Polinaut: February 26, 2009 Archive

The Daily Digest: 2-26-09

Posted at 8:27 AM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

The state will release its latest job numbers later this morning. No one expects the news to be good.

U.S. workers on jobless benefits is at a record high.

It doesn't help when companies like Medtronic announce future lay-offs.

Heating assistance requests have increased ten percent.

2008 U.S. Senate Race

A procedural error prompted the three-judge panel to strike the testimony of a witness who claims the double counting of votes occurred. MPR, the Star Tribune and AP have stories.

Forum Communications says the trial will last for a few more weeks.

Under the Dome

No Minnesota senators opt to cut their own pay.

A ban on smoking in cars with kids advances in the Minnesota Senate. MPR and AP have stories.

Gov. Pawlenty released the list of 60 Greater Minnesota transportation projects that will be funded by the federal stimulus bill. MPR, the Star Tribune, the Pi Press and Forum Communications have stories.

An audit finds that Minnesota's worker's comp system needs some fixes.

The Star Tribune says a poster featuring Osama Bin Laden prompts debate at the Capitol.

D.C.

President Obama's budget plan will raise taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care changes.

Obama is also counting on revenue from carbon permits.

The Hill says Obama is also seeking a new wave of regulations. DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is mentioned.

Peterson also signs on to a group that calls for increased domestic energy production.

The EPA Chief if reconsidering ship ballast permits.

The House approves a $410 billion spending bill.

MinnPost says Peterson voted against the bill.

GOP Rep. John Kline introduces legislation that would ensure the secret ballot in the workplace. The bill counters union efforts on card check.

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison says renters who are booted because of home foreclosures are "the untold victims" of the housing crisis.

Smart Politics calls GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann "unsinkable."

Bachmann also participates in a live-blog (h/t Minnesota Independent).

2012

CPAC, which Gov. Pawlenty will attend on Saturday, is described as the first GOP cattle call for 2012.

Finally

Soft toilet paper is rough on forests.

State's unemployment jumps to 7.6 percent

Posted at 10:13 AM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck

Minnesota's unemployment numbers jumped more than a half a percent in a month. Here's a portion of the news release from the Department of Employment and Economic Development:

State Employers Shed 20,700 Jobs in January ST. PAUL - Minnesota lost 20,700 jobs in January, according to figures released today by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).

The agency said the state's unemployment rate climbed to a seasonally adjusted 7.6 percent, equal to the national rate. The state has lost nearly 75,000 jobs over the past year, while U.S. job losses totaled 3.5 million during that period.

You can find more detail here.

White House releases 2010 budget

Posted at 10:53 AM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck

President Obama released his budget proposal this morning.
Here's the budget proposal. Here's a fact sheet. Here's a New York Times story on the proposal.

Pawlenty's name on CPAC's 2012 straw poll

Posted at 12:09 PM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

The Conservative Political Action Conference is this weekend. A large number of GOP heavy hitters will attend the event. GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann will be the Master of Ceremonies for an event dubbed "The Presidential Banquet."

Gov. Pawlenty is scheduled to speak on Saturday morning. The Boston Globe says Pawlenty will also appear on CPAC's 2012 presidential straw poll :

"This year, the winner will be anointed the very early front-runner for 2012. The ballot includes besides Romney and Giuliani, Florida Governor Charlie Crist, former House speaker Newt Gingrich, former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal, Texas Representative Ron Paul, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. There's also "Undecided" and a space on the ballot for write-ins."

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Coleman witness to testify afterall

Posted at 1:08 PM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck

The three-judge panel overseeing Republican Norm Coleman's challenge to the recount has reversed course and will now allow a Republican election official to testify. Here's a snapshot from MPR's Elizabeth Baier:

In her testimony Wednesday, Pamela Howell said she was with another election judge when duplicate ballots without proper labels were fed through the tabulators.

"Thoughts ran through my head as to what can we do to retrieve or label or whatever," Howell said in her testimony Wednesday. "And at that point, they were mixed up with the others. Some where already in the ballot box. There was no way that we could see to fix it."

Reid weighs in on Senate race (again)

Posted at 1:11 PM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)

Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters today that the Senate was prepared to seat Democrat Al Franken in April. Reid added that Republican Norm Coleman should just concede:

"Norm Coleman should have a five-minute conversation with [Nevada Sen.] John Ensign," Reid said. Reid explained that, in his 1998 Senate race, Ensign decided to concede defeat to Reid rather than pursue a recount. "John Ensign wound up as a real hero in Nevada," Reid said.

Here's the response from Sen. John Ensign (R-NV):

"Norm Coleman's pursuit to make sure that every valid vote is counted, and that no voter is disenfranchised, is the right thing to do for Minnesota. I stand firmly behind Norm Coleman and his efforts to ensure a fair election and I look forward to having him back in the Senate when the election contest is completed."

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Bill would allow multiple nominations, ballot listings

Posted at 4:07 PM on February 26, 2009 by Tim Pugmire (1 Comments)

Legislation introduced this week at the state Capitol would allow the names of Minnesota candidates to be listed more than once on the election ballot.

Under the so-called fusion candidate bill, an individual would be named on the ballot for each political party nomination they secured. Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, the bill's chief author, said her inspiration was not last fall's 6th District Congressional contest. But Liebling said her proposed change in election law would have allowed Elwyn Tinklenberg to be listed on the ballot once as a DFL candidate and again as an Independence Party candidate.

"This prevents the mischief of the party wanting to endorse you, but since they can't then put your name on the ballot under current law, somebody else can come in and put their name on the ballot," Liebling saud. "And this happened in the Tinklenberg race."

Tinklenberg ran as a Democrat last year and also won a cross-endorsement from the Independence Party. But Tinklenberg couldn't seek the IP nomination in the primary. That cleared the way for unendorsed IP candidate Bob Anderson to get on the November ballot.

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Rybak enters budget fray

Posted at 9:07 PM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck (3 Comments)

Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak entered the state budget fray today, one day after Gov. Pawlenty criticized the fiscal discipline of Rybak and other Minneapolis elected officials. As I read the news release, I couldn't help but think of a possible showdown in 2010.

Here's the release:
(Note, the links and bold face were embedded in Rybak's news release. I did not provide any of the links or emphasis).

Mayor Rybak Urges Governor Pawlenty to Follow Minneapolis Example of Budget Responsibility

Governor's Inaccurate Criticism Fails to Change Reality of State Budget

February 26, 2009 (MINNEAPOLIS) -- Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak today responded to false statements made by Governor Tim Pawlenty that were critical of Minneapolis and Mayor Rybak's fiscal discipline, at a time when the State faces a massive deficit and the City budget is balanced.

At a press conference in Rochester, MN yesterday promoting transportation projects to be funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Governor Pawlenty inaccurately misrepresented Mayor Rybak's 2009 budget proposal, a balanced budget that was revised due to cuts brought about by the State's nearly $5 billion budget deficit.

"At a time when the State is in the middle of another massive deficit, Governor Pawlenty should not be giving financial advice, especially when that advice is based on misinformation," Mayor Rybak said. "I put Minneapolis' fiscal prudence up against the State's any day."

"Despite facing $30 million in state funding cuts, the budget I delivered will not include significant cuts to public safety," Mayor Rybak said. "We accomplished this enormous task because the City's finances are strong and we have done the hard work necessary to weather these difficult times."

"Spending for public safety in Minneapolis has grown consistently in spite of massive funding cuts from the State," Mayor Rybak said. "As a result, violent crime is down in Minneapolis for the second year in a row by more than double digit percentages. Look at my budgets and look at the crime stats - the focus and results are clear."

Public Safety is the #1 Budget Priority in Minneapolis

CLAIM: Governor Pawlenty charged that Mayor Rybak had not prioritized public safety in this or past budgets and wrongly suggested that Mayor Rybak had proposed laying off police officers.

FACT: Mayor Rybak's 2009 budget had no police layoffs and included the largest investment in public safety - including more than $128 million for the police department and the largest sworn police force - since Rybak was elected in 2002.

CLAIM: Governor Pawlenty also said that Mayor Rybak's budget should have "downsized" the City's Civil Rights Department because of an overlap of services with the State.

FACT: Mayor Rybak's budget did just as Pawlenty suggested by transferring the Civil Rights Department's complaint investigations division to the State, even though Governor Pawlenty has proposed cuts to the MN Human Rights Department.

CLAIM: Governor Pawlenty also wrongly criticized Mayor Rybak for supporting "a department that relates to the cultural and artistic affairs."

FACT: No City department actually exists. Mayor Rybak closed the City's Office of Cultural Affairs in 2002, one month after taking office. The City now has just two arts related staff positions, one to coordinate film projects as an economic development tool and another to coordinate public art.

Fiscal Responsibility: Comparing Minneapolis vs. Minnesota

FACT: The State of Minnesota is facing a budget deficit of nearly $5 billion. Mayor Rybak's 2009 budget for Minneapolis is balanced, as was every previous City budget he delivered.

FACT: Minneapolis sends more money to the State than the State sends to Minneapolis. The State of Minnesota collects about $74 million from Minneapolis property taxes and $390 million in sales taxes. In return, Minneapolis is slated to get $71 million in local government aid from the State.

FACT: Spending by the State has been increasing faster than spending by Minneapolis. Over the past five years State spending, adjusted for inflation, has increased 11 percent, which is 8 percent more than spending in by City of Minneapolis, which increased 3.5 percent.

FACT: Since 2002 Minneapolis has eliminated nearly $90 million in debt, reformed and restructured City government finances, and delivered City services more efficiently. This fiscal management, combined with one-time economic recovery dollars from the federal government allows the City to protect public safety in spite of State budget cuts caused by their deficit.

"Unfortunately for Minneapolis and other cities across Minnesota, the State budget keeps lurching from crisis to crisis," Rybak said. "Minnesota's budget has not had the same long term fiscal stewardship as Minneapolis has had. For too long, Governor Pawlenty has used short term budget fixes and avoided making fiscally responsible choices. Today's State fiscal crisis, like the one that happened in 2003, and one we can probably expect a few years from now, could have been partly avoided if the Governor adopted some of the long term fiscal management that has helped us restore fiscal stability to the City of Minneapolis."

See relevant graphs attached separately. For additional graphics and background on Mayor Rybak's revised 2009 budget proposal visit www.MayorRybak.us.

# # #

Soon to be DFL blogger Dusty Trice posted this video a few hours before Rybak sent out the news release. Not sure if Trice worked with Rybak's people on the video or independent of them.

I'm sure Pawlenty will have some sort of response to Rybak on his Friday morning radio show. It's nearly certain that he'll bring up Local Government Aid since LGA supporters have a major news conference scheduled for late morning.

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National Journal: McCollum had the most liberal voting record in 2008

Posted at 11:08 PM on February 26, 2009 by Tom Scheck (2 Comments)

The National Journal just released its vote ratings for 2008.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum is tied for having the most liberal voting record in the House.
DFL Rep. Keith Ellison had the 13th most liberal voting record.
DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar had the 35th most liberal voting record.
DFL Rep. Tim Walz had the 175th most liberal voting record.
DFL Rep. Collin Peterson had the 210th most liberal voting record.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann is the 31st most conservative.
GOP Rep. John Kline is the 33rd most conservative.
GOP Rep. Jim Ramstad was the 193rd most conservative.

On the Senate side...

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar had the 37th most liberal voting record.

GOP Sen. Norm Coleman had the 39th most conservative voting record.

You can find all of the info here.

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