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You can use the feeds in this mix as the basis for a new mix - create a new mix from this mix.
Stupak Stlll Feeling Spurned [New Window]
And where does a spurned Democrat go? To Fox News. "Has the Speaker come to you since I last spoke to you last week," said Van Susteren "or even Congressman Steny Hoyer, anyone come to you in the top leadership and talked to you, said down and said, you know, What's your problem?" Stupak's answer: "No." "Don't you find that unusual, if they want you and your 11 others?" Van Susteren asked. Stupak said no, he did not find it usual. When asked why, he said: "Because they disagree me with on the issue, so they'll wait until the last minute and see if they can run -- do an end run, get the votes without us." Because "they disagree" with him "on the issue," he says, not because he's been totally intransigent prick who is willing to kill health insurance reform if he doesn't achieve his goal of making sure health insurance no longer covers abortion. But it's also likely because leadership is indeed peeling Stupak supporters away, and his threat is becoming less credible.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 22:16:04 -0400 This is what access gets you [New Window]
What's wrong with "objective" journalism today? Here's a clue, from AP, doing a story about the "deem and pass" process under consideration to pass the health care bill: WASHINGTON --It is a brazen abuse of Congress' rules. Or a legitimate tactic used many times by both parties. Five hundred words later, I promise you, the reader is no wiser as to whether it's an abuse of rules or a legitimate tactic used many times. One byline and three other people listed as contributing to this report, and no one bothers to tally up how many times it's been used (if at all), or whether both parties have used it. Just quotes from politicians and leadership on each side. A bit more: Using rhetoric reminiscent of the tea party movement, the GOP says Democrats are flagrantly ignoring the will of the American people by trying to pass the legislation to reshape the U.S. health care system without a direct House vote on the bill approved by the Senate in December. Democrats responded Tuesday that the moves they are contemplating have been used by both parties numerous times to pass legislation such as huge increases in the government's ability to borrow money, restrictions on immigrant workers and creation of a presidential line-item veto, which was later ruled unconstitutional. And so on. Hundreds of words like that--one paragraph relaying what the Republicans are saying, the next what Democrats are saying. Alternating accusations, sans fact-checking, make up the entirety of the story. Compare that to David Waldman's explanation of the parliamentary maneuver. Or, to be non-Daily Kos-centric, check in with Ezra Klein. Or Marc Ambinder. Or Harold Meyerson. Any one of these people alone are shedding infinitely more light on the subject than the AP report is. Really, this is the worst sort of stenographic "he said"/"she said." If anyone can read that whole story and find one thing of value, one nugget of clarification or knowledge that it brings to the current debate, please post it in comments. Because from here, it looks like a waste of four "journalists" standing next to arguing speakers, fighting over who can hold the microphones closest to the mouths of power. It'd be nice to think that somehow, there's more to this journalism thing than that. But the important thing, of course, is that these reporters could pick up the phone and get access for these oh-so-enlightening quotes. Hard to see how the republic could survive without it.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:32:04 -0400 As Serious As A Heart Attack [New Window]
The unions are serious about fighting back against Democrats who oppose the health care reform bill: As I first reported here, SEIU is threatening to withold support from House Dems who may vote against the health care bill, informing them that a No vote could mean they face a labor-backed challenge from the left. Now the SEIU is seriously cranking up the heat on one of these Dems, New York Rep Mike McMahon, with a brutal full-page ad set to run tomorrow in the large-circulation Staten Island Advance. It depicts a child in intensive care and calls on McMahon to vote for health reform, lest families go without the “lifesaving medical care they need”: “Congressman McMahon has indicated to us that he intends to vote no on the healthcare reform bill,” the ad says. “We strongly urge Congressman McMahon to reconsider his vote.” There are two clear messages here from SEIU: vote for the health care reform bill and stop taking us for granted.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:46:04 -0400 Nat'l Progressives Make First Moves Toward Backing A Stupak Primary [New Window]
When I interviewed Connie Saltonstall last week, the former Charlevoix County, MI commissioner told me she's aiming to become the next Bill Halter with her primary bid against Rep. Bart Stupak (D). Now it looks like her prediction may be coming true.Democracy For America, one of the progressive groups that helped push Halter into his primary race against Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) in Arkansas, is now polling its membership to ask them if the group should turn some of its resources to Saltonstall, who is running on a platform of opposition to Stupak's focus on abortion in the health care debate."We don't just jump into a primary race without the overwhelming support of members making it clear exactly where the DFA community stands," DFA deputy political director Michael Langenmayr wrote in an email message today.Langenmayr praised Saltonstall in the email, highlighting her willingness to stand up as a pro-choice progressive against Stupak, a man who the left has come to equate with turning back the clock on abortion rights."Connie is a Democrat. She's pro-choice," Langenmayr writes. "And she wouldn't block healthcare reform for the people in her district just to please her personal special interests."Should the DFA membership decide to back Saltonstall, her campaign could get a big boost of national cash quickly. DFA was among the groups that helped to raise over a million dollars for Halter from across the country in his first week as a candidate. In the email, Langenmayr describes what DFA could do for Saltonstall based on its past efforts to help progressive house candidates in primaries against moderate incumbents:When Rep. Donna Edwards stood up to run against Bush-Democrat Al Wynn in 2006, DFA was there to back her up. And when she barely lost and decided to go for the re-match in 2008, DFA members led the way again. Locally, DFA members were staff on the campaign and volunteer boots on the ground. Nationally, we delivered the money and media that helped fuel the campaign. Working together, DFA members made an impact and helped deliver victory on Election Day. Slaughter House Rules: The Truth About The Democrats' Plan To Pass Health Care [New Window]
In their latest attempt to derail health care reform, conservatives are attacking the Democrats' preferred procedural strategy for passing the legislation. The GOP is trying to put Democratic leaders on the defensive about using what's known as a self-executing rule to push health reform through, with House Minority Leader John Boehner dubbing it, "the ultimate in Washington power grabs."The issue, as I alluded to in this post, is Democrats' tentative decision to use a rule that would allow them to pass both the Senate health care bill and the reconciliation fix with a single vote. Republicans have dubbed this the "Slaughter Solution," and described it as an unprecedented maneuver that will allow Democrats to enact reform without casting a vote on it. The reality is that this maneuver (known more technically as a "self executing rule") has a long history, and has been used more frequently by Republicans than by Democrats. That doesn't mean every Democrat is on board. Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA)--a crucial swing vote on health care reform, told me and a handful of other reporters this afternoon that he disapproves of the "Byzantine" maneuver. "I think there should be an up or down vote on that bill," Altmire said. "If you want to pass health care reform you can't do it with an end run, without people going on record. It's too big." (Altmire also said he opposes putting student loan reform in the reconciliation bill.)Still, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the move is her preferred method, and the preferred method of her members. "[M]embers are more comfortable with a [self-executing rule]," Pelosi told a handful of health care reporters and bloggers yesterday morning. "It's more insider and process oriented than most people want to know, but I like it because people don't have to vote on the Senate bill."So what is a "self-executing rule", and why are Democrats invoking it?Taking the second question first, House Democrats are, basically, reacting to GOP threats that, on the campaign trail, they'll treat a vote for the Senate health care bill as a vote for controversial provisions like the Nebraska Medicaid deal, even though those provisions will be immediately stripped from the legislation. So instead of holding a direct vote on the Senate bill, Democrats may adopt a rule that allows them to vote on the reconciliation fix on its own. But the rule will stipulate that if the House passes the fix, it is, in effect, also passing the Senate health care bill. It makes the latter contingent on the former.Now, whether this will actually insulate Democrats on the campaign trail is an open question. The hope is that they'll be able to respond to charges that they voted for the Nebraska deal by saying "if it wasn't for me, the Nebraska deal would've been sustained," or "I voted to improve the Senate bill." House members are also seeking to protect the prerogatives of their chamber. Because of Scott Brown's election, they were denied a chance to pass and amend the Senate bill through a normal legislative process--a single vote on a conference report, or an amended final bill. The "self-executing" rule allows them to proceed in as close to a normal fashion as possible--and pass the legislation that will become law with a single vote.Republicans charge that Pelosi is trying to pass health care reform without holding a vote on it. (Earlier today, Boehner introduced a measure that would force an up or down vote in the House on the Senate health care bill.) But that's not true either. "We're going to vote on a bill...which will provide for the result that, if a majority are for it will adopt...the Senate bill," House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters today at his weekly press conference. "Does anybody in this room doubt that you have to vote on that? We will vote on it, in one form or another." And, of course, so long as everything goes as planned, anybody watching C-SPAN this weekend will be able to verify that. Late afternoon/early evening open thread [New Window]
A question to ask next week and this fall:
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:00:05 -0400 Actually, it really is unremarkable [New Window]
Writing earlier today, Howard Kurtz argues that President Obama's interview tomorrow on Fox is a sign that the White House accepts Fox's argument that it is is a traditional news operation, at least by day. This [the Fox interview] would be unremarkable -- the president is constantly on TV -- except for last year's White House campaign attacking Fox News as an arm of the Republican Party. Fox executives insisted there is an important distinction between its news operation and opinionated hosts such as Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity. In sitting down with Baier, Obama -- who cordially greeted Fox News Chairman Roger Ailes at a White House Christmas party -- seems to be accepting that distinction. On the surface, that sounds reasonable, but let's get some context. Here's White House Communications Director Anita Dunn last October answering a question about whether President Obama would do interviews with Fox: The answer is yes, obviously he’ll go on Fox because he engages with ideological opponents. And he has done that before. He will do it again. I can’t give you a date because, frankly, I can’t give you dates for anybody else right now. But what I will say is that when he goes on FOX, he understands that he is not going on — it really is not a news network at this point. He’s going to debate the opposition. And that’s fine. He never minds doing that. So either Obama thinks Fox has changed since October (unlikely) or he is simply sitting down with what he considers to be an unfriendly media outlet (far more likely). But he's definitely not implicitly accepting Fox's argument that they were right all along. And given that Dunn said Obama would go back on Fox (this will be the second time since October), this is certainly not remarkable. Oh, and by the way, do you know whose question Dunn was answering? That's right: it was Howard Kurtz's.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:16:04 -0400 Is Russ Feingold In Trouble This Fall? [New Window]
Three recent polls -- each not without its critics -- show Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) trailing in a hypothetical match up with former Wisconsin governor and Bush administration cabinet member Tommy Thompson (R). He hasn't decided whether he'll seek the GOP nomination yet, but is rumored to be seriously considering it. If he does, polling suggests Thompson could depose one of the strongest progressive voices in the Senate. With the two latest polls added in, the TPM Poll Average for the race shows Thompson leading Feingold by a margin of 46-42.8.Media reports have picked up on the polls, painting the picture of an incumbent on the ropes. The Feingold campaign rejects that assertion outright, claiming that the polls are the problem, not the Senator.Feingold's slide began in January, according to the TPM average. On the 26th, Rasmussen released a poll showing Thompson ahead 47-43. The margin held in Rasmussen's second poll of the race, which came on Feb. 17.Rasmussen has many critics among progressive and Democratic communities, which claim that the pollster's proprietary model for determining likely voters skews results toward the GOP. Rasmussen has dismissed those claims and defended its results as more accurate than other pollsters. Last week, the conservative think tank Wisconsin Policy Research Institute confirmed the Rasmussen results, showing Thompson ahead in the hypothetical match up 51-39. A WPRI poll from last October also showed Thompson ahead 43-39. WPRI does not include cell phones in its polling, according to the group's polling releases, a decision that some experts say tilts results away from younger voters, who more and more do not have land line phones. And in recent days, the institute has been the subject of media reports suggesting its pollster slanted results to support WPRI's policy aims. Further aggravating Democrats in the state, the firm is run by two ex-Thompson aides. WPRI has said its polls are accurate. "First off, neither Rasmussen or WPRI are credible polls," Feingold strategist John Kraus told me in an email conversation this afternoon. "There will be a lot of polls between now and Election Day eight months from now."The data from all the polls suggests that Thompson's singular role in Wisconsin, a state he governed for 14 years before becoming Health and Human Services secretary in 2001, could be playing a role in that result. When matched up against another potential GOP opponent, developer Terrence Wall, Feingold is ahead. The only bright spot for Feingold in polling against Thompson came from the Democratic firm PPP, which reported Feingold ahead of Thompson in its survey of a hypothetical match up in November. That poll showed Feingold leading Thompson by 50-41. Kraus also said that regardless of what they say, polls aren't his main concern. "Our focus will not be on polls and horserace politics," he said. "It will be on continuing to build a strong grassroots campaign that is organizing people in every corner of the state."He declined to answer when I asked if the campaign saw Thompson as the Feingold's biggest threat. "No matter who the Republican Party puts forward in September, we will continue to talk with voters face-to-face about Russ' record of independence and his hard work to move our state forward." Kraus said.Kraus told me the campaign is already in full swing, and laying the groundwork for what could be a tough race. "We are doing our fourth statewide canvass this weekend in 57 communities across the state while Thompson makes plans for an exploratory committee," he said, referring to Thompson's early steps into the race announced last week. "Unlike any of our current or potential opponents, we have been tested," Kraus said. "We are ready."Late Update: NRSC spokesperson Eric Schultz responded to the Feingold camp's take on the recent polling. "It's interesting that the Feingold campaign would dismiss these polls while at the same time they've already started attacking Governor Thompson publicly," he said. "The reality is that they know, as we do, that Senator Feingold is vulnerable because his record of supporting the failed stimulus, supporting government run health care, and supporting more rights for captured terrorists stands at odds with a majority of voters in his state.""Whether its Governor Thompson or someone else who Republican voters choose as their candidate," he added, "we believe that this will be a very competitive race in November." Steve King Calls For Revolution In The Streets Of Washington To Stop Health Care Bill [New Window]
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) is calling for a new procedural solution to stop the health care bill: Have an angry mob of citizens storm Washington and prevent Congress from acting, in imitation of the Velvet Revolution that overthrew communist rule in Czechoslovakia!The Huffington Post interviewed King after his speech at today's "Code Red" anti-health care bill rally, a speech in which he called upon the crowd to "Storm this city, fill up Washington D.C., jam this capital so they can't move."Speaking to the Huffington Post shortly after his speech, King declared that a peaceful uprising, a la the successful overthrowing of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia on the streets of Prague in 1989 "would be fine with me.""Fill this city up, fill this city, jam this place full so that they can't get in, they can't get out and they will have to capitulate to the will of the American people," he said."So this is just like Prague under communist rule?" the Huffington Post asked."Oh yeah, it is very, very close," King replied. "It is the nationalization of our liberty and the federal government taking our liberty over. So there are a lot of similarities there." Busy Signal Or Breakthrough? Congressional Switchboards Flooded With Health Care Call Deluge [New Window]
Interns are scrambling to get the talking points right as the phones ring off the hook. Press secretaries' BlackBerries are running out of batteries from downloading hundreds of emails along the lines of, "Will your boss switch his vote?" Constituents asking about taxes aren't able to get through the clogged switchboards.In what seems to be the final (really!) push on health care reform on Capitol Hill, offices have been deluged with phone calls from across the country. They are pro-reform, anti-reform, blasting reconciliation or begging for an up-or-down vote - engaged voters who are attempting to influence the course of what will be a razor-close vote this weekend.No one has been more targeted than the 37 House Democrats who voted "No" the first time around on health care, the majority of which did so under the mantle of fiscal responsibility. They are prime gets for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and the White House, who need to peel off a few to make up for the lost votes due to retirements and a change in the abortion provisions in the legislation.At one point this week, the calls shut down the Congressional switchboard. Democrats would not release a tally of their organized effort but said the calls seems to surpass the record number set last fall.Rep. John Boccieri (D-OH) is still deciding if he'll switch his vote and support the final health care bill. And without a clear answer, activists from across the country are trying to register their say.On Monday Boccieri's office received 1,500 calls, nearly all of them about health care and substantially higher in volume than a normal day, according to Jessica Kershaw. A new staffer starting in the Washington office Monday logged 400 of those calls on her own, doing nothing but answering the phone. In addition, aides had 1,200 e-mails in their system sent over the weekend - more than twice the normal volume. Of the 1,500 calls, 985 were from people calling from outside of the district about health care. The office said many of them were run through an autodial system by various groups. When a real person of the eight answering phones isn't available, the calls kick into a general voicemail box. When that's full, staffers individual voicemails fill up. The calls are about evenly split on the pro-health care and anti-health care, though Boccieri would prefer to hear thoughts on health care coming from within his district, Kershaw said.Kershaw said the calls put the office at a standstill when trying to respond to constituent needs, adding: "If we can't get to those people it not only puts them at risk, it means we're not doing our job."We tried calling about a dozen other Democrats who voted against health care in the last 24 hours, getting a busy signal or full voicemail every time.TPM reader DP tells us he had a hard time getting his pro-health care message through to Rep. Jason Altmire's office as weary aides input his vote wrong into their system. After trying the Washington office and being greeted auto-recordings warning of full voicemail boxes, DP called one district office to say, "I'm calling the Congressman to urge him to SUPPORT the bill." The aide on the phone asked for his name and ZIP code and said, "And you want him to vote NO?" Finally he got through to register his support for health care.We documented similar problems last fall when supporters and opponents were phoning Senators.A Democratic source told me today that members are reporting the majority of the "No" votes are coming from outside of the district.The Democrats send over this highlight reel of news reports showing the DNC's Organizing for America grassroots efforts on health care:Follow every development this week on health care on our Countdown to Reform wire.Late Update: According to The Hill, the office of the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) told Congressional offices the system is "nearing capacity" and "It got critical enough whereby we notified all systems administrators throughout the House that the phone systems are overloading." Ed. note: This post has been edited from the original. Tea Party Crowd Calls For Pelosi To Be Tried For Treason (VIDEO) [New Window]
Scattered amongst the now-familiar chants, shouts and cackles at this morning's Code Red tea party-style rally on Capitol Hill (you know the drill -- "Kill the Bill!," "Shame!," etc) was a new line of attack on the Democratic health care reform package and the woman trying to bring it to final passage in the House, Nancy Pelosi. "Treason!" several in the audience yelled as Pelosi's "deem and pass" plan was criticized by speaker after speaker standing in the center of the circle of several hundred protesters. "Try her for treason!"Joe Lisanti, a physician from Ohio, was one of the loudest in the crowd calling for Pelosi to face charges for the deem and pass plan. See Lisanti explain his position in an interview with me after the jump."I would call that stepping on the Constitution," Lisanti said when I asked him why deem and pass rises to the level of a crime. "And when you take an oath to uphold the constitution and you don't? Yeah, I think you should be tried for treason."Watch:Lisanti said this was his fifth rally in DC to stop the reform process, which he said carried special meaning for him as a doctor."I took an oath to protect my patients," he said when I asked him why he keeps coming back. "And that's why I'm here."By a long shot, the rally was not the largest tea party gathering we've seen in DC as the movement has fought against health care. But most of the messaging and speaker line up was the same. The biggest difference? Instead of a large, angry crowds, this morning's rally was a small, angry crowd. As in the past, the crowd held signs calling the reform bill "Senior Genocide" and featuring images of a vampire-like Obama caricature stepping out of a coffin.The speakers were similar to ones we've seen in the past, too. The crowd cheered loudest for Rep. Michele Bachman (R-MN), who promised that conservatives will kill reform by the weekend, when Democratic leaders say they'll schedule a final House vote on a reform package. Bachmann was the star, but other conservative pols who have made it a habit of riding the tea party circuit in recent months also got their chance at the mics. Each tried to offer their own soundbite to the pack of reporters gathered at one end of the circle of protesters.Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), who's vying for the tea party vote to support a likely presidential bid, tried to use "Schoolhouse Rock" to make a point that reconciliation and deem and pass were not the way most people think "a bill becomes a law."Rep. Louis Gohmert (R-TX) decided to go with some gross-out humor when he described the the anti-choice crowd's objections to the bill. He brought a copy of what he said was the legislation with him and waved it high over his head."I'm sure that there are people here who think abortion is okay, and I don't want to make you sick" he said, according to video snagged by ThinkProgress, "but I brought an abortion to show you today."Other speakers included other tea party favorites like Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN). In her speech, Bachmann promised that tea partiers will remain in Washington for the rest of the week to press lawmakers to stop the reform bill in the homestretch. Obama Issues Veto Threats Over Intelligence Oversight During Sunshine Week [New Window]
The White House issued this statement from the President today: As Sunshine Week begins, I want to applaud everyone who has worked to increase transparency in government and recommit my administration to be the most open and transparent ever, an effort that will strengthen our democracy and ensure the public's trust in their government. We came to Washington to change the way business was done, and part of that was making ourselves accountable to the American people by opening up our government. We've put our White House visitor records on the Internet for the first time in history; opened up more government information than ever before on Data.gov, Recovery.gov and USAspending.gov; and issued an Executive Order fighting unnecessary secrecy, to name a few. We are proud of these accomplishments, but our work is not done. We will continue to work toward an unmatched level of transparency, participation and accountability across the entire Administration. At the same time, we learn this: The White House has renewed its threat to veto the fiscal 2010 intelligence authorization bill over a provision that would force the administration to widen the circle of lawmakers who are informed about covert operations and other sensitive activities. . . . In a letter sent to the senior members of the intelligence panels, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter R. Orszag said Gang of Eight notifications are made in only "the most limited of circumstances" affecting "vital interests" of the United States, arguing that the new requirement would "undermine the president's authority and responsibility to protect sensitive national security information." This after a year-long process in which the intelligence committee has significantly watered down their original intent. Glenn: To their credit, Congressional Democrats -- over the objections of right-wing Republicans -- have been attempting since the middle of last year to fix this serious problem, by writing legislation to severely narrow the President's power to conceal intelligence activities from the Senate and House Intelligence Committees and abolish the "Gang of Eight" process.  After all, those Committees were created in the wake of the intelligence abuses uncovered by the Church Committee in the mid-1970s, and their purpose is "to provide vigilant legislative oversight over the intelligence activities of the United States to assure that such activities are in conformity with the Constitution and laws of the United States."  But if they're not even told about what the Executive Branch is doing in the intelligence realm, then they obviously can't exert oversight and ensure compliance with the law -- which is the purpose of keeping them in the dark, as the last decade demonstrated. Yet these efforts to ensure transparency and oversight have continuously run into one major roadblock:  Barack Obama's threat to veto the legislation.  Almost immediately after leading Democrats on the Intelligence Committee unveiled their legislation last year, the Obama White House issued a veto threat with extremely dubious (and Bush-replicating) rationales:  such oversight would jeopardize secrecy and intrude into "executive privilege."  In response to Obama's veto threat, Democrats spent the last nine months accommodating the White House's objections by significantly diluting their legislation -- their new bill would actually retain the "Gang of Eight" briefings but impose notification and other oversight requirements -- and two weeks ago the House passed that diluted bill.  ... It's critical to note that this is far from an abstract concern, because the Obama administration has almost certainly been hiding intelligence activities from the Intelligence Committees, thus ensuring it operates without oversight.  Read this October, 2009 article from The Hill -- headlined:  "Feingold sees similarities between Bush and Obama on intelligence sharing" -- in which Senate Intelligence Committee Member Russ Feingold explains "his suspicion that the Obama administration is continuing some of the stonewalling practices of the George W. Bush administration when it comes to providing full intelligence briefings to the relevant committees in Congress."  And indeed, all year long, there's been a series of disclosures about highly controversial intelligence programs that appear to be "off-the-books" and away from the oversight of the Intelligence Committee.  In late January, it was revealed that the President was maintaining a "hit list" of American citizens he had authorized to be assassinated far from any "battlefield," followed by yesterday's story describing the use of shadowy private contractors to collect intelligence in Pakistan and Afghanistan. A true departure from the practices of the Bush administration would not just be paying lip service to transparency, but to actually provide it. Note that in the case of intelligence briefings, we're not even talking about public transparency--we're talking about a restoration to the checks and balances, restoring Congress's constitutional role of oversight. And it's not just on the national security and intelligence realms. From the torture photos to the private deal brokered with PhRMA in the health reform negotiations, the Obama administration has done a piss poor job on the transparency front in its first year.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:30:03 -0400 RGA nationalizing govs races [New Window]
The Republican Governors Association tying Dem. governors to an unpopular Washington.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:25:00 -0400 Why would they do that? [New Window]
At least for today, it appears that the global epicenter of stupid is in Washington, DC, where they are buzzing manically about Speaker Pelosi's diabolical plan to pass health care reform without actually having a vote on the Senate health care bill. The implication -- that the House will approve health reform without voting on it -- is utterly baseless as David Waldman detailed earlier today. There will be a vote on health care reform, and nobody is suggesting otherwise. But, as David has explained before, the final vote in the House won't be a simple vote on the Senate health care bill. Instead, it will be a vote on a resolution which effectively passes and amends the Senate health care bill at the same time. So why don't Democrats do it the FNC/RNC way and have the final vote be on the Senate bill? Simple: because the Senate bill is not the final health care reform measure. And the House is working to structure its final vote to ensure that the Senate bill does not become law without being amended. In so doing, the House is trying to do the responsible thing, eliminating any chance of the Senate bill passing without reconciliation fixes, thereby making sure that we end up with the best possible policy. Sure, the House could trust the Senate to do the right thing. But if they can structure things to make sure the Senate does the right thing, why shouldn't they? Obviously, it creates an opportunity for Republicans to attack, but anything Democrats do creates an opportunity for attack. More importantly, this isn't about politics. Everybody knows there will be a vote. No matter what, people will know who was for reform and who was against reform. The question is whether we'll end up with the best possible reform package, and the approach being worked on in the House is merely an effort to ensure that we do.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:40:04 -0400 House Conservative Leader Endorses Rubio In Florida Senate Race [New Window]
Marco Rubio has further solidified his support among Washington conservatives for the Florida Republican Senate primary. Rubio's campaign has announced the endorsement of Rep. Tom Price (R-GA), head of the conservative Republican Study Committee.Price's statement doesn't directly mention Gov. Charlie Crist, the GOP moderate who was the initial frontrunner in this race, but has a clear attack on Crist for supporting the stimulus. And Price hints that we can't trust Crist on opposing Obama on health care, either: "I have full confidence Marco will stand with Republicans against big government disasters like the stimulus and ObamaCare. The last thing we need in the Senate is someone who will abandon our Party and undercut our efforts to limit government and take care of taxpayer dollars." Bipartisanship at last! GOP demands up-or-down vote on health care! [New Window]
Here's something I bet you thought you'd never see! According to GOP aides, the resolution would require the House to hold an up-or-down vote on the Senate healthcare bill. What? Republicans demanding an up-or-down vote on healthcare? Huzzah! But what could possibly be going on here? We need more context. House GOP leaders will try to force the House to vote on the Senate’s healthcare bill. Rep. Parker Griffith (R-Ala.), who defected from the Democratic Party last December out of frustration on healthcare, will offer a resolution barring Democratic leaders from using the so-called “Slaughter solution.” Ah, I get it now! Republicans think they deserve to have an up-or-down vote on the Senate bill, but the Senate doesn't! Why are we going through this self-executing rule exercise in the first place? Because Senate Republicans won't allow an up-or-down vote on making the changes contained in the fix bill. If they'd agree to an up-or-down vote on that, then the House could drop the self-executing rule (scary!) plan and the use of reconciliation (nuclear!) completely, and we could just have a good ol' fashioned who's-got-the-most kind of vote. Which Republicans would then lose. Which is why they instead find themselves shamelessly screaming for up-or-down votes on healthcare, after all this time dedicating themselves to preventing exactly that. You really can't make this stuff up.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:50:04 -0400 Kirk predicts one term for Obama [New Window]
Speaking at a Republican dinner in suburban Chicago, Republican Senate candidate Mark Kirk predicted Preisdent Obama would be defeated in 2012.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:48:23 -0400 Former Obama Campaign Staffer Hildebrand Could Run Against Rep. Herseth Sandlin In Dem Primary [New Window]
Steve Hildebrand, a former top staffer to the Obama campaign in 2008, says that he could potentially run against Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) in the Democratic primary -- if she doesn't vote for health care reform."I want to see how she votes on health care," Hildebrand, a native South Dakotan, told CNN. "If the vote is very, very close and we lose it or come close to losing it, I will take a seriously look at challenging her."Hildebrand said he has not spoken to the Obama administration, nor to South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson or former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle. He said that if he does decide to run he will have a "conversation with them." However, he added: "But I would not expect them to go against an incumbent within their party." Presented By: [New Window]
Michael Moore: Dems 'Were Handed The Ball And Couldn't Take It 10 Yards Down The Field' [New Window]
The only way Democrats may be able to salvage November, according to Michael Moore, is to "find their courage" this week, add a public option back to the health care bill and start passing as much liberal legislation as possible."Maybe they won't win. But their boat is sinking. And when your boat is sinking, I think you have to take radical measures to stop it," Moore said in an interview with TPMDC. "Don't just sit there and watch it sink." Moore, who's promoting the DVD release of his latest movie, said he'd like to film the midterm elections. Watching Democrats explain what they've done for the past two years, he laughed, will be "one of the greatest comedies." "I can only sit here and imagine how they're gonna run," he said. "They were handed the ball and couldn't take it 10 yards down the field. They're in for a huge ass-whooping." We asked Moore if the current health care bill is better than none at all. "I just feel bad to hear a question like that, that that's what we've come to in this country. We accept the lowest possible way that we can do things," he said. What about instituting a universal single-payer system, something Moore advocated for in his 2007 movie Sicko, through a Congress that balked at a watered-down public option? According to Moore, all it takes is courage. "We've been lied to for so long, and it works," he said. "It's amazing to watch a lie work. Only a strong leader, only a Roosevelt could confront this." The way to convince the people? Tell them it'll save them money. "They're gonna have more money in their bank account at the end of the year," Moore said. "I think the American people will absolutely go for it." As proof, he said, look at the recent rate hikes by insurance companies. "Imagine Obama saying in front of a microphone, telling America he was gonna increase taxes 40 percent. There'd be riots in the streets," Moore said. "But if a corporation comes along and decides to tax people by raising their premiums by 56 percent, people feel helpless and lost and nothing happens." "It's immoral to attach profit motive" to health care, he said. The only way to fix it is to "remove the insurance companies." "It's the only way to really pull ourselves out of the mess we're in." Midday Open Thread [New Window]
Get your bids in now because the Netroots Nation spring auction closes today. There really isn't anything that the Party of No will support: A group of Republicans this afternoon will meet with reporters to protest the Democrats’ plans to eliminate tens of billions of dollars in government subsidies to private companies that lend to students. The Democrats’ bill would have students borrow directly from the U.S. Treasury, which makes sense to supporters because it’s the Treasury that currently assumes all the risk for those loans anyway — a boon to private companies that assume no risk. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that eliminating the private middleman will save $67 billion over the next decade, most of which will go toward expanding college scholarships to low-income students. Birther queen Orly Taitz is still on the hook for the $20,000 fine levied against her last year for filing frivolous lawsuits. Do you want to get under Karl Rove's skin? Talk about his family. What are independent voters thinking? Of the independents polled in Colorado, New Hampshire, and Nevada by Benenson Strategy on behalf of the Service Employees International Union for a survey released Monday afternoon, 32 percent said they'll vote for a Democrat, 33 percent said they'll vote for a Republican, and 34 percent were unsure. And they didn't like either party's performance in Congress, but a clear advantage went to Democrats: independents: Dems collected a 33 percent approval/64 percent disapproval rating; Republicans, 26 percent approval/71 percent disapproval. [...] And they want Congress to do something on health care: 69 percent of Independents said that health care is "an urgent problem that requires immediate action" or "serious problem that should be dealt with as soon as possible"--though 63 percent said Democrats had cut "too many deals with special interest groups such as pharmaceutical companies" as a prime complaint with health reform. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) calls the health care reform bill "an abortion," while pandering to a crowd of teabaggers. From those crazy kids at Conservapedia: Conservapedia deftly navigates once again, between the shoals of 10th century scholarship, and disassociative schizophrenia. Dedicated or nuts ... you make the call. Folks in Southern California got an early wake-up call this morning, courtesy of a 4.4 earthquake. No damages or injuries were reported. It's a political junkie's dream come true: Researchers, political satirists and partisan mudslingers, take note: C-Span has uploaded virtually every minute of its video archives to the Internet. The archives, at C-SpanVideo.org, cover 23 years of history and five presidential administrations and are sure to provide new fodder for pundits and politicians alike. The network will formally announce the completion of the C-Span Video Library on Wednesday. Ezra Klein has a few words about David Brooks' latest realty-challenged op-ed: Brooks isn't wrong in the sense that "I disagree with him." He's wrong in the sense that the column requires a correction.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:02:05 -0400 Republicans Continue Fight on Process [New Window]
In the House, Republicans are going to do their damnedest to derail the health insurance reform bill by trying to force a vote on whether Pelosi can use a self-executing rule. "If passed by the House, the resolution would prohibit Speaker Pelosi from implementing the ‘Slaughter Solution,’ the scheme by which Democratic leaders are seeking to ‘deem’ the Senate bill as passed without an actual vote in the House," said Michael Steel, a spokesman for the Republican leader, Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio. That's the "scheme" that Republicans used dozens of times when they had control of the House, of course. Over on the other side of the Hill, Senate Republicans are still whining about reconciliation, and even have enlisted Bobo to the cause. I'll let Ezra do the debunking since he did it so well. But none of Brooks's evidence is true. Literally none of it. The budget reconciliation process was used six times between 1980 and 1989. It was used four times between 1990 and 1999. It was used five times between 2000 and 2009. And it has been used zero times since 2010. Peak reconciliation use, in other words, was in the '80s, not the Aughts. The data aren't hard to find. They were published on Brooks's own op-ed page. Nor has reconciliation been limited to bills with "significant bipartisan support." To use Brooks's example of the tax cuts, the 2003 tax cuts passed the Senate 50-50, with Dick Cheney casting the tie-breaking vote. Two Democrats joined with the Republicans in that effort. Georgia's Zell Miller, who would endorse George W. Bush in 2004 and effectively leave the Democratic Party, and Nebraska's Ben Nelson. So I'd say that's one Democrat. One Democrat alongside 49 Republicans. That's not significant bipartisan support.... To recap, Brooks argued that reconciliation is being used more frequently, and that past reconciliation bills, like Bush's tax cuts and prescription drug benefit, were significantly bipartisan. Reconciliation is, in fact, being used less frequently, past reconciliation bills like the tax cuts were not significantly bipartisan by any stretch of the imagination, and the prescription drug benefit did not go through reconciliation. Brooks isn't wrong in the sense that "I disagree with him." He's wrong in the sense that the column requires a correction. David Brooks? Correction? Yeah, that'll happen. Since the GOP's case against the use of reconciliation is so weak that they have to rely on Bobo to lie about it for them, they need an ace in the hole to derail this, and to that end they only hope to bury it in amendments [sub req.]: Senior Republican leadership aides were reluctant to divulge the number of amendments Senators are prepared to file. But given that reconciliation rules prevent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) from limiting amendments to such a bill, the GOP is looking to upend the Democrats’ health care agenda by proposing an unspecified number of changes. "There is a healthy batch of amendments that were excluded from the health care debate that will serve as a down payment," a senior Republican Senate aide said Monday. "But it is safe to say our Conference has plenty of other ideas that are being put to paper." Ideas that they hope will make Dems have to take a whole lot of politically difficult votes. Which is precisely why the House doesn't trust the Senate, and has to go to the lengths of things like self-executing rules. If nothing else, this prolonged debate has shown just how deeply broken our system is, that it can be hijacked by a bunch of nihilists who want nothing to do with governing. Of course, if Obama and every other Democrat with a microphone pointed out that this is what the modern Republican party has become--a bunch of bomb-throwers who think government is the problem--instead of persisting in the delusion that they the loyal opposition who need to be reached out to and who have ideas worthy of consideration, it might be easier to govern around them.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:16:05 -0400 Romney backs Haley in S.C. [New Window]
Former Massachusetts Republican Gov. Mitt Romney endorsed South Carolina state Rep. Nikki Haley's campaign for governor Tuesday, lending his support to the conservative underdog in a key 2012 primary state.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:59:31 -0400 FreedomWorks backs Castillo [New Window]
FreedomWorks PAC backed financial adviser David Castillo for the House seat of retiring Democrat Brian Baird Tuesday, raising the prospect of a divisive Republican primary between Castillo and Washington state Rep. Jaime Herrera.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:46:41 -0400 Stupid headline tricks [New Window]
WaPo: House may try to pass Senate health-care bill without voting on it The Hill: Dems move closer to passing Senate bill without actual vote These two headlines are going to be difficult to explain when the House holds its vote. How do they plan on reconciling the fact that they're reporting on an actual vote, expected to take place later this week, when they've already reported that there won't be one? The answer, of course, is that there will be a vote, and the headlines are misleading and inflammatory. Meanwhile, confusion (willful and otherwise) fans the flames of panic on both the left and the right, the right insisting that self-executing rules (not counting the 200+ Republicans used) are, "the greatest constitutional crisis since the Civil War. It would be 100 times worse than Watergate," and the left worrying that the procedure creates constitutional problems. But both sides make a single fundamental error, which I'll illustrate with Jack Balkin's example, that leads to all the rest: Ezra Klein reports that Speaker Nancy Pelosi hopes to avoid asking House Democrats to vote directly on the Senate health care reform bill; instead, she will incorporate the bill by reference in the House reconciliation bill, which will then be sent to the Senate [....] Whether or not it provides plausible deniability, is it consistent with the Constitution? Stanford Law Professor (and former judge) Michael McConnell doesn't think so. The argument is simple: To satisfy Article I, section 7's requirement of bicameralism and presentment, both houses must pass the same bill for the President to sign. If they pass different bills, no law is created, even if the President signs both. The first flawed premise in Balkin's opening is that he believes the Senate health care reform bill will be incorporated by reference in the House reconciliation bill. It will not. Instead, the rule governing consideration of the reconciliation bill will incorporate a motion to agree to the Senate bill (actually a Senate-amended House bill). Agreeing to such a motion is perfectly routine and perfectly legitimate. The House will be presented with the opportunity to vote up or down on a measure incorporating that motion, and by adopting it will in turn adopt a procedure for agreeing to exactly the same text as the Senate passed, which will be triggered by the House's recording of a vote in favor of passage of the reconciliation bill. At no point does the House amend or otherwise alter the text of H.R. 3590 as amended by the Senate. The requirements of the Constitution are satisfied. Mark Levin, complaining from the right, asks incredulously: They're going to present a rule issued by [Rep. Louise Slaughter's] committee, with her as chairman, that says that the House already adopted the Senate bill, when we know it didn't? He'd be right to be incredulous if his premise were correct. It isn't. The rule will not say that the House already adopted the Senate bill. It will say that the House, by adoption of the rule, agrees that it will manifest its assent to the Senate bill with its vote on reconciliation bill. Can it do that? Yes it can. The House, under its constitutional prerogative stemming from Art. I, Sec. 5, determines its own rules of proceeding. All the Constitution requires of it is that approval of bills be signaled by a recording of the yeas and nays in its Journal, and that the same text be agreed to by both houses of Congress. By agreement under the rule, the House will indeed signal its agreement by the yeas and nays to the language of the Senate bill, but it will do so with its vote on the reconciliation bill. But isn't that odd? A bit. Could the House signal its agreement to the Senate bill with its vote on a bill establishing National Unicorn Day? Yes it could, so long as the procedure is agreed to by a majority of the House beforehand, the yeas and nays are recorded on the Journal, and the text of the Senate bill itself remains unchanged in the action. And that's exactly what happens here. It's no different in that sense than when the Senate agrees by unanimous consent to a House-passed bill. Or when the House takes up a motion to agree to the Senate version of a bill, as opposed to bringing the bill itself to the floor and voting on that. The House determines for itself, through its own rules, whether it will accept a Senate bill by calling it to the floor and voting on it directly, or instead by agreeing to a motion to agree to the Senate version. In one case, the vote is on a pending bill. In the other, the vote is on a procedural motion. But either will do, thanks to Art. I, Sec. 5, and the idea that that would suddenly be constitutionally suspect endangers probably 50% or more of the entire body of federal law. To Balkin's credit, he proposes later in the piece a method by which "deeming" the Senate bill passed would be acceptable: Despite Judge McConnell's concerns, which are textually well founded, there is a way that "deem and pass" could be done constitutionally. There have to be two separate bills signed by the President: the first one is the original Senate bill, and the second one is the reconciliation bill. The House must pass the Senate bill and it must also pass the reconciliation bill. The House may do this on a single vote if the special rule that accompanies the reconciliation bill says that by passing the reconciliation bill the House agrees to pass the same text of the same bill that the Senate has passed. That is to say, the language of the special rule that accompanies the reconciliation bill must make the House take political responsibility for passing the same language as the Senate bill. The House must say that the House has consented to accept the text of the Senate bill as its own political act. At that point the President can sign the two bills, and it does not matter that the House has passed both through a special rule. The luckiest part of this whole thing? That's exactly what the plan actually is: Option 3: Place self-executing language in the rule for the reconciliation bill that deems the Senate amendments agreed to upon passage of the actual reconciliation bill in the House. [...] The Speaker took care to say that nothing's been finalized in terms of this decision, but her preference is clearly for #3. Freak out over. You may resume your normal level of confusion. But there will be a vote, and the dopes who have run headlines saying there won't be would have some explaining to do when the vote is held and they report it. Except that no one will demand that of them, because ... uh...
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:30:04 -0400 Crist slams Dem health care plan [New Window]
The Florida governor, who's trailing in his Senate bid, says “we ought to do better" on health reform.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:00:35 -0400 Teabaggers Want To Recall Bob Menendez [New Window]
From the you-can't-make-this-stuff-up files: A New Jersey appeals court is allowing a conservative tea party group to proceed with an effort to throw a Democratic U.S. senator out of office. The three-judge panel Tuesday ordered the secretary of state to accept the group's petition seeking to recall Sen. Robert Menendez. That allows the tea party activists to begin collecting the 1.3 million voter signatures they need to get a recall on the ballot. The court said they'll cross any Constitutional bridges if the petition drive is successful. Update: The court's opinion is here. The Court stated that It was "disinclined to allow the process to go forward, and the citizens of this State to believe they are participating in a recall process, if it is certain that the court would have to decide, shortly thereafter, that the process was manifestly unconstitutional," but that contrary to what you might have believed it wasn't completely certain that a recall of a United States Senator would be unconstitutional. You'll see the Court's analysis of this on pages 20-27 of the opinion, focusing on language from the 1995 term limits case that "'the people should choose whom they please to govern them" and that "this case deals with neither the qualifications clause nor with handicapping the electorate or its choice; even a recalled Senator could run for reelection." The Court summarized as follows: In sum, there are a host of genuine arguments and counterarguments that can be articulated and debated about whether or not the Federal Constitution would permit a United States Senator to be recalled by the voters under state law. There is no express textual answer to this debate in the United States Constitution. Nor is there any precedent from the United States Supreme Court squarely on point. The briefs and arguments in this appeal do not convince us that we can safely predict what the United States Supreme Court would do if it were presented with the issue. Although many commentators have suggested that such recall measures are, in fact, invalid, such analyses involve debate about the true meaning and intent of the Framers. Against this backdrop of uncertainty about the preemptive contours of the Federal Constitution, we must also consider the fundamental significance of our State's own constitutional charter, and the overwhelming majority of voters who approved the recall measure in 1993. We live in a State that has a rich tradition, particularly since our modern State Constitution was adopted in 1947, of recognizing individual rights that often go beyond the bare minimums conferred by the Federal Constitution. Time and time again, our courts have identified and enforced rights of the people of our State that emanate from our own constitution and that are not embodied, or guaranteed to the same degree, in the United States Constitution. ... Typically, such issues have arisen in the contexts where the New Jersey Constitution confers greater protection than cognate rights in the Federal Constitution, rather than a case such as this one involving structural provisions of the respective Constitutions. Even so, we do not treat lightly defendants' request that we declare the words of our State Constitution to be irreconcilably in conflict with federal law, and absent clear precedent that compels such a declaration, we are loathe to strike down a component of our State's charter that fortifies the democratic role of our citizens. In short, our State Constitution, and the democratic process that produced it, deserves our utmost respect unless federal law clearly and definitively trumps it. Given the will of the people embodied in our State organic law, and the dearth of clear precedent nullifying the people's enactments, we accordingly decline at this juncture to find our State constitutional provision and related statute permitting recall of a United States Senator to be unconstitutional. We, as an intermediate appellate court, like the Secretary of State, are sworn to uphold the State Constitution as well the federal, and we have a duty to endeavor to reconcile the provisions of the Constitutions so long as we also recognize the Supreme Law of the Land. Essentially, the Court decided that the question wasn't so clear as to allow the Secretary of State to not even accept the signatures, should they be so gathered. Urging the need for judicial restraint, the Court concluded: "There is, and there will be, no necessity for our courts to resolve this difficult constitutional issue if the Committee's petition drive fails to collect the necessary, approximately, 1,300,000 signatures. Pending that possible eventuality, we see no urgent reason to now decide the question of invalidity or validity with finality. All we need to decide, as we have done, is whether there is a sufficient basis for the Committee to proceed with its initiative and for the Secretary of State to perform her ministerial function." -- Adam B
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:00:04 -0400 Dems On GOP Complaints About Rules: You Started It! [New Window]
Democrats are pushing back against Republican indignation over the potential path the House will use to pass health care reform this week. Despite Republicans insisting the "deem and pass" tactic is totally unprecedented, it's a maneuver the GOP should actually be familiar with.The Democratic National Committee sends over a 2006 article from Roll Call with stats showing how the Republicans actually "set new records" for writing House floor rules that allow leadership to pass their bills with an easier path.The article shows that this year Democrats are actually using a smaller percentage of rules that fall into this category than Republicans used when they were in charge under former President George W. Bush.Rank-and-file members are being told not to engage with Republicans on debates about process. Democratic leadership sent members a memo obtained by TPMDC warning that procedural tactics are "inside baseball" and defending against them won't help them politically.But to get down to basics, House leadership is considering several options in hopes of giving their members the easiest route to pass health care reform. They haven't made a final decision yet, but as Brian detailed here earlier Rules Committee Chair Louise Slaughter and Speaker Nancy Pelosi would prefer to use what's known as a "self-executing rule."Simply put, that would allow the Democrats to take just one vote instead of two on the Senate health care bill and a reconciliation fix passage that makes changes to the things the House doesn't like in the Senate measure. Leadership aides tell TPMDC the House does not have the votes to pass the Senate plan, so this complicated rule might actually help them get health care over that final hurdle.Still, the Republicans are crying foul, with conservative bloggers calling the process "wreckonciliation" and portraying the possibility as without precedent. But the facts prove that wrong.Democratic leadership aides sent around this piece from Time's Karen Tumulty about Rules Committee ranking Republican Rep. David Dreier complaints. Tumulty crowns Dreier (R-CA) the king of using the procedure, dubbing it in fact, the "Dreier Doctrine."That hasn't stopped Republicans from giving the potential tactic to consider the Senate bill as having passed without a vote the scary name of the "Slaughter Solution."From the Roll Call piece, written June 19, 2006:Former House GOP Rules Committee Chief Of Staff Don Wolfensberger: Republicans "Set New Records" For Using Self-Executing Rule. Self-executing rules began innocently enough in the 1970s as a way of making technical corrections to bills. But, as the House became more partisan in the 1980s, the majority leadership was empowered by its caucus to take all necessary steps to pass the party's bills. This included a Rules Committee that was used more creatively to devise procedures to all but guarantee policy success. The self-executing rule was one such device to make substantive changes in legislation while ensuring majority passage. ... When Republicans took power in 1995, they soon lost their aversion to self-executing rules and proceeded to set new records under Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.). There were 38 and 52 self-executing rules in the 104th and 105th Congresses (1995-1998), making up 25 percent and 35 percent of all rules, respectively. Under Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) there were 40, 42 and 30 self-executing rules in the 106th, 107th and 108th Congresses (22 percent, 37 percent and 22 percent, respectively). Thus far in the 109th Congress, self-executing rules make up about 16 percent of all rules."The Democrats also point to Thomas Mann of the Brookings Institution, telling the Washington Post the "deem and pass" move isn't so unusual. For example, it was used to ban smoking on domestic airline flights, Mann told the Post.Ed. note: This post has been edited from the original. Anger At Democrats Fueling Pro-Immigration Protest In DC [New Window]
While most of the attention in Washington will be on the health care debate this week, both sides of the immigration debate are gearing up for a massive rally on Sunday that pro-reform advocates hope will put the plight of millions of immigrants back on the Washington agenda.Organizers say more than 50,000 immigrant advocates from across the country will gather on March 21 on the national Mall in DC to demand what organizers say say was a Democratic promise back in 2008 to pursue comprehensive immigration reform. Organizers of the rally say the immigrant community is extremely frustrated by the pace of reform, and worries its agenda will get tossed by the wayside by politicians afraid that taking up the issue will cost them dearly in November. To that argument, organizers of the rally have a simple retort for Democrats: pass reform now, or lose Latino support in November."I cannot tell you how angry and outraged people are," Gabe Gonzalez, lead organizer of the rally told me when I asked him about frustration with Democrats from immigration advocates. "I have conversations with my progressive friends and they're always surprised at how visceral it is."A spokesperson for America's Voice, one of the groups leading the rally, told me that the pro-reform fervor has led thousands to give up their weekends to cross the country by bus for the D.C. rally. More than 700 buses are expected to roll into the city over the weekend, some from as far away as Chicago. The name of the rally suggests the frustration of immigration advocates: "Change Takes Courage."Gonzalez said that the Latino community -- a key proponent of immigration reform -- turned out in huge numbers for Democrats, including President Obama, in 2008 and watched with dismay as their issue slipped further and further down the legislative priority list. Five weeks ago, with the middterms looming, immigration reform advocates realized that they had to act. So they turned to an old playbook. In 2006, millions of immigrants and pro-reform advocates filled the streets across the country to call for comprehensive reform as millions were pouring across America's southern border to seek work. The issue in 2006 was "criminalization," Gonzalez told me. Back then, the right was pushing for stricter laws that Gonzalez said eventually cost the GOP its chance at the Latino vote. This time around, the concern among immigrant groups is the destruction of families."There are thousands of children of immigrants who have nightmares about, you know, 'people coming to take my mom away'" he said. "It's about this real suffering that's going on here -- it's got to stop." Gonzalez says all immigration advocates want is for the politicians who promised reform to act on that promise. On Sunday, the marchers will call for a blueprint for reform and a timetable for how it will move forward. "If we don't see those things, people are going to be mad and they're going to express openly who they're mad at," he said when I asked him what the tone of Sunday's rally will be. If Democrats signal they're serious about moving forward with reform, "I don't think you'll see that kind of anger," Gonzalez said. "You'll see a wary willingess to work with them."Gonzalez said the plan to back to the streets is already working pro-reform advocates.As the rally looms, there's evidence that he's right. Last week, President Obama met with Latino leaders and assured them that he was still focused on getting reform accomplished. And the two Senators charged with creating the next generation of immigration legislation, Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsay Graham (R-SC), say they're close to laying out their framework for a new bill. But it's no secret that the health care debate has taken over the legislative agenda over the past year, leaving little room for any other bills, let alone one likely to be as controversial as immigration reform. Graham has said that health care reform, which Democrats hope to finally pass in the next week, could derail the immigration effort before it starts in earnest.Gonzalez said immigration reform advocates are not going to take no for an answer. He said that Democratic politicians who fail to advance a reform bill could find themselves without the support of the key Latino constituency in the fall. He acknowledged that most of the political leverage for Latinos comes on the Democratic side of the aisle, which puts pressure on advocates like Gonzalez to move immigration reform forward now or miss their chance if the Republicans do well in the midterms. "The first marker for us would be a blueprint [for a bill] and a timeline [for debate]," Gonzalez said when I asked him about his goals for Sunday's march. "But we feel like we've created a real momentum here and we're not about to give it up if we get the first bit done." GOP Senate Candidate In Nevada Boasts Of Anti-Union Vote That Never Happened [New Window]
Sue Lowden, a candidate for the Republican nomination to run against Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), recently boasted that she single-handedly stopped a pro-union bill when she was in the state Senate. The problem, as the Reno Gazette-Journal discovered, is that this never actually happened."I was a state senator in this very difficult time of right to work," Lowden said. "You know, was it going one way or another? And it went right through the Assembly. It passed that the state would not be a right-to-work state. And I stopped it in the Senate."However, the Gazette-Journal found, there was no such bill that came anywhere close to passage. The closest example was in 1995, there was a bill that would have guaranteed a right to join a union. It failed in the Senate by 15-3, and did not make it to the Assembly at all.Lowden has admitted her error, the paper reports:"I absolutely want to clarify that," she said. "We've gone over the records meticulously, which maybe I should've done before I said anything. It was my vivid recollections of so many close votes. That's how I remembered it, but the record doesn't show it."She chalked the mistake up to the 15-year time lapse and the fact that she was the swing vote on many important issues in the 1993 session. Her election to the Legislature in 1992 swung control of the Senate to Republicans."We had a lot of 11-10 votes," she said. Blanche Lincoln Ad: I Don't Work For The Unions (VIDEO) [New Window]
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), who is facing a primary challenge from her left, has a new TV ad that takes an unusual step for a Democrat: Attacking labor unions, after they went after her first.In her new TV spot, Lincoln responds to a spot by unions supporting Lt. Gov. Bill Halter in the Democratic primary, which declared that Lincoln is "working for them. Not us.""So, who's the 'us' that I'm not working for?" Lincoln asks rhetorically. "That ad is paid for by a bunch of Washington, D.C., unions. And they're right. I'm not working for them -- I work for you." Presented By: [New Window]
NRCC Releases Attack Ad For Post-Health Care Era [New Window]
The National Republican Congressional Committee today released an ad it will run against Democrats who vote for the health care reform bill. The NRCC will run the ad after the health care vote, it said, during March Madness basketball games. The ad calls on specific Democrats to "Stop the corruption. Stop the madness." Watch: Boehner Moving To Force House Dems To Vote Directly On Senate Health Care Bill [New Window]
House Minority Leader John Boehner said in a statement today that Republicans are calling for an up-or-down House vote on the Senate health care bill, demanding that Democrats not use a self-executing "deem and pass" strategy (also called the "Slaughter solution") that would free them from having to actually vote on the Senate bill.Boehner called the Dems' strategy a "scheme" intended to allow them to "hide from their constituents."The Democratic strategy, as Brian explained earlier:Instead of requiring Democrats to take separate votes on the Senate health care bill and the reconciliation fix, a self-executing rule would allow the House to do the whole thing in a single vote. The rule would be written in such a way as to "deem" the Senate bill passed, if the House votes to pass the reconciliation bill. And voila. Health care reform.Republicans have been criticizing Democrats for that strategy all day (even though they've used the same tactic a number of times themselves). And now Boehner has released a statement demanding they abandon it.This week, House Republicans intend to force a vote on a measure that would give the American people an up-or-down vote on the Senate health care bill. The 'Slaughter Solution' is the ultimate in Washington power grabs, a legislative ploy that lets Democrats defy the will of the American people while attempting to eliminate any trace of actually doing so. It shows you just how controversial this government takeover of health care has become that it takes a controversial maneuver just to vote on it. By supporting this resolution, Democrats can demonstrate that they will not try to hide from their constituents. About that homework assignment .... [New Window]
Oh, this is rich. Karl Rove on the current U.S.-Israel kerfuffle: “I think this is part of a broader problem with the Obama administration, and that is there doesn’t seem to be enough groundwork done before these international meetings that they don’t get caught by surprises like this,” Rove said on ABC’s “Top Line.” Yes, this from the "brain" of the administration that brought you the oh-so-well-planned Iraq war. In the same interview, he criticizes the Honduran leader for--hang on to your hat--being a "cowboy president" who violates the Constitution. And somehow this is Obama's fault. ROVE: We saw it in Honduras. Where rather than monitoring the situation, they [the Obama administration] let a cowboy president try to act in an extra-constitutional way to violate a fundamental principle in the Constitution, all without having done their homework in advance.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:30:04 -0400 Court: Menendez recall can proceed [New Window]
N.J. senator's lawyer had maintained senators can't be removed by recall. Court rules otherwise.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:23:25 -0400 Senate Republicans Warn That Reconciliation Will Endanger Bipartisanship ... No, Really [New Window]
Comedy: Republicans are threatening to make life difficult for Democrats if they try to push health care reform through the Senate using the budget reconciliation process. That's probably the funniest thing you'll read all day. Until, that is, you read Joe Lieberman's deep thought on the subject: It will make it a partisan and less productive place than it’s been, I’m afraid.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 13:00:06 -0400 Ehrlich teases Mikulski challenge [New Window]
Former Maryland Gov. Bob Ehrlich hinted Tuesday morning that he may be considering a campaign this year against Democratic Sen. Barbara Mikulski.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:49:51 -0400 Wilson ad: He's not 'silent' [New Window]
South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson is up with the first ad of his reelection campaign, featuring constituents praising the Republican for speaking out when "most people have been silent."
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:24:36 -0400 Rasmussen vs. Everybody Else [New Window]
The polls say health care reform is wildly unpopular, right? Well...not exactly. It's true that according to Rasmussen health care reform is wildly unpopular: But every other poll tells a different story -- that health care reform is steadily gaining support as the end game approaches: You can track the numbers for yourself at pollster.com.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:20:04 -0400 RNC moves to quell grumbling [New Window]
The RNC is reaching out to party strategists in an effort aimed at quelling complaints about the committee and its chairman, Michael Steele.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:06:07 -0400 Firm Tied to Murtha Earmarks Goes Dark [New Window]
16 Mar 2010 // A lobbying firm with close ties to the late Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) and a central player in some of the most questionable earmarks sponsored by Murtha appears to have closed its doors. More
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 10:02:12 -0400 School Libraries Suffer as Resources Disappear [New Window]
The books smell new. The computers are gleaming. The shelves are stocked. And there's always someone at the reference desk to answer a question or point a student in the right direction. Laura Kary-Smith feels good about the resources available to students. Because her school district has seen relatively stable growth over the last 10 years, local taxpayers have been willing to pay for some of what the state refuses to provide.In her case, it's a good school library.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:26:54 -0400 Another Simpson runs statewide [New Window]
State House Speaker Colin Simpson announced Monday he's entering the race to succeed Democrat Dave Freudenthal in the governor's office. Simpson, the son of former Republican Sen. Alan Simpson and the grandson of another senator, joins a GOP field that includes former state Rep. Ron Micheli, former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead and State Auditor Rita Meyer.
Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:21:26 -0400 Holder's Next Headache [New Window]
15 Mar 2010 // Corrupt politicians in Washington, take heart.The headlines are full of stories alleging criminal wrongdoing by members of Congress and other high-profile federal officialsSenator John Ensign of Nevada, Representative Charles Rangel of New York, most prominently.But theres no indication the Justice Department is doing much to put any of them behind bars anytime soon. More
Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:14:41 -0400 From Uganda to Minnesota: A Race to Save Food and Humanity [New Window]
A few days before the annual Academy Awards ceremony, scientists at the University of Minnesota decided to splurge, break out coffee and cookies, and celebrate the lifetime achievements of one of their own.Susan Dworkin, author ("The Nazi Officer's Wife", "Desperately Seeking Susan") playwright and journalist, was in town to discuss her new book, "The Viking in the Wheat Field" (Walker & Company). It traces the life of Bent Skovmand on his journey from rural Denmark to a farm in Minnesota, seven years of study at the University, and subsequent work to save more than 150,000 varieties of wheat seeds and grain genetics around the world.
Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:24:05 -0400 Ethics Panels Spending Is Below Budget [New Window]
15 Mar 2010 // Spending records indicate the Houses two-tier ethics process spent a combined $3.76 million in 2009, with both investigative bodies reporting spending less than their authorized budgets even as the number of inquiries appears to have significantly increased over the previous Congress. More
Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:16:11 -0400 Senate GOP Split Over Earmarks [New Window]
15 Mar 2010 // Senate Republicans, who remain deeply divided over how to handle the controversial issue of earmarks, will meet this week to hash out whether they should follow their House counterparts and impose a moratorium on the practice. More
Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:15:26 -0400 Renzi Corruption Trial Pushed to June [New Window]
15 Mar 2010 // Ex-Rep. Rick Renzi (R) will not go on trial for public corruption charges until June, after a federal judge agreed to once again postpone the case at the request of both federal prosecutors and the former Arizona lawmaker and his co-defendants. More
Mon, 15 Mar 2010 10:04:34 -0400 Altmire Targeted In Pro-Health Care Overhaul Ads [New Window]
15 Mar 2010 // Click here to watch a streaming video file of this story on ThePittsburghChannel.com.PITTSBURGH -- A new $1.3 million ad campaign will target 17 House Democrats this week urging them to support President Barack Obama's health care plan. More
Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:12:15 -0400 Dicks joins effort to ditch earmarks [New Window]
14 Mar 2010 // WASHINGTON -- As new chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's defense subcommittee, Rep. Norm Dicks will write a $700 billion Pentagon funding bill that has traditionally been crammed with more earmarks than any of the other dozen annual spending measures.That could be changing. More
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:27:13 -0400 Chief Information Officers Council Earns Award For Worst Open Government Performance [New Window]
14 Mar 2010 // Via George Washington Universitys National Security Archive:The Rosemary Award for worst open government performance, named after President Nixons secretary who erased 18 minutes of a crucial Watergate tape, this year goes to the Federal Chief Information Officers Council, the senior federal officials (responsible for $71 billion a year of IT purchases) who have never addressed the fa More
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:25:44 -0400 Dems: We will have the votes for heath reform [New Window]
14 Mar 2010 // The House will pass health care reform soon. DCCC Chairman Chris Van Hollen told Fox News' Chris Wallace Sunday that Democrats will have the votes to pass the Senate bill."The votes will be there," he said. "What is happening is our members are going back home to their constituents who are opening up their mail and getting these huge increases in their insurance premiums," he explained. More
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:24:19 -0400 Congress gets serious about curbs on earmarks [New Window]
14 Mar 2010 // Its been 15 years since a certain lawmaker from San Diego County stood up in Congress to denounce the practice of adding billions of dollars in earmarks onto federal appropriations bills. More
Sun, 14 Mar 2010 09:17:09 -0400 MN2020 Journal: A Bean Soup Recipe for the Progressive Policy Fight Ahead [New Window]
Spring, despite every Minnesotan's winter-worn despondency, seems determined to arrive. It's raining as I write, washing muddy snowpack from brown lawns. An early thaw should leave us exhilarated but instead, I find a bitterness blanketing Minnesota.We're witnessing an unusual grimness at the State Capitol. Governor Pawlenty and the State Legislative leadership dug-in early, recalling World War I's horrible, stagnant, middle years.Picking up the Wall Street Journal, trailed a day later by CNN, I learned that no fewer than 17 states are implementing the four-day school week simply because they, like Minnesota schools, don't have the money to properly educate children.
Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:06:46 -0500 Don't Confuse Budget Slashing with Greater Efficiency [New Window]
In a recent Star Tribune op ed, former gubernatorial candidate and current state auditor aspirant Patricia Anderson attempts to prop up Governor Pawlenty's property tax Ponzi scheme. Liberated from Ms. Anderson's ideological filter, the facts regarding city finances clearly demonstrate that Pawlenty's "no new tax" agenda has caused large increases in city property taxes and harmful cuts to city budgets.Anderson's analysis focuses on inflation-adjusted city spending data from 1999 to 2008. She divides this period into a Pawlenty period of 2004 to 2008 and a pre-Pawlenty period of 1999 to 2003. However, Governor Pawlenty succeeded in pushing through large state aid cuts in both 2003 and 2004; by marking the beginning of the Pawlenty era as 2004, Anderson omits two years of city aid cuts for which the Governor rightfully deserves credit. The appropriate baseline year for evaluating Pawlenty policies is 2002-the year before he got the keys to the executive mansion.
Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:03:57 -0500 School Finances on Decade-Long Starvation Diet [New Window]
For nearly a decade, Minnesota's leaders have kept education on a starvation diet. This diet has caused a desperation of spirit in our education system. Insufficient funds have forced schools to make bad choices just to provide their constitutional guarantee of an education for our children. Four-day school weeks, draw down of reserves, skyrocketing class sizes, continued cuts in the workforce, an ever-growing reliance on local levies--all evidence of starvation and desperation.Here is a look at the state of Minnesota school finances. Riding the wave of state financial surpluses in the late 1990s, Minnesota lawmakers cut back on property taxes and promised to fully fund education, leaving local property tax levies for any "extras" an individual district might wish to offer.
Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:06:26 -0500 The Nuclear Power Moratorium [New Window]
President Obama is pushing a new nuclear strategy for the United States, and now politicians in Minnesota are calling again for lifting the State's moratorium on new nuclear plants. Of course, nothing in the debate about nuclear power has changed except the politics. President Obama's movement on nuclear policy is really nothing more than an effort to reach out to Republicans when Democrats started to slide in the polls. It also comes at a time when Congress is preparing once again to debate comprehensive energy legislation. And now politicians in Minnesota want to use this political momentum to lift the moratorium. To be very clear, the current moratorium is in place because it was decided that there was no adequate solution to the long-term storage of nuclear waste, not because nuclear plants are too expensive to build. The cost-effectiveness of nuclear energy is not, and never was, reason to ban construction of new nuclear plants.
Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:11:45 -0500 Your Take: The Four-Day School Week & Girls' Athletics [New Window]
The Four-Day School WeekThanks for saying what needs to be said about the four-day school week. As a former teacher and a parent of recent high school graduates, I can say that it seems like cramming to get enough educational content into a five-day week. Every school day has a great amount of ``down`` time-lunch hour, time between classes, time to get students` attention, set up the day`s lesson for them, review, in-class ``work`` time, etc. This does not even count time out for pep rallies, announcements, snow days or late starts, and special speakers and presentations. Take time out for music lessons, visits to nurses or counselors, bathroom breaks and disciplinary interruptions, and it`s amazing students learn anything at all in school. Thanks again for the T.S. Eliot quote. If the skimping on funding continues, our schools will soon be left with only a whimper.Mary Sullivan
Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:03:49 -0500 MN 2020 Journal: Hamstringing Minnesota's Progress [New Window]
In short order, the General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) program will expire and 32,000 aid recipients will be transferred to the Minnesota Care health insurance program because the Minnesota State House of Representatives failed to override Governor Tim Pawlenty's veto of the program extension. We knew this was coming. The final vote contained all the drama of, say, the tide receding.What happened and who's responsible?Tactically, Governor Pawlenty and his conservative allies triumphed. By insisting that Minnesota's on-going budget deficits may only be balanced through budget cuts rather than revenue increases, conservative policy preserving a favorable tax burden responsibility among Minnesota's highest income earners, relative to the support borne by lower income earners, is preserved. But, it's more complicated than that.
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 09:02:28 -0500 "Freedom" Rhetoric Doesn't Change Minnesota's Bottom Line [New Window]
Each year, the State of Minnesota loses billions of dollars of revenue through "tax expenditures." In layman's terms "tax expenditures" represent tax breaks enacted by the legislature.Some tax expenditures make sense; for example, certain sales tax exemptions-most notably for food purchases-make basic necessities more affordable and reduce the regressivity, meaning the disproportionate impact on lower-income families, of the state's tax system. Other tax expenditures have little impact in terms of promoting identifiable policy goals and actually make the tax system more regressive. Rep. Keith Downey recently proposed an amendment to state law that would change all references from "tax expenditures" to "tax freedoms."
Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:02:14 -0500 Spring Flood Warnings a Reminder of Need for Federal Crop Protection [New Window]
If we're entering a typical year in Minnesota, some farmers will have spring plantings delayed and in some cases prevented by spring floods and wet fields before other farmers lose their crops from drought when blistering heat descends in mid summer.This is the typical experience in Minnesota where climatic conditions differ greatly, north to south, over the state's enormous land mass. Large areas of northwest, west-central, the Twin Cities and southeastern Minnesota are already on notice from the National Weather Service and Army Corps of Engineers that spring floods are likely should warm weather cause a quick melt of the heavy snow cover. Isolated crop disasters are an annual fact of farm life in Minnesota even when we close the year with record and near-record harvests - on average - for most of Minnesota agriculture.
Wed, 03 Mar 2010 08:12:06 -0500 Title IX a Great Success Story [New Window]
Ice hockey, basketball, softball - all great sports, all enjoyed by women throughout the U.S., and all have grown thanks to Title IX. The law is almost 40 years old and its successes are evident in almost every high school and college in Minnesota and the nation.Title IX requires schools and colleges receiving federal money to provide the same opportunities for girls as they do for boys. The effects in high school were remarkable. Just six years after the 1972 enactment of Title IX, the percentage of girls playing team sports had jumped from about 4 percent to 25 percent. One expert put the number of pre-Title IX women in high school athletics at 1 in 27, as opposed to today's 1 in 3.
Tue, 02 Mar 2010 07:49:29 -0500 Townships Victimized by Property Tax Shell Game [New Window]
Township property taxes have shot up during the so-called "no new tax" era. From 2002 to 2010, property taxes paid to Minnesota townships have increased by 68.0 percent in nominal dollars and by 23.7 in inflation-adjusted dollars. The rapid growth in township property taxes was not caused by real growth in town budgets, but by a cut in state dollars shared with townships.From 2002 to 2010, the revenue of Minnesota townships remained essentially flat. Thus, the growth in township property taxes over this eight year period is not the result of growing township budgets; rather, the single largest contributor to township property tax increases is declining state aid. From 2002 to 2010, state aid to Minnesota townships is projected to drop by 45.5 percent.
Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:53:54 -0500 MN2020 Journal: The Four-Day School Week is Failure Triumphant [New Window]
Minnesota's slowly accelerating slide to mediocrity picked up speed on Tuesday night as the North Branch school board held its final of three public hearings on switching to a four-day school week. This decision may be a small blip in the daily media cycle, but it's a great blow against kids, families and Minnesota's future.The four-day school week is exactly what it sounds like; four instructional days replacing five. That's four longer days, covering the material that used to be taught in five days. Doesn't matter if the kids are in first grade or twelfth, they're going to get everything minimally required in four longer days.
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:58:40 -0500 Hazelnut Farming in Minnesota: More Ground-Up Development [New Window]
Norm Erickson of Rochester is experimenting with a “mechanical hammer” that might become useful as a commercial nutcracker and nut sorter of locally bred and developed hazelnuts. An acquaintance over in Wisconsin is working on a “slingshot” approach in which hazelnuts are thrown against a hard wall to crack the shells.This is what people with vision do when they try to build a business, for themselves, and an industry, for the greater good, and all from the ground up.
Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:48:59 -0500 Better Public Transportation Means a Healthier Minnesota [New Window]
The way Americans travel might be at the grease-clogged heart of the country's obesity epidemic. In the coming months, Minnesotans have an opportunity to put in place a transit network that will better serve residents and encourage healthier lifestyles in the Twin Cities. The state's public transportation policy will have implications that will affect how Minnesotans travel for decades to come. The Obama administration's transportation bill has already allotted $45 million toward the construction of the new light-rail central corridor. Now it's up to the state's leaders to ensure a forward thinking transportation policy is set in motion.
Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:46:36 -0500 North Branch Parents, It's Time to Get Mad [New Window]
Four-day school weeks, once the last stop for cash-strapped rural school districts like Warroad and MACCRAY, are now finding their way into metro districts. North Branch is considering conversion to a four-day week next year. Can other financially troubled districts like Robbinsdale, Brooklyn Center or Minneapolis be far behind?The problem is simple. Minnesota has cut aid to schools by an inflation-adjusted 14 percent since 2003. None of the state's school districts can survive with that kind of a cut to their revenue unless they have very wealthy property owners who are willing to raise taxes to make up for the state's inadequate funding. Understandably, the number of those wealthy districts is few.
Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:46:46 -0500 Health Care Abroad: China [New Window]
Under the old socialist system, China used to have a grave-to-cradle health care system that lifted life expectancy from 35 in 1952 to 69 in 1982 despite extremely limited resources. After the transition to a market economy that started in the late 1970s, the old health care system was dismantled. In urban areas, hospitals were severed from their state-owned enterprise parents and were made to operate independently. In rural areas, the "barefoot doctors" lost incentives to carry on the old practices and either became profit-driven or changed professions. While the market economy has worked magic across many sectors in China, the experience of it in the health care system has been a disaster. Insurance coverage is inadequate for almost everyone except government officials while soaring medical prices have bankrupt many people with low or even middle level income.
Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:07:15 -0500 Telemedicine Possible Cure for Rural Outmigration [New Window]
Minnesota, like so many other states is struggling with out-migration in rural areas. Southwest Minnesota has been particularly hard hit with this as the region did not benefit from the "rural renaissance" of the 80s and 90s experienced in other parts of the state such as the Northeast region of Minnesota. As the overall population ages, it is expected that the 55-75 year population in non-metro areas will increase by 30% by 2020 and the 65+ age group will be the largest population group by 2030, it is increasingly important that we look at factors to counteract outmigration, especially of young people, in rural areas as well as health care solutions for the older population.In 2007 the Baltic Rural eHealth project was conducted in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. The research focused on the impact of eHealth or telemedicine on outmigration. In the U.S, similar, but smaller scale research has been conducted in Maine and Tennessee, as well as a study that looked at the outmigration effects of a North Dakota hospital closing. Little research has been done to see how eHealth or telemedicine could impact outmigration in Minnesota.
Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:13:38 -0500 MN2020 Journal: A Bad Idea is Still a Bad Idea [New Window]
However bad things are in Minnesota, State Representative Paul Kohls and State Senator Amy Koch, are determined to make them worse. They're the next in a long line of conservative policy leaders regularly proposing a constitutional amendment limiting state spending to collected revenue. Despite their calm assurances, this plan won't instill fiscal discipline anymore than rearranging the Titanic's deck chairs forestalled sinking.Kohls and Koch, in an op-ed column, advocate a disarmingly simple solution to a mind-numbingly complex problem. Minnesota's revenues--income generated from taxes and fees--are outpacing program spending. Revenue is down because economic activity is down. Minnesotans, like all Americans, are not buying, selling, reselling, financing, borrowing and spending they way we were even three years ago. Consequently, fees and taxes generated by business transactions are off as well.
Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:12:56 -0500 Minnesota's Health Care Coverage Slides [New Window]
Minnesotans large amount of people with health insurance has always been a point of pride. However, our pride is now being tarnished. According to a new report from the Minnesota Department of Health, more than 100,000 Minnesotans lost their health insurance from 2007 to 2009. As summarized by Alliance for a Better Minnesota, the report shows that the number of uninsured in the state swelled from 374,000 in 2007 to 480,000 in 2009, a growth of 28 percent in just two years.A recent Minnesota 2020 report, "On Our Way to Average: Ranking Minnesota's Economic Performance,", examined 13 different measures of economic performance and quality of life. Health insurance coverage was one of the few areas in which Minnesota's performance relative to other states did not show significant deterioration from 2002 to 2007; during this five year period, the percentage of Minnesota's population without health insurance grew by 1.3 percent over five years.
Wed, 17 Feb 2010 10:11:11 -0500 Minnesota Should Be Ready to Walk Away from the New NCLB [New Window]
The "No Child Left Behind" law is a failure in almost every respect. To its credit, it has called attention to the achievement gap. That's about the only good thing that can be said about the program - and even that comes with the caveat that NCLB did little to fix the problem.The less remembered about NCLB, the better. That's why Congress will likely dump the name "No Child Left Behind" when it reauthorizes the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, perhaps as soon as this year.
Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:40:55 -0500 Global Markets for Minnesota Syrup Makers a Sticky Situation [New Window]
Minnesota's maple syrup makers are busy "tapping" their trees, getting ready for the sap to run in March through early April and the start of production of one of the state's most unique and smallest food products.The local market for maple syrup is swamped by Canadian syrup, says Dave Rogotzke from Rogotzke's Simple Gifts at Duluth who produces and sells Northern Minnesota maple syrup and wild Alaskan salmon in regional markets. Artificial toppings of maple-flavored syrups that utilize far more of Minnesota's corn than local maple sap command an even bigger part of the market.
Mon, 15 Feb 2010 09:15:35 -0500 MN2020 Journal: Still Waiting for the Apology [New Window]
Nobody ritually apologizes quite as well as Japanese executives ritually apologize and certainly not Minnesota's state public policy leaders. Last week, Toyota chairman Akio Toyoda, stood before the world's media, bowed reverently and apologized for a poor break assemblies, failing break pedals and for mucking up the recall.Well, pretty much. Mostly, he avoided detailing specifics, focusing instead on regretting the shame he's brought on his family, his workers, his company and, probably, Japan, itself. As public rituals go, don't miss this one; it's terrific theater.Japan watchers promptly noted that Toyoda, the founder's grandson and in charge of Toyota since June, did not bow as deeply as his predecessors bowed during previous shameful public moments. Does this mean that Toyoda isn't feeling completely shamed or that he's retaining a little something for greater shame yet to come? I suspect the latter.Can you imagine Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty bowing and apologizing for eight years of poor policy leadership?Me neither.
Fri, 12 Feb 2010 13:07:08 -0500 Getting High Speed Rail on the Right Track [New Window]
On January 28, 2010 President Obama announced $8 billion in grants for high-speed rail throughout several regions in the US. Florida, California and Illinois were the big winners, but what happened to Minnesota? The distribution of dollars was determined by ridership, viability, and the thoroughness and commitment of individual states' plans. Service from Chicago to Madison, which is not currently served by Amtrak, received $823 million, while the remaining portion between Madison and the Twin Cities obtained roughly $1 million to be used for a route planning study. However, it establishes the foundation of a competitive system that will serve a heavily traveled corridor that sees roughly 16 daily one-way flights from Delta Airlines alone.
Thu, 11 Feb 2010 09:23:54 -0500 Latest School Funding Figures Reveal Same Dismal Trend [New Window]
You can tell a lot about a state's commitment to children and the future by its investment in education. Sadly, Minnesota's commitment has not been very strong as of late. Real per pupil school revenue in Minnesota continues to decline. This trend means less investment in the state's future workforce and less chance for a prosperous Minnesota in coming years and decades. From the beginning of the full state takeover of general education funding (FY 2003) to the end of the current biennium (FY 2011), statewide real per pupil school operating revenue is projected to fall by 4.4 percent, while real per pupil state operating aid is projected to decline by 14.4 percent.
Wed, 10 Feb 2010 11:36:34 -0500 A Federal Home Values Guarantee Program in the Works [New Window]
A plan to Minnesota 2020 proposed last year to save the housing market may now be going national. A federal home values guarantee plan for new home buyers similar to what Minnesota has considered has been drafted by staff on the House Financial Services Committee in Congress and is now being studied for potential cost.The proposed bill is simply labeled a "Discussion Draft" at this point. But it is generating discussion.
Tue, 09 Feb 2010 10:29:20 -0500 Schools Left Behind in Race to the Top [New Window]
Minnesota's schools are financially starved, but while President Obama offers billions of dollars through his Race to the Top initiative, they balk because Gov. Tim Pawlenty has linked the federal money to participation in his controversial Q Comp program. This means thousands of Minnesota students, like those in districts such as Alexandria and Dassel-Cokato, may be left out of the chance for the extra federal money.President Obama created Race to the Top with $4.3 billion in economic recovery funds, telling his Education Department to create a grant system that outlines certain criteria. States that meet most of the criteria will get the most money. Potentially, the grant could bring $330 million to Minnesota over four years. The state will find out in April if it will get any of the grant money.
Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:36:56 -0500 MN2020 Journal: Change Minnesota's Policy Course Now! [New Window]
It's not working. This conservative, starve-the-beast approach to government is thoughtless, ill-considered, haphazard and harmful. We are eight years worse for the wear rather than eight years better.With the legislature now in session, everything is on the line. As State House and Senate members settle in for the session, they'll confront eight years worth of data revealing a single truth: the current plan is failing Minnesota.
Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:54:19 -0500 Shorter School Week is Shortchanged Opportunity [New Window]
I have been watching with interest as a couple of Minnesota school districts have discussed shortening their school week to four days. The heart of the issue is budgetary constraints. The expected savings would be derived from reduced salaries, less heating/cooling of buildings , and reduced transportation needs. Unfortunately, the economic gain would rob these kids of opportunities. The book, Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell, is about successful people. The main point is that while many people need skill sets to be successful, when one looks deep into any success story, the person always benefits from some opportunity. For every success, be it Wayne Gretzky, Bill Gates or J.D. Rockefeller, a unique opportunity existed that opened the door to their genius. If there was a change in their date of birth, where they lived, or other intangibles, it is very likely they would have never been heard of. Gladwell's chapters concerning the opportunities provided in educational systems are especially telling.
Thu, 04 Feb 2010 10:06:51 -0500 What Makes Jobs Green? [New Window]
As Minnesota and the rest of the country move toward a sustainable economy, there has been a lot of talk about "green jobs." So, what is a green job? The short answer is that we don't know. Identifying green jobs has been problematic, as we will see. The goal here is to given a longer, more considered answer that will advance Minnesota's public policy. It is important to identify green jobs because the U.S. and Minnesota policy makers are relying on an alternative energy economy to revitalize the manufacturing sector, spur innovation, and achieve long-term economic growth. This public policy is an important element of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The Act includes federal tax cuts and domestic spending to promote alternative energy investments in the energy sector. In Minnesota, we want to be able to count jobs to inform data driven policies to create jobs. Defining green jobs is also important for workforce development and training in Minnesota - a consensus definition will ensure that green certificate training programs provide skills training that matches to the needs of green jobs. Green certificate training programs will also be more effectively integrated to existing job training programs. From an environmental perspective, precisely defining green jobs and green businesses is important to avoid green-washing "dirty" industries.
Wed, 03 Feb 2010 11:41:48 -0500 Conservative Policy Punishing Good Schools [New Window]
Sleepy Eye Public Schools officials have done a fantastic job managing the district's finances. At the beginning of the school year, the district had a fund balance of $1.6 million, no short term debt and was one of only five school districts in the state that does not ask district residents to supplement its budget with local property taxes.Thanks to financial mismanagement at the state level, Sleepy Eye's superintendent says the district could be in statutory operating debt within two years. At the very least, the district will have to ask local voters in November to raise taxes and help make up for the state's lack of school funding.
Tue, 02 Feb 2010 07:16:31 -0500 The Housing Crisis Lingers: Minnesota Can Help Fix It [New Window]
Equity in Minnesota homes took another beating in 2009, dropping 15 percent in value after a 13 percent decline the year before, and the new year offers little hope for a turnaround without action to prop up home prices from the ground up.Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors data show the Twin Cities metro area median home price reached a peak of $236,850 in June 2006. The St. Paul Pioneer Press reported on Jan. 13 the median home price in December was $162,000. That means the average homeowner has lost $74,850 in home equity since the peak, including another $5,000 drop from December 2008.
Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:13:12 -0500 MN2020 Journal: Navigating Politics and Policy [New Window]
Policy and politics constantly intersect. How does the responsible citizen navigate between the two? Purposefully.Minnesota faces a raft of pressing policy issues while we simultaneously prepare to elect our next governor. Policy and politics are not mutually separate. They are, in fact, deeply intertwined. Policy should drive political choices more than politics should compel policy preferences but it doesn't always work out that way. Here's a navigational guide for the forthcoming journey.
Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:10:27 -0500 MN2020 Report: On Our Way to Average: Ranking Minnesota's Economic Performance [New Window]
Since 2002, Minnesota's state and local government revenues and expenditures have declined significantly in comparison to other states. The corresponding decline in public investment has coincided with a decline in Minnesota's economic performance and quality of life. Once a national leader in areas such as education and employment, Minnesota is now lagging.Minnesota leads the nation in terms of the decline in non-federal general revenue from 2002 to 2007, both on a real per capita basis and per $1,000 of personal income. In fact, on all categories of revenue and expenditures on both a per capita basis and per $1,000 of personal income, Minnesota ranks among the top ten states in terms of the decline (or least growth) from 2002 to 2007. This is true for no other state.
Thu, 28 Jan 2010 14:31:06 -0500 Smart Thinking to Lower Health Care Costs [New Window]
The Minnesota Department of Health is well on their way in implementing a statewide health program aimed at reducing chronic disease due to tobacco use and obesity. The Statewide Health Improvement Program (SHIP) granted funds to all the community health boards in the state, covering all 87 counties, as well as eight of the 11 tribal governments in the state, thus making the program truly statewide. SHIP was passed during the 2008 Legislative session as a 2-year project aimed at reducing preventable illness and death as well as containing the costs of health care by getting to some of the biggest cost drivers such as illness that derives from poor nutrition and obesity, as well as use of and exposure to tobacco. By doing so the Department of Health estimates a saving of $1.9 billion in Minnesota by 2015.
Wed, 27 Jan 2010 10:45:48 -0500 Minnesota Science Standards Leave Door Open for Creationism [New Window]
Science standards for Minnesota schools are about to be set for the nest six years. Is the battle to keep pseudoscience out of our classrooms over? Sadly the door has been cracked open for intelligent design, an idea with no real scientific basis cooked up by creationists, to remains Minnesota's classrooms.The same vague science benchmark that was a compromise in the intelligent design controversy early in the Pawlenty administration still exists, unchanged, in this round of science standards. These standards will begin next school year and be in effect until 2017.
Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:29:19 -0500 When it Helps to Have a Pretty Mug [New Window]
A company of artists in St. Paul is proving that making art objects can sustain a small business, that entrepreneurs can survive economic cycles, and that quality can still trump quantity in this age of big box stores and mass marketing.Deneen Pottery is a family owned business that has endured various trials and tribulations since 1972. It makes hand-thrown stoneware products for institutional and business customers who want to exhibit glaze engraved logos, which result from a trademark protected process that Deneen master potters invented.
Mon, 25 Jan 2010 10:11:42 -0500 MN2020 Journal: March Forward, Minnesota. [New Window]
On the same day that Minnesota observed the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday, Minnesota Public Radio ran a short story regarding the cost of local government compliance with state regulation. It was an intriguing coincidence, hitting me like a ton of bricks, because the two are profoundly linked. Absent compliance, as Dr. King taught us, we have no path forward.In our American democracy, states retain considerable law-making and taxation authority. By tradition and practice, human services are largely delivered by counties. Minnesota, functioning within national constitutional parameters and further bound by case law, establishes program and service delivery requirements. Minnesota counties, in turn, execute requirements.
Fri, 22 Jan 2010 09:30:01 -0500 What Health Care Reform Means For Minnesota [New Window]
Presuming federal health care reform gets passed, and presuming that reform looks significantly like the proposal from the Senate, what does this reform mean for Minnesota? Much like the bill coming out of the Senate, the answer to that question is a little murky.
Thu, 21 Jan 2010 13:00:56 -0500 VIDEO: Is Testing the Answer? [New Window]
Thu, 21 Jan 2010 12:49:28 -0500 Minnesota's Four-Day School Week Based on Money, Not Education [New Window]
Minnesota school districts that have begun using a four-day school week say that students, teachers and the community generally accept the shorter week and, in some cases, prefer it to the traditional five day week. That's good news, because the districts had to go to the four-day weeks whether the students, teachers or community liked it or not. Acceptance of the short week doesn't change the fact that it is a bandage to chronic underinvestment from the state. School districts like MACCRAY, Warroad, Ogilvie and Blackduck find themselves in such an untenable financial position that they have to resort to drastic measures just to shave a few dollars off the bottom line.
Tue, 19 Jan 2010 10:08:53 -0500 What Minnesota Can Do to Fight Climate Change [New Window]
Last month the eyes of the world were focused on the UN Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark. It was a global event that could change the path of the planet in curbing energy consumption, but the changes ultimately have to happen on a micro level: in cities, towns, and suburbs here in Minnesota.While engineering fixes such as hybrid cars, wind energy, bio-fuels, and other ideas have been touted as the solution to the climate change problem, it is ultimately our geographical layout that produces the greatest challenge to curbing energy usage. For many Twin Cities residents traffic is the No. 1 issue in the region. According to a recent study, the average Twin Cities commuter spends 39 hours per year stuck in traffic, costing an average of $812.
Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:05:13 -0500 Shoveling Our Way to a Progressive Policy Frame [New Window]
This is a winter blues moment. The housing market is either sliding or stagnating; we're in a recession; unemployment figures remain persistently grim; and the state of Minnesota is running out of ready cash. Throw in a slushy, gray, overcast, 28 degree day and it's a wonder all 5.2 million of us don't move to Florida, en mass.Topping off my malaise, I can't shake the feeling that despite considerable need for and public support of a progressive policy approach, a conservative public policy framework will guide the upcoming state legislative session. What's a progressive to do?
Fri, 15 Jan 2010 08:48:37 -0500 Minnesota's Extension Service & Federal Health Care Reform [New Window]
A Harvard University medical professor has remembered his roots in Athens, Ohio and is suggesting that the nation's Cooperative Extension Service might be the vehicle for finding ways to curb health care costs and promote better systems for health care delivery.Every Minnesotan serious about improving and reforming the health care system should read Dr. Atul Gawande's article in the Dec. 14 issue of The New Yorker magazine. Minnesota and Maryland, and probably New York and Florida, are clearly the best-positioned states to make such a system work and to become the models for the rest of America. Wisconsin, Missouri and Illinois are not far behind, despite having expertise and facilities dispersed over multiple campuses; and California and Massachusetts have everything they need to make it work except an institutional tradition of cooperation through the Extension Service.
Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:40:44 -0500 State Holding Minnesota's Schools Hostage through "Race to the Top" [New Window]
Today is the final day school districts can sign up for federal funds through the federal "Race to the Top" program. Despite unpalatable portions of the program, schools across Minnesota know that the state's financial chokehold on education is even more unpalatable and they are grasping at any straw available, no matter the consequences.There are many angles to this complicated story, but the bottom line is this: Schools are being forced to accept programs against their better instincts only because the state has failed to fund them properly for the past 10 years.
Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:40:27 -0500 Can Minnesota Reward Job Creation? [New Window]
In recent years here in Minnesota, state government's efforts to stimulate job creation have come in the form of broad-based tax breaks to business if they agree to re-locate or stay here. While the tax breaks might be an enticement for a company to move or keep its operation in Minnesota, there's no absolute promise that company will create family-sustaining jobs. There is, however, one idea that could deliver on new jobs and has already worked in Minnesota once before.
Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:07:01 -0500 Pawlenty's Property Tax Caps Don't Work [New Window]
Property taxes are expected to increase by 3.5 percent statewide from 2009 to 2010 based on preliminary levy information, which is "relatively modest" growth according to the Minnesota Department of Revenue. Contrary to claims from the Pawlenty administration, state imposed caps on local government property taxes--known as "levy limits"--had little if anything to do with the modest rate of property tax growth.
Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:44:38 -0500 Of Lutefisk and Pyrrhic Victories [New Window]
When Ramsey County Judge Kathleen Gearin issued a temporary restraining order on December 30, preventing Minnesota from terminating a food assistance program, many of us jumped for joy. With a week's sober reflection, that injunction is beginning to feel like a pyrrhic victory.Minnesota presently projects a $1.2 billion biennial budget deficit. It is the large serving of lutefisk gracing state legislators' plates, an unwelcome entrée requiring brave-faced consumption. From a fiscal policy perspective, conservative Governor Tim Pawlenty is the gleeful kitchen steward, shoveling more gelatinous, rehydrated cod while insisting that diners are the better for the experience.
Fri, 08 Jan 2010 08:45:36 -0500 USDA Programs Boost Communities, Rural Minnesota Economy [New Window]
In all the talk about stimulus packages, Keynesian pump priming and public investment in infrastructure, existing programs for people in rural Minnesota are frequently overlooked. That can be costly because tried and true programs are in place to stimulate local economies, strengthen communities, help stabilize local housing markets and assist local entrepreneurs create and expand businesses. These programs were giving an extra boost this past February when Congress approved and President Obama signed the American Recovery and Redevelopment Act in response to the severe U.S. recession. More federal money was made available to use USDA Rural Development programs to stimulate the local economy through as many as 40 various federal programs.
Thu, 07 Jan 2010 08:59:40 -0500 Federal School Money Not Worth the Acrobatics [New Window]
Minnesota should put a stop to its application for the federal government's Race to the Top program. Several aspects of the plan are quite troubling and the immediacy of the application doesn't allow for proper consideration.Conversations with education leaders across the state reveals cautious - very cautious - consideration of Race to the Top. Most educators don't want to be left out of the possibility of more money for students, but they also have serious qualms about the program's requirements.
Wed, 06 Jan 2010 09:34:39 -0500 Minnesotan Homeownership Declines [New Window]
Despite Minnesotans' tradition of high homeownership, Minnesota's homeownership rate has actually declined during the current decade, both in absolute terms and relative to other states.From 2000 to 2002, the Minnesota and total U.S. homeownership rate increased modestly. From 2002 to 2008, the rate of homeownership in Minnesota has fallen significantly, dropping by over four percent; over the same period, the U.S. homeownership rate has stayed relatively flat.
Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:01:01 -0500 Key to Curbing Bullies is Vigilance [New Window]
That bullying exists in our schools is not news, nor are the effects of bullying on victims. For the past 20 years, school officials have tried to curb bullying by increasing awareness among students and helping victims assert themselves.These efforts have met with success, and this success points the way to the potential for success in other areas that bedevil other seemingly intractable problems in education.According to the Minnesota Student Survey, 32 percent of sixth-graders in 1995 said they were threatened on school property. That number has steadily dropped until only 25 percent said they were threatened in 2007.
Mon, 04 Jan 2010 01:20:51 -0500 MN2020 Journal: A Simple Winter Truth [New Window]
Today, I seem to live on Lake Superior's shore. I don't, of course, but judging from the huge piles of jagged snow banks lining my street, they could be broken lake ice sheets shoved ashore. I am not alone; every street looks like mine.Nothing out of the ordinary happened last week because this is winter in Minnesota. We experienced a substantial, two-part blizzard roaring across much of our state. During the lull following the first heavy, wet snow fall, most people, shoveling their walks and driveways, correctly anticipated the other shoe dropping.Slush freezes.
Fri, 01 Jan 2010 09:16:48 -0500 Minnesota's Revenue & Spending Problems [New Window]
In the past, Governor Tim Pawlenty has argued "Minnesota has a spending problem, not a revenue problem." As repeatedly demonstrated on this website, his statement is incorrect. Real per capita state general fund revenue and local government revenue have dropped significantly since 2002. Clearly, Minnesota has a revenue problem.In the past, I have argued the reverse of the Governor's assertion--that is to say, "Minnesota does not have a spending problem, it has a revenue problem." Upon reflection and examination of the facts, I now realize this statement is not entirely complete, at least in part. While Minnesota does indeed have a revenue problem, it also has a spending problem. However, the cause of the spending problem is not profligacy, but demographics and rising health care costs.
Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:55:14 -0500 The 2010 Recovery: Statistics Do Lie [New Window]
As the new year approaches, we are told that we are in an economic recovery that might be best described as a "statistical" recovery. That only means most economic indicators show slight improvement or are not falling as sharply as they had in most months and quarters of the past two years.For most Minnesota households, the economic news spewing forth each day is often conflicting and any statistical improvement in the overall economy isn't likely to be felt at home. So, let's start the countdown hoping for better times in 2011, and let's also think about public policy options that might help bring about a brighter future.
Wed, 30 Dec 2009 08:49:44 -0500 Transit Creating Jobs in Greater Minnesota [New Window]
The lush orchards around La Crescent have made it the Apple Capital of Minnesota, but relatively few of the Mississippi River town's 5,114 residents work in them. A lot more have jobs in La Crosse, Wis., a bustling regional center across the river.This posed a commuting problem for many of the workers. With no La Crescent transit service, their choices were effectively limited to driving to and from the job. City officials started a bus route into downtown La Crosse four miles away, but it drew little ridership. The schedule didn't fit people's needs, service was unreliable and riders couldn't transfer to the extensive La Crosse bus system without paying a second fare.
Tue, 29 Dec 2009 08:52:21 -0500 Bring Some Clarity to School Building Debate [New Window]
In the recent folderol about charter school buildings, who is paying to build them and who's getting public money under the table, one important piece of information is missing.If a school district sells a building, that money can only be used for other building costs such as buying land, building schools, maintaining existing buildings or buying down debt from previous construction projects. If a district leases unused space, the cost of maintenance and utilities usually takes most of the starch out of the additional income.
Mon, 28 Dec 2009 08:46:30 -0500 MN2020 Journal: Who's Working Tonight [New Window]
Tonight, in the middle of a snow storm, some guy you don't know is going to leave his family, climb into a huge orange snow plow and keep the roads open. He's not going to ask about your politics and whether you're a small government conservative railing against out-of-control spending. He's not going to skip your block, street, highway or gravel road because you can't find anything good to say about the women and men who deliver Minnesota's public services.
Thu, 24 Dec 2009 12:59:33 -0500 State Cuts to Drive 2010 Property Tax Increases [New Window]
City property taxes are expected to increase by 5.4 percent from 2009 to 2010. These property tax increases are driven primarily by Governor Pawlenty's decision to unallot (cut) the 2008, 2009, and 2010 in shared revenue (aid and credit) payments to Minnesota cities.In December of 2008, Pawlenty cut $66 million from the budgets of Minnesota cities using his unallotment authority. Then in July 2009, Pawlenty cut $64.2 million from cities' 2009 aid and credit payments and $128.3 million from 2010 payments. In full, the Governor has cut $258.5 million from city budgets through the December 2008 and July 2009 unallotments.
Wed, 23 Dec 2009 11:43:20 -0500 A Race to the Top Shouldn't Have So Many Hoops [New Window]
It has been said that sugar catches more flies than vinegar, but to the fly the result is the same.The Obama administration's attempt to dictate education policy is preferable to the Bush administration's attempt to do the same. Bush's much-derided No Child Left Behind law sets a list of goals that are ultimately unreachable then punishes schools when they don't reach them. Obama's policy, called Race to the Top, offers states millions in grant money if they knuckle under to the federal government's idea of quality education.
Tue, 22 Dec 2009 08:51:15 -0500 Can Minnesota Learn from Sweden on Climate Change? [New Window]
As we reflect on the recent United Nations Climate Conference in Copenhagen, we can look to another Scandinavian country, just north of Denmark, whose environmental policies deserve applause and a closer look. Sweden is widely known for bringing to the world such things as beautiful women, H&M, Volvo and IKEA. However, as it turns out, the ancestral homeland to many a Minnesotan has more going for it than excelling in car safety and cheap clothing and furniture. The Norwegian Institute for Transport Economics, the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research Oslo, University of Oslo, and Lund University has found that Sweden has reduced CO2 emissions 9% since 1990, thus making it one of very few countries that have lived up to the Kyoto Agreement. In almost the same time period, 1990- 2007, Minnesota's CO2 emissions went up 27%.
Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:09:42 -0500 MN2020 Journal: Looking Back to Look Ahead [New Window]
Minnesota has come a long way in the past hundred years. It shouldn't take a funeral to remind us of our achievements but an afternoon in a Mapleton, Minnesota church provided exactly that opportunity. As a state, we've gained far more than we've lost but my loss was personal.My last living grandparent, my maternal grandfather, Harold C. Jones, passed away three weeks ago. He was 95, three months from 96. His was a long, full life with much to grieve but more to celebrate.
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:13:15 -0500 New Ventures Find a Home In and Close to Home [New Window]
Few forecasters are bravely stating what the Minnesota economy will look like when it emerges from the lingering recession, but we're getting hints that a lot of commerce will be based close to home.Secretary of State Mark Ritchie announced in late November that Minnesota is on track to see the greatest number of new business startups this year since 2002. The number of new business filings with the state is projected to reach 63,000, a 15 percent increase from 2008's 55,137 and well above the 55,782 recorded in 2007.
Fri, 18 Dec 2009 08:05:11 -0500 Smart Stimulus [New Window]
The judges' decisions are in for the "Stupid Stimulus Contest" conducted by the ultra-conservative Taxpayers League of Minnesota, and it apparently put quite a strain on our friends from the far right fringe. "The selection process was difficult because almost any stimulus spending could be labeled stupid," the Merry Pranksters announced last week.Oh, really? Keeping teachers educating our children and health professionals caring for the sick is stupid? Fixing crumbling roads and bridges is stupid? Countering the damage of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression is stupid?
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 08:51:13 -0500 Greater Minnesota Gets on Board: Transit Ridership Grows While Investment Declines [New Window]
In the eyes of many Minnesotans, public transit is a creature of the big cities, a way to get around the urban jungle that is generally praised by policy progressives for enhancing mobility and prosperity, but denounced by conservatives as welfare on wheels.This ongoing debate tends to overlook the growing role of transit in Greater Minnesota, where it enjoys support from citizens and local officials across the political spectrum and ridership gains that significantly exceed the metro area's, despite chronic resource challenges.
Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:10:30 -0500 Bold Teacher Plan Deserves Follow-Through [New Window]
The Minneapolis-based Bush Foundation recently announced a bold $40 million initiative to recruit, prepare, place and support new teachers in Minnesota and the Dakotas over the next 10 years. We live in times when the state has a chokehold on education funding that is killing the quality and quantity of our teaching force. A move such as this can be seen as a lifeline. But it also contains many questions.It's part of the group's goal to add 25,000 new teachers by 2020. The foundation says there are about 50,000 teachers in Minnesota and the Dakotas today and about 25,000 will retire or quit in the next 10 years. In addition, Minnesota has the nation's largest achievement gap between white and minority students, the dropout rate is growing and only 25 percent of students earn a college degree.
Tue, 15 Dec 2009 08:47:02 -0500 Another Look at Minnesota's Underperforming Economy [New Window]
Minnesota's economy has clearly underperformed the national average in recent years. A 2008 Minnesota 2020 report demonstrated that from 2002 to 2007, Minnesota's employment growth and median household income has fallen relative to other states, while our unemployment rate has risen. In addition, growth in Minnesota's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has lagged significantly behind the national average.There is disagreement over the cause of Minnesota's economic slump. Minnesota 2020 has posited that the state's waning economic performance is due in part to public disinvestment during the era of "no new taxes." In absolute terms and relative to other states, real per capita public revenues and expenditures in Minnesota have declined significantly since 2002.
Mon, 14 Dec 2009 08:47:07 -0500 MN2020 Journal: In the Bleak Midwinter [New Window]
The cold, like Samuel Johnson's observation about the prospect of hanging, tends to focus the mind. On this subzero morning, my mind is focused.In the ten long, cold yards between my car and my office building's front door, a distance Minnesota Viking running back Adrian Peterson crosses in less than two seconds, I realize that my agitation isn't entirely weather driven. Yes, I am cold but, more importantly, I'm hot under the collar about Minnesota's policy direction.We're heading the wrong way, sliding down hill while our state's chief public policymakers offer a series of false choices.
Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:28:00 -0500 Educators Eye Upcoming Legislative Session [New Window]
Legislative sessions have become like a series of "Friday the 13th" movies - suspense followed by terror followed by horror and then repeated until the grisly finale. Year after year of inattention to the financial needs of Minnesota students has led to teacher layoffs, cuts in programs and a shift from state support of schools to local property tax support via levy elections as a main funding source for education. When it comes time for education budget decisions, it's not a question of if the gore will flow on the Capitol steps, it's a question of when.
Fri, 11 Dec 2009 08:27:34 -0500 Minnesota's Phantom Podcars [New Window]
Winona, a southeastern Minnesota city of 30,000, boasts a municipal bus system that carries nearly a quarter-million riders each year. Now city officials -- backed by local business and higher-education leaders and with a boost from the governor and state transportation commissioner -- want to add a futuristic, multimillion-dollar overlay of elevated monorails carrying small automated passenger vehicles guided by computers and propelled by electricity.It's called Personal Rapid Transit, an elusive dream of far-outside-the-box transportation thinkers for the past half-century. In that time it has posted a virtually unbroken record of cost overruns, technical failures and abandoned projects on three continents. Despite periodic bursts of promotion from the public-policy fringes, PRT hasn't penetrated municipal transit anywhere in the world.
Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:39:36 -0500 Minnesota Entrepreneur Launches Timely, Needed Magazine [New Window]
Fairmont publisher Kay Sauck and crew are mailing the premier edition of Caregiving in America magazine this week, serving a growing national market for information from their base in southern Minnesota.Sauck and her Sauck Media Group have twice been featured for entrepreneurship by Minnesota 2020. Past stories noted her building the company and later for adapting, or refocusing it, to ride out the current recession. Hard times or not for publishing, the new magazine is targeted at a growing demand that is certain to expand in the years ahead.
Wed, 09 Dec 2009 09:00:46 -0500 Minnesota Must Keep High Teacher Standards [New Window]
The Minnesota Board of Teaching has adopted a rule change that, if improperly applied, could weaken the quality of teachers in the state.At its Nov. 13 meeting, the board approved a change that will allow the board's executive director to fast-track requests for alternative ways for teachers to earn their licenses. This process could open the door to putting unqualified teachers in the classroom.
Tue, 08 Dec 2009 08:52:31 -0500 Why College Matters [New Window]
In the last century, the United States in general, and Minnesota in particular, was able to depend on agriculture and manufacturing to meet the supply of low- and mid-skilled labor. However, the changing economy, with its move toward high-tech jobs (including those in agriculture and manufacturing), is making higher education an increasingly necessary prerequisite to the Minnesota's capacity for continued competitiveness, productivity and innovation.
Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:33:56 -0500 Health Care Abroad: An American in Four Countries [New Window]
I am American, have studied and lived in both Canada and England and am now living in Norway. I am particularly concerned with health care reform in the United States and have been asked to share my experiences regarding health care and the different health care systems in the three countries mentioned above. Having directly experienced these three health care systems, I feel the most important thing to point out is the stress free aspect of a universal health care system. I do want to mention that President Obama's proposed health care plan and those that are being debated in Congress are neither "socialist" nor universal. However, the countries I have lived and am living in now fit well within these definitions and I am happy to say they all work more efficiently and more effectively than the U.S. system, and more importantly the services are more equal for everyone - those who can and cannot afford them.
Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:25:37 -0500 Where Do We Go from Here? [New Window]
Wednesday morning, State Economist Tom Stinson told us what, if we're honest, we already knew. Minnesota's recession-driven economic performance is creating a growing, on-going state budget deficit.In inflation-unadjusted dollars, Stinson, along with the Minnesota Management and Budget Office, projects that Minnesota will realize a $1.2 billion shortfall in the current biennium. Holding present budget figures constant, he further projects that deficit growing to $5.4 billion in the next biennial budget cycle.But, that $5.4 billion isn't actually the correct figure. Calculating inflation's full anticipated impact raises the projected next biennial budget deficit to $7.4 billion. On the surface, it's a head-scratcher. How can budget professionals be off by $2 billion?
Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:53:32 -0500 Local Entrepreneurs Grab Reins on 'Buying Local' [New Window]
Positive steps are being taken by local entrepreneurs to promote their shared strengths and resources and attract area consumers to buy locally made and sold products this holiday season.In core areas of the Twin Cities, the Metro Independent Business Alliance, or Metro IBA, has started its website for members to promote products available at their stores. This guide was launched in cooperation with Minnesota 2020's release of its report Made in MN 2009: Homegrown Holidays" and the updated Made in Minnesota Gift Guide.
Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:53:18 -0500 Transit Means Business [New Window]
Busy bus stops and rail stations have long been magnets for business, attracting eateries, stores and services to places where critical masses of transit riders congregate. Now a few savvy merchants are setting up shop in 21st century transit facilities - suburban park-and-ride lots.CobornsDelivers, the New Hope-based mobile grocer, began filling online orders at the Northstar commuter rail park-and-ride in Coon Rapids this week. The firm earlier started bringing its colorful delivery trucks to the Southwest Transit park-and-ride in Eden Prairie, and it's looking for more locations to continue testing the concept.
Thu, 03 Dec 2009 09:53:19 -0500 Minnesota Schools That Are Just Hanging On [New Window]
An injured swimmer can either sink or stay afloat. In some cases, the best he can do is hold steady. For many Minnesota school districts, "hold steady" is the best they can hope.State investment in schools has dropped 13 percent since 2003. Since state funding makes up more than 80 percent of a school district's budget, officials have had to ask local voters to fill the void left by the state and properly fund their schools.
Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:55:12 -0500 Minnesota Property Tax Update: Homeowners Bearing More Costs [New Window]
From 2002 to 2009, property taxes in Minnesota have skyrocketed, particularly for homeowners. Statewide, the cause is not local government spending, but state policies that have shifted a larger share of public costs on to the property tax and shifted a larger share of the total property tax on to homeowners.
Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:42:29 -0500 Positive Changes Coming for College Loans [New Window]
If you've been to college, it's likely that you have them. Nobody likes them. They're confusing. They're annoying. They're a little scary. And they'll follow you until death (yes, even when you file for bankruptcy). If you haven't already guessed, they're student loans and they're on the docket for reform.Two types of federal government guaranteed loans are available to help finance educational expenses: Federal Stafford Loans are provided directly to students and PLUS loans do the same for parents of current students. Currently, two federal programs offer these loans.
Mon, 30 Nov 2009 09:34:31 -0500 The Cranberry Leadership Solution [New Window]
Thanksgiving Dinner is a comfort food, harvest festival triumph. With turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, sweet potatoes, dinner rolls and green beans in cream sauce, followed by pumpkin pie, the meal is very much a sweet/savory culinary experience. It's an unabashed celebration of fat globules which, in turn, makes cranberry sauce all the more critical.Cranberry sauce plays a far more central Thanksgiving meal role than is commonly understood. It's the acidic counterpoint, sharpening the meal's focus. Cranberries tartly cut through fat in the same way that hot sauce enhances rice and beans burritos. Strong notes expand the base.The same can be said for Minnesota's public policy debate. With both major parties' candidates jockeying for favorable position, policy features prominently if blandly in their public discourse. They distinguish themselves predictably. Most soberly proclaim for the politically safest action. It's all turkey, stuffing and gravy.
Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:34:57 -0500 Minnesota Only Has 75 Elementary Counselors? [New Window]
In all of Minnesota, there are only about 75 elementary school counselors. Let's repeat that: 75 elementary school counselors in the entire state. This number was confirmed by officials at the Minnesota School Counselors Association and the Minnesota Department of Education.The National School Counselors Association recommends a student-to-counselor ratio of 250 to 1. The national average is about 450 to 1. Minnesota's overall average is about 800 to 1. The average of Minnesota elementary school counselors to students enrolled in kindergarten through 6th grade is 5,647 to 1.
Wed, 25 Nov 2009 08:55:37 -0500 The Case for GAMC Health Care [New Window]
The pen is mightier than the sword, something Governor Pawlenty proved earlier this year when, with the stroke of his pen, he used his line-item veto to eliminate the General Assistance Medical Care or GAMC program. GAMC is a state-funded health insurance program for low-income adults, ages 21-64, who have no dependent children and who do not qualify for federal coverage. The list of eligibility requirements shows that the population relying on GAMC is the poorest in the population, those with the most transient lifestyles, and those who would otherwise fall between the cracks. Two weeks ago the Governor announced 28,000 GAMC recipients will be automatically transferred from GAMC to MinnesotaCare. This "solution" was offered as a way to "ensure" continued access to care for those who would otherwise be without options once GAMC runs out. Counties will be held responsible for paying the premiums until the eligibility period runs out. At the end of eligibility or after 6 months, recipients are responsible for renewing and paying the premium.
Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:24:28 -0500 Why Minnesota's Roads are Literally Falling Apart [New Window]
Roads across the United States are getting better, or at least less bad. Not in Minnesota. According to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, pavement in poor or mediocre condition nationwide declined by 2.4 percent proportionally between 2002 and 2007.In the Land of 10 Million Potholes, the share of poor and mediocre road miles more than doubled over the same period. What else would you expect when a state abandons its traditional policy of "preservation first" for highways in a headlong rush to lay more new pavement?
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:42:12 -0500 There's No Place for Hunger in Minnesota [New Window]
Hunger at home should surprise us. Given just the smallest contemplation, hunger should provoke a simmering, disturbed outrage. Discovering hunger's growing incidence mustn't roll off our conscience as studied indifference, not in Minnesota and not in this day and age.And yet, it seems, it does.The United States Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service released its annual report [PDF] on national food security. Besides a larger, country-wide result, USDA ERS researchers break out individual state findings. Food insecurity is up, both in the US and in Minnesota.
Fri, 20 Nov 2009 08:55:18 -0500 Made in MN 2009: Homegrown Holidays [New Window]
It's the time of year when people gather for holiday parties and receptions and to entertain. That means it is also time for Minnesota 2020 to renew its "buy local" campaign for the third year. A severe recession lingers despite some promising signs it may be bottoming out and a slow recovery may be starting. But "happy days" are not here again - at least not yet.
Thu, 19 Nov 2009 10:36:19 -0500 Buffalo Tackles Minnesota's Accountability Gap [New Window]
Accountability and transparency are not only desirable, but crucial in all government interactions with the public. A dollar spent on education should result in a dollar's worth of educated citizen.How to measure such achievement is where the hard work begins. The federal government's No Child Left Behind program doesn't evaluate schools with any accuracy. Its single evaluation, a high-stakes test given in the spring, offers a very poor picture of student achievement. Its offshoot, the state's school report cards that are listed on the Minnesota Department of Education's web page, tries to make a meal out of reheated NCLB data.No, the accountability and transparency methods instituted by the former Bush administration and the soon-to-be-former Pawlenty administration measure only a portion of a district's achievement. Meaningful change results when districts come up with accountability measures from the ground up, designed to show their constituents whether schools are achieving their goals.Enter the Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose School District. Officials there have begun the process of providing transparency and accountability for their work.
Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:01:38 -0500 Health Care Abroad: A Look at Germany [New Window]
It now appears that federal health care reform will include a public option to spur competition in the insurance market. This has been met with welcome by some, but for some, the idea of public option is hard to support. This is one of many reasons that we today look towards Germany. The land of sauerkraut, bratwurst, Oktoberfest, Wiener schnitzel, and McDonalds burgers made from pork has a public-private insurance system. The reasons to look at Germany are compelling enough that a delegation of Minnesotans including Human Services Commissioner Cal Luderman, legislators, and officials from the Mayo Clinic, University of Minnesota, Planned Parenthood, and AARP went there earlier this fall to see what they could learn.
Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:01:06 -0500 The Twin Cities' Safe Streets [New Window]
Pedestrians, bicyclists and wheelchair users are no match for motor vehicles in traffic crashes, and not just because cars and trucks are so much bigger, heavier and faster. It's also because, by design, too many of our roadways unfairly stack the deck against non-motorized travelers.That's the guiding principle of a growing movement called Complete Streets, which seeks to turn auto-centric public rights-of-way into safe and convenient thoroughfares for motorists and pedestrians alike. It means more sidewalks, bicycle lanes and crosswalks along urban streets, traffic calming in areas of heavy pedestrian use and paved shoulders on rural roads.
Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:23:00 -0500 Minnesota's Higher Education Disparity [New Window]
In an economic downturn it's easy to for us to focus on the bad. Unemployment has increased. The economy has contracted. Housing values have declined. With all of this bad, it may come as a surprise that the downturn has led to some good-helping to reduce the racial gap in higher education attainment in Minnesota. Minnesota ranks second among the fifty states in overall higher education attainment, with approximately 47 percent of adults aged 25-34 having obtained either a two- or four-year post-secondary degree, according to the Lumina Foundation. However, when this statistic is broken down by race, around 50 percent of white, adult Minnesotans have obtained a two- or four-year degree, whereas only around 32 percent of non-white or Latino Minnesotans have done so.
Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:45:35 -0500 Minnesota's Small Banks Deserve Credit for Keeping Entrepreneurship Afloat [New Window]
Given all that's happened on Wall Street, it is difficult to salute financial institutions for what they did leading up to and during the past two year's of financial crisis. That overlooks great work being done here in Minnesota and next door in Wisconsin for which salutes are in order.A great disparity exists among states when it comes to using federal program tools to stimulate the economy and keep entrepreneurs in business. This was noted in mid summer by small business consultant and business blogger Mike Clough who reported that Minnesota and Wisconsin accounted for nearly 30 percent of American Recovery Capital (ARC) loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).
Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:45:11 -0500 How Minnesota Can Avoid the "California Spiral" [New Window]
In a recent presentation [PDF] to the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy, State Economist Tom Stinson and State Demographer Tom Gillaspy delivered sobering news. As a result of demographic trends, demands for public dollars will increase at a time when growth in the state's economy will slow, curtailing the ability of state and local governments to generate revenue.Stinson and Gillaspy bring ill tidings for both conservatives and progressives. The combination of rising health care costs and an aging population will create pressure for increasing public expenditures, something that conservatives typically dread. The flip side of this coin is that rising health care costs combined with diminished revenue growth will make it difficult to fund other important public investments, which is bad news for all Minnesotans.
Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:06:10 -0500 The Big Rock Candy Mountain Crumbles [New Window]
The times of plenty have passed. Two weeks on, my kids' Halloween candy bags are near empty. No more M&Ms, mini-Snickers, six-to-a-box Dots or cellophane packets of candy corn. What survives to this point is whatever is least desired. The easy choices were made a long time ago.Like most parents, I face the Halloween candy collection with mixed feelings. It's a great tradition. I loved trick or treating. I'm overjoyed that my children love trick or treating. I'm pleased that they're creating an important inter-generation link in our neighborhood. However, they both came home with a lot of candy.My dilemma regards permitted consumption; it's careful rationing versus short-term gluttony. I've always landed on the first option but I understand the latter's attractiveness. Thoughtful, deliberate candy eating reinforces pretty much all of my life's priorities while gorging represents a near-complete foreign perspective. Consequently, we've made it two weeks with the possibility of achieving three but only because less desirable candy remains.
Fri, 13 Nov 2009 09:05:52 -0500 For Charter Schools, Transparency is Not a Given [New Window]
Accountability is the key to any successful interaction between government and the public. Minnesotans need to know public money is being invested in a responsible manner.For schools, this means that school boards must make their meetings open to the public and provide meeting minutes to anyone who asks for them. Failing to do so not only violates Minnesota's Data Practices Act but also creates an atmosphere of mistrust and anxiety.
Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:51:39 -0500 Minnesota's Well Performing Charter Schools [New Window]
A recent report by Minnesota 2020, "Checking in on Charter Schools, A Review of 2008 Financial Management Practices," discovered that auditors found at least one financial irregularity on yearly audits of about 75 percent of all charter schools in Minnesota.This is a dark cloud over the state's roster of charter schools, but it does contain a silver lining: 25 percent of these schools had perfect audits. In fact, there are 12 charter schools that had perfect financial audits two years in a row.
Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:05:29 -0500 Checking in on Charter Schools: A Review of 2008 Financial Management Practices [New Window]
Some of Minnesota's charter schools have a financial management and accountability problem. A Minnesota 2020 examination of the financial audits for all charter schools filed for the 2007-2008 school year found that some conduct their business affairs reasonably well while others face great difficulties. These results echo findings from our previous examination of charter school financial documents. While some schools meet demands for financial accountability, many do not.This year, Minnesota 2020 digitized each charter school financial audit and is making them available online. Public confidence is strengthened by ready access to public data. We hope our example will encourage the Minnesota Department of Education and other organizations to follow our lead and provide documents in a more easily accessible format.
Tue, 10 Nov 2009 08:51:05 -0500 Higher Education Grant Shortfall Makes Choice Easy for Policymakers [New Window]
The state Office of Higher Education announced a $13 million shortfall in the Minnesota State Grant Program last week, the result of an impressive demand for higher education during these times of high unemployment.However, as we see a greater demand for higher education, we also see a waning in the desire of our elected leaders to help these people survive in the 21st century workforce.The brunt of the shortfall came as a result of a huge influx of students into the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities two-year college system. MnSCU projected enrollment would rise 1.6 percent over last year - far missing the true mark of 8 percent.
Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:32:13 -0500 Better Footing for Minnesota's Energy Future [New Window]
The controversial Big Stone II power plant project collapsed earlier this week, highlighting the considerable energy challenges facing Minnesota. Anyone claiming victory or acknowledging defeat would be, at least partly, wrong. Despite considerable shortcomings, the project was grounded in a very real future need for more electrical power.Progressives must think long and hard about this project's lessons. Opposition, while important, is no substitute for forward-thinking public energy policy. Only real innovation drives a sustainable Minnesota future.
Fri, 06 Nov 2009 08:59:15 -0500 Minnesota Falls Short on Medicaid for Nursing Homes [New Window]
Minnesota's long-term care facilities face a substantial gap between the rates paid by Medicaid for nursing home residents and the actual cost of providing care. This shortfall is not unique to Minnesota, but we struggle with a higher shortfall than most states. The national average shortfall between Medicaid reimbursement and actual cost of care is $12.48 per Medicaid patient per day, but Minnesota's shortfall is almost double at $23.26. If that number sounds fairly reasonable, perhaps the total will make more of an impression- for 2008 the estimated total was $156 billionMedicaid clients make up more than 60% of total residents in Minnesota nursing homes. To add insult to injury, Minnesota has failed to adjust Medicaid payment rates in the last 14 years. As a result, Minnesota nursing homes are only able to cover 85.65% of actual cost. A healthy Medicaid system should have 95% cost coverage, but due to Minnesota's unique policy of limiting the rates charged to private residents so they compare with Medicaid rates, Minnesota needs a cost coverage level of 97% to ensure sound fiscal health.
Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:16:08 -0500
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