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News for Senate District 66 |
| Volume 1, Issue 3, October 2004 |
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SD 66 News and Extras
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| Rep. Alice Hausman |
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I find signs of hope in many places. For example, when I peruse letters to the editor in the newspaper each day, I often find eloquent observations that are both insightful and compassionate. When I stand with neighbors at a candlelight vigil, remembering those who have died in the Iraqi conflict, my commitment to peacemaking is renewed. When I see someone (like Oliver Steinberg) standing on a street corner handing out Kerry bumper stickers, I realize that I can always do more.
There is too much at stake to give up! Our environment, our children's future, the health of our society, our nation's moral standing in the world, the protection of human rights--all these issues challenge us to diligence and faithfulness.
So let us renew our resolve to do our part. It begins with voting and helping to get out the vote.
Talk to your friends and neighbors and encourage their involvement. Put up some lawn signs to let
people know your commitments. (If you want a "Hausman" lawn sign, call
These are just a few of the things we might do to live in hope and not in fear. We are all in this together and we have a responsibility to each other! When the votes are tallied, we want to be able to say that we did our part to create a strong, healthy democratic society.
A DFL activist for the last 25 years, I've had the pleasure of working with many of you in the donut booth, on local campaigns and when I served as your senate district chair.
Now, I am running for District 2 of the Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation Board and would like your support. As a long-time resident of Ramsey County, I want to make sure we do all we can with our limited tax dollars to promote environmental stewardship. I bring to the Board a passion for environmental issues, fresh ideas and drive, extensive communication and budget management skills and leadership experience.
For those of you whom I haven't met, let me briefly introduce myself. A long-time DFL activist, I'm currently a member of the Minnesota State Central Committee, and have served as Senate District 66 Chair and as a successful Senate Campaign Manager. I've been a Garden Club of Ramsey County member for 19 years, a Sierra Club member, AFSCME member, serve on two community boards and was a Falcon Heights Human Rights Commissioner for seven years.
Our Sen. Ellen Anderson says, "I have known Gwen for years as a hard working, dedicated Democrat. She's worked tirelessly to help elect DFLers and is always responsible and reliable. The DFL endorsement tells Ramsey County voters that she will work to protect our environment and quality of life. As a senator who works on environmental legislation, I am confident Gwen would serve us well by analyzing environmental issues and acting on them."
To talk about conservation issues or volunteer on the campaign, please call me at
Donuts by the dozen . . .The annual mini donut booth fund-raiser at the Minnesota State Fair was a big success for the DFL. Volunteers at the donut booth enjoyed mingling with other democrats while working for a great cause. Join in the fun and get involved with some of the other DFL activities listed on our website Calendar page. Your participation makes a difference. |
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| Photograph courtesy of Wanda Ortiz-Maysonet |
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| Erica Schumacher |
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The fact of the matter is that we now have less than three weeks to influence the outcome of this election. We all know that the future of our country, its people, and the world community is at stake. You and I espouse DFL values because we care about: equal access to quality health care; equal opportunities for each and every one of us; a strong and well-funded educational system; civil rights and respect for all people; cooperation and collaboration with the world community; real jobs that pay livable wages to support our families; a clean and healthy environment. This election is about priorities.
On Minnesota Public Radio the other day, I was listening to a DFLer talk about his friend, a lifelong Republican, who was given a grant to study the differences between Democrats and Republicans. After a year of study, he concluded that it came down to two words: for the Democrats— people, and for the Republicans— property. He said he could no longer support prioritizing property over people, and he changed his party affiliation. If only it were that simple, but the issues are numerous and complex.
Our challenge is to educate ourselves on the issues and start talking— not only to our DFL friends, but to our Republican, Independent and Undecided friends. Door-knocking is a wonderful way to reach out to people and engage them on the issues. We are coordinating with the Kerry campaign to schedule door-knocks in our district.
Please e-mail me or call me if you'd like to get involved. But, even if you never knock on a single door, make an effort to talk to as many people as you can between now and Election Day. Ask what matters to them. Then, talk about the issues, why they are so important, and how they affect each and every one of us. Every voice is crucial to electing our candidates and empowering them to return the focus to the issues we care so deeply about.
As you engage people on the issues, remind them that we live in a representative democracy, the foundation of which relies on electing people who will best represent our individual and collective needs. An uninformed vote defeats the very purpose of a representative democracy.
It's time to take notice; it's time to speak out; it's time to do whatever we can to regain Democratic control of the White House, the Minnesota Legislature, and our local governing bodies. Get out and get active! Together, we can make it happen!
Erica Schumacher
SD66 Chair
Please call me at
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| Rep. John Lesch |
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This got me to thinking (a dangerous enterprise, I know). We are all painfully aware of the myth of the "liberal media." Not only has conservative media eclipsed the mainstream media in delivering actionable information to its own consumers, but it has simultaneously attacked the credibility of those mainstream news outlets to great effect. While the Democratic party is the largest party in this country in terms of those who identify closest with its principles, we have been losing seats like a sieve. The Republicans, with their unique brand of fear mongering rhetoric, have been remarkably successful in steering the American people away from reason, and toward a more fearful world.
"Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the peacemakers for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country."
The above quote could have been taken from the cloakroom of the U.S. Senate in an unguarded moment – or from the hallways of the West Wing. But it wasn't. The statement belongs to Hermann Goering, Commander-in-Chief of the Luftwaffe, President of the Reichstag, Prime Minister of Prussia and, as Hitler's designated successor, the second man in the Third Reich.
Leaders who mislead us into war do not do so by deluding themselves. They do so by deluding us. Conservatives in America – and in Minnesota – consume their Machiavellian screed with gusto. We, as Democrats, pursue another course. We subject our ideas to ruthless and public debate. We act to ensure that our policies are sound before we market them. Despite the overly fond moniker "bleeding heart," we refuse to condemn conservatives when they lead with their emotions on matters like the war in Iraq, gay marriage, and abortion.
As Democrats, we must continue to follow the principles that make us proud. We are the party of civil rights, of peace, of fair wages, of responsible foreign policy and of Paul Wellstone. We must never waver from those ideals. But if we are to convince our neighbors that these ideas are important to achieve, then the gloves have got to come off. We learned a handy lesson by failing to immediately address "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth." Karl Rove knew we would fail. And as long as we continue to behave this way, Karl will continue to spew his vile filth from a leather swivel chair in the west wing.
It's time to tell your neighbors that the voices on their AM radio are wrong. It's time to ask them where George Bush was on Christmas Eve in 1968. When Steve Sviggum gets on the radio and says his priorities for this session are jobs, education, and nursing homes, it's time to call in and ask why he hasn't done a damn thing for any of those in his six years as Speaker. And, yes, I am pretty sure you can say that word on the radio these days. As they say, if you're not outraged, you're not paying attention.
Minnesota has held back the onslaught of right wing drivel that has otherwise whitewashed the nation. We still have a strong tradition of good government, quality education, and high quality of life. But all these are under consistent and ruthless attack. Unless we begin fighting back, we will lose ground until we are a small and token opposition. So take the gloves off, Mrs. Langston wants you to!
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DFL volunteers make a differenceThese volunteers at the mini donut booth at the Minnesota State Fair enjoyed an opportunity to get out and support a great DFL fund-raising event. Please see the Senate District 66 and DFL events and opportunities listed on our website Calendar page to learn how you can get involved. You can make a difference. |
| Photograph courtesy of Wanda Ortiz-Maysonet |
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As November 2nd quickly approaches, DFL staff and volunteers are preparing to make sure everything runs smoothly on Election Day. Their primary challenge is to ensure that every single voter is allowed to exercise his or her right to vote.
Kim Hunter, an outreach coordinator with Rep. Alice Hausman's campaign, works with volunteer immigration attorneys and others to make sure minority voters are not disenfranchised.
"We are concerned about specific communities that have high numbers of Americans voting for the first time," said Hunter.
Some of these voters may experience a feeling of intimidation, she said.
The DFL anticipates challenges for some of the voters. Hunter said her group will have monitors at the polls so any challenges can be promptly rebutted.
The Kerry Campaign has a new voter protection coordinator, Jim Mogen. He is working on a plan to place poll challengers in critical districts all across the state, with a rapid response team to address concerns as they arise. If you are interested in joining the effort, please contact Jim.
Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer had proposed changing the Minnesota voting process to require firsttime voters who had pre-registered to re-register at their polling place with a photo ID. That proposal was not implemented.
"Voting will be as it always has been," said Hunter.
Newly registered voters should receive confirmation that they are registered, or that there is some sort of a deficiency in their voter registration. Deficiencies must be corrected in order to vote.
Absentee ballots are also available, by request, either online at the Minnesota Secretary of State's Web site, or by calling your local county auditor's office.
If you are available on Election Day to assist in registering voters, work as a pollwatcher
or drive voters to the polls, please contact the DFL Headquarters at
| News for Senate District 66 |
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Links: |
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District 66 Communications Committee:
Brenda Benting, Bryan Benting, JaPaul Harris, Hal Keen, Wanda Lorentzen,
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Contributing writers: Rep. Alice Hausman, Rep. John Lesch, Erica Schumacher, Cory Tennison, Gwen Willems and Jan Willms |
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Editor and designer:
Lee Ann Owens
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| For updated information, please join the Senate District 66 discussion group on Yahoo! |