Minnesota

DFL Women's Hall of Fame Luncheon
May 31, 2008
11:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m
St Paul Hotel
St Paul

Event info: Al Franken will be attending this event celebrating this year's honorees into the DFL Women's Hall of Fame. For more information, email womenshalloffame_at_yahoo.com

Dan & Ronnie Burton Dinner
May 16, 2008
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Mankato Alltel Civic Center
Mankato

Event info: Al and Franni Franken will be attending this fundraiser supporting the SD 23 DFL. For more information, contact Judi Gauch at 507-625-3395 or jgauch_at_charter.net.

Women Winning Annual Luncheon
May 14, 2008
11:00 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
Milwaukee Depot
Minneapolis

Event info: Franni and Thomasin Franken will be attending this event supporting Minnesota Women's Campaign Fund. Keynote Speaker: Katty Kay. For more information, email info_at_mnwcf.org.

(cross-posted at Liza's suggestion, from Cocking a Snook!)

Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.

—Voltaire

Whether or not you ever watched his game show, if you're a Thinking Parent you probably know that the anti-science, anti-human sophistry of Ben Stein is now a movie called "Expelled", on its tightly controlled private propaganda tour prior to its actual "public" opening in the US April 18. [THAT'S DAY AFTER TOMORROW, folks!] My Sunshine State's whole [bible-thumpin'] legislature was invited [to the sneaky preview] but not reporters.

Protecting Our Children" NICWA Conference

Event: Protecting Our Children - NICWA Conference
Date: April 20-23, 2008
Time: See the event brochure below for conference schedule.
Location: Sheraton Bloomington Hotel
7800 Normandale Blvd.
Bloomington, MN 55439

Details: Celebrating 30 Years of the Indian Child Welfare Act: Keeping the Promise

Contact Info: For more information contact (503) 222-4044 or visit www.nicwa.org/conference/

Details: Event Brochure (PDF Document)

Protecting Our Children National American Indian Conference on Child Abuse Neglect

Type of Event: Conference
Hosted By: NICWA
Event Dates: 4/20/2008 - 4/23/2008
Event Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Isla Dane
Contact Phone:503-222-4044
Website: http://www.nicwa.org/conference/

Course Description:This year’s conference will focus on the future of Indian child welfare and how each of us—tribal leaders, ICW workers, and other stakeholders—share the important responsibility in continuing this work. Workshops and presentations will feature innovative strategies to effectively meet the needs of our children and families through strong, collaborative partnerships.

How to Register: http://www.nicwa.org/conference/

Tribal-State Comparative Law

Type of Event: Training
Hosted By: Tribal Judicial Institute
Event Dates: 5/1/2008 - 5/1/2008
Event Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact: Melissa Johnson
Email: mjohnson@law.und.edu
Contact Phone:701-777-6306
Contact Fax:701-777-0178
Website: http://www.law.und.edu/npilc/judicial

Course Description:Many Tribal Justice Systems can benefit from the examination of how States resolve disputes. Tribal-State forums are important tools to achieve this result. The partners are actively involved in such forums in the Dakotas, Minnesota and New York and will bring these experiences to bear in this one session.

How to Register: Visit the Tribal Judicial Institute website to download a registration form at: http://www.law.und.edu/npilc/judicial/downloads.php

Howard Dean put it this way: "You have the power!"

His brother, Jim Dean, now head of Democracy for America, put it this way: "We have to take ownership of the process."

Since the highly flawed 2000 election, progressives have slowly, ever so slowly been waking up to the need for taking ownership of the political process. At first, in all honesty, we were pretty lame at it at first. As recently as 2005 I saw the progressive grassroots, at least in NYC, largely unable to get its act together in any effective way. But by 2006 we started to see real results from what began in 2000.

The extreme right wing of the Republican Party took some 30 years to take nearly complete control of our political system. They did it by patiently and doggedly focusing on every elected position, no matter how low, in every state. They did it by repeating their agenda, their talking points over and over until people started absorbing it without even realizing it. They did it by taking over the media, station by station, newspaper by newspaper. They did it by focusing on LOCAL politics.

Progressives had lost that connection with local politics. But they have been rediscovering it. And that has led to a wave of new organizations that are revitalizing grassroots politics and reconnecting Democrats with their local community, a connection that should never have been lost.

Democracy for America, Wellstone Action, Blue Tiger Democrats, and Progressive Majority are, each in their own way, probably the most effective of these new organizations. Each has its own focus, its own strategy, and collectively they are making a real impact.

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6th is election day. Continuing my push to get out the progressive grassroots for the 2007 election on TUESDAY NOVEMBER 6th, I now turn to Minnesota. This one is for Paul Welstone!

These are the endorsements of Progressive Majority in Minnesota:

Melvin Carter III, Candidate for St. Paul City Council - Ward 1 (Challenger)

Melvin Carter is a 28 year old, African American, first time candidate for Saint Paul City Council. Melvin is a lifetime resident of Saint Paul with a background in community and electoral organizing; most recently he worked on the Policy Outreach Team in the office of Saint Paul Mayor Chris Coleman. Melvin is running against a Chamber of Commerce-endorsed and one-term incumbent, Debbie Montgomery. Melvin's election would contribute to shifting the St. Paul City Council from a moderate Council to a progressive Council. Melvin has already secured the endorsements of AFSCME Council 5, Take Action Minnesota, ACORN PAC, and St. Paul Firefighters IAFF Local 21, St. Paul Trades & Labor Assembly, Congressman Keith Ellison, Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Laborers Local 132, SEIU Minnesota State Council, Stonewall DFL, and six of the 12 DFL legislators in Saint Paul. Melvin is a dynamic leader with potential to make a difference in St. Paul.

Click here to support and learn more about Melvin.

Originally posted on Maria Energia (http://mariaenergia.blogspot.com) on September 10, 2007

Comedian, satirist, and former talk show host Al Franken is running for U.S. Senate in Minnesota on the DFL ticket (in MN, the Democratic Party is called the "DFL").

Last month, Franken made an appearance at the Crow Wing County/Morrison County DFL summer picnic. I grew up in Morrison County, so I attended and was impressed with the (relatively) huge turnout. I met Al, but more importantly he took the time to answer some questions I sent him via email about renewable energy and Minnesota’s role in the clean tech revolution.

Maria Energia: What specific renewable energy legislation do you want to see implemented at the federal level?

Al Franken: On a macro level, I'd like to implement a national cap and trade for carbon dioxide. This would make the cleanest renewables cheaper than fossil fuels and reward sequestration of CO2 in the form of planting acreage.

I'd like to see more federal investment in pilot projects for renewables. Representative Collin Peterson has put in several pilot projects for cellulosic ethanol that would be conducted here in Minnesota.

When I have said I want an Apollo Program for renewable energy, I'm talking about making these kinds of investments in renewables, including things like tidal and wave power. The United States has to go back to investing in research and development. This means identifying promising technologies and investing in them.