Posted: 8/28/02

FLHS grad takes to political stint

Branden Peterson
Staff Writer

The phrase says,îeveryone loves a parade.î Alissa Miller is no exception, and sheís had several opportunities to attend this summer. Sheís giving out stickers, shaking hands, and continues to smile as she trails after a big green bus titled Wellstone for Senate.

ìItís so thrilling to be with the green bus,î Miller said about her days outside the campaign office. ìPaul is in the back, and people all stand up cheering. People are so excited about it.î

A junior at the University of Rochester, New York, Miller was hired as an intern for the 2002 reelection campaign of Sen.-Paul Wellstone.

Miller, a 2000 Forest Lake High School graduate is daughter to Greg and Drinda Miller, Lino Lakes.

After returning home from her sophomore year of college, Millerís summer vacation was short ó three days. Since May 15, Miller has used nearly every day calling constituents, knocking on doors, faxing press releases, and helping out her co-workers in any way she can.

ìI have a strong interest in Minnesota politics,î Miller explained about her devotion to her internship. ìI have for years, and with the importance of Senator Wellstoneís campaign, I was really excited to get the opportunity to work with him and his staff.î

If Wellstoneís reelection campaign wasnít enough, the political science and religion major became field coordinator for three local campaigns in Senate District 51.

ìThe more we can do for the local candidates, the more we do for the entire ticket,î Miller said. ìIf we can get more people out to vote for the local candidates it does better for everyone.î

After assisting her father run for the Minnesota House of Representatives twice from their home, her political passion was born.

ìI learned a lot about how my father was breaking down issues so I could understand them at a young age and know how they affected me. You have to break it down so people understand politics is local and people want to know what this is going to do and how is it going to affect me.î

Going to school in upstate New York, Miller was reluctant to return home this summer. Summer jobs came hard to find, and Miller began searching for a summer opportunity. She now calls her internship a blessing in disguise.

ìThe race is so important and it really feels like youíre a part of history,î Miller said in an interview from her campaign office in Blaine. ìSo much is riding on the race.

ìWith how we have a Republican controlled House, a Republican White Office, the Supreme Court is on the edge, and we have a Senate that is off by one single senator. President Bushís tax cut really hurt education, and for Minnesota especially we need to get federal support and someone in there to come in and care about these things.î

For these reasons Miller believes people will give their vote to Wellstone.

Standing in his way back to Washington is Republican candidate and former St. Paul mayor Norm Coleman. Though Coleman is one to receive a lot of attention, Miller still believes Wellstoneís integrity and determination will win the senator another term.

ìI remember the 1990 race...He was the underdog. In college studying politics you realize that someone like Wellstone is very rare in the political field. He is speaking on behalf of the people instead of the special interests and big companies.î Miller explained.

Big issues for Wellstone include providing prescription drug coverage, helping adults find affordable housing, adding more federal funding for education and helping solve several womenís issues.

Miller works on committees providing information and creating literature for womenís issues and education. The Forest Lake graduate remembers several programs scrapping for money.

ìWith such a young base of people to educate, itís so important that we have Wellstone back in office,î she said. ìItís ludicrous that our schools will survive in the condition that theyíre in. Forest Lake was great to me, but it could have been better.î

Schools need help

A former member and captain of high school mock trial, science olympiad, debate, math and band squads, Miller was active at Forest Lake. Though she received the opportunity to compete, she says her brother, Justin, must spend as much as $130 to join the same organization she once spent much less for.

ìBeing a graduate of FLHS, Iíve seen the rise in costs,î Miller says. ìIíve seen the programs I helped and fostered be dumped.î

ìI went to debate tournaments to go and compete against Apple Valley, Eagan, and Edina, and they were coming in with leather briefcases and we were working so hard just to keep up with them.

ìIn Forest Lake we donít have a huge tax base. We donít have the huge corporations.

ìWe donít have the money in the budget to do these things and itís not fair because there are a lot of bright kids in Forest Lake and they donít get the opportunities they deserve.î

Miller says students and their instructors have become the victims, not only in Forest Lake, but the entire state.

ìThe teachers and the staff try so hard but they just donít have the resources,î she said. ìYou canít tell educators that are working so hard that they need to fill this set of standards, but youíre not going to give them the resources they need. It doesnít make any sense.

ìWhen these things are happening all over the state, thereís a definite problem.î Miller finished.

Only an aspect to the Wellstone campaign and the local campaigns of MN House of Representatives candidates Chad Hobot in District 51A, Connie Bernardy in 51B, and MN Senate candidate Don Betzold in 51A, Miller has her hands full. But sheís not alone, not with a huge staff stretched out across the state.

ìWellstoneís staff is incredible. These people work politics like an art.î Miller explains.

ìThereís so much excitement in it that you just get addicted to it. It isnít a challenge getting up for work, you want to, and thereís so much energy behind it.î

Quick to point out how much needs to be done in the 70+ days before the election, Miller believes this campaign is far from her last.

A public service

ìIn watching my father run twice, it instilled a deep sense of patriotism in myself. I donít think that I could ever see myself in the military, but I still very much want to serve my country. This is how I can do it.

ìAt some point I would like to run for office in Minnesota.î Miller says about her political aspirations in the future.

Meanwhile, she will finish helping Wellstone through the November election, taking the fall semester off from school. That decision she considers a ìno-brainer.î

ìWhen youíre in the campaign, you realize how much of the future rides on this (election). This is a nationally important campaign. Thereís national attention. Thereís so much momentum, so much energy, and he needs us.î

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