Over the decades, MPR has presented the many different perspectives of Minnesota politics and politicians. This collection is home to a multitude speeches, interviews and debates on the issues of the day. Important topics of civil rights, environment, crime, budget, legislation, and campaigns are addressed.
Click on link to these well-known figures to see audio segments directly related to them: Michele Bachmann Arne Carlson Keith Ellison Hubert Humphrey Amy Klobuchar Eugene McCarthy Walter Mondale Tim Pawlenty R.T. Rybak Jesse Ventura Paul Wellstone
April 29, 1997 - Federal Mediation over the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ended without any settlement on the use of trucks to pull boats between lakes in the wilderness. But Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone may now support re-opening two of the former truck portages, based on a plan that was narrowly defeated in mediation. Minnesota Public Radio's Bob Kelleher reports from Duluth. The truck portages represent the deepest division among Minnesotans over the region's management. For decades, trucks pulled motorized boats between Boundary Waters lakes on which motors are allowed. But a Federal court closed the four portages to trucks based on what some consider an overly-narrow interpretation of the 1978 law which created the wilderness area. Wilderness advocates won their argument that trucks are inappropriate and th
April 30, 1997 - Midday focuses on the discussion at the state Legislature about the future of a new baseball stadium for the Minnesota Twins. Host Gary Eichten speaks with MPR reporter Bill Wareham, who presents a summary of the various proposals and audio clips of committee debate. Ideas presented include gambling revenue options, cheaper alternatives to a stadium, buying a team, selling Metrodome to teams for $1.00, and buying season tickets.
May 9, 1997 - Minneapolis Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton gives a preview of her appearance on "The Late Show with David Letterman." Letterman brought in the mayor, Kirby Puckett, and residents of Minneapolis as part of a running thematic series on his show of highlighting various cities across the country.
May 9, 1997 -
May 15, 1997 - Midday looks at Governor Arne Carlson's insistence that tax breaks for education expenses, including private school costs, be part of any education funding bill passed by the legislature. On this Talk of Minnesota, listeners call in and comment on whether the governor should stick to his guns or be willing to compromise.
May 19, 1997 - Over the weekend House and Senate conferees worked out the details of the long-awaited property tax reform package. Home owners will get a one time rebate and the tax rates for commercial property will be reduced. The package should be voted on today. Governor Carlson has said he will veto the tax bill unless he gets the tax credit provisions he wants in the education financing bill. We get the numbers from Dan Salamone, Exectutive Director of the Minnesota Taxpayers Association.
May 19, 1997 - The House and Senate are meeting at this hour, hurrying through their votes to try to finish their business before tonight's midnight deadline... but the real action at the capitol is taking place behind closed doors, where DFL leaders and the Governor's staff are struggling to figure out a compromise over K-12 education tax breaks. Minnesota Public Radio's Martin Kaste reports.
May 19, 1997 - MPR’s Martin Kaste describes that state lawmakers are facing a midnight deadline to finish their work of the session. Two big bills are headed to the Governor Carlson’s desk, where they face all but certain vetoes.
May 20, 1997 - Midday discussion with the four legislative leaders from the State Capitol. Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe, Senate Minority Leader Dean Johnson, House Speaker Phil Carruthers, and House Minority Leader Steve Sviggum share their thoughts on the close of the regular legislative session and the chances of a special session due to potential governor veto on education bill. The guests also answer listener call-in questions.
May 29, 1997 - Minnesota Senator Paul Wellstone will tour several towns in the Mississippi Delta today ... in the first part of what he's billing as a nationwide poverty tour. Over the coming weeks, Wellstone plans to retrace the steps of Robert Kennedy... who visited some of the country's poorest regions in 1967 and '68. Minnesota Public Radio's John Biewen reports on how poverty has... or has not... changed... in the past thirty years. When Senator Robert Kennedy traveled to the Mississippi Delta in 1967... he found children in tattered clothing... with no access to a doctor and, in some cases, not enough to eat. Their parents had lost their cotton-plantation jobs to mechanization. A few months later... Kennedy found similar conditions among displaced coal mining families in eastern Kentucky. Georgetown