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What is needed is enforcement of existing motor vehicle statutes and regulations. I don’t think the police are clueless about what is a bicycle or a motorcycle. If you see a kid riding along at 30 to 40 mph in the bicycle lane or on a pedestrian path, you know it’s an illegal vehicle use. If I was doing the same on a dirt bike, or even a 50cc Yamaha scooter, I’m sure I would be stopped, fined and arrested if I zoomed away! John Otto, Shakopee I am Tom Weiler, and I am running to be your next U.S. senator. Who? Exactly (“Senate race slow to attract GOP field,” Oct. 21). Although in today’s political calculus I may not be a “big name,” “self-funded” or “serious” candidate, I am confident I am the best candidate to serve all Minnesotans as your next senator. Additionally, I have a clear campaign path to a victory next Nov. 3, and I am thrilled for the opportunity to meet you and earn your support, respect and vote over the next year. My math is based on leveraging my experiences and the knowledge obtained over my last 48 years, adding it to my hard work ethic, strong moral compass and problem-solving acumen, to best serve you, our state and our country. My Minnesota upbringing, built on faith, family, service and Eden Prairie football, led me to a Navy ROTC scholarship at the University of Notre Dame. Next, along with getting married and raising our family, were 25 years of operations in national security, including 20 years as a Navy submariner, relevant experience on Capitol Hill and the Pentagon, proven real-world leadership in high-stakes operations, graduate studies at Harvard and National Defense University, and private sector project management. However, I received a medical curveball that put my family and me on a new course. A diagnosis of early-onset Parkinson’s disease prematurely ended my career in the Navy, but, along with broadening my appreciation for much-needed American health care reform, I believe it opened a door to serve in politics. I, like many of you, I bet, hesitate to use the word “serve” to describe the actions of many of our “big time” political leaders today. That is both the reason why I am running to be your next U.S. senator and why I am perfectly happy to not be considered one of today’s “optimal” candidates. In challenging today’s political norms, I am running to be your next senator to actually serve Minnesotans, to provide competence over checks in a box, intelligence over influencing, and solutions over shutdowns.
