Daily Digest (MNsure bonuses, DFL raises big money, House passes farm bill)
We had a pretty jam-packed Digest yesterday even before we got to the State of the Union. Today? Not quite so much. But still lots of interesting stories in the news.
Minnesota:
Fourteen managers at MNsure collectively received more than $26,000 in bonuses in November as the state government launched its troubled health exchange website, state officials disclosed Wednesday. (Pioneer Press)
On Saturday the Minnesota Department of Health will deliver a report to the Legislature that blames structural racism for some of the persistent health disparities between whites and people of color in the state. Major race-based differences are evident in almost every major disease condition in Minnesota the department tracks. (MPR News)
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A special legislative committee released recommendations on how to combat synthetic drugs. Lynn Habhegger of Carlton told lawmakers her son Corey overdosed in 2011 on the bath salts he purchased at the shop. She said her son suffered permanent brain damage. "Corey didn't lose his life to synthetic drugs," Habhegger said. "He lost his mind to them, and ultimately we have lost our son and the man he could have become. Corey will never be able to hold a job, go to college, have a profession, serve his country, get married or have a family." (MPR News)
The wage gap between men and women earned a mention in President Obama's State of the Union speech this week. And it will get some attention this morning in St. Paul. At the Women's Economic Security Summit, Minnesota House Speaker Paul Thissen is expected to outline a package of 17 bills aimed at the wage gap. A report being released at the summit shows Minnesota women -- on average -- still earn significantly less than men. (MPR News)
Gov. Dayton hasn’t named his new running mate yet, but one of the Republicans who hopes to run against him will today. Sen. Dave Thompson, R- Lakeville, has an announcement scheduled for 10:30 today at the Capitol. Looks like it's Sen. Michelle Benson, R-Ham Lake. (AP via Star Tribune)
The Minnesota DFL Party raised more than $3 million in 2013. The party has nearly $289,000 on hand to start this election year. (MPR News)
There will be a push during the legislative session to repeal a drug testing requirement for welfare recipients. (Star Tribune)
Washington:
The House passed the farm bill easily after a two year delay. As we reported earlier this week this version cuts food stamps by 1 percent but preserves farm subsidies. Republican Michele Bachmann and Democrat Keith Ellison were the only two members of the Minnesota delegation who voted against the bill. (AP via Star Tribune)
“I voted against it because we shouldn’t ask families on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to get by on less when we aren’t asking corporate farmers to do the same," Ellison said. "All legislation involves tradeoffs, but ultimately this bill made an unfair trade between families who need food and wealthy farmers. When I’m asked to choose between food assistance for families and crop subsidies to the wealthiest farmers in the country, I will choose food assistance every time."
The ranking member of the House Ag Committee, 7th District Democrat Collin Peterson, says now that the farm bill is done he'll start to think seriously about whether to seek a 13th term. Peterson says he'll probably announce his decision next month. (MPR News)
How would those retirement savings accounts President Obama talked about work? "This new way of saving would be different from a traditional tax-deferred individual retirement account, or IRA. For one thing, workers can't lose money in MyRAs; the government would protect the principal and help savings grow a bit faster than inflation." (NPR)
Democrats trying to retain control of the U.S. Senate are using a secret weapon: The U.S. House. “It’s pretty simple,” said Ty Matsdorf, spokesman for the Senate Majority PAC, the main “super PAC” devoted to keeping the Senate in Democratic hands. “House Republicans are advancing and advocating an irresponsible, reckless agenda, and we are going to make sure voters in every one of these states know their record.”(New York Times)
Hillary Clinton holds a 6 to 1 lead over other Democrats heading into the 2016 presidential campaign, while the Republican field is deeply divided with no clear front-runner, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. (Washington Post)
Finally:
Findings from a study into the relationship between drinking and politics across 50 states in the US over the past 50 years suggest a direct correlation between political beliefs and the demand for alcohol. It's not too surprising that the research reveals that more politically liberal states like Nevada tend to consume up to three times more alcohol per head than more politically conservative states like Arkansas and Utah. But economists from Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University also found that as states become more liberal politically over time, people there tend to drink more beer and spirits and less wine. (Journal of Wine Economics)