Opinion editor’s note: Editorials represent the opinions of the Star Tribune Editorial Board, which operates independently from the newsroom.
•••
Vice presidential nominees normally are given the role of attack dogs. But taking a bite out of the daunting challenges the next administration will face would better serve the country as Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz takes the stage at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago on Wednesday.
Among the most daunting issues that potentially await Walz and his running mate, presidential nominee Kamala Harris, are geopolitical crises in Eastern Europe and the Mideast, where two brutal wars include extensive use of U.S. armaments. Specifically: Would a new Harris-Walz administration maintain President Joe Biden’s balance between staunchly supporting Ukraine politically while also maintaining limits to the sale and use of U.S. weapons systems? And while it’s clear that an incoming Democratic administration would continue the enduring American support of Israel, would there be a difference in policy regarding sales and use of materiel, as the throngs of protesters in Chicago are demanding?
Domestically, the Democratic ticket has highlighted its commitment to reproductive health care. So it’s time for more specifics on support of codifying abortion access protections nationwide to ensure that every woman has a right to this care no matter where she lives. Walz should also share how he and Harris plan to push this issue through Congress.
In other health care matters, they should signal a commitment to make expanded Affordable Care Act subsidies permanent. (These were enacted during the pandemic but expire in 2025. The subsidies have helped a lot of rural Minnesotans because farm families often make just above the previous income cutoff for ACA assistance.) Clarity on keeping prescription drugs affordable would resonate, too.
Health care costs, of course, are just one component of broader economic issues that voters cite as their key concern. So Walz and Harris should indicate just how far they intend to press policies that would in effect be close to price controls, and whether they understand the potential adverse economic ramifications of such an intervention.
Among several other important areas in which Walz could reflect the ticket’s position is on matters regarding education. A former teacher, Walz is proud of what he feels are educational accomplishments here in Minnesota, including a universal school meals program and historic K-12 and early ed spending. He should address what education issues he’ll push for at the federal level, especially since as governor he frequently talked about “fully funding” education without giving a clear definition of what that means. Given ongoing national dialogue, Walz might also declare where he stands on divisive gender issues in education.