Archive for 2009
Minnesota Endures Worst Employment Skid in 30+ Years
Minnesota’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate now stands at 6.9 percent, according to new December 2008 numbers released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The data continues what, by many measures, are the worst statewide jobless numbers since…
Read MoreTired of War: Minnesotans Not Shy About Changing Presidential Party During Wartime
Now that Barack Obama has been inaugurated as the 44th President of the United States, the question on the minds of many Minnesotans is: “How long do we wait for ‘change?'” Obama’s campaign for ‘change’ during the presidential primaries and…
Read MoreDoes Keith Ellison Have a Mandate? Rep. Sets Freshman Re-election Record
If it seems as if Keith Ellison has a free hand with which to cast controversial votes in the U.S. House, such as his ‘present’ vote for the Israeli-Gaza House resolution, he probably does. The DFL Congressman registered the second…
Read MoreStance of Ellison and McCollum On Israeli-Gaza Resolution Shines a Light on Liberal Voting Records
The “present” votes registered by Keith Ellison and Betty McCollum a week ago Friday on the U.S. House resolution to recognize “Israel’s right to defend itself against attacks from Gaza, reaffirming the United States’ strong support for Israel, and supporting…
Read MoreA Content Analysis of Governor Pawlenty’s 2008 and 2009 State of the State Addresses
Governor Tim Pawlenty’s State of the State Address on Thursday afternoon saw a significant change in the policy issues he raised from his previous address on February 13, 2008. These changes largely reflected the harsh economic reality that has beset…
Read More12 Days And Counting: Minnesota Already At 4th Longest Stint Without Two Senators in State History
Since January 3rd, when Norm Coleman’s first term as U.S. Senator came to an end, Amy Klobuchar has officially been doing double-duty as the state’s lone Senator on Capitol Hill. Klobuchar has stated her office started receiving a noticeable increase…
Read MoreWill the Minnesota-Wisconsin Shared State Services Plan Work?
On Tuesday, Minnesota Republican Governor Tim Pawlenty and Wisconsin Democratic Governor Jim Doyle signed executive orders calling for department heads to identify, by the end of February, “Specific activities, programs, and services … for potential cooperative service arrangements.” The orders…
Read MoreColeman Popularity Virtually Unchanged Since Election Day, Despite Recent Poll Headline
Much has been made of the extremely low favorability ratings Norm Coleman (and Al Franken) are enduring in the wake of numbers released in last week’s SurveyUSA poll of Minnesotans conducted after the conclusion of the 2008 U.S. Senate recount…
Read MoreThe Frugal Three: Wisconsin Legislators Reject Annual Pay Increase
In a year that has seen rising unemployment, a volatile stock market, and increasing state and federal budget deficits, the backlash on talk radio and in print against legislators in D.C. and at state capitols for receiving pay raises has…
Read MoreHow to Save Minnesota’s U.S. House Seat: More Teenage Mothers?
Last month Smart Politics examined the political impact on the state of Minnesota should it lose one U.S. House seat as projected by many analysts, including a recent report issued by Election Data Services. Earlier this week, the Centers for…
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