Ken Martin: “Women in the US are going to grow up with fewer rights than their grandmothers”

Ken Martin is a devotee of his land, Minnesota, where he is already serving his fifth term as president of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), a branch of the American Democratic Party.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
24 August 2022 Wednesday 16:30
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Ken Martin: “Women in the US are going to grow up with fewer rights than their grandmothers”

Ken Martin is a devotee of his land, Minnesota, where he is already serving his fifth term as president of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), a branch of the American Democratic Party. He is the longest-serving leader in office that the DFL has seen in its 75-year history. He is also President of the Democratic State Presidents Association and Vice President of the Democratic National Committee. From the way he speaks, slowly but energetically, even passionately, one can see why. He visits Barcelona to meet with Democrats Abroad, the arm of the party that is in charge of mobilizing the vote abroad ahead of the midterm elections in November.

How relevant is the foreign vote in the intermediate elections?

In the 2020 elections, he made the difference in favor of Biden; in Georgia and Arizona, for example.

Abortion, main topic?

Definitely. Fifty years of existing law in the country have been invalidated. Many women will grow up with fewer rights than their grandmothers. 1,410 girls under the age of 15 had abortions in 2019. Most states that have banned abortion will require such girls to give birth, including in cases of rape and incest.

This will have breathed new energy into the Democratic Party.

People have realized that all kinds of decisions that were made under the auspices of privacy rights are now in jeopardy. If the Obergefell case is invalidated next year, the LGBTI community will only be able to marry in 18 states.

How relevant are the intermediates?

The midterms are critical for us, but the upcoming elections are critical for the world.

Is the Republican Party turning into a far-right leader-cult party?

It is no longer the Republican Party, but the party of Trump. Discussion is not allowed. This is how dictatorships begin.

Trump has shown great control over his party, despite no longer being president.

Liz Cheney is an example: she voted for her impeachment and has lost the primary in Wyoming because she defended her principles. Trump's influence is not limited to congressmen. In the schools they are prohibiting some readings that do not fit with his vision.

What is the American dream?

The ideal is there but what is good about America is now very difficult to appreciate because of what is so broken.

Valuation of these two years?

There is no president in our nation's history with a better record of achievement.

Biden's age is discussed...

I always refer to the facts. It is unfair to criticize him for his age. Now we have to focus on November, but if the president runs again, he has my full support.