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Tim Walz

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Walz at a steel factory in 2024.
[W]e’ll build a country where workers come first, health care and housing are human rights, and the government stays the hell out of your bedroom. That’s how we make America a place where no child is left hungry. Where no community is left behind. Where nobody gets told they don’t belong.
—Walz at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.[1]
He’ll unleash HELL ON EARTH...
Donald Trump.[2]
God, guns, and freedom
U.S. Politics
Icon politics USA.svg
Starting arguments over Thanksgiving dinner
Persons of interest

Timothy James "Tim" Walz (1964–) is an American politician who was formerly a civics teacher, US Army National Guardsman, and farmer.[3] He has served as the governor of Minnesota since 2019. After incumbent President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 US presidential election, Kamala Harris replaced him on the ticket and selected Governor Walz as her running mate.[4] (They needed somebody sober[5] to contrast with J. D. "eating sushi and getting wasted" Vance.[6][7]) Walz is a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party,Wikipedia[8] the state's Democratic Party affiliate.[note 1]

Prior to serving as governor, Walz served in the US House of Representatives from Minnesota's first district since 2007, a district which comprises the south of the state and is "heavily rural" despite the presence of the small city of Rochester and other smaller towns.[9] He was the ranking member of the House Veterans Affairs Committee from 2017 until he became governor in 2019.[10]

During his time as governor, Walz was limited by the fact that Republicans controlled the senate.[11] After Democrats flipped the senate during the 2022 midterm elections, Walz wasted no time in pushing for and signing a wide slate of progressive legislation such as child tax credits, paid family leave, and a program to provide free meals to schoolchildren.[12] Walz also signed an executive order protecting the right for anyone to receive gender-affirming care in Minnesota,[13] and he created a program to cover public college tuition and fees for families making under $80,000 per year (regardless of immigration status).[12] Amy Koch, the former Republican majority leader in the Minnesota senate, described his record as a "progressive dream list".[11]

Policy positions and record[edit]

Walz started out his political career after he and his students were accosted by 2004 George W. Bush campaign staff who demanded to know whether they supported Bush, and initially blocked them from entering an event Bush was at because they saw that one of them had a pro-John Kerry sticker. Walz then became a volunteer for the Kerry campaign, and later ran for Congress.[9]

When he was elected to be a congressman in a rather Republican district (first in 2006, later re-elected five times[14]), he voted like a conservative on some issues, even getting an endorsement from the National Rifle Association,[9][14] though this would later change heavily.[14] His tenure as a congressman is called "moderate" or "relatively centrist",[15][16] but he later became Governor of Minnesota, from which point Walz and his allies in the Minnesota legislature would go on to pass "one of the most significant progressive agendas in the nation's recent history with just a single-seat Senate majority."[17]

Economy and infrastructure[edit]

Governor Walz visits a wastewater plant in Duluth, January 2024.

Walz's free school meals program could fall under "economy",[18] for which see: § Education and poverty.

Under Walz, Minnesota put $1.9 billion towards construction projects, including infrastructure repair and affordable housing.[18] He implemented tax cuts and tax credits for the low and middle-class in Minnesota, as well as various forms of tax relief and rebates following the COVID-19 pandemic (rebate checks were called "Timmy stimmies").[18][17][16] He levied a new 1% sales tax on the state's largest metropolitan area, proceeds from which were to be used for transportation and housing projects.[17] The state used part of its budget surplus to provide rental assistance.[17] Minnesota's gas tax was newly pinned to inflation.[17]

In 2023, Walz signed a $2.6 billion bipartisan public infrastructure bill into law, to invest into projects like roads, water treatment, state parks, and bridges.[19][20] The CEO for the state's Associated General Contractors affiliate said Walz was "a strong stalwart for infrastructure investment of all kinds." The president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers praised his infrastructure investments for creating unionized jobs, while Walz was criticized by the non-union Associated Builders and Contractors.[20]

In May 2024, he signed a "junk fee"Wiktionary ban, prohibiting a kind of dishonest charge imposed by some businesses on consumers.[21] He also passed a "right to repair"Wikipedia bill, protecting consumers who fix devices they own and requiring companies to provide repair instructions. Though, there were exceptions for a few types of devices like farming equipment and video game consoles.[22]

Labor[edit]

Governor Walz visits a fire station in the confusingly-named city of Virginia, Minnesota.

Walz is himself a former teacher and union member (with the National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers).[23][24] During Kamala Harris's veepstakes, the United Auto Workers (UAW) gave Tim Walz or Governor of Kentucky Andy Beshear as their preferred choices.[25] Walz had joined the UAW on the picket line the year prior.[24] Walz was also supported by Minnesota's Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) chapters, who sent a letter to Harris recommending he be picked.[26] After Walz was selected, the AFL-CIO expressed their "strong support", highlighting several points from his record.[23]

Walz supported a legal regime in Minnesota that prevented workplace bosses from forcing their employees to attend "captive audience meetings", which are used to disseminate anti-union messages and thus discourage labor organizing.[24][26] Minnesota implemented paid sick leave, higher wages, and health/safety protections for workers. The state also rendered noncompete agreements (contracts that prevent workers from employment at competing businesses) unenforceable.[24][26] Walz signed a law making wage theftWikipedia a felony, which was called the strongest protection anywhere in the country against wage theft.[27][26]

Rideshare ("definitely-not taxi") companies Uber and Lyft pressured Walz to veto a bill that would have raised wages for their workers, with the companies threatening to leave the state if it passed, which in turn would have created hardships, especially for disabled people in the state.[28] This veto pissed off labor unions,[8] but Walz and other leaders in the state were eventually able to work out a deal with the companies, effectively raising wages without causing the employers to boycott Minnesota.[29] Another similar event separately took place without a similar deal: Mayo Clinic threatened to withhold billions in investment from Minnesota if a pro-labor bill was passed without an exemption for themselves. Walz opted to grant them the exemption in light of the ultimatum, which the president of the Minnesota Nurses Association called "betrayal". Responding to Walz's decision, one of the bill's authors stated: "I don't agree, but I want, for the 90% of hospitals that are going to benefit from this legislation, I want for us to proceed."[17][30][31]

Education and poverty[edit]

Governor Walz celebrates with students at a Minneapolis elementary school after signing a bill to provide free school meals to children.

In 1993, his Nebraskan high school class predicted the Rwandan genocide using Geographic Information Systems,[32][33][34] so his pedagogy was evidently decent.[note 2] Or maybe he has a time machine.

One of Walz's better-known policies as governor of Minnesota was the implementation of universal free K-12 school meals for children, then making his state the fourth in the country (earlier states being California, Maine and Colorado) to implement it and prevent school lunch debt or lunch shaming.Wikipedia[36][37][38] At the signing for the bill, he was hugged by joyful kids, which made for a nice photo op.[37][39] Walz commented: "I do think this is one piece of that puzzle in reducing both childhood poverty and hunger insecurity."[37] Free school meal policies are also known to boost behavioral and academic performance.[38][40][41]

The universal free school meals policy in Minnesota led to an increase in meals served, actually millions more than expected.[41] This led to criticism from Republican lawmakers, who argued the policy was a wasteful use of funds.[42][38] Walz responded: "Isn't that rich? Our Republican colleagues were concerned this would be a tax cut for the wealthiest. The haves and have-nots in the lunchroom is not a necessary thing. Just feed our children."[38] (School district leaders stated the program appeared to be utilized by students from both low-income and high-income families.[43]) Large majorities of voters in Minnesota, including a slight majority of conservatives, approved.[44][40] The policy also received some bipartisan support in the legislature.[45] Because the program was utilized more than expected, additional funds had to be allocated.[41] The increased funding from the free meals program allowed schools to serve more food made from fresh, locally-grown ingredients.[42][46]

Walz signed into law an expansion of bargaining rights for teachers, with an aim to allow them to negotiate better teacher/student classroom ratios.[8] Among the expanded protections for workers that Walz oversaw as governor were those that provided wage replacement to school bus drivers and cafeteria workers who lacked work during the summertime.[26] The state also provided child tax credits of, on average, $1,244 per child, which is among the most generous in the United States.[8] In March 2020, Walz opted to close schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic; they were gradually reopened over the following year.[40] Minnesota's academic achievement declined during Walz's term, which was significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and school restrictions imposed in response to it.[17]

He signed into law a new program for Minnesotans that makes college tuition free for people whose families make under $80,000 a year and who choose to attend a public college in the state.[47][48] He also provided free college tuition to Native American tribe members, and boosted funding for higher education in general.[47] The state also saw billions in added funding for K-12 education,[18][17] funding which also became pinned to inflation (that is, funding would from then on increase any time inflation went up).[40] Much of the new funding went to newly enacted mandates, including evidence-based teaching strategy in reading instruction, and provision of free menstrual products to students.[17] In 2023, Walz passed a $316 million dollar program to subsidize child care workers, aimed at boosting the number of workers in that field in order to make early education easier to access.[40][49]

Gun control[edit]

Walz holds a pheasant during a hunting trip, 2008.
Look, I know guns. I'm a veteran. I'm a hunter. I was a better shot than most Republicans in Congress and I have the trophies to prove it. But I'm also a dad. I believe in the Second Amendment. But I also believe that our first responsibility is to keep our kids safe.
—Walz at the 2024 Democratic National Convention.[1]

Himself a hunter,[17][16] Walz was once featured in a "top 20 politicians for gun owners" column by Guns & Ammo.[3] He originally received an "A" rating from the National Rifle Association (NRA), but his stance on gun control changed after the 2018 Parkland shooting at the urging of his own daughter.[48][14] Following this, he donated money given to him by the NRA to charity, passed universal background checks, and passed a red-flag law as governor of Minnesota.[48][17][14] He also now supports a so-called "assault weapons ban".[50]

Criminal justice[edit]

Governor Walz at the Minnesota State Patrol headquarters, 2024.

During riots that took place in Minnesota immediately following the killing of George Floyd, Walz sent the Minnesota National Guard to assist local police.[9][51] He was actually criticized for not doing so sooner, though in fact he did so three days after the protests began.[17] Walz falsely claimed people were coming in from out-of-state ("20 percent that are Minnesotans and about 80 percent are outside") to stoke the unrest, which was a reaction to police brutality. He even bizarrely said they were "organizing" on the "dark web".[9] After this was debunked, Walz did not claim it anymore.[9]

He later passed multiple police and prison reform laws,[48][17] including one reforming the prison system with a more rehabilitative than punitive approach.[17] Minnesota under Walz simultaneously boosted grants for local law enforcement and general violence prevention programs.[17] He also oversaw restoration of suffrage for former felons.[17] As a congressman, he voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.Wikipedia[14]

As Governor, he oversaw the legalization of recreational marijuana in the state,[9][48][31] with regulations[18] and a ten percent tax.[48] He also pushed to expunge convictions for past marijuana offenses.[48][31] Walz initially signed a bill that banned school police from using face-down restraint against students, but he also signed the repeal of the ban.[17]

Foreign policy[edit]

In 1989–1990, Walz was, briefly, an English teacher in China;[52] he was part of "one of the first government-sanctioned groups of American educators to teach in Chinese high schools."[53][54] Prior to Walz, the most recent candidate on a presidential ticket to have lived in China was George H. W. Bush.[54] In 2016, he stated: "I don't fall into the category that China necessarily needs to be an adversarial relationship. I totally disagree, and I think we need to stand firm, on what they're doing in the South China Sea, but there's many areas of cooperation that we can work on."[3][52] In separate comments the same year: "I think the idea was, with a free-market economy, we would see a more opening of the Chinese grip on social life and on human rights. That simply has not occurred."[55]

As a congressman, he sponsored a number of bills criticizing the Chinese government's human rights abuses, and in 2016 he met the Dalai Lama.[54][52][55] He has supported autonomy for Tibet, and democracy in Hong Kong.[55] In response to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Walz issued a condemnation.[56] He also criticized China for supporting Russia's war: "We need to cooperate with China on issues such as climate change and agricultural production, but I'm disappointed with China's recent performance — on the Ukraine issue, they are on Russia's side."[55]

In Congress, he voted in support of the US government officially recognizing the Armenian genocide.[53] He also cosponsored the Freedom to Travel to Cuba Act,Wikipedia[57][53] about which he commented: "Rolling back relations [with] Cuba hurts the interests of [Minnesotan] farmers and ranchers."[58] In 2013, he was "incredibly skeptical" of proposed US military action against Syria amidst the outbreak of the Syrian Civil War.[56][59][60][61][62] Commenting on that after meeting with constituents, he said: "They've learned their lesson over the last decade about questioning evidence for war and making that bar very high."[59] Wonder what that could be referring to. Speaking of which, Walz voted in favor of withdrawal from Iraq in 2007; though after this measure failed, he also voted to retain funding for the war there.[56][62] He supported the Iran nuclear deal (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)Wikipedia in 2015.[62]

As a congressman, Walz supported US foreign aid to Israel,[56] and humanitarian aid to Palestinians.[62] He went to both Israel (where he met Netanyahu) and Palestine in 2009; he spoke at AIPACWikipedia in 2010.[62] In 2024, Walz responded to the pro-Palestinian Uncommitted Movement,Wikipedia that cast "uncommitted" protest votes in the 2024 Democratic presidential primary in response to Joe Biden's Israel policies. Walz praised them for being "civically engaged",[62] and commented: "We've got to bring these people back in and listen to what they're saying. Take them seriously. Their message is clear, that they think this is an intolerable situation and we can do more, and I think the president is hearing that."[63] In March 2024, he called for a ceasefire in the Israel–Gaza war.[62]

Separately, he stated about then-recent pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses: "I think when Jewish students are telling us they feel unsafe in that, we need to believe them, and I do believe them. Creating a space where political dissent or political rallying can happen is one thing. Intimidation is another. All of us agree the situation in Gaza is intolerable. What happened on Oct. 7 was intolerable."[63] After Walz was selected as Harris's running mate, Uncommitted Movement adviser Elianne Farhat commented that he had "demonstrated a remarkable ability to evolve as a public leader" in the past; he was also praised by the chair for Democratic Majority for Israel as a "proud pro-Israel Democrat with a strong record of supporting the U.S.-Israel relationship." Now, kiss![64] At a campaign stop on August 8, 2024, Walz along with Harris met with Uncommitted Movement leaders in Michigan.[65]

Medicine[edit]

Governor Walz signs the Protect Reproductive Freedoms Act.

In 2010, he voted for the Affordable Care Act (ACA) as a congressman, though sparred with the Obama administration over some details of it; in 2015 he voted to repeal an excise tax on medical devices that was previously part of the ACA,[31] and in 2016 blamed the individual market for rising healthcare costs for farmers in his district.[14] On other points, he was in line with the administration, for instance supporting the Medicaid expansion and protections for people with pre-existing medical conditions.[50]

He advocated for Medicare drug price negotiation to lower costs.[50][66] In Congress, he would also have a focus on veteran's issues, supporting a veteran suicide prevention bill and research into lasting effects of Agent Orange on veterans.[14][16] He also supported bills allowing the FDA to regulate tobacco products, and to tax cigarettes; revenues from the latter would be used to expand the Children's Health Insurance ProgramWikipedia by $35 billion.[14]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Walz attempted to implement mandatory masking and enforced social distancing as Governor of Minnesota, measures which were challenged in the courts.[48] However, Minnesota achieved lower death tolls than much of the rest of the country.[17] As of 2022–2023, the state ranked well in healthcare across a series of indicators.[50]

Governor Walz and Vice President Harris visit Planned Parenthood in Minneapolis, 2024.

As governor of Minnesota, Walz signed bills protecting access to both abortions and transgender medicine, as these forms of healthcare both came under increasing political attack.[67][48][68] The former was done under the Protect Reproductive Options (PRO) Act, which guaranteed: "every individual has a fundamental right to make autonomous decisions about the individual's own reproductive health".[17] Walz supports access to in vitro fertilization (IVF), a fertility treatment which his own family used to conceive their daughter.[69][14][note 3]

In 2023, the state largely banned the discredited[71][68] alternative medicine practice of so-called conversion therapy,[48][68] which aims to change a person's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression,[72][71] and instead results in worse mental health.[68] Licensed practitioners were prohibited from attempting to use conversion practices on minors or vulnerable adults.[72] The law also prohibits dishonest advertising of conversion practices, and denies funding or insurance coverage for the practices.[72] The law was built on an earlier 2021 executive order by Walz.[73]

In June 2024, Walz "signed a law banning medical providers from withholding medically necessary care due to unpaid debt", that being "medical debt"; he has cited his family's own experience with medical debt as informing his policy.[31][14] It was also banned for medical debt to impact an individual's overall credit score.[50] The state settled a lawsuit with a big pharmaceutical company (Eli Lilly) to cap insulin prices at $35 per month,[31][74][75] and Walz also signed legislation to this effect.[50][14][76] Walz pushed Minnesota towards a "public option" system, expanding eligibility for buying into MinnesotaCare.[50][17]

Corruption and government[edit]

As of August 2024, Walz's financial disclosures showed he owned no stocks, bonds, or real estate.[77] As governor, he passed the Democracy for the People Act in Minnesota, which made it easier to vote, and banned tampering with voting equipment or intimidating election workers.[17]

While Walz was Governor of Minnesota, the FBI issued indictments against "Feeding Our Future",[40] which later led into multiple convictions in relation to the fraudulent enterprise.[78] Feeding Our Future was fraudulently claiming to have been feeding children, receiving federal money[note 4] that was instead used to buy luxury goods and cars. Walz's state Department of Education was criticized for not being proactive enough so as to uncover the fraud sooner; the Office of the Legislative Auditor somewhat concurred.[40][16] However, it was reported that the fraud "was uncovered by the Minnesota Department of Education" in any case.[79]

Immigration[edit]

In 2023, he expanded access to state driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants.[48] Walz also supports citizenship for "DREAMers", who are so called in relation to the DREAM Act.Wikipedia[48]

Environment and farming[edit]

In 2023, as Governor of Minnesota, Walz signed into law a requirement that the state generate all of its energy using carbon-free sources by 2040.[18] The state passed dozens of policies aimed at investing into renewable energy and mitigating carbon emissions, with in turn an aim of mitigating climate change.[18][17] At times, however, the state government under Walz was criticized by local environmental groups for sluggishness to enforce regulations against carbon polluters,[80] defining woody biomass as "carbon-free" energy,[17][81] and not using an executive order to halt reconstruction of a pipeline (subject of the Stop Line 3 protests).Wikipedia[17]

In July 2024, Walz announced a $200 million grant from the EPA, that would be used to reduce carbon emissions through investments in new tractors and refrigerators; the grant was also to be used for restoring Minnesotan peatlands.[42][82] Minnesota also passed a law under Walz to eliminate nonessential "per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances"Wikipedia (PFAS), a form of so-called "forever chemicals".[18][83]

External links[edit]

Notes[edit]

  1. The party's title is a quirky vestige from the Progressive Era.Wikipedia In 1944, Minnesota's state Democratic Party merged with the state's Farmer–Labor Party,Wikipedia which itself was a coalition originating as a mix of anti-monopoly farmers' movements, labor unionists, and worker cooperative movements.
  2. Walz took an especial interest in genocide studies; his master's thesis was written on the subject of Holocaust education.[35]
  3. After Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, there was some Republican opposition to IVF access.[70]
  4. Thus this is not related to Walz's state-level free school meals program.

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 Watch: Tim Walz's full speech at the 2024 DNC. CBS News. August 22, 2024.
  2. Donald Trump Claims Tim Walz Will 'Unleash HELL ON EARTH'. Huffington Post.
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 Brad Ryan (August 8. 2024). "Who is Tim Walz? Nine things to know about Kamala Harris's vice-presidential running mate". ABC News (Aus).
  4. (August 6, 2024). "Harris decides on Tim Walz as running mate". CNN.
  5. Ariana Baio (August 6, 2024). "The truth behind Tim Walz’s 1995 DUI arrest and how it changed his life". The Independent.
  6. Ryan Lizza and Rachael Bade (May 5, 2022). "POLITICO Playbook: The book J.D. Vance doesn’t want you to read". Politico.
  7. Liz Skalka (May 5, 2022). "11 Things We Learned From The J.D. Vance Oppo Dump". HuffPost.
  8. 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Steven Greenhouse (August 6, 2024). "Why Harris’ VP Choice Is Good News for Workers". Slate.
  9. 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 Louis Jacobson and Amy Sherman (August 6, 2024). "Looking back at Tim Walz’s record and past statements". PolitiFact, via PBS NewsHour.
  10. Tim Walz, Who Spent Decades as an Enlisted Soldier, Brings Years of Work on Vets Issues to Dem Ticket. Rebecca Kheel. Military.com August 06, 2024.
  11. 11.0 11.1 The evolution of Tim Walz: from high school teacher to VP nominee. Rachel Leingang. The Guardian. 11 Aug 2024.
  12. 12.0 12.1 Why Tim Walz’s progressive policies appeal to both urban and rural America. Alicia Menendez, Evan Brechtel. NBC News. Aug. 9, 2024.
  13. [https://apnews.com/article/minnesota-transgender-health-tim-walz-2a702340ec5facdb2bb6496e711facf1 Minnesota governor protects rights to gender affirming care]. Steve Karnowski. Associated Press. March 8, 2023.
  14. 14.00 14.01 14.02 14.03 14.04 14.05 14.06 14.07 14.08 14.09 14.10 14.11 Ariel Cohen, Lia DeGroot and Sandhya Raman (August 6, 2024). "Walz's personal experiences shape his health policy outlook". Roll Call.
  15. Brian Bushard (August 6, 2024). "Kamala Harris Picks Tim Walz As Running Mate: Here's What To Know About Him". Forbes.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 Cameron Joseph (August 6, 2024). "What Tim Walz brings to the table as Kamala Harris' VP pick". Christian Science Monitor.
  17. 17.00 17.01 17.02 17.03 17.04 17.05 17.06 17.07 17.08 17.09 17.10 17.11 17.12 17.13 17.14 17.15 17.16 17.17 17.18 17.19 17.20 17.21 17.22 17.23 Max Nesterak, J. Patrick Coolican and Deena Winter (August 7, 2024). "Here's what Tim Walz has done as governor of Minnesota". Minnesota Reformer.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 18.5 18.6 18.7 Noah Sheidlower (August 6, 2024). "'Walz checks,' free school lunches, and ditching fossil fuels: What Tim Walz's record in Minnesota says about his economic goals". Business Insider.
  19. Steve Karnowski (June 1, 2023). "Minnesota governor signs $2.6B infrastructure plan, a bipartisan success from a partisan session". The Associated Press.
  20. 20.0 20.1 Tom Ichniowski, Pam McFarland, and Jeff Yoders (August 6, 2024). "Harris' VP Pick Walz Seen as Stalwart' Infrastructure Supporter". Engineering News-Record.
  21. Madison McVan (May 20, 2024). "Governor signs 'junk fee' ban into law". Minnesota Reformer.
  22. Elaine S. Povich (May 30, 2023). "Minnesota’s new ‘right to repair’ law is the broadest one yet". Minnesota Reformer.
  23. 23.0 23.1 (August 6, 2024). "AFL-CIO Strongly Supports Tim Walz for Vice President". American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO).
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 Andrea Hsu (August 6, 2024). "4 reasons why labor unions love Tim Walz". NPR.
  25. Kaia Hubbard (August 4, 2024). "UAW president says Beshear, Walz are union's 'top two' VP picks for Harris". CBS News.
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 26.3 26.4 Pavithra Mohan (August 6, 2024). "Here's where Democratic VP pick Tim Walz stands on workers and organized labor". Fast Company.
  27. Stephen Montemayor (July 15, 2019). "Minnesota lawmakers, officials hail new wage-theft law as nation's strongest". The Star Tribune.
  28. Lauren Leffer (May 26, 2023). "Uber Bullies Minnesota Governor Into Vetoing Driver Minimum Pay Law". Gizmodo.
  29. Caroline Cummings (May 19, 2024). "DFL leaders, Gov. Tim Walz say they have a deal to pay drivers more, keep Uber and Lyft operating in Minnesota after threats to exit". CBS News.
  30. Max Nesterak (May 18, 2023). "Mayo Clinic wins full exemption from nurse staffing bill in agreement with state leaders". Minnesota Reformer.
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 31.4 31.5 Nathaniel Weixel and Joseph Choi (August 6, 2024). "Walz’s record on health care: Progressive with a dash of pragmatism". The Hill.
  32. (April 26, 2008). "Nebraska Class Had Predicted Genocide in Rwanda". NPR (Weekend Edition Saturday).
  33. Freedman, Samuel G. (2008-04-23). "High School Project on Genocide Was a Portent of Real-Life Events". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. 
  34. Christopher Ingraham (August 6, 2024). "Former geography teacher Tim Walz is really into maps". Minnesota Reformer.
  35. Andrew Lapin (August 6, 2024). "Tim Walz wrote a master’s thesis on Holocaust education, just as his own school's approach drew criticism". Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
  36. (March 17, 2023). "Gov. Tim Walz signs universal school meals bill into law". CBS News.
  37. 37.0 37.1 37.2 Elizabeth Shockman (March 17, 2023). "Walz signs universal school meals bill into Minnesota law". MPR News.
  38. 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 Kristin Toussaint (August 6, 2024). "How Tim Walz made school meals free for all Minnesota students". Fast Company.
  39. Michelle Griffith (March 17, 2023). "Walz signs universal free school meals into law". Minnesota Reformer.
  40. 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 40.5 40.6 Elizabeth Shockman and Kyra Miles (August 7, 2024). "6 facts about Walz’s education track record in Minnesota". MPR News.
  41. 41.0 41.1 41.2 Corin Hoggard (March 8, 2024). "Free school meals in MN: Growth spurt in program leads to budget boost". FOX 9 (KMSP-TV).
  42. 42.0 42.1 42.2 Amy McCarthy and Jaya Saxena (August 6, 2024). "Democratic VP Pick Tim Walz Has Long Centered Food Policy". Eater.
  43. (December 20, 2023). "Minnesota program to provide free school meals for all kids is costing the state more than expected". The Associated Press.
  44. Christopher Ingraham (February 6, 2024). "Free school meals overwhelmingly popular with voters, survey finds". Minnesota Reformer.
  45. Eder Campuzano (March 17, 2023). "Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signs free school meals bill into law". The Star Tribune.
  46. Elizabeth Shockman (February 5, 2024). "Scratch cooking, local ingredients serve up a school lunch revolution in Minnesota". MPR News.
  47. 47.0 47.1 Katherine Knott (August 6, 2024). "Harris's VP Pick Has Backed Free College, Big Investments in State Universities". Inside Higher Ed.
  48. 48.00 48.01 48.02 48.03 48.04 48.05 48.06 48.07 48.08 48.09 48.10 48.11 Ben Brasch (August 6, 2024). "Where Tim Walz stands on key issues: Abortion, climate, marijuana and more". The Washington Post.
  49. (October 17, 2023). "Walz announces start of $316 million program to boost pay for child care". Detroit Lakes Tribune.
  50. 50.0 50.1 50.2 50.3 50.4 50.5 50.6 Joshua P. Cohen (August 6, 2024). "VP Pick Walz's Healthcare Policies Align With Harris’s Record". Forbes.
  51. Lucien Bruggeman and Katherine Faulders (August 7, 2024). "Despite new criticism, Trump told Walz in 2020 he was 'very happy' with his handling of George Floyd protests". ABC News.
  52. 52.0 52.1 52.2 (August 7, 2024). "China-tied US Democratic vice-presidential candidate has solid record of criticizing Beijing, met Dalai Lama". Tibetan Review.
  53. 53.0 53.1 53.2 "Tim Walz on Foreign Policy". On The Issues.
  54. 54.0 54.1 54.2 Jesse Johnson (August 7, 2024). "New Democratic VP pick Walz adds deep China experience to ticket". The Japan Times.
  55. 55.0 55.1 55.2 55.3 Chad de Guzman and Koh Ewe (August 7, 2024). "What to Know About Tim Walz's Relationship With China". TIME.
  56. 56.0 56.1 56.2 56.3 James M. Lindsay (August 7, 2024). "Meet Tim Walz, Democratic Vice-Presidential Candidate". Council on Foreign Relations.
  57. "Cosponsors: H.R.664 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)". Congress.gov.
  58. Tim Walz (June 16, 2017). "Rolling back relations w/ Cuba hurts the interests of MN farmers and ranchers. My statement on @POTUS’ #Cuba policy: http://walz.house.gov". Twitter, via archive.today.
  59. 59.0 59.1 Mark Zdechlik (September 6, 2013). "Citizens to Rep. Walz: Do not vote to authorize attack on Syria". MPR News.
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    The conclusions in this report are based on professional consensus statements arrived at by experts in the field. Specifically, conversion therapy—efforts to change an individual’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression—is a practice that is not supported by credible evidence and has been disavowed by behavioral health experts and associations. … Interventions aimed at a fixed outcome, such as gender conformity or heterosexual orientation, including those aimed at changing gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation are coercive, can be harmful, and should not be part of behavioral health treatment. (American Psychiatric Association, 2013b; American Psychological Association, 2010; National Association of Social Workers, 2008).

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