Minneapolis — Hundreds of people gathered in downtown Minneapolis Friday for the opening of the OccupyMN demonstration, patterned after weeks of protest in New York’s financial district.

….

The protest featured an appearance by Independence Party and former Gov. Jesse Ventura, who spoke as people started to gather. He compared the gatherings in New York, Minneapolis and around the country to recent revolutions around the world.

“I hope that this country can step forward and follow the leads that have happened in the Middle East to many of the Arab countries where people’s movements rose up and you see the results of them,” Ventura said.

He said he hopes the Occupy movement brings change to the U.S.

“It hasn’t yet, but if it continues and grows it will. Absolutely. And I hope that it does,” Ventura said.

He’s one of the most prominent former elected officials to speak to an Occupy rally. Former U.S. Sen. Dean Barkley attended the gathering hailed the efforts of the protesters, as did current state Rep. Jim Davnie, DFL-Minneapolis.

………

At about 2pm, demonstrators walked away from the Hennepin county government center and headed for the Federal Reserve Bank offices on Hennepin Avenue.

IPR notes (per wikipedia):

Dean Malcolm Barkley (born August 31, 1950) is a politician who briefly served as a member of the United States Senate from Minnesota following the death of Paul Wellstone. A founder and chair of the Minnesota Reform Party (the predecessor of the Independence Party of Minnesota), he chaired Jesse Ventura’s successful 1998 gubernatorial campaign; Ventura subsequently appointed him director of the state’s Office of Strategic and Long Range Planning. Barkley ran as the Independence Party’s candidate for the Senate in 2008, coming third to Al Franken and Norm Coleman.

….

(Jesse) Ventura ran for Governor of Minnesota in 1998 as the nominee for the Reform Party of Minnesota (he later joined the Independence Party of Minnesota when the Reform Party broke from its association with the Reform Party of the United States of America). His campaign consisted of a combination of aggressive grassroots events and original television spots, designed by quirky adman Bill Hillsman, using the phrase “Don’t vote for politics as usual.” He spent considerably less than his opponents (about $300,000) and was a pioneer in his using the Internet as a medium of reaching out to voters in a political campaign.

He won the election in November 1998, narrowly (and unexpectedly) defeating the major-party candidates, St. Paul mayor Norm Coleman (Republican) and Minnesota Attorney General Hubert H. “Skip” Humphrey III (Democratic-Farmer-Labor).

The Independence Party of Minnesota platform declares that “We support high standards of morality, family values and personal responsibility, but we oppose having the government impose state-sponsored morality or values on people of good conscience with differing views.” With this principle in mind, I ask members of the Independence Party, and all Minnesotans, to oppose and work to defeat an amendment to the Minnesota Constitution that outlaws same sex marriage.

Please read on to understand my personal reasons for defeating this proposed amendment.

Minnesota’s legislators recently passed a bill that puts the future of gay marriage on your ballot in November of 2012. The radical right is convinced that Minnesotans will approve the constitutional amendment to ban same sex marriage. The liberal left is concerned that the right may be right.

As is often the case, it seems that Minnesota needs to look at divisive issues from a different angle. Believe it or not, it is possible to understand and support both sides of the issue.
In Defense of Marriage

While I oppose the proposed amendment, I do recognize that marriage is a religious sacrament that is governed by hundreds of years of tradition and religious law. Canon law, Halakha and Sharia all define marriage for their respective faiths. It would be appalling to allow our government to dictate to any religion how to administer their sacraments. Anti-gay marriage activists have used this vision of marriage to rally religious leaders to their cause. Unfortunately, the defenders of gay-marriage have also attached their message and their goals to this same word. I understand how conservatives can perceive those messages as attacks on their religious doctrines. We must recognize the religious communities’ rights to define the sacrament of marriage without political interference.

In Defense of Civil Rights

Where anti-gay marriage activists have used the sacrament of marriage to define the argument, the real issue for people who support gay marriage has not been the definition of a single word, but the collection of individual civil rights that accompany that religious sacrament. For this reason I would argue that gay marriage activists are more interested in civil rights than religious rights. When asked if the government should dictate who can visit them in the hospital, the majority of conservatives I spoke to declared absolutely not. When asked if an individual should have the right to choose their own beneficiary in the case of death, the majority said yes. Unfortunately, these decisions are predetermined when the state ties those rights to the sacrament of marriage. We must recognize that individual civil rights are much easier to defend than the definition of one divisive word.

In Defense of Reason

Instead of arguing over the definition of marriage, gay rights supporters should be advocating for equal individual access to the civil rights currently reserved for married couples. If we can focus our attention on the issues of civil rights instead of marriage, we may extend the rights all of our citizen’s deserve without threatening the sacrament of marriage. I’m pretty optimistic that this could work. I hear that individual rights have a big following in conservative circles. If conservatives stay true to their beliefs, gays may just find conservative allies in the pursuit of their individual rights.

“We oppose having the government impose state-sponsored morality or values on people of good conscience with differing views.” This is why I oppose legislation or a constitutional amendment that puts any government imposed definition on a religious sacrament. Individual civil rights are why I support providing every Minnesotan the same rights and opportunities provided to any other Minnesotan. Please join me and the Independence Party of Minnesota in protecting every Minnesotan’s individual rights.

The Green Party of St. Paul began a new effort to recruit candidates for upcoming 2011 local elections June 16, as candidates and around 40 supporters gathered to launch the effort dubbed Green St. Paul.The campaign is an attempt to change the party’s sporadic track record in local elections by recruiting candidates to run for local office, said Green St. Paul co-chair Roger Meyer…

The Green Party has officially endorsed three candidates in local races. Johnny Howard and Jim Ivey are running for St. Paul City Council seats in Wards 1 and 2, respectively, while Devin Miller is running for the St. Paul School Board…

Meyer said the recruitment campaign was inspired by St. Paul’s adoption of ranked choice voting. The elections this November will see the first implementation of the ranked choice voting system that St. Paul voters approved in a referendum in 2009.

The system allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference. If one candidate receives more than 50 percent of the first choice votes, they win outright. Otherwise, the candidate with the lowest number of first choice votes is eliminated and their votes are redistributed to the voter’s second choice. The process is repeated until one candidate crosses the threshold needed to win.

Local and State Green Party groups meet throughout the year. Is there a local in your area? Do you want to start one? See this nice Organizing Kit put together by GPUS.

Monday Feb 7, the Triangle Greens (NC) met at the Durham County Library.

This Saturday the Green Party of Minnesota is holding their Winter Meeting in Golden Valley, MN, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. See the agenda.

All members are encouraged to attend. We’re planning three sets of workshops hosted by guest speakers. In addition to our traditional favorites like single-payer healthcare and transition towns, we’ll also have action-oriented workshops for people interested in learning how to lobby or be a candidate for office.

Also Saturday the Green Party of Pennsylvania State Committee is meeting in Carlisle, PA at 1:30 PM, followed by an evening session with speakers at 6:30 PM. In the afternoon they will be electing officers and delegates to the National Committee. In the evening:

Please join us for an engaging evening with honored guest speakers from different groups and backgrounds, who offer common ground in addressing critical issues of the day that impact all of us, not just Greens. This evening is for YOU if you are seriously concerned about the state of our voting systems, our environment and our civil liberties.

(1) Marybeth Kuznik, Founder and Executive Director, VotePA — Voting Machines in Pennsylvania, 6:30-7:00

(2) Bill Belitskus, President, Allegheny Defense Project — Marcellus Shale Drilling and its Effect on the Allegheny National Forest, 7:00-8:00

(3) Jim Compton, Anti-Real ID Activist, Boiling Springs, PA — Real ID in Pennsylvania, 8:00-8:30

On Sunday The Portland (Maine) Green Party is hosting a Noon social prior to the 1 PM Maine Green Independent Party’s Steering Committee Meeting, both at the Meg Perry Center in Portland, Maine.

Do you know of other Green Party meetings or events coming up? Let us know at GPW@GreenPartyWatch.org

THE FOLLOWING ARTICLE ABOUT THE NATURAL LAW PARTY APPEARED IN THE MONMOUTH
UNIVERSITY “OUTLOOK” ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2010.

——————————————————————–
WHEN POLITICS COMES NATURALLY
By Dennis “DJ” Mikolay

Whenever the public becomes discontent with government policy, the masses
start to recognize the ineffectiveness of the two-party duopoly. Thus, the
talk of forming a third party alternative inevitably begins. The truth of
the matter is, there is really no need to form a new party, as there are
already numerous appealing alternatives to the Democrats and Republicans,
several of which advance substantive platforms and noble ideals.

The problem, however, is that no-matter how strong a candidate’s ideas
are, it is an uphill battle for third parties; media exposure is scarce
and electoral victory nearly impossible. In the rare event that some
coverage is granted, it is often cynical or belittling. Indeed, running
for office as a minor party candidate is no easy task, and while the
majority of Americans might potentially agree with a third party’s
platform, they will likely never hear it.

Just ask Mary Jo Christian, the daughter of a former Irvington mayor, who
spent the better part of the 1990s as an activist with the now defunct
Natural Law Party. Christian’s initial foray into politics began in 1990,
when she formed the Monmouth County Citizens for Clean Air and Water and
with a mere $35,000 war-chest, successfully prevented the political elite
from constructing a garbage incinerator in Tinton Falls.

Inspired by this victory, her political apex occurred in 1996, when she
heard physicist Dr. John Hagelin, the Natural Law Party’s public
figurehead, speak at an Asbury Park hotel. She joined the organization and
by 1998 was their congressional candidate in New Jersey’s twelfth
congressional district.
In keeping with the notion that third parties often address pertinent
issues ignored by the major parties, Christian’s campaign championed
environmental awareness and airport security, both of which would become
hot button issues years later.

Not all politicians, however, shared Christian’s concern for the
environment and safer skies; during her public debate with opponent Rush
Holt, the Democratic contender immediately dismissed her concerns that an
airplane could easily be hijacked from Newark airport and taken to
Manhattan.

“I argued against closing a nearby air-force base because I knew there
would be trouble at Newark Airport,” said Christian. “I had seen a man go
through security with a bag full of knives and scalpels. Holt cut me off
midsentence and said that could never happen in America. He dismissed my
hijacking worries!”

Holt’s lack of concern for anti-terroristic measures didn’t inhibit his
rise in the Democratic Party ranks, and he has since established himself
as one of their key figures on the national scene.

While Christian’s ideas were considerably out of league with the two major
parties, she found inspiration in the fact that Minnesota Governor Jesse
Ventura, elected on the Reform Party ticket, was willing to address issues
major party candidates avoided.

“Jesse Ventura is awesome,” said Christian. “When I first started talking
to him about genetic engineering, he admitted he didn’t know anything
about it. But he went out and read up on the issue; he has really immersed
himself in getting all the knowledge he can!”

Christian’s activism continued into the 2000s . She formed the Council of
Alternative Political Parties, and later worked on musician Pat DiNizio’s
campaign for senate with the Reform Party. By that point the Natural Law
Party and the Reform Party had begun to work together on a number of
endeavors. An unsuccessful attempt to merge the two parties took a heavy
toll on both organizations, and the Natural Law Party was dissolved in
2002.

Today Mary Jo Christian, a television producer, is busy at work on a new
Native American themed reality show. Christian believes Americans can
learn a great deal from the Native Americans whom she describes as
“wonderful, loving, caring people.”

While her days as a candidate for public office are far behind her, Mary
Jo Christian still feels the need to warn voters against the potential
dangers she sees presented by the far-right elements of the “Tea Party”
movement, which she claims “ troll uneducated voters for their own twisted
agenda.”

The Libertarian Party of Illinois ran a full slate of candidates this year, with a guy named Lex Green at the top of the ballot. A “Green” Libertarian? Confusing! No wonder they didn’t meet the five percent threshold required to more easily get on the ballot in 2014. (Neither did the Green Party, though.)

Given the GOP’s proclaimed support for limited government and fiscal conservatism, you might think Illinois Libs would derive some consolation from the Republicans regaining control of the U.S. House and several state governorships. Nationwide, the victories of Republicans such as Kentucky senator-elect Rand Paul and Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann—who proudly aligned themselves with the fiscally conservative, pro-small government Tea Party movement—would make them even happier, you might also suspect. After all, the national Libertarian Party claims the Tea Party movement began right here in Illinois, with anti-tax protests organized by state Libs back in 2008 and 2009.

Yeah, you might think. But you’d be wrong.

Some folks on the liberty-freedom-patriot blog circuit are enthusiastically referring to the “strides” made for the “conservative/libertarian movement,” as though conservatives and libertarians (or Libertarians) were one big, happily family. It’s not the case, says Lex Green, the Libs gubernatorial candidate. “Unfortunately, the Tea Party departed from its Libertarian roots—mostly thanks to the Republicans’ infiltration,” he says.

An electrician from Bloomington, Green has been active in the Tea Party movement through his early affiliation with the Tea Party Patriots. But his candidacy lost support from many movement activists, he says, because he supports gay rights and marijuana legalization—positions that are consistent with the Libs’ limited-government approach, but not with the Republican Party’s. Many Tea Partiers ended up backing Republican Bill Brady, which Green says gave him “mixed feelings” about the movement. Among all Libertarians running for statewide office, Green received the fewest votes—just 34,293, or less than one percent.

Keep reading….

Illinois Green Party candidate for Governor Rich Whitney led all Green Party gubernatorial candidates in 2010 in total votes and percentage of the total vote, with 99,625 votes, 2.70% of the vote.

Only three times in history have Green Party gubernatorial candidates exceeded 10% of the vote. The first was in 1994, when Roberto Mondragon, who finished with 10.4% of the vote in New Mexico. The other two were in 2006, when Pat LaMarche finished with 10% in Maine and Rich Whitney finished with 11% in Illinois. (See a spreadsheet of historical Green Party gubernatorial candidates here).

This year was definitely a downturn for Greens running for Governor. In Illinois the votes for the Green Party candidate were 1/3 of the 2006 votes. In California the Greens got half what they did in 2006. Massachusetts went from 42K to 32K, Maryland went from 13K to 11K, Tennessee went from 2,700 to 1,800, Minnesota went from 10K to 6K, and Nevada went from 6K to 4K. However the Green vote went up in Ohio (from 38K to 56K), New York (42K to 58K), Michigan (20K to 21K), and Arkansas (12K to 14K), from which you can cast your own theories.

In the post election chatter, some have questioned why Greens bother to waste the resources to run for Governor when the odds are so stacked against them. In some states, ballot access and/or recognition as a political party is based on gubernatorial returns. In other states, it has no impact at all. I would argue that running a green party candidate for a high profile state-wide race has several benefits.

First, it has the potential to influence the dialogue by putting Green Solutions out front next to the partisan, safe, and centrist positions of the two corporate political parties. It forces Democrats to ask why their candidate isn’t supporting what the Green Party candidate is supporting.

Second, it has the potential to raise awareness of the Green Party statewide. It has been noted that many voters have not heard of the Green Party. If a good Green Party candidate in a high profile race actually gets some media and equal debate access, s/he has the potential to get the Green Party message in front of tens of thousands of voters, and some of them might like that message enough to join the party or even run for office themselves.

Third, it gives all the Greens out there someone to vote for. There were over 400,000 votes cast this year for Green Party candidates for Governor. Think about it this way. There are 400,000 voters in the United States that would prefer a Green Party Candidate running their state than a Democrat or a Republican. That’s a lot of people. If we don’t run candidates, those voters are going to have to hold their nose and vote for another party’s candidate. The Green Party owes it to those Greens in America to give them a candidate to vote for.

Finally, political parties run candidates. That is how they are defined. If the Green Party doesn’t run candidates, they aren’t a political party. We should personally thank all of the Green Party candidates who ran for office this year, they gave the voters something Green to vote for.

2010 Green Gubernatorial Results

• Rich Whitney (IL) – 99,625 (2.70%)
• Jim Lendall (AR) – 14,525 (1.88%)
• Dennis Spisak (OH) – 56,734 (1.51%)
• Morgan Reeves (SC) – 19,807 (1.51%)
• Jill Stein (MA) – 32,816 (1.43%)
• Howie Hawkins (NY) – 58,123 (1.37%)
• Laura Wells (CA) – 92,892 (1.22%)
• Harley Mikkelson (MI) – 21,312 (0.66%)
• Maria Allwine (MD) – 11,022 (0.64%)
• David Curtis (NV) – 4,437 (0.62%)
• Deb Shafto (TX) – 19,475 (0.39%)
• Farheen Hakim (MN) – 6,188 (0.29%)
• Howard Switzer (TN) – 1,886 (0.12%)

Al-Jazeera English has published a detailed profile of Farheen Hakeem, a current Green Party US co-chair who has run for office several times in Minnesota, including a recent run for governor:

Every four years the US elects a new president. It is a process that is scrutinised the world over. But the democratic system includes many other, smaller contests which regularly reflect the nation’s character and mood.

The mid-west state of Minnesota was the first to elect and then re-elect a Muslim-American to Congress. And although it was a major milestone for US democracy, it did not necessarily indicate a wave of broad acceptance.

Farheen Hakeem, a maths teacher and girl scout troop leader, wanted to show her students and scouts that democracy is more than just casting a vote and that it can also be about faith.

In the following account filmmaker Sarah Zaman looks at a young Muslim woman that runs for office in Minnesota and tests the system.

Read and watch the whole story at Al-Jazeera English.

Tom Horner of the Independence Party got 11.9% in this race, with several other candidates in the race:

Chris Wright Grassroots Party 7,513 0.4%
Farheen Hakeem Green Party 6,188 0.3%
Ken Pentel Ecology Democracy Party 6,178 0.3%
Linda Eno Resource Party 4,092 0.2%

In the other three gubernatorial races which the NY Times considers too close to call at this time:

Illinois, 99% reporting – 0.5% separate the Democrat and Republican

Scott Lee Cohen Independent 134,219 3.6%
Rich Whitney Green Party 99,625 2.7%
Lex Green Libertarian Party 34,293 0.9%

In Connecitcut, again 0.5% separate the Democratic and Republican candidates. With 99% reporting, Independent Party candidate Thomas Marsh has 17,223 votes for 1.5%.

Finally, in Vermont, with 98% reporting, NY Times lists the following results:

Peter Shumlin
Dem. 115,485 49.4%
Brian Dubie
Rep. 111,988 47.9%
Dennis Steele
Ind. 1,868 0.8%
Cris Ericson
Ind. 1,773 0.8%
Dan Feliciano
Ind. 1,289 0.6%
Em Peyton
Ind. 853 0.4%
Ben Mitchell
L.U. 423 0.2%

I believe that, as with some of the other states above, some of what the NY Times labels “Ind.” candidates actually did have a party label, but that’s all the time I’m going to put into researching this post at the moment. The names I recognize there are Dennis Steele, who is affiliated with a secessionist movement that wants to take Vermont out of the United States, and Cris Ericson, a libertarian/marijuana candidate. L.U. stands for Liberty Union, which is a socialist party in Vermont only.

Democrats are in the lead in all four races.

Farheen Hakeem and Dan Dittman are listed on the ballot as Green Party candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, though they are not listed on the Green Party of Minnesota web page and did not win endorsement in the Green Party’s May convention.

The Green Party of Minnesota web page lists endorsed candidates Annie Young for State Auditor, Dan Craige for House District 59B, and two candidates for seats on the Ramsey County Soil and Water Conservation District: Gary Carlson and Vaios Eleftheriou. The Green Party has had substantial support in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Minneapolis Councilmember Cam Gordon and Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board member Annie Young are both Green elected officials in Minneapolis.

Annie Young’s candidacy for state auditor is the Green Party of Minnesota’s big hope in this election. If Young succeeds in getting five percent of the votes for auditor, the Green Party could regain major party status in Minnesota.

The Grassroots Party is also on the ballot, with Chris Wright and Edwin H. Engelmann as its candidates for governor and lieutenant governor. Historically, the Grassroots Party has focused on legalization of marijuana, and that’s still their number one issue.

The Resource Party lists Linda S. Eno and Howard B. Hanson as its candidates for governor and lieutenant governor.

The Ecology Democracy Party candidates for governor and lieutenant governor are Ken Pentel and Erin Wallace. Pentel ran for governor with Green Party endorsement in 1998, 2002 and 2006, but founded a new party to run this year.

Independents without a party

Lynne Torgerson is running against incumbent Keith Ellison in the Fifth Congressional District as “an independent.” She’s anti-abortion, pro-Israel, pro-gun, and has lots of other stands listed on her website.

Michael James Cavlan also is running against Ellison. Cavlan is running as an “Independent Progressive.” Cavlan was formerly a Green Party member, and his email still identifies him as “greenpartymike,” but he is not running with Green Party endorsement.

Read more…

FairVote is hosting a ranked-choice poll for Governor of Minnesota. The poll is a chance to see IRV (Instant Runoff Voting) applied in a race with several, third party candidates. The poll is at:

There is at least one Libertarian on the ballot across the U.S, in areas containing 81.9% of the voters, for the November 2010 election. The Libertarian Party, as is usual in midterm years, is on the ballot in more places than any other minor party.

For 2010, the equivalent percentages for other leading minor parties are: Green, 54.6%; Constitution, 39.0%; Working Families, 8.8%. Of course, most of the Working Families Party nominees are also Democratic Party nominees.

Also, 7.3% of the voters will see a candidate on the ballot with the Tea Party label, but there is no nationally-organized political party with that name. Voters will see the Tea Party label in Florida, Nevada, and in a single U.S. House district in New Jersey. And, 9.5% of voters will see an Independence Party nominee on their ballots, but there is no national political party with that name, just three particular state parties in Minnesota, New York, and South Carolina.

MINNEAPOLIS – The Campaign Committe to Elect Michael Cavlan to Congress
is proud to announce that the National Association Of Muslim Women Of
America has endorsed Independent Congressional Candidate Mike Cavlan
for the US House of Representatives for Minnesota's 5th Congressional
District.

NAMWA contacted the campaign writing:

"We know that Ellison is your opponent and that he is Muslim and the
first Muslim elected to Congress. He hasn't done Muslims a bit of good.
The Somali community that elected him complains that he doesn't even
talk about what is happening in Somalia. They get no representation at
all from this guy. Being Muslim doesn't matter. He hasn't been a good
representative for Muslims and I don't think he really wants to be
known as the Muslim Congressman. It is our pleasure to endorse you."

Cavlan said, " While the FBI have been targeting the Muslim community
as well as the local Peace and Justice community, the silence of those
elected to office has been duly noted”. Cavlan further promises to
"Defend the Constitution and Bill of Rights from all enemies, foreign
and domestic. That includes those elected officials in power during the
Bush years as well as the current Obama Administration. I give my word
to the people of the 5th District of Minnesota, as well as the nation,
that I will fight for you all, instead of the monied special interests
which currently corrupt the Nations capitol."

Cavlan also states "I suspect that another reason that NAMWA also
supports our campaign because of our positions on US Foreign policy and
it's support of nations that are human rights abusers. As well as the
actions of the United States government in slaughtering countless
innocent Muslims and other civilians. Unlike my opponent, I will oppose
this with more than meaningless rhetoric."

Cavlan has also been endorsed by American hero Ralph Nader, peace
activist Cindy Sheehan, former Presidential candidate Representative
Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, former US Senate candidate Brother Ray
Tricomo as well as the Kalpulli Turtle Island Organization which is
committed to creating a more sustainable and equitable nation.

On August 31, the MPR News-Humphrey Institute released a poll for the Minnesota gubernatorial race. It shows: Republican Tom Emmer 34%; Democratic-Farmer-Labor Mark Dayton 34%, Independence Party Tom Horner 13%, undecided or other 19%. See this story.

Horner, the Independence Party nominee, is already higher in this poll than Jesse Ventura was in similar polls at this point in the 1998 election cycle. Ventura was at 10% in polls in mid-September 1998, but he won with 37%. At that time the name of the Independence Party of Minnesota was the Reform Party.

Minnesota has a very active group working for Instant-Runoff Voting.

Kitten urges rogue sheriffs, crooked cops, bank CEOs, war criminals, politicians and other illegitimate rulers to turn themselves in immediately!

MINNEAPOLIS– The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has announced plans to conduct a “sweep” of low-level fugitives this month, clearing warrants in a fashion similar to last December’s “Operation Year End Clearance.” In response, Kitten, a candidate for Hennepin County Sheriff, has announced “Operation Litter Sweep,” charging that Sheriff Rich Stanek is displaying gross negligence by only focusing on low-level crime. Hennepin County Sheriff Candidate Kitten is urging anyone who fits the following categories to consider locking themselves up before July 27th:

• Bank CEOs and other executives, especially those engaged in the theft of citizens’ homes through foreclosures, accepting government bailout payments, and various financial scams.

• Politicians from all parties who support war operations domestic and international, and steal funds to finance pet projects such as stadiums.

• Crooked cops or anyone in uniform who arrests, kidnaps, detains, harasses, beats, murders, or uses other types of force against people.

“This sweep demonstrates that our community does not tolerate violence in our neighborhoods, against our people or against our environment” said Kitten Sheriff. “We will urge offenders to take a principled stand and turn themselves in immediately – and in exchange request that a currently incarcerated nonviolent inmate go free”

In addition, Kitten will issue warrants on any war criminals that enter the area of Hennepin County. Kitten made it clear on Friday that these warrants apply to members of either political party. “DNC, RNC or independent – if you are contributing to promoting, supporting and engaging in war overseas or in our own backyard, we do not welcome you here.”

While Kitten has no policing power yet and will not arrest anyone, the campaign suggests that those who have engaged in crimes against humanity lock themselves away. This cost-cutting move will maintain current jail levels by replacing petty offenders with real criminals who could spend some time thinking about those they have harmed.

“Sheriff Stanek appears to want to fill up the jails with more people by holding all these “operations” against outstanding warrants”, says Kitten. “If he enjoys putting people behind bars, then maybe he should try to stay in one of those cells himself. There are millions jailed who deserve to go home to their families and friends rather than rot in a cell serving time.”

Kitten would like to see an end to the prison-industrial complex and raise awareness of the millions of people behind bars in a semi-hidden police state that few discuss in middle America. With approximately 2.5 million people locked up in US prisons and jails, we have the highest rate of incarceration in the world. Further, locally Minnesota’s black/white per capita incarceration rate is the highest ratio reported for any state.

If you want to voluntarily surrender:

• Adults may turn themselves in at anytime at the Hennepin County Public Safety Facility, also known as the Hennepin County jail at 401 South 4th Avenue, Minneapolis, MN.

• While you may get some strange looks by the current jailers, please state that you engaged in crimes and list who you have harmed.

• If they continue to resist jailing you, then sit outside in the waiting room. Eventually, they’ll find something to arrest you for if you refuse to move.

• It is recommended that you turn yourself in by midnight on Tuesday, July 27th, but if you are out of town and your private jet is not working properly – please report in before August 1st.

• Bring a form of government-issued identification with you (your papers please!),and cash, if you plan on paying back those whom you directly harmed with your policies.

How to help determine if you should turn yourself in:

• You go by a title such as “CEO” or “Executive,” or your employer is named something such as (but not limited to) “Wells Fargo”, “TCF”, or “Federal Reserve”.

• You go by titles such as “military general”, “president”, “mayor”, “politician”, “police officer”, “sheriff”, “senator”, “FBI agent”, “ICE”, or other titles of illegitimate rule.

How to provide TIPS:

Anyone with information about a powerful person who fits the criteria for Operation Litter Sweep may call 1-888-988-TIPS. Tips can also be provided to Minnesota Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. If these entities prove unwilling to respond to the most significant crimes in our county, contact the Kitten for Sheriff campaign at kittensheriff@gmail.com.

Hahn is one of five Independence Party candidates, including former public relations executive Tom Horner, who are vying for their party’s nomination in the Aug. 10 primary. Hahn is a publisher.

He says the state needs to explore new ways to bring in revenue to deal with a projected multi-billion-dollar deficit.

His proposal would put six riverboats along the Mississippi River from Minneapolis to La Crescent. Based on riverboat gambling in other states, he estimates the boats would generate state and local tax revenues of $400 million to $600 million.

Hahn will face the Independence Party convention endorsed candidate, Tom Horner, in the primary.

the Republican Party of Minnesota is trying again: It filed a complaint with the state’s Office of Administrative Hearings Thursday, alleging that Independence Party gubernatorial candidate Tom Horner received survey results from a polling firm early, and that such a deal should count as an in-kind campaign contribution.A poll by Decision Resources released earlier this month showed Horner garnering nearly 20 percent of the vote. The GOP’s complaint charges that the firm, run by a Horner supporter (and possible client of Horner’s former PR firm) Bill Morris, gave the campaign access to the poll results before they were publicly available, which the GOP says raises “deeply troubling questions.” The complaint states the monetary value of the polling data “likely exceeds $26,500.” If the data was turned over for free, the complaint continues, the transaction violates state statute.

Horner has denied the GOP’s claims.

According to the Star Tribune, the GOP has asked for an expedited hearing on the matter, which will include a review of GOP-submitted blog posts, emails and Twitter updates. The campaign finance board rejected the GOP’s complaint last week, stating that it didn’t have jurisdiction in the matter.

The actual complaint can be read at the link. Although Horner is the endorsed Independence Party of Minnesota candidate for Governor, he is not yet the nominee–a primary is being held in which Horner must face several other candidate. We last reported on Horner when he picked his running mate, Jim Mulder.

Introducing 8 Young Greens to Watch: 8 young candidates who are running hard to bring our values into the halls of power. With your help, 2010 can be a breakthrough year for the Green movement from Maine to California.

At Green Change we’re committed to connecting you with candidates who share your Green values. And we’re passionate about inspiring young people to get active in the Green movement to transform politics in America.

Read about these 8 young Greens to watch, then spread the word!

LeAlan Jones gained international acclaim at age 13 for his work on the documentary “Ghetto Life 101″, a portrayal of life on Chicago’s south side. LeAlan is running for US Senate to work for single-payer health care, quality universal education, an end to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, public campaign financing, green jobs and transportation, and much more.

Hugh Giordano is an award-winning union organizer in Philadelphia with a Master’s degree in Legal and Ethical Studies. Hugh is running for Pennsylvania State House to work for green jobs, quality education, single-payer health care, workers’ rights and more.

Cynthia Santiago of Los Angeles is a law student and an activist for environmental justice for low-income communities. Cynthia is running for California State Assembly to work for environmental justice, youth violence prevention, sustainable development and investing in education instead of incarceration.

Dan Craigie of Minneapolis served four years as a Navy technician before working his way to a Master’s degree in public policy. Dan is running for Minnesota State House to work for renewable energy, single-payer health care, environmental protection, equal rights and more.

Anna Trevorrow was elected in 2009 to serve on the City Charter Commission in Portland, Maine, where she advocated instant runoff voting and other reforms. Anna is running for Maine State House to work for progressive tax reforms, living wage, single-payer health care, greater transportation choice and more.

Alberto Bocanegra is a Chicago community organizer who has been active in efforts for immigration reform and affordable housing. Alberto is running for Alderman to fight Chicago’s notorious corruption and ensure equal rights for underprivileged communities.

Erin Cianchette is a music teacher, peace and environmental activist, and graduate student in public policy and non-profit management from Cumberland, Maine. Erin is running for Maine State House to work for renewable energy, green job creation, single-payer health care, equal rights for all, and more.

Jeremy Karpen of Chicago is an anti-violence counselor and therapist for troubled youth. Jeremy is running for Illinois State House to work for single-payer health care, mass transit, affordable housing, quality public education, and political reforms to clean up Illinois’ notoriously corrupt politics.

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Tom Horner visited Fergus Falls Wednesday afternoon to let residents know he’s willing to sit in between the state’s political divide.

Recently endorsed as the state’s Independent candidate for governor, Horner stopped in Fergus Falls for the beginning of a campaign that will largely be based on a series of meet and greets throughout the state.

Though it’s not unheard of for Minnesotans to cast their votes for an independent candidate, Horner knows he has a battle set out for him. But for him, the battle is about raising the funds necessary to get his message out. From there, he’s confident the people of Minnesota will meet him in the center.

Polling that has been done in this race has often included Horner as the Independence Party candidate, where he has scored as much as 10%.

Delegates from across Minnesota assembled at the Brookdale Public Library in Brooklyn Center on Saturday, May 8, 2010 to hear from candidates seeking office for various levels of government and voting for or against their endorsement. After deliberations on resolutions for revisions to the CPMN platform, the delegates listened intently as candidates articulated why and how they could bring responsibility to government and produce a blueprint to peacefully and lawfully bring about compliance with the Constitution … the very Freedom document that all elected officials have sworn an oath to uphold.

Endorsed for the MN Supreme Court – Tim Tingelstad, Greg Wersal, Dan Griffin
7th Congressional District – Gene Waldorf from Grey Eagle
8th Congressional District – Richard (George) Burton from Brainerd
MN Senate 12 – Stephen Park from Nisswa
MN Senate 17 – Paul Bergley from Isanti
MN Senate 50 – Rae Hart Anderson from St. Paul
MN House 40A – Bruce Johnson from Burnsville
MN House 49B – Harley Swarm from Coon Rapids