By Anne Edwards, MD, MNAAP Policy Chair
There’s an old saying that “in a democracy decisions are made by those who show up” and there’s no truer example of that than Election Day.
Influencing the decisions made in Washington and St. Paul begins by making your voice heard at the polls. And given that our patients can’t vote, our duty to be engaged is all the greater to show up on November 4 to add our voice.
Politics in Minnesota is often a retail affair, and candidates can often be found in your neighborhood, at local forums, or at the Friday night football game. When you see candidates, take the time to ask them how they’ll vote on issues that matter to kids. Ask them how they’ll work to make Minnesota a healthier place for children, and if they’ll support greater access to care for uninsured and underinsured kids and families. For good or for ill, the choices made on Election Day impact our patients and our profession in countless ways.
Politics can be distasteful to many, and often for good reason. Too much time and focus is spent on partisan bickering and game playing. But behind those headlines good work can be done at the Legislature.
I’m proud of the work that the MNAAP accomplished at the Capitol this past year. We restored the newborn screening program following devastating legislative and judicial actions. We partnered with many others to further regulate the sale of e-cigarettes, ban minor access to artificial tanning facilities, and make critical investments in early brain development. We’ve made great strides on behalf of Minnesota’s kids, but much more work remains. How successful we’ll be in many ways is determined starting on Election Day.
Your vote is your voice. For our patients and our profession, use that voice. Plan to vote on Tuesday, November 4.
