The Mankato Free Press editorial board today weighs in on Day's run for the border in Our View: Immigration: Depth of committment counts. It's an interesting read of the situation.
. . .The upcoming 1st District race is still in the defining stages, but Day’s headline-grabbing foray should remind Walz to refine his own position on immigration before others define it for him. Walz’ has made his basic stance clear, saying he supports a streamlined approach to legal immigration that requires illegals to return to their country of origin, pay a fine and then get in line to become legal. He wants a national tamper-proof biometric card used for verification of employment.
But Walz’ take on immigration — which is already being misinterpreted by rival political groups — won’t insulate him from a rough-and-tumble campaign that could get ugly. Any and all candidates should be on guard that the public will look not only at policy positions, but also whether candidates are willing to spend personal political capital to press Congress to accomplish real solutions.At the news of Day’s southern trip, Walz — who has received a luke-warm C-plus grade in immigration from Americans for Better Immigration, which is seeking to limit immigration numbers — announced plans for his own expedition south.
We don't recall Walz making the annoucement of his trip--which is part of an official congresional trip to the border--because of Day's journey. Actually, now that we think of it, GOP stenographer Mark Brunswick made the information public in his article.
An example of the distortion of Walz's views by the right pops up on cue here: Walz: Immigration a Wedge Issue. An example of someone trying to dismiss immigration as a issue ran in yesterday's MFP: Leigh Pomeroy's column, My View — Immigration is a phony issue.
Trips to the border are valuable as attention-grabbing tools. But more important than that, what Day and Walz should do (along with any other 1st District candidate) is ask thoughtful questions of their southern Minnesota constituents. They should take special note of the mayors and law enforcement personnel in their district.
Located in the 1st District are large processing plants in Owatonna, Worthington and Austin, where immigration continues to profoundly change the demographic landscape.
In Day’s trip south, he spoke with members of the Minuteman Project (a group of volunteers working to seal the Mexican border), and hiked miles into the desert to see first-hand the front lines of the illegal immigration debate. That no doubt provides potential footage for future campaign commercials. But the public is intensely focused on getting beyond photo ops.
Voters have already been disappointed at politicians who’ve appeared more interested at working political deals than at listening carefully to their legitimate concerns. Immigration champions will be decided on nothing less than the candidates’ depth of commitment.
We have to wonder if the screen shot at the top of this post of Day at the border from today's online edition of the Owatonna People's Press is really the photo-op the state senator wants. The AP version of the Brunswick article ran last week, and today, the Minuteman-supplied photo runs above news of Owatonna residents taking up table tennis. Heckova net, Dick.
The Post Bulletin reports Walz backs plan to boost renewable fuels:
Freshman Rep. Tim Walz, a Democrat from Mankato, will back compromise energy legislation that would increase auto and truck mileage standards and boost the use of renewable fuels.
During a conference call with reporters, Walz said the bill accommodates the concerns of farm groups about raising mileage targets for light trucks. In the first revision of mileage standards since the 1970s, automakers would have to meet 35 miles-per-gallon fleet standards by 2020.
The bill, as reported by Congressional Quarterly, also will boost to 20.5 billion gallons the amount of ethanol and biofuels in gasoline, by 2015. It was still being drafted late Tuesday for a vote this week, possibly on Wednesday.
Walz called the measure "a very positive energy bill that moves us in the right direction."
He also said he wants to see the bill require a minimum use of 15 percent alternative energy sources, including wind power, by investor-owned utilities.
"Many are starting to see this as a landmark piece of legislation that for the first time is going to address not only the importation and costs of oil, but it's going to address the need for conservation as part of it," he said. . . .
Finally, a press release from the Walz office:
CONGRESSMAN WALZ OFFERS ONLINE SAFETY TOOL KIT TO PARENTS
(Washington, D.C.) - The Internet opens up a world of knowledge and cultural experiences to our children, exposing them to new ideas and a universe of information with just the click of a mouse. Over the next few weeks, children on holiday break may be spending a lot of time on the Internet, increasing the need for parents to be aware of the latest on-line safety tools.
"As a former classroom teacher and the father of a six year old who is becoming more and more interested in what she can find on-line, this is a very relevant issue for me," said Walz. "The On-Line Safety Tool Kit on my website is designed to provide parents with some resources and information to help them keep their family safe. The tool kit includes tips from experts, resources, links and other information to prevent online child exploitation."
Also this week, the House will vote on two important bills that will help keep our children safe while they're on-line. The Protecting Our Children Comes First Act of 2007 will reauthorize the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and increase federal resources for protecting and assisting missing children and their families.
Second, the Securing Adolescents From Exploitation-Online (SAFE) Act will address the growing threat of children being prayed upon on-line by increasing resources for law enforcement and severely penalizing internet service providers that allow child pornography on their servers. The bill will also require internet service providers to retain key data that law enforcement agencies can use to investigate and prosecute child predators.
Congressman Walz's On-Line Safety Took Kit can be found here
We'll post later this afternoon about last night's fun in the snow in Jackson, Minnesota.
Identifying a problem is easy, but offering a solution is another.
Building a wall is a band-aid.
In Leigh Pomeroy’s MY VIEW he offers a solution :
“— we should be investing that money in Mexico, providing jobs and opportunities there so that Mexican families won’t view their only chance of improvement as coming to the United States.”
The Mexican government needs to provide economic opportunity for its own people. Through its concentration of economic controls and planning in the central government, its inefficient public sector and laws that limit foreign investment, the Mexican government is failing its people.
Instead of pushing the “wall”, the State, Treasury and Commerce Departments need to be pushed to encourage Mexico change its economic policy.
The Free Press editorial iterates my recent blog commentary that there are more important issues for the First District voters to consider. How can voters be impressed by someone who so easily follows “advocacy groups” to the border? I want a Congressman that will “advocate” for the First District … and not for “advocacy groups”.
Posted by: MinnesotaCentral | December 06, 2007 at 03:16 PM