| Dear Friends,
The Covid-19 pandemic challenges continue for families and small businesses on Main Streets all across the state. On a positive note, Minnesotans are widely practicing social distancing and are staying close to home. And testing opportunities are ramping up, thanks to places like the U of M and the Mayo Clinic. And fortunately, a few safe family businesses have been allowed to reopen, including landscaping and golf courses. Sadly, however, many small businesses and services are in danger of going under. Many of those could function far more safely than Walmart but are still unnecessarily closed, by Executive Order. These closings are without benefit to the COVID fight but are creating great personal and family costs. Still worse, seemingly ignored, are tragic side effects including family abuse and suicide that are markedly on the rise. The tension and stress over financial, professional, and personal challenges is overwhelming for many. And small business failures are starting to occur, with more on the horizon. Those failures are needless and shouldn’t be happening. This “collateral damage” needs to be strongly considered as we move into the next stage of recovery. To this point, that has not seemed to be the case. Please listen to my comments from the Senate Floor yesterday Also, feel free to review this new article from the Center for the American Experiment. Feel free to share it with your friends and neighbors. I think the more broadly this is discussed, the better. We are all in this together. Elected leaders need to remember that, and include the voices of Main Street and families as they design paths forward. I will also continue to urge that you write the governor and express your personal concerns. Tell him I sent you. Here is the Governor’s contact information: https://mn.gov/governor/contact/ Senator Jim Abeler 612.245.3764 |
