Category: State Issues

Secretary of State Simon target of anti-Semitic online post

So, if you thought we were overstating the brass the haters have now to come out of the swamp (probably not the same one the Republican presidential candidate says, but one covered in a deeper, darker brand of muck), the following article by Lorna Benson was posted on the mpr.org website November 1, 2016:

94d493-20150105-010515inauguration07Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon was the target of an anti-Semitic online post accusing him of plotting to steal the election from Donald Trump.

This comes at a time when anti-discrimination advocates have seen an increase in online hate speech aimed at politicians and journalists.

Simon said he stumbled upon the post on Craigslist late Monday night while scanning his news feed for election-related stories. The anonymous commenter referred to Simon with multiple disparaging terms, such as “Jew scum” and “Little Jew Fagot (sic),” and accused him of working to orchestrate a Democratic win for the state. Continue reading “Secretary of State Simon target of anti-Semitic online post”

Middle class incomes had their fastest growth on record last year

Democrats bad for the economy?  They’ll just tax and spend and that will hurt average people?  Not so much by the look of it:

The following article by Jim Tankersley was posted on the Washington Post website September 13, 2016:

16-09-13-wapo-middle-class-chart

The incomes of typical Americans rose in 2015 by 5.2  percent, the first significant boost to middle-class pay since the end of the Great Recession and the fastest increase ever recorded by the federal government, the Census Bureau reported on Tuesday morning.

In addition, the poverty rate fell by 1.2 percentage points, the steepest decline since 1968. There were 43.1 million Americans in poverty on the year, 3.5 million fewer than in 2014.

The share of Americans who lack health insurance continued a years-long decline, falling 1.3 percentage points, to 9.1 percent.

The numbers, from the government’s annual report on income, poverty and health insurance, suggest the recovery from recession is finally beginning to lift the fortunes of large swaths of American workers and families. Continue reading “Middle class incomes had their fastest growth on record last year”

Party of Trump Alive and Well in Minnesota

Minnesota Republicans following GOP nominee’s divisive lead

Osmek, DavidMinnesota Republicans continue to follow Donald Trump’s divisive lead by embracing his ignorant and detestable rhetoric.  In a week where the GOP presidential nominee is trying to pivot away from past offensive statements on race, immigration and religion, Minnesota Republicans are feeding off of the toxic culture he has created. 

This week, Republican State Senator David Osmek echoed the dystopian vision of the GOP standard bearer on an appearance on the AM 1130 Morning Show when talking about education:

“Boy, those schools are just doing a crack job aren’t they? Whoops, I shouldn’t use crack and schools and Minneapolis because frankly there’s probably a lot of it there.” [TCNT Morning Show, Monday 8/22/16] Continue reading “Party of Trump Alive and Well in Minnesota”

DFL Chair Ken Martin on Donald Trump’s Hold on Minnesota’s Republican Party

“On Thursday morning, Speaker Kurt Daudt said that Donald Trump is great for the Minnesota Republican Party. I am constantly astounded by the Party’s acceptance and support of a candidate whose campaign is built on bigotry and discrimination.

“On the heels of Trump’s racist comments about a federal judge, and the prejudicial statements made by Rep. Tony Cornish and candidate Ali Jimenez-Hopper, the Party’s embrace of this toxic rhetoric is a troubling trend that has no place in Minnesota.

“These tone-deaf statements minimize the very real issues that many Minnesotans face. It’s time for Speaker Daudt and Minnesota’s Republicans to stop blindly following Donald Trump’s divisive lead and prioritize the needs of Minnesotans they are running to represent.”

Longest period of private-sector growth in U.S. history

In the six months before President Obama took office the stock market lost half of its value, and through the Great Recession millions of Americans lost their jobs, homes and savings. Today’s jobs report showed that under President Obama, our unemployment is the lowest it’s been since 2007 and we have now had 75 straight months of private-sector job growth – the longest stretch on record. Clearly we still have more work ahead to expand opportunity for all Americans and ensure wages grow to meet the needs of hard-working families, but this is progress that the American people can be proud of.

America’s CEOs Saw Big Bumps in Pay, Even if Stocks Didn’t

The Associated Press released the following article posted on the NBC News website May 27, 2016:

Income Inequality Cant Do ItCEOs at the biggest companies got a 4.5 percent pay raise last year. That’s almost double the typical American worker’s, and a lot more than investors earned from owning their stocks — a big fat zero.

The typical chief executive in the Standard & Poor’s 500 index made $10.8 million, including bonuses, stock awards and other compensation, according to a study by executive data firm Equilar for The Associated Press. That’s up from the median of $10.3 million the same group of CEOs made a year earlier. Continue reading “America’s CEOs Saw Big Bumps in Pay, Even if Stocks Didn’t”