A Good Guy To Give A Few Bucks

    Its the weekend so the brain needs some rest from thinking about the hard stuff (okay, real reason is that I was out way too late last night...no, you can't know why...). So, I'm going to give everyone a little thing to do that will make you feel good. Really.

    A friend of mine, Mark Ritchie, is running for Secretary of State of Minnesota. I've been on the warpath about labor's waste of money on its political program, mainly because I think we shouldn't be pouring more millions into the federal level races. But, I don't feel that way about local races--there's a good way we can link organizing to local politics. And we have to build a strong farm team, which is the mission, by the way, of Progressive Majority, run by another brilliant friend, Gloria Totten.

    Anywhos, Mark is a terrific guy. And, if you want a friend of labor at the local level, hard to fine a better one: for the past 20 years, he's been at the front of the battle to make sure trade agreements are fair.

    So, he needs some dough. I maxed out for him--and that ain't tough in Minnesota because you can only give up to $100.00.

    So go to his website and give him some dollars. He's a voice that we need in the halls of government. Let's show him and others that we can marshal a little momentum here from our discussions and aim it the right way!

Comments

[Bill Pearson]

Interesting list of contributors. Lots of politicians (mostly good liberals), a couple of the late Senator Wellstone's closest folks, and some of the leaders of groups we worked closely with. The list is impressive: Centro Legal, Minnesota Alliance for Progressive Action, ISAIAH and Progressive Minnesota.

Brings up a point i've made before; these progressive groups and the labor movement have bushel baskets in common, yet they don't work very well together. It was always frustrating to see the power plays for who got to be on top keep us from working more closely together.

I remember being at MLK celebrations put on by ISAIAH and noting the absence of any state AFL-CIO or Central body leaders. The proposal i drafted would establish one of the AFL-CIO's prime functions be to coordinate the various groups to work in concert on defined goals or tasks.

Once again i drift off topic...sorry...i'll go write a small check to Mark and send it off. BTW, this is how the republicans rebuilt the party after the Nixon mess, local elections at all levels.