Letter: Writer says he didn't distort Hamilton's record

Talk about it

I found Rod Hamilton’s response to my letter laughable.

Under both bills (SF 1118 and HF 1369) no person (persons) is allowed — without written consent — to even take a picture of any animal, such as a cow, horse, bird, fish, reptile, amphibian or any animal maintained by an animal facility including a farm, slaughter house, CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation), research facility, pet store or any place of exhibition, making this bill the most overreaching bill ever introduced in Minnesota history. You don’t have to take my word for it. Read for yourself at “Project Vote Smart.”

I am still baffled as to how I could have possibly distorted Hamilton’s voting record when I obtained all the information from a national website that tracks the voting records of federal and state legislature. Hamilton and Magnus bills are available online (SF 1118 and HF 1369) for all to see. Thank God that both bills were found to be unconstitutional by the Minnesota State Legislature, which led to the bills resounding defeat. But don’t think for a moment that this will stop these two GOP elitists from reintroducing their bills in 2012.

When you follow the money, it is plain to see whose interest these two serve. Most, if not all, candidates receive a public subsidy for their election campaigns, but both Hamilton and Magnus received the majority of their money from agricultural economic interests, who as a result receive state and federal subsidies as well as special tax breaks. Now ask yourself, how does this help you or your family when these two seem to only serve the needs of their fellow farmers and farm/food production industry?

Remember, both Magnus and Hamilton voted against minimum wage increases (SF 875) for the majority of workers in southwest Minnesota, and for a bill (HF 210) that mandates a photo ID when voting, a law that will end the right to vote for a large portion of our state (e.g. our parents and many other senior citizens, various disabled citizens and countless lower income Minnesotans).

It is our responsibility to educate ourselves to the actions of our state senators and representatives. So please go online to “Project Vote Smart.” See for yourself the horrendous voting record of both Hamilton and Magnus and learn how they’re working against you, infringing on your constitutional rights.

Tags: opinion, letters, hamilton, agriculture, legislature