Wealth creation and poverty... are Minnesota legislators asking the poor to climb a ladder out of poverty that has no rungs?

Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:39:25 -0500
      From: "Alan L. Maki" <amaki000@centurytel.net>
      Reply-To: amaki000@centurytel.net
      Subject: Re: Wealth creation and poverty... are you asking the poor to climb a ladder out of poverty that has no rungs?
      To: "amy.brugh@mnaidsproject.org" <amy.brugh@mnaidsproject.org>, "Cheryl.Burke@house.mn" <Cheryl.Burke@house.mn>, Sally Olson <Sally.Olson@lcc.leg.mn>, "amaki000@centurytel.net" <amaki000@centurytel.net>, Lee Meilleur <lee.meilleur@gis.leg.mn>, "PaulsonB@unitedwaytwincities.org" <PaulsonB@unitedwaytwincities.org>, "pamjohnson@minncap.org" <pamjohnson@minncap.org>, "tfischman@accountabilitymn.org" <tfischman@accountabilitymn.org>, Greg Hubinger <greg.hubinger@lcc.leg.mn>, "mweber@MNCUN.org" <mweber@MNCUN.org>, "Peder.Mewis@senate.mn" <Peder.Mewis@senate.mn>, "FerstanA@unitedwaytwincities.org" <FerstanA@unitedwaytwincities.org>, "joan22331@msn.com" <joan22331@msn.com>, "lmdodge@co.chisago.mn.us" <lmdodge@co.chisago.mn.us>, "pcoldwell@mncounties.org" <pcoldwell@mncounties.org>, "Kirsten.Anderson-Stembridge@lssmn.org" <Kirsten.Anderson-Stembridge@lssmn.org>, "stevehudson2009@live.com" <stevehudson2009@live.com>, "Daniel.J.Duhamel@state.mn.us" <Daniel.J.Duhamel@state.mn.us>, "Deborah.Motz@state.mn.us" <Deborah.Motz@state.mn.us>, "deborah@affirmativeoptions.org" <deborah@affirmativeoptions.org>, "Barbara.Jacobs@senate.mn" <Barbara.Jacobs@senate.mn>, "gngray@gmail.com" <gngray@gmail.com>, "relwood@mnlsap.org" <relwood@mnlsap.org>, "csolheim@umn.edu" <csolheim@umn.edu>, "pdolson@umn.edu" <pdolson@umn.edu>, "lceplist@lat.commissions.leg.state.mn.us" <lceplist@lat.commissions.leg.state.mn.us>, "Mary.Nienow@senate.mn" <Mary.Nienow@senate.mn>, "elaine@capitolhillassoc.com" <elaine@capitolhillassoc.com>, "suewatlovp@aol.com" <suewatlovp@aol.com>, "blaplant@blandinfoundation.org" <blaplant@blandinfoundation.org>, "eagle@bitstream.net" <eagle@bitstream.net>, "Sen.Sandy.Rummel@senate.mn" <Sen.Sandy.Rummel@senate.mn>, "nissaphd@comcast.net" <nissaphd@comcast.net>, "Darlene.Sliwa@senate.mn" <Darlene.Sliwa@senate.mn>, "ale2@wilder.org" <ale2@wilder.org>, "Katherine.Sherman-Hoehn@state.mn.us" <Katherine.Sherman-Hoehn@state.mn.us>, "lynne.batzli@state.mn.us" <lynne.batzli@state.mn.us>, "eesi@mnwomen.org" <eesi@mnwomen.org>, "nancymaeker@mnwithoutpoverty.org" <nancymaeker@mnwithoutpoverty.org>, "School@islamiccentermn.org" <School@islamiccentermn.org>, "dvkennen@aol.com" <dvkennen@aol.com>, "Daniel.Papin@co.washington.mn.us" <Daniel.Papin@co.washington.mn.us>, "chalbach@mhponline.org" <chalbach@mhponline.org>, "bradford.linda@CO.OLMSTED.MN.US" <bradford.linda@CO.OLMSTED.MN.US>, "marianbrown@frontiernet.net" <marianbrown@frontiernet.net>, "alterhomes@mindspring.com" <alterhomes@mindspring.com>, "JoeP@lakesandprairies.net" <JoeP@lakesandprairies.net>, "alyssa@communityactionduluth.org" <alyssa@communityactionduluth.org>, "kenf@lakesandprairies.net" <kenf@lakesandprairies.net>, "dkrenaud@youbetnet.net" <dkrenaud@youbetnet.net>, "ColleenM@lakesandprairies.net" <ColleenM@lakesandprairies.net>, "Dick.Todd@mpls.frb.org" <Dick.Todd@mpls.frb.org>, "TMcCauley@womenventure.org" <TMcCauley@womenventure.org>, "Angela.Theisen@tricap.org" <Angela.Theisen@tricap.org>, "louschoen@aol.com" <louschoen@aol.com>, "wendy.heath@tccaction.com" <wendy.heath@tccaction.com>, "marya@search-institute.org" <marya@search-institute.org>, "Kathy.BiesJaede@tricap.org" <Kathy.BiesJaede@tricap.org>, "mkenney@northernconnections.org" <mkenney@northernconnections.org>, "paul.cassidy@leonard.com" <paul.cassidy@leonard.com>, "sruppel@mmcdc.com" <sruppel@mmcdc.com>, "tina.jackson@mnsolidinvestments.com" <tina.jackson@mnsolidinvestments.com>, "crothschild@thebankcorp.com" <crothschild@thebankcorp.com>, "Alicia@childcareworks.org" <Alicia@childcareworks.org>, "stan_groff@yahoo.com" <stan_groff@yahoo.com>, "gramarsha@comcast.net" <gramarsha@comcast.net>, "bdeboer@citizensleague.org" <bdeboer@citizensleague.org>, "hogenson@cdf-mn.org" <hogenson@cdf-mn.org>, "STEP.MCH@gmail.com" <STEP.MCH@gmail.com>, "tkirk@wingsfinancial.com" <tkirk@wingsfinancial.com>, "kuoppala@yahoo.com" <kuoppala@yahoo.com>, "poverty@aamwp.org" poverty@aamwp.org
Amy Brenengen;
I never received any notice that you included my last e-mail to you for the members of this commission to read; could you tell me if you passed along my e-mail to all members of the "Ladder Out of Poverty Task Force" which pertained to casino workers, etc.?
Also, you have included this:
"Asset Development / Wealth Creation Working Group
 Scope: To identify and develop legislative recommendations to expand opportunities for low income families to create and build wealth."
The problem is that working people have created so much wealth in Minnesota already but the wealth created by workers has been stolen by the already wealthy few.
The way out of poverty for thousands of Minnesotans is to redistribute the tremendous wealth Minnesotans have already created which led to their impoverishment in the first place.
What is needed by way of wealth redistribution is a "people's bailout;" we just had the "People's Inaugural Ball"--- now it is time for a "people's bailout" that would create jobs at real living wages; halt home foreclosures, create a public health care system and a public child care system... both of which would create many jobs through providing services people require.
For some reason, the "Ladder Out of Poverty Task Force" has not taken up the issue of the need to implement and enforce affirmative action even though I have explained several times how the implementation and enforcement would do more towards eradicating poverty than anything else.
As I am sure you and the committee members are aware, Mark Dayton, while campaigning for Governor, stated that he was going to enforce affirmative action and it now appears he has renegged on this promise.
Has Governor Dayton submitted his plan for ending poverty to the "Ladder Out of Poverty Task Force?" If so, could you provide me with a copy? If not, has the committee asked him to do so?
Let me restate:
* Raise the minimum wage in Minnesota to a real living wage based upon all cost of living factors and then tie the minimum wage to being recalculated quarterly based upon the cost of living index.
* Enforce Afirmative Action in line with Presidential Executive Order #11246.
* Establish a public health care system in Minnesota providing every Minnesotan with free health care through local health care centers.
* Establish free public child care centers for all children.
Obtain funding for what is required through "taxing the rich;" also called, "redistribution of wealth."
The only reason we have people living in poverty in Minnesota is because those who have created the tremendous wealth have been deprived of the wealth they created.
Suggesting that poor people now have to create more wealth for those already wealthy is only a recipe for expanding poverty... you are handing poor people a "ladder" without any rungs to step on.
Leaving 41,000 Minnesotans stuck working in smoke-filled casinos at poverty wages without any rights or a voice at work doesn't appear to me that there is any sincerity at all on the part of the committee members to put an end to poverty in Minnesota.
Actually, now might be a good time to ask Minnesotans:
How is Obama's war economy working for you?
On the one hand you are suggesting that the poor need to create more wealth; on the other hand you are silent as this government wastes the wealth of our nation fighting costly, unjust, immoral and unconstitutional wars for occupation when we haven't even been able to "successfully" occupy the Island nation of the Philippines after over 100 years. Are you suggesting that the poor need to create more wealth that will be wasted on Wall Street's wars?
Your committee seems to have failed to note that a major contributor to making people poor are these senseless, dirty wars.
Could you explain to me why some members of this committee are not identified as to their association? And for the others there is no contact information.
Please let me know in advance when Governor Dayton intends to bring his ideas before your committee.
As you requested; I am passing the information along:
Asset Development / Wealth Creation Working Group
 Scope: To identify and develop legislative recommendations to expand opportunities for low income families to create and build wealth.
Group Leadership Senator Michael Jungbauer, Task Force Chair
 sen.mike.jungbauer@senate.mn or (651) 296-3733
Senator John Marty, Task Force Liaison
sen.john.marty@senate.mn or (651) 296-5645
Senator Kathy Sheran, Task Force Liaison
sen.kathy.sheran@senate.mn or (651) 296-6153
Representative, Patti Fritz, Task Force Liaison
 patti.fritz@house.mn or (651) 296-8237
Asst. Attorney General Kermit Freuchte, Minnesota Attorney General, Task Force Liaison
 kermit.fruechte@state.mn.us or (651) 757-1059
Deborah Schlick, Affirmative Options Coalition
 deborah@affirmativeoptions.org or (651) 292-1568
Meetings - Upcoming and Archives
Meeting Date
Audio/Video
Meeting Materials
October 21, 2010
Audio Minutes
January 14, 2011
 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.
Audio Discuss Potential Legislation 2011
Additional Resources and Reading
 Public Members
Ron Elwood, Legal Services Advocacy Project
 Newell Searle, Second Harvest
 JoAnn Tesar, Community Action Program of Ramsey and Washington Counties
 Daniel DuHamel, Office of Economic Opportunity --DHS
 Barb Jacobs, Staff - Minnesota State Senate
 Tracy Fischman, Accountability Minnesota
 Nissa Robert
 Steve Hudson
 Eva Song Margolis, Accountability Minnesota
 May Xiong, Lutheran Social Services
 Paul Cassidy
Leonard Street
Deinard
Sandy Neren
Messerli Kramer
 Darlene Silva, Minnesota Senate Research
 Indra D'Arcio
 Staff
Amy Brenengen, Legislative Coordinating Commission, Office on the Economic Status of Women
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:
http://thepodunkblog.blogspot.com/