Polinaut: May 29, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 5-29-07

Posted at 10:18 AM on May 29, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

Gov. Pawlenty received the final slate of budget bills today. He signed some bills last week but only after using the line-item veto. AP, the Pi Press and the Star Tribune have stories.

The Pi Press says DWIs haunt lawmakers.

Forum Communications says the DFL agenda is far from complete.

The Rochester Post Bulletin wonders if GOP Senate Minority Leader Dave Senjem made the session work.

The Washington Post takes a look at Crookston and the impact of an extended deployment.

Pawlenty dedicates a war memorial in Albert Lea.

Congress

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman writes an op-ed on immigration.

DFL Sen, Amy Klobuchar will visit the Gunflint Trail today.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz explains his war funding vote in an op-ed but MSNBC says it put him in a tough spot.

GOP Rep. John Kline names his new chief of staff.

GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad wants to protect forests. Ramstad also canceled tomorrow's speech at the Humphrey Institute because of a scheduling conflict.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum wants an investigation into the death of an American teacher in Armenia and an investigation into the arrest of a boy from the Milles Lacs Band of the Ojibwe.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison questions the Senate immigration bill.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann will open an office in Waite Park.

Lawmakers are considering the Farm Bill under tighter budget restrictions. DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is mentioned.

The Hill says Jim Oberstar benefited from three lobbyist fundraisers.

2008

The Star Tribune says Washington is watching Gov. Pawlenty.

Norm Coleman hits the road this week to raise money with the other vulnerable GOP incumbents.

Al Franken was apparently on the Today show this morning.

MNPublius says Mike Ciresi has earned the endorsement of a few DFLers in the Minnesota House.

CQ has a story on Peter Agre.

The DSCC raises more money than the NRSC.

A Blue Man in a Red District says he's hearing Dean Barkley (the former U.S. Senator appointed by Gov. Ventura) may run against GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann.

AP says the Democratic candidates for President are courting superdelegates. Oberstar and Ellison are mentioned.

2008 RNC Convention
The RNC says the GOP convention will remain in St. Paul. Check out this story from Tampa/St. Pete.

Sound familiar?

Posted at 10:40 AM on May 29, 2007 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

I was catching up on some reading over the weekend when I noticed this little item in the Time Magazine story on Mitt Romney. Does the end of this paragraph sound familiar?

Romney's ads and campaign speeches boast of engineering an economic turnaround. But Michael Widmer, president of the nonpartisan Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation, points out that the state has lagged most others in job growth. And while Romney closed a $3 billion deficit without raising taxes, he did it in part by raising numerous fees, as well as shifting some of the burden by cutting aid to cities and municipalities.

Meanwhile, Governor Pawlenty touted his session accomplishments in a web video. The campaign sent a fundraising e-mail touting the video last week.

UPDATE: A loyal Polinaut reader points out that property taxes and cigarette taxes (er, fees) have gone up under Pawlenty's tenure.

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