What does it mean? A recap of political news
A brief recap of the week's political news in Minnesota — with a dose of analysis from our veteran state Capitol reporters.
On a 117-13 vote, the Minnesota House passed an anti-crime measure Wednesday that would increase punishments for meth makers, send violent rapists to prison for life and lengthen sentences for other sex offenders. A similar Senate anti-crime measure is making its way through the committee process and will likely go before the full Senate soon.
( 04/04/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Monday at the Capitol
Crime bill: The Senate Finance Committee takes up the omnibus crime bill. HF2028 sentences the worst sex offenders to life in prison and lengthens prison terms for other sex and methamphetamine-related crimes. The bill also limits the sale of over-the-counter products used to make meth and adds a law punishing those who endanger children while manufacturing the illicit drug (8 a.m., Room 123, Capitol).
( 04/04/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Business Beat: Election winnings
Minnesota TV stations could cash in on the 2004 campaign season.
The first splashes from what could be a gusher of 2004 political advertising are beginning to brighten the financial statements of commercial television stations serving the Twin Cities market.
( BY DAVE BEAL, Pioneer Press, 04/04/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Bill tracker
Bills in the news: where they've been, where they're going
Stadium: The House Local Government and Metropolitan Affairs Committee passed HF3089, which outlines funding options for a new baseball and football stadium. It also creates the Minnesota Stadium Authority — a group that will select the location of future sports stadiums. The bill next goes to the House Taxes Committee.
( 04/04/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Board votes to admonish Pfizer
When a shareholder who owns less than two-tenths of a percent of a company's stock gets riled, it usually doesn't make headlines. But when the stockholder is the state of Minnesota and the company is the pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc., things are different.
( BY DAVID HANNERS, Pioneer Press, 03/04/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Tactics used on divisive bills sting DFL
Amendments link icehouses to guns, abortion to circus law
First, a bill lifting a circus ban during the State Fair morphed into the biggest new abortion law in Minnesota in two decades. Now, an innocuous bill setting new identification requirements for icehouses is expected to expand dramatically access to concealed weapons permits in the state.
( BY JOHN WELSH, Pioneer Press, 03/04/2004 06:51 PM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Roseville considers instant runoff
Ireland uses the process to elect its president, Australia its House of Representatives and London its mayor. Roseville could be next to adopt instant-runoff voting.
( BY LENORA CHU, Pioneer Press, 02/23/2004 08:06 PM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Disability payouts rise for police, firefighters
A growing number of cops and firefighters in St. Paul and throughout Minnesota are using loosely written laws to gain lucrative disability benefits, straining a taxpayer-supported pension fund and threatening local government budgets across the state.
( BY ROBERT INGRASSIA, Pioneer Press, 02/22/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: The Meth effect
Methamphetamine, a highly addictive illegal drug, ensnares more Minnesotans each year. Its growing use ruins lives, strains public budgets and spreads hazardous waste.
( AMY BECKER, Pioneer Press, 02/22/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Education chief backs 'No Child Left Behind'
The nation's top education official used his visit to a St. Paul school Wednesday to defend the federal No Child Left Behind law and dismiss attempts by some states to avoid the law's requirements.
( BY JOHN WELSH, Pioneer Press, 02/19/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Senate panel snubs 'No Child Left Behind'
On the eve of U.S. Education Secretary Rod Paige's tour today of a St. Paul school, a Minnesota Senate panel signaled strong distaste for the federal No Child Left Behind Act, which has been trumpeted by the Bush Administration.
( BY JOHN WELSH, Pioneer Press, 02/18/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Hatch issues warning on schools' equipment deals
An offer of free exercise equipment to Minnesota's financially struggling school districts may be too good to be true, authorities warned Thursday.
( BY JOHN WELSH, Pioneer Press, 02/13/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Doyle promises Web links — maybe
MADISON, Wis. — The governor said Friday he'll probably redesign Wisconsin's prescription drug Web site within weeks to include links to Canadian pharmacies if the federal government doesn't go after Minnesota for offering similar services.
( BY TODD RICHMOND, Associated Press, 02/07/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Poll finds voters are evenly divided over death penalty
Minnesotans are split on the death penalty — about half support it and about half oppose it, according to a new statewide poll.
( BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER, Pioneer Press, 02/04/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

ARCHIVE: Death penalty proposal unveiled
Before unveiling his death penalty proposal Tuesday, Gov. Tim Pawlenty asked James Stuedemann to share his story. His voice a little unsteady, Stuedemann told of his 18-year-old daughter's rape, beating, stabbing and murder in the family's Woodbury home three years ago.
( BY RACHEL E. STASSEN-BERGER, Pioneer Press, 01/28/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

Both sides accuse other of exploiting 9/11
WASHINGTON — Although they had promised they would not exploit the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks for political advantage, Republicans and Democrats are using them extensively in their presidential campaigns.
( BY STEVEN THOMMA, Washington Bureau, 04/05/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Kerry wants to choose running mate early
WASHINGTON — Sen. John Kerry has told associates that he wants to select a running mate within eight weeks, an accelerated schedule intended to help him raise money and respond to a bombardment of attacks from President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney that worries party leaders, Democratic officials say.
( BY ADAM NAGOURNEY, New York Times, 04/05/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Dems strive for fragile balance
WASHINGTON — For John Kerry, taunting is out. Big tent is in. Pivoting from primary campaign to general election tactics, Kerry is alternating the partisan Bush bashing that Democrats love with moderate proposals that appeal to swing voters in a few make-or-break states.
( BY JAMES KUHNHENN, Washington Bureau, 04/05/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

'Traditional' label riles Laura Bush
WASHINGTON — Laura Bush hates "The Box." She dislikes being boxed and packaged by others as a "traditional first lady" in the mold of Bess Truman and Mamie Eisenhower, presidential wives from the "Leave It to Beaver" 1950s. She's also curious about a historian's recent survey of first ladies that describes her as "average" and ranks her 20th.
( BY WILLIAM DOUGLAS, Washington Bureau, 04/04/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Nader's campaign lonelier this time
WASHINGTON — When Ralph Nader is amused about something, a crooked smirk creases his somber face, the shoulders beneath the pin-striped suit start to quiver, and the abrupt, shrill laugh that escapes his mouth can best be described as a strangulated giggle.
( BY DICK POLMAN, Knight Ridder News Service, 04/04/2004 03:01 AM CDT)

Top liberals beg Nader to bow out
WASHINGTON — Prominent liberals are pleading with third-party candidate Ralph Nader to abandon his "quixotic and destructive" presidential bid, warning that his presence in the race could ensure the re-election of President Bush.
( Associated Press, 04/03/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

Bush credits his tax cuts for job gains
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — President Bush sought political momentum Friday from the largest gain in U.S. employment in four years, saying the creation of 308,000 new jobs in March was proof that his tax cuts and other economic policies are succeeding.
( BY AMY GOLDSTEIN and JONATHAN WEISMAN, Washington Post, 04/03/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

Democrats stuffing cozy cash cushion
WASHINGTON — The Democratic Party finds itself in its most confident and comfortable financial position in years, though it still trails Republicans in almost every fund-raising category.
( BY SHARON THEIMER, Associated Press, 04/02/2004 04:01 AM CDT)

Kerry has rotator cuff repaired as outpatient
BOSTON — Democrat John Kerry had complication-free outpatient surgery Wednesday for rotator cuff repair and will be back shaking voters' hands soon — although not too forcefully.
( Associated Press, 04/01/2004 04:01 AM CDT)