There is a clear disconnect between how we in the blogosphere view the most recent FISA vote and how the people who voted against us on this issue view it. I think that the completely over the top rhetoric, by  inherently implying that those who didn't vote our way are pro-police state. http://www.openleft.com/showDiary.do?dia ryId=580 is not helpful. I think is time to explore the potential thinking of  one Member of Congress whose vote might be surprising and should be instructive of how this debate is not merely the simple back and forth of self-outs and is in many ways a cultural vote and one that is very important to understand.  

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Sally Jo Sorensen is a writer and researcher who lives in rural Minnesota.

Freshman Congressman Tim Walz greets shoppers at the St. Peter Food Co-op on a gorgeous Saturday morning in the idyllic college town on the Minnesota River. It's another Saturday Store Stop: Walz routinely visits grocery stores across his sprawling rural district on weekends. His presence at a food co-op Saturday reflects the changing dynamic of food politics in America. Even in small towns in the heart of the Midwest's Corn Belt, consumers are seeking out more healthful, environmentally friendly, locally grown food. Now over 25 years old, the co-op is the established face of a movement.

The tensions in creating farm policy are also writ large in Washington D.C. this coming week for the upstart Walz, who took the district in a surprise victory last fall against six-term incumbent Gil Gutknecht. Walz sits on the House Subcommittee on Conservation, Credit, Energy, and Research, which will mark-up the draft of the conservation section of the Farm Bill on Tuesday.  As Kerry Trueman notes below in an action alert, the section slated for Tuesday's markup session has opened a new front in ag and environmental circles.  Minnesota's First Congressional District may be ground zero in the battle.

In a district that borders Tom Harkin's Iowa on the south, and Rep. Collin Peterson's MN-07 in the northwest, Walz has quite literally been placed in the middle of a food fight between the Senate and House ag committee chairs. The House Farm Bill proposal effectively guts Senate Ag Committee Chair Tom Harkin's signature farm conservation legislation, the Conservation Security Program, by shifting most of its funding to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and the Wetlands Reserve Program.

Which way will Walz sway?

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Bumped from the diaries -- Jonathan... I'm canvassing today. What are you up to?

25 Days.

Until Election Day.  That's It!

Holy Cow!  When did that happen!?!?  I'm not quite sure, but what I am sure of is that there are a lot of people who are working long and hard every single day to make sure that we win on November 7th.

At the DNC, we want to hear those stories.  E-mail us your pictures and stories at "demsinthefield" @ "dnc.org"

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Great news.  mnpublius is reporting that DFL candidate Tim Walz is leading incumbent Republican 46% to 40% with 14% undecided.  Walz has been working hard in classic Wellstone style.  He's got people doorknocking throughout the district, he's got my Mom and hundreds of others phoning for him.  Plus he's an inspirational leader.  Tim has been outraising his opponent, too.

cross-posted from MNBlue

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crossposted from mnblue.com
Fighting Democrat Tim Walz is under a smear attack of lies and innuendo in Minnesota's First Congressional District (MN-01).  Republican incumbent Gil Gutknecht has been running scared for a while now ... running from his rubberstamping voting record, running from the Bush Administration and desparately hoping for something to distract voters in southern Minnesota from the real issues.

The Republicans may have found it.  In 1995, Tim Walz was pulled over for speeding and arrested for DUI.  The only problem for the Republicans Lie Machine is he wasn't drunk.  Tim has significant hearing loss. He couldn't hear the officer who pulled him over.  The judge threw the case out.

Tim's loss of hearing stems from serving as an artillery gunner in the Minnesota National Guard.  Gil Gutknecht's problems stem from voting as the Bush Administration would like him to vote over 90% of the time.  Call the Gutknecht Campaign and ask them to stop the dirty smear campaign:
202-225-2472
507-252-9841
800-862-8632
507-238-2835

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