Post in Minnesota U.S. Senate Race

Jun 19 15:32 UTC

Let me add to this discussion the fact that there will soon be a candidate for
U.S. Senate for Minnesota's third largest party, the Independence Party.
Current contenders for endorsement at this Saturday's convention include Steve
Williams (a farmer from Austin, Minn., and former Minneapolis resident), Kurt
Anderson (a Minneapolis attorney and former DFL congressional candidate), and
myself (a Minneapolis resident and subscriber to this forum).  In the wings is
yet another possible candidate, former Governor Jesse Ventura, a man with a
solid record of fairness and good government while serving as Governor of
Minnesota.  Additionally, he's the only person ever to have beaten Norm Coleman
in an election.

If I get the IP endorsement, you'll see a campaign focusing on the economic
future of Minnesota, the nation, and the world. What do we do about the $710
annual trade deficit?  How about $4 per gallon gas prices?  It's time for some
straight talk on these topics.  The economy is going down the tubes.

The trade deficit has two main causes:  (1) imported petroleum products, (2)
outsourcing of manufacturing production to low-wage countries.

To address those long-term problems, I advocate a crash program, aided by tax
credits and subsidies, to develop alternative sources of energy, especially
wind power.  We need to convert from gasoline-powered cars to hybrids, electric
cars, and cars powered by hydrogen.  We need to experiment with alternative
technologies in public transit, including PRT and smart jitneys.

With respect to outsourcing, I advocate that the trading system be revised in
its entirety.  The free-trade imperative is obsolete in an era where much trade
is intracorporate or between major retailers and closely related contractors.
I favor increased use of tariffs, both to create a certain cost buffer for our
own highly paid workers and a regulatory tool that governments can use to
encourage increased wages and reduced work hours in other countries.  This can
be done in an environment of cooperation among peoples in different parts of
the world.

We must also recognize how military expenditures are hurting our country
economically.  We cannot afford this any more.  It's important to get out of
Iraq as soon as it is humanely possible and also not bomb Iran and further
inflame world opinion against us.  In my opinion, we also need to close many of
our expensive military bases around the world.  The more hopeful future
involves moving the United Nations into the role of world policeman.  We have
little credibility in that role any more after the disastrous Bush years.

These are some of the things I want to talk about.  We're in a crisis.  Instead
of "rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic", we need to avoid the ice berg
looming ahead.

So, while the Norm Coleman vs. Al Franken match is interesting, a political
campaign should really be about options for our future.

You can find more information about my campaign at
http://www.newindependenceparty.org