|
|
 |
You are here:
Home >
Press Releases >
Minnesota Community Bankers
Launch Debate Minnesota
For Immediate Release
February 10, 2004
For more information contact:
Kathy Collins Royce
Independent Community Bankers of MN
Phone: 651-687-9080
Fax: 651-687-9387
kroyce@communitybanks.org
Minnesota Community Bankers Launch Debate Minnesota
to Coordinate Fair, Open Debates for Benefit of Voters
Goal is to restore civility to electoral
system, bring the community back into politics
Eagan, Minn.
– A bipartisan panel of
distinguished Minnesotans today announced the launch of “Debate Minnesota,”
a nonprofit foundation that will plan, organize and moderate a series of
debates between candidates for Minnesota elected office this fall. The goal
of Debate Minnesota is to restore civility to politics and to bring voters
back into the process by providing fair and open forums through which
candidates can share their views with the electorate.
Debate Minnesota is supported by the Independent Community Bankers of
Minnesota (ICBM), based in Eagan. Other sponsoring partners include
Minnesota Sun Newspapers and the Minnesota Cable Communications Association.
The board of directors includes Co-Chairs, former State Senator Roy
Terwilliger and Donald Raleigh, Chairman of Lake Elmo Bank and Board
members, former United States Senator Rod Grams; former Governor Al Quie;
former Minnesota Secretary of State Joan Anderson Growe; former State
Auditor Judi Dutcher; former Attorney General Skip Humphrey; former Senate
Majority Leader Roger Moe; Neil Fruechte, President of Roundbank in Waseca;
retired banker Larry Sorenson; Jeff Coolman of Minnesota Sun Newspapers; and
Michael Martin of the Minnesota Cable Communications Association.
“In the midst of our nation’s election
process much will be written about the differences that divide us, but we
come before you today to talk about what we have in common,” said Will
Haddeland, CEO of ICBM and President of Debate Minnesota. “We are from
different backgrounds and different political persuasions, but we all care
about the future of Minnesota. As a group we are concerned about the impact
of negative advertising and the uses of money in politics which give rise to
voter cynicism and alienation,” said Haddeland.
“With Debate Minnesota, we are supporting a process by which Minnesotans can
gain a clear and concise understanding of what candidates for elected office
want for their communities and how they propose to accomplish their goals,”
Haddeland added.
“We must return civility and respect to our political process through
debates that focus on our citizens’ hunger for reliable information,” said
former State Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe and Debate Minnesota Board
member. “I am excited about Debate Minnesota because we have a realistic
opportunity to bring people back into the political process. With the people
of Minnesota as our partners, I’m confident that we can restore confidence
in government by raising the level of political discourse,” Moe added.
Inspired by the famous Lincoln-Douglas debates that took place during the
Illinois U.S. Senate election of 1858 (the year Minnesota was granted
statehood), Debate Minnesota proposes a series of 26 to 30 state legislative
debates, at least three in each of Minnesota’s eight congressional districts
between September 29 and October 27. In a show of respect, the inaugural
debates will be held in Lincoln and Douglas counties on Wednesday, September
29.
“Minnesotans need and want high quality, well organized debates that focus
on the issues that are most important to local residents,” said former U.S.
Senator Rod Grams and Debate Minnesota Board member. “Our debates will be
content-driven with a structured and focused format among the candidates.
Most importantly, they will be free and open to the public and will feature
several questions submitted by citizens of the communities in which the
debates are conducted.”
“We intend for these debates to become a permanent part of every general
election as a way for citizens to take back our politics by holding honest
and informative debates between candidates for public office,” Grams added.
“Local debates in our communities will increase the activity and excitement
in the political process,” said Jeff Coolman, Vice President and General
Manager of Sun Newspapers. “It is nice to give the communities we serve a
chance to hear their leaders debate on state and local topics and answer
questions on issues that impact their lives and communities,” he added.
“Through Debate Minnesota, we propose to return our politics where it
belongs – to the public
square - in the form of substantive content-based discussions between
candidates and the people in their communities. We ask that the people of
Minnesota join us in this effort,” said Haddeland. Information on how
citizens may participate in the program can be found at
www.debateminnesota.org.
Debate Minnesota is a non-profit, tax-exempt and non-partisan foundation
that will administer debates within
all applicable legal requirements including regulations of the Federal
Election Commission and the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Disclosure Board.
Debate Minnesota will spearhead debate roundtables in host communities and
will encourage public participation by bringing voters and students together
to watch and talk about what they learned about the issues and the
candidates.
Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota
2600 Eagan Woods Drive, Ste 200
Eagan, MN 55121
(651) 687-9080 Fax: (651) 687-9387
Contact Us
©2004 Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota
|
