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
February 24, 2003 - (EMBARGOED UNTIL MONDAY 2/24/03 A.M.) A new poll shows most Minnesotans are ready to accept the level of spending reductions outlined in Governor Tim Pawlenty's budget plan. Last week, Pawlenty released a deficit-reduction package that pruned back planned spending by almost $3 billion dollars and offered no new tax increases. But the survey, conducted for Minnesota Public Radio and the St. Paul Pioneer Press, also shows that majorities of respondents expect the cutbacks to fall hard on some Minnesotans. Minnesota Public Radio's Michael Khoo has more.
February 25, 2003 - MPR’s Brandt Williams reports on Minneapolis budget cuts. Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak says proposed cuts in Local Government Aid will cost the city nearly forty-five million dollars over the next two years. Rybak offered a preliminary estimate of how much each department will have to cut from in order to balance the city's budget. The cuts will be deepest in the city departments with the largest budgets: police, fire and public works. Some city officials say they fear these cuts will make it harder for police and fire departments to protect the people of Minneapolis.
February 26, 2003 - A new Minnesota Public Radio-St. Paul Pioneer Press poll finds nearly half of those polled think Governor Pawlenty is doing a good or excellent job. It's the first poll to ask about the governor's job performance since he was elected in November. Pawlenty supporters say the numbers are surprisingly high, coming after the governor released a budget that makes major spending cuts in a number of areas. Political observers say his approval rating could drop after the full impact of those cuts is known. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports...
March 3, 2003 - The recent release of hundreds of pages of National Transportation Safety Board documents still leaves many unanswered questions about what happened to the flight that killed Paul Wellstone and seven others last October. It will likely be months before the NTSB issues a final report on the crash. Although no clear cause has yet emerged, several areas stand out as possible factors. They include weather, pilot incompetence and problems with navigational equipment at the Eveleth- Virginia Airport. Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports.
March 6, 2003 - MPR’s Laura McCallum reports on more than a thousand gay and lesbian Minnesotans appearing at the Minnesota State Capitol to protest a proposal to remove sexual orientation from the state's human rights law. They called the bill mean-spirited. The bill's author says he wants to prevent homosexuality from being taught in the schools.
March 7, 2003 - The state of Minnesota is expected to lose hundreds of millions of dollars in federal matching funds... if the legislature passes Governor Tim Pawlenty's proposed cuts to health care programs in the state's budget. Missing out on the federal dollars is the topic of an article in this week's edition of "The Business Journal." Scott Smith is the reporter who wrote the story. He says state health officials are trying to calculate how much federal money the state will lose.
March 10, 2003 - County commissioners and other local leaders, are looking for ways to cope with the funding cuts in Governor Tim Pawlenty's budget. The governor's spending plan calls for cuts in many programs to fill a $4.2 billion shortfall. As debate over the proposal heats up, some officials are questioning the long term affects, especially in social programs. Mainstreet Radio's Bob Reha reports. <
March 11, 2003 - Governor Tim Pawlenty hit the road Monday to promote his plan to solve the state's $4.2 billion dollar budget deficit. At a public forum in Bemidji, the governor focused on economic development. Pawlenty presented his plan to create tax-free zones to attract businesses and create jobs. Mainstreet Radio's Tom Robertson reports... {
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