The Daily Digest: 12-20-06
The Holidays are upon us. Happy Hannakuh to our Jewish Readers. Merry Christmas to our Christian readers and Happy Holidays to those of you who fall into the other categories. We're also coming to the end of 2006. It's always a good time to lean back and look back at the years gone by.
Remember that one time when that secretive group ran ads ripping Mike Hatch? Well, it looks like the guy who financed the Swift Boat ads also financed "A Stronger America-Minnesota." MPR, AP and the Star Tribune have stories.
We'll get greater detail into the Minnesota chapter of the group at the end of January.
As you continue to walk down memory lane, you can also remember two Congressman. MPR has a story on longtime Congressman Martin Sabo, who is retiring after nearly five decades of service. The Star Tribune says Sabo is leaving the Minnesota delegation with the most clout. DFL Congressman Jim Oberstar and DFL Congressman Collin Peterson will rise in these rankings once they get their gavels.
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So we move from the guy who brought Minnesota the choo-choo to a Congressman who may have lost because of the choo-choo (D,M and E). MPR and AgriNews both take a look at what GOP Congressman Gil Gutknecht will do next now that he lost his reelection bid to DFLer Tim Walz.
Walz steps up his pressure on the D,M and E issue. The Mankato Free Press and the Rochester Post Bulletin says he wants Congressional hearings on the D,M and E loan.
City Pages also looks at the D, M and E issue.
Walz also wanders into Chinese economic policy by saying the Chinese are manipulating their currency in this Bloomberg story.
The Star Tribune says the Congressional delegation spent, spent, spent to get their jobs.
One of those spenders was DFL Senator-elect Amy Klobuchar. She's on Midday today at 11 am.
GOP Senator Norm Coleman will be spending some money in 2008. He just visited Iraq and is currently in Bahrain. He's on a conference call with reporters as I
speak
write. He says he does not support any plans to add a significant number of troops in Baghdad.
The Crookston Times says Collin Peterson stops by the Crop College.
Now a member of Congress, Virgil Goode (R-VA), is wading into the Ellison controversy. Check it here and here.
Governor Pawlenty and the Legislature
WCCO-TV says school administrators want year round school. The Pi Press says they want a longer Minnesota school year and the Star Tribune says it may have a chance. The issue was also discussed on MPR's Midday.
Teachers in one school district kick Governor Pawlenty's Q-comp program to the curb.
KSTP-TV reports that DFL Rep. Tom Rukavina promises to shake up the U's budget.
A-G-elect Lori Swanson to press for cell phone law. The AP and the Pi Press have stories.
Stock up early for those New Year's parties.
The Willmar City Council discusses legislative proposals.
Other
Former Minneapolis City Council member Dean Zimmermann is sentenced. MPR and the Star Tribune have stories.
Former Vice President Walter Mondale gives some of his papers to the Minnesota Historical Society.