Discussion Archive
FOIA Improvement Act: Why Minnesotans Should Care
The frenzy is on as the 113th Congress moves into its last lap and mid-term electioneering hits peak. Left in suspension is a rush…
Discussing Racial Bias in Law Enforcement
Recent high profile cases of alleged police misconduct have propelled the conversation about police treatment of the black community, especially black men and what…
Discussion: The Role of Startup Companies in Minnesota
More than 50,000 new businesses were registered with the state last year, according to Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie. That’s the third largest…
Discussion: Back to School Hopes
What are your hopes and dreams for school this year? Starting today, all Minnesota students will be back in school across the state. As…
Discussion: Racial Equity & Budgets
Across the state, unemployment is at 4.5 percent, below the national rate of 6.2 percent. While the recovering economy brings new opportunities to some…
Discussion: Minnesota Mental Health
The recent death of beloved entertainer, Robin Williams, has opened conversation about depression, mental illness and suicide. Here in Minnesota, deaths by suicide have…
Discussion: What can open data do for MN?
The Minneapolis City Council recently passed an open data policy that opens the door for private citizens to access the city’s more than 450…
Discussion: Minnesota Immigration Reform
Minnesota has a long history of helping those in need; from the “mercy wheat” mission of 1946 where we sent wheat from Climax, MN…
Discussion: Co-ops Not Just for Farmers Anymore
Co-ops are a jointly owned and managed business structure based on member cooperation rather than direct competition. Members share the organization’s profits and benefits.…
Discussion: First a Super Bowl, Then a World’s Fair!
From the MLB All-Star game to a youth soccer tournament to a dog show, public events, performances and gatherings are both entertainment and economic…
Invisible Women Workers, Right in Front of Our Eyes
Women dominate low-wage hospitality industry jobs and minimum wage and tip credit debates overwhelmingly impact women workers. They work invisibly, yet in plain sight.…
Discussion: What does it mean to be a progressive patriot?
Three days from now, Minnesota will kick back, celebrating Independence Day. From a policy perspective, we’ve spent the last two years righting many policy…
Discussion: Technology and Education
How can we make sure technology is used productively in education? Minnesota school districts have made headlines with major classroom technology purchases. (In fact,…
Discussion: What’s next for transit in MN?
After fits and starts, Minnesota finally has a second light rail transit line. The Green Line, which opened over the weekend, will bring $2.5…
Q&A on MN’s Role in EPA’s Carbon Cutting Proposal
With newly proposed federal carbon pollution standards, Minnesota has a golden opportunity to prove itself as a clean energy leader. Recently the EPA proposed…
Discussion: Can Economic and Environmental Sustainability Live in Harmony on the Farm?
Environmentalists say that modern farming practices are destroying natural resources, specifically soil quality and clean water supplies. Some farmers fight back by either downplaying…
Discussion: What’s driving the need for cheap college labor?
It’s a little known fact outside of academia, but an overwhelming majority of higher education instructors are adjunct faculty, generally making little more than…
Discussion: What should be done about segregation?
As we celebrate the 60th anniversary of Brown v. Board, the Supreme Court case ending legal school segregation, we find many Minnesota schools tend…
Q&A: Preventing a Minnesota Water Crisis
We usually take for granted that the Land of 10,000 Lakes will have plenty of clean water available for drinking, boating, and fishing. In…
Discussion: MN Progressive Policy, What’s Next?
How close is MN to a progressive utopia? In the last two years, with progressive state policy leadership, we’ve moved forward faster than anyone…
Q&A on Serving Homeless Students
Last year, 13,098 public school students were identified as homeless or precariously housed by the Minnesota Department of Education. Half of Minnesota's homeless population…
Q&A on Marijuana Reform and Legalization
When blacks in Minnesota are 6.4 times more likely to be arrested for marijuana possession than whites, long-term collateral costs escalate significantly. Such disparities…
Tuesday Talk: Redlining is Alive and Well
Redlining is the practice of racial and cultural discrimination in the real estate, financial services and mortgage lending industries. A recent report from the…
Q&A on SCOTUS Campaign Finance Ruling
Money talks. We’ve always known this. Everyone has the right to speak their minds about political decisions but the more money you have, the…
Tuesday Talk: Tax Bill Q&A
Let’s start this conversation with the premise that taxes aren’t a bad thing. They allow us to provide community stability by investing in and…