Michael Dahl (He/Him)

Today, the National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) released its annual "Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing" report. For 2025, NLIHC notes that a minimum-wage worker would need to work 101 hours to afford a 2-bedroom rental home in Minnesota. #NLIHC #affordablehousing

Rental assistance helps Minnesotans live near work, care for family, & stay housed. Cuts will push families into crisis. Congress must protect this smart investment in stable homes & strong communities. Even a 1% reduction would displace about 1,000 families. Call Congress now
#mnleg #HousingMatters

Urge Congress to Invest in Affordable Homes in Fiscal Year 2026 Urge Congress to Invest in Affordable Homes in Fiscal Year 2026

Tell Congress #HandsOffHousing! Cuts to rental and homelessness assistance hurt those with the greatest
needs in our communities: low-income seniors, veterans, ppl with disabilities, and those experiencing
homelessness. Contact your members of Congress here: p2a.co/nliqghj

If you know someone who is depressed/anxious and you want to help (or make yourself feel comfortable), do not attempt empathy by saying, ’Yeah, we all have our bad days.’ You will make the depressed or anxious person feel more isolated and, perhaps, less likely to seek help from someone they know.

See HOME Line’s Instagram page (homeline_mn) to see how tenants speak up for their rights. They are great advocates for source of income and just cause protections.

YouTube video by HOME Line Fadumo Source of Income

One of my colleagues, Fadumo, describes why Source of Income Protections are needed in Minnesota immediately. #renting #tenantprotections www.youtube.com/watch?v=rB9n...

There’s No Coming Back From Trump’s Tariff Disaster America was the world’s economic anchor. Thanks to the president, it may never have that role again.

"Whoever is elected the 48th president won’t be able to easily rebuild what Donald Trump is busy destroying," @jerusalem.bsky.social writes:

Will the SAVE Act make it harder for married women to vote? We ask legal experts Legal experts say states could help married women who have changed their last names by accepting documents like a legal decree or a marriage certificate, but it might not fix the issue for all.

Legal experts say states could help married women who have changed their last names by accepting documents like a legal decree or a marriage certificate, but it might not fix the issue for all.

Tracy Chapman Wants to Speak for Herself For years, the singer and songwriter has avoided the spotlight. But she is breaking her silence to look back on her self-titled debut and its powerful hit “Fast Car.”

After reading the NYT interview with Tracy Chapman, I wondered if a People's History of the United States course should be taught through a collection of songs. Thoughts?

YouTube video by HOME Line Fartun S- Source of Income Protections

Source of Income Protections ensure that renters using subsidies aren’t denied housing b/c of how they pay rent. Fartun, a Section 8 voucher holder, has repeatedly faced this barrier for yrs—landlords refusing to accept her voucher, limiting her housing options. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jsI...

Chart: "2017 Tax Law Did Not Create Growth in Nation's Economy as Promised"

The 2017 tax law didn’t deliver the promised economic boost — no meaningful gains in growth, investment, or wages. Now, plans to extend it, alongside cuts to #Medicaid & #SNAP and new tariffs, would raise costs for families while giving more to the top 1%. www.cbpp.org/blog/the-201...

Let's start creating coalitions w/o acronyms but w/ meaningful names people want to say. Acronyms create barriers to conversations, w/ the general public &, specifically, people w/ lived experience.

Somewhat related, why did we abandon saying "diversity, equity, & inclusion" & start saying "DEI?"

This is from the Minnesota Reformer today. Despite the anti-immigration rhetoric, these stats show how much undocumented migrants contribute to Minnesota and our nation.

The third quintile got next to nothing. The fourth highest quintile got a decent amount -- almost exclusively tax expenditures. And, as expected, the highest quintile received an enormous amount and exclusively through tax expenditures.

The bottom quintile received direct subsidies almost exclusively (and then less than 20% of the resources). The second quintile received almost slightly more direct subsidies than tax expenditures and less of the pie than the first quintile.

I only know the dollar amounts from way back in the early 2000s, when housing assistance was broken down by income quintiles by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, comparing direct subsidies (e.g., Section 8) and tax expenditures (e.g., the mortgage interest deduction).

For FY2024, the Joint Committee on Taxation estimates the mortgage interest deduction will reduce revenues by $25.4 billion. Nearly half of the deduction goes to households earning +$200K. Funding to address #homelessness pales in comparison.

As of September 2024, there were 801 billionaires based in the U. S. w/ a combined wealth totaling $6.22 trillion. They control significantly more wealth than the bottom half of American families. And wealth disparities are only increasing. Is this okay? intellectualroundtable.com/2025/01/12/s...

What a powerful evening I've witnessed. MN tenants are writing letters and getting videotaped to testimony about the problems they’ve had with source of income discrimination, and wrongful eviction. They want their legislators to pass protections so these issues never happen to renters ever again.

Campaign "experts" often turn aspirational ideas for change into insider-speak, thus creating a divide between them and their potential base. #housingjustice #justice #campaigns michaelspheres.com/acronyms-jar...

I just posted a new blog entry on Michaelspheres, "Why can’t I just love who I’ve become?" A major bout with #Depression and #Anxiety nearly ten years ago and the meds I take to address them changed me. Why can't I accept who I've become? #mentalhealth michaelspheres.com/why-cant-i-j...

My #garden photos calm my mind, make me feel grateful, and reduce the #Anxiety I sometimes feel. Follow the link if winter gets you down, or you just want to see some beautiful pictures. #gardentherapy
michaelspheres.com/favorite-gar...

This practice must end. It's an issue in Minnesota, too.

Mr. Bobo, a talented breakdancer, prepares for a head spin while the Gang cheers him on to "Axel F." michaelspheres.com/mr-bobo-is-a...

I may start posting about some of my friends -- Squish, Mr. Fender, and the rest of the gang of #toys -- who hang out in my study. They bring me great joy; and the world needs joy now. michaelspheres.com/squish-and-m...

As I'm paging through my seed catalogs, I'm remembering a post I wrote a while back about why we should celebrate non-hybrid (i.e., #heirloom and #open-pollinated) seed diversity. We need to protect our food supply better. michaelspheres.com/why-celebrat...

Why do so many Americans live in poverty? Because so many rich people benefit from it, the sociologist Matthew Desmond told Annie Lowrey last year. theatln.tc/oc1NTW54

As foes of good government will soon lead at the federal level, I am reposting this blog entry I wrote years ago re: the value of good government & supportive publicly funded programs & practices. I have no idea where my life would be now w/o that. michaelspheres.com/in-support-o...

I have 100+ strategies for managing #Anxiety, emphasizing exercise, music, recognizing negative self-talk, etc. Here's what's helpful to me today. #mentalheath michaelspheres.com/actions-to-p...