Forum to be held in... 
   Duluth, Minnesota on January 11, 2014 

From the Duluth News-Tribune:

Published December 24, 2013, 12:00 AM

Reader's view: Forum to explore building progressive power

I am deeply worried about the world in which my grandchildren will live their adult lives; for the trends suggest a world with less-than-adequate livelihood, medical care, nutrition and retirement security.

http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/event/article/id/286847/ 

I am deeply worried about the world in which my grandchildren will live their adult lives; for the trends suggest a world with less-than-adequate livelihood, medical care, nutrition and retirement security. Not to mention the looming specter of climate disruption.

I’m also deeply conflicted, for all my adult life I was led to believe that voting for liberal candidates and policies would solve or prevent such problems. But that hasn’t happened. The trends continue to worsen.

Intuitively, I know what’s wrong and what needs to be changed. But can I risk voting in a new direction? Will I be undermining the electoral victory of a liberal candidate? Or do I need to look seriously at what some progressive thinkers are proposing?

Those will be the questions to be explored by presenters and the audience alike at the Forum for Building Progressive Political Power on Saturday, Jan. 11 at the “copper top church” in Duluth starting at 11:00 a.m. The event is free and the public is encouraged to attend (facebook.com/unitingpeopleMN).

Vern Simula

Mountain Iron

FORUM

“Building Progressive Political Power

                     in Minnesota”

        SATURDAY, JAN. 11^TH. 11:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

               COPPER TOP CHURCH – DULUTH

                                        231 East Skyline Parkway, Duluth 55811

11:00      Welcome/Opening/Overview

11:10    “Connecting the Dots - What Has Brought Us Together -  and  Full Employment for All.”

                   Alan Maki, of Uniting People 

11:30    “Achieving Livable Minimum Wage Legislation for Minnesota Workers”

                  Liane Gale of the Minnesota Green Party with David Flaherty, a local college student.

12:00    Mobilizing Progressives for the Minimum Wage Campaign:  Small Group Discussion

12:30 ====================  BREAK ==================================

12:45    Whole Forum Deliberation 

1:05     “Getting it Passed: Universal Single Payer Health Care for Minnesota”

               Buddy Robinson of Minnesota Citizens Federation – Northeast

               Dr. Jim Hart of Physicians for a National Health Program

1:45     2014:  A Year Of Decision; Centuries of Risk; Being Idle No More!

              Reyna Crow of Northwoods Wolf Alliance and Idle No More

               NE MN Enviro Orgs; Allen Richardson, et. al,: Polymet SDEIS hearings.

2:30     ===================  BREAK   ==================================

2:40   How Do We Organize in Minnesota?? 

                  2:40   Kristin Larson:      “Precinct Caucus Importance”

                  2:55   Dennis Leahy:       “A Heave-Ho to the Electoral Paradigm”

                  3:10   Nathan Ness:         “Effective vs. Ineffective Organizing”

                  3:25   Virgil Boehland:   “Moving to Amend”

                  3:40   Allen Hancock:     “Building a Social Movement” 

 4:00+  Closing–

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Please arrive early.  We’ll try to start on time.  It’s a jam-packed schedule of presentations and audience discussion.  The coffee and cookies will be ready by 10:40!    For more information, call 218.591.5722