A lightweight foam paperweight freebie at the HHH institute event.

A lightweight foam paperweight freebie at the HHH institute event.

DFL candidate Ashwin Madia spoke Monday over the noon hour at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey Institute, in a Charlie Rose-style dialogue with Prof. Larry Jacobs. Tomorrow, Madia’s Republican opponent in the 3rd district congressional race, state Rep. Erik Paulsen, will appear at the same venue. The title of Madia’s presentation today is “Green Fuel, Green Technology and Greenbacks: A Plan to Protect Our Environment and Our Economy.” The event’s over now, but read a liveblog archived after the jump, and look here at noon Tuesday for a liveblog of Paulsen’s appearance. 12:06 p.m.: Jacobs introducing Madia to applause from about 30 gathered at the HHH Institute. Madia will speak for 20 minutes.

12:11 p.m.: Madia: Dependence on oil is an economic problem, a security risk and an unsustainable planetary concern.

12:14 p.m.: More like 50 people here now. Madia knocks Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin for downplaying environmental impacts.

12:17 p.m.: Madia: Potential to lead world on carbon neutral technology. Do it now or buy it in 10 years from China. Switchgrass! How? Unleash power of private sector: Let people make a profit, with tax incentives and rebates for businesses and consumers who invest in carbon-neutral tech, as in Israel. Also: R&D.

12:20 p.m.: Madia: When prices for oil were high in the 1970s, the country focused on saving energy, even putting solar panels on the White House roof — which were removed when oil prices dropped.

12:25 p.m.: Madia ends with Humphrey quote, under huge wall collage of mementos from Humphrey’s career. Jacobs dives into dialogue with question on people’s faith in technology. How feasible, cost-effective? Madia’s answer: Not there yet, but very much so to both. If U.S. puts $14 billion per year toward alternative energy technologies, lots of technologies possible. High prices now are creating political will to change: Don’t let that opportunity slip away.

12:30 p.m. : Jacobs: Administration moved away from carbon sequestration technology (his second reference to this … he must really like it). Madia: Today carbon sequestration. Compares to Star Wars technology (favorably, I think). Jacobs: What do you say to West Virginians who rely on coal for jobs? Madia; World is changing. It’s true we’ll lose some jobs but we’ll gain jobs in alternative energy industries. I’m not too worried, because with progress comes more jobs. Jacobs’ last question re: cap-and-trade proposals. Madia: [Missed part of answer here] It won’t hurt public pocket book. Doesn’t support government price controls. Jacobs last-last question [actually first audience question read from a card] re: transportation spending. Madia: Highways to western suburbs jammed, but what if light rail went out there? Ease congestion, increase productivity, spur economic growth, cut pollution, save money on gas and vehicles. Cites Israeli model again, but at Jacobs’ prompting, doesn’t think we need a gas tax to fund changes.

12:40 p.m.: Madia: Pushes pay-as-you-go philosophy. Jacobs: Give us two examples of source of revenue, from what cuts? Madia: Get rid of tax benefits for oil companies and pharmaceutical industries, Iraq pull-out … He gets through six things so fast I lost the thread, and someone in the crowd starts to laugh, just at his speedy delivery, I think.

12:45 p.m.: Jacobs presses on cost competitiveness of green technologies. Would you favor raising costs of carbon-based energy technologies? Madia would not make costs more expensive for carbon-based energy, but would make it cheaper for alternative energies. Jacobs: Offshore drilling? Madia: Maybe that’s part of it, but don’t give oil companies carte blanche. Wants “responsible” drilling, where companies can demonstrate oil’s there and potential for environmental damage is limited. “It’s got to be more thoughtful than ‘Drill, baby, drill.” Jacobs (now reading audience questions off cards?): What’s your view on nuclear power? Madia agrees with Gore: It’s part of an overall strategy.

12:50 p.m.: Jacobs: California had fuel-efficiency standards … should Minnesota and other states set energy policies for themselves, or should it be federal standards? Madia: Both. Hard to argue with California, and even cities can have own policies. But ultimately it’s a national problem. It’s embarrassing that states and cities have had to move forward on these issues as the federal government drags its heels. Jacobs: What about business resistance to state and local energy policy changes? Madia: That argues for need for national energy strategy. Jacobs: with audience question on federal flood insurance. Madia: Hasn’t looked at that issue.

12:55 p.m. Jacobs: What to do about student indebtedness, financial literacy? Madia: Find out why costs increasing and what can be done to contain rather than shift cost from one party to the next. Jacobs: Ethanol’s future? Madia: I’d like to see more cellulosic-based fuel, recognizing the fuel’s importance for the state. Jacobs: That’s still on the drawing board though, as opposed to ethanol. Madia: It’s several years away, but tax incentives and government R&D can hurry it along. Jacobs: Other transportation ideas? Madia: Invest in roads, infrastructure, mass transit. “Smart Cities” concept, with less travel due to Internet and telecommuting from home. Or simply living close to work. Jacobs: How about railroads and airlines? Rethink those  from energy standpoint? Madia: No concrete ideas, but admires China’s rail system as model for regional travel, to reduce demand for air travel – either a government system or, better yet, private systems. Jacobs: What committees would you want to be on in Congress? Madia: Armed Services committee, a budgetary committee –- to make cuts though, not to bring home bacon. Jacobs: Would you make pledge not to accept earmarks? Madia: No. I won’t take middle-of-the-night inserted items, but I would take line items for needed things like the new I-35W bridge.

1:00 p.m.: Question: How does government partner with people to solve problems? Madia: That’s a broad question. Government can’t do this alone is a central theme to my campaign. Specifically, with energy: People need to change habits, even the way they think. “I don’t think my kids are going to be raised that same way” — referring to current energy practices, but a notable answer considering Republican profiling of him as not being a family man. Jacobs, in a final question, picks up on that point: “Do you consider yourself a role model for childless, mortgage-free young people who want to change the country?” Madia explains reference to Paulsen attacks. The most important decision you [young people ] will make is economic policy. Whew — in the very last sentence he utters at this event, Madia finally uses his favorite word, “fulsome,” I think in reference to a national energy strategy. I submit he’s the only candidate for Congress this year making regular use of that SAT-level word. Jacobs announces free T-shirts and reception after speech. Ending applause from now maybe 75-100 people in the room. Maybe the latecomers heard about the free T-shirts.

1:15 p.m.: T-shirts are one thing … free pizza is something we can all agree on. But in a quarter of an hour, this student crowd put away four pies.

1:30 p.m.: HHH Institute students are actually hanging around in the central atrium, talking about issues they just heard about — tax credits and such — and dissecting the dialogue. I guess this is the after-party. Tomorrow: Republican candidate Erik Paulsen, whose theme wasn’t announced as of this morning. But HHH staff here told me they got late word it’ll be the economy, and what tomorrow’s leaders (read: you guys at the Humphrey Institute) can do about it. Like the pizza, the event is free and open to the public, as is Friday’s installment with Independence Party candidate David Dillon. But if you can’t make it, MnIndy expects to liveblog again tomorrow at noon, same bat channel. And with that, this liveblog is officially dead … for now. For another take on today’s proceedings, check out a pizza-and-offspring-status-free liveblog from the Humphrey Institute’s Center for the Study of Politics and Governance’s blog, Smart Politics.