A successful divided government is indeed a myth

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Lori Sturdevant’s Oct. 18 column “Divided government at the Minnesota Capitol may sound good, but …” rightfully sounds the alarm on how inaction and dysfunction would result from another divided Minnesota Legislature.

Perpetuating government gridlock will do the citizens of this state a great disservice.

We know that tune, having lived through over 30 years of split government in Minnesota which simply fomented ever-increasing partisanship, where one party took a my-way-or-the-highway approach: cleansing its ranks of pro-choice members and stifling bipartisan collaboration on much-needed state funding for education, health care, transportation, public safety, human rights and the environment — all under the guise of “no new taxes.”

Connect the dots: Those opposed to good governance drag the state backward. Let’s not do that again. Gridlock perpetuates the notion that government is the problem, solving nothing while lining the pockets of the rich and ignoring the plight of the poor.

Minnesotans need a fully functioning state government. We need strong government to provide public funding to protect the safety and security of all our citizens, the ability to get around on decent roads and bridges to carry out everyday duties and activities, and a safety net for our weakest and most vulnerable Minnesotans. We need strong government to provide schools that educate our young to help them reach their full potential and to ensure a fully functional health care system that is accessible to all, to tackle challenges many seniors face trying to make ends meet and to address the existential threat of climate change. And we need strong government to eradicate inequality and historic discrimination that continue to plague generations of marginalized and intentionally minoritized individuals.

Make no mistake: This election cycle is about freedom, fairness and equality. Equal rights are on the ballot Nov. 5, both statewide and nationally.

That is why ERA Minnesota, a coalition of activists and partner organizations dedicated to passing an Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) into our state and federal constitutions, set out to identify equality-forward legislative candidates to help voters make an informed choice.

We worked with our national affiliate ERA coalition to formulate an Elect Equality questionnaire, then sent it to every state legislative candidate. The result was overwhelmingly positive, with responses from candidates across the state voicing strong support in favor of the ERA.

Those responses combined with members who voted in the affirmative on ERA are posted on our website (tinyurl.com/ElectEquality) to educate voters about ERA-certified candidates before going to the polls.

Let’s not repeat stalemate. This election is too important to allow the well-debunked myth of the serviceability of divided government to prevail. Splitting the ticket would do Minnesota a disservice resulting in stalemate at the Legislature once more.

Minnesotans are ready to move forward to a better, brighter future for all, to embrace freedom, fairness and equality. We encourage you to vote your values: Vote equality, elect equality.

Together we can put good people in office who reflect the best of our shared values. By using our superpower — our vote — we can be the change we want to see in this state and country.

Betty Folliard is a nationally known women’s rights leader, a former Minnesota state representative and founder of ERA Minnesota.