CD3 DFL COMMUNITY LINKS - APRIL

Tuesday, April 22 at 7 PM, unless otherwise noted.

Join us - We're Your Neighbors! Many community groups below will hear from candidates, legislators, or issue experts. Others will meet to discuss this month's topic "The Effect of the Iraq War on the U.S. Economy." Note the speakers and topics below.

What Does War Cost the U.S. Economy? The upfront costs covered by emergency appropriations for the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are about $200 billion a year. However, this cost does not include costs hidden in the defense budget, disability pay and health care for veterans of these wars, and money to replace military equipment. These wars funded by debt and accompanied by tax cuts, especially for wealthy Americans, make it hard for our nation to extend health care to all Americans, repair deteriorating roads and bridges, and cut class sizes in our schools. For an introduction to the topic see "The Iraq War Will Cost Us $3 Trillion and Much More" by Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard Professor Linda Bilmes. Please check back for updates and invite others interested in the upcoming topics.

The Brooklyns DFL Community
Where: Boba Cafe at Brookdale, near Barnes and Noble, entrance on the north side of the parking lot.
Time: 6:30 p.m. Order food and Social Hour, 7 p.m. Program

Speaker: Joel Clemmer - The Minnesota Health Plan

Hosts: Mark Viste, meviste@earthlink.net and Kathy Malecki, kdmalecki@aol.com

Champlin DFL Links
Where: Yummy Buffet, 12379 Champlin Drive, Champlin (169 & Hayden Lake Rd.)
Host: Margo Richardson, margo.richardson@comcast.net, 612-384-0593

Edina/West Bloomington Democrats
Where: Davanni's, 5124 Gus Young Lane, Edina (Highway 100 and Vernon)
Time: 6:30 p.m. - Enjoy Davanni's Pizza & Hoagies and Visit with fellow Democrats 7 p.m. Program
Host: Chuck Prentice, chuckprentice@yahoo.com, 952-929-8284

Lake Country Progressives
Where: Christos Greek Restaurant, 15600 Highway 7, Minnetonka
Time: 6 p.m. Social Hour and Greek Dinner (optional); 7 p.m. Program
Host: Warren Blechert, blechert@mchsi.com

Maple Grove Area Meeting
Where: The Lookout, 8672 Pineview Lane North, Maple Grove
Time: 6 p.m. Dinner and social hour, 7 p.m. Program

Speaker: Sean Kershaw - Executive Director, Citizens League
Topic: Transportation

Host: Katie Rodriguez, rrkr@comcast.net

Plymouth Progressives
Time: 6:30 p.m. - Pizza Buffet and Social Hour, 7 p.m. - Program
Where: Angeno's, 3355 Plymouth Blvd. (off Highway 55), Plymouth

Speaker: Clint Faust - Candidate for MN House in 43A - The Upcoming Campaign and the Outlook for the Party

"Whether we're trying to sort through our educational funding formula with all its complexities, properly maintain our roads and bridges, or solve the health care cost crisis, we have to face our challenges head-on, and settle for no less than the quality of life that makes us proud to be Minnesotans" - Clint Faust

Hosts: Grace McGarvie, gemcgar@comcast.net; Jodi Wolk, jodi_wolk@comcast.net, 763-473-0370
Tim Carlson, timcarls2@msn.com

P.O.P. Progressives on the Prairie
Time: 6:30 p.m. - Pizza and Social, 7 p.m. - Program
Where: Davanni's Pizza & Hoagies, 8061 Flying Cloud Drive, Eden Prairie

Speaker: Speaker: Lisa Nilles, M.D.

Topic: Universal Single Payer Health Care: Now is the time and Minnesota is the state.

Lisa Nilles is a physician and chaplain. She is active in two organizations that are dedicated to establishing single-payer universal health care, Physicians for a National Health Plan, and the Minnesota Universal Health Care Coalition. Drawing upon her experience working in England, she will present an understanding of health care as a social need. This is in contrast to many health care reform proposals today which understand health care as a market commodity.

Host: Terry Erickson, terickson@dflsd42.org, 952-975-6015

Tonka Progressives
Time: 6:30 p.m. Social & Order Food, 7 p.m. Program
Where: Community Room, Ridgedale Byerly's, 13081 Ridgedale Drive, Minnetonka

Speaker: David Van Hattum - Transit for Livable Communities

Hosts: Veta Segal, vrsegal@yahoo.com; Richard Wildberger, 952-938-6218, Stan Liszka, walt_iii@yahoo.com, Sandy Anderson, sandy55305@comcast.net; and Cass Rodgers, crodgers0599@gmail.com