By Minh Vu
Editors Note: This article reflects the opinions of the writer
Legislative candidate Megan Hunt’s political platform is as broad as it is bold. The breadth of issues and values that comprise her platform are vague in direct action but clear enough to let voters know how she will respond to the passing of bills and approach the composition of new ones.
Scroll through Megan’s “Issues” page on her political website and a long list of dropdown menus appear, beginning with her values and ending with the environment. Between those are jobs, education, justice reform, finances, civil rights, workers’ rights, healthcare and families.
Hunt has a bold and firm stance on all of these issues. Hunt is a business owner, a mother, an activist and an opinion leader. Her incredible influence and relationship with young feminists in the Omaha area allow her to understand the needs of half of potential voters. Feminism influences much of Hunt’s politics. Our nation needs that. She promotes statewide comprehensive sex education and policies that would better serve and protect survivors of assault.
As a political newcomer and outsider, Hunt is willing to take a stance on more controversial topics others familiar to politics would rather ignore. This tells me she won’t back down in the face of opposition and won’t easily be swayed from her guiding values.
Mina Davis, Hunt’s opponent, plays it safe in her campaign materials as if she is afraid to offend someone. Davis’s campaign appears conservative compared to Hunt in spite of her experience campaigning for Obama’s re-election in 2012, as a national delegate for Bernie Sanders in 2016 and, most recently, as Heath Mello’s unsuccessful mayoral campaign in 2017.
Everything Mina Davis promotes on her platform, Megan Hunt does just as well and then some.
Some topics Hunt promotes on her website that Davis doesn’t address are the rejection of Keystone XL, support for immigrants and refugees, support of green energy, support for paid family leave and, most controversial of all, the legalization of cannabis and expunging cannabis-related convictions.
Cannabis is decriminalized in Nebraska, and the consequences of possession results in a civil citation – a consequence comparable to a parking ticket. Compared to laws in other states where possession is a felony, Nebraska’s law restricting cannabis possession is so lenient, it may as well go away and make way for new laws that would spur economic growth.
Economics aside, promoting the legalization of cannabis has spurred many voters who secretly consume cannabis to vote for Hunt. Zack – who wishes to remain anonymous – said he is genetically predisposed to glaucoma. When glaucoma affected his eye health at a young age, Zach began to consume cannabis and his glaucoma went into remission.
“I need this for my health. I will literally go blind if I stop smoking,” Zack said. “I voted for Megan Hunt, so maybe I can smoke without being scared of the law.”
Megan Hunt and Mina Davis will both make fine representatives for District 8 in Nebraska’s Unicameral, but it’s important that all eligible voters exercise their civic duty.
