Mike Obermueller Should--and Will--Win the CD2 Congressional Race

Some writers in this Congressional District have predicted that John Kline would win the Second Congressional District election this fall over Mike Obermueller. Their rationale: Kline is the incumbent, and this is a conservative District. These predictions will fall short because a) the most recent polls show Obermueller is currently leading in this race; b) other polls show substantial dissatisfaction with Kline on a variety of issues; and that c) President Obama won this District in 2012. The population in the District holds a broad range of views, which are more closely attuned to Mike Obermueller’s centrist view of how Congress should function, and how our Congressman should best serve this District and the nation. Regular polls show that Kline is out of touch on many issues, except with Tea Party members of the far right.

In fact, Mr. Kline is likely to lose this race for many reasons. For his entire career, he has flown beneath the radar. His conservative, right wing credentials have never before been exposed. But, people should be aware: Kline votes almost exactly the same way as Michelle Bachmann. This District would not elect Bachmann; they should not elect Kline. He has a terrible record on unemployment, the minimum wage, immigration, the Farm Bill, Social Security and Medicare, women’s issues and veterans affairs. While the unemployed in this District were going without, Kline was advocating a program for high school students to develop new apps for their iPads. Nothing wrong with helping high school students—except when Kline’s focus should have been on the unemployed. At the same time as John “One Note” Kline was yet again telling people he would vote to repeal or delay Obamacare (and take away health benefits for millions of people), he was voting to ensure that his own military health insurance program remained in place—for a select few, including himself. On immigration, Kline refuses to bring a good program to vote on the House floor. This program would ensure that our District’s employers are able to hire and to keep important workers who now provide important services to our economy; Kline would deport them. This program would allow some superior students, who grew up here when their parents came to this country perhaps illegally, to remain here and contribute to our economy; Kline would deport these students. Kline won’t increase the minimum wage. He won’t support SNAP benefits for the poor. And he won’t support a farm bill designed to help dairy farmers in his district.

Obermueller, on the other hand, would ensure that Social Security and Medicare remain solvent. However, cutting benefits is not the answer. Raising the age of eligibility for these programs (Kline’s solution) is not the answer. The annual federal deficit can be erased by growing our economy, and specifically by ensuring the growth of the middle class. This is what happened the last time the budget was balanced under President Clinton in the mid ‘90s. In fact, projections of growth resulting from President Obama’s economic programs, show a substantial decline in the deficit in the coming years—all the result of economic growth. And this growth has occurred, despite Kline’s refusal to vote for the jobs programs that have been introduced in the House. Obermueller would vote for an increase in the minimum wage. This would pump up to $1 Billion into the Minnesota economy alone, would result in increased tax revenues for both the state and federal governments, and would promote growth. Obermueller would vote for an extension of unemployment for those who have tried and failed to get work after being displaced in the Great Recession. Never before have we in this country refused to support those who have been long term unemployed, at unemployment rates like we are presently experiencing.

People in this District who have habitually marked the box for John Kline should think twice about doing it again