Here's my take on what the new DFL governor needs to do as quickly as possible.
1. Implement the Minnesota Health Plan
2. Revamp Minnesota's educational system. Talk to actual students about what works and what doesn't work. Get input from the students themselves on how to change things. Talking to the students will be more effective than getting all ideas for change from teachers and administrators. There's a huge gap in how the two groups see things. Above all, treat the students with respect. Treat them as the young adults they are, not like prisoners. Seniors in high school will soon be able to put their lives at risk in the military, will soon be able to vote, and will soon be out on their own. Many school administrations don't treat their students with the respect they deserve.
3. Find ways to get people back to work. The money we just got for high speed rail will help bring jobs to Minnesota. There is no doubt a ton of ideas for creating new jobs. We need to implement those ideas. Once the economy is up and running again, more and more jobs will open up. Meanwhile, encourage people to find nontraditional ways to bring money into their lives, such as internet and outside sales, writing, public speaking engagements, motivational seminars, pet walking/grooming. The imagination knows no bounds.
4. Find ways to get more doctors to keep up with the latest medical research so that they can better treat their patients. Some doctors are so far behind current medical knowledge because the requirements for furthering their knowledge are too lenient.
5. As soon as feasibly possible, put back the things that Pawlenty took away, especially as it pertains to Minnesota's poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
6. Expand a few of the sections at MDH.
7. Don't forget to stand behind and promote Toastmasters for state employees so that every employee can be an effective communicator and excel at leadership.
8. One of the top priorities should be fixing the roads. We have way too many potholes. Have you driven on Highway 61 through Maplewood/White Bear Lake lately? That road has been extremely bad for years now. The same holds true for almost every road in Minnesota.
9. Look for new ways to conserve energy and make buildings more energy efficient. Find other sources of energy. About 15 or 20 years ago I knew a senior citizen gentleman who had invented a device that attached to an engine part in a car. This device increased gas milage up to 100 miles/gallon. He told me that everytime such an invention is created, the oil companies come along, buy it out and bury it.
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) announced two important things today. First, that the jobs bill, the HIRE Act, passed the Senate and awaits President Obama's signature. Second, that he's introduced corporate bankruptcy legislation that protects the workers. Let's begin with his statement about the HIRE Act:
"Today's 70 to 28 vote in favor of creating jobs is a great step forward for the Senate and for Minnesota. Turning our economy around will require real leadership and real commitment. That's what Minnesotans deserve. I'm happy to have taken this first step and I'm looking forward to continuing this important work. We need to incentivize new hires, strengthen our safety net, and get help to Main Street where it's needed most."
(Franken press release email)
Here's what he had to say about the corporate bankruptcy bill:
Today, U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) joined Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) in introducing legislation to curb abuses that deprive employees and retirees of their earnings and retirement savings when businesses collapse. The Protecting Employees and Retirees in Business Bankruptcies Act would make several changes to Chapter 11 bankruptcy law, putting workers interests near the top when companies file for bankruptcy.
"It's critical that employees and retirees are protected when the company they've worked for ends up in bankruptcy," said Sen. Franken. "Minnesotans don't want workers to lose out when a company reorganizes. We've seen that happen too many times, especially on the Iron Range. In this tough economic climate, preserving jobs and retiree benefits must be a priority."
"American workers and retirees who give their lives to a company are too often treated like strangers when their employer files bankruptcy," said Sen. Durbin. "This bill says that if a company goes bankrupt, employees and retirees won't take a back seat to creditors and executive bonuses."
(Franken email press release)
(Thanks to Holly for capturing some great audio and detail in this report! - promoted by Grace Kelly)
At his last town hall meeting John Kline might have thrown out his back bending over backwards to appease traditional conservatives, Conservative Constitutionalist Party members, and Tea Party members. The new right is calling for an end to social security, an isolationistic foreign policy, and an end to big government which somehow may be too connected with big corporations. No audience member left the February 19th, 2010, town hall feeling at ease.
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and I sat down at a coffee shop near his congressional office in Minneapolis to talk. I wanted to find out his take on healthcare reform, what's coming up in Congress and see "the goatee" for myself.
"I started it over August Recess last year," Keith said. "You know, just didn't shave for a couple of days. Then shaved my cheeks. Nobody said anything about it, nobody said 'it's gotta go' so I've kept it." Including his wife, Kim.
After getting the discussion of facial hair out of the way, we got to the biggest question on everybody's mind regarding Congress: healthcare reform.
"You can't arouse people's imaginations for a year straight and then not do something," Keith explained. "I think we're going to do something. I think we're going to use reconciliation."
"Look, social security and medicare were smaller at first," he continued. "They expanded it after they passed it."
After the fold, there's more about healthcare reform, plus the climate change bill, his views on the progressive movement, stimulus and a mid-flight impromptu birthday party featuring then-President George W. Bush and Karl Rove.
There has been a lot of news lately on MSNBC and 950Am about Republicans who were against the Stimulus passed by President Obama and Congress last year. Many Republican Governors such as Rick Perry of Texas refused the stimulus money and then requested federal loans. But what about Minnesota's own Gov. Tim Pawlenty? How is he doing with the stimulus for Minnesota?
In December, Fox News' Eric Bolling presented Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty as an example of a conservative politician making tough choices to balance his state's budget. "A big hole and a simple plan to dig out of it, stop spending," said Bolling while introducing Pawlenty. "Sounds simple enough. Hold the line on taxes, live within your means. That is how my next guest aims to close his state`s billion-dollar-plus projected budget gap."
During the interview, Bolling asked Pawlenty about whether he would seek federal stimulus funds to help close his budget gaps. Pawlenty criticzied the idea, claiming that it would "delay the inevitable" by "just sending some cash out as a Band-Aid":
We've been talking about Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) and how little she's done for the people in her district. Compare and contrast with Senators Al Franken (D-MN), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Representatives Jim Oberstar (D-MN) and Tim Walz (D-MN). The email announcement came out on Friday, but I figured why bury this on a late Friday afternoon news dump when nobody's paying attention?
Today [last Friday] U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken and Representatives Jim Oberstar and Tim Walz announced that Minnesota will receive $18.7 million to create jobs and train unemployed workers in industries that are being transformed by technology and innovation. The grants are funded through the Department of Labor (DOL) Employment and Training Administration (ETA) and made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act).
When you consider that obstructionist conservatives like Bachmann and Rep. John Kline (R-MN) incessantly talk about eliminating pork, I wonder what they'd say about this grant to help the people suffering the most from the Republican economic policies of the Bush era?
(Right on. Legislative leaders, are you listening? - promoted by Joe Bodell)
As the MN legislature races to pass a bonding bill to put Minnesotans back to work, I hope they remember to solve some of the problems behind the anemic economy. A major economic factor is that employers aren't hiring. Why? According to a Healthpartners survey of 180 employers, the number one reason was affordable health care. For most of us, this makes sense. American businesses are forced to compete in a global community where many other countries provide health care for their citizens. By providing health care, this takes a huge operating cost off the backs of business.
"Affordable health care is a challenge and Minnesota businesses, along with businesses around the country, are struggling," said Andrea Walsh, chief marketing officer at HealthPartners, the third-biggest health insurer in Minnesota.
The GOP answer? Market based solutions. How that differs from our current system remains unknown (at least to me) According to Tom Emmer on KFAI, all people need good paying jobs to pay for health care. Seifert, its all about costs, people from all over the world come to the Mayo clinic and we can't have universal care because everyone will move here for the 'free care'. Now, I'm not quoting directly, because I was taking notes, but if you want to hear what they had to say check out KFAI.
My response, well it would be great if everyone had good paying jobs. How about we start reinvesting in Minnesota education and take costs like health insurance out of the job equation so employers can start hiring.
"The Republican's sinful selfishness has given our country a period of loose thinking, descending morals, an era of selfishness...Republican leaders not only failed in material things, they have failed in national vision, because in disaster, they have held out no hope, they have pointed no path for the people below to climb back to places of security and of safety in our American life."
Doesn't that sounds like something President Barack Obama might have said in the last year. The quote is actually almost eight decades old. In 1932, Franklin Delano Roosevelt made that statement accusing the Republicans of creating an economy that helped a favored few to the detriment of the individual.
I'm not sure anything has changed in the last 80 years. Republicans have fought to protect corporate rights over the rights of individuals on a regular basis. I'm talking environmental issues, health issues, tax issues, labor issues, energy issues, and I could go on.
And who has "failed in material things" and "failed in national vision" over the last decade more in this state than Congressman John Kline? I know it is a toss up between Governor Pawlenty and John Kline, but Michelle Bachmann hasn't even reached the level of failure John Kline has.
John Kline recently sent out a mailing that states in bold, large letters "Congressman John Kline Protecting Minnesota's Economy and Jobs." I'd love to hear from him so he could tell me exactly what he has done to protect Minnesota's economy and jobs.
Wasn't he in congress supporting the economic and foreign policies that despite the recent upturn, still threaten to send us into a second Great Republican Depression? What has he done? He has joined the "NO" chorus on the Right opposing anything that might improve the economy or create jobs.
Apparently John Kline prefers to protect Minnesota's Economy and Jobs the same way Republicans did in 1929, by sitting on his hands and seeing what happens. I'll tell you what John Kline, I am no economic genius or any sort of policy wonk, but I know in the real world if you sit on your hands and refuse to do anything when change needs to occur, things are just going to get worse. Thanks for protecting us John Kline.
By Steve Quist
Original post at MNDem.wordpress.com
www.MNDem.com
"Let me tell you, I had a very nice seat at the State of the Union address," Franni Franken began. Franni is Sen. Al Franken's wife. "As I was walking to it I saw a young man sitting in the aisle on the steps. Because I visit Walter Reed (Army Medical Center), I have met many, many wounded warriors and I could tell that he had a prosthesis (prosthetic leg). By the way, they make them so well these days that's it's pretty hard to tell, but I could because of all the wounded warriors I've met."
"So I said, obviously you're sitting somewhere in this section and I think you'd probably fit better, be more comfortable, in my seat. Here you go, have my ticket," she continued. "So we exchanged tickets.
Franni was very, very happy that President Obama had made jobs creation one of his top priorities.
"Al promised that creating jobs would be his first, second and third priority," she said. "He's introduced his cash for jobs bill which is modeled on a very successful Minnesota program."
Before we ask ourselves who should be the next governor, we need to ask ourselves what questions we should be asking to make that decision. Do we ask ourselves: "Who do I like? Who represents my hopes? Who can I relate to? Who is best for me?" Yes, maybe we can do that. Or maybe, just maybe we can ask "Which candidate is the best candidate for the most people?"
Without a doubt, I would have to say that candidate would be Entenza because he comes with a disposition and political history that sees the dignity, value, and worthiness of all people- be it the GLBT communities, racial and ethnic minority groups, the employed, the unemployed, the youth, the elderly, the poor, the forgotten, and the unwanted.
He is a listener, and a deep thinker. It means a lot to me that he initiated the Minnesota 20/20 think tank group to ascertain and focus on the issues that are of greatest concern to all of us, and has used that knowledge to formulate policy, legislation, and strategy to develop plans and realistic goals to rebuild this state so that all of us, in whatever corner of the state we reside in, can begin to hope that the future will be better, and that we each carry a dignity no matter who we are, how we were made, and how much we have in our pocket. This is a candidate who sends a message that we all matter. We are all equal and deserving of fairness, safety, healthcare, good educations, good opportunities and we are all welcomed participants in a stronger and healthier Minnesota.
While many candidates are talking about the need for better healthcare, better schools, more jobs, and more opportunities, Entenza is the only candidate who has bridged these hopes with a sound economic plan that will allow us to realize these hopes. We can talk all day about what's wrong with Minnesota, and what needs to be fixed, who is responsible for breaking it, and how hard it is to be living like this, but talk won't change things. If we want a better future, we need a strong economy, and our government needs to rebuild a strong tax base to support our values and our goals for better schools, healthcare, and opportunities.
Entenza has well-developed plans for a new clean energy economy that has the ability to translate into immediate action through policy and initiatives that can take place when he takes office. He's not talking about pipe dreams ten years down the line. He's talking about what can happen now. His strategy will have short-term and intermediate steps to a recovery that will build a stronger and more stable Minnesota economy that can support his vision that we all matter, that we are all welcomed to share in the benefits of a better Minnesota, and that we can do this together.
We can do this together by collectively saying "Yes" to hope. When our friends and neighbors are biting their nails about the economy and joblessness, or when our siblings or parents are worried about how they are going to deal with their health issues, or when our children are worried if they can afford to stay in college, or whatever conversation or encounter that you have that begins to pry open yet another dialogue with despair, send them a link to Entenza's website, and talk to them about what you have read, and do your part to spread the word that our time is now, and that our vote and support for this exceptional candidate really truly matters more than ever.
Rep. John Kline (R-MN) released a press release the Friday before last that I didn't notice until now. First of all, this is understandable. It's not like Kline is bat**** crazy like Michele Bachmann -- His eye's don't burn with an unquenchable fire and he doesn't say demonstrably insane things. It's just that he never does anything or stand for anything. When he does he's just regurgitating the same old Republican lies you'd expect him to spray.
But this one takes the cake. It takes a couple of digs at the Dems without providing anything substantive. Like what he and his Republican colleagues would do. Completely and utterly vapid.
(I'd like to welcome Hegemommy to the MN Progressive Project ranks. I think you'll appreciate her posts on the nexis between politics, law and business. - promoted by The Big E)
How do we reward steadily increasing profits, even in the face of widespread economic downturn? If you're Thompson-Reuters you eliminate about 10% of your staff.
In the face of nearly a billion dollars of profit in the last fiscal year, and hot on the heels of $61 million in bonus payments, Thompson-Reuters let go 120 workers in what the company said was a response to the "changing landscape of the legal profession."
In many ways the legal landscape is changing. The widespread economic downturn has many lawyers rethinking the benefit of the billable hour as clients are no longer willing to pay $200 for a phone call. But like many other white-collar professions, more and more legal jobs are being sent overseas meaning that local attorneys are now competing for jobs with call-centers overseas. The result has been the emergence of a permalancer culture in the law--an entire workforce of highly educated, highly trained workers forced into independent contracting jobs for $26 an hour.
That means Thompson-Reuters has joined the ranks of those lowering the bar for good jobs for Minnesotans. This matters in a metro-area with four lawschools producing hundreds of new attorneys every year. The tighter the competition for legal jobs the more these workers will spill into other professions, squeezing from the top down any available jobs. The result is to squeeze the worker of every stripe in order to maintain multi-million dollar payouts to management, appearances be damned.
It's a business model that hasn't received much attention as of late, but one that ruled the day during the previous decade. Given the current public distate for blatant corporate greed, news of the layoffs does feel a bit gauche, which makes only fitting the fact that news of the Thomspon-Reuters layoffs breaks just as buzz of a Coleman political comeback picks up. So while Thompson-Reuters may claim that this move is in response to a changing economic climate, remember that it's really just business as usual.
As President Obama held a jobs summit to produce ideas on how to deal with high unemployment, Working America held some jobs summits of our own, to give working people a chance to talk about what they've seen and experienced in this economy.
In Minnesota, representatives of Working America sought to keep the spotlight on workers. "This roundtable discussion is another way to remind people that the back of this country is the working class and to make sure their voices are heard and that elected officials are working for them," said Lynne Bolton, a director Working America Twin Cities.
Liz Freeberg, an unemployed Circle Pines yarn saleswoman, said she applied for 45 jobs over six months but snagged only one interview. She didn't get that job. Her mother is helping to support her and three special-needs kids while her husband finishes nursing school. Freeberg wants more tax credits for local green building projects and insists that the government's focus has to shift from corporate bailouts to small businesses. "That's how you stimulate the economy," she said.
Ekstrand and Freeberg are among the 110,000 Minnesotans who lost jobs since October 2008, bringing the state's jobless rate to 7. 6 percent. The national unemployment rate hit 10.2 percent in October.
We need policies that extend and expand support for unemployed workers; put people to work rebuilding schools, roads and energy systems; increase aid to state and local governments to maintain vital services like education; put people to work doing work that needs to be done; and put TARP funds to work for Main Street.
And we need to remember working people as the policies get made. This is about people, about their lives and their families, and it's about how this country values working people and the work they do. It's not about a series of abstract numbers or about profits for Wall Street.
Minnesota DFL Governor candidate Sen. Tom Bakk (DFL-Cook) unveiled his economic plan today.
Today I unveiled my plan to make jobs, jobs, jobs the foundation of a Bakk Administration. Last week, more than 174,000 Minnesotans collected an unemployment check and each week in October more than 500 people exhausted their unemployment benefits. Until people are back to work, there won't be the revenue necessary to invest in the areas Minnesotans value, such as education and health care.
During the 1981-82 recession I was out of work and ran out of unemployment. I am speaking from the heart when I talk about the importance of having a paycheck on Friday to take care of a family's needs and how I understand the stress Minnesotans without a job are facing. When I talk about the need to get people back to work to address the state's financial challenges, I am speaking from my experience as chair of the Senate Tax Committee.
To learn more about my proposal, visit my website.
Our next governor must unite labor and business, Democrats and Republicans, and rural, suburban, and urban interests to move Minnesota forward. I am the candidate who has built the relationships that span all of those interests and can bring everyone together.
Rep. Mike Obermueller had an eventful first session. He wrote about his first day right here then worked hard for his district and the people of Minnesota.
"We had some good successes, but the negotiation stopped toward the end," Mike said. "I guess the Governor was gonna do what he wants to do. This is really going to impact everybody."
"I guess that only my way is a negotiating tactic," Mike continued. He did want to point out that it Pawlenty's tactic was a bit disingenuous.
"Pawlenty's staff was there the whole time while we were working and negotiating," he related. "They agreed to what we were doing. They never said that Pawlenty didn't like what we were doing."
"We cut $1.6 billion and cut more than we raised taxes," he said. "They never said that Pawlenty disagreed with our approach. They never came back with counterproposals."
Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and I sat down at a coffee shop near his congressional office in Minneapolis to talk. I wanted to find out his take on healthcare reform, what's coming up in Congress and see "the goatee" for myself.
"Let me tell you, I had a very nice seat at the State of the Union address," Franni Franken began. Franni is Sen. Al Franken's wife. "As I was walking to it I saw a young man sitting in the aisle on the steps. Because I visit Walter Reed (Army Medical Center), I have met many, many wounded warriors and I could tell that he had a prosthesis (prosthetic leg). By the way, they make them so well these days that's it's pretty hard to tell, but I could because of all the wounded warriors I've met."
Rep. Mike Obermueller had an eventful first session. He wrote about his 
