The only major candidate not in attendance was Republican Tom Emmer, whose absence was noted repeatedly by his opponents. "It seems like the standard sentence up here has a verb, an adjective and Tom Emmer," Horner joked. Emmer was campaigning elsewhere in the state on Friday.
The forum touched on topics dear to social workers, such as health care, poverty, civil rights and child welfare. With almost every issue, the inevitable question arose: Can we afford it?
Asked whether the state should adopt a single-payer health care system, Dayton and Kelliher voiced strong support for the proposal, while Entenza said it would be too expensive given the state's deficit.
"I want to expand MinnesotaCare, but realistically single-payer can't be done in the first four years because it will cost 10 to 12 billion dollars," Entenza said, referring to the state's subsidized health plan.
Dayton and Horner were the most pointed on the subject of taxes.
"Here is my Walter Mondale moment: I will raise taxes," said Horner, noting that he would like to decrease taxes on "job creating activities," such as businesses.
Dayton said he would raise taxes on the wealthy by $4 billion. Couples earning more than $150,000 should expect to pay more, he said, as should individuals earning more than $130,000.
"For every dollar of revenue we don't raise, then ask yourself where is that person going to cut or shift from essential human services in order to make up for not making the rich pay their fair share of taxes," Dayton said. "I know where that money is. I know who has it. And I will get it if I'm your governor."
[emphasis added] Way to go Mark. The truth does resonate.
Good points, from Kelliher and Horner. The one divergent health naysayer running DFL must be identified as spouse of Lois Quam; the couple having together built their substantial wealth out of her high-level past employment by UnitedHealth, the Minnetonka based mega-sized health insurance and health-related special interest conglomerate firm.
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GOP types disliking to hear what Horner rationally states, they are only a pack of RINOs, (that being an acronym, Republicans Intently Nuturing Obfuscation). I think Entenza was nuturing a little obfuscation too, on the question of decency and humane healthcare policy. There is more than enough wealth in the nation to fund healthcare fairly and universally. Only a suitably strong collective political will to truly reform things is lacking. Mark or Margaret, either would do, since both are committed to universal fairness and humane decency.