Twin Cities Daily Planet (https://www.tcdailyplanet.net/author/michael-mcintee/page/5/)
The Cruz family of Minneapolis would like to live under their own roof again. This morning, Occupy Minnesota Homes activists tried to live on their roof in hopes of making that dream a reality.
In the dark of night, Hennepin County Sheriff’s officers raided a foreclosed Minneapolis home that is being “defended” by Occupy Minnesota according to the group.
Governor Mark Dayton signed legislation on Monday that restores $4.7 million in funding for some emergency, life-saving services for the sickest Minnesotans, regardless of their citizenship status.The bill, which passed the Minnesota Senate unanimously, reverses some of the cuts made last year that left low-income legal and undocumented immigrants without a way to access chemotherapy and dialysis under the Emergency Medical Assistance program, even in a life or death health crisis. The program is funded through June of 2013.However, the state’s Emergency Medical Assistance law still contains language that prevents undocumented immigrants from getting health care for other life threatening medical problems such as an organ transplants and long-term nursing care.Despite the restrictions, supporters see the legislation as a victory.“It’s rare for a major health care bill to pass with unanimous, bi-partisan support,” said Sen. Jeff Hayden, DFL-Minneapolis. “But in this case both Democrats and Republicans agreed that the state must at least provide a basic medical safety net available to everyone in Minnesota, even non-citizens.”The cost of restoring Emergency Medical Assistance both for documented immigrants on the path to citizenship and for undocumented immigrants is covered, in part, by $11 million returned to the state from HMOs under new profit capping requirements.“Every person needs to be treated with dignity and compassion. Economic class and legal status should not be a condition to save a human life,” said Sen. Patricia Torres Ray, DFL-Minneapolis. “I believe providing life-saving, emergency health care must be a top funding priority. Continue Reading
A Minnesota Senate committee took no action on a bill for a new Vikings stadium, putting it into jeopardy.
Senator Al Franken is used to close elections. This time he didn’t beat his opponents, but had to settle for a tie with Representative Chip Cravaack in the second annual Minnesota Congressional delegation hotdish cookoff.No, there will not be a recount.Click for press release from Senator Franken’s office and links to photos and recipes. Continue Reading
Minnesota Majority’s Dan McGrath says his organization has found evidence of voter impersonation fraud. Minnesota American Civil Liberties Union’s Chuck Samuelson says the fact that it was caught and prosecuted proves Minnesota doesn’t need voter photo ID.Last month, the ACLU offered a $1,000 bounty for finding who someone who has been charged or convicted with impersonating a Minnesota voter after January 1, 2002. Continue Reading
Words fired like bullets punctuate a heated debate on the Minnesota House floor over a bill that would loosen gun restrictions. It includes a provision that allows gun permit holders from foreign countries to carry a gun in Minnesota. The bill is on its way to Governor Dayton’s desk after passing the House 85-47.Representative Joe Mullery (DFL-Minneapolis) asks bill backer Representative Mark Buesgens (R-Savage) if he knows what standards other countries have for issuing gun permits.Representative Buesgens accuses Representative Mullery of trying to frighten people with a “big, big, boogyman” gun owner from Somalia or Iran. Continue Reading