Ronald Dixon
University of Minnesota student
Michele Bachmann is considered to be one of the most radical members of Congress. Now that she is retiring, we should rally behind an individual who will not succumb to petty politics or corporate interests. This person is Joe Perske.
Since 2010, I have volunteered in the efforts to try and oust Bachmann, both when Tarryl Clark (2010) and Jim Graves (2012) made great efforts to defeat her. When I was first contacted by the Perske campaign, I instantly knew he would be a great leader for the Sixth Congressional District, and I am proud to have voted for Perske at the DFL Sixth Congressional District convention.
Unlike Bachmann, Perske rises above partisan politics and empty rhetoric in order to achieve goals that benefit his constituents. He has proven this multiple times, both as a city council member and as the Mayor of Sartell. His commitment to public service began years ago when he first began teaching middle school and coaching girls soccer.
Perske is a pragmatic “Common Joe” who understands the needs of Minnesotans, and he will push for policies that will directly benefit his constituents, including improvements to infrastructure, funding education, protecting and improving the Affordable Care Act and preserving the social safety net.
As a college student, I know Perske will also work to help improve the outlook for young Americans, a group that has been increasingly burdened by a lackluster job market and unsustainable debt.
The time is now to elect Perske to Congress. As more Americans are getting tired of partisan politics and Tea Party-sponsored agendas, such as repealing the ACA and obstructing jobs bills, we need someone who represents the populous. If elected, Perske will reach across the aisle to achieve progress, and he will always act with the best interests of ordinary Americans in mind, as opposed to the lobbyists, the rich and everyone else who belongs to the “Top 1 Percent.”
