Campaign for VP: Tim Walz vs. JD Vance

John Nance Garner, a Texas Democrat who served as vice president for two terms under Franklin D. Roosevelt, once stated that the vice presidency “is not worth a bucket of warm spit.”
It is true that the only duty that the Constitution assigns the vice president is to preside over the Senate. That in itself is important, especially if there is a tie vote and the vice president can break the tie in favor of his/her own party. It is also important to keep in mind that the VP may in fact become president, should the president become incapacitated or die in office.
Most persons who have occupied the office of vice president, with the support of the president they serve with, have found other important ways to use their time and talents.
When we vote, we vote for the president and the vice president as a team. Therefore, it is important to consider the qualifications of the second person on the team.
Let’s look first at the positions that Donald Trump’s running mate, JD Vance has taken:
- Once stated that he was opposed to abortion with no exceptions for rape or incest. He now supports leaving it to the States.
- Believes that there is no climate crisis and sponsored a bill to repeal a program to curb leaks of methane.
- Opposed the bi-partisan infrastructure bill
- Supports the big lie that the 2020 election was stolen from Trump.
- Opposed tougher gun laws.
- Has stated that environmental justice laws have resulted in jobs going to China.
- Called for the repeal of Obamacare.
- Supported Israel’s extreme response to the Hamas attack.
- Called the $15 minimum wage “a medicine worse than the disease.”
- Would have voted for Trump’s 2017 tax cut for the wealthy and corporations.
- Stated that he didn’t care what happened to Ukraine.
- Supports Voter ID and ending early and mass mail-in voting. Proposed giving parents an extra vote per child.
- Stated that universities are dedicated to “deceit and lies.”
- Said that diversity, equity, and inclusion programs are racist and should be outlawed nationwide.
New let’s look at the positions that Governor Tim Walz has taken:
- As Governor of Minnesota, worked with the legislature to establish the right to abortion and reproductive health in state law and signed a bill to provide abortion access to out-of-state patients.
- Signed a bill that requires that Minnesota utilities transition to carbon-free energy by 2040.
- Invested $1.9 billion on construction and innovation projects and signed $2.6 billion on infrastructure.
- Made a strong statement against banning books and helped start the first gay-straight alliance in the school where he taught.
- Signed one of the world’s strongest bans on toxic chemicals and increased protection for historically polluted neighborhoods.
- Signed universal background checks for gun sales and a red flag law. Increased the penalty for straw gun purchases to a felony.
- Would let all Minnesotans buy into state’s low-income health insurance program.
- Expanded low-income public health insurance to undocumented people in his state.
- Supports a two-state solution in Israel.
- Has taken strong pro-labor actions in his state.
- Banned LGBTQ conversion therapy in Minnesota and protected access to gender-affirming care for out-of-state patients.
- Legalized recreational marijuana in Minnesota and expunged low-level marijuana offenses from criminal records.
- Exempted Social Security income from state taxes for most senior citizens. Supports taxing the wealthy to fund Social Security.
- Raised taxes on the wealthy and corporations and opposed the 2017 Trump tax bill.
- Supported loan repayment help for eligible teachers and nurses and tuition assistance for lower income families.
- Declared the Russian invasion of Ukraine as “unlawful” and “unprovoked.” Supports continued aid to Ukraine.
- Approved automatic voter registration and pre-registration for 16- and 17-year-olds.
- Restored voting rights for ex-convicts.
It is also important to look at how the presidential candidate chooses and relates to his or her running mate.
Controversy has surrounded Trump’s choice of Vance since the beginning. Was Vance the choice of Trump’s son Eric or was it based on a recommendation from Elon Musk? There have been almost constant rumors that Trump would drop Vance from the campaign. Vance himself has done little in his public statements to support his adequacy for the job.
It has been clear from the beginning, on the other hand, that Kamala Harris carefully vetted several candidates before choosing Tim Walz, and their campaign has demonstrated how well they work together. It has also been clear during the campaign that their positions and values are closely in sync.
A native of Wicomico County, George Shivers holds a doctorate from the University of Maryland and taught in the Foreign Language Dept. of Washington College for 38 years before retiring in 2007. He is also very interested in the history and culture of the Eastern Shore, African American history in particular.
Common Sense for the Eastern Shore




