Klobuchar Stumps on Health Care, Drought Relief

Klobuchar stumps on health care, drought relief
By Amie Steffen

U.S. Senate candidate and current poll frontrunner Amy Klobuchar made a campaign stop Tuesday at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Fergus Falls to discuss health care, drought relief and the 101-plus "reasons for change in Washington" she has collected from Minnesotans.

Speaking to mostly seniors, DFL-endorsed Klobuchar touched on the broken health care system in America, a familiar theme with many candidates in the campaign. She's not advocating a single-payer system, but said she's in favor of "moving towards" universal health care. One way she advocates doing that would be by opening up Medicare Part D to allow negotiations for fairer drug prices.

"We could learn something about the Veterans' approach to health care," Klobuchar said, referencing the federal Veterans Administration health care plan.

Many in the audience, used to a Paul Wellstone-style of frequent town-hall meetings focused heavily on veterans issues, were pleased with Klobuchar's visit.

"I would hope if you are successful in your campaign that you come back and talk to us," Director of Veterans Services Jourdan Sullivan said. "The VA vets have a real need to get their health care through the VA, but it's all discretionary. We need mandatory funding."

"I'm going to be there for you and I'm going to be there for the people of Fergus Falls," Klobuchar said.

Klobuchar also is in favor of immediate drought relief as well as a more permanent disaster relief written into the Farm Bill when it comes up for renewal in 2007.

"We should be investing in farmers and workers in the Midwest instead of oil companies in the Mideast," she said.

In a Rasmussen poll conducted in May, Klobuchar led incumbent Sen. Mark Kennedy 45 percent to 43 percent, with a three-poll rolling average showing her leading 44 to 42 percent. Klobuchar is happy about the stability of her polling, but said it's not affecting her campaign either way.

"I've always learned to do my job without fear of favor, and that's what I'm going to do in Washington," Klobuchar said.

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/articles/2006/07/19/news/news06.txt