Feingold to headline Netroots Nation 2011 in Minneapolis

Netroots Nation had a strong Minnesota presence last year: Sen. Al Franken gave the keynote, and as he finished up, he announced that the progressive blog conference would be hosted by Minneapolis in 2011. Today, another midwestern angle was announced: Franken’s former Senate colleague, Russ Feingold of Wisconsin, will be giving an address to kick off the June 16-19 summit.

Feingold, whose name has been brought up repeatedly as a challenger to Gov. Scott Walker next election or should a recall effort be successful in the Badger State, referenced the turmoil in his state over Walker’s efforts to gut the ability of state employees’ unions to collectively bargain.

“If you’ve been following what’s going on in Wisconsin, then you’re seeing what I’m seeing: the ever-increasing, corruptive power of corporations that continue to invade our system of government,” he wrote in an email sent Thursday by Netroots Nation. “Many of you have already been hard at work standing up for the American people and fighting back against the hundreds of millions of dollars from corporate special interests. But our real fight is ahead, as special interests will try to buy their way to victory in 2012.”

“Change won’t come easy,” he continued. “We’ll need to support candidates who will work for the people. We’ll need to call out the media — something the Netroots does well — when they hide from the real story. And we’ll need to keep the pressure on Congress and those in Washington who oppose real change.”

http://minnesotaindependent.com/79114/feingold-to-headline-netroots-nation-in-minneapolis