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State Of The Union

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

VIDEO: Sami Rahamim Talks to CNN About Gun Violence

The SLP student, whom 5th District Rep. Keith Ellison invited to the State of the Union, said he supports limits on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Sami Rahamim, a St. Louis Park High student and the son of slain Accent Signage owner Reuven Rahamim, spoke to CNN on Wednesday about gun violence and meeting with President Barack Obama. Fifth District Rep. Keith Ellison invited Rahamim to attend Tuesday’s State of the Union as part of an effort to step up pressure for tighter gun control laws. Each member of Congress gets to bring just one guest to the House gallery during the speech. Reuven Rahamim, 61, died Sept. 27 when an employee who had just been fired took out a gun and shot Rahamim and other Accent employees. Andrew Engeldinger then shot himself. Six employees and the gunman died as a result of the shootings that day. Sami Rahamim told CNN that he supports proposals such as …

Hot Topics

Should We Raise the Minimum Wage to $9 an Hour?

President Obama proposed it in his State of the Union. Would a minimum-wage hike help or hurt workers, government or businesses?

Do you agree with President Obama that Congress should raise the federal minimum wage to $9 an hour? Here is what the president said in his 2013 State of the Union (see YouTube): We know our economy is stronger when we reward an honest day’s work with honest wages. But today, a full-time worker making the minimum wage earns $14,500 a year. Even with the tax relief we put in place, a family with two kids that earns the minimum wage still lives below the poverty line. That’s wrong.   That’s why, since the last time this Congress raised the minimum wage, 19 states have chosen to bump theirs even higher. Tonight, let’s declare that in the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty, and raise the …

John Hein

9:07 am on Monday, February 18, 2013

Mr President, let em re-write your phrase "no one who works full-time should have to live in poverty" for you... If you don't have the skills or experience to get a job that pays $9/hr then it should be illegal for you to work. Note to the inexperienced, unskilled, unemployed youth without family connections to vouch for you the door of opportunity is being relocated to the Second floor. No …   more ›

Two from St. Louis Park at State of the Union

Sami Rahamim was U.S. Rep. Keith Ellison's guest and Abby Schanfield was First Lady Michelle Obama's.

Did any other high school in America have two current or former students in attendance at the State of the Union address as invited guests? St. Louis Park High School student Sami Rahamim was U.S. Rep. Keith Elison's guesta and grad Abby Schanfield was First Lady Michele Obama's. Rahamim's issue is gun control; Schanfield's is healthcare reform. See the Storify above or at Storify.com for images and observations from their trips to Washington, D.C.

Friday, February 1, 2013

Sami Rahamim to Attend State of the Union With Keith Ellison

The son of slain Accent Signage owner and St. Louis Park resident Reuven Rahamim is supporting a push for tighter gun control measures.

Rep. Keith Ellison has invited Sami Rahamim, a St. Louis Park High student and the son of slain Accent Signage owner Reuven Rahamim, to join him for the president’s State of the Union address Feb. 12, Ellison announced at a gun violence forum Thursday in Minneapolis. The 5th District representative and four other Democratic U.S. representatives had earlier urged their colleagues to use the speech to step up pressure for tighter gun control laws by inviting someone hurt by gun violence to the address. Each member of Congress gets to bring just one guest to the House gallery during the speech. Reuven Rahamim, 61, died Sept. 27 when an employee who had just been fired took out a gun and shot Rahamim and other Accent employees. Andrew …

Monday, January 30, 2012

The Fifth District Report

Ellison, GOP Spar Over Corporate Money, State of the Union

The Democratic incumbent and his Republican challengers had sharp disputes this week.

The State of the Union Tuesday’s State of the Union speech saw a predictable split between Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN) and Republican challengers, notably Chris Fields. Throughout the speech, Fields retweeted comments critical of President Barack Obama’s defense strategy and economic proposals. Ellison, on the other hand, praised the president’s comments. “I think that the president was looking at this speech as a way to highlight some of his accomplishments,” Ellison told MinnPost. “He was able to do that, he was able to project a good vision. He was contrasting his vision with that of some of his opponents.” The speech also saw Ellison and Fields exchange barbs via Twitter. Ellison tweeted, “Obama is not afraid of accusation 'class warfare…

Comment_arrow

Brad Kadue

9:49 am on Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Elaine, I mostly agree with you, but where your comments and those of Mr. Ellison fall short (in my opinion) is that they focus only on the contributions of corporations and exclude any mention of labor unions and non-profits. If you look at it objectively, it's really quite sinister for the AFLCIO (for example) to spend $$ helping politicians get elected, and then meeting those same politicians …   more ›

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