Access To Democracy

Dave St. Peter has been the longtime President of the Minnesota Twins, and for over two decades made an annual guest appearance on our show.

This year the MN Twins honored Access to Democracy by becoming a Show Sponsor.

As President of the Twins, Dave oversees all the improvements to Target Field, as well as the hospitality aspects in addition to duties with the team.

Michael Berndt, returns to Access to Democracy, this time to discuss with host Steve Francisco his role as president of two colleges – Inver Hills Community College and Dakota Technical College.
 
Michael shares good information about how both colleges are working to offer courses and programs to prepare students for careers in an ever-changing economy. With a record number of baby boomers retiring, job opportunities are plentiful, but students must be prepared.

Inver Hills also promotes civic engagement by sponsoring an event in September, “Congress to Campus” that connects students with former lawmakers to learn how they can be a voice in their community.

Ethan Roberts, Deputy Executive Director of the _Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Minnesota and the Dakotas, sits down with host Steve Francisco to talk about JCRC’s legislative agenda, working in coalition with the faith community and other nonprofits, and efforts to educate about the Holocaust.

The rise in anti-Semitism and hate crimes is also discussed. Ethan shares his insights about the recent protests in Israel against the Netanyahu government’s efforts to limit the power of Israeli courts to act as a check on government power.

Minnesota Secretary of State, Steve Simon, sits down with “Access to Democracy” host Steve Francisco to discuss protecting the right to vote and ensuring the integrity of our elections.

In 2022, nearly 80 percent of eligible Minnesota voters cast their ballots making Minnesota one of the highest turnout states in the nation. Secretary Simon explains why Minnesota leads the nation in voter turnout and discusses some of the ongoing threats to voting rights and our democracy. He also discusses his office’s work regulating corporate and nonprofit registrations and the “Safe at Home” program.

Rick King, Chair of the Metropolitan Airports Commission, retired two years ago as the Managing Director of Thomson Reuters. He serves on several corporate boards, and is active in numerous charities. He is one of the key figures in bringing E-TV to its current facility in the Thomson Reuters building in Eagan, MN.