Ian Todd: 2018 Election Guide
Welcome to WCCO.com's 2018 political guide!
We reached out to all Minnesota candidates running for U.S Senate, Governor, U.S Congress, Attorney General, Secretary of State and State Auditor this fall. Candidates were asked to provide a two-minute video discussing their platform as well as answer a set of our viewer's questions.
Below are the answers Ian Todd provided. The candidate did not provide WCCO with a video. This is not a paid advertisement nor does WCCO endorse any candidate.
Responses from Ian Todd, DFL candidate for the 6th District:
Do you support changing the law to release non-violent drug offenders currently serving federal prison terms?
We should legalize cannabis, release non-violent drug offenders, and treat drug abuse as a public health concern instead of a criminal offense. It is cheaper, more effective, and far more humane to send addicts to rehab than to prison.
Should Congress appropriate $25 billion to build a security wall along the U.S.-Mexico border?
We should not build a wall nor appropriate any money at all to such a ludicrous project.
Should children brought to the United States with their parents illegally be given a path to U.S. citizenship, or should they be deported to their native countries?
Yes, children of immigrants still deserve protection under our law. Undocumented or not, the people that live here, have family here, and have a desire to become naturalized deserve a path to citizenship.
Do you think North Korea will "denuclearize," as President Trump says it will?
I find the notion that North Korea will denuclearize after an awkward meeting with Trump hard to believe. There's a possibility that we may get somewhere with North Korea, and I believe the first step should be diplomatic meetings and a mutual agreement to end inflammatory missile tests and military exercises. Denuclearization may be possible down the line, and there's a real possibility that the meetings we recently had may help us achieve that eventual goal. However, I also worry that North Korea's intention is to garner financial aid to pay for expensive weapon testing and facilities. This is a delicate negotiation, and we're far from the only country concerned with the North Korean threat. We must be delicate in this negotiation.
Do you believe in climate change, and should the U.S. rejoin the Paris climate accords?
Climate change is real, and we should rejoin the Paris climate accords. We should be using federal money to help expedite the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. The clear and present danger we face cannot be ignored any longer.
Canada is retaliating for the U.S. tariffs by imposing tariffs of its own on Minnesota products. Among the Minnesota products: grain, aluminum, boats and boat accessories, packaged dairy products, ATVs, and much more. China imposed retaliatory tariffs on Minnesota soybeans and pork products. Do you believe it will hurt Minnesota producers?
These tariffs will absolutely harm Minnesota producers. This trade war should never have been started, and attacking our trade partners in such an unwarranted fashion will harm our global position for many years to come. We need to restore our relationship with Canada immediately, and deal with the real problems of China more responsibly.
