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 14, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura visits the MPR studios to talk about his first 100 days in office and answer listener questions.
April 14, 1999 - Governor Jesse Ventura offered his own assessment of his first 100 days in office during Minnesota Public Radio's Midday program today. Ventura says he takes pride in his smooth transition, the quality of commissioners he's named, and his budget. When MPR host Gary Eichten asked him about mis-steps and comments that have riled people, the governor said he has no regrets.
April 14, 1999 - Governor Ventura and Senate DFLers spent the day down-playing the significance of the surprise tax cut passed last night in the Minnesota House. House DFLers and Republicans joined forces to approve tax cuts and rebates worth more that $1-point-4 Billion dollars a year but Ventura and Senate leaders say the House went too far.
April 14, 1999 - The long-stalled debate over tax relief took a surprising turn last night when House DFLers joined forces with the Republican majority to approve across-the-board income rate tax cuts. The DFL proposal also includes the Senate's version of one-time sales tax rebates and more than $70 Million dollars in property tax aid for farmers. The House DFLers' sudden cooperativeness took Republican leaders by surprise -- and put Senate DFLers on the defensive.
April 15, 1999 - During last fall's campaign, Governor Jesse Ventura often talked about lower taxes and smaller government, positions that struck a chord with business leaders. But after the governor's first 100 days, there's some cautious grumbling in the business community, that they heard a republican philosophy but are seeing Democratic policies.
April 15, 1999 - Governor Ventura has named thirteen new people to the sixteen member Metropolitan Council, dramatically changing the makeup of the regional body. He chose people from business, inner city neighborhoods, agriculture and minority groups. One of the new council members, Matthew Ramadan, the director of the Minneapolis Northside Residents Council, is Ventura's first African American appointee.
April 16, 1999 - In his first 100 days in office, Governor Jesse Ventura has prided himself on speaking his mind. But sometimes speaking his mind has gotten Ventura in trouble. On several occasions, critics have said the governor's comments reflect a lack of sensitivity on issues pertaining to single mothers and minorities.
April 19, 1999 - House Republicans today outlined their comprehensive tax relief plan, adding to the income tax cuts passed by the House last week. The complete $4-Billion-dollar package eliminates the so-called "sick tax" on medical care, cuts agricultural property taxes by about 10 percent and makes the income tax system more favorable to married couples. Republicans say they're delivering on their promise to cut taxes across the board, but DFLers in the Senate say the plan goes too far.
April 20, 1999 - When Republicans took control of the Minnesota House, they talked about cutting government spending, and appointed one of their most fiscally conservative colleagues to chair the committee in charge of funding certain state agencies. Republican leaders then told State Government Finance Committee chair Phil Krinkie to spend one-hundred million dollars LESS than Governor Ventura proposed in his budget. Krinkie has gone even further, chopping another 40-million, and ruffling some feathers in his own caucus in the process.
April 22, 1999 - The school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, has re-opened a debate here in Minnesota over permits for concealed weapons. Governor Jesse Ventura is speculating so-called "concealed-carry" laws could have prevented the violence in Colorado. Opponents say more guns only lead to more bloodshed.