Minnesota Network for Progressive Action

District 37B: Jeff Wilfahrt, the Reluctant Candidate by Dave Mindeman I sat down with 37B DFL candidate Jeff Wilfahrt and his campaign manager, Phil Sterner, last week to get introduced and see how things are starting out. Jeff is an impressive individual. A loose translation of Jeff's German last name is "the Journey" and that is precisely what he is embarking on. More than once he dubbed himself a "reluctant candidate" and a first impression is that Jeff would rather be working for a candidate than being one. But he doesn't shrink from a challenge either. And he is going to . . .
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Legislating By Amendment Is NOT A Constitutional Principle by Dave Mindeman There is a reason we have representative democracy. Republicans always talk with reverance about the Founding Fathers as if they are infallible and their words are gospel. Yet, the framers of the Constitution did not trust the voting ability of the general electorate. They refused to allow direct election of the President and it wasn't until 1913 that we started voting directly for our Senators. Changes to the Federal Constitution were meant to be difficult. The laborious process that allows for an amendment virtually guarantees a broad consensus before it passes. . . .
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Polling Data: MN Legislative GOP Should Consider Reevaluating by Dave Mindeman Public Policy Polling released the rest of their Minnesota polling data today and it had a lot of good news for Democrats.... Mark Dayton's numbers have improved since PPP last polled Minnesota in May and he's one of the most popular Governors in the country. A little belated birthday present for Mark. Dayton has an approval rating of 53%, while disapproval is at 34% -- a 19% spread. But there's more... Dayton may get himself an easier legislature to work with next year. Democrats lead the generic legislative ballot in the . . .
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A Snail's Pace On Bonding Destroys It's Value For Minnesota by Dave Mindeman Sometimes I think that Republicans just want to oppose anything that is proposed by a Democrat....just because. Gov. Dayton's bonding proposal can be argued on its merits or on what's in it. But the House GOP is trying very hard to limit its ability to be jobs effective. I think that the GOP legislature is in agreement with Dayton that jobs should be a priority. And "thinking so" is about as far as I can take it, because their actions always work against actual . . .
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Bachmann is Back -- Is It the Iowan or the Minnesotan? by Dave Mindeman Well, she's back. Michele Bachmann is going to come slinking back to Minnesota and, in theory, take her seat back....so.... ..is she now a Minnesotan or an Iowan? ..is she ready to cast votes again? Note: (from an Oct. 2011 report) - Since announcing her campaign on June 13, Bachmann has voted 54 percent of the time. Comparably, since announcing his candidacy on May 13, Texas Rep. Ron Paul has voted 84 percent of the time, according to numbers compiled by Congressional Quarterly. ..is she going to have campaign . . .
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