John Marty on the Issues
Three Main Goals
"The cause of more bankruptcies than everything else. We got to fix health care."
Summary of three most important goals: Providing health care, providing a sustainable economy that creates more jobs and providing a balanced budget through cost saving prevention and a better economy.
Healthcare
"You call 911. The police dispatcher picks up the phone, We don't hear 'Well, do you have police insurance? What coverage do you have? What's the plan? Does it cover burglary?' No, the police come out to your house and they deal with the problem. I want to make sure that we have health care the same way."
Summary: We can improve health care not by making insurance our focus, instead making health care our focus. Other countries have done this for half the cost of what we are spending now.
Health Care and Business
"The only [health care] plan out there that would fix our problems!"
Summary: I am talking to businesses and to the Chambers of Commerce about health care. Businesses are impacted by the cost and the paperwork of health care insurance coverage, as well as having sicker employees. The plan I proposes helps business and costs them less.
Energy
"Clean coal is probably coal that is left in the ground."
Summary: We need to use cleaner technologies. We need kept Minneota jobs and Minnesota dollars here, through solar and wind technolgies.
More Jobs
"There is plenty of evidence that the governor's JOBZ program is basically tax cuts for certain select businesses. So if you're operating a small business in Thief River Falls, and you're paying the regular tax rates that every business is paying. And the governor's JOBZ program puts in one of your competitor across the street and gives him free taxes, gives him tax breaks. You have got to wonder, what is the business there thinking?"
Summary: To attract business, we need a well trained healthy workforce, with good infrastructure.
Fair Taxation
"When you throw in all the other taxes - the sales taxes. the excise taxes, everything else- people at the bottom end are paying alot more and middle class is the hardest hit. "
Summary: A fair tax budget does not soak the middle class. The Republican solution to cutting budgets cut the low cost prevention that later ends up costing our budget much more.
Environment
"As governor, I have the ability to pressure the legislature and stand up to the powerful interests that have been able to defeat environmental legislation!"
Summary: We have the greatest natural resources. Thirty years ago. we had leading environmental protection, that is not longer true. Senate author of cleaner automobile legislation.
Veterans
http://blip.tv/file/1829613/
"Politicians have promised veterans alot and not delivered."
Summary: Whereas President Bush cut Veteran's funding in half, the Democrats have been pushing hard for full funding at all government levels. It is matter of making the commitment in economic support.
John Marty on Running A Great Campaign
Campaign Success
"1994, that was the worst year for Democrats in thirty years."
Summary: The last run for governor was during the height of Gingrich era, when all Democrats were doing poorly. I now have 16 years more experience. The issues that I have championed have become more popular.
Public Financing of Elections
"Picture the next Vikings-Packers game. If you knew that the Packers coach is giving thousand dollar gifts to the officials before the game, you would question it."
Summary: I stopped taking any special interest money in 1990. It is important to take special interst money out of politics, replace it with small contributions and public financing. For 15 years, I have authoring legislation to do that.
The Surprise Question - Election Holiday
This was a surprise question,"Would you consider making the general election day a holiday?" Actually, due to technical difficulties, we had a chance to see the candidate also take on a number of false starts. Just like the video, shows, John Marty took on changes and surprises with charm and calm.
Summary: A holiday on election day might cause less voting, through more people being out of town, Voter turnout can be improved through allowing early voting and allowing vote registration at the same time as changing Driver's licenses. Instant runoff voting would also improve our elections.
Campaign Fund Raising
"The highest any candidate has spent in Minnesota ever, was what Pawlenty spent last time, which was just under four and half million dollars."
Summary: If voluntary limits are followed, then public financing is available, that has kept spending down. We can fund raise from grassroots, using the Obama approach, especially with more internet tools.
Negative Ads
"There is a difference between being aggressive in terms of issues, than making personal attacks, which seems to driving modern politics."
Summary: Always respond to negative ads. I have the facts on my side. Hit hard on issues not on personal attacks.
Motivation
"I want to see a governer who is going to bring that type of leadership and I don't see anyone else out there who will. That's why I'm running for governor."
Summary: As a state, we are tinkering with problems, not solving problems.
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I did this video interview with the aid of the great Uptake teamwork. Special mention goes to Christian Torkelson for editing, good humor and lighting help! While the Uptake is responsible for the video, the writing is solely for the MN Progressive Project.
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