Texas Longhorns with newborn calf in Bluebonnets

Texas Longhorns with newborn calf in Bluebonnets

Please note I have a new phone number...

512-517-2708

Alan Maki

Alan Maki
Doing research at the LBJ Library in Austin, Texas

It's time to claim our Peace Dividend

It's time to claim our Peace Dividend

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

We need to beat swords into plowshares.

A program for real change...

http://peaceandsocialjustice.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-progressive-program-for-real-change.html


What we need is a "21st Century Full Employment Act for Peace and Prosperity" which would make it a mandatory requirement that the president and Congress attain and maintain full employment.


"Voting is easy and marginally useful, but it is a poor substitute for democracy, which requires direct action by concerned citizens"

- Ben Franklin

Let's talk...

Let's talk...

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Bemidji Pioneer Press report on precinct caucus night in Minnesota and some of my additional thoughts...

Precinct caucus night in Minnesota has become a Minnesota tradition, kind of like "hockey night in Canada" is across the border... over 8,000 precinct caucuses are held where citizens and grassroots activists in the political parties have an opportunity to make their voices heard... and last night the voices in the DFL resounded very clearly: put affirmative action into the DFL platform's "Action Agenda" and get out there and enforce affirmative action. 

I hope you will circulate this wide and far. People across this country have a right to know that progressive Minnesotans are rising to today’s challenges and we need all the allies we can get from across the country if we are going to be able to muster the movement in building for the kind of change people were hoping for.

Read full article below after my comments---

Note: In many precincts across Minnesota “watered-down” versions of the original resolution were passed in an attempt by MN DFL Chair Brian Melendez to head off a discussion as to why it has taken the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party to take a stand for the enforcement of affirmative action… but, so far, all reports coming in from across Minnesota indicate that the grassroots, in their majority, expect affirmative action to be enforced and they expect the MN DFL to advocate for the enforcement of affirmative action policies which are not at present being enforced by state agencies or department or other levels of government. The Minnesota DFL has been evading supporting affirmative action because it has become official MN DFL strategy to write-off the urban and working class vote as more and more people are sitting home on election day because they see no difference in the Democrats and Republicans so the MN DFL has decided to go after the votes in suburban and gated communities instead of responding to the concerns of working people. In fact, it was difficult to get people to turn out for these grassroots precinct caucus events because people were saying things like, “What’s the use; we put so much effort into electing Obama and these Democrats and they are hurting us instead of helping us with our problems.”

Note: It is interesting to note that the leaders of the MN DFL are lamenting the fact they have not been able to elect a Minnesota Governor since Rudy Perpich. Ironically, it is these same Democrats who launched a vicious red-baiting campaign against Rudy Perpich after he proposed tax-the-hell out of the rich and drastically increasing the “taconite tax” on the iron ore. These well-heeled Democrats often referred to as “The Summit Hill Club” because they live a life of tremendous wealth (Summit Hill is where all the old mining, lumber and railroad barons resided… and these reactionary Democrats dubbed Rudy Perpich who came from a family of communist union organizers on Minnesota’s Iron Range as “Red” Rudy which provoked Rudy Perpich to begin exploring the idea of creating a party independent of the Democratic Party… unfortunately, Rudy Perpich died of cancer before he could initiate the struggle against this bunch of well-heeled and middle class Democrats who had, and have, no connection to the working class.

Another former Minnesota Governor, Elmer Benson, an avowed socialist who worked tirelessly to give liberals, progressives and the left among the working class, farmers, small business people and professionals a voice in the decision-making process was subjected to a similar vicious racist, anti-Semitic, anti-communist and anti-labor campaign in 1938 as was Rudy Perpich years later.

Both Rudy Perpich and Elmer Benson valued their friendship with fellow Iron Ranger, Gus Hall who, who, as a member of the NAACP in Yonkers, New York, helped lead the fight for affirmative action. Both Elmer Benson and Rudy Perpich during their terms as governor strictly enforced affirmative action and would not tolerate any kind of racial discrimination or bigotry… there is a reason why the healthcare center on the Red Lake Indian Reservation is called the Roger Jourdain-Rudy Perpich healthcare center.

I should also point out that a move is quietly underway by this “Summit Hill Club” to try to end “precinct caucus night in Minnesota”… it is like famed playwright Bertolt Brecht was fond of saying, “The wealthy create the poor but cannot stand to look at them;” we could, and should, add to this, “the wealthy few who own the mines, mills, factories and the casinos cannot stand to have the poor participating as equals in the decision-making process during precinct night in Minnesota.” Many people opine that should these well-heeled Democrats be successful in ending this Minnesota tradition of “precinct caucus night in Minnesota” this will be, for liberals, progressives and the left, “the straw that breaks the camel’s back” and a new progressive party in Minnesota will be born out of the rich history of the real Minnesota Farmer-Labor Party.

Anyways, read the article from the Bemidji Pioneer Press republished below… it best captures “precinct caucus night in Minnesota” better than any other newspaper article I have read from the Main Stream Media (MSM).

It is good news that Iron Ranger and State Representative Tom Rukavina, dubbed “Tommy the Commie,” by the “Summit Hill Club” crowd is still running a strong campaign in northern Minnesota and other parts of the state. Rukavina, the most progressive member of the Minnesota State Legislature has pledged to Minnesotans, “My door, as Governor, will always be open to everyone.” And people know he is sincere because he is the only state legislator who has this open door policy right now--- and for years, Tom Rukavina has been their governor as he has helped not only his constituents, but any and all Minnesotans. Rukavina has stated he is the voice of the Farmer-Labor wing of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party and working people know this. Rukavina is the only candidate in the race for Governor who has openly stated he will take up where Rudy Perpich left off. As a worker who made his living in the iron ore mines, Rukavina doesn’t have the financial resources of the wealthy candidates leading the pack; but he is putting up one heck of a fight… at the Roseau County DFL Convention, Rukavina was tied for first place and as the article below points out he held his own in Beltrami County.

Alan L. Maki
Director of Organizing,
Midwest Casino Workers Organizing Council
Alternate MN DFL State Convention Delegate, Roseau County; a delegate vote committed to Tom Rukavina for Governor


Link: http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/event/article/id/100015521

This is an excerpt from the article (full and complete article below):

All the precincts elected permanent precinct chairmen and delegates to the county convention, but even there very few resolutions to change or add to the party platform were offered.

“Institutionalized racism is still firmly in place and entrenched in all aspects of life in Minnesota,’ ’said Ward 5 caucus attendee Greg Paquin, who is seeking DFL endorsement over Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji.

Saying institutionalized racism is more evident in American Indian communities, Paquin offered a resolution that affirmative action become part of the Minnesota DFL platform and that the DFL supports the strict enforcement of all affirmative action guidelines and policies and that affirmative action plans “must be drawn up and implemented to become part of all projects in Minnesota …”

Paquin was the only supporter of the resolution which wasn’t adopted, mostly because of a lack of understanding, as six people abstained while five voted no.

Precinct captain Michael Meuers said he thought affirmative action was already part of the DFL Party platform.

A measure by Joe Day on affirmative action, however, did pass. He asked ”all governances to recognize and uphold Affirmative Action in all agencies.”

“This is a watered-down version of what I want,” Paquin said.

“Federal law includes affirmative action, and tribes are covered by the Tribal Employment Rights Act,” Day said. “And the private sector has the Human Rights Commission. This would affect state and local governments.”

That measure passed with four abstentions and only Paquin opposed/
The institutionalized racism resolution, however, did pass unanimously in Frohn Township.

Comment: An interesting point to be made is that those who "watered down" the resolution have refused to stand up and call for enforcement of affirmative action on the largest public works project in Bemidji in years--- the Bemidji Regional Event Center.

Michael Muerers is the public relations man for the Red Lake Tribal Council's casino business, among other things. His wife has sat shamefully silent  as a member of the Bemidji City Council knowing full well affirmative action is not being enforced on the BREC at any level... talk about the way the bribes from the casino industry corrupts the political process on and off the Indian Reservations.

Joe Day has not uttered a peep nor come out in support of affirmative action in hiring on the BREC project.

John McCarthy and his Minnesota Indian Gaming Association have contributed millions of dollars funding candidates opposed to affirmative action. In fact, John McCarthy urged support for the racist City Planner, Rita Albrecht who was the primary Bemidji City official responsible for working the way out from enforcing affirmative action on the BREC.

State Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji who put forward a resolution supporting the Indian Gaming Industry represents the area the BREC is being built on and he has not lifted a finger to insist that federal, state and city laws, statutes and policies on affirmative action be enforced... yet, he wants to protect the Indian Gaming Industry in a way that assures casino workers are employed in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights. In a conversation I had recently with Representative Persell he told me that I didn't understand economics because he maintains, "low wages don't create poverty. Any job is better than no job at all." When I pointed out to Persell that he works in two smoke-free offices and makes more than ten times the income from his two jobs on the public pay-roll--- as a wet lands specialist and as a state representative, he tapped his head indicating that if one is smart they would not be poor or working in a casino.. When I pointed out to Representative Persell that he is in office because us stupid casino workers create the wealth stolen from us by the casino industry and a big chunk of this wealth is used by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Industry to elect such smart people as he is to public office he gave me a shove and said, "Typical talk coming from a 'commie union man;' you see poverty and cancer, I see jobs, jobs, jobs."


The question has to be asked:

When will Michael Meuers, Joe Day, John McCarthy and Representative John Persell meet with Bemidji City officials and demand full implementation of the "watered-down" affirmative action resolution Joe Day brought forward in an attempt to spare the Minnesota DFL and the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association embarrassment?

Alan L. Maki

 
Article from the Bemidji Pioneer Press...


Published February 03 2010


DFL: Rybak wins favor at Beltrami County precinct caucuses
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, meet Beltrami County Democrats.
By: Brad Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer
Michael Meuers, left, Bemidji Ward 5 DFL precinct captain, explains procedure Tuesday night as Democratic precinct caucuses were held at Lincoln School, one of 12 Beltrami County sites. Behind him is Beltrami County DFL Chairman Steve Nelson while caucus attendee Jackie Ryder is at right. Pioneer Photo/Brad Swenson
More...


DFL: Rybak wins favor at Beltrami County precinct caucuses
Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, meet Beltrami County Democrats.

By: Brad Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer


Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak, meet Beltrami County Democrats.

The urban mayor, who only in November won a second term, won the favor of Beltrami County precinct caucus attendees Tuesday night, scoring well in a non-binding preference poll for governor.

At least that was the verdict of several Democratic precinct caucuses which convened at Lincoln Elementary School, one of 12 sites DFLers met for precinct caucuses in Beltrami County.

In a low attended caucus night despite nine major candidates on the straw poll ballot – former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton didn’t want to partake in the poll and will go directly to the Sept. 14 primary — Rybak polled 12 votes, including seven of 11 in Frohn Township.

Iron Range Rep. Tom Rukavina also won favor, coming in second with six votes, all from Bemidji Ward 5. House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher got four votes and no one else got more than two.

Full Beltrami County results followed suit. Rybak led with 36 votes, followed by Rukavina with 23, Marty 19 and Kelliher 16. Sen. Tom Bakk of Cook polled 13 votes while former House Minority Leader Matt Entenza got 10 and Rep. Paul Thissen nine votes. Former Sen. Steve Kelley got five votes and Ramsey County Attorney Susan Gaertner two.

“The quest for ‘change’ continues,” said Beltrami County DFL Chairman Steve Nelson. “It’s been 19 years since Gov. Perpich. Today we begin the campaign to put a DFL governor in office.”

In statewide results, with 73 percent of precincts reporting, Rybak with 21.5 percent led Kelliher with 20 percent. Rukavina was fourth with 7.5 percent, behind Sen. John Marty’s 9.8 percent.

Delegates cast their ballots when they arrived at 7 p.m.. but voting in the preference poll had to remain open until 8 p.m.

“Let the tellers count the ballots,” Frohn precinct captain John McCarthy said at the stroke of 8 p.m. “That’s what we’re all here for.”

Thirteen people caucused in Bemidji Ward 5 while 11 were in Frohn Township. Ten Lake Township had five people will Unorganized No. 3 had only two. A spot was laid out for Moose Lake Township, but no one showed, with that precinct needing to elect two delegates to the Beltrami DFL County Convention, which is noon Feb. 28 in Bemidji State’s Beaux Arts Ballroom.

All the precincts elected permanent precinct chairmen and delegates to the county convention, but even there very few resolutions to change or add to the party platform were offered.

“Institutionalized racism is still firmly in place and entrenched in all aspects of life in Minnesota,’ ’said Ward 5 caucus attendee Greg Paquin, who is seeking DFL endorsement over Sen. Mary Olson, DFL-Bemidji.

Saying institutionalized racism is more evident in American Indian communities, Paquin offered a resolution that affirmative action become part of the Minnesota DFL platform and that the DFL supports the strict enforcement of all affirmative action guidelines and policies and that affirmative action plans “must be drawn up and implemented to become part of all projects in Minnesota …”

Paquin was the only supporter of the resolution which wasn’t adopted, mostly because of a lack of understanding, as six people abstained while five voted no.

Precinct captain Michael Meuers said he thought affirmative action was already part of the DFL Party platform.

A measure by Joe Day on affirmative action, however, did pass. He asked ”all governances to recognize and uphold Affirmative Action in all agencies.”

“This is a watered-down version of what I want,” Paquin said.

“Federal law includes affirmative action, and tribes are covered by the Tribal Employment Rights Act,” Day said. “And the private sector has the Human Rights Commission. This would affect state and local governments.”

That measure passed with four abstentions and only Paquin opposed.

The institutionalized racism resolution, however, did pass unanimously in Frohn Township.

Frohn Township also passed a resolution offered by Rep. John Persell, DFL-Bemidji, to call upon the DFL to oppose the expansion of gambling in the state.

The state already allows several forms of gambling, such as horse racing, charitable gambling and the State Lottery, plus it has compacts with the tribes to allow on-reservation gaming, he said.

“The gambling already offered throughout the state provides economic benefit to many people as well as our local economy,” Persell said. “Our local economies are fragile enough and should not be put in further jeopardy.”

The resolution calls for the DFL “to oppose all further expansion of gambling, be it state-owned casinos, racinos or in any other form.”

Persell said lawmakers twice last session staved off video slots in bars. “If this ever happens, our region loses jobs, period. Both Indian and non-Indian, as 60 percent of the workers in casinos are non-Indian.”

The resolution would not affect American Indian gaming within reservations. “We can’t tell the tribes what to do,” Persell said.

Bemidji Ward 5 also passed a resolution calling on the use of instant runoff voting in state and local elections. The system allows voters to rank candidates, so if no majority winner is declared, a voter’s second choice is added to the mix until a majority winner is declared.


Alan L. Maki
58891 county Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Please check out my blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/

all over Minnesota resolutions were passed calling for the MNDFL to aggressively support affirmative action

Please distribute and circulate this widely…

It was a fantastic night... all over Minnesota resolutions were passed calling for the MNDFL to aggressively support affirmative action... this resolution, which they were all based around, unanimously passed the Roseau County DFL 2010 Convention.

I introduced this resolution.

I was elected an alternate delegate to the upcoming MN DFL State Convention in Duluth and I look forward to discussing this resolution with everyone... hopefully everyone will begin discussing this resolution now so it isn't necessary to fight for six years to get it part of the Action Agenda like we had to do to get single-payer universal health care as part of our Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party “Action Agenda” against powerful forces aligned with big-business interests and those politicians paid-off by outfits like the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association, the mining, banking and forestry industries and the American Medical Association.

Roseau County continues to lead the way in progressive thinking; it's where the single-payer universal healthcare movement got its impetus and its where the struggle for affirmative action will get its forward movement... DFL elected officials have ignored affirmative action for too long right along with Pawlenty... this needs to change and it is going to change, beginning with this resolution... we really need to get this resolution into all political parties all across the United States.

There will be a continued need for affirmative action as long as higher unemployment and higher rates of poverty continue to plague communities of people of color. “Last hired, first fired” need to end; we end this racist discrimination resulting from institutionalized racism by vigorously enforcing affirmative action… the Roseau County DFL gave affirmative action one heck of a push tonight… like a snowball rolling down a hill on a warm spring day let’s keep pushing until this movement gets so big it can’t be stopped.

This struggle against institutionalized racism will strengthen the working class movement and the progressive movement in general while providing a better standard of living for millions of people in this country… this is the kind of change people voted for.

Say “No” to racist discrimination and “Yes” to full equality!

We also unanimously passed a resolution that would tie the minimum wage to a real living wage based upon the BLS cost of living index. The MN DFL leadership has steadfastly opposed both resolutions--- but, they also opposed single-payer universal healthcare and we finally won.

So far only one DFL candidate for governor, Mark Dayton, has come out in support of the strict enforcement of affirmative action and he has condemned the refusal of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Department of Employment and Economic Development to implement state mandated and legislated affirmative action; Dayton responded to this broad-based, grassroots people’s movement which was initiated by Gregory W. Paquin DFL Candidate for State Senate District 4 who has provided the leadership in the struggle for affirmative action by launching the fight to enforce affirmative action at the Bemidji Regional Event Center… Paquin and Dayton should be applauded for their courage to stand up for what is right when others have remained shamefully silent; Dayton and Paquin have set a new standard for politics in Minnesota and we should all pitch in and give them a hand--- they have the ball rolling and we need to keep this ball rolling… delegates to the Roseau County DFL and other precinct caucus participants did this tonight.

The silence of all other gubernatorial candidates on the issue of affirmative action enforcement is shameful… and where are all the other candidates on this most important issue; which, in addition to breaking the back of institutionalized racism holds out the hope of ending poverty for those whose lives have been turned into a nightmare for decades.

Let this serve notice on all politicians that the people are on the move for real change.


I appreciate the continued support from the Roseau County DFL in helping to advance a real progressive agenda.

This resolution, word for word, passed unanimously… Let’s hear from MN DFL State Chair Brian Melendez his position on this resolution:


Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party resolution in support of affirmative action


Precinct Caucus & Roseau County DFL Convention Resolution Supporting Affirmative Action

Institutionalized racism is still firmly in place and entrenched in all aspects of life Minnesota.

Institutionalized racism has resulted in horrendous and disgraceful unemployment and poverty afflicting communities of people of color far exceeding that of the general population.

No place is the effects of institutionalized racism more evident than in Native American Indian communities and on Indian Reservations.

Affirmative action is the only remedy to discriminatory practices in hiring resulting from institutionalized racism.

State agencies and departments are required by statute to enforce affirmative action in hiring as the way to end historic patterns of discrimination against people of color, women and the disabled.

The required enforcement of affirmative action has not been taking place in Minnesota.

Whereas the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party is not presently on record supporting affirmative action;

Therefore---

Be it resolved the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party supports the strict enforcement of all affirmative action guidelines and policies; and, when missing, but required, affirmative action plans must be drawn up and implemented to become part of all projects in Minnesota--- including as part of the initial planning process and in all stages thereafter.

Be it resolved that Affirmative Action shall become a part of the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party’s “Action Agenda” and it shall become the responsibility of all public officials--- elected and appointed--- to see to it that affirmative action is fully enforced on all public works projects and any projects involving public participation by local, state or federal government bodies in Minnesota employing more than ten people and/or involving more than $50,000.00 in public investments.

Alan L. Maki
58891 county Road 13
Warroad, Minnesota 56763

Phone: 218-386-2432
Cell Phone: 651-587-5541

E-mail: amaki000@centurytel.net

Please check out my blog: http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/