With a spirit of service that differs from my opponents, I am running for the 8th Congressional District. I am a veteran who served two tours in Vietnam. I was a union man for 25 years, working as a corrections officer. I currently work in a treatment center while continuing to serve the community. My background shows an understanding of the average Minnesotan - because I am one.

I say no to sulfide mining as there is no science to effectively clean up from this potentially disastrous type of mining. PolyMet claims it would need at least 500 years to treat its toxic wastewater. There never has been a successful clean-up from a sulfide mine anywhere in the world, and the Mount Polley mine disaster is an example of the potential for tragedy. In August, a tailings dam burst on an open pit copper mine in British Columbia, demonstrating that industry claims do not hold up in reality. The few hundred jobs the PolyMet project would create are not worth the damage Minnesota could be faced with, not only to the water and environment but to our local economy, especially with regard to tourism. Who could knowingly put methyl mercury into the mouths of infants? We have alternatives that won’t leave people feeling their only choices are poisoning their children or living in poverty.

I propose focusing our attention in the direction of sustainable energy and working on cleaning up emissions by funding the Northern Lights Express passenger rail proposal, which would encourage about 13,800 jobs as opposed to a few hundred.

We need to make our miners a priority, working sustainable-energy projects. This would allow miners to have safe, well-paying jobs with full benefits while allowing Minnesota to become a leader in sustainable energy. I am a proponent for a living wage, and I will work toward a minimum wage of $15 an hour.

We must stop policing the world. Wars benefit corporations while citizens and soldiers pay the ultimate price. I support a coalition of nations to be the ones to address such issues.

As a veteran, I will fight to guarantee our veterans are given the benefits they deserve and will fight to stop funding cuts to our veterans, including reinstating the issuance of therapy and emotional assistance dogs for those with post-traumatic stress disorder. I will work diligently to make corrections within the Veterans Administration and stop things like veterans having to wait up to six months for needed services.

Minnesota currently is the fourth-highest state in the nation with regard to student debt, and I will focus needed attention in changing this to enable our residents to have affordable education. I also will work toward lowering the interest rate for student loans. Education is a top priority, and with the number of colleges and universities in Minnesota we should be a leader in creating a positive learning environment without students and their families going into years and years of debt.

In Washington, I will make sure the voice of the people is heard and work to act as a bridge between parties so we can be proactive, not reactive; end corporate subsidies that aid in making a future we don’t want; close tax loopholes; work to ensure the people who get the most from government give the most; place the needs of our nation before those of foreign lands; and work toward developing a healthy, productive and proactive environment for our citizens.

I am your Average Joe who knows firsthand the struggles of my fellow Minnesotans.

A vote for Sandman is a vote for you and your family.

Ray “Skip” Sandman of Duluth is the Green Party candidate in the race for U.S. House in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. He wrote this at the request of the News Tribune Opinion page.