Several weeks ago I was invited to a 4^th Ward City Council Candidate debate organized by the Metro Property Rights Action Committee (MPRAC) with the incumbent BJ and my fellow challenger TP.  I was informed this morning at 9:45am that both of them canceled their scheduled appearance with me.  This was disappointing.  The voters deserve to see or hear all three of us facing off in order to determine their candidate preferences.  An Election season without candidate debates is unacceptable.  I won’t speculate on why they no-showed, but I hope this isn’t the beginning of a pattern.  People warned me several months ago that the incumbent might avoid debates.  This is also the second time that TP and I were jointly invited to meet with press, and he decided not to join me both times now. 

I never learned of the format prior to the event.  Chris Broberg, a candidate running for City Council in Ward 13 was invited to fill the void created by my opponent’s cancellations and I followed him.  Kenya McKnight, a candidate running for City Council in Ward 5 (Northside!) was also invited and she followed me.  I was invited to sit at a table with the two MPRAC moderators for 30 minutes to discuss my campaign.  MPRAC is a landlords group, so I didn’t know what to expect and anticipated the possibility of differences, but no major conflicts occurred. 

We discussed race more than I had expected to (didn’t really expect to), but I don’t mind because it is necessary to address racial disparities and structural inequities if we’re serious about closing the gaps.  Something wasn’t all good about it though because we focused on African Americans so much that no other ethnic / cultural group was explicitly identified.  I’m Black, so I am deeply passionate about my cultural community, but I’m also a universal humanist (or something like that) and an aspiring elected official with intentions to represent everyone in my community regardless of their background.  The Northside is a very diverse area with about the same amount of European Americans as African Americans, a large Asian American population, an emerging Latino population, a Native American population and other people of Arab or Middle Eastern descent.  We had a conversation that was certainly interesting, but I wasn’t fully satisfied with it because I had been waiting for this debate for several weeks. 

It’s interesting that the 4^th Ward City Council race was the first targeted by MPRAC. 
I believe this would have been the first post-DFL endorsement process City Council candidate debate of the 2009 Election season.  It is amazing how many people throughout the Twin Cities are interested in seeing the 4^th Ward incumbent unseated.  I was asked about running against the incumbent and I clarified that I’m not running against her so much as I’m running for the 4^th Ward and the City of Minneapolis.

***

Family priorities caused me to arrive without time to meditate / pray / train my mind for the kind of thorough focus I desired.  When I do this I am much more potent than when I don’t.  However, I believe I performed decently and made many salient points.  I simply wish the discussion could have been more scripted to include all of the most frequently asked questions from voters.  This was a TV. program with hosts, but it would have been nice to interact with the audience.  I was very happy that a good number of people came out to support me.  I received priceless feedback from one of my good friends that will prepare me to perform even better at the next candidate debate.  I’m learning and growing everyday!

Stepping out to be a public figure is strange.  I’m a naturally charismatic man – I can’t help it – and I love humanity so much that I enjoy interacting with many people / the public, but I am essentially a shy guy.  Nobody believes it because I am so bold and confident, but I get somewhat nervous sometimes in front of crowds and I’m getting used to so many people watching me.  On every block that I canvass I know people are watching me walk up and down both sides of their block.  Everyone I meet is staring me in the eyes (I’m staring back) and assessing my spirit.  I chose this challenging path and I like it.  It’s deep!

***

Today I file my candidacy with the Minneapolis Elections Office, go to work, canvass a couple hours in the evening and then distribute some campaign signs.  My life tends to be busy, campaigning or not, but campaigning with a family and a job(s) is very time consuming.

Today I will participate in a 4^th Ward City Council Candidate Debate.  The Metro Property Rights Group organized this campaign event which will be held at the Martin Luther King Park at 4055 Nicollet Avenue South in Minneapolis – 6:30pm-8:30pm.  The Minneapolis Television Network (MTN) will broadcast the debate and I’ll link it to www.marcusharcus.org within days.

I haven’t been informed of the debate format, but I am ready and excited!!!  I greatly enjoy debates and will appreciate the opportunity to discuss the future of the Northside with my opponents.  I am hoping we can come together at least a dozen times before Election Day on November 3^rd 2009.  I will invite both of them to a series of forums I’ll convene this fall, welcoming their input. 

BJ, the incumbent will be the best versed on our City government because she’s deeply entrenched.  However, she is not progressive enough for, nor engaged enough with the Northside (she’s been in office too long) and that is why I’m challenging her for the office.  She has been very cordial with me.  It is not personal.  While I believe the incumbent should retire or be unseated, I have publicly thanked her for three terms of hard work and told her that I would appreciate it if she helped me to make a smooth transition into our office (it belongs to the community) when I’m elected and inaugurated.

I’m trying to be the change I want to see in City Hall and in North Minneapolis, determined to be a strong advocate for the community.  While I’m campaigning with my own vision for a better Northside I’m also facilitating in-depth community visioning by asking hundreds and eventually thousands of 4^th Ward residents what their vision for the community is.  Many longtime Northsiders are telling me that it’s time for CHANGE in the 4^th Ward City Council office and that they too want a better Northside!

My other opponent TP is very passionate, and I value his good works.  Although I love how he’s putting his heart into this campaign and getting many new people involved in the voting process, passion is not enough to provide effective political leadership.  I suspect he moved from the Southside to the Northside with designs on a Northside City Council seat.  This electoral campaign is essentially a competition between candidates to get elected.  He’s my opponent and second choice this year (Ranked Choice Balloting aka RCB). 

I respect both of my opponents’ campaigns, but I honestly believe I am the best candidate.  Don’t take my word for it because I’m biased to favor my own candidacy.  My BLOG is a personal narrative, uniquely written compared to the rest of my campaign literature.  You make a fair comparison and judge for yourself. 

I’ll say it here in the blog now: while I’m in office I would seriously be willing to help prepare TP to succeed me when I retire (no more than 3 terms for me!) from the Minneapolis City Council, if he demonstrates an applicable skill set and sustained interest.  Community and partisan activism is highly valuable, but not enough to ensure competent public policy work or constituent service.  Ultimately, all three of us are trying to do the same thing and so I applaud the efforts of both TP & BJ.  The power of Democracy is the Citizen’s right to choose their political leadership.  Someone told me she didn’t believe that the 4th Ward family dynasty could be discontinued after 40 years because she claimed “they own” the Ward.  I reminded her that the voters have the ultimate power, not the politicians!  She agreed and encouraged me to remind everyone, which I will!

Recently the incumbent falsely alleged that I have failed to build a campaign based on issues important to the community.  That is utter nonsense.  During my canvassing thus far I have interviewed more than 300 residents.  I have inquired to learn and attentively listened to the issues that concern them.  Voters are proving to me every day that my platform for a better North Minneapolis resonates with the vast majority of Northsiders:

    Overcoming the foreclosure crisis

    Economic development

    Fair property taxation

    Fostering opportunities for:

o   Youth development

o   Family stability

o   Senior services

    Crime Prevention

***

Today I noticed several BJ signs raised.  TP signs have been impressively proliferating for at least a couple months.  There are dozens of them in many areas of the Ward.  I was told that campaign signs should not be raised until after August 1^st but I also read an old City Pages article that indicated there would be practically no enforcement of the campaign sign rules.  I don’t know.  Now, I’ve raised my campaign sign in my yard and will begin distributing my signs tomorrow, July 16^th.  It’s on!

At times I’ve felt a little discouraged about not raising much money (less than $2,000) and am occasionally daunted by the challenge of thoroughly canvassing the entire Ward before the end of October (ideally September) because very few people will help me canvass.  I’ve seen TP hanging his campaign door hangers - without knocking or talking to people - and he’s been alone all but once when I recently saw him skip my house.  Our supporters may attend events, which helps uplift our spirits, but it is very difficult to get people to walk the blocks with us! 

BJ drove past me a couple days ago while I was interviewing some of her peers who both committed to voting for me when they realized she was the incumbent.  She didn’t look happy because she must know, and finally witnessed firsthand, that I have this profound campaign advantage of being willing and able to directly and massively engage the community.  My easily memorable name and Ranked Choice Balloting (RCB), the new voting system being implemented in Minneapolis for the first time this year seriously threatens her re-election bid. 

I’d love to win the campaign sign war (note - it is a non-violent competition to raise the most signs with high visibility) in Ward 4 and I will try to raise enough money to do it (please donate), but I’m not worried about it.  Regardless who raises the most money; regardless who has the most downtown insider connections; regardless who has the DFL endorsement; regardless who the “real democrat” is (TP claims to be that); regardless who has the most yard signs I’m very confident that I will ultimately win this race by out-organizing my opponents.  My two opponents will do lit droppings or mailings, but they won’t canvass like I am.  Winning at the doors is more important than winning the sign war.

My training, professional practice and grassroots experience as a Community Organizer gives me the distinct advantage of being best poised, of the three of us, to engage Northsiders most effectively. 
My community development, public policy and entrepreneurship studies have prepared me to understand, imagine, research, analyze, plan and implement viable possibilities for a better North Minneapolis with the support of the community.  My background in youth development gives me a perspective that appeals to the majority of Northsiders, someone who understands what the youth in our community need to stay out of trouble, live safely and succeed in school and life.  I know this job is about public policy, economic development and constituent services and I wouldn’t apply if I wasn’t qualified.   

Someone recently asked me if I was trying to be like President Obama.  I told them, “No, I’m trying to be Marcus Harcus, but I’ m glad we have a Community Organizer in office.”  As a Black man I am especially proud to have such a powerful political role model who has inspired so many people from every imaginable demographic background.  I believe we need intellectuals and community building practitioners with community organizing experience in elected offices.  (Consider how inept most of the lawyers are who run all levels of government in our country?).    Because I am these things, I believe I can represent and serve the entire community well.  American politics must evolve and I believe I will help locally.

I am North Minneapolis.  I grew up here.  I’m raising my own family here.  I understand many of the complex socio-economic issues that challenge our families and neighborhoods.  I love the Northside, I hate the terrible Northside reputation in the Twin Cities and I want to help improve residential quality of life here so that this becomes the best side of Minneapolis to live, a place where my own daughter would love to raise her own family when she becomes an adult. 

Moreover, I’m running for City Council to:

(a)     Increase civic participation,

(b)     Hold our City government accountable,

(c)     Promote good neighborliness, and

      (d)     Help organize the community to improve social and economic conditions. 

I cannot promise any specific results, but I can promise that I will try my best everyday and all day while working for you.  I’ve got a massive heart and extraordinary intelligence (despite my imperfections)!  I will work both hard and smart to represent and serve our community in a powerful, progressive manner. 

I’m very confident that I can represent the entire 4^th Ward well because I intend to demonstrate the kind of political leadership that I desire to see in government, truly representative, responsive and participatory… engaging, effective and equitable. 

Please join the campaign.

Thx!

mh
612 600-0155
marcus@marcusharcus.org

(inner) peace