Why would anyone want to be lieutenant governor in Minnesota, let alone a woman who wants to have real political power and influence? Lt. Gov. Yvonne Prettner Solon decision not to seek a second term on the DFL ticket with Mark Dayton should not have come as a surprise. Nor should Senator Katie Sieben’s decision not to want to leave the legislature and become Dayton’s running mate. What is a surprise is that Minnesota still has the office of Lieutenant Governor. Now is a terrific opportunity to ask the question whether the Minnesota Constitution should be amended to eliminate of the office of Lieutenant Governor? Continue Reading
The Highland area of St Paul, district 64B, held its forum for the state house seat opened up by Michael Paymar’s retirement. Six possible candidates are going for the DFL endorsement: Greta Bergstrom, Melanie McMahon, Gloria Zaiger, Dave Pinto, Matt Freeman, and Beth Fraser. Continue Reading
In category after category, the Twin Cities keeps coming up as having the largest racial gap – jobs, education, housing, health – particularly between whites and African-Americans.
Mark your calendar for 7:00 p.m., Tuesday, February 4. That’s the night for precinct caucuses for Minnesota’s major political parties. Caucuses are neighborhood meetings where Minnesota voters come together to begin their party’s political endorsement process.
You may be thinking that it’s a little early to post our Streets.mn Voter Guides for the 2014 election. Ordinarily, you would be correct: It is January. However, the February 4th DFL caucuses are fast approaching, and five candidates are actively seeking the DFL endorsement in the race to represent Hennepin County’s 3rd District on the county commission. There is also an upcoming special election due to the incumbent’s early resignation. The 3rd District includes St. Louis Park, Southwest Minneapolis, and parts of Downtown Minneapolis. We will, of course, contact other candidates closer to the general election as they file to run. Continue Reading
Minnesota’s precinct caucuses will be held on Tuesday February 4. I’m hoping you attend and nudge your friends to attend. I have produced the accompanying Democratic Visions video to help.And I here share with you a portion of a January 18 letter-to-the editor of The Journal, a New Ulm, Minnesota newspaper.The letter is co-signed by the Brown County Chairs of the Republican and DFL Parties. That would never happen in Senate District 48 (Eden Prairie/Southern Minnetonka). The political culture here in the southwest suburbs may be trending blue, but right wing activists continue to dominate the local Republican Party and, given early PAC mail attacks on moderate, frosh Representative Yvonne Selcer (DFL, HD 48A), party lefties aren’t likely to co-author with the righties any love-notes about the democratic process. But its damn comforting to know that political party folk elsewhere in Minnesota are in tandem, making a good case for caucus attendance. “As leaders within our political parties in Brown County, we would like to personally encourage you to attend your precinct caucus on Tuesday, Feb. 4.The precinct caucus is a gathering of your friends, family, and neighbors to exercise your rights in the American political process. It is your first opportunity during an election year to talk about issues, learn about the candidates running for statewide and local office, make recommendations for changes in your party’s platform, and choose delegates to represent you at upcoming county conventions and beyond.You are welcome to express your opinions on important issues, or you can come just to listen and observe. The atmosphere is similar to that of a neighborhood town hall meeting where the exchange of ideas is encouraged and all participants are treated with fairness and respect, regardless of whether you are expressing your opinion or just listening to others.The caucus system in Minnesota is a unique system in the United States, where ordinary citizens have the opportunity to participate not only in the selection of the candidates who will represent your political party but also in defining the issues and positions under which those candidates will run in elections. It is participation citizen democracy in action.Jim Hahn-Chair, Brown County, Republican CommitteeLori Sellner-Chair, Brown County DFL Committee” Democratic Visions is handcrafted by Eden Prairie, Minnetonka and Edina Democrats and has a YouTube Channel and can be seen has the following Cable Channels –Hopkins, Minnetonka, Edina, Richfield and Eden Prairie – Comcast Channel 15 – Sundays at 9 p.m., Mondays at 10:00 p.m. and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m.Bloomington – BCAT Cable Channel 16 – Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. & 10:00 p.m.; Fridays at 9:30 p.m.; Saturdays at 7:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m.Minneapolis – Minneapolis – MTN Channel 16 -Sundays at 8:30 p.m.; Thursdays at 2 a..m. Continue Reading
After a sound victory in the Nov. 5 election, Minneapolis Mayor Betsy Hodges is looking forward to working on her goals for education, building relationships with the Native American community in Minneapolis and across the state.
