Sondra Erickson, International Statesman

State Representative Sondra Erickson (R-Princeton) has taken it upon herself to attempt to alter the course of international relations. Her mission? Ensure that the United States continue to refuse to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Andy Birkey explains:

If passed into law, SF63/HF402 — introduced by Republican Sens. Mike Jungbauer of East Bethel and David Brown of Becker, and Reps. Sondra Erickson of Princeton and Pam Myhra of Burnsville — would direct Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to send the resolution condemning the act to all members of the U.S. Senate, President Obama and leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives.

The bill contains a hodgepodge of conservative critiques, including the concerns of the Tenthers; as with all treaties, Congress would have jurisdiction under the child rights treaty, not the states....

The bill also expresses concerns about provisions in the treaty that call on governments to protect the welfare of children living in poverty; such actions would would expand government...

The bill was not authored by Minnesota Republicans, but was produced by the Home School Legal Defense Association.

The Convention, negotiated under both Presidents Reagan and Bush I, has been adopted by 193 countries, leaving just us and Somalia unsigned. Generally speaking, it would require a child's best interest to be prioritized in a variety of contexts including custody evaluations and it enumerates basic rights for children: a right to life, identity, and to know both parents, among others. Apparently, Rep. Erickson's fealty to a homeschooling special interest group outweighs these family values concerns.