President Obama’s executive order is a good first step, but the work continues

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Over past weekends, leaders of statewide nonprofit La Asamblea de Derechos Civiles have been gathering at local churches, meeting with the community, discussing the impacts of President Obama’s recently announced immigration relief.This is a Community Voices submission and is moderated but not edited. The opinions expressed by Community Voices contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the TC Daily Planet.President Obama recently announced immigration relief for over five-million undocumented immigrants. The fight continues, however, and so does the work of groups such as ours. Antonia Alvarez, Asamblea co-founder and organizer, explains “The President’s announcement gives with one hand, but it also takes with the other hand. It is a victory, but there are more victories to be had.”Asamblea’s platform is one of Emancipation, the Emancipation of all immigrant peoples. Its tenets are:comprehensive immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship,access to higher educationjustice for all workersthe right and opportunity to participate in civic societymedia justiceWhile Asamblea leaders and leaders continue to fight for comprehensive immigration reform and pathway to citizenship, its leaders also believe all immigrant communities must have access to the education, jobs, and resources they need to thrive in this state and in this country. Continue Reading

COMMUNITY VOICES | Breaking News! Obama is not a candidate for anything.

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Shocking isn’t it? Barack Obama is running for no office, has no expressed political ambitions, and likely will never be a candidate again. But, you would not know it from those who have attacked him personally, often unfairly,  and in some cases with unrelenting scorn.The common allegations claim he is a Communist (and turning our country into a Socialist)  state…was not born an American citizen and is an illegitimate President (yes those guys are still out there)…is a closet Muslim (but still under the influence of Pastor Wright)… that he is an agent of the Anti-Christ … and there is even a tiny “impeach” contingent that works tirelessly on their fruitless agenda. Continue Reading

COMMUNITY VOICES | Winners and losers in the Obama investigations

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Seems pretty obvious, doesn’t it…Obama in a lose/lose position in what is a trifecta of attacks on his administration. But not so fast!  There are nuances, blowback, and a variety of mitigating circumstances which make this conclusion not as obvious as it seems. And some reasons are even counter-intuitive.LOSER: Congress. With ratings already in the toilet, anyone who follows (mostly conservative) congress people on television has to notice their sanctimonious and disingenuous concern about our nation’s future claiming an IRS seemingly out of control; and the DOJ unconstitutionally grabbing  phone records from the AP. Was all this wrong? Sure, but it is not placing our great country on the verge of collapse as some have actually claimed. Continue Reading

OPINION |Two calls for DFL action on effective gun regulations

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More effective gun controls are addressed on the current edition of Democratic Visions.Sami Rahamim discusses with AM950 Radio’s Nancy Nelson his response to the September killing of his father Reuvin Rahamim and two of his father’s employees and a United Parcel Service driver in his Bryn Mawr, Minneaplis sign company.  Sami, Rahamin attended the State of  the Union speech on the invitation of Congressman Keith Ellison.  He and other survivors of families who had been victimized by gun violence heard President Obama call out to Congress that they “ … deserve a vote!”   As a citizen-lobbyist, the 18-year old Mr. Rahamim has spoken on behalf of reforming gun laws in Saint Paul and Washington D.C.Link – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w0kaermDkDwIn a strong commentary about reluctant Minnesota DFL legislators, Eden Prairie’s Doug Lind reminds our state lawmakers that they need to show backbone and pass effective laws that will reduce the careless and evil use of weapons.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ercS8j5IphQCABLE TV SCHEDULEMinneapolis MTN Channel 16 – Sundays at 8:30 p.m.Dem Vis is also streamed live on Sundays at 8:30  p.m at this MTN Ch 16  link:  http://www.mtn.org/Video/tvguide/live.html Comcast Channel 15 Sundays at 9 p.m. and Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in Eden Prairie, Minnetonka, Edina, Richfield and Hopkins.  Bloomington Cable Access Television (BCAT) Channel 16 on 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. DEMOCRATIC VISIONS CHANNEL – YOUTUBEDemocratic Visions is produced by unpaid volunteers through DFL Senate District 48 at the Bloomington Community Access Television studio on Old Shakopee Road.  Browse more than more than 125 segments including discussions, commentary and humor on a wide range of political issues -https://www.youtube.com/user/DemocraticVisions Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | President Obama, Minneapolis Police and Gun Control

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You will never hear this perspective with the corporate lapdog media like the Star Tribune, MPR, WCCO etc etc but rest assured it is out there. I know because I have talked to many people who are there with me.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.President Barack Obama came to  Minneapolis recently and spoke about the need for gun control, at a Police station in Minneapolis. At the press conference were families of victims of gun violence. Continue Reading

Thank you, Mr. President

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Dear Mr. President:I cannot express how thrilled I was to read that the Department of Justice has finally put an end to the notion that anyone will be prosecuted for torture committed on behalf of the United States.Finally, as you so powerfully stated a few years ago, we can begin to look forward rather than backwards.I personally intend to celebrate this occasion by taking my dog to a public area here in Minneapolis and performing on her the “enhanced interrogation techniques” whose use the ill-informed and so-called “legal scholars” have exploited to attack our nation. Of course, my dog doesn’t talk, so I won’t be able to get any answers out of her, but then that wasn’t really the purpose of using these techniques on humans anyhow.If she survives, her injuries are likely to be so serious that I thought it would add to the celebration to actually sacrifice her in honor of the Department of Justice. As a proud American, it’s the least I can do.Again, thank you so much for your resolute adherence to the rule of law and for having appointed Eric Holder as Attorney General.Sincerely yours,Chuck Turchick                                     P.S. On second thought, I don’t have a dog. Would you mind terribly if I borrowed your dog Bo? Just tell Malia and Sasha that it was for the good of the country. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Drilling deeper into the Bachmann charges

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Much has already been written about the frivolous (many would say dangerous) claims Michele Bachmann has made about radical Islamic influence in our government. No need to revisit those; and the comparisons with Joe McCarthy have been well documented. Actually, since I lived in the McCarthy era, I can attest to the validity of those contentions. However, if you drill deeper into the Bachmann phenomenon, there are factors in her actions that are mostly unexplored, and worthy of comment.On the surface, Bachmann shows concern for the security of our government. Also, the idea that she is seeking attention is plausible. Continue Reading

FREE SPEECH ZONE | Occupy Minnesota- Occupy Obama HQ

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February 3rd there was a  protest and Occupation of the Obama HQ in Minneapolis. Needless to say, the corporate media in Minnesota were not at all interested in this story. Fortunately for us, a number of credible media were present. The first video was created by Rouge Media alongside the Citizens Media group.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

Jim Klobuchar On Amy & American Politics

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Author, columnist, adventurer and father of U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, Jim Klobuchar offers his personal, sometimes moving takes on campaigning with his daughter and the state of American politics.  Jim and host Tim O’Brien recently met on the Democratic Visions set at South West Community TV for the September edition the public issues series produced by DFL Senate District 42.   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