Minnesota Senate District 35 DFL

To the surprise of nearly everyone attending the Senate District 35 DFL Convention at Prior Lake High School, Sarah Palin made a special appearance to present the keynote address. Palin described her personal journey from high school homecoming queen to vice presidential candidate as the “the stuff dreams are made of”. Palin laughed off comments that her dream was more of a nightmare. All convention delegates were provided a copy of her book “Going Rogue” with autographs provided to those who said the secret passwords: I also go to tea parties. Governor Palin invited attendees to join her when she returns to Minnesota for a Michelle Bachmann fundraiser saying “Bring them big Democrat checkbooks with you.” Conjecture was rampant as Sarah Palin departed that we may be seeing a Palin Bachmann ticket announced for 2012.

March 3rd, 2010 | Category: Activities, Humor | Comments (2)

The SD35 DFL Convention Twenty Ten elected officers, directors, state central committee members, and precinct officers to serve for two year terms. The first meeting will be held on Thursday March 11 at 7:00Pm. The kick off meeting will be held in downtown Shakopee at Turtles 321 1st Avenue East. The business portion of the meeting is expected to be short with the program portion focusing on team building and socializing. DFL State Director Andy O’Leary, DFL Associate Chair Donna Cassutt, and CD2 Chair Jeanie Thomas will attend to help make the inaugural meeting interesting and fun. The meeting is open to all.

March 2nd, 2010 | Category: Activities, sd35dfl | Comments (1)

The Senate District 35 DFL Convention Twenty Ten was held on February 13th at Prior Lake High School. Delegates had a full day of activities including appearances from office holders and office seekers.  Seventeen delegates and an equal number of alternate delegates were elected for the State DFL Convention to be held in Duluth in April.

Convention delegates endorsed candidates for legislative seats:

• For State Senate 35: Travis Burton
• For State Representative 35A: Matt Christianson
• For State Representative 35B: Jannaya LaFrance

March 2nd, 2010 | Category: Activities, sd35dfl | Leave a comment

Neighbors,

Last spring, Gov. Tim Pawlenty tried balancing our state’s budget on the backs of our poorest, sickest, and most vulnerable citizens. He vetoed funding for General Assistance Medicare Care (GAMC), a program which provides health care for childless adults earning less than 75 percent of the federal poverty guideline.

Think about this for a second: Gov. Pawlenty cut health care for Minnesotans earning less than $8,122 per year.  His action will hurt working Minnesotans who rely on MinnesotaCare for their health care needs. He plans to shift GAMC patients to MinnesotaCare, and to bury our hospitals beneath additional uncompensated care costs caused by increased use of emergency rooms for primary care.

Is this the Minnesota we grew up in?  Where we stand by and let our governor’s national political ambitions yank basic health care from our most vulnerable citizens, many who are literally living on their last dime? Many are seniors. Or homeless.  Or mentally ill or chemically dependent.  Many are veterans who answered our nation’s call when we needed them most.

I don’t think so.  Neither did a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House of Representatives and Senate who voted this week to restore funding for this program. Unfortunately, Gov. Pawlenty vetoed the program again yet again, even though bipartisan coalitions approved funding 47-16 in the Senate, and 125-9 in the House.  Republican Rep. Mike Beard of Shakopee was part of that majority.

Monday the House of Representatives will likely vote to override Gov. Pawlenty’s veto.

However, regardless of the overwhelming, bipartisan vote in St. Paul, Republican leaders are boasting that they will uphold the Governor’s veto. Their bragging leaves us with one simple question for Rep. Beard:

WHERE DO YOU STAND ON HEALTH CARE FOR THE POOREST MINNESOTANS?

Join me in asking Rep Beard whether he will vote for the well-vetted, bipartisan effort to restore health care funding for 77,000 Minnesotans who need it the most and override Gov. Pawlenty’s veto–or will he prop up a lame duck’s presidential ambition by sustaining his veto? 

Health care, civic, and religious groups support overriding Gov. Pawlenty’s veto of GAMC. St. Cloud’s Catholic Bishop, the Most Rev. John F. Kinney says to “Please contact your Representative and urge him or her to vote yes on a vote override. Our neighbors with the greatest needs are counting on us.”

You can find out: CALL, E-MAIL, OR VISIT HIM.  You can reach Rep. Beard by phone at 651-296-8872, by e-mail at rep.mike.beard@house.mn and at his office in room 207 of the State Office Building, across from the State Capitol at 100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Some tips for contacting Rep. Beard.

-Be firm, but respectful!  He is elected to represent you and your viewpoints, but your message won’t get heard if it is overshadowed by personal or overly partisan attacks.
-Whether you talk to Rep. Beard himself or a staffer, keep your message brief and concise.  Get their attention, but don’t unnecessarily ramble; Rep. Beard needs to understand why he should vote to override above all else!
-If you or someone you know has been effected by GAMC or MinnesotaCare, let Rep. Beard know the story.
-If you get a response, let us know! It’s important we all find out where Rep. Beard stands on this issue.

Thank you for assisting in this effort.  Together, we will remind Rep. Beard of our priorities as a community.

Bruce Barron            Chair, Senate District 35 DFL

February 26th, 2010 | Category: Community, Issues & Opinions, Mike Beard 35A, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

It’s an election year and that mean caucus time for the major political parties. Caucuses are mini-conventions of neighbors that help select delegates to party conventions, send in resolutions on issues that concern citizens, and this year take a ’straw poll vote” for Governor candidates to see who has generated the most support among caucus attendees. Caucus is also an opportunity to learn about activities and opportunities in our community for involvement and for activism. We need volunteers to help stage the caucuses and appreciate your help. Caucus training will take place on Saturday January 30th from 2 to 4PM at the Prior Lake City Hall.

Our District provides four sites to serve the local communities:

• Jordan and surrounding areas: Jordan High School
• Shakopee - Shakopee Junior High School
• Savage - Glendale Elementary School
• Prior Lake - Prior Lake High School

You will need to know your site and your local Precinct Number. Don’t know it? Click here.

Check in time is 6:30PM. Watch this site for more information and links.

January 29th, 2010 | Category: Activities, sd35dfl | Leave a comment

The SD 35 Nominations Committee will hold a screening for those wishing to be candidates for local and state party offices. This includes: Directors and Officers (Chair, Associate Chair, Secretary, Community Action, and Treasurer) for our Senate District; and representatives to the State Central Committee of the DFL.  The committee will meet at 5PM on February 9th at the Prior Lake Library small conference room with screenings running from 5:30 PM to 7 PM. All who attend the precinct caucuses and become District delegates and alternate delegates are eligible to seek party posts. Candidates may also be nominated from the floor of the SD35 Convention held February 13th at Prior Lake High School.

The SD35 Endorsements Committee will hold a screening for those wishing to be candidates for state legislative offices including House 35A, House 35B, and Senate 35. The committee will meet at 5PM on February 10th at the Prior Lake Library small conference room with screenings running from 5:30 PM to 7 PM. Candidates may also be nominated from the floor of the SD35 Convention held February 13th at Prior Lake High School.

January 24th, 2010 | Category: Candidates, sd35dfl | Leave a comment

Neighbors were asking why so many people were heading to the Black and Caspian Sea regions. No! That’s where the Caucasus Mountains are but here were are talking of neighborhood political meetings that are called ‘caucuses’. No doubt the thought of an exotic vacation has strong appeal.

On February 2nd, both the Republican (GOP) and Democatric (DFL) parties will conduct caucuses. These are meetings that conduct party business and select delegates to the various conventions that are held at the district and state levels. First time attendees will mingle with long time activists. Yet for many, the reasons to take an evening to attend a caucus are unclear. Why attend?

Here is why: caucus attendees who become delegates to the conventions are the ones that pick which candidates will be backed by their parties while elections are held to see which party’s candidate wins. For Democrats two years ago, the choice was between Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton. The battle for the nomination decided who would face off in the general election. This year, Republicans and Democrats will choose which candidates will be endorsed for governor’s position being vacated by Tim Pawlenty. Caucus goers number in the thousands. Elections draw in the millions. Smaller numbers mean bigger voices. You will only be heard if you attend. Or stay home and leave it to others.  As always, the choice is yours.

January 19th, 2010 | Category: Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Recent statewide polls of likely Republican voters showed former Senator Norm Coleman with a sizable lead over announced candidates Marty Seiffert and Tom Emmers. Coleman polled over 50% with neither Seiffert nor Emmers breaking double digits. On Martin Luther King Day (Monday January 18th) Coleman posted a statement on Facebook announcing that he would not seek the Republican Party endorsement nor would he run in a primary. While personal and family timing conerns were cited as the reasons behind his decision, pundits have speculated that, while Coleman enjoyed solid popularity with Republican voters, he may not have enjoyed the same support from party insiders.

On the Democrat side of the fence, another big name appeared to be backing away from the fray, or at least part of the fray. Former Senator Mark Dayton lead recent polls of likely Democratic voters for DFL governor candidates. However the gap was far smaller than for Coleman on the Republican side. Dayton recently polled 34% to Minneapolis Mayor RT Rybak’s 25% and House Speaker Margaret Kelliher’s 15%. Dayton recently told state DFL officials to delete his name from the non-binding preferential or straw poll that will be held at DFL precinct caucuses across the state on February 2nd. Speculation has begun as to what Dayton’s withdrawal means to the endorsement process and whether Dayton has decided to fore go the party’s endorsement but instead seek to win the nomination a primary.

So each party had something for the curious. Your thoughts?

January 19th, 2010 | Category: Candidates | Leave a comment

That’s right. Popular demand has brought back Third Tuesdays at Turtles in Downtown Shakopee. That is when local progressives, Democrats, and those that just appreciate a bent elbow and some friendly conversation join in for informality and the libations of choice. Future gatherings will see elected officials and candidates not to mention local celebrities and a few hucksters. Who says politics has to be debates and business meeting. Join for the comradery starting at 6:30PM! Oh. By the way. That’s Tuesday January 19th.

Have you joined Facebook? SD35 did. Check it out for local activities and postings.

SD35 on Facebook

January 7th, 2010 | Category: Activities | Leave a comment