My Position: Vote this election for freedom from hate, freedom from fear – Albert Lea Tribune

My Position by Joe Staloch

My name is Joe Staloch. I will be one of your choices to represent you in St. Paul from District 23A when you vote on November 5th. I want to see the people of our district and all of Minnesota live better lives, reverse the population loss we have experienced, and grow our rural communities.

Joe Staloch

I grew up on a family farm outside of Wells with my three siblings. I graduated from USC High School, earned a degree in geology from Winona State University, and then worked for an environmental services company in St. Paul for 10 years on projects involving public health and safety, natural resources, and national security.

I didn’t expect to move back to Greater Minnesota, but I’m glad I did. Health and family issues led me to move back to Wells and eventually Albert Lea, where my long-term partner, Danielle, and I now live with our five cats, three of which are rescues. Moving back was the best decision I could have made for my health and my relationships. There’s less pressure to “get along with the neighbors” and there’s a sense of community throughout the region. Some of this is economically driven, but I give credit to schools, churches, and nonprofits in our communities for creating a sense of community and connection that can get lost in the “noise” of the big city.

But I quickly discovered that our area is struggling with issues that I believe are blocking opportunities. First, access to healthcare has become an increasing challenge in our area, something I have experienced firsthand. When I moved back home, I struggled to find a healthcare provider. Then last year I lost my father to a heart attack because he couldn’t get to a hospital in time. As we continue to invest in healthcare, small clinics in cities are closing, hospitals are cutting back or eliminating services, and ambulances are struggling with staffing and funding. It’s happening here and across the state, so let’s send someone to St. Paul to help fix it.

I miss my father, and while I’m not a father myself, I am an uncle. My sisters and brother all have young and growing families, as do many of my friends and colleagues. My siblings are fortunate to have a mother who is always willing to care for children when needed. But other families are not as fortunate. I hear this from my colleagues — the struggles they’ve experienced getting their own children into available and affordable child care programs. How can we sustain and grow our communities and local economies if we can’t provide access and affordability to these critical services? We need someone in St. Paul who will work on behalf of working families.

In addition to my mother, I have had a lot of support from women in my life, not just in this campaign but over the years, and I support women back. I support women in equal pay and opportunities and perhaps most importantly, I support and trust women to make the health decisions that are right for them and their families. I believe that everyone should have the right to bodily autonomy.

If you send me to St. Paul, I will fight to strengthen and preserve the freedoms we have here in Minnesota. This summer we celebrated Independence Day and Juneteenth. I ask you to look deeper, beyond the flag waving, to see which party is protecting the freedoms you hold most dear.

Republicans want to restrict voting rights and deprive women of the freedom to control their own bodies.

Republicans want to take away our right to read certain books and our right not to fear the threat of mass shootings in schools, churches, grocery stores, government buildings, and local businesses in our communities.

Some of the ideas Republicans conflate with freedom are the freedom to suppress wages, pollute our air and water without consequence, and tell others how to live their lives, including what they can and cannot do with their bodies and which adults they can and cannot marry. I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like much freedom to me.

I am a Democrat and I believe in freedom from hate, freedom from fear, freedom to vote and freedom to control our own bodies. I believe that fair wages, affordable services and human rights like gay marriage set people free.

I believe that this is how we welcome new people into our communities, retain the youth we have raised and educated, and fight to save our communities and our country.
So join me in reclaiming freedom. Please vote for me this November, along with everyone who shares the same values ​​that our community has taught me.

Joe Staloch is running for District 23A Representative.