Cole Young: 2018 Election Guide

Welcome to WCCO.com's 2018 political guide!

We reached out to all Minnesota candidates running for U.S Senate, Governor, U.S Congress, Attorney General, Secretary of State and State Auditor this fall. Candidates were asked to provide a two-minute video discussing their platform as well as answer a set of our viewer's questions.

Above is the video and below the answers Cole Young provided. This is not a paid advertisement nor does WCCO endorse any candidate.

Responses from Cole Young, DFL candidate for the 3rd District:

Do you support changing the law to release non-violent drug offenders currently serving federal prison terms?

I believe that cannabis should be legal at the federal level; the taxes collected from Minnesota  cannabis farming will create thousands of good paying jobs, raise wages for state and city workers, and greatly reduce the cost of a college education. I believe that every hard-working Minnesotan who goes to high school in-state should have access to a free college education. I also believe that current college debt held by Minnesotans should be bought out by the government. As a capitalist, I believe in a free market system and the development of new and prosperous industry. We will pay for a free college education system with taxes we collect on legal, in-state cannabis farming. Colorado currently collects $220Million annually from cannabis taxation; With farming in Minnesota's DNA, we will surpass Colorado quickly. I will fight to make recreational cannabis production and consumption legal both in Minnesota and Federally. And those in prison for non-violent cannabis charges are simply costing us taxpayers money- it's ridiculous that they're in prison in the first place.

Should Congress appropriate $25 billion to build a security wall along the U.S.-Mexico border?

There's already a border between the U.S. and Mexico. Spend $25billion to build a new security wall? Absolutely not! I wouldn't spend a single dollar on any new US-Mexico border wall. The current POTUS should focus on ways to unite people- not divide us.

Should children brought to the United States with their parents illegally be given a path to U.S. citizenship, or should they be deported to their native countries?

Immigrants coming here from Central America are risking everything to escape a dangerous situation back home. They're coming here in hopes of creating a better life. Should we deport those kids who have no idea what's going on? No. Should we separate these kids from their parents? No! That is simply embarrassing and inhumane. We Americans are better than the current representation of the Federal Government. Shame on POTUS- Shame! My problem in regards to non-Americans here in this country, are the top 1% from around the world who are buying up all the best American real estate, going to our best colleges, and taking up all the best paying jobs in America. The gross message we send is: if you're rich and not an American, you're welcome here- and if you're poor, you're not welcome. The sad reality is that if you're wealthy and not from America, you have access to the American Dream, while the American Middle Class does not! POTUS doesn't see it this way because these same rich foreigners are the ones buying his family's real estate. It's pretty sad actually.

Do you think North Korea will "denuclearize," as President Trump says it will?

One, I don't believe one word that comes out of the mouth of our current POTUS. Two, North Korea's nuclear weapon arsenal is the only thing they have to remain relevant to the world around them- they will NEVER denuclearize.

Do you believe in climate change, and should the U.S. rejoin the Paris climate accords?

Climate Change has been proven to be factual a long time ago. To ask someone if they believe in climate change or not, is to acknowledge the ignorant- those too lazy to search for the information that's literally right in front of them. The United States of America leads- we do not follow; POTUS pulling us out of the Paris Climate Accords was an unfortunate gaffe by our current government administration. But the Gas and Oil companies who buy political candidates must be thrilled at how cheap it was to push their agenda on the world stage.

Canada is retaliating for the U.S. tariffs by imposing tariffs of its own on Minnesota products. Among the Minnesota products: grain, aluminum, boats and boat accessories, packaged dairy products, ATVs, and much more. China imposed retaliatory tariffs on Minnesota soybeans and pork products. Do you believe it will hurt Minnesota producers?

Do I think the current tariff war started by our President will hurt Minnesota producers? Absolutely! Any new tariffs slapped onto Minnesota-Made products will force our local businesses to either raise the price on their product or cut costs. Either way, Minnesota companies lose; if they raise the price, their product will be less competitive on the global market, and if they cut costs- the workers at the company will lose money out of their weekly paycheck. A lot of people voted for our current President because they were attracted to his bravado and his masculine-sounding rhetoric. Well, unfortunately it is diplomacy and intellect  from our country's global leaders that drives our global economic success. Our POTUS attempts to make deals in his current job the same way he did when he was selling real estate or any other junk with his name on it; he bullies people first, then tries to buy them if that doesn't work, and if he can't buy you- he tries to beat you in court by buying better lawyers than you. Again, that's not how the real world works. He tried to bully Canada and China because he thought it would make him look manly and tough to his voter base. And now Minnesota businesses will pay the price for his personal insecurities, cognitive ineptitude and complete lack of discipline.