Here they come again — characters who periodically come around when they need something from you. They woo you. They pursue you. They make promise after promise, assuring you they will follow through on their vows as long as you give them what they desperately want — your vote.
I'm fed up with politicians showing up every few years promising they will fix the escalating problems in our district, and once we commit to supporting them, they vanish, until the next election, of course. Then the whole cycle repeats while we watch the problems intensify and the people continue to suffer.
This election year is different for me because I decided to enter the political arena and fight for the people in Minneapolis and its surrounding suburbs. Minnesota's Fifth Congressional District is a diverse community with very compassionate people, and they deserve better than what they've gotten in the last eight years.
Our current representative, Keith Ellison, and his DFL Party have had ample time to address the current problems our district is experiencing. Things have gotten worse, not better, under Keith's watch, as we've seen our standard of living decline and terrorist recruiting in our own back yard.
Where was Congressman Ellison years ago when this recruiting was taking hold in Minneapolis? Why has he only recently been calling attention to this serious issue? With ISIS/ISIL growing overseas, and our country in their sights, where is the security and safety that our politicians promised?
Many Somali community leaders, as well as government experts on terrorist recruiting, recognize that high unemployment and a lack of education are major factors contributing to Minneapolis-area young people being drawn to terrorist organizations. Knowing this, where are the abundant, full-time jobs Ellison promised? Where is the closing of the achievement gap within our schools? It's critical that we get real solutions from our nation's leaders, not empty words.
To make matters worse, we recently learned that Ellison is trying to distance himself by resigning from his board of directors position at the nonprofit Community Action of Minneapolis (CAM), currently under criminal investigation for alleged fraudulent use of our taxpayer money.
Ellison has stated he had never gone to CAM board meetings, having appointed an alternate to serve on his behalf. Yet according to experts on nonprofit law, absence from a board meeting, or sending alternates, does not release that board member from legal financial oversight.
