Re: [Mpls] 3rd Ward Elections - The State DFL Weighs-In

2003-02-02 Thread Eric Mitchell

--- Dennis Plante [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

I am simply amazed.  I received what appears to be a
sample ballot (at least the wording appears on it)
in my mail yesterday.  In review of the literature
piece (front side the endorsed candidate, backside
Martin Sabo) I learned that the piece had been
generated and paid for by the STATE DFL COMMITTEE. 
Can anyone find precedent of this EVER having been
done for a DFL candidate in a city council election?? 
Anyone? Who (within the state dfl) would be in a
position to make such a decision? If I am not
mistaken, Eric Mitchell stated on the 3rd party issues
list that the state dfl would NOT be lending resources
in this election.  I guess I should have asked for
clarification.  

Eric reminds Dennis:
Dennis, I think Tim and Brian clarified that for you. 



Dennis goes on to try and be helpful by stating:
It would seem to me that a better use (by the state 
dfl) of the monies expended in generating and mailing
the lit piece might have been to do community
outreach in disenfranchised areas JUST LIKE North
Minneapolis, in an effort to build a stronger base for
their party.  Afterall, isn't this the stated #1
priority of the city dfl for the year 2003?

Eric informs Dennis:
Now Dennis, it was only last Tuesday when I wrote of
the state DFL efforts last year to inform and
encourage northsiders on how to get involved with the
decision making process of the party. I'll repost it
below for you. Aside from what you've already been
informed of, the state DFL also partnered up with
several northside community organizations and long
time community leaders to work on various voter
information and voter turnout campaigns. The state DFL
also provided financial assistance to organizations
where the activities were more of a non-partisan
nature. The DFL is present weekly on the Northside, be
it in community meetings, conferences or attending the
Policy Forum. The state DFL Party AND its candidates
put both money and time into the community in 2002 at
a greater rate than ever before. The DFL is working
daily to politically empower communities of color and
disenfranchised voters across the state. 

Very early numbers showed that Minnesota communities
of color led the nation on the rate of turnout in
2002. At the time I read that report it looked as
though only Florida would come close.

What are the other political parties doing?
Don't tell me they are supporting Don. That's good,
he's good candidate and by the way, a DFLer. They
needn't pat themselves on the back. What are they
doing that's ongoing and for the long term? Before
this election, after this election? What are you doing
before and after to help the northside voters get more
involved in the political process?

If you got more detail and accurate suggestions on how
the DFL can be better involved, email me offline. 

Below is an excerpt from my January 28th repost, maybe
it will jog your memory. It was answering a question
on the process seeming to be one of segregation or
exclusive because there was a low number of persons of
color as delegates to the 3rd Ward endorsement
convention. There was a underlying suggestion that
maybe the DFL had something to do with it. I just go
on to explain that it's simply not the case and the
Party efforts were in the exact opposite direction-
the party is trying to get more people involved.

January 28 repost:
The delegates are the delegates who were
delegates to the previous Senate District Convention.
In other words, if you walked in to your precinct
caucuses last year, you were more than likely a
delegate to your Senate District Convention. You can't
get more grassroots and open than that. There is no
proof of being a DFLer needed, no litmus test or
previous attendance required. Just show up -
literally. 

Moving up to the 2002 precinct caucuses, I printed up
brocures and booklets on the DFL caucus system, in
both english and spanish. They were distributed at
some neighborhood community meetings in Mpls and St
Paul. Phone calls into the Near Northside were made as
well as public service announcements on community
radio. I also met one on one with community leaders
from different groups of people of color. Matthea
Little Smith (DFL Affirmative Action Officer at that
time) even held workshops at the Urban League and
Sabathini Community Center (I believe). 

We at the state DFL really tried to get everyone
involved in the last round, by making more people
aware that the political process begins at the
precinct caucus, not just voting in the primary (I
would like to see more turning out for that as well).
I encouraged people of color to be more involved in
the decision making process, not just wait for the
decision to be made by others. Can we at the state DFL
do more? Sure, I'm open for more suggestions, but
understand this clearly, that there is no contrived
effort to segregate and disenfranchise, that's
irresponsible of you to throw out there without
reviewing the efforts of the Party 

Re: [Mpls] 3rd Ward Elections - The State DFL Weighs-In

2003-02-02 Thread dain lyngstad
The dfl has supported big business as well as unions
that show now respect to the populis they pretend to
support. You folks use any info or advantage to keep
large companies in work and damn to the poor folk who
have to pay and believe in them. We need support from
folks who will back the pop[ulis and give them the
truth. Dain Lyngstad phillips and edina--- Eric
Mitchell [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 
 --- Dennis Plante [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 
 I am simply amazed.  I received what appears to be a
 sample ballot (at least the wording appears on it)
 in my mail yesterday.  In review of the literature
 piece (front side the endorsed candidate, backside
 Martin Sabo) I learned that the piece had been
 generated and paid for by the STATE DFL COMMITTEE. 
 Can anyone find precedent of this EVER having been
 done for a DFL candidate in a city council
 election?? 
 Anyone? Who (within the state dfl) would be in a
 position to make such a decision? If I am not
 mistaken, Eric Mitchell stated on the 3rd party
 issues
 list that the state dfl would NOT be lending
 resources
 in this election.  I guess I should have asked for
 clarification.  
 
 Eric reminds Dennis:
 Dennis, I think Tim and Brian clarified that for
 you. 
 
 
 
 Dennis goes on to try and be helpful by stating:
 It would seem to me that a better use (by the state
 
 dfl) of the monies expended in generating and
 mailing
 the lit piece might have been to do community
 outreach in disenfranchised areas JUST LIKE North
 Minneapolis, in an effort to build a stronger base
 for
 their party.  Afterall, isn't this the stated #1
 priority of the city dfl for the year 2003?
 
 Eric informs Dennis:
 Now Dennis, it was only last Tuesday when I wrote of
 the state DFL efforts last year to inform and
 encourage northsiders on how to get involved with
 the
 decision making process of the party. I'll repost it
 below for you. Aside from what you've already been
 informed of, the state DFL also partnered up with
 several northside community organizations and long
 time community leaders to work on various voter
 information and voter turnout campaigns. The state
 DFL
 also provided financial assistance to organizations
 where the activities were more of a non-partisan
 nature. The DFL is present weekly on the Northside,
 be
 it in community meetings, conferences or attending
 the
 Policy Forum. The state DFL Party AND its candidates
 put both money and time into the community in 2002
 at
 a greater rate than ever before. The DFL is working
 daily to politically empower communities of color
 and
 disenfranchised voters across the state. 
 
 Very early numbers showed that Minnesota communities
 of color led the nation on the rate of turnout in
 2002. At the time I read that report it looked as
 though only Florida would come close.
 
 What are the other political parties doing?
 Don't tell me they are supporting Don. That's good,
 he's good candidate and by the way, a DFLer. They
 needn't pat themselves on the back. What are they
 doing that's ongoing and for the long term? Before
 this election, after this election? What are you
 doing
 before and after to help the northside voters get
 more
 involved in the political process?
 
 If you got more detail and accurate suggestions on
 how
 the DFL can be better involved, email me offline. 
 
 Below is an excerpt from my January 28th repost,
 maybe
 it will jog your memory. It was answering a question
 on the process seeming to be one of segregation or
 exclusive because there was a low number of persons
 of
 color as delegates to the 3rd Ward endorsement
 convention. There was a underlying suggestion that
 maybe the DFL had something to do with it. I just go
 on to explain that it's simply not the case and the
 Party efforts were in the exact opposite direction-
 the party is trying to get more people involved.
 
 January 28 repost:
 The delegates are the delegates who were
 delegates to the previous Senate District
 Convention.
 In other words, if you walked in to your precinct
 caucuses last year, you were more than likely a
 delegate to your Senate District Convention. You
 can't
 get more grassroots and open than that. There is no
 proof of being a DFLer needed, no litmus test or
 previous attendance required. Just show up -
 literally. 
 
 Moving up to the 2002 precinct caucuses, I printed
 up
 brocures and booklets on the DFL caucus system, in
 both english and spanish. They were distributed at
 some neighborhood community meetings in Mpls and St
 Paul. Phone calls into the Near Northside were made
 as
 well as public service announcements on community
 radio. I also met one on one with community leaders
 from different groups of people of color. Matthea
 Little Smith (DFL Affirmative Action Officer at that
 time) even held workshops at the Urban League and
 Sabathini Community Center (I believe). 
 
 We at the state DFL really tried to get everyone
 involved in the last round, by making more people
 aware that the 

[Mpls] 3rd Ward Elections - The State DFL Weighs-In

2003-02-01 Thread Dennis Plante

I am simply amazed. I received what appears to be a "sample ballot" (at least the wording appears on it) in my mail yesterday. In review of the literature piece (front side the"endorsed candidate", backside Martin Sabo) I learned that the piece had been generated and paid for by the STATE DFL COMMITTEE. Can anyone find precedent of thisEVER having been done for aDFL candidate in a city council election?? Anyone?Who (within the state dfl) would be in a position to make such a decision?
About a half-hour later, I received a phone call from an individual representingendorsed candidate. It was very apparent in talking with the individual thatthey were not at all familiar with the issues of the 3rd ward. In checking later in the evening, I was told by a reliable source that the phone calls were actually being made from a phone bank in St Cloud.
If I am not mistaken, Eric Mitchell stated on the 3rd party issues list that the state dfl would NOT be lending resources in this election. I guess I should have asked for clarification. Also if I am not mistaken, it was very clearly explained by the city dfl chair that if the endorsed candidate did NOT win the election, it would NOT be considered an unmitigated disaster, as both of the candidates running were "from" the dfl party. If this were the case, wouldn't one think that the state dfl would allow the election to run its course? 
It would seem to me that a better use (by the state dfl) of the monies expended in generating and mailing the "lit piece" might have been to do community outreach in disenfranchised areas JUST LIKE North Minneapolis, in an effort to build a stronger base for their party. Afterall, isn't this the stated #1 priority of the city dfl for the year 2003?
Dennis Plante
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