Capitol View: December 13, 2007 Archive

The Daily Digest: 12-13-07

Posted at 8:31 AM on December 13, 2007 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

MnDOT missed its self imposed deadline to inspect every bridge. The agency says it will be completed by next week.

Several bridges in St. Louis County have problems. 9 need to be replaced in Kandiyohi County.

Gov. Pawlenty is in Florida today to take part in the "Governors Roundtable on Alternative Fuels and Vehicles." Here's a question for the governors participating - "Will they push to increase tougher fuel economy standards in their states since California's court victory?"

The New York Times says India is the place to see and be seen. It mentions Pawlenty's trade trip.

Pawlenty visited Rochester eight times this year.

AP says the Campaign Finance Board won't look into the Mark Ritchie allegations.

The Minneapolis City Council adopted $1.35 billion budget.

The Star Tribune says there are more requests for heating assistance.

Congress

The Senate will vote today on subsidy changes in the Farm Bill. They need sixty votes to limit farmers to $250,000 a year in crop subsidies or to cut off subsidies to wealthy Americans.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz says he's frustrated with the budget stalemate.

The House passes a $700 billion defense budget bill. It includes the beyond the yellow ribbon campaign sponsored by GOP Rep. John Kline.

DFL Rep. Collin Peterson says he will work for a short extension of the current farm bill until March. Reuters reports.

MPR says the Farm Bill could determine the future of food shelves.

13 more non-native, aquatic species were recently documented for the first time in the ballast water of ocean-going ships that entered the Great Lakes. DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar is mentioned.

USA Today writes about the mandatory pilot retirement age. Oberstar is mentioned.

2008

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum backs Illinois Senator Barack Obama. The Pi Press, the Star Tribune and MPR have stories.

The two DFLers hoping to unseat GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann call her ineffective.

Minnesota Monitor writes about the DFL debate in Minnesota's 3rd Congressional District.

Carlton College Professor Steven E. Schier tells Politico that it's unlikely that the GOP will retake Congress even though voters aren't giving Congress high marks.

2008 RNC

Augsburg College will host an internship program during the RNC. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

Finally

Don't forget to submit your top political stories and top political quotes for 2007. The quotes have to be Minnesota related (and yes the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport is Minnesota related). You can post a comment on the site or e-mail me at tscheck@mpr.org.