Mail bag

The Political Twins

Ron Eibensteiner’s fine article, “Field of Nightmares,” was wonderful in that someone so influential has the courage to speak out against the Twins politicizing America’s Pastime. Wonderful also, that he took action and turned in his season tickets. That was also a personal sacrifice. Good job, Ron.

Mr. Eibensteiner mentioned one thing however, to which everyone should take exception. It is that the Twins pledged $25 million, he says in part, which “could go a long way to securing our streets, improving the outcomes in Minneapolis schools, and working to rebuild black families.” We have been throwing money at these problems forever, and the problems only keep getting worse.

While these problems are complex, influential people need to have the courage to speak to the underlying fundamental problem which is the destruction of the nuclear family – the two-parent family. None of these societal problems will ever be solved until we solve the foundational problem – single parent households.

—Earl Faulkner Sr., Edina

The Wrong Person to Head Xcel

The 8/15/21, Star Tribune article announcing how Bob Frenzel will be taking over the helm of Xcel’s energy fleet shows how he is the wrong person for the job. The primary responsibility of this individual should be to assure that Xcel can provide reliable power, both base load and peaking. Reliable power both in terms of generation and transmission. Power that is available during stretches of 90 degree days and -30 degree nights. Mr. Frenzel appears to be more concerned with the addition of “carbon free” generation in the form of wind and solar generation to the company.

As customers, we want not only reliable but low-cost energy. Unfortunately Xcel is not really a private company; it is a government- approved monopoly utility that is guaranteed to make a 7.5 percent profit on every dollar it spends on infrastructure such as wind turbines and solar panels. Whether Mr. Frenzel believes in this “green energy” (sic), he knows that 7.5% of $4 billion in spending is better for the stockholders than 7.5% of $800 million; profit on the backs of its customers.

Under this arrangement, the stockholders aren’t going to force Mr. Frenzel out because he is making them money. The State isn’t going to change their part in this monopoly without combined citizen and legislative outrage. Is it not time?

—Name withheld.

Education Standards

I think it would be helpful for readers, especially parents, to ask their schools about what their children will be learning. Parents need to know they are entitled to know what materials their children’s teachers are going to be using so they can individually protest or ask to have their child opted out when those materials are presented.

—Trudy Madetzke

This idea that kids need to be taught racism and divisiveness infuriates me. I can’t believe that these politicians think this is good for this country. Public education needs to get back to teaching actual history and teach students to think for themselves so they can learn from history, not erase it.

—Kelly Nosko

Crime Out of Control

From 1983 to 1988, I worked as a campus security guard at the University of Minnesota. I carried a police-band radio and heard all dispatches from the University Police Department. This was the early 1980s. Crime was a national is- sue. Not once in the five years did I hear a dispatch for car-jacking, aggravated assault or shots fired. About the worst thing I ever heard was kids smoking pot, homeless people urinating in public and people stealing bikes. Now my son is at The U and I get a text at least once a week from the university informing me of car-jackings, aggravated assaults and shots fired. These crimes are happening right in the middle of Dinkytown and Stadium Village.

I think the people of the Twin Cities need to wake up. Minneapolis and St. Paul are well on their way to becoming the next Chicago or Detroit. That is not hyperbole. If you have students at The U, I strongly urge you to contact the president of The U, the mayor of Minneapolis, and the governor about this situation.

I never thought I would say it, but maybe it’s time to transfer our kids to The University of Wisconsin.

—Chris Edwards

Cigarette Revenue

“Regressive and Ineffective” in your Summer issue was a great essay in a sea of great essays. Our state welcomes the cigarette tax revenue. At the same time, it deplores smokers and smoking. Putting two and two together, the only logical conclusion is that the state wants you to BUY the cigarettes, it just doesn’t want you to SMOKE the cigarettes. Keep up the good work.

—James Eelkema, M.D.

A National Publication?

Your publication is unique, not only in the ideas and analysis in the articles printed, but in the excellence of the English, the grammar, the clarity! And, could you not make this a national publication? Surely, that is an idea that would stretch your plans and resources, but one which you have the capacity to conduct and in which you would be greatly successful, do not doubt. I would love to be the janitor in such an enterprise.

—Luis Howard