Social Issues

At a time when "family values" is a pop culture catch-phrase, a new book explores what "family" is all about. Po Bronson is the author of the new book, "Why Do I Love These People?" featuring stories of 20 real families. Bronson spoke to MPR's Steven John.
Civil rights leader John Lewis says America must not forget about the struggle to achieve racial equality. The Democratic congressman from Georgia, spoke Monday morning at the 16th annual Dr. Martin Luther King Junior holiday breakfast in downtown Minneapolis.
U.S. Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., speaks Monday morning at the 16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast in Minneapolis. Lewis was the chairman of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee during the height of the civil rights movement.
Speaking in St. Paul on Thursday, NAACP Chair Julian Bond said that "in some important ways non-white Americans face problems more difficult to solve now than in all the years that went before." Bond said the Republican rise to power has been bad for black America.
As the number of homeless people in Minnesota continues to grow, Midmorning looks at efforts to solve long-term homelessness. Photo by Cathy ten Broeke
Independent daycare providers are in the sights of two well-established labor unions. Union leaders are promising a stronger voice to providers who choose to take on state government collectively.
One week after saying he wanted to crack down on illegal immigration, Gov. Tim Pawlenty proposed ways to help legal immigrants. The Republican governor's plan includes a new tax credit for immigrants seeking citizenship, and more money for English language instruction and immunizations.
Immigration issues have moved to the forefront of political debate in recent weeks, thanks largely to Gov. Tim Pawlenty. It began in December when Pawlenty released what has become a controversial report on the costs associated with illegal immigration. And it continued this week, when the governor outlined a series of proposals to identify and crack down on illegal immigration in Minnesota.