The Access Press Candidate Survey
Sue
Jeffers
(Republican)
My name is Sue Jeffers. I
am running for governor of the great state of Minnesota. As governor
my prime responsibility will be to preserve and protect the rights
of the residents of Minnesota. All residents deserve equal treatment
and respect, regardless of challenges or ability. Facing our challenges,
accepting, adapting to, and overcoming them is an exercise for each
and every one of us every day.
My family has been blessed with good health. That is not to say
those who have physical or mental challenges of one form or another
have not touched my life. In my experience, a can-do attitude can
overcome most challenges. In some cases, however disabilities can
be so profound that a person cannot function, or even survive without
intensive ongoing assistance. Many people fall somewhere in between,
and with their own determination and a little help, can achieve their
goals.
As a student, I worked at Mt. Olivet Rolling Acres. It was one of
the best experiences in my life. I became friends with a young man
named Dean, who had severe autism. It took a year for him to learn
to brush his teeth, but he succeeded. A significant increase in the
number of people affected by autism in recent years is definitely
on my radar screen. There are some suspected causes, which I intend
to immediately address as governor. I, too cheered for Jason McElwain’s
terrific basketball game not because he was autistic, but because
it was an amazing feat by a young athlete.
My youngest daughter was born deaf, although now at age 16 she seems
to hear everyone but her mother. I did not want to have to send my
daughter away to a special school so we moved to the Mounds View
school district because of the programs in place to mainstream deaf
children. It amazed me that as recently as the 1980’s people
confused people’s physical limitations with intelligence. Later,
coaching my daughter’s softball team, I was the only coach
who would let a deaf girl play on our team. The other coaches did
not want the “hassle.” She wasn't a hassle. She was a
valuable member of the team. She didn’t require hearing to
run, hit, catch or throw. We kicked butt!
There are many services available to people in need of help to overcome
or cope with their challenges. As anyone who’s been tangled
up in the system knows, most government programs are fat with waste,
red tape and bureaucracy. Well-intentioned people often find it difficult
to do their jobs in an overbearing system bogged down with excessive
regulations. People in need can find the system they turn to as difficult
to negotiate as their own disabilities. The current system, set up
to help, in many cases does not. Effective and efficient programs
should be rewarded, others will be eliminated, streamlined, or merged
into programs that do work.
Some people underestimate what I can accomplish. Many call me an
underdog, foolishly believe I can not succeed, or ignore me. Sound
familiar? I will succeed in spite of what others think.
Will I let that kind
of negative attitude stop me? Nope, here I am challenging a sitting
governor from within our own party because I believe the taxpayers
in Minnesota deserve better. I so strongly believe in my principles
that I am willing to stand up, speak out and actually represent
the forgotten voices of the people of Minnesota.
I will not pretend to know or understand many of the issues associated
with being disabled. I know some who seem to beat all odds, while
others struggle their entire life. I have a lot to learn and I am
willing to learn it. Facing our challenges, accepting, adapting and
overcoming these challenges is the undeniable, universal human condition.
Because we all face difficulty at some time, it is also our nature
to give our fellows a hand up when they are in need.
Please take the time to look at my Web site, or give me a call to
talk about issues important to you. www.suejeffers.org. The primary
is September 12.
Click
here to return to the candidate list.
