Minnesota
updated
5:02 p.m.
Contains only posts that are ID'd as local content. An explanation. Want to help improve our local content filter? Add keywords here.
Here in Minnesota we love co-ops as a business model—just look at the economic benefits they’ve provided for small towns. The state is also leading the way when it comes to co-ops for senior housing. And now, the eyes to the U.S. Senate are trained on Minnesota’s co-op model—the country’s oldest—for health care. Recently, the Senate [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - 12:43 p.m.
One of the largest cuts Tim Pawlenty made in his unilateral slashing of the Minnesota budget was completely eliminating General Assistance Medical Care. What is GAMC? According to the Department of Human Services website, “GAMC provides medical care for a monthly average of 33,000 (FY 2007) low-income Minnesotans who don’t qualify for MA or other [...]...
MNpublius - 11:49 a.m.
Dave Weigel, who covers the conservative movement for the Washington Independent, isn't convinced of Norm's alleged appeal in the 2010 gubernatorial race: Coleman is not that popular. He's run for statewide office three times, losing twice, and winning only after his opponent, the late Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-Minn.), died in a plane crash and was replaced on the ballot by former Vice President Wa...
Minnesota Progressive Project - 10:34 a.m.
Sen.-elect Al Franken will be joining Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Rep. Jim Oberstar in the Iron Range's famous Fourth of July parades. Everyone in Range politics got their start at these parades. They have a reputation for controlled chaos. Their reputation for good times is why we've got both senators here so soon after last week's Supreme Court decision. I wonder how many governor candidates will ...
MinnesotaBrown - 8:02 a.m. - 4 clicks 
by Dave Mindeman It is somewhat amazing that the Wall Street Journal continues to expound factually inaccurate opinions on Minnesota's Senate race. Each and every time they have rendered their "opinion" in the matter, they have distorted the facts, belittled Minnesota's voting regulations, and simply played the "sore loser" hype right over the top. We have yet another (ho...
mnpACT! - 12:47 a.m. - 4 clicks
See it at Michael Tomasky's blog at the Guardian website : Tomasky talk: Michele Bachmann and her senseless census boycottAmerican editor-at-large, Michael Tomasky, looks at congresswoman Michele Bachmann's planned census boycott "Eats Wombats" left us this comment: "The people of Minnesota are to be congratulated on providing such truly world class entertainment!" ...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Thu 9:47 p.m. - 3 clicks
My urban progressive friend Grace Kelly penned a post for the Minnesota Progressive Project that is bullish on legendary Iron Range State Rep. Tom Rukavina's chances if he runs for governor. This post is worth a read, but you should especially check the video of Rukavina's speech at the recent DFL State Central Committee meeting held on the Iron Range. Rukavina's message is important but his ...
MinnesotaBrown - Thu 5:24 p.m.
Scott Nedrelow , who I've featured here and here , has a show with artists Eric William Carroll and Lex Thompson at Minneapolis' Sellout Gallery , starting tonight. Nedrelow's current work "began as a communication with a distant friend by writing notes on torn pages from popular art publications such as Art Forum. These texts, photographed and printed in large formats (some are over...
Eyeteeth - Thu 3:52 p.m.
According to a report published by Trust for America’s Health, Minnesota’s has the lowest rate of overweight and obese kids in America, but our numbers warrant no triumph over a growing epidemic. While our low rates of kids with unhealthy weights can partly be attributed to our active lifestyle, involved parents and communities, and strong schools an even bigger [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Thu 1:26 p.m.
I have never been to Yosemite or Yellowstone. Rather, my family loaded into the car each summer and traveled to the standard sojourn of any resident of the Twin Cities: up North. Split Rock Lighthouse, Itasca State Park with the headwaters of the Mississippi River, and a smattering of other state parks and trails for [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Thu 1:26 p.m. - 2 clicks
Al Franken got emotional at yesterday’s victory rally when talking about his opportunity to serve the people of Minnesota: Franken teared up when he talked about people’s concerns that the protracted Senate race was taking an emotional toil on him and his family. “What we’ve been through is just nothing, especially when compared to what so many Minnesota families ...
MNpublius - Thu 11:42 a.m. - 8 clicks
Fred Stonehouse , Celestial Poet , acrylic on panel, 2008 • Tonight LA's Peres Projects opens the group exhibition Minneapolis , which "considers the implications of Minneapolis, its legacy and impact on everyone who has never been there." While the show says my home base is in many respects "the ideal American city, where coexisting cultures thrive, and in turn breed successive gene...
Eyeteeth - Thu 11:04 a.m.
Here’s what’s making news in Minnesota today: Minnesota 2020 headed to Austinand Rochester to promote our latest report. Austin Daily Herald: Stimulus key in bridge project “Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin) and members of think tank Minnesota 2020, which has produced a report of the state’s transportation recovery projects, explained at a press conference Wednesday how one Austin [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Thu 10:08 a.m. - 6 clicks
A great little nugget in TPM's Eric Kleefield's conversation with Marty Seifert , discussing the possibility of Norm Coleman jumping into the gubernatorial race: As for what lines of argument Seifert might take with state Republican caucus-goers, to show that he's the better candidate: "I think my appeal is that I'm electable and that -- you know, the bottom line is, I love Norm as a person and a...
Minnesota Progressive Project - Thu 10:08 a.m. - 6 clicks
The Avista Capital Partners-owned Star Tribune still cannot abide the thought of former senator Norm Coleman out of politics. After all, they invested significant time, effort and copy inches pushing his campaign and then propping it up after it was clear he was going to lose. Mike Kaszuba, seeming to follow company orders, ignored several key facts in writing his analysis of Norm's p...
Minnesota Progressive Project - Thu 7:38 a.m. - 3 clicks
A strong reaction in opposition to the decision by the former Ironworld's management to rename itself the Minnesota Discovery Center. This June 20 Mesabi Daily News op/ed by Pam Brunfelt is worth a read. Pam was a key source in my book " Overburden: Modern Life on the Iron Range ." ...
MinnesotaBrown - Thu 5:20 a.m.
by Dave Mindeman We wuz robbed. That's the basic statement from Tony Sutton, new Republican chair for the Minnesota GOP. Quite the statesmanlike thing to do, don't you think? After Norm Coleman did the most difficult thing in his career, does he get a show of support from his party chair? No, Sutton is on to the next election, using this one as a partisan springboard. The next divisive sta...
mnpACT! - Thu 1:05 a.m. - 5 clicks
Al Franken spoke on the steps of the State Capitol to around 500 to 600 supporters today. Despite the overcast sky, U2's "Beautiful Day" blared over the speakers and perfectly summarized what today is like for DFLers across the state. Norm Coleman is vanquished and we finally have a Democrat back in the seat that Paul Wellstone held. Rep. Betty McCollum, Rep. Keith Ellison and DFL Party...
Minnesota Progressive Project - Wed 10:02 p.m. - 5 clicks
This is bad news . Monson trucking, a longstanding trucking company in northern Minnesota and throughout the region, is closing. 200 jobs lost . The loss of these kinds of jobs will deeply affect people living on the margins between middle and low income levels. Anyone who's driven up Highway 53 or from West 169 into Virginia has seen these M(O)nson (the big red "O") trucks parked at their h...
MinnesotaBrown - Wed 7:16 p.m. - 3 clicks
The thermometer indicated 5 degrees below zero, January 2, 2008. Al Franken and I were out door knocking in Northfield on the eve of my special election. Al is determined. After he knocks, a few seconds later he opens the door and asks, “Is anyone home?” Any signs of annoyance at [...]...
Mr. Dahle Goes to St. Paul - Wed 3:21 p.m. - 3 clicks
On Tuesday, MN 2020 released a report authored by fellow Conrad deFiebre that analyzed transportation projects in Minnesota funded through the federal stimulus bill. While the report found that the federal recovery money is helping us catch up on lagging infrastructure investments, it also found that Minnesota must create more sustainable revenue streams for transportation spending [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Wed 1:04 p.m.
I've been holding onto this for a couple days trying to find time to write about it. Check out this June 27 story from the Sault Star (Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario) about Essar's Algoma steel facility. The Algoma CEO explains Essar's long range strategy in North America , including its plans for Essar Minnesota in Nashwauk. Also important to the company's long-term vision is the massive E...
MinnesotaBrown - Wed 11:08 a.m. - 3 clicks
The real problem facing the Iron Range and places like it is population loss. You can argue about any matter of policy you want, but things won't really start getting better around here or anywhere in the Rust Belt, small towns or rural areas until population loss is reversed. This Mesabi Daily News story explores some of the U.S. Census Departments 2009 estimates for Minnesota's populatio...
MinnesotaBrown - Wed 10:21 a.m.
A Minnesota 2020 report on transportation infrastructure is making news across the state, a program that provides free health care to impoverished Minnesotans ends soon, while new information is released on the state of both our schools and our students. Here’s the news: Pioneer Press: When transportation recovery funds run out state may boost gas taxes “According to [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Wed 9:23 a.m.
Governor Pawlenty has a penchant for developing pithy yet inaccurate portrayals of policies he doesn’t like in an attempt to create a negative impression of these policies. His skill in this regard is sufficient to make Rush Limbaugh jealous. During his June 16 unallotment message, Governor Pawlenty announced that the renters’ property tax refund was actually [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Wed 7:27 a.m. - 5 clicks
Larry Schumacher in the SC Times : Bachmann, who submitted five earmark requests for the transportation bill — including $6.4 million for a new interchange at Minnesota Highway 15 and 33rd Street South in St. Cloud and $500,000 to expand St. Cloud's University Bridge — said she was personally supportive of Northstar but couldn't put an earmark request in for it unless it received priority ran...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Wed 3:14 a.m. - 3 clicks
Everybody meet Aaron Cocking. Aaron meet everybody. In case you hadn’t heard the news, MN GOP Deputy Chair Michael Brodkorb has decided to stop blogging and subsequently turned his operation over to Ryan Flynn and Aaron Cocking. What? Aaron looks familiar? Where might we have seen Aaron before today? Oh, I remember it like it [...]...
Dusty Trice - Tue 11:28 p.m. - 8 clicks
'Al Franken , a satirist known for his biting political humor, is headed to the U.S. Senate, the survivor of an epic legal struggle that opponent Norm Coleman finally conceded he couldn't win.' [ Strib link ] IOW : Sensible adults agree : As a comedian, Al Franken went too far . During the intra DFL contest last year, I enjoyed exposing people claiming to be offended by Fran...
Gavin Sullivan's blog - Tue 9:45 p.m. - 7 clicks
Everyone is retreating to their familiar political environs this evening on today's announcement of the Minnesota Supreme Court decision declaring Al Franken our next U.S. Senator. Very happy! Very angry! Very indifferent! (Though, to be fair, indifferent people seldom use exclamation points). I'm a progressive-minded writer type so I like Al and voted for him. Most of my family didn't. Th...
MinnesotaBrown - Tue 7:23 p.m.
After his third (or was it fourth?) defeat in his appeal process, Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman may have been "gracious" in finally conceding the election to new Sen. Al Franken. But Coleman is doling out the graciousness selectively. I heard......
Across the Great Divide - Tue 7:22 p.m. - 3 clicks
Tomorrow — Wednesday, July 1 at 12:00 p.m. —A victory rally with Senator-elect Al Franken and supporters will be held on the upper mall of the Minnesota State Capitol. Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez, Senator-elect Al Franken and Franni Franken will address the rally. WHAT: Victory Rally with Senator-elect Al Franken WHO: Minnesota DFL Chair Brian Melendez United States [...]...
Dusty Trice - Tue 3:02 p.m. - 9 clicks
Although July 1st marks the day that Pawlenty can start making his unilateral budget cuts, it also marks the start of a program that Minnesotan’s can be proud of. Tomorrow marks the start of the accumulation of revenue that will go to programs aimed at enhancing our environment through The Clean Water, Land and Legacy Amendment. [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Tue 1:47 p.m.
The Minnesota Taxpayers League is, once again, demanding that candidates for public office sign their souls away, pledging a public policy perspective that places Minnesota at a competitive disadvantage. Yes, the literal “no new taxes” pledge rears its ugly head once again. I’m not going to examine the NNTP’s political or electoral ramifications; that’s not our [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Tue 12:35 p.m. - 2 clicks
This past weekend, the Minneapolis Star Tribune highlighted an inventor whose latest effort concerns building a completely-electric Ford Ranger. Motivated by a group of auto workers trying to save the St. Paul Ford plant and funded by the state of Minnesota, he believes his conversion of the truck is almost complete. Most encouraging about this article, [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Tue 12:18 p.m. - 2 clicks
The Minnesota DFL Party released this statement from Chair Brian Melendez and Associate Chair Donna Cassutt: “We offer our heartfelt congratulations once again to Senator-elect Franken, his wife Franni and their family. Throughout this long process, Minnesotans have seen what kind of senator Al Franken will be: determined, patient, thoughtful and ready to work for our [...]...
Dusty Trice - Tue 12:08 p.m. - 7 clicks
Other than that little court ruling concerning Minnesota’s vacant Senate seat, here’s what’s going on in Minnesota today: Duluth News-Tribune: Minnesota 2020: Stimulus spending falls short for transportation Minnesota 2020 released a major report today. The media is already paying attention. “Minnesota 2020, a progressive think tank out of St. Paul, released a report today saying the [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Tue 12:08 p.m. - 4 clicks
Ripped from the front page of the Minnesota Supreme Courts: In the Matter of the Contest of the General Election held on November 4, 2008, for the purpose of electing a United States Senator from the State of Minnesota, Cullen Sheehan and Norm Coleman, contestants, Appellants vs. Al Franken, contestee, Respondent. Ramsey County. 1. Appellants did not [...] ...
The Fruit Fly - Tue 11:48 a.m. - 5 clicks
Finally! The Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled that Al Franken is indeed the winner. Read the opinion here. Governor Pawlenty needs to do his job now and sign the election certificate. The sooner he does that the sooner he can get back to running for president. I have updated my side bar to reflect Senator Al Franken’s [...] ...
Corner House Comments - Tue 11:47 a.m. - 3 clicks
Every year since 1993 Thomson Reuters publishes rankings of 100 Top Hospitals in the U.S. The rankings are based on 9 criteria: mortality, medical complications, patient safety, average length of stay, expenses, profitability, cash-to-debt ratio, patient satisfaction, and adherence to clinical standards of care. This year four of the top 100 hospitals are located in [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Tue 9:49 a.m. - 2 clicks
Politics in Minnesota so far has the best take on "False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story." The comic is a great format to illustrate the ominous ideas and symbols that Bachmann's linked with -- from the black helicopters to the......
Across the Great Divide - Tue 9:47 a.m. - 2 clicks
You know; the tipping point, the point where everyone in the country starts talking about the opinion of Bachmann we've been maintaining and promoting here for the past five years and more. Up til last year, the description of Michele Bachmann that could be offered by people familiar with her name would be "attractive social conservative rising star, an outspoken Reagan mom of faith who wants to ...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Tue 12:21 a.m. - 4 clicks
by Dave Mindeman Representative (and I use the term loosely) John Kline has been talking endlessly about standing on principle. Yet, it is hard to see which principles he is relying on. His recent foray into the news has been puzzling.... 1. Tells the MN Supreme Court What to Do . Kline decides to make comments on his preference in a Court decision that has nothing whatsoever to do with h...
mnpACT! - Mon 7:37 p.m. - 2 clicks
Remember when Bachmann denied she questioned Obama's patriotism ?: Rep. Michele Bachmann, speaking to the Rotary Club of St. Cloud, stated strongly that her comments regarding Barack Obama's patriotism were misunderstood, and that MSNBC's "Hardball" host Chris Matthews had laid a trap during his interview with her. The Star Tribune performed a public service by posting this video to their Yo...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Mon 7:37 p.m. - 5 clicks
The Strib published a Counterpoint editorial to their criticism of Bachmann's Census paranoia. The author is Kent Kaiser: Kent Kaiser is a professor of communications at Northwestern College in Roseville. He worked part time as an enumerator during the 2000 census in St. Paul and full time in the Census Bureau's Duluth regional office in 1990. He was also the Minnesota secretary of state's lia...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Mon 7:37 p.m.
Over the past year, wholesale milk prices reached near record highs but then fell off a cliff. The dramatic drop in prices has been great news for consumers, especially if you’re like me and drink a lot of milk. However, it’s been disastrous news for the Minnesota’s dairy farmers. The combination of falling milk prices [...]...
Hindsight 2020 - Mon 3:08 p.m. - 6 clicks
Dan Feidt reviews " False Witness" at Politics In Minnesota : The larger-than-life electoral avatar of the Sixth Congressional District, U.S. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN6), gets a full-blown cartoon critique in "False Witness! The Michele Bachmann Story," a 2000-copy run of what's hoped to be the first in a series of political comic books. The cover price is a reasonable $4, and can be obtained ...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Mon 11:38 a.m. - 4 clicks
Here's a seemingly benign story about the delay of a land sale deal from Itasca County to Essar Steel, the company that has backed a proposed iron mining and steel-making operation on Minnesota's Iron Range. What is really going on here is that there is question about the true intent of Essar Steel in operating a true iron-to-steel operation or just a taconite plant that feeds a steel plant ...
MinnesotaBrown - Mon 10:48 a.m. - 2 clicks
The small "end of the road" town of Ely continues to make hay out of its bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. This northern Minnesota hamlet is best known as the gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe area. A local company is also holding a contest to create a mascot for the Ely bid. It's nice to see a town commit to a creative idea and have some fun while making money. See, Iron Range. It's pos...
MinnesotaBrown - Mon 8:26 a.m.
by Dave Mindeman Pawlenty may be hitting the talk show circuit proclaiming his budget solutions as "fiscally" prudent, but the growing toll on our state's vulnerable population is socially demoralizing. The Star Tribune story from Washington County is a concern, but the real problem is that they won't be alone. In February and March commissioners cut $3.1 million, about 2 percent o...
mnpACT! - Mon 3:13 a.m. - 3 clicks
When the Bicycle Film Festival rolls into Minneapolis July 8 it, sadly, won't include the JoyRide art exhibition that accompanied it in New York. Organized by BFF and Anonymous Gallery, the show included a huge array of works by artists including Aiko, Jonas Mekas, Martha Cooper, Ellis Gallagher, Ji Lee and many others. One work that piqued my interest: Benedict Radcliffe 's graffit...
Eyeteeth - Mon 3:13 a.m. - 2 clicks
The Star Tribune condemns Bachmann's extremism: Conspiracy theories have been a constant in Rep. Michele Bachmann's political career since she first ran for the Stillwater school board in the late 1990s. She made her initial foray into politics by claiming that the Profile of Learning amounted to social engineering. Her anti-gay-marriage ideas were rooted in notions of sinister forces bent on ...
Dump Michele Bachmann - Mon 3:13 a.m. - 3 clicks
Wow, Michelle was right. If wiki is right (that's as far as I checked) the FBI relied on census data to identify Japanese Americans to round up in WWII. I was curious due to the obvious fact that she is such a nut. I am also beyond sick of Michael Jackson coverage, (but not Sanford news because his wife should keep on talking, he seems to deserve public humiliation) Most importantly I remember...
DailyKos (Minnesota) - Mon 3:13 a.m.
The Marshall Independent is reporting that former Minnesota House minority leader Rep. Marty Seifert, R-Marshall will formally announce his bid for governor on July 7. His plans include a campaign tour throughout the state, starting with the Twin Cities and with visits to Duluth, Rochester and Mankato. Oh, by the way, he also mentions that voters have until [...] ...
Corner House Comments - Mon 3:13 a.m. - 4 clicks
St. Paul (June 26, 2009) —The Minnesota DFL Party released a new web video highlighting Governor Pawlenty’s national travel schedule while ignoring Minnesota’s current financial crisis. Minnesota DFL Party Associate Chair Donna Cassutt today said: “As Governor Pawlenty is recklessly acting alone in cutting the state’s budget, hurting the most vulnerable of citizens with his cuts to [...]...
Dusty Trice - Fri 6:04 p.m. - 22 clicks
The following is an editorial written by Lt. Colonel Joe Repya, published in the St. Paul Pioneer Press on 6/23/09: Joe Repya: Why I’m leaving the Minnesota GOP As a military officer for 30 years, I came to recognize the necessity of good leadership. When I retired from the military in 1998, I became active politically in [...]...
Dusty Trice - Fri 6:04 p.m. - 11 clicks
by Dave Mindeman As an outsider looking in, the future of the MN GOP seems awfully murky. At least for now. As the Minnesota GOP looks to its future, a number of recent events have provided some clues as to the direction they are headed. And the message being sent is that the direction is not going to be a steady, true course. Three recent happenings have provided 3 different clues: 1. Sut...
mnpACT! - Fri 6:04 p.m. - 3 clicks
Well...the Hutchinson Leader has an editorial endorsing this notion. Minnesotans have not elected a DFL governor in 20 years. With strong DFL majorities in the House and Senate, voters might expect to sweep a DFL candidate into the governor’s office, too. But we believe the state is closely split and the inclination toward a balanced government might prevail for a Republican of the caliber ...
Blue Man in a Red District - Jun 26 - 7 clicks
In Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson's weekly "watchdog" blog entry, he questions why Minneapolis spent $180,000 on a campaign to get more people to drink Minneapolis tap water, more often. Let's break it down for the commissioner. Hennepin County ends......
Across the Great Divide - Jun 25 - 2 clicks
by Dave Mindeman Rep. Pat Garofalo let loose with the "F"-word yesterday. No, not that one. He called the Minnesota Board of Regents a "bunch of fuddy duddies ."....... "In a time of tight budgets, this seems like a common sense way to help those who have served our country fund their college education," Garofalo said. "Plus, it gives the University the c...
mnpACT! - Jun 25 - 6 clicks
Minnesota Republican Joe Repya, a 30-year Army veteran - including service in Iraq in 2005 when he was 58, a one-time candidate for MN state party chair in 2007 (he lost), wrote an op-ed in this morning's Twin Cities.com (Pioneer Press) in which he announced he is quitting the party: [w]hy on Earth have I decided to leave the Minnesota GOP? Simple: When a political party becomes so ...
DailyKos (Minnesota) - Jun 24 - 2 clicks
Franken wins by +312 votes. The MN Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Coleman v. Franken on June 1 at 9:00am. So since that ended around 10 am its been about 540 hours.....and we're still waiting. ...
DailyKos (Minnesota) - Jun 24 - 4 clicks
Caught this over at the Minnesota Campaign Finance website . Darrin Anderson of Litchfield is planning a run at Representative Urdahl ! More to follow... ...
Blue Man in a Red District - Jun 24 - 4 clicks
