Capitol View®

The Daily Digest: 2-19-09

State and federal lawmakers continue to try to figure out the details of the stimulus plan.

The stimulus plan could free up money for alternative energy projects in Minnesota.

There are high hopes that a bullet train from St. Paul to Chicago could be built as a result of the stimulus bill.

New home construction posts a worse-than-expected drop.

The Federal Reserve says the economic outlook is turning grim.

President Obama also announces his plan to fix the home foreclosure market.

Homeowners in Minnesota expect to benefit from Obama's foreclosure plan.

Under the Dome

The federal money will mean a state budget do over.

Lawmakers hit the road today to hold hearings on the budget.

A GOP plan would cut pay for state politicians.

Former Finance officials blast Pawlenty's tobacco appropriations bond proposal.

The Vikings will continue to push for public money for a stadium even though the state is clearly short on public money.

The green cars bill could face a tough road at the Capitol.

A study says the state's No Child Left Behind rules are looser than other states.

A bill that increases the state's dropout age has been proposed again.

The GOP is pushing welfare reform as a cost savings measure.

Medical marijuana moves through a House Committee.

Students protest proposed cuts to higher education. The Star Tribune and Forum Communications have stories.

Greg Lemond, the winner of the Tour de France, is backing a bill calling for physical education classes in school.

2008 U.S. Senate Race

Is the air coming out of the Coleman campaign balloon? Politico is running a story saying "Coleman needs a miracle."

GOP bigwigs send out a fundraising video saying "America needs Norm Coleman" and ""A little bit of money right now could make the difference. We've got to get every ballot counted."

Coleman's attorney is arguing that "they can still win."

The panel of judges rejected Coleman's request to reconsider ballots. Coleman's attorneys say they've created a fatal flaw and blast the ruling and blast the ruling. The Pi Press, Forum Communications, AP and the Star Tribune have stories.

They also question the "reliability" of the election trial.

Appeal time?

The Swamp

DFL Rep. Keith Ellison visits Gaza.

President Obama is considering Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius to head HHS.

He also heads to Canada.

The EPA is expected to regulate carbon dioxide.

DFL Rep. Tim Walz pushes the stimulus bill in Winona.

GOP Rep. John Kline says he has concerns about the auto bailout because he doesn't want the federal government telling car companies how to run their businesses.

DFL Rep. Betty McCollum wants to yank an Iraq contract from Kellogg, Brown and Root.

A report suggests that the White House not move FEMA outside of Homeland Security. DFL Rep. Jim Oberstar wants that to occur.

2010

Former U.S. Sen. Mark Dayton sends out a fundraising letter.

The U of M's Larry Jacobs doesn't think Gov. Pawlenty will run for a third term.