The Daily Digest
It's Thursday at the Daily Digest, where state officials are once again postponing mineral exploration leases, congressional progressives hone their image, and we say goodbye to a technological visionary and a civil rights leader.
Around Minnesota
The House GOP will hold a Reform 2.0 meeting in Worthington today.
Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, is raising concerns about the possible misuse of the state's Driver and Vehicle Services database.
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The Obama administration wants to fast-track a high-voltage power line between Hampton, Minn. and LaCrosse, Wis.
Rep. Chip Cravaack is in Duluth a lot these days after being criticized for not being there enough.
People up north are learning that they may not own the minerals beneath their land.
Meanwhile, state officials have delayed for a second time the approval of 94 leases to explore for minerals in northeastern Minnesota.
Last year, Minnesota lost more technology jobs than the rest of the country.
The developers behind Target Field say they're ready to make another pitch for the Minnesota Vikings.
In Washington
Rep. Keith Ellison is trying to turn the Congressional Progressive Caucus into a liberal version of the Republican Study Committee.
Rep. John Kline has introduced a bill that would block new union election rules. The bill comes as the GOP seeks to make unionization an election issue, the Star Tribune writes.
The PoliGraph says that Rep. Erik Paulsen's claim about three trade deals is inconclusive.
Rep. Collin Peterson is promoting a bill that would help dairy farmers.
Senate Democrats have proposed a new way to pay for President Barack Obama's $447 billion jobs plan: a 5 percent surtax on millionaires.
A U.S. House committee approved legislation to allow construction of a new $700 million bridge crossing the St. Croix River near Stillwater.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar wants to make the visa process easier.
Related
California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a bill that would have allowed child care workers to unionize. An effort to unionize child care workers is afoot in Minnesota as well.
MPR says that Dayton is still considering a union vote for child care workers.
On the Campaign Trail
In case you were still wondering, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin won't be running for president.
Rep. Michele Bachmann via Twitter: "Gov. Palin is a friend & I think the world of her. She is an important voice in our movement & has many opportunities ahead."
The latest polling numbers are here. Mitt Romney's back on top, and Bachmann's still in the single digits.
The GOP presidential candidates are framing their foreign policy positions with the economy in mind, reports the Associated Press.
Bachmann says she would reinstate Don't Ask, Don't Tell if she is made president.
A new poll shows that a majority of voters oppose Texas's short-lived requirement that girls get the HPV vaccine unless they got a waiver.
The numbers are starting to trickle in. Texas Gov. Rick Perry will report raising roughly $17 million in the third quarter of the fundraising cycle. And that's coming from just 22,000 donors.
With those numbers, Politico predicts Perry will be in it for a while.
Rep. Ron Paul will report more than $8 million next week from more than 100,000 supporters. Not a shabby haul.
Cravaack gets another assist from Norm Coleman's American Action Network.
Nevada has set its caucuses for Jan. 14.
A Rochester button company has a good record when it comes to predicting the winner of political elections. On track to win the GOP nomination so far? Ron Paul.
Finally
RIP Steve Jobs. I played Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego on one of these back in the day.
RIP Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights leader.