Sarvi: The Main Problem with the Economy is Iraq

According to Demcratic candidate Sarvi, $40 billion has been wasted in Iraq. On Sarvi’s campaign website, he points his blaming finger at President Bush and his Republican opponent for their “failed policies.” While Sarvi acknowledges that there are many causes for the current state of the economy, he laments that the billions spent on the war could have been used on other programs such as the State Children’s Health Care Program (SCHIP) and training teachers.

Sarvi: An Opponent to Tax Breaks to the Rich

On Sarvi’s campaign website, the Democratic candidate makes a definitive plea to middle and lower classes. He believes that tax breaks shouldn’t go to those who have more than enough money; rather, they should go to working classes. He states,” Imagine an American tax dollar. It can be put into Iraq’s economy or our own. It can be given as a tax break to someone in the top one percent of income-earners – those who, in Minnesota, make $350,000 or more per year – or to the rest of us, whose expenditures put the most fuel in our country’s economic engine.” Contrary to a Republican perspective of supply-side economics, Sarvi believes that a wide-scale consumer-based economy will stimulate growth.

Sarvi: Critical of Contractors

In criticizing contractors, Sarvi makes a move that few Democrats have endeavored to make. In particular he points out that KBR, a former subsidiary of Halliburton, has created tax shelters in the Cayman Islands. These companies, Sarvi argues, do not pay their fair share of Social Security and Medicare taxes. He believes that there is something wrong with a company that receives payments through American tax dollars, but does not as a private company pay taxes. A concrete measure that Sarvi will support is the Fair Share Act of 2008.

Sarvi's Two-Pronged Approach to the Credit Crisis

First, Sarvi would work to put a bandaid on the repercussions of the sub-prime lending crisis. He would offer incentives to lenders to make sure that people find a way to keep their homes. Sarvi is however vague on what incentives he would be able to offer lenders.

Second, to prevent future crises, Sarvi advocates more regulations on “irresponsible” lending. Other than calling future regulations “appropriate but not reactionary,” he again is unclear on how he would specifically reign in lenders.

Sarvi on Trade Imbalances

Few other candidates – Democrat or Republican – nationwide have talked about trade imbalances. Sarvi views the current state negatively. He argues that since countries such as China and South Korea hold a significant amount of US debt, they exercise more leverage over trade policy than America should feel comfortable with. Although Sarvi addresses the problem, he does not go into detail about how to shift trade in America’s favor. Would he argue that Americans should stop spending as much as we have? Should we limit imports from countries like China? Should we become more protectionist?

Sarvi Argues for More Diplomacy

The Democratic candidate argues that our involvement in Iraq has hindered opportunities and challenges elsewhere in the world. Sarvi wants to transition away from militancy and towards diplomacy. He states, “We must transform our confrontational approach into one where mutual respect facilitates meaningful work with countries throughout the world.” Disillusioned by Iraq, the military veteran argues that our statue in the world has fallen and, “[w]e must reclaim liberty and justice as hallmarks of American values everywhere we are in the world.”

Sarvi's Iraq Exit Plan

Sarvi argues that the Iraqi government should take over the battle and reconcile its nation’s ethnic and religious differences. The sooner that America withdraws the sooner the Iraqi government will be able to claim legitimacy. His experience as a soldier in Iraq compels him to argue that the Iraqi people will always see America as an occupying force unless America leaves. If the Iraqis want a “small force of advisors” from America, then America will provide it.

Sarvi's Detailed Approach to Terrorism

Sarvi not only looks at the results of terrorism; he looks at its causes. He thinks that the military must be stronger and more agile to attack existing terrorists, and he thinks that America needs to “eliminate the circumstances that give rise to it.” Addressing poverty, hopelessness, and cynicism about American interests in foreign natural resources would all come together in “Marshall Plan-style” foreign investments. This plan would, according to Sarvi, stem terrorism before it roots.

Servi: A Strong Global Middle Class Leads to Peace

Sarvi believes that peace has been able to prevail over much of American history because of a strong middle class. He believes that exporting this principle to the rest of the world would tread a path towards world peace and would reduce terrorist threats. The Democratic candidate believes that liberalizing trade and securing agreements with foreign countries would lead to the largest global middle class in history.

Sarvi's Relatively Safe but Extensive Military Experience

Although Sarvi has not seen major combat, he has had a great deal of military service. Sarvi joined the U.S. military in 1982. After 9/11, his unit was in charge of security and Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. He further served in a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo in 2003 with the Army. Also a member of the National Guard, Sarvi went to Iraq in 2005 to help with reconstruction projects.

Sarvi Supports Several Acts That Invest in Renewable Energy – Not Oil

Sarvi proposes that “[t]he engine of our future economy won’t be fueled with oil; it will be fueled with renewable energy sources.” As such he supports a number of bills that would transition America away from oil and towards renewable energy. He supports the New Direction for Energy Independence, National Security, and Consumer Protection Act and the Renewable Energy and Energy Conservation Tax Act. The first would focus on supporting ethanol and the second eliminates tax breaks for oil companies.

Sarvi: Our Dependence on Oil Threatens Our National Security

Sarvi is severely critical of America’s dependece on oil and its relation to American foreign policy. He states,”[o]ur nation’s thirst for oil is one of the main drivers of our foreign policy.” This dependence indirectly damages America’s moral authority because America is forced to associate with repressive petro-nations. At times, he argues, the dependence forces America to go to war within oil-rich regions such as the Middle East.

Sarvi: Conservation and Fuel Economy Are the First Steps to a Cleaner Environment

Along with investing in alternative energy and reducing our dependence on oil, Sarvi believes that conservation and better fuel economy will do a great deal to clean up the environment. He states, “[c]onservation is the cheapest, most efficient way to reduce … greenhouse gases.” Sarvi sees increased fuel economy as an intermediary and ultimate way to relive consumers at the pump.

Democratic-Farm-Labor candidate Steve Sarvi has been endorsed by the Independence Party of Minnesota. Sarvi is running against incumbent John Kline(R) for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District's House seat.

The Independence Party has strong backing in Minnesota and occasionally endorses other party's candidates as long as they have no candidate of their own and the person agrees with 75% of their platform, namely social liberalism and fiscal conservativeness. The endorsement by the party could mean extra votes for the Iraq war veteran in November.

Pointing to his veteran status of the Iraq War, the Minnesota Nurses Association has endorsed Democratic candidate Steve Sarvi for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District's House seat. Citing his dedication to his fellow soldiers, the MNA believes Sarvi will focus on veterans health concerns upon their return from combat.

After a spike in suicide rates in Minnesota's VA clinics of Iraq War veterans, the MNA has called for increased attention being placed on the mental health of returning soldiers.

Sarvi also supports the Federal Staffing Bill, a proposed piece of legislation that would put a minimum staffing requirement at VA hospitals and clinics, a Bill largely supported by nurses nationwide.

Minnesota's 2nd District's Congressman, John Kline has been a staunch opponent to the Mental Health Parity Bill that has been tied up in congress since its original advocate, Senator Paul Wellstone of Minnesota died in a plane crash in 2002.

Also known as the Wellstone Act, many legislators have made this Bill a focus of their tenure since the Senator's death. The Bill would make insurance companies cover mental illness to the same level that they cover physical health issues and put an added emphasis on diagnosis and treatment.

Citing various discrepancies in the way insurance companies would have to accommodate their customers, Kline has stated that he believes in the concept just not the legislation as it is written.

Paul Wellstone was a strong advocate of parity as his brother suffers from mental health issues and the Act has become a hot button issue in the State of Minnesota since his death.

During his acceptance speech for the Democratic-Farm-Labor's endorsement as a candidate for Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District, former National Guard Sergeant Steve Sarvi made allusions to his fight against a “Colonel.” That colonel is Republican Congressman John Kline, former Marine and aid to Presidents Carter and Reagan.

Sarvi believes that Kline has failed in his commitment to the troops after they return from Iraq and Afghanistan, pointing at his voting record and the failures of the VA on helping troops as they return home.

Giving our returning veterans proper medical care, both physical and mental has become a major issue to voters in this election cycle, with suicide rates up and the volume of injured coming home from the front.

Republican Congressman John Kline has come under fire for a statement by one of his staffers, Legislative Director Yelena Vaynberg, gave a statement to the Red Wing Republican Eagle that was wrong. In response to an angry letter from a supporter of Kline's opponent, Steve Sarvi, Vaynberg stated that, “Congressman Kline has consistently supported the renewal and expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program. Accordingly, Kline voted for legislation last fall that would provide an 18-month extension of the current SCHIP plan.”

The problem that the statement presented for Kline was the fact that it was factually incorrect. Kline was an outspoken opponent of the SCHIP plan and voted against its passage.