Save the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant and save jobs on the Iron Range

PICKET LINE


TO SAVE THE FORD PLANT, HYDRO-DAM AND 2,000 UNION JOBS


FOR GREEN MANUFACTURING IN A SUSTAINABLE ECONOMY THROUGH PUBLIC OWNERSHIP



WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 3:00-6:00 PM


St. Paul FORD TWIN CITIES ASSEMBLY PLANT



FORD PARKWAY



ST. PAUL



GREEN JOBS NOW!


This action also takes place during the RNC. The picket line is

sponsored by the Coalition for Public Ownership of the Ford Plant and

is supported by the Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities. With

Ford’s TCAP having been given a reprieve with the postponement of the

plant closing to the end of 2011, there is still time to pressure

local authorities to make the right decision. With all of the

government handouts and tax breaks the auto industry has been given

over the years, in addition to the hydro-electric dam it was

graciously given at the behest of the Army Corps of Engineers, it’s

safe to assume that we each own a piece of it by now anyway. So why

not public ownership? If Ford’s board of directors and shareholders

can’t run it properly and keep it open as a vital part of the local

economy, then the manufacturing facility and hydro-dam should be taken

over in the public interest. The assembly line can be retooled and

converted for either the production of wind harvesters or clean

electric train engines and carriages and the dam can provide clean

power for the community. So spread the word and bring your friends to

this important action.




****************************************


THE NEXT 3CTC ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM



PROPOSALS TO SAVE THE FORD PLANT



HEAR WHAT MEMBERS OF THE WORKERS MOVEMENT HAVE TO SAY



MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 7:00 PM



MAYDAY BOOKS



301 CEDAR AVENUE SOUTH



WEST BANK, MINNEAPOLIS




SPEAKERS:



Alan Maki — Organizer, Casino Hotel & Restaurant Employees Union Organizing Committee



David Riehle — Local Chairman, United Transportation Union 650



Michael Wood — Coalition for Public Ownership of the Ford Plant & Gus Hall Action Club



Christine Frank — Volunteer Coordinator, Climate Crisis Coalition of the Twin Cities

Is the working class getting screwed?

This is a good discussion taking place on the web site of the "Campaign for America's Future."


http://www.ourfuture.org/blog-entry/2008083315/new-signs-middle-class-collapse#comment-7518

By Isaiah J. Poole

August 15th, 2008 - 6:24am ET

---

A hearing in late July on the middle-class squeeze by the congressional Joint Economic Committee did not get much attention at the time, but a warning at that hearing by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., that what's happening to the middle class is not just a squeeze but a "collapse" is resonating in the wake of this week's bad economic news.

Sanders is arguing for "bold and aggressive" measures to address that collapse in an interview on "Meet the Bloggers," the weekly Brave New Foundation program which will stream live at 1 p.m. today. I will be featured on the program with Amanda Logan at the Center for American Progress.

Thursday's reports on consumer inflation and unemployment claims reveal the latest blows delivered to working-class families by the current economic downturn. Consumer prices going up at an annual rate of 5.6 percent last month, far above the 3.1 percent average increase in income. At the same time, the number of people receiving unemployment claims is 3.42 million, the highest level in almost five years.

With these trends, the legacy of Bushonomics is poised to add one more item to its legacy: "stagflation," the combination of a stagnant economy and rising unemployment that had conservatives in the late 1970s indicting President Jimmy Carter and Democrats in Congress as failures on the economy.

The difference between the 1970s and today is that families earning five-figure salaries enter this dangerous economic period facing record economic disparity.

"I do think this is one of the most underreported issues of the past 10 years," Sanders told the Joint Economic Committee on July 24. "The reality is that in many respects the middle class of this country is collapsing. The vast majority of our people have seen a decline in their standard of living," while those at the top of the income ladder are beneficiaries of a wealth gap between the very rich and the middle class that has not been seen since the late 1920s.

One of the witnesses at the hearing, Elizabeth Warren, a Leo Gottlieb professor of law at Harvard Law School, said that while inflation-adjusted median household income has declined by $1,175 since 2000, basic expenses for average families have increased by more than $4,600.

"Seven years of flat or declining wages, seven years of increasing costs, and seven year of mounting debts have placed unprecedented stress on the ordinary families. By every critical financial measure, these families are losing ground. Without changes in critical economic policies, the strong middle class that has been the backbone of the American economy and the American democracy is in jeopardy," she testified.

The case keeps getting stronger for a new, bold change in economic policy explicitly designed to help working-class families regain their footing. Sanders will outline his ideas on the Meet the Bloggers program, which will be available for on-demand viewing after the live streaming.

Help us spread the word about these important stories...

Response from Alan Maki:

Let's get something straight...

By Alan Maki | August 17th, 2008 - 1:32pm GMT

Are we talking about the "middle class" or the "working class?

These are two different classes.

You seem to insinuate that "working class" people reach "middle class" status when their incomes rise to a certain level. This simply is not true.

However, for the sake of argument, giving you the benefit of doubt, what is the dollar figure at which a "working class" family becomes "middle class" based upon actual "cost of living factors" because this is what determines "standard of living," not some very abstract claim to being "middle class."

I think you are evading a very important and fundamental concept here... what is at issue is what kind of income does it take for working class families to live above the poverty line... in other words, are only some working class families entitled to be able to afford the necessities of life while others are not; and, thus, we consider those working class families with incomes to provide the necessities of life, "middle class?"

This is a no win argument about "saving the middle class."

The fight needing to be waged is for a minimum wage that is truly a real living wage where one person in a four-person household can work 40 hours a week and the family has the necessities of life... as should be scientifically defined by the United States Department of Labor and Bureau of Labor Statistics in league with the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

This pitting worker against worker has got to end; it is a no win situation for the entire working class because under this rotten economic system of capitalism the majority of the working class is always living in poverty; and the tendency will always be towards dragging all workers' standard of living down.

In the final analysis we are talking about: the "Standard of Living" of the working class; and rising the entire working class up from poverty.

This makes it absolutely essential that progressives fight for a minimum wage that is based on the scientific calculations of what is a real living annual income.

Depending on the performance of the economy considering ALL cost of living factors which can now be scientifically calculated, according to Alan Greenspan, on a weekly basis, the minimum wage should be legislatively tied to these factors--- all workers should be brought up from poverty; and, as progressives, we should only be concerned with bringing those on the bottom up first... not in maintaining some kind of undefined "middle class" status for anyone.

Workers create all wealth with some substantial help from Mother Nature--- who isn't doing much better than the working class, which no one should find surprising given the greedy corporate drive for maximum profits ... after over two-hundred years of capitalist accumulation of this wealth I think it is time to change things.

Casino workers need two jobs; one job going in debt trying to support a family; another job to pay for gas to get to the first job... I imagine if the facts be told, this is the same situation most working class folks find themselves in... and this is what has to change.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Check out my blog:

Thoughts From Podunk

http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Most companies in US avoid federal income taxes

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Most companies in US avoid federal income taxes

Below is a very short story from the Associated Press, published in BusinessWeek.

This headline says it all: Most companies in US avoid federal income taxes.

This is a very interesting story.

Al Gore talks about "taxing what we burn; not what we earn," conveniently evading the question of taxing wealth.

Workers create ALL wealth--- with the exception of Mother Nature's unique form of help, the working class really does create ALL wealth... this is scientific truth; something which has been known for hundreds of years yet seldom mentioned except by Marxists.

People wonder why there is never any money for things we need--- socialized health care, public education, housing, public libraries, parks and recreation, road and bridge maintenance and infrastructure and child care; well, this story provides a big part of the answer... corporations are allowed to get away with stealing the wealth created by the working class without so much as even having to pay any taxes on this wealth.

This is by design... United States Senator Carl Levin doesn't have to look too far to find out how it is that U.S. corporations are absconding--- running off in secrecy--- without paying any taxes... Levin needs only look in the mirror because Democrats worked in a bi-partisan manner creating this opportunity for corporations to steal the wealth of our Nation; wealth created by the working class... stealing this wealth without even having to pay any taxes.

The CATO Institute has been the primary architect of such reactionary and regressive tax policies and working in cahoots with Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Schreck positions in government agencies and legislative staffs have been stacked with those who have been trained to have a mind-set to carry out this robbery in a manner even slicker than the robbery taking place at the gas pumps.

Of course, the politicians--- Republicans and Democrats--- are both feeding like pigs at the trough... at our expense.

Marxists, like myself, refer to the Democrats and Republicans as being the two-headed monster of big-business for a reason; and this is one of those reasons.

After reading this, no one should wonder why Democratic and Republican politicians tell us no-fee, comprehensive, all-inclusive, single-payer universal health care which is publicly financed and publicly administered is not affordable.

Well, when corporations can get away without paying a dime in taxes as the billion-dollar CEO's and Wall Street coupon clippers walk off with the profits is it any wonder nothing is left for government to meet the needs of society for things like health care, education and housing?

Anyone with an ounce of common sense understands that whatever wealth is created by the working class with Mother Nature's unique contribution, that is all society has to work with... when it comes to wealth there is one pie, no more.

How that pie gets divided up is what working people need to get concerned about.

It is not just big-business sticking their greedy fingers in the pie before it cools as they try to grab what they can without getting caught... the working class is supporting a monstrous military-financial-industrial complex of state-monopoly capitalism which is growing more expensive by the day to support as imperialist wars are waged for oil and to secure cheap labor markets.

Karl Marx pointed out long ago that when a Nation takes the wealth which has been collectively created by the working class and pumps this wealth into military spending and wars, that one might just as well take the money from your your pocket and throw it out into the ocean.

Capitalism has spun a web for the working class and the capitalist parasites are having a feast--- the working class is the victim and it is time for working people to tear this web apart and break free.

Now since it is close to Election Day, Senator Byron Dorgan talks about these corporations having to "pay their fair share." What a hypocrite; for years the guy has closed his eyes, covered his ears, and twiddled his thumbs knowing full well this was all taking place... we all knew it.

We expect the Republicans to do this; the Democrats on the other hand keep getting elected because, like Dorgan and this bunch of Democrats--- in order to get our votes they claim they are different from Republicans, when, in reality, the only difference is the Republicans do what they say they will do for the corporations and Democrats lie about what they say they will do for working people while after getting elected, the Democrats wring their hands and say they don't know how to stop the Republicans from doing what they said they were going to do.

The time has come for working class political independence. This is why I support the campaigns of Cynthia McKinney for President and Cindy Sheehan for United States Congress.

There is no such thing as a free bus ride... big-business is along for the ride without paying the "FARE;" and, no matter how anyone looks at it this scheme and way of doing things is not "FAIR."

This article published in BusinessWeek proves that the working class is paying the entire "F-A-R-E." And this, by design of both Republicans and Democrats, is not "F-A-I-R."

It is all about wealth; it is all about "fare" and "fair." Give the Democrats a dictionary, not your vote.

Something to keep in mind: To top it off, these same corporations paying no taxes, can't even pay workers real living wages--- and, they turn around and fight tooth-and-nail to prevent the minimum wage from becoming a real living wage.

If this doesn't provide some food for thought around the dinner table in working class households I don't know what would...

Alan L. Maki

The Associated Press

August 12, 2008

Most companies in US avoid federal income taxes

By JENNIFER C. KERR



WASHINGTON

Unlike the rest of us, most U.S. corporations and foreign companies doing business in the United States pay no federal income tax, according to a new report from Congress.

The study by the Government Accountability Office, expected to be released Tuesday, said two-thirds of U.S. corporations paid no federal income taxes between 1998 and 2005, and about 68 percent of foreign companies doing business in the U.S. avoided corporate taxes over the same period.

Collectively, the companies reported trillions of dollars in sales, according to GAO's estimate.

"It's shameful that so many corporations make big profits and pay nothing to support our country," said Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., who asked for the GAO study with Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich.

An outside tax expert, Chris Edwards of the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington, said increasing numbers of limited liability corporations and so-called "S" corporations pay taxes under individual tax codes.

"Half of all business income in the United States now ends up going through the individual tax code," Edwards said.

The GAO study did not investigate why corporations weren't paying federal income taxes or corporate taxes and it did not identify any corporations by name. It said companies may escape paying such taxes due to operating losses or because of tax credits.

More than 38,000 foreign corporations had no tax liability in 2005 and 1.2 million U.S. companies paid no income tax, the GAO said. Combined, the companies had $2.5 trillion in sales. About 25 percent of the U.S. corporations not paying corporate taxes were considered large corporations, meaning they had at least $250 million in assets or $50 million in receipts.

The GAO said it analyzed data from the Internal Revenue Service, examining samples of corporate returns for the years 1998 through 2005. For 2005, for example, it reviewed 110,003 tax returns from among more than 1.2 million corporations doing business in the U.S.

Dorgan and Levin have complained about companies abusing transfer prices -- amounts charged on transactions between companies in a group, such as a parent and subsidiary. In some cases, multinational companies can manipulate transfer prices to shift income from higher to lower tax jurisdictions, cutting their tax liabilities. The GAO did not suggest which companies might be doing this.

"It's time for the big corporations to pay their fair share," Dorgan said.

The future of the "Employee Free Choice Act"... card check

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Card Check

This should be posted everywhere for discussion.



Labor supporters of Barack Obama have made "card check" the primary basis for their support for Obama and the Democrats and it know appears attaining even "card check" from Barack Obama and the Democratic Party is in doubt.



What does everyone think of this coming from George McGovern, one of Barack Obama’s most progressive supporters?


Does this portend what is in store from "Progressives for Obama" on other issues?



Do “Progressives for Obama” have anything to contribute concerning this little “whammy” from the Democratic Party?



I wonder how John Edwards responds to McGovern? What about Hillary Clinton? Anyone heard from Barack Obama regarding this Wall Street Journal op/ed piece by George McGovern whose support he has enthusiastically received?


This raises important questions of to what extent lobbyists exert influence over politicians, like George McGovern, even when these politicians are no longer in office.



This op/ed piece by George McGovern should also serve to explain to "Progressives for Obama" that when it comes to working class ideas, policies and solutions to problems there is one heck of a chasm between big-business monopoly interests and the interests of the working class in the Democratic Party.



Like any other pro-labor reforms, card check faces an uphill struggle, even though it has been put forward as the centerpiece of organized labor's reason for endorsement of Barack Obama.



John Sweeney and Andrew Stern along with those who advised us that the closing of the St. Paul Ford Plant was a “done deal” have told us that card check will become reality with a Barack Obama Administration and Democratic Party majorities in the House and Senate… even on the one and only pro-worker policy these people have held out to working people as a reason to “vote Democrat;” this one pro-working class policy is far from a “done deal” should Obama and Democratic majorities be elected in the House and Senate.



This raises the question: Was George McGovern pressured by “team Obama” to come forward with this opposition to card check?



“Blue-dog” Democrats voiced their opposition to card check long ago, something Sweeney and Stern have ignored even as they pump millions of dollars of workers' hard earned money into supporting these reactionary shills.



To think, with all the hard-earned dues of union members being pumped into the campaigns of Obama and Democrats--- including Blue-dog Democrats--- working people will not even be able to leave the voting booth confident they are getting card check as part of the deal in return for their votes; this is shameful.



All these millions of dollars of union members might better be spent organizing a grassroots, rank and file movement against “at will hiring; at will firing” in twenty-eight states, including Minnesota and Michigan.



Better yet, organize such struggles as part of the campaign for national "card check" legislation so even when enacted, "card check" will not be undermined by “at will hiring; at will firing.”



What is most interesting, when I brought forward a resolution on the issue of “at will hiring; at will firing” (in opposition) before the State Convention of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party; Ray Waldron, the President of the Minnesota AFL-CIO, along with his sidekick, Mark Froemke, organized the opposition and even after the resolution was seconded to thunderous applause... Waldron was quick to bring his floor workers into action twisting the arms of "union leaders" not to vote for the resolution I introduced calling on Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State's Legislative Caucus in the Minnesota to rescind “at will hiring; at will firing” legislation.



In Michigan, UAW President--- Ron Gettelfinger, in spite of my request to him, has refused to authorize the UAW's lead lobbyist, Nadine Nosal, to undertake a campaign among Democratic Party legislators and the "labor governor," Jennifer Granholm, in opposition to “at will hiring; at will firing.”



I bet even George McGovern is opposed to “at will hiring; at will firing.”



Not one single elected Democratic Party state legislator in any state where it exists, has had the courage to challenge “at will hiring; at will firing.”



“At will hiring; at will firing” is the real impediment to union organizing that even “card check” legislation will not be able to overcome.



Not once have we heard one peep from John Sweeney or Andrew Stern concerning “at will hiring; at will firing” for the simple reason that the pro-business, anti-labor Democrats we all know to be lurking in dark corners would come out of the woodwork like termites getting a good dose of Chlordane. These are Democrats The AFL-CIO and Change to Win put in office.



By the way… card check will not apply to some two-million workers employed in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages in the Indian Gaming Industry… this industry enforces its own Draconian version of “at will hiring; at will firing” claiming this state legislation in Michigan and Minnesota as their guide in “labor-management” relations.



I think we should find out what Cynthia McKinney and Cindy Sheehan have to say about all of this.



We need to take a reading of where Barack Obama and all Democrats stand on this entire scenario before Election Day because with the price of gas, there is no use making a trip to the polls on Election Day if we aren’t going to get something for our votes… on the Red Lake Nation Indian reservation here in northern Minnesota people make sure they at least get turkey or a tank of gas for making the trip to the polls because they know they won’t get anything else from their votes… all working people should learn a lesson from Red Lakers.



For anyone who really wants to know what kind of government working people can expect to get from the Democratic Party, just ask Democrats running for public office to do as George McGovern has done with "card check;" state their positions in writing on “at will hiring; at will firing.”



John Sweeney and Andrew Stern are said to be fuming after reading George McGovern's op/ed piece, printed below, in the Wall Street Journal... and justifiably so.



But, at least George McGovern is not going into public office... while Barack Obama and his mixed-bag of Democrats are.



Brownstein/Hyatt/Farber/Shreck has lobbied hard against "card check," too; this grouping of law firm/lobbyists of choice for big-business which has become a primary component of state-monopoly capitalism and its slavish support for AIPAC is also the major backer and booster of Barack Obama.





http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121815502467222555.html






OPINION

My Party Should Respect Secret Union Ballots

By GEORGE MCGOVERN


August 8, 2008; Page A13

As a congressman, senator and one-time Democratic nominee for the presidency, I've participated in my share of vigorous public debates over issues of great consequence. And the public has been free to accept or reject the decisions I made when they walked into a ballot booth, drew the curtain and cast their vote. I didn't always win, but I always respected the process.

Voting is an immense privilege.

That is why I am concerned about a new development that could deny this freedom to many Americans. As a longtime friend of labor unions, I must raise my voice against pending legislation I see as a disturbing and undemocratic overreach not in the interest of either management or labor.

The legislation is called the Employee Free Choice Act, and I am sad to say it runs counter to ideals that were once at the core of the labor movement. Instead of providing a voice for the unheard, EFCA risks silencing those who would speak.

The key provision of EFCA is a change in the mechanism by which unions are formed and recognized. Instead of a private election with a secret ballot overseen by an impartial federal board, union organizers would simply need to gather signatures from more than 50% of the employees in a workplace or bargaining unit, a system known as "card-check." There are many documented cases where workers have been pressured, harassed, tricked and intimidated into signing cards that have led to mandatory payment of dues.

Under EFCA, workers could lose the freedom to express their will in private, the right to make a decision without anyone peering over their shoulder, free from fear of reprisal.

There's no question that unions have done much good for this country. Their tenacious efforts have benefited millions of workers and helped build a strong middle class. They gave workers a new voice and pushed for laws that protect individuals from unfair treatment. They have been a friend to the Democratic Party, and so I oppose this legislation respectfully and with care.

To my friends supporting EFCA I say this: We cannot be a party that strips working Americans of the right to a secret-ballot election. We are the party that has always defended the rights of the working class. To fail to ensure the right to vote free of intimidation and coercion from all sides would be a betrayal of what we have always championed.

Some of the most respected Democratic members of Congress -- including Reps. Marcy Kaptur of Ohio, George Miller and Pete Stark of California, and Barney Frank of Massachusetts -- have advised that workers in developing countries such as Mexico insist on the secret ballot when voting as to whether or not their workplaces should have a union. We should have no less for employees in our country.

I worry that there has been too little discussion about EFCA's true ramifications, and I think much of the congressional support is based on a desire to give our friends among union leaders what they want. But part of being a good steward of democracy means telling our friends "no" when they press for a course that in the long run may weaken labor and disrupt a tried and trusted method for conducting honest elections.

While it is never pleasant to stand against one's party or one's friends, there are times when such actions are necessary -- as with my early and lonely opposition to the Vietnam War. I hope some of my friends in Congress will re-evaluate their support for this legislation. Because as Americans, we should strive to ensure that all of us enjoy the freedom of expression and freedom from fear that is our ideal and our right.

Mr. McGovern is a former senator from South Dakota and the 1972 Democratic presidential candidate.

Alan L. Maki

58891 County Road 13

Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432

Cell phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net



Check out my blog:



Thoughts From Podunk



http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

Framing issues... Framing ideas... Framing solutions to our problems

Alan Maki's Blog on the official Barack Obama Campaign Web Site:

Link:

http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/alanmaki/gG5z8Y

Alan L. Maki (Warroad, MN)

Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

Framing issues... Framing ideas... Framing solutions to our problems

By Alan L. Maki -


Aug 5th, 2008 at 11:46 am EDT

My good friend Sam Webb has published a very important piece of work. I am posting it below followed by a quote from Franklin D. Roosevelt and something of mine published in the Madison, Wisconsin "Capital Times."

As you will probably note, Sam Webb emphasized the positive with the Obama campaign to the exclusion of the negatives and the requirements for uniting people for change.

I share Webb's confidence that Obama is going to win; and, I share Webb's enthusiasm for dumping the Republicans.

I don't just think Obama is going to win... I think Barack Obama is going to win in a great big landslide simply because the American people are just so darn fed up with Bush and the Republicans.

I also think that those who are counseling us to "hold back until after the Election" are dead wrong; Barack Obama, the community organizer, understands and appreciates the fact that "out of sight is out of mind." Barack Obama, the community organizer, understands that during an Election is the perfect time to "make political hay" in bringing concerns forward. We shouldn't be timid; we for sure shouldn't be holding back in our thoughts or our actions. In fact, with-holding our thoughts and opinions and suppressing our actions at this crucial time can only be to the benefit of John McCain.

People, working people, are fed up for a reason... actually a whole lot of reasons which Webb didn't get around to mentioning and I do in my follow-up letter to the Madison, Wisconsin "Capital Times" and in my previous commentary on this blog which I re-publish below... followed by what I think are some good suggestions for action which anyone can participate in.

But, whether or not this Obama victory benefits working people and the working class is another matter; as Carl Winter, who Webb quotes so often, drew our attention to while he was the Editor of the Daily World... the newspaper that replaced the Daily Worker and the Worker which Frank Marshall Davis read and circulated among his friends and fellow activists.

Here is Sam Webb's excellent article in the People's Weekly World. For some reason Webb has had a lot of difficulty grappling with the Obama campaign; I don't know why:

Elections ’08: embracing the moment

Author: Sam Webb

People's Weekly World Newspaper, 08/01/08 13:46

The expected presidential nomination of Barack Obama is a path breaking and historic achievement from many standpoints, not least the struggle for equality and against racism. Obama’s nomination leaves an enduring mark on every aspect of our nation’s culture – a culture steeped both in racism and anti-racism.

Eugene Robinson, a columnist for the Washington Post, had this to say:

“A young, black, first-term senator—a man whose father was from Kenya, whose mother was from Kansas and whose name sounds as if it might have come from the roster of Guantanamo detainees—has won the marathon of primaries and caucuses to become the presumptive presidential nominee of the Democratic Party. To reach this point, he had to do more than outduel the party’s most powerful and resourceful political machine. He also had to defy, and ultimately defeat, 389 years of history.”

The breaking of this barrier says much about the candidate but it also speaks volumes about the American people. While it augurs well for our country’s future, it must be very disconcerting for the ruling class – that class which has been the main architect and beneficiary of racism for nearly four centuries.

People crossed racial and gender barriers in numbers that many of us didn’t think possible only a few months ago. Some said an Obama nomination was impossible, that it would never happen, and that white voters would never pull the lever for a Black presidential candidate. But the primaries proved that the doubters were wrong.

Breaking barriers

The Clinton campaign also broke barriers. Her concession speech was stirring as well as profound in many ways. While we had disagreements (and stated them) with the racist text/subtext in her campaign, it is also true that she captured the imagination of millions of women who in their own lives encounter gender barriers and oppression in the home, work and community. I am not sure if we have taken full measure.

Her candidacy dissolved male supremacist notions disfiguring the thinking of men and plowed away barriers preventing women from playing a full and equal role in every aspect of social life. The struggle for full equality of women won’t necessarily be easy going forward, but Clinton’s campaign did take the fight to higher ground.

Decent and democratic minded people are rightfully celebrating the breaking of these barriers. Imagine how enthused the depression-era communists – those who gave their lives to Black/white unity and equality at a time of legalized segregation and lynching with impunity — would be about these turn of events.

Soberness in politics is essential, but it should be combined with passion, hope, excitement and images of a just and peaceful future. If we are going to err with respect to the significance of the moment and the potential of the coming elections, it is better to err on the side of passion and hope.

Anti-racism at a new level

Most, I suspect, underestimated the growth of anti-racist feeling among white people to one degree or another. Consider this statement by Loree Suggs, executive secretary of the Cleveland building trades, in reference to Obama:

“Go back to your locals. Now is the time to unite. We cannot let any bias or racial thoughts get in the way. If your members have any problem with racial bias, tell them to get over it for all time, but especially now for this election, get over it. We must put Barack Obama in the White House and, if we don’t, we are in deep trouble.”

This may not be typical of changing sentiments of white people in general and white unionists in particular, but it isn’t atypical either. Mass thinking is changing. Again, to quote Robinson,

“[T]he amazing thing isn’t that there were instances of overt, old style racism during the campaign, it’s that there were so few. The amazing thing is that so many Americans have been willing to accept – or, indeed, reject – Obama based on his qualifications and his ideas, not on his race. I’ll never forget visiting Iowa in December and witnessing all white-crowds file into high school gymnasiums to take the measure of a black man – and, ultimately, decide that he was someone who expressed their hopes and dreams.”

While I don’t think that we have fully digested the political meaning of this turn of events, we can still say that the readiness of so many white voters to cast their ballot for an African American candidate in the presidential primaries gives confidence that the struggle against racism in its ideological and material forms can proceed on higher ground and in a bolder fashion.

Beware of rigid concepts

Tightly sealed political categories in this moment are not useful. It is said, for example, that Obama is a centrist or, worse still, a bourgeois politician. But aren’t categories of this kind, even if they capture some aspects of reality, too closed to be useful in a dynamic situation?

Political categories should allow for complexity, contradictions, transitions and new experience. If this is true in general then it is even truer at this moment when politics are fluid and social actors (individuals and social groups) are in motion?

Isn’t it possible for a social group or an individual to occupy more than one political space? Isn’t there something to be said for Italian Communist Antonio Gramsci’s concept of “contradictory consciousness?” Shouldn’t we think twice before embracing cut and dried assessments of social actors that not only fail to capture complexity of their politics, but also impede our political imagination to creatively elaborate strategic and tactical positions?

Assessments of candidates should be informed by their political formation and sensibilities, the movement that has sprung up around a candidacy and the overall context of these elections, including the presence of a powerful right-wing attack machine. Rather than pigeonholing Obama, for example, as a centrist or bourgeois politician, it may be more useful to characterize him as a potentially transformative political figure, much like Abraham Lincoln, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Martin Luther King, Jr. were. None of them were revolutionaries, but they each had a keen appreciation of the moment in which they lived, they each interacted with the larger movement of their time and they each understood the necessity of expanding and giving new content to democracy and citizenship rights, albeit in the context of their times.

It isn’t ordained that Obama will fit into this category, either, but it is also far too early to foreclose that possibility. Life and struggle will decide.

Appreciating political realities

There is a tendency – especially among some on the progressive and left part of the political spectrum — to nitpick every single position of this or that candidate, including Obama. Some people on the left were apoplectic over Obama’s speeches to AIPAC and a Cuban American group in Miami. It is true that there is much in each speech that the left would disagree with, but at the same time we should look for positive openings that the speeches offer, if not now, then in the event of an Obama presidency. Unfortunately, looking for openings, by the way, isn’t something that the left is skillful at doing, especially in the electoral arena.

There should be an appreciation of this broad popular movement that has arisen around Obama’s candidacy. It has diverse currents and trends, including sections of the ruling class – all of which have to be taken into account. This campaign is also up against a very powerful right-wing attack machine – not to mention powerful and reactionary corporate interests.

What is more, to win, the campaign has to reach out to independents and disaffected Republicans. Without winning a section of them, a landslide victory is improbable.

The broader movement should give some wiggle room to this path-breaking candidacy. Obama is not running for city council in Berkeley or a safe congressional seat. Instead he is running for the highest national office in 50 states and in every region of the country.

Being right in the right way

Communists and others on the left can and should differ with Obama and other Democratic candidates. But the more important question is how we do it. Carl Winter, a former national leader of the Communist Party, said to me on more than one occasion: “It is not enough to be right, but you have to be right in the right way.” By which I understood Carl to mean that Communists, in advancing our views, have to be not only respectful of other people’s opinions and circumstances, but also to present them in a way that deepens people’s understanding, confidence and unity in the context of our strategic objective.

In order to advance one iota of a pro-people’s agenda, the people’s movement has to elect Obama and to enlarge the Democratic Party majorities in Congress. Without that everything else is wishful thinking.

However the focus in these elections should neither be solely on the candidate nor solely on the movement, but rather on the interactions and connections between the two. We should accent dynamics, fluidity and possibilities of the political process rather than dwelling on this or that shortcoming of either the candidate or the broader movement. If the latter consumes us, if it becomes the main thing, we will miss the forest for the trees.

Sam Webb is chairman of the Communist Party USA. This article is based on excerpts from his latest report on the 2008 elections. For more information: www.cpusa.org.

This appeared in the writings of a professor who trains community activists:

Obama can certainly learn valuable lessons from
President Franklin Roosevelt, who recognized that his
ability to push New Deal legislation through Congress
depended on the pressure generated by protestors and
organizers. He once told a group of activists who sought
his support for legislation, "You've convinced me. Now
go out and make me do it."

As depression conditions worsened, and as grassroots
worker and community protests escalated throughout the
country, Roosevelt became more vocal, using his bully
pulpit-in speeches and radio addresses-to promote New
Deal ideas. Labor and community organizers felt
confident in proclaiming, "FDR wants you to join the
union." With Roosevelt setting the tone, and with allies
in Congress like Senator Robert Wagner, grassroots
activists won legislation guaranteeing workers' right to
organize, the minimum wage, family assistance for
mothers, and the 40-hour week.

The entire article is an excellent read:

http://dissentmagazine.org/article/?article=1215

My own letter published in the Madison, Wisconsin "Capital Times" is more specific and raises specific points we need to discuss because I am sure Barack Obama, as Sam Webb has suggested, shares many things in common with President Franklin D. Roosevelt; and, one of those things is that even though he may personally agree with much of what we are talking about when we talk about the kind of change we need in this country, there are also very powerful financial forces, many of us call it the "military-financial-industrial complex," in opposition to moving our country in a more progressive direction... and, Sam Webb's article alludes to these problems; that is, a lot of big-businesses are banking that they will be able to exert greater influence and pressure over Barack Obama than can, we--- the people. This is why Frank Marshall Davis always tried to make working people fully aware of the class struggle--- bankers, industrialists, war-profiteers on one side; working people determined to create a better life on the other side.

Keep in mind, this statement by President Franklin D. Roosevelt is of utmost importance:

"You've convinced me. Now go out and make me do it."

We are not in a situation where we have the ability to whisper in Obama's ear our concerns. Barack Obama needs to be able to tell his big-business backers, "Hey, fellas; look here, I got all these people out here yelling and demonstrating and raising heck about their problems... I can't just ignore all these people... I have to discuss with them how we are going to solve their problems."

Unlike President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Barak Obama the community organizer, understands we have a job to do in mobilizing grassroots working class activists; and because he received guidance from Frank Marshall Davis he will understand that he has a job to do right now--- get elected President of the United States--- and Obama will understand, that as working people who are suffering the consequences of a rotten capitalist system on the skids to oblivion, we aren't willing to go down with the sinking ship.

Here is my letter published in the Madison, Wisconsin "Capital Times":

Obama needs to offer solutions to get working-class votes

Link to article in Capital Times I responded to:

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/letters/296575


Link to my Letter to the Editor:

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/letters/296575


Alan Maki: Obama needs to offer solutions to get working-class votes

Alan Maki — 7/17/2008

Dear Editor:

I agree with the AFL-CIO's Richard Trumka that "labor must battle racism"; however, I don't think racism is the main obstacle to Obama getting the votes of working people.

Trumka recently eloquently rattled off the list of problems working people are experiencing. The problem Obama is having convincing workers to vote for him is that he has not put forward one single solution to any of the problems Trumka listed: "when it comes to protecting jobs, when it comes to protecting pensions, when it comes to health care, child care, pay equity for women, Social Security, Medicare, seeing to it that people can afford to go to college and buy a home -- and restoring the right to collective bargaining ..."

Until Obama clearly brings forward real solutions to the problems of working people he is going to have a very difficult time getting our votes -- and this has nothing to do with racism.

For some reason, Trumka conveniently made no mention of the need to end this war for oil in Iraq. Why not? We cannot have an economy of guns and butter.

Trumka also failed to note the other twin evil of racism: anti-communism.

Anyone who looks at the conservative and right-wing bloggers supporting John McCain sees that the attacks on Obama are both racist and anti-communist.

These attacks center around Frank Marshall Davis, the deceased black journalist and Communist Party member who Obama says was his "mentor." Apparently Joe McCarthy has risen from the grave and intends to go goose-stepping backward over the dead body of one of this country's most courageous working-class journalists.

Richard Trumka had better concern himself with both racism and anti-communism, pernicious forms of hate and bigotry which feed on each other and spell a doomsday scenario for progressive working-class politics.

Alan L. Maki

Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council

Warroad, Minn.

In another article of mine published in a variety of publications around the country, and previously in one of my blog postings on this site, I referred to some specific issues:

It is up to working people to clearly chart the course for progressive change and to unite for change behind the agenda we articulate. We need to make politicians understand that they work for us, not the other way around.

Several very basic changes come to mind that I think about:

1.)In the area of health care we need single-payer universal health care which will be a stepping stone to get us to socialized health care. Obama’s idea of health care “reform” leaves much to be desired; he wants to leave the profit gouging insurance companies, HMO’s, doctors and the pharmaceutical industry in control when most of us know this is what is wrong with the system--- profits come before people; and, it should be the other way around.

2.)We need a minimum wage that is a real living wage. Any job that an employer needs done should provide the worker doing that job a real living wage. The way to arrive at what the minimum wage should be is to use the statistics and calculations of the United States Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics based on real cost of living factors rather than having some politicians pull a miserly figure out of their hat at election time. If employers don’t like this let them do the work themselves; with the robbery at the pumps it won’t be long before it won’t pay to go to work anyways. What’s Obama’s stand on the minimum wage? I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter. We need to seize the initiative and make it clear to him the change we want.

3.)We need to end this dirty war for oil in Iraq; it’s a war that was based upon lies and deceit right from the beginning and it has taken a terrible toll, not only on the people in Iraq, but on us here, too--- to the point where we can say that every bomb dropped and every bullet fired is destroying our society, too. We can’t have a foreign policy which sees wars as solutions to complex problems. As far as I can see Obama doesn’t really offer much change in this area either so we are going to have to take the initiative in charting a course for change as we expect things to be and make our voices heard.

4.)We need to make it clear that in any program aimed at “greening” America through massive government subsidies to business and industry, that what taxpayers finance, taxpayers should own--- including the profits.

5.)Public ownership of the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant needs to be considered. Saving two-thousand jobs is a major priority for Minnesotans in this election.

In the end, we should see ourselves and our unity as the surge for change, and stop waiting for Obama or any other politicians to explain what kind of change they are for.

Change should be about solving real problems. The people experiencing these problems, you and me, should be able to articulate the solutions… this is what real change is about.

In a democracy people are supposed to be active participants in movements for social change, not mere cheerleaders clapping and waving placards for politicians mouthing hollow, meaningless platitudes about “change.”

“Yes we can” bring about “change” if we get together where we work and in our communities.

Once again I would note what President Franklin D. Roosevelt told a group of leaders from the Communist Party USA and the Unemployed Councils during his meeting with them:

"You've convinced me. Now go out and make me do it."

Of course, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was referring to Social Security.

I am confident that we will be seeing Sam Webb elaborating on the class struggle aspect of the 2008 Elections as we go along.

I do think that this posting from another blog, in the best traditions of community organizing, is the direction we need to be moving in very quickly if we intend to build a bridge to the Obama Administration:

Help Make A Grassroots Movement Grow... Starting a grassroots movement for change is as easy as 1, 2, 3, 4...


1. Get your friends and neighbors together around the kitchen table.


2. Discuss the problem.


3. Make up some signs saying:

"We are fed up!"

"Stop the robbery at the pumps!"

"No more wars for oil!"

"Tax oil company profits to pay for health care, education, housing!"

"Boycott Mobil/Exxon/Esso!"

4. Head out with your signs for your neighborhood Mobil/Exxon/Esso gas station/convenience store.


The time has come to serve notice on the oil companies that we are fed up with the robbery at the pumps and we aren't going to take it any more.

Education.

Organization.

Unity.

Action.

One little raindrop doesn't amount to much... but, let it pour and all those little raindrops sure add up... talk to your family, friends, fellow workers and neighbors.


Whenever possible purchase Citgo gas and oil products.

The time has come to consider public ownership and nationalization of the oil industry.


Let's talk about the politics and economics of livelihood.

Some people have intentionally mis-stated my motives in stating my views so openly on these issues.

The right-wing has been pounding away on my blog here for weeks now. Others, who I consider friends, think I should keep my thoughts to myself until after the Election. In all candor, I don't think suppressing ideas is what is called for. I am not going to be bullied from the right; and I am not going to be bullied into silence by those who call themselves "liberals," "progressives," or "left."

As Bob Dylan sang, "The times they are a changin'"... but, the answers, my friends are not blowin' in the wind... we need open dialogue, discussion and debate.

I would encourage everyone to go out and get the two books by Frank Marshall Davis, "Livin' the Blues" and "The Writings of Frank Marshall Davis" from your local public library... and begin a Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change in your neighborhood.This doesn't have to be anything elaborate... sitting on lawn chairs out in the back-yard or gathering in a local coffee shop or restaurant. Think of the Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change as an alternative to the big-business "think-tanks" like the Heritage Foundation or the Cato Institute or RAND... as working people and community activists and labor and community organizers we need our own think tanks.

In his recent book, "The Age of Turbulence," Alan Greenspan repeatedly points out how important his weekly get-to-gethers with the thoroughly reactionary Ayn Rand were to shaping his thinking, his outlook and developing a strategy for American business to dominate the world. We see, and are experiencing, where we are at today as a result of letting the Alan Greenspans of the country do our thinking for us.

In view of the attacks from the right-wing we shouldn't cower or with-hold our thoughts; as President Franklin D. Roosevelt stated on numerous occassions, and as his wife--- the heroic Eleanor Roosevelt--- continued to say in response to right-wing racist and anti-communist attacks long after President Roosevelt's death:

"We have nothing to fear, but fear itself..."

Madame Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins, a close friend of labor leader Harry Bridges and the first woman secretary ever appointed to such a high-level government position--- appointed Secretary of Labor by President Roosevelt--- was even more forceful in her response to the never-ending, vicious, right-wing attacks emanating from big-business circles, calling Frances Perkin's advocacy of social programs like Social Security and socialized health care "straight from the pages of the Communist Manifesto;" Madame Secretary Perkins courageously responded to these vicious right-wing attacks hurled at her from the likes of the American Medical Association and the Nazi sympathizers like Henry Ford, "I would much rather see these programs as legislation helping people rather than remaining as words on the pages of a pamphlet."

Alan L. Maki

Initiator of the Frank Marshall Davis Roundtable for Change

PWW: A Good Editorial; no concrete suggestions

The Iron Range Club of the CPUSA had an educational concerning articles and editorials in our press on election issues: the PWW and PA.

After a lively two hour discussion led by our Club's Educational Director, Denise Lehtinen, we concluded that there is far too much in our press that is vague and non-specific.

We think this editorial provides a perfect example of what is wrong. Noted in the article is support for a call from the Obama campaign for people to participate in the platform process of the Democratic Party.

Not once has the PWW, PA, the CPUSA website or blogs provided concrete examples of platform resolutions.

One prominent MN DFL activist and member of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party State Central Committee, Alan Maki, was successful in gaining support for three resolutions earlier this year concerning saving the St. Paul Ford Twin Cities Assembly Plant which means protecting jobs here on the Iron Range, too. Not one word in the PWW, PA or on the CPUSA web site. We ask: Why not?

Maki was also the principal proponent and author of the resolution on single-payer universal health care which was overwhelmingly approved by the State Convention of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party; now part of the DFL platform known as the "Action Agenda." Again, no mention in our press. Even this editorial refers to "affordable health care;" whatever this means.

Maki was the author of a resolution on ending the war in Iraq which received majority support by the MN DFL State Convention delegates but failed to garner the necessary threshold to become part of the MN DFL Platform.

Several of our Club members were delegates to the conventions where these platform issues came up for debate.

We made two primary observations during our Club educational:

1.) Our press and publications did not cover these debates and resolutions which are models of exemplary leadership when it comes to bringing working class issues into the Democratic Party. Or any other party, including our own Party;

2.) There is a huge problem when the PWW editorializes for citizen participation in the platform process but provides no concrete examples for us to work with. Using the writings of Gus Hall, Marx and Lenin to guide our Club discussion we came to the conclusion this presents a major problem.

Why is there no guide to action on the very issues our leadership and editorial writers correctly say we need to become involved in?

In this case the editorial calls for citizen participation in the platform process. Great!

Shouldn't this edition of the PWW where this editorial appeared have provided us with examples of numerous resolutions we could be submitting from all over the country?

During our Club's educational we found members were divided among whom they were supporting for president. This is something we should not find surprising because because none of the candidates or parties have what can be called clearly working class agendas and platforms.

The majority of the members of our Club are for Obama. Some for McKinney and Nader. We have not seen this as a problem as some in our National leadership seem to make it out to be.

The real problem is that our National leadership and our publications have not provided leadership on the issues; on the issues our Party should be united in pushing for progressive platforms in all the campaigns. We want to see the working class united on issues not around personalities unless those personalities are clearly linked to a solid working class platform. The issues are of greater importance than individual candidates where the working class struggle is concerned.

This editorial (see below) states:

"Barack Obama’s message of change, unity and hope – in short, a new vision for America — has important democratic and class dimensions that, if reflected in the platform, could energize millions of people to not only vote but also participate in making that vision a reality."

Unless clearly defined by way of platform resolutions there is no real "vision" of anything coming from Obama. Without a progressive working class platform there is empty rhetoric with no class dimensions.

"If reflected in the platform" is a very big "if." If not from our Party, where will this "class dimension" for the platform come from?

A very serious weakness in our Party has been exposed all throughout this campaign and has yet to be rectified. First there was open support for Obama. Then the Party leadership stated non-endorsement of any candidate. Our publications go on endorsing Obama to the exclusion of bringing forward working class issues.

This editorial from the PWW should be reprinted in an upcoming issue. This time with references to specific platform resolutions. There should be coverage in the PWW of how our Party is participating in this call from the Obama campaign for citizens to become part of the process for change.

Iron Range Club of the Communist Party USA

EDITORIAL: A ‘Change America’ platform

Author: PWW/NM Editorial Board
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 07/25/08 14:45

Under the title “Listening to America,” the Obama campaign issued an open invitation to voters to organize meetings in their homes, union halls, churches and schools this month to discuss what planks should be added to a 2008 “Platform for Change.” In the past, the Democratic Party platform was written by “paid professionals,” the call said. “This year, that’s going to change.”

Most times these platforms are sterile documents to which hardly anyone pays attention. Barack Obama’s message of change, unity and hope – in short, a new vision for America — has important democratic and class dimensions that, if reflected in the platform, could energize millions of people to not only vote but also participate in making that vision a reality.

After eight long years of extreme right-wing rule, the country is hungry for change.

The stark reality of economic insecurity hitting millions of Americans, while the wealth gap grows between the super-rich and everybody else, cries out for redress. A platform for change needs to come down squarely on the side of working-class families.

Certainly a top priority is national investment in job creation — meaningful, necessary jobs like rebuilding schools, parks, bridges and water systems, expanding mass transit and tackling the 21st century environmental and energy challenges, with livable wages, collective bargaining rights, and priority to the hardest hit communities.

Affordable, universal health care, protection and expansion of Social Security and investment in quality public education are also steps in the right direction.

Global problems such as terrorism, poverty, trade issues, climate change and pandemics all need international cooperation that puts people first, not belligerence, “shoot first, ask questions later” and unilateralism. A new vision for America has to put our foreign policy firmly on the side of peace and respect for human rights, worker rights and national sovereignty. That means a speedy withdrawal from Iraq, and de-escalating other conflicts in the Middle East and Asia.

Americans want a government that is really of, for and by the people. A new vision for America must restore democratic Constitutional protections so badly trampled by the Bush administration, and expand hard-won civil liberties and rights. And it must move to curb the rampage of unbridled corporate greed.

That’s a platform for change.

Aaron Street aaron.street@gmail.com SD61 mydfl
Adam Duininck duin0005@umn.edu Director godspeedyourmusictome
Adam Prock adamp@callmeyer.com SD56 adam_prock
Al Juhnke rep.al.juhnke@house.mn Elected/13A aljuhnke
Al Patton pattonaw@charter.net SEC/Finance
Al Uhl awuhl@msn.com SD65 aluhlsr
Alan Maki amaki000@centurytel.net Roseau
Alex Bajwa abajwa01@hamline.edu SD47 alex_bajwa
Alex Cutler cutler@stolaf.edu SD60 wheresthemind
Alexander Falconer falconera@dnc.org Field Organizer alexanderfalconer625
Allison Myhre ajmyhre@prtel.com Staff - field organizer allison_myhre
Amanda Tempel atempel@visi.com CD5 earthabunny
Amy Beckes amybeckes@gmail.com SD59 ab1414
Andy Hauer andyhauer@yahoo.com SD58
Andy O'Leary aoleary@dfl.org Staff/Executive Director
Ann Darby darbyanna2@juno.com CD7 anndrby
Ann Friedrich annfriedrich@msn.com SD62 annfriedrich
Ann Lenczewski lenczewski@aol.com Elected 40B
Ann White awhitepho@msn.com SD64 awhitepho2002
Ardis Wexler judgeardis@aol.com SD41

Beth Lareau beth@lareau.org (CD4) bethlareau
Betsy O'Berry betsyo@visi.com Director
Betty Cozatt eacozatt@aol.com SD45 libbyanne47
Betty Folliard bfolliard@strategypartners.biz SD45 b_folliard
Bill Davis billdavisdfl@msn.com Treasurer billdavisdfl
Bob Coombs recinvst@aol.com SD45
Bonnie Jude jude_bonnie@yahoo.com SD46 jude_bonnie
Bradley Gess bpgess@yahoo.com SD62 bpgess
Brett Buckner brettbuckner@yahoo.com Staff/CD5 Field Director brettbuckner
Brian Bergson quayle01@usinternet.com SD64 adphimn
Brian Melendez brian.melendez@usa.net Chair brian_melendez
Brian Wojtalewitz brian@wojtalewiczlawfirm.com SD20 bwojtalewicz
Bridget Cusick bcusick2004@yahoo.com SD63 bcusick2004
Buzz Snyder snyderbuzz@yahoo.com SD14 snyderbuzz

Carl/Diann Halverson chalvers@pro-ns.net SD48
Carol Woehrer sussk001@tc.umn.edu CD3 carolwoehrer
Cary Coop coop071585 CU25 coop071585
Catherine Dorr cad1951mn@yahoo.com SD59 cad1951mn
Charles Wilson chasmn@hotmail.com SD61 wilsoncharless
Charlie Underwood charleyunderwood@hotmail.com SD62 testimony4peace
Cheryl Gunvalson cgunval@gvtel.com Clearwater
Cheryl Poling chpoling@comcast.net SD42 cherylpoling
Chris Dykstra duckstrap@yahoo.com (SD19) duckstrap
Chris Yard chris.yardmn@gmail.com Winona
Clare Sorman clare_sorman@yahoo.com SD59
Colleen Clark clclark@charter.net Goodhue colleen_2124
Cynthia Andersen cyndym1617@msn.com SD17

Dan Brown dpbrown@pressenter.com SD64 daniel_p_brown
Dan DuHamel dduhamel@mn.rr.com SD59 djd3137
Dan McConnell dan@danmcc.com SD62 danmccmn
Dan Weinand dweinand@gmail.com Director rad_mongoose
Darren Tobolt darrentobolt@yahoo.com SD65 darrentobolt
Dave Lee chair@cd5.dfl.org CD5 cleemn
David Bly davidhbly@yahoo.com Elected/25B davidhbly
David Cohoes david.cohoes@comcast.net SD44 dist442002
David Kaplan dkaplan@dfl.org Staff dkaplan76
David Strand/Cordy Strand dlstrand@msn.com Aitkin dflstrand
David Weinlick dweinlick@dfl.org Staff - Party Affairs Director minnesota_dfl
David Wiesner vsosp@scc.net SD58 vsosp
Deb Hogenson hogenson@swwnet.com Nobles mndonkey
Deb Pitzrick dpitzrick@dflsd42.org SD42 dapitzrick
Del Jenkins deldjenkins@yahoo.com SEC/AA deldjenkins
Denise Anderson specialangell4u@aol.com SD57 thereisanangel4u2
Dennis Schneider denny@dennyls.com SD56 dennyls
Diane Bourgeois dianecb@visi.com SD62 dinaecbourgeois
Don Bye byelawoffice@hotmail.com CD8
Don Jorovsky donjorovsky@msn.com SD50 jorovsky
Donna Cassutt dcassutt@dfl.org; dcassutt@mn.rr.com Associate Chair dcassutt
Donovan Strong mnfirebuster@yahoo.com CU6 mnfirebuster
Doug Ohlendorf ohlen@umn.edu CD3 dougohlendorf
Drew Campbell drcsoup@aol.com SD23
Dusty Trice lakecountrydem@yahoo.com; triced@dnc.org Staff - CD3 lakecountrydem

Earl Netwal enetwal@mn.rr.com (SD62) enetwal
Ed Caffrey eacaffrey@comcast.net SEC/Platform eacaffrey
Ed Mars ed_mars@juno.com SD9
Eileen Weber weber058@umn.edu SD57 weber058
Elizabeth Wefel ewefel@yahoo.com SD64 ewefel
Eric Mitchell ericmitchell55401@yahoo.com SD66 ericmitchell55401
Erica Schumacher ericadfl@yahoo.com SD66 ericadfl
Evan Cordes demongarik@aol.com CD4 demongarik

Faith Kidder faith@plethora.net SD62 kidderfaith
Fredric Markus fmarkus@mn.rr.com SD61 markusfredric

George Greene unclegeo@bstock.com SD46
Georgiana Ruzich grsrb1@peoplepc.com CD3
Grace Kelly dflgracekelly@yahoo.com Director dflgracekelly

Harry McClanahan harrym@pragmaticsolutions.com SD44 harrymcclanahan
Howard Bass hbass@basspeck.com SD35 hbass1959

Jack Harris jackharris@mn.rr.com SD41
Jackie Stevenson jaxter34@aol.com DNC
Jacob Nelson politics@duskwave.net SD40 jnelson83
Jaime Tincher jtincher@dfl.org Staff - Voter File jaimetincher
Jamie Edwards soul_2_soul_revisited@yahoo.com Director soul_2_soul_revisited
Jan Weir janweir@chartermi.net Blue Earth weir1941
Jane Anderson jgaanderson@yahoo.com SD43 jgaanderson
Jane Dewing jldewing@earthlink.net SD44
Jane Kay janekay@bitstream.net SD43 jck2ski
Jane Miles janemmiles@msn.com CD2 jmjm55077
Janet Krueger janet.krueger@prodigy.net Olmsted puppy_play
Jason Barnett jasonbarnett@earthlink.net SD65 jsnbarnett
Jason Ruud ruudjr@juno.com (req 12-05-06)
Jean Schiebel gigi@tcq.net SD46
Jeanette Martimo jeanettemartimo@yahoo.com SD/CU7 jeanettemartimo
Jed Burkett jed@bitstream.net SD61 jed_dfl
Jeff Larson jdlarson@frontiernet.net SD16 jdlarson_99
Jennifer Edstrom jedstro@comcast.net SD45 jedstro2
Jeremy Kalin jeremy@kalin.com Elected/17B jnkstudio
Jerry Gilkeson mndemocrat@comcast.net SD63 fireflite58
Jess McIntosh jmcintosh@dfl.org Staff/ Communications Director
Jim Bryant jbryant@democrats.com SD67 kc5vdj
Jodi Sterud jssd11@yahoo.com SD11 jssd11
Jodie Benson sergeantdog@yahoo.com SD35 sergeantdog
Joel Bergstrom jpelebergstrom@yahoo.com SD60 joelebergstrom
Joel Jenson jjensen@jjensenlaw.com SD44
Joel Johnson joel.johnson@house.mn (req 12-05-06)
Joelle Riley jriley@lernerbooks.com SD58 joelleriley
John DeSantis john.desantis@charter.net SD32
John Miller peersupport@earthlink.net SD65
John Schultz SEC/Finance Chair ddddave91
John Sherman jsherman@visi.com SD66 jsherman602
Joyce LeClaire jleclaire@charter.net Sherburne c_jleclaire
Judi Gauch jgauch@charter.net SD23 magauch_56003
Judith Gibson judith@juno.com SD66 judiuth1
Jules Goldstein jgold@ties2.net SEC - Constitution julesgolds
Julianne Johnston julieannetj@msn.com SD54
Julie Albrecht julie.albrecht@gmail.com Beltrami juliemaealbrecht

Kareesha Lewis klewis@dflsd42.org SD42 kaylewisdfl
Karla Sand karlaviolets@hotmail.com SD55
Katherine Speer kcspeer@myclearwave.net Director kcspeer
Kathleen Murphy mkathleenmurphy@msn.com kathleenmurphy7
Kathy Farmer kathy_sd25@yahoo.com SD25 kathy_sd25
Kathy Nelson nelso309@umn.edu Director kathynelsondfl
Keesha Gaskins sixfngrs@yahoo.com Director sixfngrs
Ken Beck javalive@charterinternet.com CD2 maxamostetonia
Ken Reine reine_ken@yahoo.com Isanti reine_ken
Kim Kang kkang@qwest.net SD33 kimdakang
Kristi Gottwalt k_gottwalt@hotmail.com SD37 kristianne320

Larry Fonnest dawnviewt@yahoo.com SD45 dawnviewt
Laura Askelin cursedmonkeypaw@charter.net Olmsted cursedmonkeypawthing
Laura Nelson lauranelson@gmail.com SD66 l_nelson20@gmail.com
Laura Nevitt lmn1215@yahoo.com SD64 lmn1215
Laurel Resman laurel_resman@yahoo.com Mille Lacs Laurel_resman
Laurie Hilty lhilty@frontiernet.net SD8 ljh55735
Laurie Pryor lauriepryor@yahoo.com SD42 lauriepryor
Loki Anderson lokileague@yahoo.com SEC/Constitution lokileague
Lori Olson lorio@wiktel.com Director lorio56701
Lori Sellner lorisell@sleepyeyetel.net CD1 lorisell
Lorrie Adams lorrie.a.adams@charter.net SD19 adams_lorrie
Lucy Garrity lgarrity217@comcast.net SD39
Lynn Wilson lwilson154@charter.net Olmsted lwilson154

Mairie Sullivan brigidswells@yahoo.com SD64
Marc Asch marc@asch.org (SD53) marcasch
Marcia Ferris earthylady_brainerd@yahoo.com Crow Wing earthylady_brainerd
Marge Hoffa travalfie@aol.com CD3 travalfie
Margie Hoyt neolotus@gmail.com Watonwan margie_hoyt
Mari Pokornowski mariurnessp@yahoo.com SD18
Marjanas Callery marjanac@comcast.net SD56 doccallery
Mark Frederickson prairiefire4@earthlink.net Olmsted
Mark Viste markviste@yahoo.com SD46 markviste
Martha Wigmore newdlwig@mindspring.com CD6 martha_wigmore
Mary Anne Bryndal mabryn@comcast.net SD42
Mary Markwardt SD46 mmarkwardt1031
Megan Thomas thom0286@umn.edu Affirmative Action meganjanethomas
Michael Dean mpdean2002@yahoo.com SD66 mpdean2002
Michael Lewis demozine@hotmail.com SD64
Michelle Bonnett zoemakes5@yahoo.com SD38
Mike McIntee mmcintee@mac.com allnews364
Mike Meuers riverlot@paulbunyan.net Beltrami
Mike Rothman rothmans@mn.rr.com SEC/Constitution dflcommission
Mike Spellman spellman5593@msn.com SD53 spellmadem
Mohamed Jibrell mjibrell@mn.rr.com (req 12-05-06)

Nakiesha Mabrey nixnmm@yahoo.com SD58 niq4mydfl
Nancy Larson nanlars@ll.net or nanlarspottie@yahoo.com DNC nanlarspottie
Nancy Schumacher nancy236@msn.com CD6 ndsdfl
Nena Street nena.street@gmail.com CD5 nenastreet
Nick Kimball nkimball@dfl.org Staff/Communications nicholaskimball
Niel Ritchie nritchie@tcq.net Director
Norbert Gernes ngernes@yahoo.com SD42 ngernes
Norm Hanson rosevillehan3@aol.com SD54

PJ Voysey pjvoysey@yahoo.com SD37 pjvoysey
Pam McCrory mccrorypam@yahoo.com or skeeters@paulbunyun.net SD4 mccrorypam
Pamela Blixt pgblixt@comcast.net SD62 pgblixt
Paul Hoffinger paulhoffinger@aol.com SD38
Paul Jasmer PJasmer@CSBSJU.EDU SD14
Paul Wright paulw@hutchtel.net CD7
Peggy Hanson mjhanson@acegroup.cc Fillmore phanson.fillmore
Peter Berglund berglund463@hotmail.com SD54
Peter Wyckoff motowndemocratii@yahoo.com Stevens motowndemocratii
Phil Castrovinci philcastro44@yahoo.com Olmsted philcastro44
Polly Philblad pphilblad@mn.rr.com SD50 koffeekrazy

RT Grels rtgrels@comcast.net SD39 baldur7
Rebekah Smith smithrebekah@yahoo.com SD61 smithrebekah
Reggie Edwards reggiesara@aol.com Director
Ric Studer gandharva1@yahoo.com SD15 gandharva1
Rich Kramer rjfkramer@aol.com SD67 eastsidekramer
Richard Blake rkblake13@yahoo.com Itasca rkblake13
Richard Carlbom rcarlbom@dfl.org CD6 Field Organizer sixthcdfield
Rick Moran rickmoran@yahoo.com SD58 rickmoran
Rick Nelson rnelson@faegre.com CD3
Rick Stafford rickatmpls@msn.com DNC
Rita Albrecht ritaalbrecht@charter.net ritaplus3
Robert Young Walser seasongs@spacestar.net SD60 bobyoungwalser
Rod Halvorson halvorrod@yahoo.com Ramsey halvorrod
Rodney Olsen rolsen6376@visi.com SD64 rolsen6376
Ron Mazurowski teacherron@msn.com SD56 ronmazurowski
RoseAnn Zimbro rzimbro@dfl.org Staff/Outreach roseannezimbro
Ruthann Rintala Sawanson ruthann@ars-services.com SD59

Sally Burns sallymb@aol.com SD42 sallymburns
Sam Nelson snelson2@tds.net Kandiyohi
Sara Reller s7r4@insani-x.com SD65 nadia_moadib
Scott Wells sdwells1@yahoo.com SD15 sdwells1
Sean Broom sdbroom1982@yahoo.com MYDFL
Sharon Rickert sharon@holoweb.com (CD6)
Shawn Groth ssng12@hotmail.com Rice
Shelley Madore madore@frontiernet.net Elected/37A shelley37a
Sky Miles skylarkmiles@msn.com SD39 smiles5199
Steve Nelson srnelson@paulbunyan.net srnelson2003
Steven Linnerooth stevendl2000@yahoo.com Chisago stevendl2000
SuJay Rao srao@gac.edu Nicollet sujayrao02476
Sue Moravec sue@mn.rr.com SD34
Sue Moravec suemoravec@comcast.net SD34 suemoravec
Sue Moravec suemoravec@comcast.net SD34 suemoravec
Sunday Alibi sundaebobo@yahoo.com SD47 sundaebobo
Susan Rego regofam@earthlink.net Secretary regofam
Susette Skog family4peace@msn.com SD38 sskog1

Ted Anderson Staff
Terri Griffiths tjgriffiths@charter.net SD7
Terry Kroke tlkroke@yahoo.com Clay tlkroke
Therese Barnett therese1b@yahoo.com Rice
Thomas Kurhajetz thomaskurhajetz@frontiernet.net Pine krhjtz
Tim Bonham t-bonham@scc.net SD62 t_bonham_scc
Tim Morse tim@morse.net CD4 timber6as7
Tim Ward tim@wardo.net SD56 wardo78
Tina Liebling tliebling@charter.net Elected/30A tliebling
Tom Hamilton baldeagl18@comcast.net CD5 baldeagl7856
Tom Laforce tmforce@aol.com tom_laforce
Tom Ross tomeross@comcast.net SD43 arthurpendragone
Tony Doom tony@tonydoom.com SD21

Vici Oshiro vicio@visi.com (SD40)
Vicki Wright vickiwright@comcast.net; vwright225@comcast.net SD38 wrightvh
Vincent Lynch mowercountydfl@smig.net Mower vincent_lynch2002
Vivian Votava oldladyslater@yahoo.com SD56 oldladyslater

Wayne Pulford wlpulford@yahoo.com Director wlpulford