Capitol View®

The Daily Digest: 11-27-06

Happy Birthday, Governor Pawlenty. I bet he's wishing for a nice big surplus when the budget forecast is announced on Wednesday and nice exchanges with the Democrats who control the Legislature. Pawlenty's proposal to give health insurance to every Minnesota child is accepted by the Minnesota Council of Health Plans.

The Legislature

There are plenty of profiles of Margaret Anderson Kelliher, the next speaker of the Minnesota House. MPR says she's a hockey mom.

But she says she's a mix of country and city.

There's also a profile of Senate Majority Leader Larry Pogemiller and of the GOP minority leaders in the House and Senate.

Tom Emmer and Denny McNamara will also be GOP House Minority Leader Marty Seifert's right hand men.

Property taxes are expected to be a topic of conversation this legislative session. The Pi Press says they're going up.

Senator-elect Katie Sieben, DFL-Newport, also gets into the holiday season by announcing a proposal to stop gift card erosion.

Speaking of legislative proposals, wine in grocery stores is back.

Congress

City Pages has an exit interview with outgoing Senator Mark Dayton.

Amy Klobuchar, who replaces Dayton, says she's ready to work.

U.S. News and World Report also has an interview with Klobuchar.

The New York Times has an interesting look at the different economic philosophies within the Democratic Party.

Michele Bachmann is mentioned in this San Francisco Chronicle story saying the new GOP crop is more conservative.

Democrat Keith Ellison says he wants a meeting on the controversy surrounding U.S. Air and the Muslim clerics.

Ellison is also mentioned in this Molly Ivins column.

Lori Sturdevant also writes about Betty McCollum's new power/political future in this column.

Democrat Tim Walz promises a visit to Iraq.

2008

The Washington Post says GOP Senator Norm Coleman is one of the most vulnerable GOP Senators in 2008.

Coleman is also mentioned in this story that focuses on Australian company being investigated for alleged kickbacks in the oil for food scandal

The Minnesota Daily takes a look at the 2008 Senate races.

There's talk that Al Franken may run for the U.S. Senate.

It appears he won't have anything to do at the end of the year since his contract with Air America expires.

Franken also does a victory dance on the Colbert Report.

The Star Tribune takes a look at Dean Johnson's discussion with supreme court justices.

Other

Finally, the Washington Post has an interesting profile on the AK-47 and how it's the weapon of choice around the world. The best quote is from the guy who invented it (which is at the end of the story).