Click to watch video of teacher layoff law Senate hearing
Jan Alswager of Education Minnesota, a teachers’ union, says the law isn’t necessary since a law passed last year allows schools to fire teachers if they aren’t improving. Alswager says the proposed law will create a “lot of chaos, a lot of grievances, (and) possible lawsuits.
Click photo to watch Ellen Hurley of Eden Prairie tell Senators they've already made up their minds on unions.
After the public testimony, the Senate Health and Human Services committee approves the bill that would prevent union dues from coming out of Child Care Assistance Payments.
Senators joust over child care anti-union bill.
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Click photo to hear House Minority Leader Paul Thissen and a response from Majority Leader Matt Dean
Representative Thissen and other DFLers said hat the problem the bill addresses doesn’t even exist.
Representative Thissen points to a recent poll that shows the legislature’s approval rating in the teens compared to Governor Mark Dayton’s 50% approval rating.
House Majority Leader Matt Dean responds saying the union dues bill is a jobs bill as are the tort reform bills that have been sent to Governor Dayton’s desk.
The Governor is still deciding whether to sign those bills.
Click photo to watch rally and hear why Ron Paul's Minnesota supporters are backing him for President.
There was standing room only in the room and the garage bay doors were opened to handle the overflow crowd that almost circled the building.
“He was Tea Party before Tea Party was cool.” said one of his supporters who introduced the Republican Congressman from Texas.
The crowds choice in the 2008 election ran the gamut. Lots of Republicans – one had cast his first vote for Reagan – but also a number of 2008 Obama voters, Ron Paul write-ins plus votes for Libertarian and Constitution parties. A few claimed to be undecided, but most were very clear on their 2012 choice: Ron Paul— even if they had to write him in.
Video and photos: Ron Paul’s Minnesota supporters say why they back him. … Continue Reading
Click photo to hear Senator David Tomassoni (DFL) talk about the "right to work for less" amendment
“This so-called ‘right to work’ constitutional amendment is nothing more than the right to work for less. It will cut wages. It will cut benefits. It’s the type of Republican rhetoric that will take benefits and jobs away from middle class people and make their rich friends richer. “
Click photo of David Senjem to hear his thoughts on passing more constitutional amendments.
Republicans have already put an anti-gay marriage constitutional amendment on the fall ballot and have introduced bills to put a voter photo ID and and anti-union amendment on the ballot.
Senator Senjem says there is no question that the voter photo ID constitutional amendment will be on this November’s general election ballot.
House Minority Leader Paul Thissen says Republicans should focus on job creation instead of constitutional amendments.
Click photo to watch MN Republicans propose anti-union constitutional amendment
When asked if the proposed constitutional amendment would weaken unions, Representative Steve Drazkowski said “no comment.” Senator Dave Thompson claims the amendment would not prevent collective bargaining. House Assistant Minority Leader Erin Murphy took issue with that assertion, tweeting it would “gut” collective bargaining.
Click Photo to watch Congressman Keith Ellison speak at 2012 Blue State Ball
“America is ready” Representative Ellison told a supportive crowd at the “Blue State Ball”. “This is a progressive moment.”
Republicans have made a lot of mistakes since winning a majority in the US House. The latest gaffe of opposing a payroll tax cut has hurt their standings in polls even more than Democrats. However Representative Ellison says despite that, and a group of Presidential candidates that even the Republican base finds uninspiring, Democrats need to unite and fight or they will not take advantage of the moment.
“We cannot depend upon the incompetence, ignorance and bigotry of our opposition. We have got to hang together and move forward. We are in a progressive moment, y’all.”
Movement needs to power Obama, not the other way around … Continue Reading
Click photo to watch video of Somali protest against Wells Fargo
About 100 people, Somali Americans with their supporters from labor unions, and from citizen activist groups staged a noisy rally in front of the Wells Fargo branch at 3030 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis on Friday January 13, 2012, to draw attention to the serious humanitarian crisis in Somalia and to plead with Wells Fargo to take the leadership to resolve the issue.
Since late December, Somali Americans living in Minnesota have been unable to send financial support — a much-needed lifeline — to their loved ones living in East Africa. At that time, a small community bank stopped working with Hawalas, the community-based financial institutions that are the only practical method to transfer funds to famine-stricken Somalia. There was a large rally at the State Capitol January 6, 2012 highlighting the desperate plight of Somali families.
Despite the cold temperatures, Wells Fargo would not allow the entire group into the building. Instead people who wanted to withdraw their money from the bank were admitted one-by-one until all had withdrawn their money.
Why Wells Fargo draws Somali Community’s wrath … Continue Reading
 Workers' Rights Supporter In Madison Wisconsin - Photo by Natalie Rosen |
 Representative Steve Simon talks about gay marriage |
 Sparking Occupy Wall Street-Robert Reich debunks six right-wing "lies" |
 Tornado Hits Economically Depressed Minneapolis Neighborhood |
At the end of every year at The UpTake we’ve traditionally highlighted the most interesting videos of the year. But this year, several big stories transcended any one video. So instead, we’re looking back at those stories we covered that have had the most impact.
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Hot off the congressional presses, President Obama quickly signs the “Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.”
Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann holds a news conference at the State Capitol to discuss allegations of Medicaid fraud.
” We need to make it as easy as we can for our companies to create more jobs in America, not overseas. And that starts with our tax code.” —President Obama in his weekly address
“Because you reminded people what it means to have 40 bucks taken out of your paycheck every week, it got done.”—President Obama on Congress passing payroll tax cut.
Bringing back jobs to America from oversees, or “insourcing” is key to an economic recovery says President Obama.
“Congress needs to stop this middle class tax hike from happening. Period. No drama. No delay.” —President Obama in his weekly address.
The federal government and 49 state attorneys general have reached a landmark $25 billion agreement with the nation’s five largest mortgage servicers to address mortgage loan servicing and foreclosure abuses.
President Obama announces ten states have agreed to implement bold reforms around standards and accountability will receive flexibility from the most burdensome mandates of the federal education law known as No Child Left Behind.
The President meets an 8th grader named Joey from Phoenix, AZ at the White House Science Fair and the two launch a marshmallow across the state dining room with Joey’s science project – an air cannon.
The housing crisis has been the single largest drag on America’s economic recovery. President Obama wants to fix that fairly for homeowners who have been responsible, but not the ones who took out huge mortgages or bought multiple homes.
Senator Richard Cohen (DFL-St. Paul) said without additional legislation detailing how voter photo ID would work, the bill was a “pig in a poke”.
Minnesota will be creating a “cottage industry of voting lawsuits” if the current proposed voter photo ID amendment becomes law says Carolyn Jackson, Lobbying Coordinator with the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota.
DFL lawmakers make a second attempt to repeal the Minnesota constitutional amendment on marriage that is on this fall’s ballot, this time to “pay for” the unknown cost of the voter photo ID constitutional amendment.
A proposal to give Minnesota businesses property tax relief would add $126 million to a already expected $1.3 billion state deficit says Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk.
“Mean spirited” and “humiliating” to poor people is how Ebony Harris describes a Minnesota proposed law requiring 60-days residency to qualify for welfare benefits.
Hundreds of people are expected to show up to this afternoon’s hearing on a proposed constitutional amendment requiring Minnesotans to present a photo ID to vote. However, it is unlikely they will be able to talk about the potential voter suppression effect the amendment would have.
Untargeted business tax relief that would go to out of state retail corporations such as McDonalds and Costco would be a “race to the bottom” says Senator Scott Dibble (DFL- Minneapolis)
A bill now heading to the Minnesota House floor bans public school employees from using district resources to advocate a political agenda.
Education Minnesota says a proposed law that allows high seniority teachers to be laid off first will create a “lot of chaos, a lot of grievances, (and) possible lawsuits.
A website owner from Maple Grove tells the House tax committee that trying to make Amazon.com charge sales taxes for goods sold in Minnesota will not bring in revenue and will put her out of business.
The Northside Economic Opportunity Network works with small businesses and micro-businesses in North Minneapolis to help them achieve success.
As we’ve been reporting for the past six months, many tornado victims who need help still haven’t gotten it.
Occupy MN is occupying Monique White’s house at 3310 N. 6th St. in the city’s downtrodden North Minneapolis neighborhood. In doing so, Occupy MN instantly made itself more diverse, and more relevant.
When administrators revealed a plan last spring to shut down North High School — one of only two public schools on Minneapolis’ embattled north side — MN Neighborhoods Organizing for Change and other activists answered the call.
North Minneapolis food entrepreneurs use Kindred Kitchen to learn about starting their own business, making their food safely and legally in a commercial kitchen, and marketing it within the community.
Voters should pick their politicians, not the other way around. That’s the thought behind Draw The Line Minnesota, a citizen group that is working to draw the maps for congressional and legislative districts.
This year’s FLOW art crawl was all about recognizing thousands of volunteers that helped with the clean-up and recovery efforts after the May 22nd tornado. Leaders hope the positive can-do attitude of the cleanup can power a rebirth of the Northside.
After their home in North Minneapolis was destroyed by the May 22 tornado, Dennis and Deborah were forced to seek refuge in the local Armory and at the North Commons Recreation Center. For weeks, they and their five children slept on cots on the floor of a gymnasium.
Her home destroyed and now condemned, north Minneapolis tornado victim Joyce Chineth feels abandoned by the system.
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