Shakespeare’s Words of Wisdom. You Bet’cha

Destiny is the consequence of our actions. So wrote William Shakespeare in his play “Julius Caesar.”  We aren’t victims of fate. Our circumstances are the result of decisions we make or don’t make.

That’s hard for some to accept. Perhaps Shakespeare needs to be rewritten in Minnesota-speak for his message of accountability to break through. Something like, “Don’cha know, the fault, dear Ole, is not in our stars, OK? For sure, it’s in ourselves, that we are underlings. Uff da.”

Aww geez. It’s a tough pill for some to swallow when being buffeted about by an uncertain economy, divisive politics and an angry public mood. Still,  the fault is not in our stars; destiny is in our own hands. Three thoughts:

First, one of the winners in this year’s political season was ranked choice voting. Especially in Minneapolis it worked not just on Election Day but during the campaign. Voters heard multiple debates among thoughtful candidates, some of whom probably would not have been in the race much less had platforms for their views were it not for RCV. In a city seen as tilting left and further left, the four leading candidates for mayor offered a range of views.

Perhaps most importantly, it gave candidates like DeWayne Davis and Jazz Hampton the stature and credibility to shape Minneapolis politics and policies going forward. They now have public platforms. If they choose to use them, they can play important roles in offering new ideas and holding Mayor Jacob Frey and the city council accountable.

Consider how much better the all-important 2026 gubernatorial campaign would be if RCV were statewide. Incumbent Tim Walz likely will take a cue from Democratic gubernatorial wins this week in New Jersey and Virginia and use his deep campaign bank account to tie Republican opponents to President Trump. Maybe Walz will win, but what a terrible campaign when the future of Minnesota is in jeopardy.

And maybe Walz will lose. Many Democrats are worried that Walz is the ghost of Joe Biden – a seriously flawed candidate who doesn’t know when the clock has struck midnight. Yet, Minnesota DFL challengers to Walz have no viable path forward against the well-funded and entrenched incumbent.

Republicans have something of the opposite problem – too many candidates and too small of a platform. Where do they go after agreeing that fraud is bad? Winning a GOP primary – and it’s a virtual certainty that a primary will be needed to pick an opponent to Walz – becomes a battle of extremism. Which candidate can move farthest to the right in embracing Trump or attacking those on the margins of society? Nothing in this year’s elections in other states or in the last 20 years in Minnesota suggests that’s a strategy to win a general election in November.

RCV paired with an open primary – the top four finishers regardless of party affiliation advance to the general election – paves the way for new candidates, new ideas and better campaigns.

Democrats and Republicans, though, aren’t going to allow that system without intense pressure from voters. In fact, in Minnesota, they are moving in the opposite direction, making it harder for any candidate to buck the two major parties.

Every seat in the Minnesota Legislature is up for election next year. Demand from candidates that in return for your vote in 2026, legislators will return elections back to voters in 2028 and beyond. A better political system won’t come from politicians. It will only come from voters taking the time to get involved and to demand reform from candidates.

The second thought is that Minnesotans can take charge of their destiny by becoming candidates themselves. Throughout the state, there are thousands of elected public offices, many of them non-partisan. County commissions, city councils, school boards, soil and water conservation districts and on and on. Each one plays a valuable role in building a better Minnesota. You want change? Make it happen yourself.

Running for local office mostly is a series of conversations with your neighbors. It is time-consuming and hard work. It takes a personal commitment and the cooperation (if not the active participation) of family. But you’re not in it alone. Resources – both partisan and non-partisan – are available to teach one the basics of being a candidate and organizing a campaign.

Being a candidate is incredibly rewarding; serving in elected office, even moreso. Yes, during the campaign and in office, there will be “that person” who mostly wants to argue. More often, though, are the encounters with Minnesotans who care deeply about their communities.

And finally, this: Good public policy isn’t just what happens in St. Paul or Washington, it often comes from engaged people working in their communities to be the catalysts for change.

Take for example, the West Central Initiative Foundation which recently hosted a Rural Democracy Summit on the campus of the University of Minnesota – Morris. WCIF is in itself a shining example of good public policy that begins outside of government. Nearly 40 years ago, the McKnight Foundation created six initiative foundations – regional, independent nonprofit philanthropic organizations created to strengthen the communities they serve. The initiative foundations establish local priorities to promote economic development through loans and grants and develop leadership and community building.

Several hundred interested and engaged people from west central Minnesota were hosted by WCIF for a day of conversation. The purpose was to collaborate on ideas and actions they could take to enhance the region’s vitality. The conversations were as lively as they were thoughtful.

Participants ranged from a person who had been active in politics going back to Arne Carlson’s 1979 campaign for state auditor to a young environmental activist who took a front row seat and was furiously taking notes.

The young activist is engaged in the Morris Model, another example of brilliant policy at the grassroots level. This collaboration of the University of Minnesota-Morris, the city, county and school district is working to promote energy conservation, clean energy and community resilience among other vital issues. The goal is to help Morris and the surrounding region remain economically secure while building long-term community wealth.

Demanding reform of our political system, entering the fray as candidates and investing time in grassroots policymaking instead of waiting for St. Paul or Washington puts the future in our hands.

Change is in ourselves, dear Ole and Lena. You bet’cha.