November is National American Indian Heritage Month

In honor of the American Indian Tribes who helped the Puritans who settled in the Plymouth Rock area of Massachusetts, November was named National American Indian Heritage Month.

I, Publius Jr, found this out back in the 1990s when I thought it would be a good idea to start up a American Indian History month like Black History Month which is in February. I sent a letter to my US Rep at the time when I lived in Minnesota’s First Congressional District (CD1), Rep Gil Gutknecht. I believe I also sent a letter to Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who was the first American Indian to become a US Senator from Colorado. He had also had switched parties from the Democratic to the Republican Party during that time. I had suggested to do this in September because it is generally the month we have what’s called “Indian Summer.” Rep Gutknecht sent a packet of information about American Indians in the United States of America. In it he said there is already a month designated at National American Indian Heritage Month: Novmember.

One of the tidbits out of this packet of information was only the Pacific Northwest and Alaskan Indians like to be called Native Americans. The others don’t care for it. Why you might ask?

What’s the History Behind the Term, “Native American?”

Well history matters, and the term Native American used to refer up to maybe 15-20 years ago to citizens born in the United States of America. Why the switch? It’s part of the Liberal Vocabulary we should stop using. The Liberals’ idea was that America was stolen land from the indigenous people here. Yet if you read survival stories of the Puritans which we should really call the Separatists, which were English Protestants who fled England due to the state religion there, but that’s a whole other story related to the First American Dream; the Indians, or tribes surrounding the area the Puritans landed the Indians helped them survive. There was no animosity between them.

Our country’s origins really spring forth from the Puritans instead of Jamestown Colony, which was founded upon the competing American Dream that has been pushed since the 1930’s of Materialism, and Financial Gain. That’s an article for another day too. The 2 competing American foundings I cover in an article I wrote in 2017 called, “Can Trump Save Thanksgiving?

One reason why American Indians don’t like to be called Native Americans is because the continent name was applied to the land by foreigners starting in 1498, named after Amerigo Vespucci an Italian Explorer who discovered the land mass Columbus had run into wasn’t a bunch of islands but rather a continent. Also they aren’t really Native Americans as explained a few paragraphs above what that term meant up until recently. There’s an idea that they been here for hundreds of thousands of years, but if that is so where are the remnants of the civilizations that came before them?

There’s a researcher named Dr Nathaniel Jeanson who wrote a book called, “Traced: Human DNA’s Big Surprise.” In it he traces the Y-Chromosome in Haplo Groups or “People Groups,” and where they migrated and when. It’s a technical book but it shows the migration of people east, west, north, and south from the area where Noah and his sons started to repopulate the Earth, after a worldwide flood. He proves there aren’t multiple races of people and how many might be surprised that Black People have the same Ancestry as White People.  It’s refreshing to have science not be tethered by predetermined outcomes as our education system seems to want to do. He has an ongoing project to discover and document the migration and histories of the several tribes that migrated from Central Asia a between 300 and 900 AD before Columbus discovered the West Indies. It can be found at Answers in Genesis, I wrote about this in 2022 in an article called, “Traced: Where did the American Indians Come From?

Good news to Christians who believe in a Young Earth Theory, Dr Nathaniel Jeanson’s research corroborates this theory and reduces Earth’s timeline down to what the Bible generally suggests that Earth and mankind have been here for just under 6000 years. He didn’t fit his research into a desired outcome, it just points in the direction of a Young Earth.

Dr Jeanson has an ongoing project to help corroborate Tribal Histories of American Indians in North and South America, so if you live on a Reservation and would like to know more about your Tribal History or help Dr Jeanson with his work you can learn more by watching the following video. He suggests this link answersingenesis.org/go/traced and there you’ll click on “Hidden History of Every People Project,” and then you can enter in your contact information.

Saintpaulrepublicans.us has celebrated this month by posting articles about American Indians who have overcome adversity and have helped out more than themselves. They are people we can all draw inspiration from. ~~ Publius Jr

 

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Thanksgiving Meal for Vets & Families by Every Third Saturday Nov 27th 3-6 PM

What:  Every Third Saturday Thanksgiving Meal

When: November 27, 2024, 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Where: American Legion Post 99, 5600 S 34th Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55417, MapZoomed Out Map

Message from Every Third Saturday

Please join us for a Thanksgiving meal, fun, and prizes. This is a free event for veterans and their families.


saintpaulrepublicans.us is not associated with Every Third Saturday, nor American Legion Post 99. Though I am a US Army Veteran living under a bunch of government assistance programs mainly SNAP and HUD-VASH, and I have acquired some clothing items, and household cleaning supplies from their organization. We are posting this event as a courtesy to Veterans in the Twin Cities area. Every Third Saturday is a registered 501c3 organization and received a 4 Star rating by Charity Navigator. They are a Veterans Charity. If you would like to know more about them please visit their website at www.everythirdsaturday.org

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New DoD Secretary Pete Hegseth on the Shawn Ryan Show

recorded prior to the 2024 General Election.

The above video was recorded prior to the General Election of 2024. You can tell this about how they discuss the election as it hasn’t happened yet. Though the video on the Shawn Ryan Show YouTube Channel states it was released on November 7, 2024.

Pete Hegseth has strong ties to Minnesota. He grew up in Forest Lake, Minnesota. He ran for the MNGOP Nomination for US Senate in 2012.

President-Elect Donald J Trump the 45-47th President of the United States of America just tapped Pete Hegseth to be the next Secretary of Defense. He has a big task to revitalize the Defense Department which has gone Woke, and is gigantic social engineering laboratory for non-American Values, and is sending our military inventory to a questionable war in the Ukraine.

Shawn Ryan is a former Navy SEAL, CIA Contractor, and started up the Shawn Ryan Show to help record the stories of Veterans of many wars past and present.


From the Shawn Ryan Show YouTube Channel description:

Pete Hegseth is a television host, bestselling author, and U.S. Army Veteran known for his role on Fox & Friends Weekend. After graduating Princeton and Harvard, he served in the Army National Guard with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning two Bronze Stars. His military experience informs his advocacy for veterans, national security, and patriotic values.

Hegseth is also a New York Times bestselling author of “In the Arena,” “American Crusade,” “Modern Warriors,” “Battle for the American Mind,” and his latest book, “The War on Warriors,” where he critiques American politics, media and education. Known for his direct style, he remains an active voice in media and has led veterans’ advocacy groups like Concerned Veterans for America.


The following are time stamps when different parts of the video begin. Just click on the time and it will launch into that part of the video.

00:00 – Introduction

00:21 – Discussing the VA and Veterans’ Issues

20:11 – The War on Warriors: Book Introduction

21:13 – Military’s Shift and Wokeness

50:56 – Trump’s Support for War Fighters

53:23 – Women in Combat Roles Debate

01:21:07 – China’s Strategic Threat

01:42:01 – Public Education System Pitfalls

02:07:34 – Homeschooling and Alternative Education Models

02:12:26 – Challenges and Solutions for Single Parents

02:26:59 – Final Thoughts


The video has advertisements in which help generate funds for the Shawn Ryan Show as YouTube doesn’t share enough of their ad revenue with the producers. Saintpaulrepubicans.us does not get compensated for posting the Video, nor from the Barnes & Noble links to purchase Pete Hegseth books (I don’t list Amazon links because of who benefits from the sales is Jeff Bezos a huge Liberal). You can visit this website to know more about the new Defense Secretary: PeteHegseth.com.

I met Pete Hegseth when I was at the Senate District 66 Convention in 2012. He spoke to the HD 66A & HD 66B Republican delegates. I later spoke to him at the CD4 Republican Convention. Later that year I met him again at a Christmas Party at the Embassy Suites in downtown St Paul. Out of all the political and wealthy people at his Christmas Party he stopped to talk to me because I was wearing my US Army Field Jacket with my 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment Patch on it. He stopped to chat with me about Army stuff and ignored everyone else. He made me feel important then.

He should be a great Secretary of Defense as he cares about the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen, Airmen, Space Force troops, and our country’s Constitution defending it against enemies Foreign and Domestic.

  ~~ Publius Jr.

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Cpl Mitchell Red Cloud Jr’s Congressional Medal of Honor

Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr, was awarded a posthumous Congressional Medal of Honor for his valor with the U.S. Army’s 24th Infantry Division during the Korean War.  Cpl Red Cloud also saw combat during World War II as a U.S. Marine, seeing action on Guadalcanal and Okinawa. Above photo shows Sgt. Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. during his Marine Corps service. He enlisted in the US Army in 1948 (Photo Credit: U.S. Army).

 

Dauntless Courage and Gallant Self-Sacrifice…

Position of the 2-19 Infantry Regiment north of the Chongchon River where Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr. was killed in action (North Korea). map from the website www.rokdrop.net

These are words in the Citation from President Harry S Truman when he awarded Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr for the Congressional Medal of Honor posthumously for his acts of valor on the night of November 5, 1950, on Hill 123 near Chongchon, North Korea (See Map).

From the account from www.army.mil website:

“It was in the dark of night on November 5, 1950, that Red Cloud’s unit, Company E, 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division, was positioned on the ridge of Hill 123 near Chonghyon, North Korea. Red Cloud was manning a listening post on the point of the ridge, out ahead of his company’s main positions. He was armed with a Browning Automatic Rifle [B.A.R.].

A Chinese assault force made a coordinated attack on Hill 123 [2/19 position from above map] and vicinity, and at least part of that force slipped up on Company E’s position from the rear, caught many asleep, and killed them on the spot. Others they shot in the head.

Red Cloud gave Company E its first alarm from his position on the ridge and a group of Chinese burst suddenly from brush about 100 feet away and rushed him.

Red Cloud sprang up and with his rifle poured intense and accurate fire into the onrushing enemy.”

 

Cpl Red Cloud had been hit several times and he refused to be removed from his position despite being treated by a medic.  He had been hit in the chest twice and while he could not stand up because of his wounds he ordered a soldier nearby to tie him to a nearby tree with a webbed belt in order to continue to fire at the Red Chinese who were rushing his position.  He laid down covering fire after he ordered his men to retreat from the position.

Eventually he was killed and the position was overrun by the Red Chinese.  The next morning when his unit returned to the position after a counter attack there were about 30 Chinese soldiers dead near Red Cloud’s body.  He had been shot a total of 8 times.

His action had warned his company of a surprise attack, and allowed the wounded to be evacuated from the position and allowed the 2nd Battalion to mount a counterattack repelling the Red Chinese.

The Chongchon River can be seen at the very bottom of the map which is located just north of the North Korean capitol city of Pyongyang. To the northwest of the river the positions of the 19th Infantry Regiment on November 1, 1950 can be seen. Map via Wikipedia (from www.rokdrop.net website)

For a more in-depth details about Corporal Red Cloud Jr’s Medal of Honor action go to the following website http://www.rokdrop.net/2012/11/heroes-of-the-korean-war-corporal-mitchell-red-cloud-jr/


Previous Service in World War II, 1941-45

Mitchell dropped out of school to enlist in the Marine Corps at just 17 years old.  He needed his dad’s permission in order enlist.  He went to boot camp on August 11, 1941.  His first assignment was at Camp Elliot near San Diego, California.  When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, then Private First Class Red Cloud was assigned to the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion and was deployed to the Pacific Theater of Operations.

Guadalcanal

He landed with “Carlson’s Raiders” on Guadalcanal on November 4, 1942.  Their mission was to silence the Japanese artillery firing onto Henderson Field.  It was called the “Long March,” as it went for 28 days.  Red Cloud suffered from malaria and jaundice throughout much of the month and had to be evacuated on December 4th, he had lost 75 pounds.  There were ferocious battles during the month.

In January 1943 it was recommended that Red Cloud be medically discharged due to his physical condition, and he refused.  So he was redeployed for the next big battle: Okinawa.

Okinawa

On May 17, 1945 Private First Class Red Cloud Jr was a radio operator in combat he was hit in the shoulder and had to be medically evacuated to Guam for eventual shipment back to the States, earning a Purple Heart.

Discharge from the Marines

On November 9, 1945 he was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps at the rank of Sergeant.

Post war there was a short period of unemployment being there were so many returning US Servicemen.  Mitchell returned to the Ho-Chunk Reservation in Hatfield Wisconsin, about 11 miles NE of Black River Falls, Wisconsin.  According to Historynet.com he roamed the state of Wisconsin over 2 years visiting relatives, and publishing an article in the Wisconsin archeologist about his tribe’s stories in December 1945.  He got married and had a daughter Annita.

In 1948 Mitchell Red Cloud Jr enlisted in the US Army and was assigned to E Company, 2nd Battalion, 19th Infantry Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division.  He served in an occupation force in Japan until the Korean War broke on June 25, 1950.

He returned to combat serving the 2/19th in several battles until his Medal of Honor action.

Early Life

Mitchell Jr was the eldest of 3 children born to Mitchell Red Cloud & Nellie (nee Winneshiek).  He was born on July 2, 1924 in Hatfield Wisconsin on the Ho-Chunk Nation(Winnebago) Reservation.  Some accounts list him as being born in 1925, but that would put his entry into WW2 at 16 not 17 as the latter was allowed by consent of a parent.

Mitchell was easy going, never to show anger.  He excelled in sports, swimming, and hunting.  He attended Nellsville High School in Black River Falls, Wisconsin, until he dropped out to join the Army.  At the time the United States was still neutral.


Posthumous Honors

Corporal Red Cloud Jr was buried in a UN cemetery in Korea in 1950.  In 1955 his remains were exhumed and transferred for burial at the Decorah Cemetery at Winnebago Mission, Wisconsin in the customs of the Ho-Chunk Nation.

In April 1951, his mother was present when Mitchell Red Cloud Jr was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by General Omar Bradley at a ceremony at the Pentagon.

On Armed Forces Day in 1957, a military installation in South Korea was named after him, Camp Red Cloud.

A park in Lacrosse Wisconsin was named after Mitchell Red Cloud Jr., and a portion of Highway 54 in Wisconsin was named after him.

The American Legion Post in Adams Wisconsin was renamed in his honor.  The Ho-Chunk Nation observe every July 4th as Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud Jr Day.

A Watson Class USN Roll on Roll off ship was named in his honor.  His daughter Annita christened the ship on August 7, 1999.


The USS Red Cloud (T-AKR 313) is a RORO or Roll On Roll Off ship that transports War Material and Combat Ready Vehicles. Commissioned on August 7, 1999.



We used Wikipedia, http://www.rokdrop.net/2012/11/heroes-of-the-korean-war-corporal-mitchell-red-cloud-jr/, and the army website mention above, as references.

This post was originally posted on November 27, 2017 ~~ Publius Jr.

 

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Troy Black Presents “The Outlier,” a documentary about Trump for Christian Voters

I, Publius Jr, am a Christian First before anything else. I’d say a die hard Packers Shareholder is next, Engineer, then some where down the list I’m into political stuff. It doesn’t look that way from the posts I do here.

When I first started to write articles here about 12 yrs ago in late May 2012 a lot of my articles gravitated around my faith in Jesus Christ, Father God, and the Holy Spirit. I would get notes from subscribers telling me to filter out my Jesus Freak stuff. It’s odd as the Republican Party was founded upon the Christian Worldview but now many are hostile to the teachings of Jesus Christ. Some claim belief but their mingling in the teachings tends to be much like a gym membership where if they do so many visits in a month they get some discount on their healthcare insurance. Not sure how that analogy applies to their faith, but it’s weak and they are more like Christian in name only or they think God is a game show host where if you do this or that you’ll get what’s behind door number 3.

So when I write articles I usually have some noise on in the background, usually a video about sasquatch, or lately I listen to Robin D Bullock, and now Troy Black. They have one thing in common and they are both Prophets.

Troy said he was told by God to make a documentary about how Donald Trump ran for office in 2016. So he went to work on it. The movie runs about 90 minutes long. Enjoy. ~~ Publius Jr.


There are a number of Republicans who want to go to their grave with the moniker as a NeverTrumper (I know quite a number of them in the MN Republican Party, the CD4 GOP Elector Jim Carson is one). It’s almost like self harm they do this. Some will cite that Trump is evil and he’s vulgar but it is most often the #NewsMafia vision they see. Even if he was all that, the Bible tells us all are redeemable thru the blood of Jesus Christ dying for us. It’s time to give up beating that dead horse. If Trump can be saved anyone can.

As Royce White says, Godspeed.

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Happy Bob Ross Day October 29th!

In 2018 Saintpaulrepublicans.us celebrated the first ever Bob Ross Day. It was to honor the late great painter of happy little woodland scenes, Bob Ross.

It was a bit of a shock to read about how he came to be a painter–through a USO activity when Bob was stationed in Alaska when he served in the US Air Force.

Bob Ross was born on October 29th, 1942.

I, Publius Jr, used to watch Bob Ross on Saturdays when I was in the US Army and later when I was in college on PBS stations. He had a relaxed nature that was contagious, a “visual Valium” in a sense.  While researching Bob Ross’ biography I didn’t know a few things about him.  Here are a few things:

-Bob was a 20 year US Air Force Veteran from 1961 to 1981, and retired at age 38 as a Master Sergeant.

-He was stationed in Alaska when he first started to Paint through a USO program.

-He went with the Permed Hairstyle to save on his usual crew cuts upon retiring from the US Air Force.

-He passed away on July 4th, 1995 from Lymphoma.

-His show Joy of Painting ran from January 1983 to May of 1994.  It still lives on in re-runs and on YouTube.

So have a Happy Bob Ross day

If you would like to help out another US Military Person find a hobby, or relax after a stressful life-threatening kind of day feel free to donate to their USO program


This is the sixth year we are celebrating this non-partisan holiday. The video below shows off the former Muncie Indiana PBS station. It now has a museum and a classroom where budding painters can learn from a certified Bob Ross instructor at the Bob Ross Experience (video begins at 2:24 minute mark).

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Donald Trump on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast October 25, 2024


I, Publius Jr, do not follow Joe Rogan. I remember when he was on the TV show News Radio, as well as the reality show Fear Factor. Saw Annie Jacobsen on his show and she was talking about the mystery at Roswell, as well as Operation Paperclip. I’ve read her books from seeing her on his podcast.

This video is around 3 hours long. Enjoy.

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MN Voters Alliance on Minnesota Constitutional Ballot Question is Misleading

MN Constitutional Ballot Question Title: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Renewal


If you haven’t voted yet, or if you have you probably have seen this Minnesota Constitutional Ballot Question on either the actual ballot or the “What’s on my Ballot?” link on the Minnesota Secretary of State’s website. You might be wondering what is going on with this Constitutional Ballot Question.

Well the language of it is misleading. Most reading it above, will scratch their heads and think that the “Legacy” Fund is coming to an end and there needs to be a renewal vote. That’s not true.

The Misleading Constitutional Ballot Question Explained

To explain how misleading this Constitutional Ballot Question is, I, Publius Jr, asked the Executive Director of the Minnesota Voters Alliance, Andy Cilek, if I could repost his note about this issue, and by permission here is his explanation.


MN Voters Alliance Explanation

There are some important details voters should be aware of before casting a vote on the measure:

  • Although this proposal does renew the money to be spent on conservation issues, it will result in a change of how the funds are allocated and removes the Legislature from the decision-making process and oversight.
  • This would increase the amount of funds collected through the lottery allocated and added to the programs by 20%.  With these new funds, they will be disbursed based on equity and disparities (DEI) by a new commission/taskforce with one like the composition of the new flag commission.  Eleven positions must be appointed by the Advisory Council and must include 4 tribe members and 4 members from communities of color.  These funds will be handed out through grants to non-profits

Although MVA [MN Voters Alliance] is not in support of, nor in opposition to, this referendum, we want to make voters aware of important information so they can make an informed vote.

A no vote does not remove the funding from the original amendment/implementation because it has not expired.  The current money will continue to fund environmental programs as Minnesotans desire and can be extended, when it does expire, by a simple renewal by the Legislature.

A yes vote would extend the dedication of revenue from the state-operated lottery to the Environment and Natural Resources Fund through December 31, 2050; increase the amount of money that can be spent from the fund each year from 5.5% to 7.0% of the fund’s market value; and create a grant program to provide funding for projects related to addressing environmental issues in affected communities, environmental education, and natural resource conservation.


MN Voters Alliance is not for or against this measure, but this website, saintpaulrepublicans.us suggests you Vote NO on this measure.

Our Reasons to VOTE NO on the Constitutional Ballot Question:

  • The Ballot Question in the way it’s worded is misleading
  • It takes the decision of how the money is allocated away from the Elected Body of the Legislature.
  • It embraces DEI
  • It requires an Advisory Board of 11 who are 4/11 Tribal Members as well as 4/11 a specific group by the color of their skin, plus 3 people who don’t have a specific requirement of who they are (not equal representation of the people who live here).
  • It also hands off more money to nonprofit organizations with no oversight of how the money is spent by those groups.

Saintpaulrepublicans.us received permission to repost MN Voters Alliance’s Executive Director Andy Cilek’s explanation of the Constitutional Ballot Question. It was sent out in an email to those signed up on their email list, on September 20, 2024. Other than being on their email list, saintpaulrepublicans.us is not associated with the MN Voters Alliance organization. The content was not changed except for adding a bold font in some areas and adding a highlight color to some parts to add emphasis to it. I also spelled out what “MVA” meant in square brackets.

If you would like to know more about them go to their website mnvoters.org  ~~ Publius Jr.

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Toastmasters International 100th Anniversary October 22, 2024

Toastmasters International 100th Anniversary Day (PDF)


Toastmasters was started by a Christian named Ralph Smedley who worked for the Santa Ana, California YMCA.  His aim was to help people be comfortable in public speaking and learn how to run effective meetings.

In Memory of Ralph Smedley (from Toastmasters.org website)

This proclamation was from the St Paul Mayor Melvin Carter III, who is a gifted speaker. You might disagree about his politics, but he is a good speaker. Often times people who can speak well are thought to be great leaders.

Another great leader who can articulate his beliefs is Rep Walter Hudson. He doesn’t speak in slogans like, “Make Minnesota Red,” he actually spells out Conservative Republican beliefs, and can defend them with words.

There are a lot really great leaders out there, but they are not very comfortable in public speaking, or giving short answers to questions unknown. In Toastmasters, you learn how to give prepared speeches. You practice impromptu speaking in what they call, “Table Topics.” Speakers also get positive feedback in what they did well in a speech, or a meeting leadership role and given some observations on how they can improve in future opportunities.

I, Publius Jr, have been a Toastmaster since April 2, 2007. Currently I’m an Area Director in District 106 Toastmasters. I oversee 4 clubs to make sure they are doing what they are supposed to be doing, and provide assistance when a club needs help.  I sought this proclamation from Mayor Melvin Carter III. It wasn’t for me, but for the Toastmaster Members who live in the area or attend a club here via Zoom.

If you want to improve your public speaking, leadership abilities please go to Toastmasters.org and click on “Find a Club.” You can check out events on the calendar at the District 106 website d106tm.org.

I tried to start up a Republican Club through the State Party, and while Chair Tony Sutton was sold on the idea his staff wasn’t. They thought they had to do the work, and they didn’t know members run the club, and it’s dues driven. Toastmasters clubs are supposed to be nonpartisan first, so I’ve decided to start up a Conservative Membership Only club called Republic Club Toastmasters. Currently we are not chartered and we meet Saturdays on Zoom from 9:30 am to 11:00 am. When we can get to 20 members we can charter. It will be not affiliated with any political party, so that we can host a debate in the future. Also a future effort will be to do what’s called, “Speechcraft,” for non-Toastmasters members, specifically Candidates for office.


Toastmasters is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization. They are not associated with this website. Though there might be members who are Republican, or Conservative. I posted this article because many candidates, and sitting legislators need to practice being better speakers to articulate our beliefs. Also there are leaders out there that do not know how to run an efficient and effective meeting and get out on time.  Toastmasters can help them. ~~ Publius Jr.

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LWV HD 66A & 66B Candidate Forum October 11th


The League of Women Voters of St Paul Minnesota put on a forum for 2 House Districts at the same time. This is an extremely lazy practice they have done. There should be separate forums for each House District. The way they have presented it there’s really only 2 distinct viewpoints and they get repeated in the second House District.

The League of Women Voters of St Paul is putting this on with their Roseville Area Chapter.

Moderator: Susan Johnson

HD 66A Candidates:

Rep Leigh Finke (DFL incumbent), Fadil Jama (Republican)

HD 66B Candidates:

Rep Athena Hollins (DFL Incumbent), Greg Copeland (Republican)


As in previous Forum videos I’m going to put in time stamps of when from the start of the video to what questions were asked. Though when I was watching part of this live, the audio wasn’t matching the video. Candidates mouths were moving but the audio was slightly behind or ahead of the video. It was a bit like watching Kung Fu Theatre where the dubbed vocals don’t match the lips of the actors. So I’m going to mark when you “hear” a question is asked by the moderator rather than when the visuals start. Hopefully they’ll have cleaned this up from the livestream.

Also I’ll limit my comments only when the DFL incumbents spew out misinformation, or propaganda that I detected to be different from normal political rhetoric. I will point out when the Republicans say something that’s not correct to, but I suspect I won’t have to.

A note about the set up here is they have put both A & B Candidates of one party at one table and the other party at another table. One would think you would put one district together and the other at another table, or have one long table. Since the LWV have no oversight or standards to conform to, one can never expect them to do anything proper.  Maybe the incumbents are sharing the same notes as they can’t function without some help from the other.

When & What Questions Were Asked

0 to 14:40  Introductory music played until the visuals begin. It doesn’t seem like anyone is saying anything nor is the closed captions are started. (Seems as if the recording they are using keeps repeating or skipping and plays the same riff over and over again)

15:37  The camera focuses on the Moderator, but there’s no sound yet.

16:27 the first sound from the Moderator is heard. Yet the volume is low and rises and falls as if some child is playing with the sound dial. Susan reads her script about rules and how they are nonpartisan that no Republican in town believes because of past behavior and how they coddle their candidates by not asking tough questions that might give an advantage to a Republican candidate.

18:39  Rep Leigh Finke is introduced

18:45  Fadil Jama is introduced

18:51  Greg Copeland is introduced

18:55 Rep Athena Hollins is introduced

21:00 Rep Leigh Finke’s Opening Statement (HD 66A)

He mentions that he serves in the DFL House, but while the DFL may be in the majority, the Minnesota State House of Representatives is not called the “DFL House.”

A note the visuals on the recording are some seconds ahead of the audio, so as I noted above I’m time stamping when the audio is heard rather than the visuals.

23:16  Fadil Jama’s Opening Statement (HD 66A)

25:23  Greg Copeland’s Opening Statement (HD 66B)

27:38  Rep Athena Hollins Opening Statement (HD 66B)

29:45 Question 1: Education is on the mind of our audience, many studies have shown that after the pandemic our school age children are scoring historic lows in reading math competency. teacher pay is low as is teacher retention. What can the state do to improve educational outcomes for our school age children?

Continue reading

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