politics
With an insider’s eye, Hot Dish tracks the tastiest bits of Minnesota’s political scene and keep you up-to-date on those elected to serve you.
Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributors in D.C.: Kevin Diaz and Corey Mitchell.
Contributors in Minnesota: Jennifer Brooks, Baird Helgeson, Mike Kaszuba, Patricia Lopez, Jim Ragsdale, Brad Schrade and Rachel E. Stassen-Berger. Contributors in D.C.: Kevin Diaz and Corey Mitchell.
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Legislative chair sees benefits in unionization of in-home care workers
Posted by: Jim Ragsdale under Minnesota legislature, Democrats, Republicans Updated: January 4, 2013 - 4:24 PM
The incoming DFL chair of a House health-care committee said the unionization of some in-home care workers could be good for them and for the state.
Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, who will chair the House Health and Human Services Policy Committee, appeared at the release of a report into the status of personal care assistants, who take care of elderly and disabled people into their homes. The assistants are the target of a unionizing effort by the Service Employees International Union.
"I certainly believe when people are organized and bargain collectively, it lifts their standard of living, and that is better for all of us," Liebling said.
SEIU and personal care workers said they will approach the new, DFL-controlled Legislature for authority to organize a union of in-home care workers. The union would cover those workers who are hired directly by the people they care for, and would include some people who care for elderly and disabled family members.
The report, commissioned by SEIU and conducted by the Paraprofessional Healthcare Institute, found that the mostly-female workforce had a median wage of $10.79 per hour in 2011. With the need growing for such care, the report said, the state should take measures to attract more people to the work.
"Minnesota should increase wages and benefits for home care workers in order to make these jobs more attractive to job seekers," the report stated.
Ellison joins Democrats' whip operation in U.S. House
Posted by: Kevin Diaz under 5th District, Minnesota congressional Updated: January 4, 2013 - 4:04 PM
The Minnesota Democratic was named one of the party’s chief deputy whips, working with Democratic Party Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.
Ellison, already in a leadership position as co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said he’s excited “to continue the fight for good jobs for working families.”
Supreme Court Justice Paul Anderson's retirement approaches
Posted by: Rachel E. Stassen-Berger Updated: January 4, 2013 - 4:15 PMGov. Mark Dayton is preparing to make his second appointment to the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Supreme Court Justice Paul Anderson, first appointed in 1994 by Republican Gov. Arne Carlson, is set to retire this spring when he reaches the court's mandatory retirement age of 70 in May.
During Anderson's time on the bench, the court has handled two statewide recounts, a series of constitutional cases, civil cases that are cited nationally. Anderson, whose opinions are marked with historic and literary references, also helped set up the court's redistricting process, which has largely been accepted as fair.
Over the years, Anderson said the court's jurisprudence has become more conservative.
"That puts me more on the center left than where I would have been to begin with," Anderson said.
Anderson, despite the authority of the black robe, has also been approachable on the bench and off it. He said when he was first invested at the state Appeals Court , he decided he would not retreat onto the bench.
"I decided good, bad or indifferent I would reach out," Anderson said. He has traveled the state, the country and the world to discuss judicial and civic issues.
Justice Paul Anderson, as the Supreme Court heard arguments over a voter ID case this summer
Dayton, a Democrat, made his first mark on the court in September by appointing Appeals Court Judge Wilhelmina M. Wright to the court to replace Justice Helen Meyer.
Wright was among four finalists for the job this fall. Also on the list: attorney David Lillehaug, District Court Judge Tanya Bransford and Appeals Court Judge Margaret Chutich.
Anderson told Dayton that he would not recommend a single person as he replacement but did offer some characteristics of the right selection.
Among his criteria, he said he listed: someone who is curious, willing to explore the nuance of the law; imbued with empathy; who is willing to work hard; "loves language and understands the importance of language." The person, he told the governor, should have both an open mind and enough humility to understand self doubt.
Although it is not required, Dayton asked the Commission on Judicial Selection to "aid in the review and selection process for this vacancy."
Dayton's office said: "The Commission on Judicial Selection and Governor Dayton are committed to seeking out individuals who possess great integrity, extensive legal knowledge, broad experience and a commitment to fairness."
Applications for the rare open Supreme Court spot are due by February 15.
Gubernatorial supreme court appointments do not require legislative approval but justices must stand for election before voters.
Bachmann takes another shot at Obamacare
Posted by: Kevin Diaz under 6th District, Minnesota congressional, President Obama Updated: January 4, 2013 - 12:17 PM
There was no press announcement. Nor was it mentioned in a swearing-in day press release announcing staff changes, office locations, and a new Web site design.
The news came via her Twitter account: “At noon today, I introduced the first bill of the 113th Congress to repeal Obamacare in its entirety.”
The GOP-controlled House passed repeal legislation in the last session of Congress, though it wasn't the version authored by Bachmann, who often describes herself as the "tip of the spear" in the repeal effort. In any case, the bill never went anywhere in the Democratic-controlled Senate.
On the presidential campaign trail in 2011, Bachmann often told audiences in Iowa that defeating President Obama was the last best chance of undoing his signature health care law. But that doesn’t mean she won’t keep trying.
Peterson warns Boehner of 'fool's errand' on farm bill
Posted by: Kevin Diaz under 7th District, Minnesota congressional Updated: January 4, 2013 - 11:44 AMHopping mad about a stop-gap nine-month extension of current farm programs under the “fiscal cliff” deal, rural Minnesota Democrat Collin Peterson fired off letters to House GOP leaders saying he sees “no reason why the House Agriculture Committee should undertake the fool’s errand” of writing another five-year farm bill in the new session of Congress.
Peterson’s letters to House Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor Thusday follow repeated refusals by GOP leadership to consider the Agriculture Committee’s bipartisan five-year farm bill during the last Congress and a “last-minute, backroom” nine-month farm bill extension that ignored the work of the House and Senate farm committees.
Peterson, the ranking Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee, said that this time he wants an up-front written commitment from House leaders that any new farm legislation coming out of the committee will get a vote of the full House.
The letter is here:
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recent posts
- Legislative chair sees benefits in unionization of in-home care workers
- Ellison joins Democrats' whip operation in U.S. House
- Gov. Dayton prepares for 2nd appointment to high court
- Bachmann takes another shot at Obamacare
- Peterson warns Boehner of 'fool's errand' on farm bill
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- Rep. Gottwalt says he will resign
- Bachmann casts a late vote for Speaker Boehner
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