Meet my in-laws in Mankato

Following my Sunday afternoon announcement, we spent four days traveling around Minnesota. We went first to Mankato, my husband's hometown, where I spoke with students at Minnesota State University. We were greeted by my in-laws, Bill and Marilyn Bessler. Bill and Marilyn raised six boys in Mankato, first in a trailer home and then in the house where they live today on Mulberry Street. Bill teaches biology at the college and has a really loud voice which is helpful in large classrooms, and, as I've learned, in large families.

On the trip to Mankato, like so many of my trips around the state in the past few years, I heard a lot about what's wrong in Washington. The students know something is not right when they're getting huge increases in tuition while an outsized portion of the tax cuts have gone to the wealthiest among us. We talked about how Washington has taken a $200 billion surplus and turned it into a $400 billion deficit, amounting to a $26,000 "birth tax" for every baby born in Minnesota. We talked about the need to go back to the pay-as-you-go rules Congress used during the Clinton administration to balance budgets and produce surpluses. You want to do some more spending, fine, but show how you're going to pay for it. You want an additional tax cut, ok, but show how you're going to pay for it.

Duluth and the Range, my family's roots

We then went north to Duluth and the Iron Range, where my grandpa worked 1,500 feet below ground in the iron ore mines. He and my grandma saved money in a coffee can of the basement of their house in Ely to send my dad and his brother to college. My grandparents always believed that with hard work comes opportunity and security. That's something that Minnesota has always stood for. I have always been proud to live in a state and country where we wrap our arms around the people who need it the most - our kids, our elderly, our disabled. It's what we do. We take care of our kids, our parents and grandparents. That's why we know that you can't protect Social Security by diverting money out of the system. We need a Social Security system that's a guarantee, not a gamble.

The Red River Valley and farm country

Next, after a great coffee stop at the Cabin Coffee Shop in Bemidji, we made our way to the Red River Valley where, in Moorhead (after a nice gathering the evening before hosted by my friend and no-nonsense and good-cook prosecutor, the Clay County Attorney Lisa Borgen), we toured the American Crystal Sugar beet processing plant. Sugar is a $3 billion industry to Minnesota and North Dakota, and I met with farmers, workers and business owners about why we need an even playing field in trade agreements to ensure the economic livelihood of Minnesota's working families. We also had the privilege of visiting an ethanol plant in Benson - where I talked to people about rising gas prices and alternative fuel sources - and were hosted at a wonderful farm in rural Swift County.

Coffee shops and crowds across greater Minnesota

As we drove around the state, we stopped at coffee shops along the way in towns like Alexandria and Willmar and Austin and greeted crowds of supporters in places like Rep. Joe Opatz's house in St. Cloud, and Daube's Bakery in Rochester. All along the way, I talked with Minnesotans and heard about what's important to them. As I said in my announcement speech, the 2006 election shouldn't be a 24-hour TV shout-fest about what's right and what's left; it should be about what's right and what's wrong.

Hard work and fair play

No matter where we were across the geographic or political spectrums on this trip, whether we were talking with Democrats, Independents or moderate Republicans, I found that people are sick and tired of fiscal irresponsibility, special interest agendas, and issues that divide. I found that Minnesotans share much in common. We believe in opportunity through hard work. We believe in fair play. We believe in a secure nation and strong communities. We believe in personal integrity and responsibility.

I've often said that we can't have two systems of justice - one for the rich and powerful and one for everyone else. Well we can't have two health care systems - one for the people that can afford it and one for everyone else. And we can't have two economic systems.

In Minnesota we believe in fair play.

Minnesotans are ready to elect someone to fight for their issues, and I'm ready to take on that fight. At Tobies in Hinckley, one enthusiastic customer said she'd vote for me, but then she wanted to know when the election was going to be. When I told her it's in 18 months, she said, "At this rate, you'll be able to shake every hand of every citizen in Minnesota." Believe me, if I can, I will!


Click here for video of Amy's April 22, 2005 interview on KTCA's Almanac