Education as the foundation

One lesson that my years with the Minnesota State College Student Association and the United States Student Association taught me is that higher education serves as the basis for solutions to many of the problems plaguing American society. From social services to creating steady revenue streams; from unemployment to yes even the healthcare debate, higher education can and should play a role as the bedrock of recovery. Unfortunately, another lesson that I learned in my years of advocacy is that higher education is more often seen as a ready source for funds to appease short term budget crises than as the long term, foundational source of growth and societal improvement it should be. Too few of our political leaders are willing to fight hard to maintain those investments in our future.

One of the few who get it happens to be my current boss and a candidate for governor of Minnesota. I first met Rep. Tom Rukavina while I was a campus organizer at my small college in Virginia, MN, on the infamous Iron Range. One of my earliest experiences with Tom was actually in front of his committee the House, the Higher Education and Workforce Development Policy and Finance Division. You see, when Tom took over as chair of that committee, he didn't bring in all the lobbyists for the various interest. He didn't bring in the bureaucrats from the MnSCU system offices or the U of M. He didn't bring anybody in front of that committee for the first month of hearings but students from across the state of Minnesota. Students from all walks of life and all systems; old and young, rich and poor, two year, four year, graduate, public, private, for-profit, non-profit, rural, metro, suburban... well I think you get the point. I got to be one of those students, and it started me on the path that eventually led me to having the great privilege and honor of serving students from Minnesota and from across the US. And it all started because Tom wanted to hear my voice, and the voices of dozens of other students, before he ever heard from one of the "suits."

What impressed me about this was that it showed Tom's loyalties and concerns were strongest for those of us who were on the ground and had our lives most affected by the failed policies of the Pawlenty administration. Tom wanted the members of his committee to have a very clear picture of what we had done to the higher education system here in Minnesota. Sky-rocketing tuition, increasing debt loads, cuts in services on campus, new fees and other increased costs including textbooks, problems transferring credits within the systems, credit creep, and all the other problems that had been ignored for so long; Tom wanted to make sure that every person in that room was well aware of who their decisions were really affecting and what the results of those decisions could mean.

In the months since I started working with Tom's campaign, I have gotten to see him apply those same principles and tactics to tackling Minnesota's biggest issues. His constant concern for the everyday Minnesotans who are most affected by the decision made in St. Paul guides him through his policy decision, informs his campaign, and keeps him up at night worried about what we are doing to this state. Every day I am amazed at how much work he does for the constituents of his district, the amount of time and energy he finds to still campaign while dealing with all of that, and the crushing burden of what is happening to our higher education systems in the face of this looming deficit that Tim Pawlenty and the Republicans in the State Legislature refuse to deal with honestly. I don't know why anyone would want to take over the mess that Pawlenty will be leaving, but I know that Tom wants to. And I also know without a single doubt in my mind that Tom is just the candidate that this state needs to start cleaning up.

For the last seven months, I have poured myself into this campaign. I have given of my time and of my money; I have traveled thousands and thousands of miles to every corner of this state; I have spent many nights up for hours working on lists and messaging and social media and trying to get just one more person to go caucus or show up to their convention or help is whatever way they can. And I'm only one of several staff members who can say that! I'm not boasting or complaining; I'm just establishing for you the level of commitment that Tom has drawn out of everyone who has come to work for him. It comes from seeing someone approach everything he does with principle, passion, unceasing energy, and just enough humor to help you get through the day. This is what our state needs; what we all need.

Please join me in supporting Tom to be the next governor of Minnesota. If you're reading this, you probably know me personally. So I am personally asking you to go to Tom's website, watch the video he has on the donation page, fill out the little form, and donate what you can. Give $10 or give $500; give $1 if that's all you can afford. Just please give something. Something to help Tom continue to carry the message of the importance that higher education has in job creation, economic growth, quality of life, and everything else that once made Minnesota so great. Your donation today will help us continue to roll strong as we come into Duluth for the DFL Endorsing Convention. If you don't like the whole online donation thing, please write out a check to "Rukavina for Governor" and drop it in the mail to 316 Chestnut St, Virginia, MN 55792

Whatever you can do to help will be greatly appreciated!


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