On August 6, 2024, Kamala Harris chose Tim Walz as her running mate. Since then, the Democratic Party quickly embraced him as the man to balance the ticket. Walz is a multifaceted candidate with a military, legislative and educational background, and as Minnesota’s governor, he has passed an impressive amount of progressive policies in the Midwest. But therein lies the problem. As much as the Democratic Party touts him as moderate, it’s time for them to face reality. Walz is an undoubtedly left candidate. His green policy decisions alone point to a progressive bias.
For example, Walz believes climate change initiatives should be a top legislative priority. In 2019, Walz found it necessary to pass an executive order that allowed him to create a climate change subcabinet in the state. The cabinet’s primary function is to develop strategies to meet greenhouse gas reduction goals.
In 2022, three years after he established the subcabinet, Governor Walz, the Climate Change Subcabinet and Minnesota’s Lieutenant Governor Flanagin developed Minnesota’s Climate Action Framework. The framework lists priorities and next steps for addressing climate change in Minnesota. The plan prioritizes aiding underrepresented and low-income communities and distinctly highlights its intentions to work with tribal governments and historically marginalized communities. The initiative set a goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Walz wasted little time after creating the Climate Action Framework. In 2023, he signed a carbon-free bill that will require Minnesota to switch to 100% clean electricity by 2040. In place of carbon energy, utilities must use energy sources that include solar, hydropower, wind and nuclear because they do not emit carbon dioxide. If utilities fail to switch from a non-carbon source they can meet the standard by purchasing renewable energy credits. Additionally, the standard requires that 55% of energy sold to customers must come from renewable energy sources by 2035.
The carbon-free bill promotes the creation of high-quality jobs with paying wages in the clean energy sector. It ensures that workers have the right to unionize and have the necessary resources for staff to do their jobs efficiently. Additionally, it ensures all residents of Minnesota have the benefits of clean renewable energy, reduces statewide air emissions and makes electric service more affordable to Minnesotans, specifically low-income consumers are available.
The following year, Walz signed Amara’s Law year, a law banning Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAs). Under the law, Minnesota will not allow the sale of products with added PFAs by 2025. This includes cookware, carpeting, children’s products, floss, menstruation products and even cosmetics. The only exception is if the product is deemed essential for society to function and no other alternative is available. If PFAs must be included distributors must list that they use PFAs.
With his results, Walz is far from being all talk and no action. He has opened up the Midwest to progressive green policies that rival that of California. There is no chance that he’s a ceremonial or appeasement vice president pick. It’s a stretch to believe that many Republicans will feel that Walz balances the ticket but that might not stop some from voting blue this election. It’s up to the polls to decide whether or not Tim Walz was a good pick for the Democratic Party.
Acknowledgment: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the individual author.
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/06/us/tim-Walz-minnesota-voters-reactions.html
