You should not be surprised that I praise Dean Zimmerman for doing a good job. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I would be equally comfortable lambasting him if he pulled a bone head political ploy. Which I have been doing about his stance on the CVI concentration of supportive housing and the pattern of discrimination against poor neighborhoods and handicapped people. Dean, we are hoping, will participate in planning a better alternative before the Federal Courts slap Minneapolis with a Holman type of decree. Such a decree would cost Minneapolis several million dollars that could be better utilized in the creation of affordable housing, not discriminatory housing.
Dean, however, has been more active on my community's behalf than any Democratic Councilperson in my memory. Dean has not only lead the effort for separate status for Ventura Village, the Carriage House Rezoning, and Franklin Avenue crime and safety issues, he has also on a personal level tried to find emergency housing for a family in distress. Dean attends every Ventura Village meeting and participates as a neighbor and friend, not as "the Councilman". I have been just as complimentary of Robert Lillegren and Gary Shiff about their efforts to help us, (and just as mad about their wrong headed support of CVI and the past pattern of discrimination). Before Dean, Paul Ostrow was considered our Councilperson because he represented our interests more than our own Councilman. Before the last election, I and the professional consultants working with me tried to give Sharon Sales Belton the same housing programs and issues that we provided for RT Rybak. RT used this material to craft his campaign, but Sharon ignored them, as I new she would. I am a democrat who is deeply offended that Paul Wellstone lied to us about term limits, and his commitment about quitting after two terms. I voted for the man on that basis even though he was shaky on foreign policy and possibly concern for Vets. I was wrong, he has been better than any of the saber rattling, chest pounding Republicans on Veteran Issues. But he still lied to me about the number of terms, and I will not forget the betrayal. If he would lie about that, what can I trust him on. If he was so concerned about a Republican Majority, Wellstone should have been getting a new Democrat ready to take his place, or grooming David Lillehaug for the post. There are several democrats who could have been so groomed, many with better credentials than Paul had when he first ran. Instead many of us are left with a almost untenable choice, our conscious or our political affiliation. While I may be a Democrat philosophically, I am pragmatist by philosophy also. I like the model that runs best and gives me the best mileage, I don't care what the brand name is. A whole generation of those skeptics are just about to emerge it seems. When I talk with young people I find the most refreshing mix of social liberalism and fiscal conservatism. Maybe we need a return of the good old Democratic Republican Party of Jefferson. Conservation of money and resources combined with a social consciousness, now that should scare hell out of both the Democrats and the Republicans. Jim Graham, Ventura Village, Phillips Community, and the worlds ----- Original Message ----- From: Constance Nompelis <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Erik Riese <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, June 06, 2002 11:30 AM Subject: [Mpls] Changing City Politics > > Erik wrote: "I'd also like to know what Republicans > like Connie N. think about the shift in city > politics." > > Well I must insert the disclaimer that I am 24 years > old, and as such have not witnessed all of the changes > first-hand, but I'll give you my take based upon what > I know. > > First of all, one of the first tidbits I gleaned from > the study of Political Science is that concentration > of power is almost always a bad thing. It doesn't > matter what person, party or other entity is the > holder of such power. The likely outcome will be an > effort by those holding the chips to preserve the > status quo which benefits them. I dare say that if > Republicans or Greens had held this city as long as > the DFL, we'd have similar issues to those we face > today. > > So there is conclusion number one. Not difficult to > recognize, I'd say. The interesting thing NOW seems > to be that the "frustration gap" amongst the non-DFL > has grown so large that new and interesting reactions > are beginning to take place. First, we have the > (relatively) recent emergence of third parties in MN > who are gaining a degree of support that I would > certainly not have predicted even six years ago. > (When I first got involved in local politics.) > Second, we have a surprising tendency toward > coalition-building, across organizations, and some > folks desire the same across political parties as > well. > > For example, Erik said: > > "I'm the guy who tried to get Cam Gordon to seek cross > endorsement by the Republicans in a State > House race here in Seward just to give the Greens and > the Republicans a representative from the inner city > in the House." > > This is indeed fascinating to me, as I have personally > been approached by three different urban GOP > candidates about my thoughts on similar coalition > efforts with the Greens. Needless to say, this type > of fusion would likely generate huge opposition among > the true-believers in both parties, but perhaps time > will change that. The biggest problem is obviously > the fact that these parties' platforms are > diametrically opposed. On the other hand, the > question now seems to be: "Who cares about our > differences on say, abortion, if the conversation is > regarding stadium funding - and we AGREE about that?" > > > Focusing more specifically now on Republicans, I would > argue that recent years have seen a change in the > relationship between urban and suburban GOP. The > bottom line here is that cities are different from > suburban/rural areas. We all know that. The problem > is that location, issues, and even personalities get > stereotyped, and feed into political divisions. I'll > use myself as an example: I'm a college student, an > artist, an environmentalist, an organic-gardening > buff. I love the city, and I'm married to a > "foreigner." If I had a nickel for every person who, > knowing all or part of that information, expressed > SHOCK upon learning my political affiliation, I'd be > rich. > > So the point of the above is that it's been very easy > for city Republicans to get written off, both by > liberal city-dwellers and by the non-urban Republican > establishment. That is now beginning to change, > thanks in large part to the work of such individuals > as Lee Ecklund, Bob Olson (not the Police Chief) and > Carl Crawford, all previous or current members of the > Minneapolis Republican Committee. There are two very > important things that these folks and others have made > headway on: first, convincing the "State Party" that > Minneapolis issues ARE relevant and that we will not > be dismissed as unsalvageable "communist territory" > anymore, and second, working with activists and > elected officials of other affiliations on certain > issues about which we desire the same outcome. > > Erik referred with surprise to Jim Graham's (a > conservative Democrat) supportive statements about > Dean Zimmerman (a Green.) This is an example of what > I suggested is a movement toward coalition-building, > or issue-agreement, which is fuelled by the > concentration of power among the DFL. I am also a big > supporter of Dean Zimmerman. (In general, that is to > say. There are certainly many things about which we > would disagree vehemently... but the catch is that > those issues don't come up with the same frequency as > the things about which we agree.) > > So that's my summary for the moment, and I would just > add that I too will support Jonathan Palmer in the > general election, especially without that heavy > "DFL-approved" chain hanging around his neck. > > Connie Nompelis > Deputy Chair, Minneapolis Republican Committee (MRC) > Ward 6 - Ventura Village > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup > http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls > _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
