Polinaut: March 27, 2009 Archive

The Daily Digest: 3-27-09

Posted at 7:28 AM on March 27, 2009 by Tom Scheck (1 Comments)
Filed under: Daily Digest

The evacuations begin in northwestern Minnesota and North Dakota as the flooding rises. President Obama, meanwhile, declares a state of an emergency for the region.

Under the Dome

The Pawlenty Administration wants state employees to take an unpaid leave. MPR, the Pi Press and the Star Tribune have stories.

A House panel votes against a plan to lift the ban on building new nuclear plants.

A conference committee reached agreement on Green Acres and federal tax conformity legislation.

Gov, Pawlenty and DFL legislative leaders make little progress on the budget. MPR, the Pi Press and Forum Communications have stories.

The Legislative Auditor says the state needs to improve its monitoring of federal money. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.

The Minnesota House votes to spend the stimulus cash on roads.

Stimulus money has contractors gearing up.

City and county workers urge small or no cuts to local governments. AP and the Star Tribune have stories.

Gov. Pawlenty releases a new website on state spending.

The Senate oks spending for sex offender programs.

A debate over newborn screening continues to brew at the State Capitol.

A proposal to merge state departments clears its first committee.

The state extends unemployment benefits.

Tax cuts in the stimulus will increase the state's deficit.

D.C.

President Obama is set to detail a new Afghanistan and Pakistan strategy.

NPR says the missing Somali men may have returned to Minnesota.

Jobless claims set a new record as the nation's GDP continues to drop.

Gary Stern, with the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, says he expects the economy to turn around next year.

The Ag Chief aims to help the state's dairy farmers. DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and DFL Rep. Collin Peterson are mentioned.

Politico says efforts to merge the Commodity and Futures Trading Commission into the SEC appear dead. Peterson is mentioned.

A bill proposed by GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann would prohibit global currency.

GOP Rep. Erik Paulsen blogs about increasing accountability and oversight.

His plan also gets backing.

President Obama also gets a list of the nation's top Muslim Americans. The list, which was compiled DFL Rep. Keith Ellison and others, aims to convince the White House to hire some Muslim Americans.

Congress passed a bill to expand wilderness protection.

2008 Race for U.S. Senate

The Star Tribune reports that a former executive of a Texas based company said in a deposition that a contributor to Republican Norm Coleman ordered $100k payments to a Minneapolis agency that employs Coleman's wife.

Reuters examines the length of time it's taking to sit a Senator. Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell says it's a shame Minnesota don't have full representation but says the appeals will take a long time. For the record, members of his caucus celebrate that Democrat Al Franken hasn't been seated yet.

2010

The DFL leaning blogger Dusty Trice points out that Gov. Pawlenty supported retroactive term limits during his time in the State Legislature.

Matt Entenza visits Worthington to tout Minnesota 2020's report on LGA funding.

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Garofalo, Metzen join national education panel

Posted at 11:46 AM on March 27, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced two new members to Minnesota's delegation to the Education Commission of the States.

The Republican governor appointed Rep. Pat Garofalo, R-Farmignton, and David Metzen, the newly hired director of the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, to serve on the national panel. Minnesota's delegation has seven members, including the governor.

The Education Commission of the States, based in Denver, is an interstate compact created in 1965 to improve public education through interaction and cooperation among state policy makers.

Pawlenty heads back to flood area

Posted at 11:54 AM on March 27, 2009 by Tim Pugmire

Gov. Tim Pawlenty is heading back Moorhead today to meet with the state and local officials who are dealing with flooding on the Red River.

A news release from the governor's office says he spoke with President Barack Obama before leaving St. Paul. Pawlenty thanked the president for signing the emergency declaration for Minnesota and for the assistance from the federal government.

Pawlenty will join U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar and U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson at a press availability this afternoon at the Clay County Courthouse.

For your viewing pleasure...

Posted at 4:09 PM on March 27, 2009 by Tom Scheck (4 Comments)

Here's a list of what's on the political shows this week...

TPT's Almanac:

- Meteorologist Paul Douglas will discuss the flooding in North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota.

- Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman and former Hennepin County Attorney Tom Johnson will discuss the plan to change prison sentences.

- Republicans John Berns and Dan McElroy and Democrats Ember Reichgott Junge and Andy Dawkins discuss the legislative session.

Fox News' Sean Hannity show:

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann will be on tonight at 8 pm.

WCCO Sunday Morning:

- Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar

- Jayne Haugen Olson, Editor and Chief of Sky Magazine (Delta Airlines in-flight magazine)

- David Schultz - Hamline Professor and Political pundit

KSTP's At Issue:

-Annette Meeks and Cathie Hartnett debate the latest tax increase proposal to solve the state's budget deficit.

-Cathie Hartnett and David Strom debate a proposal to merge two counties and part of a third to make services more efficient.

On the national scene:

President Obama will be on CBS' Face the Nation

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Arizona Sen. John McCain will be on Meet the Press.

Defense Secretary Bill Robert Gates will headline Fox News Sunday.

Geithner will also appear on ABC's This Week

Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) will be on CNN's State of the Union.

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