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Oberstar to champion jobs bill
U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, chair of the House transportation and infrastructure committee, is pushing a massive jobs bill that would move up the construction of approved transportation projects around the country. This is from a Duluth News Tribune story today by John Meyers. I’ve got to think that this works to the favor of Minnesotans…
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Iron Range enters food stage of political calendar
In the Iron Range political universe there are two seasons. Thumpin’ season and potluck season. Thumpin’ season is when we engage our region’s unique brand of ad homonym political brutality for the cause of social justice. That ended with the election. We are now in potluck season, a time when wounds are licked and coffers…
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Parliament: Smoke ’em if you got ’em
Canada’s conservative government may tumble because its two left-leaning parties, the Liberals and the New Democrats started crunching some numbers and realized there are more of them then there are conservatives. The election was several weeks ago! The biggest hurdles appear to be internal whining and bitching, which is SO classic liberal. Meantime, any coalition…
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Oberstar denies cabinet rumors
Doug Grow at MinnPost reports that a Jim Oberstar appointment as Secretary of Transportation is unlikely. Twin Cities Daily Liberal blogs that this isn’t a bad thing. Agreed, but me, I’m an Iron Range blogger working in the 8th Congressional District. What the holy hell am I going to write about if Jim stays in…
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Naked emperor just keeps on chooglin’
As expected, the Iron Range Resources board voted Monday to give Excelsior Energy a sweetheart two-year extension on making any payments on its combined $9.5 million in IRR loans since 2001. Bill Hanna of the Mesabi Daily News is reporting that the vote was 9-1, with Rep. Tom Anzelc (DFL-Balsam Township) the sole “no” vote.…
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From a Blue fall to Purple times
Political junkies are still learning to cope with the dramatic emotional drop-off that has occurred after the end of the election. Sure, we still have the Minnesota Senate recount and idle chatter about President-elect Obama’s cabinet to poke at. Some of the hard cases are really tweaking out over these things. But that’s nothing compared…
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The Irv Era
Doug Grow, who is apparently my blogging BFF for the weekend, wrote a great story for MinnPost about Irv Anderson, the late State Representative and Speaker of the House whose funeral was held Saturday in International Falls. The story demonstrates quite a bit about Anderson’s personality but also much about the political culture of northern…
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On hockey and the Iron Range’s real problems
I’ve been meaning to pass this along all week. Doug Grow of MinnPost profiled Mike Antonovich, the former Gophers hockey great and new mayor of the Iron Range town of Coleraine. Read it. The story seems to have several purposes. One, it shows how a hockey stardom is still great currency in Minnesota small towns.…
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DNT editorial roughs up commissioners
Check out the anti-establishment clarion call from the Duluth News-Tribune editorial board today. They are calling for the ouster of four long serving members of the St. Louis County Board in the 2010 election for various transgressions, mostly related to sexual harassment cases and the resulting failure of the board to acknowledge any wrong-doing. ……
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The thick blue line
Business North ran a great story by Beth Bily about the political trends emerging in Duluth and the Iron Range after the 2008 election. Check it out. Related posts: No related posts.
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Alaska’s new senator takes an Iron Range name to D.C.
Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich, a Democrat, has officially defeated longtime U.S. Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) after late absentee ballots were counted yesterday. There are plenty of places to read about the political implications, but I just want to point out the fact that two names originating from the Iron Range now decorate U.S. Senate offices:…
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East Range mining rumble coming to St. Paul
This Mesabi Daily News story from yesterday explores the legislative strategy of environmental groups opposed to the PolyMet mining project on the East Range. The MDN also writes about the legislative strategy of pro-development groups, but usually in the form of drippingly-ironic editorials. Is drippingly a word? Anyway, there will be a legislative smackdown over…
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Irv Anderson dies; Northland mourns
Former House speaker and longtime former State Rep. Irv Anderson (DFL-International Falls) died Monday morning at age 85. This short breaking story comes from the Mesabi Daily News and will be updated for the morning edition. There will be many obituaries recorded across the state on Tuesday that will show a fuller picture of the…
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At least they didn’t try to hug
Ever have to make exactly one minute of small talk with someone you recently called “wrong for America?” Ever have it filmed and put on CNN? Awkward 2 D Xtreme! My favorite is when they try to talk about football. H/T Wonkette Related posts: No related posts.
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Paul Thissen: The MinnesotaBrown interview
Last week I had a conversation with State Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Minneapolis) shortly after he announced his candidacy for governor. Rep. Thissen has been a friend to this blog, occasionally offering insightful comments on health care reform (his specialty area). I first talked to Thissen when he brought his health and human services committee to…