The Obama administration reached another major milestone with the passing of the Wall Street Reform Bill. The Senate had a hard time getting to the 60 votes necessary to break the fillibuster that prevented the bill from coming to the floor for a vote. The bill is a major step forward in reversing the many years of deregulation that resulted in the worldwide crash of banking systems. Senator Ted Kaufman (D, Delaware) gives a thoughtful analysis of the many accomplishments of the bill and the ways it should be strengthened in future legislation in "The Wall Street Reform Bill: How Much Did We Lose Getting to 60?"
Jim Meffert on Reinstating Glass-Steagall to Strengthen Financial Reform
The reinstatement of the Glass-Steagall Act, supported by CD3 Candidate for the U.S. House Jim Meffert, would strengthen the separation of investment from commercial banking that Senator Kaufman explains depends to a great deal on regulators in the current bill. See Jim Meffert's 2 minute video on the need for further financial regulation.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 17 August 2010 13:13
The State Convention is over, Jim Meffert is our candidate for US House and MAK is ready to charge ahead for Governor. We have a new CD3 office in Hopkins (opening any day now) and we have a lot of work ahead!
Don't let anyone fool you: Democrats are in a good position for the fall. The monster the GOP so carefully crafted from bits of propaganda and deceptive issue framing has now turned on them. How could it be otherwise when they encouraged their people to avoid reason and facts in favor of ideology and anger? The few remaining "responsible Republicans" have little influence; Teabaggers are now in control, righteously indignant -and running their own candidates against the GOP. This bodes well for us.
So what is our plan between now and the election?
- We need to let voters know who we really are. We need to engage voters in our frames -not the GOP's. If you do not know about framing -bone up! We'll help with training on how to talk about our values with voters. Most voters share our values so this will be easier than you might think.
- We must recruit new volunteers. If we are not calling all of our SD convention delegates (at least) and asking friends or people who come to Links meetings to join us, then I don't want to hear complaints about how much work we have. Grow or die.
- We must get out and door knock and phone call. Historically we've had the luxury of a better grass roots effort -now the GOP gets it and is organizing. We also know that corporations can now spend as much as they want to throw elections and they sure won't be throwing money our way. Engaging voters is our most powerful tool.
- Take Initiative! Don't wait to be called and asked to do something -call and ask what you can do. We also do not have legions of volunteers waiting around to implement the next bright idea. Rather than coming to us with a great idea and asking why no one is doing it -come to us with an idea and a plan that you will help make a reality!
Since 2008 we have had strategic as well as tactical plans -these plans are well along and beginning to succeed. We'll have a workshop soon for all our committees and we'll be asking our new and old Directors to take leadership roles in making sure we meet them both. We get some of the best voter turnout in the country and CD3 has been trending ever more blue, so you are part of a winning team!
I know you all really care about the future of our democracy and fear the dire consequences if today's extremist GOP further disinvests in our future. Let's get strong and turn CD3 solidly blue!
See you on the campaign trail!
Uncle Geo
Last Updated on Thursday, 29 July 2010 08:34
President Obama signing the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act
An article from the New York Times offers an interesting analysis of the Obama administration's progressive achievements and their effect on the upcoming elections. It provides information on what Obama and the Congress have accomplished for the average American family and the reason why the midterm elections are important for determining whether these progressive changes will continue and expand.
The first year and a half of the Obama administration brought a fast paced change to policies which promote growth while reducing income inequality which had been growing for the last 35 years. Obama's outstanding accomplishments include a stimulus bill that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said created up to 2.1 million jobs and boosted the economy by up to 3.5 percent; an expansion of health care for Veterans and services to prevent Veterans from becoming homeless; a health care bill which makes sure people don't lose their health care when they change jobs and insures 32 million people currently without insurance; and the removal of subsidies to banks making student loans and using the money for financial aid instead.
The most recent of these accomplishments is a the Wall Street Reform Bill which created a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, established oversight of the vast derivatives market, and gave the government authority to wind down large banks that threaten the financial system. The bill also give a council of regulators authority to monitor risks to the financial system and impose new restrictions on credit rating agencies. The article has ample ideas for inspiring you to write a letter to the editor. Get out your pen:
Last Updated on Thursday, 29 July 2010 10:35
|
WOW - What a choice DFL voters had for Governor in the primary - Margaret Anderson Kelliher, a fantastic coalition builder highly regarded by her legislative colleagues; Mark Dayton, former U.S. Senator determined to fight for seniors, families, and workers in the tradition of Hubert Humphrey and Paul Wellstone; and Matt Entenza, former House Minority Leader, ready to make Minnesota a leader in the nation's clean energy future. Almost 590,000 Minnesota voters, including 31,000 absentee voters, turned out for the primary. That's the highest number in a decade and just over 15 percent of the state's 3.8 million eligible voters. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie noted that "turnout exceeded all expectations and made this earlier primary a big success."
With a slim lead over Margaret Anderson Kelliher, Mark Dayton won the DFL Primary for Governor. During his campaign, he gained the endorsement of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 5, a union with 43,000 members. Senator Dayton met frequently with his loyal base of seniors who remembered his financing of bus trips to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. He focused on winning the Iron Range selecting as his running mate Duluth Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon.
Before serving as U.S. Senator, Mark Dayton served as Minnesota's Commissioner of Economic Development, as Commissioner of Energy and Economic Development, and as State Auditor.
DFL Candidate for Lieutenant Governor - Yvonne Prettner Salon Running with Dayton for Lieutenant Governor is MN Senator Yvonne Prettner Solon from Duluth. Prior to her election as a MN Senator, Prettner Solon served as President of the Duluth City Council. In the Minnesota Senate, Senator Prettner Solon has championed legislation to reduce the costs of prescription drugs and health care programs in Minnesota. She was the Chief Senate Author of the Children’s Health Security Act, which provides universal coverage for all Minnesota children. As Chair of the Senate’s Energy, Utilities, Technology, and Communications Committee, Senator Prettner Solon was a leader in passing progressive energy policies, including the Next Generation Energy Act which established nation-setting greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals for Minnesota.
Last Updated on Friday, 27 August 2010 02:04
It's been nearly 30 years since Ronald Reagan stated that tax cuts for the wealthy would trickle down to the rest of us. During the course of those 30 years, marginal tax rates for the wealthy were drastically reduced. Yet the middle class is shrinking, more Americans have to rely on food banks, employment and income have become very unstable, and millions of Americans have lost their homes. We now have the greatest concentration of wealth in our history and among industrialized countries. The few have prospered, but many live under a great deal of financial and personal stress. The deregulation of our financial institutions was recently the catalyst for a catastrophic meltdown of financial institutions throughout the world. Trickle down Reaganomics was a dismal failure.
President Obama and progressive Democrats in the U.S. Senate and House have been trying to move government policy in a new direction: to make government work for you, but almost all Republicans and a number of Democrats often stand in the way. To continue their work to make government benefit the people, they need more people on their side. That's where you come in. They need your help to let people know about candidates who will stand with them.
 Meet Jim Meffert: "I’m running for Congress for the chance to fight for you. . . I will be the voice for the 140,000 Minnesota children living in poverty, for the 480,000 uninsured Minnesotans, for the families and the people who have lost their jobs and are concerned about losing their homes, and for patients who are struggling to pay their medical bills. I'll be a voice for our children and their future. . . We are all in this to build strong communities and help our neighbors build better lives" (CD3 DFL Endorsement Acceptance Speech, 4/10/10). Get to know Jim Meffert, a candidate with outstanding ideas and real commitment, and and let your friends and neighbors know about him too.Watch Jim Meffert's interview produced by Democratic Visions, a Cable TV and internet program produced by Senate District 42 DFL. Jim speaks on banking and Wall Street reform, health care, and higher education - 10 minutes.
 Hear his view of government in an interview with Mike McIntee of the UpTake - 10 minutes Jim Meffert is currently the Chief Executive of the Minnesota Optometric Association and was past President of the Minnesota Parent Teacher Association. He lives in Edina and is the father of three children.Read the articles below and watch the videos to learn more about Jim's solutions for improving health care, energy, jobs, financial regulation, and early childhood and K-12 education. Check out his website, and donate and volunteer for his campaign at www.jimmeffertforcongress.org. While you're there, ask a question on an issue that concerns you. Then watch for Jim's answer on JimTV. Jim Meffert is committed to making government work for you.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 24 August 2010 09:10
Among the developed nations, the United States has one of the lowest tax rates. The U.S. also has the greatest concentration of wealth among industrialized nations and the lowest mobility making it difficult for low income people to move to middle and high income status.As it turns out, a strong social sector is essential for the financial well being of families and for a thriving economy. Take Denmark the highest taxed country, for example. While its minimum wage is three times that of the U.S., its unemployment is only 4.1%. It provides universal health care, early childhood education for all children, and a modern public rail network. At the same time, its citizens have high mobility, and it's private industry is thriving.All developed countries combine both a social sector and private enterprise. Aspects of both socialism and capitalism are part of their economies. The question is not whether one or the other is good or bad. Rather the question is how to organize and regulate both of these aspects of the economy to provide financial security and opportunity to all families and citizens. When a country gets both the social and market based aspects of its economy right, its families and its economy thrive. When it gets it wrong, its citizens and its economy suffer. Read the column in the Aitkin Independent Age "Tea Party suffers from mass myopia" by David Strand, Chair of the Aitkin County DFL.
Last Updated on Thursday, 06 May 2010 10:25
|
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by Congress represents an enormous step forward in reforming our nation’s failing health care system. While far from perfect, this bill will provide coverage to nearly thirty-two million uninsured Americans. The legislation stops insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions and dropping people when they get sick, while eliminating lifetime limits and restrictive annual coverage limits. 
Dinner - Riley Jacques Barn
Honored Guest Speaker to make an Announcement: 
