Minimum wage victory — But why is it bittersweet?
from mnpACT! Progressive Political Blog by Dave Mindeman
This session was an opportunity for Democrats to shine. They have the minimum wage. The anti-bullying bill. A surplus to work with. Republicans on their heels.
And yet, the taste of it all is still bittersweet. We may get those issues moved through the legislature, but the celebration gets a little tainted. I, for one, do not have confidence that labor, the poor, and middle income taxpayers are getting the full voice that would be expected with DFL control of government.
The United States should ratify the UN Arms Trade Treaty
from the PoliticOle by Joel Jaeger
On April 2, 2013, the UN General Assembly adopted the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT), a multilateral convention that for the first time places legally-binding regulations on the $85 billion-a-year conventional arms trade. According to the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, 118 states have signed the ATT, and 31 have ratified it, but 50 ratifications are required before the treaty enters into force. US Secretary of State John Kerry signed the ATT on September 25, 2013, but a number of US Senators, supported by the National Rifle Association (NRA) have made clear that they plan to prevent the treaty from achieving the two-thirds Senate majority necessary for US ratification. As the world’s largest exporter of conventional arms, the United States should ratify the ATT. The treaty is far from perfect, but its benefits to international peace and security outweigh its risks. By ratifying the ATT, the United States would facilitate a widespread improvement in national arms export controls, put pressure on other states to accept the treaty, and secure a greater voice in the future of the international arms trade regime, all without violating the Second Amendment or having to substantially change its own arms transfer controls.
A declaration of INTERdependence
from Thoughts Towards a Better World by Dick Bernard
This particular day he had along a recently re-found Declaration of INTERdependence, authored by Henry Steele Commager in 1975, and co-signed in support by the bi-partisan political and civic establishment of Minnesota May 1, 1976: Declaration of INTERdependence.
Vulnerable road user protection laws
from streets.mn by Andy Singer
At least nine states have adopted Vulnerable Road User Protection Laws, including Nevada, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Illinois, Maryland, Delaware, New York and Hawaii. Even Texas passed one through their legislature but it was vetoed by their governor. Vermont and Connecticut are in process and many other states are talking about them including California and our neighbor, Wisconsin. The laws are part of legal and enforcement campaigns in many states to combat distracted driving and motor vehicle harassment and to require safe distances for motor vehicles passing bicyclists.
7 key messages for women business owners
from Girl Meets Geek by Kate-Madonna Hindes
As a woman in business, this is my advice…
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