Wednesday, May 22, 2013
What's your take on Minnesota's higher cigarette and income taxes, same-sex marriage law, all-day kindergarten funding, gun control measures, minimum wage and more?
What do you like—or dislike—in what the Minnesota Legislature did or didn't do? Leave a comment below. The Star Tribune posted a handy list of issues the Minnesota Legislature did and didn't tackle in the session that ended Monday at midnight. Love 'em? Hate 'em? Leave a comment below. DID: DIDN'T DO: See the full post at startribune.com. Which actions the Minnesota Legislature took do you support or oppose? Leave a comment below.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Gov. Mark Dayton’s signature Tuesday didn’t end the heated debate around same-sex marriage.
Whatever side of the debate you fall on, there’s no denying that this week’s passage of a bill legalizing same-sex marriage was a historical moment. Minnesota became just the 12th state to sanction gay marriage when Gov. Mark Dayton signed the bill Tuesday. Patch readers quickly wrote in to share their thoughts on the moment. Eagan Patch reader Kathi Malone echoed the view of legislators who voted yes in seeing same-sex marriage as a civil right: I am so happy that finally gay people will be able to have the civil right to marry. This is truly an American vote for freedom. I applaud Sen Clausen and all other legislators who voted for this historical bill. James N added: Thank you Senator Carlson and the entire MN legislature for extending …
Monday, May 13, 2013
The state senator's comments came after she read an emotional letter from the mother of a gay son who said she wanted to be able to dance at her son’s wedding.
Sen. Melisa Franzen (DFL-District 49) sought to move her fellow legislators by reading from a letter written by a mother who learned her son was gay in 2011, just as the gay marriage debate was ramping up in Minnesota. The letter she read stated: We began traveling with our son to new territory—and with the marriage amendment, it was public territory. … It was heartbreaking. Each voter who convinced himself of zero-sum morality—that if his family was good, mine must be evil—plunged another knife into my heart. No one will convince me that I gave birth to evil, that my son chose evil or that he deserves barriers to his happiness. I want for him what I want for all four of my children: happily ever after. I want him to find someone to love …
The local legislature, whose district includes Eden Prairie and Minnetonka, said such ‘name-calling’ shuts down honest debate.
Sen. David Hann (R-District 48) took exception to accusations that opponents of the same-sex marriage bill are bigots during Monday’s Senate debate on the bill. “We’re all opposed to the idea of unfairly discriminating and being prejudicial against our fellow citizens,” said Hann, whose district includes Eden Prairie and Minnetonka. “It’s not about that. And I think, frankly, for those of us who differ on this issue to be accused of those things is deeply, deeply offensive because it is untrue.” Hann said gay marriage supporters are shutting down honest debate by calling people names and added that the issue has been divisive because it strikes at a very fundamental understanding of human nature. For his part, Hann said that same-sex …
Saturday, May 11, 2013
Minnesota Representatives approved with a 75-59 vote Thursday a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in the state, putting it on the road to become the 12th state in the nation to do so.
Friday, May 10, 2013
The bill now moves on to the state senate as Minnesota Democrats hope to make the state the 12th in the nation to legalize gay marriage. Gov. Mark Dayton has vocally supported the legislation.
UPDATE: Minnesota Representatives approved with a 75-59 vote Thursday a bill legalizing same-sex marriages in the state, putting it on the road to become the 12th state in the nation to do so. The vote came at about 3 p.m. Thursday, May 9, about three hours after the bill was introduced. This is about honoring difference," bill sponsor Karen Clark said. "I respect the other point of view. But there is something about being able to marry the love of your life." Clark, a Democrat from Minneapolis, recognized her partner of 26 years in the assembly's audience. The vote came nearly six months to the day after a 2012 vote on a Republican-sponsored amendment item defining marriage as a union between man and woman. That, of course, was …
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
The Minnesota House of Representatives passed the bill 75-59 on Thursday, May 9, 2013.
Watch a replay of the Minnesota House of Representatives debate and vote on a bill to make same-sex marriage legal on Thursday, May 9, 2013. The bill passed after three hours of debate by a vote of 75-59. The YouTube above has all the action from the House floor via The UpTake. Do you want to urge your fellow Patch readers to support one side or the other of this issue? Write up your take on this in our Local Voices section! Email your editor for how to get started (look for their email address in the top-right corner of this page).
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
The bill is poised to move to the floors of the Minnesota House and Senate.
Update: The same-sex marriage bill passed the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee on a voice vote just after noon on Tuesday. Check above for a replay video. The Minnesota House of Representatives will vote on the bill on Thursday. Original post: Watch a video livestream of the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee Tuesday as the committee debates and votes on a bill that would make same-sex marriages legal in Minnesota. It is the up fourth item on the committee's Tuesday morning agenda. The video in the window above (or at The Uptake) will show first the Minnesota Senate Education Committee discussion of another bill addressing the problem of bullying.
Monday, February 25, 2013
"This week’s update provides some detail about new conversations, yet I continue to hear from so many who remain concerned about the budget proposal."
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Monday, February 25
This week at the Capitol, a number of issues were brought to the forefront. The Healthcare Exchange moved forward, public testimony on gun-control measures was heard (hundreds came to testify), and anticipation continued to build surrounding the release of the February budget forecast. This week’s update provides some detail about new conversations, yet I continue to hear from so many who remain concerned about the budget proposal. Following the February forecast, I will share my best thoughts regarding what might be a way forward to promote growth and financial stability. MOOCs What an amazing new platform; Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), are a phenomenon that has caught on around the globe. The idea is to provide online lectures and…
Saturday, November 10, 2012
The idea of using the new DFL majority to push for legal rights for same-sex couples is, so far, getting a cautious reception from some politicians.
With a resounding victory Tuesday night and the DFL now primed to assume control of the 2013 legislative session, a prominent state senator is suggesting incoming lawmakers could try to repeal a Minnesota law banning same-sex marriage. A Southwest Minneapolis legislator, though, said it was too early to discuss legalization. Roseville state Sen. John Marty said he sees Tuesday night's election results as a changing of the guard. After just two years at the helm of the Minnesota Legislature, Republicans lost control of both the House and Senate on Tuesday night—a defeat at least some Democrats are attributing in part to the marriage and Voter ID amendments. Voters rejected both amendments by votes of 53 percent to 47 percent. During the…
mike savick
2:59 pm on Friday, May 24, 2013
Grocers must be "takers" since they get the SNAP payments directly via debit card. the recipients never get cash. You should also check the distribution statistics for SNAP and food shelves. You might find a lots of people you approve of from rural and suburban areas as well as veterans. more ›