No recount this time. Click photo to watch the MN Congressional Cookoff
No, there will not be a recount.
Press release from Senator Franken’s office with silly quotes from everyone involved and links to photos and recipes. … Continue Reading
Click on photo to hear US Education Secretary Arne Duncan speak at Minnesota Town Hall
“At a time of high unemployment, we actually have over 2 million high-wage jobs that are going unfilled,” U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan told a town hall meeting at Irondale High School in New Brighton on Friday. Secretary Duncan was joined by Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. “These are jobs that can’t be exported that we can’t fill. We need to challenge ourselves in the education community. What are we doing to prepare our students not for the jobs of yesterday but for the jobs of tomorrow?”
“We used to lead the world in college graduation rates, now we’re 16th,” said Duncan. “We’ve stagnated, and other countries have passed us by. They’re out investing, they’re out-innovating, and you wonder why we’re struggling economically.”
Minnesota leading in education innovation … Continue Reading
Click on photo to hear Occupy St. Paul's concerns with Sen. Klobuchar's support of civil rights
The letter was delivered and the group went out side. A representative from the senator’s office came out and asked them to come to a meeting in the office conference room.
Erika Nelson, Deputy State Director met with the group and took copious notes for the senator. The group again thanked her for sponsoring a new bill that would remove some of the most objectionable provisions of NDAA, but expressed concerns that this might be a token effort destined to fail.
More civil rights limiting legislation in the works.
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Click on logo to watch video of event
The public ceremony on the mall of the State Capitol featured remarks from Bishop Peter Rogness of the Saint Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA); faith leaders from diverse congregations across the state; Governor Mark Dayton, Senator Amy Klobuchar and Republican state legislative leaders.
Americans Standing Together video highlights … Continue Reading
Click to view video of protest outside Sen. Klobuchar's office
“The economy is in the can, US out of Afghanistan” said one protester. Another wondered why the U.S. keeps spending on wars when the money could do so much more good at home.
Every week there dozens of peace activist groups rallying on street corners, bridges and Congressional offices. This was but one of these vocal groups, some have been rallying at the same place for years.
Many criticize these actions for relatively small numbers and the supposed futility of the chants. The participants are there as a matter of conscience and they do believe they make a difference. In any event, the peace actions will continue.
At Netroots Nation yesterday, The UpTake’s Mike McIntee spoke to Senator Amy Klobuchar about corporate money in politics and reforms in Washington that could fight it. Minnesota’s senior senator also addressed corporate donations on behalf of issues — such as the anti-gay marriage campaign — within the state.
Among the victims of the devastating economic crisis have been homeowners. Foreclosures surged nationwide in the latter half of the last decade — initially when the housing bubble burst and, more recently, as mass layoffs and depressed wages have forced workers out of their homes. Minnesota hasn’t been immune. Since 2005, more than 100,000 foreclosures have occurred in this state — both in urban and rural areas — affecting one of every 20 households. But unlike most states, Minnesota leads the nation with a collaborate effort designed to prevent foreclosures, or at least mitigate their effects on communities.
Members of the Minnesota Foreclosure Partners Council — a unique partnership between public and private agencies, communities and cities — has helped 25,000 Minnesota homeowners avoid foreclosure within the last year. And a whopping 66 percent of homeowners who sought help since 2007 have avoided foreclosure. Simply put, this state’s foreclosure prevention program is the envy of the nation.
According to Ed Nelson, spokesman for the Minnesota Home Ownership Center, the innovative program was already in place here before the recession hit in 2008. Nelson said that Minnesota is the only state that has made a coordinated effort to prevent foreclosures when possible and also recover homes after the fact — when foreclosures are inevitable.
And Minnesota’s innovative program is saving the state lots of money. … Continue Reading
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, US Senator Amy Kobuchar, Congresman Keith Ellison and Minnesota House Speaker Kurt Zellers talk about the tornado damage they have just toured in the northern section of Minneapolis.
The man they called “Killer” won his fame for smashing a baseball farther than anyone else could in baseball’s pre-steroid era. But he won the admiration of millions for killing people with kindness. Today #3 passed away at the age of 74 from cancer while in hospice care in Arizona. In his home state of Minnesota, the legislature pauses for a moment of silence upon news of the death of Minnesota Twins Fall of Fame slugger Harmon Killebrew.
Harmon Killebrew was also honored today before the U.S. Senate in a Congressional Record Statement authored by the U.S. Senators from Minnesota and Idaho.
The full text of the statement, which was delivered by Sen. Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) on behalf of his colleagues Amy Klobuchar and Al Franken (D-Minn.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho), is below.
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Today at Cenex Harvest States headquarters — which is located in Inver Grove, south of Saint Paul — Senator Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack touted Minnesota’s agricultural prowess and its production of biofuels. Governor Mark Dayton was also in attendance. Because corn ethanol acts as a substitute for foreign oil and natural gas, Klobuchar and Vilsack both highlighted biofuels as renewable energy — despite critics’ concerns that it bumps up food prices and turns Midwestern farmland into mono-crop factories.
Senator Al Franken announces the “Understanding The True Cost Of College Act” that would require colleges to use easier to understand language in their financial aid package offers to students.
Hindia Ali, Youth Leadership Development Coordinator at Somali Action Alliance is a delegate the the 2012 National Democratic Convention, the first Somali-American to be a delegate.
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, President Obama ripped into Republicans for their lack of compromising and for the first time mentioned his likely Republican opponent, Mitt Romney, by name.
Minnesota women in healthcare predicaments met with with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Sen. Al Franken, Rep. Betty McCollum and Governor Mark Dayton on Friday — the two year anniversary of the Affordable Care Act.
President Obama says many of the factors that are driving up gas prices are out of our control such as unrest in the Middle East. However, he points out there are some things that are in our control such as fraud and manipulation that can cause prices to spike even further.
President Obama talks about an all-of-the-above American energy strategy at a Daimler manufacturing plant in North Carolina that’s making trucks that run on natural gas.
Senator Al Franken is used to close elections. This time he didn’t beat his opponents, but had to settle for a tie with Representative Chip Cravaack in the second annual Minnesota Congressional delegation hotdish cookoff.
President Obama would like to reform taxes so we reward companies that invest in the US, not ones that send jobs overseas. But there are some barriers, such as Congress.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu uses his photo op with President Obama today to talk up how the US and Israel are united against Iran, which is suspected of trying to create a nuclear bomb.
President Obama warns that “loose talk” of war was only helping Iran, while pushing back against charges from GOP presidential contenders that he has been less than a loyal ally to Israel.
One year after the tornado that ravaged North Minneapolis, things are looking up for Anthony and Shemeika Strong. The absence of the Broadway Liquor Outlet has also been a blessing for their neighborhood.
Occupy coalesced activists from many neighborhood and civic groups to protest bank actions: Home foreclosures, refusing Somali funds transfer, voter photo ID, anti-immigrant actions.
Members of the Welfare Rights Committee disrupt the signing of the Vikings Stadium Bill. They claim, “Vikings Got Bailed Out, We Got Sold Out!”
Somali women and men gather to discuss the many aspects of female infertility with medical and social experts.
3M shareholders at annual meeting were asked to stop all corporate contributions to political campaigns and to disclose corporate political lobbying efforts. As expected, the resolutions were voted down, but the activists pledged to continue efforts.
Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.
After the six-week US-Dakota War of 1862, 38 Dakota men were hung in one of the largest mass executions in US History. Many argue that the trials were a sham, that is was the largest injustice in the nation’s history. Today, Representative Dean Urdahl, Chair of the Legacy Committee in Minnesota and the Civil War Task Force, seeks to, “rub a little salve in the wound,” by seeking a pardon for one of those warriors who was hung on that fateful December day. His name is Chaska.
Rep. Ryan Winkler (DFL) decides to support the Vikings stadium because of the jobs it will create.
The Minnesota House and Senate have each approved different versions of a Vikings stadium proposal. So now it is up to a conference committee to reconcile the differences.
Principle or politics? On Friday, Governor Mark Dayton went heavily with principle and imperiled the politics of his top legislative priority — thousands of jobs from building a new Vikings football stadium.
One year after the tornado that ravaged North Minneapolis, things are looking up for Anthony and Shemeika Strong. The absence of the Broadway Liquor Outlet has also been a blessing for their neighborhood.
Occupy backed homeowner successfully re-negotiated her loan with MN based US Bank.
Nearly a year after the tornado that ripped through North Minneapolis, opinions vary greatly on what the poverty-stricken community needs most from local and state government. Should the City introduce “pie in the sky” ideas or focus on more immediate problems?
Representative Bobby Jo Champion talks about the challenges facing some of his constituents in North Minneapolis almost a year after a devastating tornado.
Rebuild It Right, an organization made up of architects and designers from Minneapolis, is helping homeowners advocate for quality design in the wake of the May 22nd Tornado.
The Vikings stadium deal got the support of Minneapolis City Council members. Council member Don Samuels says that this is a good deal for his constituents. It will provide jobs to a part of the city that has the highest rate of unemployment.
Local, Minneapolis non-profit Urban Homeworks works with banks and other community organizations to fight foreclosures.
Embattled homeowner Monique White took one more step Friday toward what could become an improbable victory that would let her stay in her North Minneapolis home. Judge Mark Labine will decide on Monday whether White will get a jury trial in District Court.
The Northside Economic Opportunity Network works with small businesses and micro-businesses in North Minneapolis to help them achieve success.
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