The caucus endorsement process is so flawed. Having been a part of it for the second time in 15 years, it feels like it is games being played within games.
A primary would be so much more democratic and inclusive of a bigger swath of the city. It makes zero sense to spend all day in a convention, doing absolutely nothing but waiting around for 99% of the time, in order to pick an endorsed candidate.
I have gotten to know Dan Orban since before the last election in 2023, when he entered a bit too late. I know he and Jones had been friendly and may have worked together some. I really love Dan Orban, so I hope that folks that were behind Marques Jones can get behind Orban now. Also hope that Jones stays in there through this election, now just as a resident, to get Chavez replaced. For all, there is an ordering, but for me the TOP TWO that our City desperately needs to replace and retire are CMs Wonsley and Chavez.
i'm definitely voting for orban! i appreciate him stepping up and running. i hope he's able to get a ton of door-knocking and other events in, to get his name out there.
I hope you get a chance to meet Dan. He is really a great guy. I chatted with him a bit yesterday after the news about Jones. Dan sounded very optimistic, and knows now, especially now, what he needs to do. He has deep roots in his community, but will be all about helping the City of Mpls.
FYI, a DSA aligned activist got elected chair of the MPLS DFL last night(to replace the one who resigned last month amid the controversy in the Ward 2 convention).
Although people have possibly gotten more radicalized here and that is attractive to other radicals who are moving in, I’m not yet entirely convinced the DSA is appealing to most Minneapolis residents. But people on the extremes tend to be more motivated and energized to get involved in party politics than people closer to the center. My moderate acquaintances are dismayed at the direction the city is going, yet have little interest in giving up precious time to get involved.
Terry, this seems to be the million dollar question. Perhaps the subject of future column(s).
It strikes me that society in general has become more polarized over the last couple decades. Not sure if that's true, or if our media setup--both traditional and social media--give extremists an outsized voice. I really started noticing it in '08 when McCain picked Palin as his running mate. Republicans, in my view, have taken a hard turn right. But I've also noticed at least some Democratic groups similarly taking a hard turn left. The Twin Cities chapter of the DSA is one of them. How much support do they actually have? I guess we'll find out in the next election.
My sense is that people on both ends of the political spectrum have locked themselves in echo chambers. (I'm enough self-aware to recognize we might be in one here.) There are some commonalities between the far right and far left in how they behave: they only consume news that supports their existing beliefs, they want to control speech in a way that supports their beliefs, they ignore facts that don't support their narratives. The Horseshoe Theory is alive and well.
Social media is definitely playing a part in the polarization. Anyone can get on it and say anything they want without having to listen to others. Trying to define the DFL/DSA will be an ongoing discovery process. Campaign door knocking is set to start this Sunday. I encourage people to ask candidates what these designations mean to them.
LaDonna, you're talking about the current chair of DFL SD63. What evidence do you have to say that John Maraist is a "DSA aligned activist"? And if a DFLer works alongside DSA for shared goals, is that a bad thing?
Shared goals? The DSA could do a REWRITE, to put something out even their own members could believe in, and comfortably speak openly about, in a serious way, instead of this, but the DSA party/ org doesn't want to do that. 🤷♀️
Verbatim from their current materials.
* Take note of the words ZERO and ALL. The CAPS are mine.
"DSA nationally endorses the 8 to Abolition demands...We are committed to the horizon of abolition and the path leading us there.
Our demands: Defund the police by rejecting any expansion to police budgets or scope of enforcement while cutting budgets annually towards ZERO. "
"Freedom for ALL incarcerated people Free ALL people from involuntary confinement"
Shared goals between the DSA and DFL, not much common ground, at least to justify any kind of serious working relationship, imo. But THAT is the problem in Mpls and in some other cities too. Nationwide, the DSA folks would likely have trouble, at least in attaining and holding elected seats, without piggy backing onto the DFL Party, which, as we have seen in these last national elections, may have caused enough confusion to further degrade the DFL. It may not happen in Mpls, but can only hope that in other places the LINES get more clearly drawn. We are this, not that..below.
The caucus endorsement process is so flawed. Having been a part of it for the second time in 15 years, it feels like it is games being played within games.
A primary would be so much more democratic and inclusive of a bigger swath of the city. It makes zero sense to spend all day in a convention, doing absolutely nothing but waiting around for 99% of the time, in order to pick an endorsed candidate.
as a ward 9 resident, i'm legit sad to hear marques jones ended his campaign. i'd rather vote for a turd in a bag than chavez.
I have gotten to know Dan Orban since before the last election in 2023, when he entered a bit too late. I know he and Jones had been friendly and may have worked together some. I really love Dan Orban, so I hope that folks that were behind Marques Jones can get behind Orban now. Also hope that Jones stays in there through this election, now just as a resident, to get Chavez replaced. For all, there is an ordering, but for me the TOP TWO that our City desperately needs to replace and retire are CMs Wonsley and Chavez.
i'm definitely voting for orban! i appreciate him stepping up and running. i hope he's able to get a ton of door-knocking and other events in, to get his name out there.
I hope you get a chance to meet Dan. He is really a great guy. I chatted with him a bit yesterday after the news about Jones. Dan sounded very optimistic, and knows now, especially now, what he needs to do. He has deep roots in his community, but will be all about helping the City of Mpls.
*The email I have used for Dan
orban4ward9@gmail.com
FYI, a DSA aligned activist got elected chair of the MPLS DFL last night(to replace the one who resigned last month amid the controversy in the Ward 2 convention).
What about the DSA message is appealing to so many people in the DFL?
Although people have possibly gotten more radicalized here and that is attractive to other radicals who are moving in, I’m not yet entirely convinced the DSA is appealing to most Minneapolis residents. But people on the extremes tend to be more motivated and energized to get involved in party politics than people closer to the center. My moderate acquaintances are dismayed at the direction the city is going, yet have little interest in giving up precious time to get involved.
Terry, this seems to be the million dollar question. Perhaps the subject of future column(s).
It strikes me that society in general has become more polarized over the last couple decades. Not sure if that's true, or if our media setup--both traditional and social media--give extremists an outsized voice. I really started noticing it in '08 when McCain picked Palin as his running mate. Republicans, in my view, have taken a hard turn right. But I've also noticed at least some Democratic groups similarly taking a hard turn left. The Twin Cities chapter of the DSA is one of them. How much support do they actually have? I guess we'll find out in the next election.
My sense is that people on both ends of the political spectrum have locked themselves in echo chambers. (I'm enough self-aware to recognize we might be in one here.) There are some commonalities between the far right and far left in how they behave: they only consume news that supports their existing beliefs, they want to control speech in a way that supports their beliefs, they ignore facts that don't support their narratives. The Horseshoe Theory is alive and well.
Social media is definitely playing a part in the polarization. Anyone can get on it and say anything they want without having to listen to others. Trying to define the DFL/DSA will be an ongoing discovery process. Campaign door knocking is set to start this Sunday. I encourage people to ask candidates what these designations mean to them.
LaDonna, you're talking about the current chair of DFL SD63. What evidence do you have to say that John Maraist is a "DSA aligned activist"? And if a DFLer works alongside DSA for shared goals, is that a bad thing?
Shared goals? The DSA could do a REWRITE, to put something out even their own members could believe in, and comfortably speak openly about, in a serious way, instead of this, but the DSA party/ org doesn't want to do that. 🤷♀️
Verbatim from their current materials.
* Take note of the words ZERO and ALL. The CAPS are mine.
"DSA nationally endorses the 8 to Abolition demands...We are committed to the horizon of abolition and the path leading us there.
Our demands: Defund the police by rejecting any expansion to police budgets or scope of enforcement while cutting budgets annually towards ZERO. "
"Freedom for ALL incarcerated people Free ALL people from involuntary confinement"
Shared goals between the DSA and DFL, not much common ground, at least to justify any kind of serious working relationship, imo. But THAT is the problem in Mpls and in some other cities too. Nationwide, the DSA folks would likely have trouble, at least in attaining and holding elected seats, without piggy backing onto the DFL Party, which, as we have seen in these last national elections, may have caused enough confusion to further degrade the DFL. It may not happen in Mpls, but can only hope that in other places the LINES get more clearly drawn. We are this, not that..below.
https://minneapolistimes.com/the-twin-cities-dsa-doesnt-like-being-called-extremist-but-the-label-sure-fits/