Jack Nelson Pallmeyer is considering running for the DFL endorsement to oppose Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN). He said he'll decide within two months if he's actually going to join the race. He is currently conducting listening sessions all over the state and has been talking to past state convention delegates.

"When people listen to what I have to say about Iraq, healthcare, global warming and the economy and they compare what I say to what Al Franken and Mike Ciresi actually say about these issues, they like what I have to say."

I went straight to the toughest question, would your campaign be merely symbolic, an attempt to get the eventual nominee to take better positions on Iraq and healthcare or would you actually have a shot at getting the endorsement yourself?

"I won't do it as symbolic," he responded. "I won't put my family through a campaign unless I thought I had a realistic chance. I won't do it just to pressure Al or Mike to change their positions. I want people to take a close look at what they are actually saying on the issues not at their fame or fundraising prowess."

So what is it about Al and Mike's positions that makes Jack want to run?

• They haven't taken strong enough positions against the Iraq War
• They do not recognize the fundamental issue with our healthcare crisis that the insurance companies are the root of the problem
• They do not recognize that we have 10 years at most to address global warming
• They do not talk about how poorly the economy is doing for average Minnesotans

Iraq War

Al was originally in support of the war. While Ciresi wasn't, they both talk about needing to keep troops in Iraq for training Iraqi troops and security needs. Jack has a completely different way of looking at it. He recommends reading his paper entitled 7 Faulty Premises on Iraq for a complete explanation of why Al and Mike aren't good enough on the issue.

"What is our fundamental approach to security?" he asked. "Military power and military power alone has been the key to our security. It is the main way we relate to other countries. Are they [Al and Mike] serious about reducing our military budget and reconfiguring out national security through international partnerships? This is a different kind of international engagement. We need to work with the international community on peace and justice issues and cooperation with other countries should be first and foremost in our approach to our national security. We must address the military-industrial complex. All of what they [Al and Mike] say is just smoke and mirrors unless they address military spending. Our government spends 57 cents out of every dollar on the military. This is a fundamental choice that they are not addressing and it affects the economy, education the environment and almost everything."

"Look at the Lieberman Amendment," he continued. "97-0. Blaming Iran for deaths in Iraq. This is just a setup for attacking Iran. If I would have been in the Senate, I would have been the one Senator to stand up and say that what we are doing is wrong and we need to reevaluate how we interact with the world."

Norm actually cosponsored the amendment. If you read the amendment, you'll understand that all the evidence (mostly claims by Generals) is a setup for a report on how we should proceed. This report by Bush's Ambassador to Iraq and Bush's Generals will likely tell us that we cannot ignore Iran's provocations and must attack.

Global Warming

"I've named my website mostimportantdecade.com, because this next decade is absolutely critical," Jack explained. "Its the most important decade in human history because the personal and political choices we make in the next ten years will determine the quality of life for all future generations."

His website explains a little further.

The stakes are high. NASA’s leading environmental scientist warns that “we have at most ten years” to address climate change and that following “a business-as-usual course” will result in “a far more desolate world” for “all foreseeable human generations.”

I believe we can forge a new, visionary path for our nation. Together we can heal the earth by addressing climate change and building a renewable energy economy; build a culture of peace by redefining security and ending the Iraq War and govern for the common good by ensuring economic fairness to meet human needs.
(mostimportantdecade.com)

Healthcare crisis

Personally, my problem with Al and Mike's healthcare positions is neither recognize the fundamental problem with our healthcare crisis -- the health insurance industry. They both talk about universal healthcare, but want the insurance industry to be part of the solution.

"They want universal healthcare, but who doesn't?" Jack asked rhetorically. "Its easy to be for universal healthcare as a Democrat. But what do they stand for? What are their positions on the issue. I think most people want a single payer system. It resonates with the people I'm talking to. It's the simplest and best solution."

The Economy

"The stock market is booming and CEO salaries are skyrocketing," Jack asserted. "The economy is not good for the average worker." He continued explaing that the tax rates for the wealthy are so low that their wealth is increasing at an astonishing rate, yet the average person pays a much higher tax rate and is seeing less and less of their income. His position is very similar to former Senate candidate and current Rep. Bachmann challenger Bob Olson. We need to roll back Bush tax cuts for the richest 1%.

Actually, Jack doesn't seem to differentiate himself as much from Al and Mike on economic issues as on Iraq and healthcare.

More questions

I asked him about how his fundraising was going.

"Very well for what I need," he explained. "Ample money for an exploratory phase of my campaign."

The reason that Paul Wellstone won the first time is he started really early organizing for his run against Rudy Boschwitz. I believe DFL delegates decided to let Paul be the sacrificial lamb to run against Boschwitz's money machine. He ran a great convention campaign and convinced the DFL delegates. He was then was able to mobilize tons of people in his grassroots campaign. Of course, he surprised everyone by winning. Similarly, Jack did well in the CD5 DFL endorsement race because he challenged Marty Sabo on the Iraq War and his campaign was gaining momentum well before Sabo announced his retirement. I asked Jack to address this and how he thought he could be competitive.

"Look at how ridiculously early Franken announced," he began. "A candidate entering the race now is closer to normal, there's plenty of time. I don't think the issue of who should oppose Norm is settled. There are two factors that affect my campaign. The first is one I can control -- the most important issue for Minnesotans is Iraq. I have the most knowledge on our Iraq situation, my critique is the most thorough and I have the clearest plan for getting out. The second is not in my control -- the times we live in. There were a convergence of factors that led to Wellstone's victory. Minnesotans were as frustrated then as they are frustrated now. Its just that the times are different. Minnesotans need someone they can trust, that speaks to them about the issues that matter the most to them and speaks to them in a way that motivates and excites them. I believe I can be that candidate better than Al or Mike can."

"I'm building a network of people. I want to strengthen the organizations that work on progressive issues. I'm reaching out to DFL delegates. I'm going to out-organize and out-motivate my opponents. I'm holding listening sessions all over the state. I'm realizing that my strategy or maybe a better way to say it is my conviction that we need to have conversations about the state of our nation, the war, the economy, healthcare and the environment is winning people over to me."

Jack suggested I check out Eric Black's Big Question post on the 7 faulty premises about Iraq. I recommend it to anyone who wants more information on to read it and Jack's paper that Eric references. This is Jack's complete statement about the Iraq War.

Since I didn't know, I asked about Jack's position on stem cell research. He is for fully funding it.

Jack will abide by the DFL endorsement.

Finally, I asked Jack an unrelated question. What's it like working with Minnesota's foremost proponent of torture, Robert Delahunty? Delahunty is a tenured professor of law at the St. Thomas Law School. Jack just shook his head.

"For a school with the foremost Justice and Peace Studies Department in the country and for a religious school, it's just unbelievable," he answered still shaking his head at a loss to explain their hiring decision. "They claimed to not know what he'd done before they offered him the position."