Marty Seifert was one of the 38 House Republicans to vote for the GAMC bill last week, but he has since vowed to uphold the Governor’s veto. Rep. Seifert is clearly showing that partisanship is more important than proving the 8,000 veterans who rely on GAMC with the care they need.
The Star Tribune reported that David Skulborstad, a military veteran who lost his job in 2004, relies on GAMC for more than his prescription drugs or doctors appointments.
"Having GAMC means I'm alive," he said. "I protected this country. In my moment of need, Gov. Pawlenty chose not to protect me."
Voting to upholding Gov. Pawlenty’s veto means that Rep. Seifert also chose not to protect veterans like Skulborstad. That’s why Alliance for a Better Minnesota will be running online ads to pressure him to stand by his original vote. We’re running 30,000 impressions on the Marshall Independent website alone, as well as on all the top websites visited in Rep. Seifert’s district throughout the weekend.
Clicking on these ads will allow Minnesotans to demand that Rep. Seifert honor his commitment to caring for the most vulnerable and veterans instead of putting partisanship ahead of Minnesota’s priorities.
We only need three Republicans to stand by their vote for the GAMC bill in order to override Gov. Pawlenty’s veto, so make sure you send Rep. Seifert a letter demanding he put veterans and the state’s most vulnerable ahead of partisan politics. Below are some of the ads you’ll be seeing if you live in Rep. Seifert’s district.
From Denise Cardinal, Executive Director here at Alliance for a Better Minnesota:
You'll love this.
A friend forwarded me a post written by radical right-wing blogger Mitch Berg about the Netroots Minnesota conference we organized last weekend. In it, he calls progressives "graying ex-hippies" and "perpetually outraged-looking women" who are "wandering the streets begging for cops to taze and teargas them."
He couldn't have been further from the truth. With the help of our allies in the progressive community, Alliance for a Better Minnesota brought together nearly 300 Minnesotans from across the stat to get trained, connect, and build on the tactics that will help progressives step up our organizing in 2010 and beyond.
Behind Berg's attempt to ridicule progressives, is his worried realization that what what started at Netroots Minnesota is just the beginning of ABM's efforts to strengthen the progressive community.
One thing is clear: we need to be prepared , and we can't afford to wait.
That's why I'm asking you to help make sure we're ready for 2010 and beyond by stepping up and making a contribution today:
We need a progressive voice in this state, and that's why we're here. You're contribution helps us provide issue and opinion research, develop winning messages, and give one-on-one technical assistance to progressive groups in their battles to build on progressive power.
Building a stronger progressive movement - and a better Minnesota - won't just happen on it's own. It's up to you to make it happen.
< Netroots Minnesota in Saint Paul Friday-Saturday
DFL Governor candidates, New Media Activists, Progressive Politics Take Center Stage at First Netroots Minnesota Conference
Saint Paul – More than 100 Minnesota-based netroots activists will be in Saint Paul Friday and Saturday for the first ever Netroots Minnesota conference. Modeled after, and partially hosted by Netroots Nation, the conference allows participants to learn about key issues, skills for advocacy and grassroots organizing and connect with other netroots activists.
As a regional gathering of Netroots Nation, Netroots Minnesota amplifies progressive voices by providing an online and in-person campus for exchanging ideas and learning how to be more effective in using technology to influence the public debate. Within that campus, we strengthen community, inspire action and serve as a incubator for progressive ideas that challenge the status quo and ultimately affect change in the public sphere.
Netroots Minnesota will also feature a DFL gubernatorial forum moderated by Minneapolis Star Tribune writer Lori Sturdevant. Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman will kick off the event and Congressman Tim Walz will brief participants on the latest from Washington, D.C.
Members of the media are allowed to attend the conference and the gubernatorial forum if they pre-register or bring their press credentials. For more information, contact Denise Cardinal of Alliance for a Better Minnesota at 612.269.9276.
WHAT: Netroots Minnesota WHERE:
Hilton Garden Inn City Center 411 Minnesota Street Saint Paul
WHEN: Friday, November 20 - Saturday, November 21
KEY EVENTS:
Friday, November 20
Welcoming Speech Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman 1:00 p.m.-1:30 p.m.
DFL Gubernatorial Forum 6-8 p.m.
Saturday November 21
Representative Tim Walz (MN-03) Congressional Briefing 12:30 p.m.
###
Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM) is a grassroots lobbying and online communications organization that works with progressive groups and working families on the issues that matter most to Minnesotans. You can find out more at www.allianceminnesota.org.
In two weeks, progressives from across Minnesota will gather in St. Paul for a day and a half of panels, trainings, networking opportunities and keynotes--all in an effort to strategize and organize around progressive change.
Netroots Minnesota will be the premier kickoff to the critical conversations progressives will be having as we approach 2010, and today, Denise Cardinal, ABM's Executive Director announced a forum for Netroots Minnesota attendees to start the conversation with the candidates running for governor.
The Minnesota 2010 gubernatorial race will be one of the most-watched in the nation.
What should the race be about? How can a progressive win? What role will the Netroots play in the campaign?
These vital questions will be answered by some of the gubernatorial candidates themselves at Netroots Minnesota.
On Friday evening, November 20, DFL candidates for governor will join us at Netroots Minnesota to take questions directly from you. Get all the details and register at:
During a discussion moderated by Star Tribune writer Lori Sturdevant, the candidates will be asked questions solicited online via Twitter (using the hashtag #nmn09gov), Facebook, email, and in person.
This forum, sponsored by Alliance for a Better Minnesota Action Fund, is going to be one of the most interactive and engaging forums for the candidates to date -- be sure toregister for Netroots Minnesota to get a front-row seat at this must-see-for-yourself political event.
The Washington Times (a.ka. Fox News in print) took notice and griped about our efforts to give regular folks a chance to engage more deeply on the topics that matter most to them:
Progressives have announced plans for a social-media offensive, geared to "our new reality", says Xavier Lopez-Ayala of the Alliance for a Better Minnesota. The progressive group is one of several across the country that are honing the Twittering, blogging, videography and advocacy prowess of grass-roots types to "further change" as 2010 approaches.
Uh-oh. There's that old "c" word, Mr. Obama's onetime mantra. Progressives are hot to Tweet, and they still recall the Web-based victories of Howard Dean well over 100 years ago. Wait. It was 2004. It only seems like a century ago.
Meanwhile, Mr. Lopez-Ayala calls the dicey art of social media "impact journalism." So, Republicans: Log in and get thee to thy Tweet board.
We've just started rolling out the agenda for Netroots Minnesota and I'm sure The Washington Times will be thrilled by the panels, training sessions, and issue discussions we have on tap, including:
New Organizing: A Better Model to Engage Volunteers and Truly Build a Movement
The last thing the right-wing wants is Netroots Minnesota to be as successful as Netroots Nation in helping progressive influence the public debate. But that's exactly what Netroots Minnesota is going to be. The conference agenda is designed to get progressives trained on the new tactics that will help us step up our current organizing.
Star Tribune columnist Jon Tevlin confirmed what the Dump Bachmann blog suspected a month ago: that the Harrison Bachmann who joined Teach for America is in fact Rep. Michele Bachmann’s son. In April, Bachmann went on the Sue Jeffers radio show to demonize the expansion of AmeriCorps (Teach for America is one of its programs):
"[It's] under the guise of quote, volunteerism, but it's not volunteers at all. It's paying people to do work on behalf of government. There are provisions for what I would call re-education camps for young people, where young people get trained in the philosophy the government puts forward and then they have to go work in these politically correct forums.
"As a parent, I would have a very, very difficult time seeing my children do this."
Well, the last application deadline was in February and successful candidates were notified within two months. So when Rep. Bachmann went on the air with her negative comments, she certainly would have known that Harrison had applied for Teach for America, if not that he had been accepted. It seems Bachmann has no choice but to see her child do this, as he obviously does not share her concerns.
This is just another example of Michele Bachmann’s nonsense. For more on that, watch the ABM ad below:
Ironically, this will mark the first year that Teach for America will be in Minnesota. According to WCCO, Minnesota has one of the highest achievement gaps in the country, which is why TFA will be expanding into the Twin Cities. Teach for America operates in 34 communities across the country. Although TFA would not disclose where Harrison Bachmann would be teaching, how delicious would it be if he were teaching right here in Minnesota? To learn more about Teach for America head over to their website.
Not only has Bachmann’s son joined the government’s brainwashing program, but TPMDC wonders whether she has an even greater disaster on her hands: the possibility that one of her children will now completely fill out the family’s Census form.
The staff of Alliance for a Better Minnesota is off at Netroots Nation for the next few days, learning from some of the best and brightest minds in the progressive movement about how to use technology to influence the public debate.
But we're also here to share some of the lessons and knowledge that Minnesota's progressive movement has to share.
Denise Cardinal, ABM's Executive Director, is on a panel on Saturday, August 13th at 3 p.m. on Cutting-edge Evidence-Based Practices. From the website:
Do GOTV text messages work? Can Internet banner ads persuade? Is it true that simple questions can double the impact of a GOTV call? Through randomized controlled experiments, we have answers. This panel will introduce attendees to the cutting-edge world of data-driven politics and evidence-based best practices. Hundreds of randomized controlled experiments were conducted during the 2008 election cycle by leading progressive organizations to determine what works and what doesn’t in voter contact. Learn the basics of how a randomized controlled experiment works and be a part of building the progressive toolkit.
I'm also on a panel today, Thursday, at 4:30 p.m. about "the myth of digital democracy" and how progressives can make sure that their online organizing strategies are reaching the right communities. From the website:
In his book “The Myth of Digital Democracy,” Matthew Hindman “debunks popular notions about political discourse in the digital age, revealing how the Internet has neither diminished the audience share of corporate media nor given greater voice to ordinary citizens.” This panel will use Hindman’s argument as a starting point, addressing the question of whether or not online political and social organizing is indeed reaching under-represented communities, such as young people in inner-cities and rural areas. Do online organizing sites work with and reach a diverse group of members, especially in terms of age, race, education level and economic background? Who is being left out of the conversation? Looking forward, what steps do we need to take to make sure these communities are incorporated into the discussion so they can be empowered both socially and politically?
If you're interested in joining in on some of the conversations happening here in Pittsburgh, check out the Netroots Nation website, where they'll be "doin' it live" and streaming panels throughout the weekend.
Denise Cardinal, Executive Director of Alliance for a Better Minnesota, released the following statement in reaction to the news of today's FEC ruling:
Now that the FEC has ruled on this matter, the people of Minnesota would like to know the truth about the FBI investigation and lawsuits concerning former Senator Coleman. We deserve to know if the allegations made in affidavits stating $100,000 was funneled by his friend and donor Nasser Kazeminy are true. Hundreds of Minnesotans submitted comments to the FEC on this matter, encouraged by ABM which filed complaints on the matter with the FEC, the FBI and the Senate Select Committee on Ethics.
Tomorrow at 2 p.m, the Seat Our Senator campaign will hold a brief press conference at the Minnesota State Capitol, before delivering a basket of Iowa corn ot Governor Tim Pawlenty with a simple message: "the Iowa caucuses can wait, Minnesota needs you now.
Tomorrow's press event is part of ongoing campaign by Alliance for a Better Minnesota, MN AFL-CIO, AFSCME Council 5, Working America, SEIU MN State Council, Americans United for Change and others urging Pawlenty to do his legal duty and certify the U.S. Senate election results should Al Franken be declared the winner by the Minnesota Supreme Court.
The press release from Americans United for Change is below:
The latest effort by the Seat Our Senator campaign follows a recent television ad from Americans United for Change called ‘The Choice’ which aired in the Twin Cities and Rochester media markets and a billboard purchased on the SE corner of 94 and Snelling Ave. in St. Paul that both ask Governor Pawlenty if he will act in the best interests of the people of Minnesota that urgently need full representation in the U.S. Senate – or his own national political ambitions.
WHO: Alliance for a Better MN Americans United for Change
WHAT: “Seat Our Senator” Campaign to Deliver Basket of Corn and Message to Governor Pawlenty: “Iowa Caucuses Can Wait, Minnesota Needs You Now” / Effort Part of Ongoing Campaign Urging Governor Pawlenty to Do His Legal Duty and Certify the U.S. Senate Election Results Should Al Franken Be Declared the Winner by the Minnesota Supreme Court
ABM/Grove Insight Poll: Election Certificate Issue Could Hurt Pawlenty
If Gov. Tim Pawlenty has his eye on 2012 or 2010, the ABM/Grove Insight Poll released today found that Pawlenty's refusal to sign an election certificate in the Senate could hurt him in his own state.
Although Pawlenty remains popular in the state (50% favorable, 29% unfavorable), his negative job approval ratings approach a majority (48%) and are six points higher than his positive job numbers (42%). In sharp contrast, President Obama is both better liked (64% favorable, 19% unfavorable), and receives positive approval ratings from a large majority of the electorate right now (58% positive, 32% negative).
A clear majority of voters (58%) believe that Pawlenty's failure to certify Franken after the Minnesota Supreme Court rules raises at least “somewhat serious doubts” about Tim Pawlenty. This number grows to 64% when voters are told that the governor is legally required to sign an election certificate. In fact, even four in 10 (40%) self-identified Republicans say they would have “serious doubts” with their Republican Governor should he fail to sign an election certificate after the Minnesota Supreme Court rules.
Alliance for a Better Minnesota to Say “Thank You Taxes” on Tax Appreciation Day Americans United for Change and US PIRG to Release Shocking Report Detailing Tax Havens Cost to Minnesota
St. Paul- Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM), a progressive online organizing and communication organization will announce the launch of its “Thank You Taxes” Campaign on Tax Appreciation Day. ABM will highlight that the essential services that even “tea party” protestors use and enjoy, do not grow on trees—our taxes pay for them.
Americans United for Change and the US Public Interest Research Group (USPIRG) will be releasing a shocking report detailing the exploitation of tax loopholes by financial institutions like Citigroup and Bank of America, and the cost to Minnesota’s tax payers.
Who: Alliance for a Better Minnesota, Americans United for Change, and US PIRG. What: “Thank You Taxes” Campaign launch and tax haven report release. When: Wednesday, April 15th at 12:00pm Where: State Capitol, Room 125.
Governor Tim Pawlenty's weekly radio show gives him a chance to tell a statewide audience why he'll never back an income tax hike for the wealthiest Minnesotans.
Friday's show was no different, except that his listeners heard the opposing message as well. Labor groups decided to target the very same listeners with the counter punch Friday, by buying air time on Pawlenty's "Good Morning Minnesota" show.
"We need the wealthy to pay their fair share," the announcer in the ad opined, "It's the only way we can invest in a better future."
That spot was sponsored by the Coalition of Working Families, a consortium of government employees unions and the AFL-CIO, which also launched TV ads and a www.maketaxesfair.org website at the same time.
"Cutting services hurts Minnesotans, hurts the fabric of our life in our communities," Diane O'Brien of Minnesota AFL-CIO told KARE, "And there is another way to address our budget crisis."
The coalition plans to call attention to threatened government services, as well as to how the state's tax load is distributed. The group cites the Minnesota Department of Revenue's most recent Tax Incidence Study, which shows when all tax bills are combined those in Minnesota's upper two income tiers pay lower effective tax rates than those in the middle.
"People who make a quarter of a million dollars a year pay a smaller percentage of their income for taxes than people who make $50,000 per year," O'Brien explained.
During the same radio show the Alliance for Better Minnesota, made up of other labor groups, ran a different ad also pushing for tax fairness.
"I don't don't have a radio show like he does," Tim Koester or Eagan says in the ad, "But I do have a question for him, why do I pay more than the richest Minnesotans in taxes?"
Norm Coleman has done another 180... this time, it's his position on the fairness of the recount process.
Jeff Rosenberg over at MNPublius caught this from Norm Coleman's appearance on the Rachel Maddow show:
I’m not saying, by the way, that this court was a partisan court. You had three trial court judges. They looked at the ballots in front of them. They made determinations about what they felt were legally cast ballots.
You'll remember, of course, that the Coleman campaign spent a lot of energy attempting to frame the recount as a partisan process, despite the Secretary of State taking every precaution to ensure a fair election under Minnesota law.
But Coleman's political future may depend on more than just the outcome of his appeals.
Norm Coleman insisted Thursday that he and his wife, Laurie, have done nothing wrong.
The former U.S. senator was talking about a Texas lawsuit’s claim that a campaign donor funneled the Colemans $75,000 disguised as a business transaction...
The FEC has also not made any public response to a complaint filed later in December by the Alliance for a Better Minnesota, which asked the commission to rule on what the Alliance called Coleman’s violation of federal election law. The alliance last year asked for investigations into the money-funneling claims by the Senate ethics committee and the FBI.
News last December that the FBI has launched a probe preceded Coleman’s announcement about the FEC request by a few days.
This week, the alliance’s executive director, Denise Cardinal, told MnIndy that she had received a flurry of calls from reporters in Washington, D.C., about the complaint, but she has no news from the FEC.
Interest in the Texas lawsuit, which was filed last October, was revived last week on news of sworn testimony by a second former executive from Deep Marine Techology Inc. B.J. Thomas claimed Kazeminy had demanded in 2007 that the company make a series of $25,000 payments to Hays Companies, a St. Paul insurance firm where Laurie Coleman works. Kazeminy, the executives claim, gave the order in the context of a comment that “United States senators don’t make shit.”
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