Mindy Kimmel was inspired to run for political office in 2017 after attending the Women's March in St. Paul. After considering, "What can I do next," it became clear that the best way was to pursue a run for office. She seeks common ground solutions for the challenges rural communities face.Rep. Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska) doesn’t have much to say about the issues, on his website. As he’s a farmer it certainly seems that he should rethink some of his views, given how Traitor Trump is screwing farmers. But it looks like he hasn’t, and likely won’t.
Sunday, October 21, 2018
MN House: Mindy Kimmel in 16B
Very tough district, but, why not? The past couple of years’ worth of special elections nationwide shows that nothing’s out of reach. From Kimmel's website:
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LTE in her hometown New Ulm Journal :
ReplyDeleteAt a forum earlier this month, the candidates for Minnesota House 16B were asked a question regarding a recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report and what they could do to help combat climate change. Torkelson stated: “The evidence for climate change is mounting… I am not absolutely convinced it’s happening.” That should give us all pause. A 2013 IPCC report states with 95 percent certainty that human-caused climate change is happening and 97 percent of the papers accept the position that humans are causing global warming. To put that in perspective, if 96 out of 100 architects state that a bridge will collapse, and four say it is safe, Torkelson would continue to drive on it. That’s an irrational response.
I suspect that it has nothing to do with whether Torkelson is “convinced” but rather a justification for his voting record. Last year, he authored a bill that would leave us, the taxpayers on the hook for any environmental clean-up and infrastructure for a railroad disaster exceeding $3 million; not to mention capping costs for families of victims said disaster creates at $3 million.
Torkelson voted “no” on a bill that would have protected pollinator habitat by requiring that lands acquired with Legacy Funds cannot be restored or treated using pollinator lethal products (H.F.2611). He voted to cut $8.4 million from the recommended projects of the Council on Minnesota Resources to be paid from the Environmental Trust Fund (H.F. 2993). He voted to cut 70 percent of the recommended funding for forest protection in Pineland Aquifer Area (H.F. 2611). He voted “no” to upholding wild rice water quality standards for sulfates. He voted “yes” to H.F. 1707 which required that funds dedicated for the environment instead be used for “in lieu of property tax” payments to local governments. He voted “yes” to weaken the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Citizens’ Board (H.F. 1394). As a member of the Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Finance Committee, the fox is indeed guarding the henhouse.
Alternatively, House candidate Mindy Kimmel understands the seriousness of what is at stake with climate change and the importance of creating incentives for things such as renewable energy. I am confident she will stem this tide of anti-environmental legislation which has pervaded state and national government. Climate change is here…NOW. It is settled science and it does not care whether or not you “believe” in it. We owe it to our children and their children to preserve our environment. A vote for Mindy Kimmel will help do that.
Dan Kalk
New Ulm