Walz greets DFL faithful in Waseca on Waseca County News

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Walz greets DFL faithful in Waseca

Posted: Monday, May 24, 2010 10:26 am

County News/James Anderson

Congressman Tim Walz, right, speaks with George Doyle of Waldorf at the State Street Bistro Saturday evening.

By JAMES ANDERSON
Publisher / Editor

WASECA — When Tim Walz walked into the State Street Bistro Saturday evening, he announced to a crowd of DFL faithful that the Minnesota Twins had just given up five runs in the ninth inning.

The boos that followed weren’t meant for Walz.

More than 50 DFLers gathered for a spaghetti dinner at the Bistro before hearing Walz touch on everything from health care to education to the national debt.

“It’s a good crowd,” said Waseca County DFL mainstay Robert Hunter, who introduced Walz to the crowd.

George Doyle of Waldorf shared a table with his wife, Mary, and a couple of friends. Education is his top concern, Doyle said.

“I think he’s a good, progressive, hard-working legislator,” Doyle said of Walz. “He talks to people and stays informed. Nobody gets all their own way, and that’s what’s been missing with the ‘party of no.’”

Doyle is concerned for the future of his grandchildren, he said. The cuts to education that he has seen makes him question how competitive our country can be in the future.

“What will take the place of fossil fuels? We have to have the classes and the research. We can’t cut everything to bare bones.”

In his speech later, Walz echoed Doyle’s sentiments.

“We need to make a five-year nationwide effort to focus on early childhood education,” said Walz, a former high school teacher. “People say we save money if we go to a four-day school week. We save more at three or two, but that’s not investing in the future.”

Walz later mentioned the federal Race to the Top program, and said he feels it is a mistake for Minnesota not to make a second application for federal funding.

“It’s a mistake that we’re not trying again,” he said, but added that he wasn’t entirely in favor of the program as it is.

“But there’s also no way local school board should change policies based on a carrot on a stick from the government,” he said. “[No Child Left Behind] was a Texas based approach that doesn’t necessarily work for Waseca. Now we have a Chicago-based approach that doesn’t necessarily work for Waseca.”

Alex De Marco of Faribault, a DFL candidate for State Senate, told Walz that he faces a number of questions related to immigration when he is campaigning.

De Marco wanted to know how Walz would answer the same questions.

“Immigration needs to be solved to take away the wedge in this country,” Walz said. “Every sovereign nation should have security at its border. To say ‘go back and get in line’ is legitimate, but there is no line,” Walz said. “We need to fix the immigration system.”

Walz said there need to be federal systems in place to take on the immigration issue, and the issue shouldn’t have been pushed on to states like Arizona to come up with its own solution.

“We need to do this, but with the dignity of human rights in place,” he said.

Whether it’s national debt or health care, Walz told the crowd that it is important that they gather to share views and support candidates.

“You’re not here for me. You’re not here for DFL politics. You’re here for American responsibilities. And for that, as a citizen, I thank you,” he said.

James Anderson can be reached at 837-5443 or janderson@wasecacountynews.com

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Member Opinions:

By: DanACunningham on 5/24/10
Cuts to education make George Doyle question how competitive our country can be in the future. He is right to link education with our country's ability to compete, and to discuss this concern with our congressman, because, in the global market, we need to recognize it is imperative that our national government take a greater responsibility for educational funding.

By: Caddyman on 5/24/10
Dear Mr. Walz, take the time to read the AZ Immigration Law, you'd be the first one in the Democratic party to actually read the 17 pages. Compared to the healthcare bill this one shouldn't take you more than an hour to read and find out the truth.