Thank you Jordan for this thoughtful, caring and reflective post.
I was amazed and awed at the day of voting. I was an election judge in
the 2nd Ward. We served two percents in Downtown Minneapolis that
personified the fascinating discussion that is occurring in our city
today. One group of citizens live in public housing on the fringe of
Downtown near Eliot Park and the other group lives in the newly
sprouting urban condominiums near the Mill Ruins at the end of the
Stonearch Bridge.
While they did not mirror the rest of the Ward or the City in their
voting habits, they were equally deserving of the type of comments
Jordan makes below about the candidates.
If I had to pick two pivotal races that will decide the future of
Minneapolis politics for years to come, I would say it is the two that
Jordan spends the most time writing about. In one race, in the Second
Ward the tenor and direction of the City Council will tip between the
old school Democrat Farmer Labor thinking of the Naftelin, Fraser, Sabo
wing of the party who grew up at the feet of Hubert Humphrey, Walter
Mondale, Orville Freeman, and -- in some degree --Rudy Perpich and, the
vibrancy of the Principle based Green Party. (I make the distinction
between the StarTribune's characterization of the Green Part as
Environmentally based in today's paper. Had the reporter been following
the party in this or any other forum or he would have known that the he
was just proliferating a stereotype to characterize the party thus.)
The second race, for the soul of Minneapolis, voters will chose between
the DFL endorsed Dean Kallenbach and the Green Party's Dean Zimmerman.
The races in these two wards more than any other, will tell a
fascinating story about Minneapolis' history so hold on to your campaign buttons!
Here's to a great seven weeks of campaigning!
Erik Riese
Seward 9-1
Treasurer, Neighbors for Gary Schiff
Supporter, Cam Gordon, Dean Zimmerman, and R.T. Rybak
"Jordan S. Kushner" wrote:
>
> I was personally very impressed and gratified by the recent elections. The
> last time that I was actually motivated to hit the pavement for an electoral
> candidate was Paul Wellstone in 1990. On Monday night, I had a difficult
> time deciding among several city council candidates and a mayoral candidates
> to drop literature for (i decided on Cam Gordon).
>
> The key factor in getting more variety and more responsive candidates are
> the current incumbents losing touch and the new competition from the Green
> Party which has produced new candidates and provided a new base for many
> non-Green candidates to appeal to.
>
> After following the local races very closely for the past 10 months, I have
> been extremely impressed with the dedicaton and sincerity of many candidates
> and their volunteers who spent so much time addressing community issues,
> regardless of how much I agreed with them. I can think of many who deserve
> recognition.
>
> 6th Ward -
> Shada Hammond had a real good grassroots campaign and showed herself to be
> the product of community activism. If I had not committed to supporting
> Dean Z before I heard of Shada, it would have been a tough decision whom to
> support.
>
> John Palmer showed real impressive knowledge and thoughtfulness about
> issues. After serving on the Stevens Sqaure Community Organization board a
> few years ago and not getting along with him at all, I was really pleasantly
> surprised by his increased open-mindedness and willingness to listen, and
> overall personal growth.
>
<snip>
>
> Dean Z has an unbelievable emotional commitment to social justice issues and
> connection to the community that will enable him to win the election
>
<snip>
>
> 5th Ward - Natalie Johnson Lee is showing great courage in challenging the
> most powerful and true machine politician that so many people fear. Here's
> for a David over Goliath vicotry.
>
> 2nd Ward - I have been caught up in Cam's campaign so I am obviously biased.
> I did not imagine spending so much political activism time for such a nice
> guy. It can grow on even an argumentative person.
<snip>
> Other wards - many of the candidates in the other wards also deserve all
> sorts of appreciation for their efforts. I am sure others who followed them
> more closely can provide specifics.
>
> Mayor's race -
>
> I think that Lisa McDonald deserved better. <SNIP>
>
> Tim Conolly really had a lot of good ideas . . . <snip> . . .(tuning to)
> his [MPR] interview just after they announced his name. I thought to myself, "who is
> that intelligent, informed and thoughful person."
>
> RT seems to have great talent for listening to people . . . <snip>
>
> On the whole, my watching of so many dedicating people spend so much free
> time and effort hashing out often non-glamorous issues but important
> problems, has made me less cynical about politics.
>
> Jordan Kushner
> Powderhorn, Ward 8
--
In cooperation,
Erik Riese
Decisive Moment - Decision making services.
Seward, USA:
a great place to live, work, learn, and play!
(some pretty good restaurants too)
(612) 242-8528
(612) 724-3217
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