The Daily Digest
GOP Rep. Michele Bachmann leads the Digest today.
Her speech to an anti-tax group is fueling speculation that she's serious about a run for president. MinnPost reports that Bachmann will say "America is under threat like never before" in her speech.
MPR says Bachmann approaches Iowa with a trail of misstatements.
The Des Moines Register says it appears Bachmann is putting the pieces in place for a run.
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An Iowa poll shows Bachmann getting 3.66 percent support. Tim Pawlenty received 4.39 percent.
Public Policy Polling conducted a head to head national match-up between President Obama and Bachmann. He had 51 percent support. Bachmann had 31 percent support.
Under the Dome
Gov. Dayton announced that his State of the State speech will be on February 9th in the chamber of the Minnesota House.
Minnesota lost 22,400 jobs in December - marking the biggest employment decline in Minnesota since at least 1990, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. The state's unemployment rate is at 7 percent.
One bright spot is that Green jobs are growing in rural Minnesota.
The state's venture capital investment draws to a new low.
Dayton says he'll veto any attempts to repeal MA expansion. He made the comments after he announced that the expansion will occur on March 1st, a full seven months ahead of the timeline set by former Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman.
House File 1, which creates a shorter timeline for the permitting process, started moving through committee.
Dayton also told the GOP to slow down when it comes to their level of budget cuts.
Dayton and the GOP are squaring off over a $1 billion bonding bill.
Dayton will have a busy schedule when he visits Brainerd on Saturday.
Dayton picked Thomas Roy to lead the Corrections Department.
A House committee approved a bill that would ban synthetic marijuana.
The U of M says cuts to higher education could mean higher tuition.
Legislators review the state's energy programs.
An environmental group says the Legacy money is being spent inefficiently.
Minnesota Republicans hope to clamp down on welfare fraud.
The Metrodome may not be ready for the preseason.
Congress
Education Secretary Arne Duncan will speak in Minnesota today. He speaks the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and then visits a Lakeville School with GOP Rep. John Kline.
President Obama announced that Paul Volcker was leaving his role as head of an outside panel advising the White House on economic policy. The CEO of General Electric will replace him.
A House GOP group proposes deep spending cuts over the next decade.
The New York Times says some in Congress are looking to ease the debt burdens for states including pension promises made to retirees.
The U.S. debt has eclipsed $14 trillion.
House Speaker John Boehner says barring federal funds for abortion is one of their highest priorities.
A study found that Don't Ask, Don't Tell cost $50,000 per expulsion.
The L.A. Times takes a look at the political hub of Alexandria, VA. It says more than two dozen Republican media, polling and public relations firms are located there.
DFL Sen. Amy Klobuchar visited northern Minnesota.
Klobuchar sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner asking him to push for a bill that would remove a provision of the health care law that requires businesses to report to the Internal Revenue Service all purchases of $600 or more.
DFL Sen. Al Franken says he now supports an expansion of nuclear power.
Franken says he's also unsure if the Senate will vote on a House health care repeal bill.
Franken made those comments on Midday. Listen to the full show here.
GOP Rep. John Kline said on CNBC that governors are telling him the federal health care law will crush them. He didn't identify them except to say Republican governors. He wasn't asked for specifics.
Bachmann pushes for President Obama to lift the executive order requiring a moratorium on offshore drilling.
MNGOP
Evie Axdahl and Brian Sullivan announced that they're resigning their positions as RNC Committee members.
A few names have surfaced to replace them. They include Tom Emmer, Pat Anderson, Ben Golnik and Mary Igo all say they're running for the two slots.
Pawlenty for Prez Watch
The Iowa Family Leader says Gov. Pawlenty will be the first 2012 candidate to speak to the group. He'll speek there on February 7th. Bachmann will speak to the group on April 11th.
Pawlenty is polling at two percent in a national poll.
2012 Other
President Obama starts ramping up for 2012. He opened his campaign headquarters in Chicago.
Mitt Romney keeps away from the Tea Party.
Several long-time Republicans are urging Indiana Congressman Mike Pence to run for the White House.