The words on the tailgate of this pick-up truck photographed several days ago in a Faribault grocery store parking lot illustrate a new Minnesota traffic law taking effect on August 1.
COME AUGUST 1, you best not poke along in the left traffic lane on a multi-lane Minnesota highway and hold up traffic. Do so and, if caught, you face a fine under a new law pushed by Senator John Jasinski from Faribault.
When I first heard about efforts to shift slow drivers from the left to the right lane, I thought, we have way more important issues than that to resolve. I still feel that way. I’m more concerned about the high cost of prescription drugs and healthcare and the absurd cost of health insurance ($1,600 in premiums paid by Randy and me every single month with $4,000 individual deductibles).
So there. While moving traffic along may seem of vital importance to legislators, and I do sort of understand the value of the legislation, I fail to understand why something can’t be done about the healthcare cost crisis. Let’s move that issue out of the slowpoke lane into the fast lane of a financially favorable resolution for the consumer.
© Copyright 2019 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I totally agree. Healthcare infrastructure childcare issues education to name a few. Call your legislature person and voice your views.
I emailed my state representative about health insurance costs and got no response. I hope you’ve had better luck.
It amazes me and sometimes it does not and I shake my head in what is considered “hot topics”. Lately it seems like there is some sand flying in the not so peaceful sandbox – ha! There are days I want to watch something other than the news while I start and end my day. I agree with you in that a good majority of people have other pressing matters that need to be addressed (i.e. medical costs, making ends meet and putting food on the table, dealing with the aftermath of mother nature lately, etc.). Take Care
I absolutely agree with you. Stay safe in Florida.
Well stated!
Thank you.
It is not an either/or question. There is no reason why our legislature cannot sweat the simple stuff along with the more contentious things.
Sure, declare the official Minnesota state mollusk. I mean, Oregon has one: the hairy triton, so why not us?
And while you are doing that, allow Minnesotans to cross the border into Canada and fill their prescriptions there or even order them from Europe.
Better yet, Congress should mandate that any drug that can leap the EU’s regulatory hurdles, should automatically and immediately become available in the U.S.
Why do we have drug monopolies…….other than to keep campaign coffers full?
At least you can toss some humor into this. You’re right. Why can’t they deal with both the trivial and the important?
As far as drug costs, I recently started crying when a pharmacist told me over the phone that the cost of a med for an uninsured family member would be just over $400 for a 28-day supply. Really? Who can afford that? Then he told me about Good Rx, a prescription drug savings card. He kindly applied the discount card, knocking the cost down to something around the $100 range. In the end, the initially prescribed drug was switched out for a tablet version of the drug which cost much less. So, dear readers, if you have not heard of Good Rx, ask your pharmacist. I have no idea how it works or how these savings can be offered. But I’m thankful for a local pharmacist who understood why I was crying and did something to fix the problem. Perhaps he ought to run for state office.
And another thing…..about the high cost of college. Any school that charges more than $15,000 a year for tuition, board and books, doesn’t need taxpayer help. Not with research, not with student loans, not with anything.
Why do candidates think that pumping money into either education or medicine makes it more affordable? Colleges and hospitals just pocket the government largess then clip the customer for the real cost.
BINGO! We have a winner!
Well said. I agree, there are more important issues.
Indeed, there are.
I think all states struggle with ridiculous legislation when there are much more important matters at hand. It’s just overwhelming to me sometimes how out of touch our governing systems can be.
I fully agree.