Minnesota Independent

As gov’t shutdown looms, party leaders posture about money, social issues

By John Amick | 04.08.11 | 9:59 am

Latest reports on negotiations between the House and Senate, led by Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), respectively, posit that the two sides are close on a dollar amount to cut from the 2011 budget — about $5 billion. But the other main issue holding up an agreement are “riders” — used by Congress to change policy in a budget bill without going through committee channels — to the bill, including one to defund Planned Parenthood and strip all Title X family planning funding.

House votes to rescind EPA authority to regulate greenhouse gases

By John Amick | 04.07.11 | 3:22 pm

The U.S. House has voted 255-172 in favor of restricting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. The measure — which was cosponsored by Minnesota Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann and John Kline, along with Democrat Collin Peterson — now goes to to the U.S. Senate for a vote, where it needs a two-thirds majority of support to pass.

Wisconsin judge temporary halts law curbing collective bargaining rights

By John Amick | 03.18.11 | 11:40 am

A judge in Wisconsin has applied a temporary restraining order against the state’s new, now infamous law that curbs collective bargaining rights for public employees.

House votes to halt federal funding of NPR

By John Amick | 03.17.11 | 2:26 pm

The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to halt federal funding of National Public Radio by a largely partisan vote of 228-192. Minnesota’s delegation split along party lines with Democrats voting against the defunding measure.

Government shutdown avoided, for now: Senate passes continuing resolution

By John Amick | 03.02.11 | 10:45 am

The U.S. Senate followed the House’s lead Wednesday morning, passing the continuing resolution to keep the government funded through March 18.

Obama orders DOJ to stop defending Defense of Marriage Act in court

By John Amick | 02.23.11 | 11:47 am

U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announces in a U.S. Department of Justice press release that President Obama has ordered the department to cease future defense of the Defense of Marriage Act’s constitutionality in federal court. DOMA bans the recognition of same-sex marriage.

After DOMA ruling, will same-sex marriage bring out Republican voters?

By John Amick | 07.09.10 | 3:49 pm

Rev up the culture war machine: A federal judge in Massachusetts ruled Thursday that the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that bans recognition of same-sex marriages, violated a state’s right to define just what legal marriage means.

Drilling in face of public opinion, Republicans continue support for BP

By John Amick | 06.24.10 | 1:28 pm

A new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll delivers the latest edition of “Today’s Awful News” for British Petroleum. The poll finds that BP’s favorability rating stands at a dismal 6 percent, lower than recent ratings for…