FREE SPEECH ZONE | Stop the hate. Vote no on all constitutional amendments

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MINNEAPOLIS — About 500 people Sunday stood up for dignity and against tyranny and hate Sunday at a meeting in a suburban Minneapolis synagogue to kick off the campaign against the ill-advised constitutional anti-gay marriage amendment.Free Speech ZoneThe Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases. The opinions expressed in the Free Speech Zone and Neighborhood Notes, as well as the opinions of bloggers, are their own and not necessarily the opinion of the TC Daily Planet.“My blood boils” said Minneapolis Rabbi Marcia Zimmerman as she recalled the plaintive plea of a toddler who asked if her two moms would go to jail if the amendment passes.The amendment which will be on the Nov. 6 ballot would further marginalize members of the LGBT community to further the radical agenda of the Republican legislative majority.  Against formidable odds, like the corporate Catholic Church which is sinking a million dollars into the anti-gay campaign, the advocates of dignity and freedom need to convince 160,000 Minnesotans to vote against the amendment. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Paulsen Meets Constituents At Remote Upscale Lake Town

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Privileged residents of a far western upscale lake community were treated to Third District Congressman Erik Paulsen’s town hall meeting early Tuesday night (Sept 6). For residents of the eastern part of the district it was challenging to get to the meeting in rush hour traffic at such a remote location as a high school in Minnetrista (population 6,000). Many residents of Bloomington, with a population 83,000, would welcome a visit from the all but invisible representative at one of our friendly venue’s, such as Creekside Community Center where seniors have pressing concerns about Social Security and Medicare. Other residents may wonder what Mr. Paulsen is doing to advance the fortunes of unemployed workers. His predecessor at least held a meeting at the Edina Community Center.Free Speech ZoneThe Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Property Taxes Would Increase Under GOP State Budget, Carlson Says

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Minnesota property taxes would increase another $400 million for the year starting in July in addition to the $2.5 billion increase in the past eight years under Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty if the Republican legislators’ budget plan is enacted, former Republican Gov. Arne Carlson said Tuesday night (March 31) at the Southdale LIbrary in Edina. Carlson addressed a standing room only crowd at a meeting of the Edina-West Bloomington DFL open to the public.  The approximately 140 people attending often interrupted Carlson’s speech with applause. Receiving scant media coverage is the fact that the Republican budget vetoed by DFL Gov. Mark Dayton would replace Minnesota Care, the health care program for low income families, with vouchers to buy insurance that would require an unaffordable $3,000 a year deductible.  The hospitals, who object to elimination of Minnesota Care, would assume care costs for the poor under this plan, Carlson added. Free Speech ZoneThe Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Diaz Review of Pawlenty biography — sly and amusing

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Sly and amusing best describes Star Tribune reporter Kevin Diaz’s Jan. 7 review of Minnesota’s retiring governor Tim Pawlenty’s biography, “Courage to Stand” .  Quite a trite title for a political biography reminiscent of blind ambition personified Tim Robbins” character in the political satire “Bob Roberts”. Diaz’ uses the following yarn for the lead which is a great grabber and reveals a lot about Pawlenty:  Wrestling mania is a recurring theme in the Pawlenty courageous stand starting with a tense scene between then House majority leader Pawlenty and then Gov. Jesse Ventura.  The Tim flipped out one of his patently preppy school boy snide comments accusing the former wrestler of leaving the “taxpayers behind enemy lines”.  Bad move.  This enraged the volatile Ventura.  One can ponder history’s course had Ventura let loose with a roundhouse hay maker aimed at the shaken Pawlenty.  Somewhat uncourageously, the prudent Pawlenty apologized. Which brings this wrestling yarn to present day when the ghost writer for wrestler Hulk Hogan’s autobiography, Mark Dagostino, was commissioned by Pawlenty for “Courage to Stand”.    I rather doubt that Ventura referred Pawlenty to Hogan for a a suggestion on who could best chronicle great courageous moments in a young politician’s life.  If you are looking for someone without pretensions, a wrestler biographer would do, particularly if your audience is less educated. Free Speech ZoneThe Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. Continue Reading

Bipartisan Panel Air Views at Bloomington Event

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“How many people think the Legislature will go into special session over the budget deficit?” failed independent Senate candidate Dean Barkley asked at a meeting on bipartisanship in Wednesday night sponsored by the League of Women Voters at the Park Plaza Hotel, Bloomington.The Free Speech Zone offers a space for contributions from readers, without editing by the TC Daily Planet. This is an open forum for articles that otherwise might not find a place for publication, including news articles, opinion columns, announcements and even a few press releases. The evening forum, although lacking in headline news, was the very model of Minnesota nice. Much of the forum featured DFL Rep Ann Lenczewski, House Tax Committee chair, and Republican Sen. Geoff Michel voicing sweet thoughts like honeymooners. Barkley was also on the panel. Continue Reading

Mortgage Crisis Tainted by Racism

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Racial segregation policies by builders, corporations and the federal government help us understand the current mortgage crisis, University of Minnesota housing studies Professor Jeff Crump said November 6 at a forum sponsored by Jewish Community Action. Housing segregation has been furthered through zoning laws, restrictive deed covenants and discrimination by real estate and mortgage companies. The 1938 FHA underwriting manual specified the “prohibition of the occupancy of properties except for the race for which they are intended. Lenders refused to provide mortgages in minority or integrated neighborhoods, Crump said. Minorities were rank ordered in terms of suitability for mortgages. Continue Reading