Our View: Thumbs up, thumbs down

It’s one of our favorite annual traditions, the Veterans Day Roll Call you’ll find starting on Page 9. We are honored to highlight our veterans each year, and especially love hearing new details about the extraordinary experiences they hold so dear.

We hope you enjoy the section as much as we do. And if you’d like to honor vets in person, attend one of the events listed for Monday.

A huge THUMBS UP to those who contribute to this section each year, and thanks to all veterans for your service.

THUMBS UP to voter turnout in Carlton County. We reached 90 percent this election, which is impressive although not quite as high as the 92 percent turnout here in 2020. Whether or not you like the results, the people spoke at the ballot box. Democracy is alive and well in Carlton County.

Readers can thank Duluth-based marketing researcher and longtime media personality Duke Skorich for pointing out this nugget, but THUMBS DOWN to the $15.9 billion it took to prop up our federal election cycle, according to OpenSecrets. That’s not to mention the money that went into expensive state races that yielded scores of mailers along with inescapable digital, radio and television ads. Eight in 10 Americans think money has too much influence on U.S. elections, per Pew Research. We agree. Other countries spend fractions on their campaigns compared to us. That money’s evaporated like smoke now. We ought to have more to show for it and should consider reforms on how to spend more wisely.

THUMBS UP to Saturday’s arrival of the firearm deer season in Minnesota. Hunters we know around the office tell us the temperatures might be too mild to experience the full spectrum of what the season can offer hunters, who tend to like it chillier and even with a fresh layer of snow on the ground.

Last year, the deer hunt grew contentious with hunters lamenting the low deer population and generally blaming wolves for the matter. For now, we’re content to let the federal government reset from the general election and then tackle the question of whether or not the gray wolf ought to remain an endangered species.

Anecdotally here locally, there have been sightings of bucks in our wooded and tall grassy areas, but state officials seem to be bracing hunters for another low herd.

But here’s hoping the season brings hunters success, good camaraderie and a chance to reflect on how fortunate we are to live where we do and carry on traditions that go back generations. Be safe out there!