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Klobuchar: 2020 election will be a ‘values check’ on democracy

By Patrick Adrian
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CLAREMONT — Democratic presidential candidate Amy Klobuchar told New Hampshire residents that restoring dignity to the White House and getting America back on track for the long-term challenges were her two priorities in running for president at a town hall event Tuesday.

More than 150 area residents gathered at The Common Man in Claremont to hear from Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, who spoke for 40 minutes about her candidacy before answering questions from the audience. This event marked Klobuchar’s second appearance in Claremont during her primary campaign. On Oct. 16, Klobuchar visited the Recovery Center on Sullivan Street as part of her two-day, nine stop tour of the Granite State in October.

Klobuchar made it clear from the get-go that the 2020 election will be an “economic check” and “values check” on President Donald Trump, whom she criticized heavily during the first portion of her speech. She faulted the president for failing to address the enduring issues facing America’s economy, in addition to displaying a conduct and character while in office that most Americans find unacceptable.

“People want to have a president who, even if it’s someone they don’t agree with or vote for, they still feel a citizenship obligation to hear what the president is going to say,” Klobuchar said. “Those days are going away. So many parents actually have to mute the TV because they don’t want their children to hear, because they don’t know what the president is going to say.”

The candidate noted that an “optimistic economic agenda” and the ability to appeal to independents and moderate Republicans is essential in order for Democrats to take back the White House and U.S. Senate.

When discussing numerous issues important to her campaign, Klobuchar continuously stressed the theme of economics. On the topic of climate change, the Senate Judiciary Committee member cited that average homeowner’s insurance costs in America have increased by 50% in recent years. In addition to combating climate change, Klobuchar emphasized workforce development, health care, education and caring for America’s aging population among her top priorities.

Without naming her opponents, Klobuchar differentiated her approach to issues from those of fellow candidates whose professed plans more closely resemble “pipe dreams.”

“I really believe that the difference between a plan and a pipe dream is that a plan with deadlines is something that can actually get done,” the senator said.

Klobuchar’s discussion of education and the workforce strongly paralleled the conversations currently taking place around high school career and technical programs, in which she said that America’s education system needs to better fit the economy’s workforce needs.

“Because of the aging of our population, we’re going to have a million openings for healthcare workers with no plan how to fill them,” she said. “We’re not going to have a shortage of MBAs, we’re going to have a shortage of plumbers.”

While not a supporter of proposals like free universal college or forgiving total college loan debt, Klobuchar did say that she would make college more affordable by doubling the amount given in Pell grants from $6,000 to $12,000 and raising the qualifying income limit to $100,000. She would also allow students to refinance their college loans to secure better interest rates and support federal loan programs for students who will provide public service through teaching or another field of need.

“We have to be smart about the kinds of incentives we are creating,” Klobuchar said.

Klobuchar also acknowledged the decline in the total number of international students studying in the United States by promising she would provide more opportunities for foreign students and immigrants to remain in the country, whether through a path to citizenship or work programs.

To help fill the need for doctors in rural areas, Klobuchar believes that foreign students who attend medical school in the United States should be able to at least perform their residency in the states, if not provided a path to citizenship. Currently, most students return home to practice medicine immediately after getting their degrees.

The Democratic presidential candidate mirrored fellow challengers in her devotion to reverse the numerous policy changes under President Trump by rejoining the International Climate Change Agreement, reinstating Obama-era gas-mileage standards and clean power rules, push for national energy efficiency initiatives and carbon pricing policies. However, Klobuchar said that her plans are sensitive to businesses and people who may be economically affected by policy changes and would allocate a percentage of carbon pricing revenues to those parties.

When getting more Americans behind policies to combat climate change, Klobuchar said that many Americans need to learn that they will not be harmed by these changes.

“They need to know that they will be okay if we do this, because otherwise we will not get their support,” she said. “Not everyone in the county thinks about climate change. They’re thinking about their electric bills.”

Klobuchar said she would tie that discussion to the economic threats that the country is seeing right now, which include the impact on the agricultural and fishing industries, the rising costs of homeowners insurance and the overall toll on regions and infrastructures.

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