In the Know

Minnesota DFL
March 17, 2016
189 days before people can begin to vote by no excuse absentee ballot, Sept. 23
245 days until Election Day, Nov. 8
 
Events today

• Gov. Dayton and Lt. Gov. Smith will host breakfast at the Governor’s Residence for GOP legislative leaders.
• 10:30 a.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. R.H. Stafford Library, 8595 Central Park Place, Woodbury.
• 11 a.m. – The Senate meets in session.
• Senate Republicans will hold a press conference immediately following session, room 2237, Minnesota Senate Building, to discuss their 2016 agenda: Transportation, tax relief, healthcare, education, bonding.
• 12:30 p.m. – Lt. Gov. Smith and Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle will visit the MnDOT facility in Crookston MnDOT District 2 – Crookston Office, 1320 Sunflower St., Crookston, which is a converted horse barn that was built before 1930. Lt. Gov. Smith and Commissioner Zelle will hold a news conference at the site, promoting the Governor’s Jobs Bill proposal.
• 1:20 p.m. – Lt. Gov. Smith will visit North Country Food Bank in Crookston, North Country Food Bank, 424 N Broadway, Crookston. Lt. Gov. Smith will tour the facility, and speak with reporters about the importance of passing the Governor’s Jobs Bill – which would invest in an updated facility for the North Country Food Bank.
• 3 p.m. – The DFL will host a VAN webinar training session at 3 p.m.The sign up form is found here. For more information contact Michael Crusinberry, date file manager, at . You can watch a recording of it here: https://youtu.be/Uqumn6h7rNE.
• 4 p.m. – Lt. Gov. Smith, Commissioner Zelle, and Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht will participate in a transportation roundtable discussion hosted by the Bemidji Chamber of Commerce. Mayflower Building, Suite 101, 102 1st St. W, Bemidji.
• 4 p.m. – The House meets in session.

Mark your calendars

• March 18 – 9:30 a.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. Rochester Senior Center, 121 N Broadway Ave, Rochester.
• March 18 – 2 p.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. Mower County Seniors, Inc, 400 3rd Ave NE, Austin.
• March 19 – Martin Olav Sabo memorial service, at 10:30, Central Lutheran Church, 333 S. 12th St., Minneapolis.
• March 21 – 9:30 a.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. Snell Motors, 900 Madison Ave., Mankato.
• March 21 – 2:30 p.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. Kandiyohi County Health and Human Services (Room 1020), 2200 23rd St NE, Willmar.
• March 24 – The DFL will host a VAN webinar training session at 3 p.m. The sign up form is found here. For more information contact Michael Crusinberry, date file manager, at .
• March 26 – The DFL African American Caucus will meet at 10 a.m. at the Pierre Bottineau Library, Minneapolis.
• March 29 – 9 a.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. Essentia Clinic, 4855 West Arrowhead Rd, Duluth.
• March 29 – 1:30 p.m. – Sen Franken’s staff will hold a meeting as part of the “Prescription Drug Cost Listening Tour” in communities across the state to collect stories from older Minnesotans who have been hard hit by skyrocketing prices of prescription drugs. Senior Dining, 313 Elm Ave., Moose Lake.
• March 31 – The DFL will host a VAN webinar training session at 3 p.m.The sign up form is found here. For more information contact Michael Crusinberry, date file manager, at .
• April 30 – CD 2 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., Shakopee West Junior High School, 200 10th Ave. E, Shakopee.
• April 30 – CD 7 DFL Convention, 1 p.m., Courtyard Marriott Hotel, 1080 28th Ave. S, Moorhead.
• May 7 – CD 5 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., South High School, 3131 S 19th Ave., Minneapolis.
• May 7 – CD 8 DFL Convention, 10 a.m., Duluth Holiday Inn, 200 W 1st St., Duluth.
• May 14 – CD 1 DFL Convention, 1 p.m., Worthington Event Center, 1447 Prairie Dr., Worthington.
• May 14 – CD 3 DFL Convention, 10:30 a.m., Osseo Senior High School, 317 2nd Ave. NW, Osseo.
• May 21 – CD 6 DFL Convention, noon, St. Cloud Apollo High School, 1000 44th Ave. N, St. Cloud.
• May 22 – CD 4 DFL Convention, noon, Carpenters Union Hall, 700 Olive St., St. Paul.

Fundraisers

• April 10 – The Winona County DFL will host its 2016 Banquet at the Westfield Golf Club, 1460 W 5th St., Winona. Tickets, which include dinner (chicken, prime rib or vegetarian lasagna), speakers and a silent auction, are $50. Checks, made out to the Winona County DFL, can be sent to DFL, 685 West 5th St., Winona, MN 55987. Please indicate your dinner choice.

2016 election
U.S. House
Stewart Mills is taking on Rick Nolan again — so what’s different this time? MinnPost

President
Clinton, Sanders camps insist they can mend fences, The Hill
Republicans deploy shadow campaigns in bid for loyal delegates, Star Tribune
Here’s what will happen to Rubio’s delegates, Roll Call
Rubio tells Minnesota backers Cruz ‘only conservative left in the race,’Pioneer Press
On The Ides of March, Trump and Clinton see fates pointing to nomination, MPR

Compassionate Care Act
Doctor-assisted suicide proposal tabled after emotional hearing, Star Tribune
Assisted-suicide bill makes it to Minnesota Capitol, Star Tribune
Lawmaker: ‘Aid in dying’ bill gives patients alternative, MPR
Minnesota lawmaker: ‘Aid in Dying’ bill gives patients alternative, KSTP
 
Debate
Donald Trump just singlehandedly shut down Monday’s Fox News debate,Washington Post
 
DFL
McLeod County DFL gears up for election season, McLeod Chronicle
 
Democratic National Convention
The math is on Clinton’s side. She started last night with a big lead. She ended it with a huge one, four more state wins, and big momentum. Leave superdelegates out of it for the moment: Clinton’s pledged delegate lead over Sanders is now nearly three times the advantage she held over then Sen. Obama at any point in the 2008 campaign. “Even if he’d won Illinois and Ohio, it wouldn’t have mattered — unless he won big. Hillary Clinton won big in North Carolina and Florida, helping add to her delegate margin,”notes Philip Bump. “…In order for Sanders to pull even with Clinton in pledged delegates, he’d need to win 57.8 percent of the remaining delegates — meaning, essentially, that he’d need to win about 57.8 percent of the vote in every remaining state, on average.” Washington Post
 
Education (E-12)
Legislators seek consensus on early-education scholarships, Star Tribune
 
GOP
GOP overpromised and didn’t deliver — and now it’s stuck with Trump,MinnPost
Republicans had a plan for the middle class, and Donald Trump killed it,Washington Post
Minnesota GOP tries to tie DFL leaders to socialists, YouTube

Labor
Sick-leave plan would affect Minneapolis businesses with at least 4 workers, Star Tribune
Daudt predicts Iron Range unemployment vote this week, Duluth News Tribune
What’s next on benefits? Mesabi Daily News
Teamsters rally against proposed pension cuts, MPR
Minneapolis inches closer to comprehensive paid sick leave, WCCO

Lobbying
Business groups, teachers union, local governments dominated 2015 lobbying spending, Star Tribune
 
Missouri
Democratic race in Missouri primary in limbo pending recount decision,Washington Post
 
Primary
Presidential primary push gets underway at Capitol, MPR
Questions in the push for Minnesota to host a primary, WCCO
MN to switch to primary? KARE
 
Racial disparities
New support bolsters racial disparities bills, but opposition looms, TC Daily Planet
 
Republican National Convention
With Rubio out, here’s what happens to the delegates he won in Minnesota,MinnPost
Good Question: How does a contested convention work? WCCO

Trump has more delegates than anyone else; just more than half of what he needs to get the nomination. But just more than half of the delegates have been doled out in the race so far, and the majority math isn’t nearly so clear for him. Kasich’s hopes for the nomination are slim, and mathematically speaking, he can’t win the nomination before the convention. Cruz is only 225 delegates behind Trump, but he would have to win an overwhelming share of what’s left. Washington Post
Rice harvest
Tribal members should be able to rice at will, Dayton says, Brainerd Dispatch
 
Trump
Garrison Keillor: Think moving abroad will save you from Trump? Think again. Washington Post
PBS News Story on first-time Trump voters prominently displays longtime white power tattoos, Gawker
 
U.S. Supreme Court
Meet Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee for the Supreme Court,Washington Post
Here are the Republicans who could break ranks and give Merrick Garland a shot at the Supreme Court, Washington Post
Senate hunkers down for Supreme Court brawl, Politico
Why Obama picked Merrick Garland, The Hill

Is the president being naïve – or cunning? With Merrick Garland, Barack Obama made the safe, conventional, even boring choice for the Supreme Court. He’s trying to call the Republicans’ bluff and force their hand by nominating a centrist judge who has been praised extensively by the right. He’s telling allies that he hopes this forces Republicans to reconsider their knee-jerk opposition to granting Garland a hearing. And then, once the judge gets in front of the Judiciary Committee, the president hopes obstruction would become politically untenable for the GOP. As Ruth Marcus puts it, Obama is trying to make Republicans “an offer they can’t afford to refuse.” Washington Post

In the wild and whirling age of Donald Trump, President Barack Obama went for stable, sober and conventional. Obama’s pick of Judge Merrick Garland for the vacant Supreme Court seat Wednesday was an intriguing, multilayered move in his last great showdown with Republicans that comes at a time of volatile political upheaval. His selection demonstrates cold-eyed calculation and represents a clear case of Obama calling the Republicans’ bluff after its leaders made clear they would refuse to consider his nominee whomever it turned out to be. CNN

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