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2020 Census needs to be right

Perhaps no Census during the past century has faced challenges like those in charge of the 2020 population count must find ways to overcome. Clearly, however, the indeed must develop solutions to the problem of counting Americans who may have been too preoccupied with staying well to respond to the Census by mail or online — and for the same reason may be reluctant to answer the door when a Census information gatherer knocks. More than just information for the statisticians to pore over is involved in the Census. It is used to determine how many members of the House of ...

City was right to fly rainbow flag

We, The Minot Daily News, stand with Mayor Shaun Sipma and council member Carrie Evans on the flag issue. We applaud the flying of the LGBTQ2S+ flag on the flagpole outside of Minot City Hall. Let us try to explain why in terms that are a little simpler. Think of equal rights like it is a pie. Giving equal rights does not mean you give up a slice of your pie. It means everyone has access to the same type of pie and an equal amount not taking away from another, not the same pie. The same type of pie – we don’t share, everyone is equal, no one is less, no one is more. We are ...

Partisan politics has no place in relief bill

Partisan politics continues to delay enactment of a new coronavirus relief measure in Congress. Regardless of your political leanings, that is hurting millions of Americans. Even emergency action taken by the White House has been affected. After negotiators in Congress deadlocked over a new relief bill last month, President Donald Trump authorized release of some money to keep augmented unemployment benefits flowing to those who have been laid off due to the epidemic-related business slowdown. Under the White House plan, those who qualify can receive $300 a week in addition to ...

If you plan to vote by mail this year, allow plenty of time

Concern over use of mail-in ballots for the November general election is building. Critics of the process fall into two categories: those who worry about vote fraud and those who insist many Americans may be “disenfranchised” by the system. Indeed, fraud is something of a concern — but it is one election officials in some states are taking effective steps to counter. Failure of many ballots to be counted, not just in the race for president but in many local affairs ranging from state legislators to local tax measures, is more worrisome. If that concerns you, take heart. ...

That’s how it is supposed to work

A group of Minot parents with kids in public schools got a civics lesson recently. They were reminded, or perhaps learned, that speaking up in a respectful manner goes a long way in effecting change. There has been a bit of a controversy this school year related to COVID-19. For health reasons, students are not being allowed to use lockers in public schools. Well, that policy didn’t sit well with some parents from Day 1, knowing that lugging books and belongings from class to class to class all day long is hard on young shoulders and backs. So a few parents – quite a few of them, ...

Many government employees go above and beyond

Frustration with government is understandable. Sometimes, it blinds us to the good, dedicated public servants in the ranks who, like us, go to work every day and try hard to do their very best. Probably more often than we know, they go above and beyond the call of duty. Perhaps you missed the story about the Columbus, Ohio, bride whose wedding was nearly ruined. It seems her mother traveled from Newark, New Jersey, to attend the wedding. With her went her daughter’s wedding gown. Before boarding a flight at the airport in Newark, the woman went through a Transportation ...