Capitol View: May 6, 2011 Archive

The Daily Digest

Posted at 6:39 AM on May 6, 2011 by Tom Scheck
Filed under: Daily Digest

The Minnesota House takes up its redistricting plan today for the state's 201 legislative districts. The plan was introduced on Monday night.

Tidbit: GOP Sen. Geoff Michel now says he won't release their plan for congressional districts this week. Expect the map to be released next week.

Gov. Dayton is emphasizing that GOP lawmakers who think he'll give in and agree to an all cuts budget are underestimating his resolve.

Republicans, who haven't passed a budget yet, are trying to pin a possible special session on Dayton.

MPR caught up with GOP Sen. David Hann in Washington D.C. as he pursued a global waiver for health care. He didn't talk to anyone in Washington D.C. that would actually approve the waiver.

The Racino bill got its first look in a House Committee. The proposal, however, faces an uncertain future.

On Thursday, the Minnesota House passed the Voter ID bill.

Tidbit: The bill's author says she'll "reluctantly' pursue a constitutional amendment if Gov. Dayton vetoes the bill.

An interesting part of the Voter ID debate occurred when Rep. Steve Drazkowski, R-Mazeppa, said some election judges are already asking for photo IDs at the polls. Drazkowski would not tell MPR News where it occurred.

Hennepin County has pulled itself out of the race for a new Vikings Stadium. That means the focus is now on the Arden Hills site.

DFL Rep. Steve Simon's speech against a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage has gone viral.

Congress

Data gathered from the compound where Osama Bin Laden was killed show that there were plans to attack a railroad in the U.S.

President Obama visited Ground Zero yesterday.

Some lawmakers are pursuing a new timeline in Afghanistan as a result of Bin Laden's death.

DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar and DFL Sen. Al Franken are proposing to end ethanol subsidies.

USA Today says the U.S. has the lowest level tax burden since 1958.

Race for President

Tim Pawlenty appeared in a GOP debate of presidential hopefuls. He scored some points but also faced high expectations since none of the other perceived front-runners were there.

Politico says foreign policy dominated the debate.

Tidbit: Most of the rapid responses from the DNC focused on Pawlenty.

Politico notes that Pawlenty and Mitt Romney both won the debate because Pawlenty failed to criticize Romney "because he isn't here to defend himself."

The National Journal says Pawlenty was lackluster in the debate.

The New York Times says the nation's highest ranking Republican, GOP House Speaker John Boehner didn't even watch the debate. ""There's more time for people to get in," Mr. Boehner told a reporter for CBS News who asked why he was not watching."

Tidbit: A Fox News focus group says businessman Herman Cain won the debate.

GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann didn't participate in the debate. Bloomberg News has a profile of her.