A major class action lawsuit being argued this week could change the way the Minnesota predatory sex offender program operates.The plaintiffs, who include everyone being held in the program, argue that the program is unconstitutional, that they are being incarcerated with no chance of release, ...
It is no wonder that Ohio Gov. John Kasich has been received so favorably on his multi-state tour on behalf of a balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution. More and more Americans are becoming aware that in Washington, they just don't get the concept of living within one's ...
Islamic State terrorists have beheaded Christian children, buried prisoners alive and crucified people, often videotaping their atrocities and sharing them with the world.Why, then, did it seem to shock so many people that the Islamic State burned a Jordanian pilot alive?Condemnation of the ...
What's to debate?THUMBS DOWN: The issue of immunizations for children has been pushing its way into the political arena recently. After an outbreak of measles in California, apparently spread to people visiting Disneyland, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was asked about it in England. His ...
The case of Ray Kmetz, the man who shot at police outside of a New Hope City Council meeting last week and was in turn shot and killed by police, is troubling. Kmetz, who had a history of civil commitment for mental health reasons, was not supposed to own a gun. But a friend allegedly purchased ...
More and more of what Americans work hard to produce is being taken out of our pockets and sent to Washington. Runaway government growth means higher taxes for us and a colossal national debt to be paid off by our children and grandchildren.President Barack Obama wants to continue the trend of ...
As the eternal argument begins again in the Legislature - tax cuts versus spending cuts - some information from the state Department of Revenue seems to refute one of the arguments against taxing the wealthy.Tax foes argue that increased taxes on the wealthy will simply drive the rich to ...
President Barack Obama and other liberals attempt to bolster their argument for higher taxes and bigger, more expensive government by noting deficit spending has been reduced from the $1 trillion-plus levels of just a few years ago. Some conservatives, with spending plans of their own, are ...
When asset forfeiture power was added to the tools law enforcement agencies have several years ago, some people applauded the move.Then they began hearing of what can only be considered abuse of the authority. It has become clear limits are needed.Asset forfeiture allows law enforcement ...
Barely had "sequestration," the government spending limits Congress put in place Jan. 1, 2013, celebrated its second anniversary when President Barack Obama urged throwing any restraint to the wind.This week, Obama urged Congress to approve $74 billion a year more in spending than allowed under ...
Lack of agreement on transportationTHUNBS DOWN: One of the things keeping Minnesota from keeping up with its transportation and infrastrucutre maintenance is lack of agreement on how much we need. This week Gov. Mark Dayton said we need $6 billion more over the next ten years for our ...
Making community college free for virtually anyone who wants to attend is a plan President Barack Obama is eager for the public to know about - and, of course, to be grateful to him as its author.Less publicity went to another White House proposal that would have hurt millions of American ...
Governor Mark Dayton is following the form he has shown throughout his tenure in his latest state budget proposal. He has taken last year's budget and increased it, adding spending without seeming to figure out some way to moderate the increases with spending cuts. Instead he is proposing more ...
Yesterday marked the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau exermination camp in southern Poland. When Soviet army troops stormed through the front gate of the camp, what they found stunned many of the battle-hardened soldiers.They were greeted by more than 7,500 ...
Many Americans are finally waking up to the damage being done by the $18 trillion national debt, both now and to future generations. Control of Congress by conservative Republicans provides some hope of curbing the deficit spending that continues to add to the debt.Just last week, the new GOP ...
Gov. Mark Dayton will deliver his state budget proposal on Tuesday, and preliminary information indicates he wants to spend most of the state's projected $1 billion surplus on programs for children.Dayton is proposing increased spending for education, especially early childhood education, for ...
Even as President Barack Obama was using his State of the Union speech to recommend stronger cybersecurity for Americans, his administration was engaged in perhaps the most massive exchange of personal information in history.It may come as no surprise to you that the Obamacare website, ...
School bondsTHUMBS UP: Half of one percent doesn't sound like a lot, but when you're talking interest rates on a $46.1 million bond sale, it makes a big difference. District 88 approved the sale of bonds for its building project on Thursday, with a rate of 3.15 percent, which is .56 points less ...
One of President Barack Obama's most important requests of Congress, made during his State of the Union address, seemed to draw relatively little notice by lawmakers and the press. It deserves - needs urgently, in fact - more consideration.After emphasizing Americans "stand with people around ...
We can understand House Speaker John Boehner's hangdog, disinterested look as he sat behind President Barack Obama during the State of the Union address Tuesday night. He's been in this situation before, listening to the president's glowing words and inspiring phrases, and knowing that all the ...