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Disgusted with the ever-present negative ads, predictable partisan unoriginality, well-polished pandering and meaninglessness of much of the political discourse, apathy besets voters leading up to the election — who cynically march into the voting booth on Election Day to fulfill their duty to check off the lesser of two evils.
Tragically, the very political archetypes for which citizens clamor routinely receive little support. But there is one candidate out there who threatens to break that mold this year: the Independence Party’s nominee — and one of its founders — for U.S. Senate, Dean Barkley.
The Barkley campaign strives to be “issues-based” and runs only positive ads. Among other principled ascetics vowed by Barkley is a refusal to pander. He countered Franken’s $5,000 college student tax credit proposal with discipline: “I’m not going to … promise tax credits and new programs because we’re basically $11 trillion in debt.”
Moreover, Barkley would contribute a necessary swing vote to a Senate hindering on a Democratic takeover. Checks and balances absent within government’s branches is as dangerous of a concept as checks and balances absent between government’s branches.
Barkley stresses ethics reform and proposes criminalizing campaign contributions to congressional leaders serving on related committees. His realization that the Bush administration misled the nation on the war in Iraq and it should shift focuses to Afghanistan is as precise as his view that the equal protections clause applies to everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation. Barkley, furthermore, correctly argues drug use won’t be quelled by waging a war and that because 18 year olds can die in war and vote, they should certainly be able to consume alcohol.
We urge readers to consider sending a refreshing and independent voice to a chamber utterly lacking those qualities.
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Huh?
Haven't you heard Barkley's radio ads? They're negative. And to think that Barkley is the guy that's breaking the mold is a sign the author hasn't been paying much attention this cycle.
Let's be clear. Aaron Landry
Let's be clear. Aaron Landry is not an unbiased commenter. He is a DFL and Franken hack.
You are aware the Democrats control the Senate?
folks you wrote about the Democrats taking control of the Senate. You are aware they control the Senate right now. I mean Harry Reid has been the majority leader and the democrats have controlled the committees for the last two years.
walter Hanson
Minneapolis, MN
True, but Democratic control
True, but Democratic control of the Senate truly occurs if they can reach a magic number of 60 members. At that point, any bill can potentially be passed without fear of a filibuster by a minority in the Senate.
Congrats, an endorsement you
Congrats, an endorsement you will be able to justify later on. The major party candidates are both frightening, for different reasons. If Coleman wins, it will prove we have learned nothing from the huge mess we're in about our expectations of representatives. If Franken wins, it's that much closer to liberalism on steroids from Washington, not desirable in a recession and with this huge debt.
Negative Ads
So, if Franken can talk about Coleman's record and it's not negative, why can't Barkley talk about Coleman and Franken?
Finally a media source with some common sense. Good job MN Daily!
Retaliate in 2008 Dean Barkley for senate.....again!
I wonder how much money Coleman and Franken are spending on ads? I just think it seems quite odd to want the senate seat bad enough to spend that kind of money! Where does it all come from? Wouldn't it be funny if it turns out that all that money went to waste because Dean Barkley won?!?
Oh I just LOVE this
Oh I just LOVE this comment.
BARKLEY FOR SENATE! He's got my vote.
Those other two babies do NOT deserve this. All they have been doing is fighting with each other...
HELLO!!!!!!!! WHAT ABOUT US LITTLE PEOPLE ?????????????????
Barkley gets it!
You guys always endorse a
You guys always endorse a lame duck independence candidate like the spoiler running for governor in 06. I mean come on. This is the same group of people that brought you Jesse Ventura. HUGE embarrassment.
Technically, the democrats don't control the senate
They are 49 each of democrats and republicans in the Senate. But, two independents caucus with the democrats enabling them to be the majority. One of those two, Lieberman, was a leading candidate for Republican VP. Lieberman is generally ranked as roughly as liberal
as Snowe (R), so not really a "vote in the bag" for the democrats.
I was at the Senate Debate
I was at the Senate Debate last night and watched the two major party candidates bicker back and forth. Disgusting. They talk about "tightening their belts" and then Franken pulls away in his giant coach bus. I ran into Dean Barkley when I was walking to my vehicle in the parking ramp down the street. He was parked in the ramp as well. He even paid the five bucks at the toll booth on the way out. He's the candidate that can best represent Minnesota in Washington. Norm Coleman and Al Franken talk the talk but Dean Barkley is the only one who is walking the walk!
Vote for Barkley!
I don't agree with everything
I don't agree with everything Barkley has to say, but I've turned my vote away from Franken and towards Barkley. He's actually going to get things done as he did for the month he was already in the Senate.
Barkley 08, thank God for a real person running for office here in MN!
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