Dean Barkley Outlines His Agenda for the U.S. Senate
For Immediate Release
Contact: Christopher Truscott
ctruscott@senatorbarkley.com
MOORHEAD—Dean Barkley, the Independence Party candidate for U.S. Senate, said today that real change in Washington won't come from simply changing the parties in power, but instead by finally delivering the real results the American people are demanding.
"We're not going to get America back on track with more of the same," Barkley said at a press conference at the Moorhead City Hall. "We've spent the past few years and past few decades talking about problems. Now it's time to solve them."
Barkley, who served in the Senate following the death of Paul Wellstone in 2002, said as Minnesota's next senator he will work to do the following:
· End the Iraq War, which has cost our country more than 4,100 lives and hundreds of billions of dollars. "We've done our part," Barkley said. "Now it's up to Iraqis to determine their own destiny."
· Balance the federal budget and pay down the $10-trillion national debt. "We can't spend our way out of problems anymore," Barkley said. "That's how we got into this situation in the first place."
· Achieve energy independence. "We've been talking about this for 30 years," Barkley said. "But we're still pumping billions and billions of dollars a year into places like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela."
· Enact real ethics reform by banning members of Congress from taking money from industries they regulate. "Ask people why they don't trust Washington and this is it," Barkley said. "We can't tell people to 'trust us' and then go and fly off to a Wall Street fundraiser."
"Travel across Minnesota and you hear about the same issues from everyone—regardless of party affiliation," Barkley said. "But until we change the culture in Congress we're not going to get the results we deserve. Liberals, conservatives and moderates can all be a part of the solution, but not if we continue to buy into the same old Washington games that put being a party man ahead of being a patriot."
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Barkley, a 58-year-old Minnesota native, served as the director of the Minnesota Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning under Gov. Jesse Ventura. In November 2002, Ventura appointed Barkley to fill the final two months of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone's term.
The former governor said recently that Barkley is "measured minute by minute … the most effective U.S. senator in Minnesota history."
More information is available online at www.senatorbarkley.com.
3 comments:
so when are you going to change the title of your blog to Red man in a Red district?
Seriously, unless Barkley can win, not voting Democratic in a Red district is the same as voting Republican!
And Barkley cannot win.
I voted for Ventura, and I'd vote for just about any non-right wing third candidate...that could win! But I won't throw my vote away on a loser.
Sorry, it's not anything against Barkley one way or another, but he's no Jesse Ventura. By this time in the Fall of '98, Minnesota was strewn with neon green Ventura signs, stickers, buttons, and tshirts. Ventura might have been the underdog, but he was a loud dog with high visibility.
Barkley just doesn't have that; he doesn't have the name, he doesn't have the national press, and he doesn't have gusto.
Why would you throw your vote away on Barkley, don't you remember Nader in 2000?
Just what is your problem with Al Franken? I really, truly would like to know why you are not supporting such a progressive blue candidate.
Nice work jleuze. I don't support one "Democrat" therefore my blog ought to be Red Man in a Red District. You and Michele ought to have a little chat about how you frame issues, you could learn a lot from each other.
Franken has never done it for me. I have seen him speak in numerous places, he's boring. It feels like he thinks he's entitled to this seat and that really bothers me. He evokes the name of Paul Wellstone yet does not understand how Wellstone legislated. He was a fiery liberal, but truly was able to work across the aisle to get things done. Franken is a hot head.
Candidates have to earn my vote, you don't just get it because you have a D, R, or an I behind your name on the ballot. Franken has done nothing to earn that vote. I don't like his former career as a "satirist" and think voting for this loser is a wasted vote, which I have been vocal about for about a year.
Every local candidate is distancing themselves from Franken. It's a complete 180 from 2 years ago when Klobuchar and Wetterling had strong coat tails. No one wants to be associated with Franken.
There will be at least 5 Democrats on my ballot on Novemeber 4th. I am choosing to not vote for one because I don't think Franken will make an honorable US Senator. Because of that, I should now be Red Man in a Red District?
Keep pushing people like me out...
Blue man,
Don’t you know that an election is just a validation of the polls? We shouldn’t vote for the candidate who best reflects our views, we should only vote for the candidate that the polls say is going to win.
It’s anti American to vote outside of the 2 party system. You have two choices and that enough. After all, look what a wonderful job they have done.
Try to ignore that fact that the Democrat flew here 2 years ago to save the middle class. The perfect spokesperson for the Minnesota middle class is a multi millionaire from New York.
Forget about the checks and balances the founders of our country envisioned. One party rule is they way to go.
Don’t worry that 80% of the money he has raised has come from outside of Minnesota. This election is about revenge and power and you should keep your opinions to yourself.
Get with the program Blue man.
Because your either with us or against us. That’s the new motto for the Democratic Party.
Barkley is the only candidate who is calling for real, meaningful election reform that requires elected officials to live up to a code of ethics that prohibits them from taking bribes. Democrats and Republicans agree that that’s a bad idea.
Barkley is the only candidate who is proposing that candidates fund their elections, exclusively with donations from the state they are running in. Democrats and Republicans agree that that’s a bad idea.
Barkley is the only candidate stating that he will never accept Pac money or special interest donations.
Barkley is the only candidate who has pledged not to vote for another Iraq war funding bill without a time line to get out.
Shame on you for thinking that these are good ideas. They didn’t come from a Democrat.
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