Jim Oberstar
Encyclopedia
James Louis "Jim" Oberstar (born September 10, 1934) is a former U.S. Representative
who served in the U.S. Congress from 1975 until 2011 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. He represented northeastern , which included the cities of Duluth
, Brainerd
, Grand Rapids
, International Falls, and Hibbing
. He was chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 2007 until 2011, and ranking minority member prior to that. In November 2010, he was defeated by a margin of 4,407 votes by political novice and tea party
favorite, Republican
Chip Cravaack
.
, and still owns his original family home in Chisholm. His father, Louis, was an iron ore miner and the first card-carrying member of the USW on the Iron Range
of Minnesota.
Oberstar graduated from Chisholm High School
in 1952, and went on to the College of St. Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas
) in St. Paul, Minnesota where he received his B.A. degree in 1956. He received a Master's degree in European Studies from the College of Europe
in Bruges, Belgium om 1957, with further study at Université Laval
in Sainte-Foy, Quebec
, Canada and Georgetown University
in Washington, D.C..
He spent four years as a civilian language teacher in the United States Marine Corps
, teaching English to Haiti
an military personnel and French to American Marine officers and noncommissioned officers.
He served on the staff of Minnesota's 8th District U.S. Representative John Blatnik
for 12 years, from 1963 to 1974, rising to chief of staff. He was also administrator of the Committee on Public Works for the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 1974.
He is an internationally recognized expert on aviation
and aviation safety
. He served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during his entire time in the House. (His predecessor Blatnik had chaired the committee during his last two terms in Congress when it was known as the Public Works Committee, with Oberstar as staff administrator). Oberstar was also a member of the President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism
.
In 1965, Oberstar helped create the Economic Development Administration
, the only federal agency devoted to the creation and retention of jobs in economically distressed American communities.
An avid cyclist
, Oberstar championed the creation of trails for cycling and hiking to promote active lifestyles. In 2005 he authored, co-sponsored and helped to pass the SAFETEA-LU act, a $295 billion program that funds transportation infrastructure, including highways, bridges, and public transportation, such as subways, buses, and passenger ferries and which includes the Safe Routes to Schools program. At both the 2007 BikeWalk California conference and at other bicycling conferences, Oberstar advocated converting the U.S.'s transportation system "from a hydrocarbon-based system to a carbohydrate-based system."
Oberstar generally had a liberal voting record, but opposed abortion and gun control
. The latter stand was fairly common among DFLers
outside the Twin Cities, as Minnesota is a "pioneer state" with a long hunting and fishing tradition. Oberstar was the co-chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, along with Republican Chris Smith of New Jersey
. In 2007, Oberstar was one of 16 Democrats who voted against federal funding for stem cell research.
He was rated the third most liberal member of the Minnesota delegation in the 109th Congress
, scoring 13% conservative by a conservative group and 86% progressive
by a liberal group. Minnesota Congressional Districts
shows the scores for the entire delegation.
Along with John Conyers
, in April 2006 Oberstar brought an action against George W. Bush
and others alleging violations of the U.S. Constitution
in the passing of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
. The case, (Conyers v. Bush
), was ultimately dismissed.
Within days after the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, Oberstar introduced and succeeded in passing legislation to appropriate $250 million to the Minnesota Department of Transportation
to quickly build a replacement bridge
.
In 2004 Oberstar led the opposition to the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, a bill that established a regulatory framework for private suborbital spaceflight
, arguing that the bill did not sufficiently safeguard passenger and crew safety. "I do not want to see people dead from a space experiment, and then the federal government comes in to regulate".
During his tenure in Congress, Oberstar held leadership positions on the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, was House Democratic At-Large Whip, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Study Group. He also served on the International Relations Committee. He was co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force and was a member of the Upper Mississippi Task Force and the Democratic Homeland Security Task Force. He co-chaired the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus and was a member of the following caucuses: the Bike Caucus; the Caucus for Sustainable Development; the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety
; the Congressional Human Rights Caucus; the Congressional Steel Caucus; the Medical Technology Caucus; the Mississippi River Caucus; the Native American Caucus and the Renewable Energy Caucus.
for distinguished leadership in the field of commercial aviation. In May 2011, a Great Lakes ore boat, which typically transports taconite from Duluth, Silver Bay and Marquette to steel mills in near Detroit and Chicago was named after him.
Oberstar is a pro-life
Democrat. Oberstar showed his full support in 2005–2006 to the National Right to Life Committee
(NRLC). However, Oberstar believes abortion should be allowed if the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape or when the life of the woman is endangered.
Education
Oberstar is a strong supporter of the Head Start Program, which is a national program from the Department of Health and Human Services
to promote school readiness by enhancing social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services. He considers it to be one of most successful federal anti-poverty
programs ever created. Oberstar also supports the American Association of University Women
(AAUW), which has been a leading voice promoting education and equality for women and girls nationwide; he fully supported the AAUW in 2007 and 2008. Interest groups, like American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), gave him 100 points support. In the early 1980s Oberstar gave federal support to the establishment of the Natural Resources Research Institute
at the University of Minnesota Duluth to provide applied research and technology development to Minnesota's natural resource based economy.
Environment
Oberstar was given a rating of 100 by the Environment America and the League of Conservation Voters in 2009. The American Wind Energy Association also gave him a rating of 100 in 2006. He voted to pass the Energy and Environmental Law Amendments which had the goal of establishing a program to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in 2009. He also voted to pass a bill, Trade-in Vouchers for Fuel-Efficient Cars, in 2009 which granted a $3,500 voucher, or document that could be exchanged for services in the place of money, for trading in an old vehicle with at least 4 miles per gallon more, the purpose of which was to increase the purchasing of fuel efficient cars. However, Oberstar went against most Democrats and voted in favor of allowing drilling in ANWR.
Free Trade Agreements
Oberstar does not support free trade agreements, such as North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA), the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). He believes that the free trading offers little or no economic opportunity for American workers and producers due to inadequate provisions contained in the agreements.
Labor
According to his voting record and interest group ratings, Oberstar is a supporter of labor. He was given a rating of 100 by the interest groups AFL-CIO, a voluntary group of labor-unions working to improve the lives of working families. Oberstar was also given a rating of 92 by the American Federation of Government in 2009 and a rating of 90 by the group, Federally Employed Women in 2009. He voted for three unemployment benefits extension bills in 2010 as well as three Employment Discrimination Law Amendments in 2009.
Taxation
According to Minnesota Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test, Oberstar supports having taxes on corporate earnings, gasoline and cigarettes. In 2008, Americans For Fair Taxation
(AFFT), gave Oberstar their lowest possible rating, and the National Taxpayers Union
gave Oberstar an "F."
He supports a tax plan containing tax relief for working families, investment tax credits for small businesses, and support for the states including incentives for transportation construction projects that will immediately put people back to work.
During the 2008 electoral campaign, Oberstar appeared alongside other public officials in a TV ad supporting the reelection of Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
, a fellow Democrat.
During the 2006 elections, Oberstar's Republican opponent was former United States Senator
Rod Grams
, whose home is in the southwestern corner of the 8th. Grams was by far the strongest opponent Oberstar had ever faced, and the first reasonably well-funded Republican to run in the 8th in decades. Although some polls showed Oberstar only ahead by two points, in the end he won by over 30 points and did not lose a single county in his district.
During the 2008 elections, Oberstar's Republican opponent was political neophyte and businessman Michael Cummins. Cummins campaigned throughout the district, but was unable to drum up enough support to pose a serious challenge to the veteran Democratic incumbent. Oberstar won with more than 67 percent of the vote.
During the 2010 elections, Oberstar lost a close race to political newcomer and tea party favorite, Chip Cravaack
, who won a plurality of 48 percent of the vote. The race was seen nationwide as a major upset for Democrats.
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, a suburb of Washington, D.C., and maintains his boyhood residence in Chisholm, Minnesota
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
who served in the U.S. Congress from 1975 until 2011 as a member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party. He represented northeastern , which included the cities of Duluth
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, Brainerd
Brainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,590 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County and one of the largest cities in Central Minnesota...
, Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,764 people, 3,446 households, and 1,943 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,057.8 people per square mile . There were 3,621 housing units at an average density of 493.3 per square mile...
, International Falls, and Hibbing
Hibbing, Minnesota
Hibbing is a city in Saint Louis County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 16,361 at the 2010 census. The city was built on the rich iron ore of the Mesabi Iron Range. At the edge of town is the largest open-pit iron mine in the world. U.S...
. He was chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 2007 until 2011, and ranking minority member prior to that. In November 2010, he was defeated by a margin of 4,407 votes by political novice and tea party
Tea Party movement
The Tea Party movement is an American populist political movement that is generally recognized as conservative and libertarian, and has sponsored protests and supported political candidates since 2009...
favorite, Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
Chip Cravaack
Chip Cravaack
Raymond "Chip" Cravaack is the U.S. Representative for northeastern serving since January 2011. In his first try for political office, he upset 18-term Democratic incumbent Jim Oberstar by a margin of 4,400 votes to become the first Republican since 1947 to represent the district...
.
Early life, education and career
Oberstar was born in Chisholm, MinnesotaChisholm, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,960 people, 2,178 households, and 1,287 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,129 people per square mile . There were 2,375 housing units at an average density of 540/sq mi...
, and still owns his original family home in Chisholm. His father, Louis, was an iron ore miner and the first card-carrying member of the USW on the Iron Range
Iron Range
The Iron Range is a region that makes up the northeastern section of Minnesota in the United States. "The Range", as it is known by locals, is a region with multiple distinct bands of iron ore...
of Minnesota.
Oberstar graduated from Chisholm High School
Chisholm High School
Chisholm High School is the second largest high school in Enid, Oklahoma, and is located in the northern part of the city. The school has a student body of approximately 300 students in grades 9-12 with a curriculum that includes normal and AP academic courses.-Athletics:Chisholm's athletic...
in 1952, and went on to the College of St. Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas can refer to:*University of St. Thomas *University of St. Thomas *University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines*Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas , Rome, Italy...
) in St. Paul, Minnesota where he received his B.A. degree in 1956. He received a Master's degree in European Studies from the College of Europe
College of Europe
The College of Europe is an independent university institute of postgraduate European studies with the main campus in Bruges, Belgium...
in Bruges, Belgium om 1957, with further study at Université Laval
Université Laval
Laval University is the oldest centre of education in Canada and was the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French...
in Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Sainte-Foy, Quebec
Sainte-Foy is a former city in central Quebec, Canada on the Saint Lawrence River. It was amalgamated into Quebec City on January 1, 2002. Most of Sainte-Foy is in the Borough of Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge....
, Canada and Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
in Washington, D.C..
He spent four years as a civilian language teacher in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, teaching English to Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
an military personnel and French to American Marine officers and noncommissioned officers.
He served on the staff of Minnesota's 8th District U.S. Representative John Blatnik
John Blatnik
John Anton Blatnik was a United States Congressman from Minnesota. He was a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party , which is affiliated with the Democratic Party....
for 12 years, from 1963 to 1974, rising to chief of staff. He was also administrator of the Committee on Public Works for the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 to 1974.
U.S. House of Representatives
Oberstar was first elected as a Democrat to the 94th Congress and was reelected to 17 succeeding Congresses; serving from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 2011.He is an internationally recognized expert on aviation
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
and aviation safety
Air safety
Air safety is a term encompassing the theory, investigation and categorization of flight failures, and the prevention of such failures through regulation, education and training. It can also be applied in the context of campaigns that inform the public as to the safety of air travel.-United...
. He served on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during his entire time in the House. (His predecessor Blatnik had chaired the committee during his last two terms in Congress when it was known as the Public Works Committee, with Oberstar as staff administrator). Oberstar was also a member of the President's Commission on Aviation Security and Terrorism
President's commission on aviation security and terrorism
Pan American Flight 103 blew up over Lockerbie, Scotland, on December 21, 1988.243 passengers, 16 crew members, and 11 people on the ground were killed by the explosion. It was the second most disastrous passenger airline explosion up to that time...
.
In 1965, Oberstar helped create the Economic Development Administration
Economic Development Administration
The Economic Development Administration is an agency in the United States Department of Commerce that provides grants to economically distressed communities to generate new employment, help retain existing jobs and stimulate industrial and commercial growth.-History:The EDA was established under...
, the only federal agency devoted to the creation and retention of jobs in economically distressed American communities.
An avid cyclist
Bicycle
A bicycle, also known as a bike, pushbike or cycle, is a human-powered, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, having two wheels attached to a frame, one behind the other. A person who rides a bicycle is called a cyclist, or bicyclist....
, Oberstar championed the creation of trails for cycling and hiking to promote active lifestyles. In 2005 he authored, co-sponsored and helped to pass the SAFETEA-LU act, a $295 billion program that funds transportation infrastructure, including highways, bridges, and public transportation, such as subways, buses, and passenger ferries and which includes the Safe Routes to Schools program. At both the 2007 BikeWalk California conference and at other bicycling conferences, Oberstar advocated converting the U.S.'s transportation system "from a hydrocarbon-based system to a carbohydrate-based system."
Oberstar generally had a liberal voting record, but opposed abortion and gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
. The latter stand was fairly common among DFLers
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
outside the Twin Cities, as Minnesota is a "pioneer state" with a long hunting and fishing tradition. Oberstar was the co-chairman of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, along with Republican Chris Smith of New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. In 2007, Oberstar was one of 16 Democrats who voted against federal funding for stem cell research.
He was rated the third most liberal member of the Minnesota delegation in the 109th Congress
109th United States Congress
The One Hundred Ninth United States Congress was the legislative branch of the United States, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, from January 3, 2005 to January 3, 2007, during the fifth and sixth years of George W. Bush's presidency. House members...
, scoring 13% conservative by a conservative group and 86% progressive
Progressivism
Progressivism is an umbrella term for a political ideology advocating or favoring social, political, and economic reform or changes. Progressivism is often viewed by some conservatives, constitutionalists, and libertarians to be in opposition to conservative or reactionary ideologies.The...
by a liberal group. Minnesota Congressional Districts
Minnesota Congressional Districts
Minnesota currently has eight congressional districts. There were 9th and 10th districts but they were eliminated in 1963 and 1933 respectively...
shows the scores for the entire delegation.
Along with John Conyers
John Conyers
John Conyers, Jr. is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1965 . He is a member of the Democratic Party...
, in April 2006 Oberstar brought an action against George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and others alleging violations of the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
in the passing of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
The Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 is a United States Act of Congress concerning the budget, that became law in 2006.-Legislative history:The Senate's version passed after a tie-breaking vote was cast by Vice President Dick Cheney. The bill passed the chamber with no Democrats and five Republicans...
. The case, (Conyers v. Bush
Conyers v. Bush
Honorable John Conyers, Jr., et al. v. George W. Bush, et al., No. 2:06-CV-11972, 2006 WL 3834224 , is a lawsuit in which Rep. John Conyers Jr. and others alleged that President George W...
), was ultimately dismissed.
Within days after the collapse of the I-35W Mississippi River bridge, Oberstar introduced and succeeded in passing legislation to appropriate $250 million to the Minnesota Department of Transportation
Minnesota Department of Transportation
The Minnesota Department of Transportation oversees transportation by land, water, and air in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The cabinet-level agency is responsible for maintaining the state's trunk highway system The Minnesota Department of Transportation (Mn/DOT, pronounced "min-dot") oversees...
to quickly build a replacement bridge
St. Anthony Falls (35W) Bridge
The I-35W Saint Anthony Falls Bridge crosses the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota in the U.S., carrying north–south traffic on Interstate Highway 35W. The ten-lane bridge is the replacement for the I-35W Mississippi River Bridge, which collapsed on August 1, 2007. It was planned...
.
In 2004 Oberstar led the opposition to the Commercial Space Launch Amendments Act of 2004, a bill that established a regulatory framework for private suborbital spaceflight
Private spaceflight
Private spaceflight is flight above Earth altitude conducted by and paid for by an entity other than a government. In the early decades of the Space Age, the government space agencies of the Soviet Union and United States pioneered space technology augmented by collaboration with affiliated design...
, arguing that the bill did not sufficiently safeguard passenger and crew safety. "I do not want to see people dead from a space experiment, and then the federal government comes in to regulate".
During his tenure in Congress, Oberstar held leadership positions on the House Transportation and Infrastructure committee, was House Democratic At-Large Whip, and a member of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Study Group. He also served on the International Relations Committee. He was co-chair of the Great Lakes Task Force and was a member of the Upper Mississippi Task Force and the Democratic Homeland Security Task Force. He co-chaired the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus and was a member of the following caucuses: the Bike Caucus; the Caucus for Sustainable Development; the Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety
Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety
Congressional Caucus on Global Road Safety is a congressional caucus that aims to increase awareness of road safety issues within the House of Representatives. The caucus holds educational briefings to increase knowledge of the pressing matters of road safety, including the effects of...
; the Congressional Human Rights Caucus; the Congressional Steel Caucus; the Medical Technology Caucus; the Mississippi River Caucus; the Native American Caucus and the Renewable Energy Caucus.
Awards and honors
In 2009 Oberstar received the Tony Jannus AwardTony Jannus Award
The Tony Jannus Award recognizes outstanding individual achievement in scheduled commercial aviation by airline executives, inventors and manufacturers, and government leaders. The award is conferred annually by the Tony Jannus Distinguished Aviation Society and was first bestowed in 1964 in Tampa,...
for distinguished leadership in the field of commercial aviation. In May 2011, a Great Lakes ore boat, which typically transports taconite from Duluth, Silver Bay and Marquette to steel mills in near Detroit and Chicago was named after him.
Political positions
AbortionOberstar is a pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
Democrat. Oberstar showed his full support in 2005–2006 to the National Right to Life Committee
National Right to Life Committee
The National Right to Life Committee is the oldest and largest pro-life organization in the United States with affiliates in all 50 states and over 3,000 local chapters nationwide. The group works through legislation and education to work against abortion, infanticide, euthanasia and assisted...
(NRLC). However, Oberstar believes abortion should be allowed if the pregnancy resulted from incest or rape or when the life of the woman is endangered.
Education
Oberstar is a strong supporter of the Head Start Program, which is a national program from the Department of Health and Human Services
United States Department of Health and Human Services
The United States Department of Health and Human Services is a Cabinet department of the United States government with the goal of protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is "Improving the health, safety, and well-being of America"...
to promote school readiness by enhancing social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social, and other services. He considers it to be one of most successful federal anti-poverty
Poverty reduction
Poverty is the state of human beings who are poor. That is, they have little or no material means of surviving—little or no food, shelter, clothes, healthcare, education, and other physical means of living and improving one's life....
programs ever created. Oberstar also supports the American Association of University Women
American Association of University Women
The American Association of University Women advances equity for women and girls through advocacy, education, and research. It was founded in 1882 by Ellen Swallow Richards and Marion Talbot...
(AAUW), which has been a leading voice promoting education and equality for women and girls nationwide; he fully supported the AAUW in 2007 and 2008. Interest groups, like American Association of University Women (AAUW) and the National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP), gave him 100 points support. In the early 1980s Oberstar gave federal support to the establishment of the Natural Resources Research Institute
Natural Resources Research Institute
The is a U.S. based research institute established by the Minnesota state legislature within the University of Minnesota Duluth. NRRI is a non-profit applied research organization with a mission to improve the economy of Minnesota by helping its industries compete in the global marketplace with...
at the University of Minnesota Duluth to provide applied research and technology development to Minnesota's natural resource based economy.
Environment
Oberstar was given a rating of 100 by the Environment America and the League of Conservation Voters in 2009. The American Wind Energy Association also gave him a rating of 100 in 2006. He voted to pass the Energy and Environmental Law Amendments which had the goal of establishing a program to regulate greenhouse gas emissions in 2009. He also voted to pass a bill, Trade-in Vouchers for Fuel-Efficient Cars, in 2009 which granted a $3,500 voucher, or document that could be exchanged for services in the place of money, for trading in an old vehicle with at least 4 miles per gallon more, the purpose of which was to increase the purchasing of fuel efficient cars. However, Oberstar went against most Democrats and voted in favor of allowing drilling in ANWR.
Free Trade Agreements
Oberstar does not support free trade agreements, such as North American Free Trade Agreement
North American Free Trade Agreement
The North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA is an agreement signed by the governments of Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. It superseded the Canada – United States Free Trade Agreement...
(NAFTA), the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). He believes that the free trading offers little or no economic opportunity for American workers and producers due to inadequate provisions contained in the agreements.
Labor
According to his voting record and interest group ratings, Oberstar is a supporter of labor. He was given a rating of 100 by the interest groups AFL-CIO, a voluntary group of labor-unions working to improve the lives of working families. Oberstar was also given a rating of 92 by the American Federation of Government in 2009 and a rating of 90 by the group, Federally Employed Women in 2009. He voted for three unemployment benefits extension bills in 2010 as well as three Employment Discrimination Law Amendments in 2009.
Taxation
According to Minnesota Congressional Election 2008 Political Courage Test, Oberstar supports having taxes on corporate earnings, gasoline and cigarettes. In 2008, Americans For Fair Taxation
Americans For Fair Taxation
Americans For Fair Taxation , also known as FairTax.org, states it is the United States' largest, single-issue grassroots organization and taxpayers union dedicated to fundamental tax code replacement...
(AFFT), gave Oberstar their lowest possible rating, and the National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union
National Taxpayers Union is a taxpayers advocacy organization and taxpayers union in the United States, founded in 1969 by James Dale Davidson. NTU advertises that it is the largest and oldest grassroots taxpayer organization in the nation, with 362,000 members nationwide. It is closely...
gave Oberstar an "F."
He supports a tax plan containing tax relief for working families, investment tax credits for small businesses, and support for the states including incentives for transportation construction projects that will immediately put people back to work.
Political campaigns
When John Blatnik opted not to run for a 15th term in 1974, he endorsed Oberstar as his successor. Oberstar won and was reelected 16 times without serious difficulty. Democrats Blatnik and Oberstar held the seat from 1947 until 2011. Oberstar's lowest winning percentage was 59 percent in 1992, but after that, and until 2010, he did not earn less than 60 percent of the vote. He is the longest-serving member of either house of Congress in Minnesota's history, having served in the 94th through the 111th Congresses; from January 3, 1975 to January 3, 2011.During the 2008 electoral campaign, Oberstar appeared alongside other public officials in a TV ad supporting the reelection of Puerto Rico Governor Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá
Aníbal Salvador Acevedo Vilá is a Puerto Rican politician and lawyer. He served as the eighth Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, a Commonwealth of the United States, from 2005 to 2009. He is a Harvard University alumnus and a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico School of Law,...
, a fellow Democrat.
During the 2006 elections, Oberstar's Republican opponent was former United States Senator
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Rod Grams
Rod Grams
Rodney Dwight "Rod" Grams served the state of Minnesota in both the United States House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.- Early life :...
, whose home is in the southwestern corner of the 8th. Grams was by far the strongest opponent Oberstar had ever faced, and the first reasonably well-funded Republican to run in the 8th in decades. Although some polls showed Oberstar only ahead by two points, in the end he won by over 30 points and did not lose a single county in his district.
During the 2008 elections, Oberstar's Republican opponent was political neophyte and businessman Michael Cummins. Cummins campaigned throughout the district, but was unable to drum up enough support to pose a serious challenge to the veteran Democratic incumbent. Oberstar won with more than 67 percent of the vote.
During the 2010 elections, Oberstar lost a close race to political newcomer and tea party favorite, Chip Cravaack
Chip Cravaack
Raymond "Chip" Cravaack is the U.S. Representative for northeastern serving since January 2011. In his first try for political office, he upset 18-term Democratic incumbent Jim Oberstar by a margin of 4,400 votes to become the first Republican since 1947 to represent the district...
, who won a plurality of 48 percent of the vote. The race was seen nationwide as a major upset for Democrats.
Electoral history
20102008
2006
2004
2002
2000
1998
1996
1994
1992
- 1992 DFL Primary for U.S. Representative – 8th District
- Jim Oberstar (DFL) (inc.), 78%
- Leonard J. Richards (DFL), 22%
1990
1988
1986
1984
- 1984 DFL Primary for U.S. Representative – 8th District
- Jim Oberstar (DFL) (inc.), 65%
- Tom Dougherty (DFL), 33%
1982
- 1982 DFL Primary for U.S. Representative – 8th District
- Jim Oberstar (DFL) (inc.), 87%
- Bernard Sydow (DFL), 13%
1980
- 1980 DFL Primary for U.S. Representative – 8th District
- Jim Oberstar (DFL) (inc.), 49%
- Thomas E. Dougherty (DFL), 39%
1978
1976
1974
- 1974 DFL Primary for U.S. Representative – 8th District
- Jim Oberstar (DFL), 49%
- Tony Perpich (DFL), 29%
- Florian Chmielewski (DFL), 19.5%
Personal life
Oberstar resides with his wife, Jean, in Potomac, MarylandPotomac, Maryland
Potomac is a census-designated place in Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, named for the nearby Potomac River. The population was 44,822 at the 2000 census. The Potomac area is known for its very affluent and highly-educated residents. In 2009 CNNMoney.com listed Potomac as the fourth...
, a suburb of Washington, D.C., and maintains his boyhood residence in Chisholm, Minnesota
Chisholm, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 4,960 people, 2,178 households, and 1,287 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,129 people per square mile . There were 2,375 housing units at an average density of 540/sq mi...
.
Boards and other affiliations
- Board Member, Board of Trustees, Kennedy Center, 1995–present
- Board Member, Mineta I.I.STPS Institute, San Jose State, 1995–present.
External links
- Profile at SourceWatchSourceWatchSourceWatch is an internet wiki site that is a collaborative project of the liberal Center for Media and Democracy...
- Campaign 2006: Jim Oberstar profile from Minnesota Public RadioMinnesota Public RadioMinnesota Public Radio , is the flagship National Public Radio member network for the state of Minnesota. With its three services, News & Information, Classical Music and The Current, MPR operates a 42-station regional radio network in the upper Midwest serving over 8 million people...