Excellent schools, affordable housing and livable wages are great buzzwords
when it comes to votes; however championing these issues at the legislature
for oft already spoken-for dollars is a horse of a different hue.
JBurns
Cleveland
>From: "Michael Hohmann" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: "Martha Easton" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Subject: RE: [Mpls] More on Progressive Minnesota
>Date: Thu, 8 Feb 2001 20:21:17 -0600
>
>"Dedicated to electing progressive candidates... advancing a progressive
>agenda... a commitment to following a fusion, or cross-nomination,
>approach... and we continue to expand our vision (and effectiveness)! "
>
>Sorry, I'm still lost folks... too much mumbo jumbo for me.
>
>What exactly is the 12 point agenda of PM as referenced below? Are there
>specific positions or policy statements associated with livable wages,
>excellent public schools or affordable housing, for example? Are there
>objective criteria established as part of the overall screening process? I
>guess I'd like to hear more about the PM Metro Agenda described below (but
>please, no more mumbo jumbo). Thanks in advance.
>
>Michael Hohmann
>13th Ward
>
> > -----Original Message-In Part-----
> > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of
> > Martha Easton
> > Sent: Thursday, February 08, 2001 7:46 PM
> > To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> > Subject: [Mpls] More on Progressive Minnesota
> >
>snip
> >
> > ...we are
> > an organization dedicated to electing progressive candidates to
> > metro-area
> > offices. Candidates who we have endorsed in the past and with
> > whom we work
> > include: Jim Niland, Julie Sabo, Scott Dibble, Dore Mead, Gail
> > Dorfman, and
> > many others. We also are committed to advancing a progressive
> > agenda through
> > referenda and ballot initiatives. We were the organizers behind
> > the 1995 Living
> > Wage referendum in St. Paul, both the metro-area referenda against
>public
> > financing of stadiums, and we were the lead organizers of the
> > recent St. Paul
> > school funding referendum. In addition to campaign organizing,
> > we work in many
> > other ways to push progressive issues. We have coalition
> > partnerships with 4
> > unions. Our almost 3000 members have interests in issues which
> > affect our
> > lives, and, through open membership meetings, have created a 12
> > point Metro
> > Agenda. This agenda focuses on issues like livable wages,
> > excellent public
> > schools, and affordable housing. Progressive Minnesota was
> > founded as The New
> > Party, and has at its core a commitment--in campaigns--to
> > following a fusion, or
> > cross-nomination, approach. WE WANT PROGRESSIVE CANDIDATES TO
> > WIN. We have had
> > a lot of successes in the past 7 years, and we continue to expand
> > our vision
> > (and effectiveness)!
> >
> > Our endorsement process is open to every PM member. Last
> > Saturday, there were
> > more than 40 who participated. Earlier, at an open membership
> > meeting, we
> > decided to focus--at this stage--in Minneapolis Wards 9, 10, 11,
> > and 12. All
> > known candidates in those wards were invited to screen.
> > Candidates were asked
> > to fill out an extensive questionnaire, which asked specifically
> > about issues
> > from our Metro Agenda. PM members who participated in the
> > endorsement meeting
> > had copies of the questionnaires. Candidates who screened were
> > asked to give an
> > opening statement, and then were asked a standard six questions
> > by members.
> > Then we had a brief open question period, where members as
> > individuals could ask
> > their own questions. When we evaluated each candidate, we
> > discussed strengths
> > and weaknesses in terms of electability and issues. The discussion was
> > organized to be fairly straightforward.
>snip
> >
> > I do not think it is accurate to suggest that there was any one
> > issue that sank
> > any particular candidate in the 10th Ward endorsement discussion.
> > The general
> > sense of the PM members present is that all three candidates
> > could potentially
> > be very strong, but that the group could not coalesce around any
> > one candidate
> > at this time. Just as we were a group of progressives who were having a
> > difficult time deciding on a candidate at this point, voters in
> > Ward 10 must
> > also be having a difficult time finding decision criteria. And a
> > PM early
> > endorsement in the race wouldn�t accomplish our overall goal for early
> > endorsements. This is my sense as to why we declined to endorse
> > in Ward 10 at
> > this time.
> >
> > The original posting on this list asked PM members who were
> > present at the
> > screenings to share their individual responses. While I hope
> > more people will
> > share their impressions of the day, I do not think that any one person�s
> > impressions should be taken as a summary of the hows and whys of
> > any particular
> > decision. We were all there as members of Progressive Minnesota,
> > and we were
> > there as individuals with different goals, emphases and issues of
> > importance.
> > Some difficult decisions were made, and made well, I think.
> >
> > I was extremely impressed by the level of discussion about every
> > candidate, and
> > the overall degree of commitment on the part of the PM members
> > who participated
> > in the endorsement process. For the most part, people found very
> > fair ways to
> > express strong ideas and concerns, excellent questions were
> > asked, and decisions
> > were made on very reasonable grounds. As committed progressives
> > and as members
> > of an effective and growing progressive organization, I think we
> > did a great job
> > last Saturday. More important, I think our work--which is really just
> > beginning--is going to help elect great progressive candidates to the
> > Minneapolis City Council!
> >
> > If you have questions about the endorsement process, about our
> > Metro Agenda, or
> > about the work of Progressive Minnesota in general, you should
> > call the PM
> > office at: 651-641-6199.
> >
> > Martha Easton
> > Northeast Minneapolis
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Minneapolis Issues Forum - Minnesota E-Democracy
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>
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