Letter to the Editor: Compare candidates by word and deed

“Use your words” is what my daughter would say to her infant son when he would act out. Good advice for politicians. We know them by their words and their deeds, private and public.

Generally we don’t know the skinny on their deeds — the details of their votes or of their personal lives. They give us words about those. Or not. If the words are few or vague, they’re not leveling with us.

I think it’s a mistake to consider politics a team sport, where you vote for your team, whether it’s right or wrong on the issues. But to vote on the issues, the candidates would have to discuss them — in public, at length, frequently, and take and answer questions. When they don’t, it looks like they can’t or they’re afraid to.

Maybe Rep. Jeff Dotseth could give us satisfying words about his personal life (charged with domestic assault) and his failure to seek $10 billion bonding for the new Carlton County jail. I looked up the bills he sponsored or co-sponsored, and I’d like to hear him discuss them, in a forum where we could ask questions.

I looked at the websites of the two candidates. Dotseth’s is glossy and associates him with a national figure and national issues. He did not list any public forums. Radosevich has spoken at numerous public forums. His website says “Let’s meet and discuss the issues affecting our District. Contact me: [email protected]. I’ll speak to your group, come to your event, or meet one-on-one.”

I have read the candidates’ statements in election guides. To the question “What are your priorities, if elected?” Pete answered: “Rural economic development. Child care and elder care. Responsible spending of our taxes. Long-term visionary planning.”

My sense is that Rep. Dotseth is hiding behind buzz words and a polarizing national figure and Pete Radosevich is focused on our local issues and speaking and taking questions in many public forums.

You can guess who I think is leveling with us.

Bruce Marshall, Kettle River