligence, Medicaid, finance, the judiciary, immigration, coal, gas, transportation, taxes, jobs ... how can one be expected to cast a single up or down vote in this instance?

Passing a “Big Beautiful Bill” is as corrupt as passing the Nancy Pelosi “pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it” Affordable Care Act.

These huge bills need to be broken up into many smaller bills and then voted up or down based upon their individual merits. I support both Republicans and Democrats who oppose this bill if simply on principle.

And this isn’t just a federal problem, it’s a Minnesota omnibus bill problem!

Bret R. Collier, Big Lake, Minn.

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Whistle past the cemetery. Make a wish before blowing out your birthday candles. Cross your fingers when telling a lie. Don’t worry about budget deficits; economic growth will offset tax cuts for the rich.

Yup, all time-tested, certain ways to avoid disaster.

Gary Brisbin, Fridley

The May 31 article “In hot water over hot tubs: State cracks down on rentals” and the accompanying opposition in that article to safety regulations hit a little too close to home for us. We both know all too well that when safety is ignored, tragedies can and will happen. In June of 2007, our 6-year-old daughter, Abigail, suffered a horrific injury while swimming in a public wading pool. Abbey was playing when she sat on an exposed drain that was unsafe. The powerful suction eviscerated Abbey. Her small intestine was ripped from her body. Despite the best medical care and our constant vigilance and prayers, Abbey was not just “injured” as stated in the article, but died nine months later as a result of those injuries.

We agree with the judge and the Department of Health that when a homeowner rents their pool to a customer, as opposed to just invited family and guests, that a pool/hot tub effectively becomes a “public pool” and should be subject to reasonable pool licensing requirements including preventing drowning, illness due to waterborne diseases, and, yes, drain entrapment — the very subject of Minnesota’s Abigail Taylor Safety Act, named after our daughter. A pool/spa offered for rent in a commercial transaction is no different than a theater, restaurant or any business that offers its service to the public. Those venues should comply with safety requirements and so should an aquatic venue. Ignoring this common-sense principle could result in a devastating tragedy. Trust us, we know.

Scott and Katey Taylor, Edina

The writer are founders of Abbey’s Hope Charitable Foundation.