DFL Education Foundation

Arvonne Fraser: Remembering Judge Gerald Heaney

Friend, mentor, political colleague, ardent liberal, passionate advocate for education and opportunity for all, and tough political combatant. Judge Heaney, early DFL national committeeman and later a federal appeals court judge for 40 years, was all that and more. As receptionist in the 1948 Humphrey for Senate campaign, I first met him via the phone and was surprised to learn that this great man stuttered—but never in court or while giving a political speech.

He never talked about his disability; he just talked. You waited because whatever he had to say was important and worthwhile. I often mused about what his long distance telephone bill must have been for he called whomever—never mind their social or political rank--whenever he had an idea. Patience was not his long suit. He didn’t call to chat; he called to test out his thinking—and yours--or to give you advice or instructions. He never bothered to learn to do email. He preferred direct human contact.

Happy Hour with Eric Black (Preview for July 12)

4:30-6:00pm
Kieran's Irish Pub
600 Hennepin Ave S (map)

Join us for the first DFL Education Foundation happy hour discussion with renown Minneapolis political journalist Eric Black.

We'll talk unallotment rulings, sticky selections for the MN Supreme Court, and Gov. Pawlenty's trouble with statistics. 

Free to all!  Come, buy a drink or appetizer and talk politics with Eric Black!

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Stone Arch Preview: Jobs, Jobs, Jobs: A Prescription for Economic Recovery? NO!

Saturday, July 10
8:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Gardens of Salonica
19 5th St NE, Minneapolis (map)

Ron Wacks, CEO of Microbusiness Strategies, will offer expert observations about why the economic recovery is not about jobs, jobs, jobs…and what it is about.

The pie and the data will tell the story. We’ll use slices of real fruit pie to reveal the startling pieces of the economic (business) pie; and discuss revealing data that take economic recovery and economic policy into the Entrepreneurial Age of the 21st century…far beyond the mid 20th century approach that most public and private sector policy makers are now (and have been) using.

Once you understand the data and the related truths, you’ll know why the “jobs, jobs, jobs” strategy is half a loaf—and alone, an unsound, implausible recipe for authentic economic recovery…and any meaningful, widespread improvement for the middle class.

We’ll also discuss:

• What one-in-seven adult Americans (and Minnesotans) have in common
• Where the majority of recently created jobs are and where most of the job losses are
• Why “job creation” is moot for four of five U.S. businesses
• Why 4, 40, 400 and 4 vs. 64 are key numbers to help stimulate authentic, sustainable economic recovery
• The difference between “economic development” and “business development”—a difference that most economic policy makers don’t know or understand and why this is a litmus point
• What small businesses are and why small business policy is far from one-size-fits-all And
• Why the largest business demographic in the United States is virtually unknown, grossly underserved and rarely a part of any conversation about economic recovery and middle class restoration.

There will be plenty of time for Q & A. 

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Ron P. Wacks is the CEO of Microbusiness Strategies, headquartered in Minnesota and also co-produces the IssuesLive National Forum Series that is the first national dialogue and needs assessment for U.S. microbusinesses to date.

Ron served for eight years as President and CEO of the American Association of Microbusinesses, a non-profit professional association of microbusinesses and entrepreneurs.  Ron Co-chaired the (AAM) Minnesota Small Business Expo & Conference that began in 1999 in the gym at Marcy Open School and grew to become the largest small business event in the Midwestern U.S. a few years later.

Ron spoke at the IFIA Conference in Budapest, Hungary in August 2007 whose membership represented 84 countries.  The Conference theme was Innovation in the Age of Globalization and Ron was the first American speaker in their 39-year conference history and spoke on Innovation and Microbusinesses.  Read more...

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Only 3 blocks north up E. Hennepin Avenue (County Road 52) from our old meeting place, and a half block west.

As usual, invite anyone interested--free and open to the public. Come, buy your coffee (the law is you can't bring food or drinks into a restaurant), learn a lot and have your questions ready.

June Events and News

UPCOMING EVENTS (click for details)

JUN 12: Pam Costain and Chris Stewart - the Minneapolis School Board JUL 12: Eric Black launches our happy hour group! AUG 10: Minnesota Primary Election - click here for more information See Event Calendar for details

EVENT RECAPS

John Gunyou: Facing our Fiscal Challenges audio and recap Turning around failing schools - a recipe that works (a write-up of our April 16 Achievement Gap meeting) Charles Carlson: What's Happening at Metro Transit: audio and recap David Gee: the State of Business and Journalism in an Age of New Media: audio and recap Restoring Fairness to Minnesota's Tax System: video Tom Hanson: The Eagle and the Bear, U.S. - Russia Relations: video

OTHER ITEMS OF INTEREST

Featured Article: The Teachers’ Unions’ Last Stand (NYT Magazine) Events 6/10 - Celebration for Single-Payer 6/15 - Pandemics and the Environment 6/17 - Cities, Bicycles, and the Future of Getting Around See Progressive Issues Calendar for event details and more events Articles on DFLEF.org See the Achievement Gap Committee's questions for Minneapolis school board candidates and the candidates' answers Professor Peter Erlinder, speaker at the DFL Annual Meeting two years ago, was arrested in Rwanda. Learn more on our website Other Articles How the Minnesota Miracle Became the Minnesota Debacle: read more The tax increase Gov. Pawlenty couldn't veto and wouldn't have to sign: read more Minnesota taxes: Where do we go from here? read more Secret of DFL gubernatorial election losses revealed: read more Obama and the Oil Spill: read more

Professor Peter Erlinder arrested in Rwanda

Professor Peter Erlinder spoke at the DFL Education Foundation Annual Meeting two years ago and has been an outspoken critic of the Kagame regime in Rwanda.

His name recently appeared on a publicized list of foreigners who the Rwandan government allegedly wants silenced for their views. Erlinder traveled to Rwanda last week to defend presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire on the charges brought against her by the Rwandan government. Mrs. Ingabire, a political opponent of current President Kagame, was jailed recently and is currently under house arrest for expressing her political views, which are in opposition to official government policies. Erlinder is also a defense lawyer and leader of the association of defense attorneys defending Rwandan genocide suspects at the International Criminal Tribunal in Arusha, Tanzania. His current trip to Rwanda was intended to provide defense counsel in a peaceful legal process, but with this arrest his human rights, liberty and possibly his person safety are in danger.

Read more about Erlinder's arrest and work in Rwanda:

• Rwandan police say St. Paul law professor arrested; family concerned for his safety
• Peter Erlinder Jailed by One of the Major Genocidaires of Our Era
• KPFA Radio News on Ingabire's American lawyer's arrest in Kigali
• Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation on Proffesor Erlinder’s arrest
• Advocates Demand Rwanda’s Immediate Release of U.S. Attorney Erlinder
• Update on Erlinder from Andy Driscoll at Truth to Tell (KFAI)
• Rwanda: Prof. Erlinder has denied all allegations – says his Kenyan defense attorney
• Erlinder's arrest puts focus on fierce fight over record of Rwandan genocide