FREE SPEECH ZONE | In defense of public workers

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When I hear Republicans demonize public employees about pay and benefits, and Newt Gingrich call for states to be able to go bankrupt to get out of paying public employee pensions because of unfunded public pension liabilities, I think of my nephews: one a fireman–the other a policeman–and I recall their stories of guns fired, lives saved, babies delivered, and injuries received. My nephew’s stories-representative of countless public servants–are many and are filled with death, danger, courage, and nobility. 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. Public employees are everyday people just like you and me. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Leading state government agencies

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Governor Mark Dayton called for the reform of government services in his State of the State address on February 9, 2011. Here’s how to transform Minnesota state government to reduce costs dramatically, increase revenues, improve customer service, and increase employee quality of work life: 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. First, find good leaders-especially front-line supervisors–who have the natural talents and skills honed by leadership experience to provide a tough love leadership style that both cares about people and demands excellence from employees. Where do we find such leaders? Continue Reading

THE CULTURAL CREATIVES

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As we continue the world’s transformative change journey, we must understand that the leaders who led us to success in the now exhausted ways of doing things are rarely the people to lead renewal.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. Auto industry executives will not lead a transformation to a new energy paradigm. Wall Street money men and entitled bankers will not reform the financial system. Influence-peddling Washington lobbyists will not clean up corruption in our Capitol. Continue Reading

The sad decline of the Star Tribune

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“The survival of the company is at stake.” Chris Harte, Star Tribune Publisher, asking unions on December 2, 2008 to cut pay by $20 million by mid-January, 2009. “The Star Tribune has agreed to pay more than $300,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit bought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.” Editor & Publisher, November 25, 2008
Like many around the world, I follow the painful decline of the Star Tribune newspaper with a sense of disbelief and sorrow. Disbelief that a once dominant newspaper could fall so far so fast. Sorrow for the decline of a company that played a central role in my life. Continue Reading

John McCain’s Dan Quayle

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Let’s put things in perspective: The United States faces many problems that threaten our way of life, our standing in the world, and the planet itself: two wars, a recession, an energy quagmire, an overheated planet, a health care crisis, unlawful immigration, and a loss of respect around the world. Presidential candidates and thoughtful Americans agree that this election is one of the most important in American history—the problems are massive, the threats to us are real, the differences between the candidates are great, and our future as a nation may depend on the choice we make for our next president. We need our best and brightest people to lead us into an uncertain future. In these critical times, John McCain called on Sarah Palin to be his vice-president–a first-term governor of Alaska who he met once before he offered her the job— a cynical display of gender politics—a political gimmick that insulted the seriousness of the times in which we live. Have you ever experienced something and felt confused: suddenly up was down, right was wrong, sane was insane, and you felt the rug was pulled out from under your experience of life? Continue Reading

Obama & McCain on Evil

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Pastor Rick Warren asked Barack Obama and John McCain about evil at Saddleback Church on August 16, 2008. 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.WARREN: How about the issue of evil? Does evil exist? OBAMA: Evil exists. Continue Reading