Minnesota Independent

Catholic physicians’ group doesn’t want contraception covered by – or mentioned in – Affordable Care Act

By Ashley Lopez | 08.24.11 | 9:47 am

St. Gianna Physician’s Guild, a group of Catholic physicians, have launched an online campaign asking Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the Obama administration “to immediately withdraw all references to contraception and contraception counseling from the ‘Guidelines for Women’s Preventive Services’ under the Affordable Care Act, and to provide a conscience clause to protect the religious freedom and beliefs of Catholics.”

Republican ads target Tim Walz on health care

By Andy Birkey | 08.16.11 | 8:30 am

Rep. Tim Walz is being targeted by the National Republican Congressional Committee with a television ad critical of his vote for health care reform. The move comes after a series of robocalls by the NRCC.

Anti-LGBT group launches campaign to prevent gay people from donating blood

By Sofia Resnick | 08.10.11 | 10:15 am

Peter LaBarbera’s Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH) last week launched a campaign to prevent gay men from donating blood. Keep the Gay Blood Ban (KGB²) was sparked, LaBarbera says, because of “renewed lobby efforts to open up the U.S. blood supply to homosexuality-practicing men.”

Catholic church pushes for ban on stem cell research funding in shutdown deal

By Andy Birkey | 07.18.11 | 2:27 pm

The policy wing of the Roman Catholic Church in Minnesota is asking its members to urge Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican leaders to include a ban on somatic cell nuclear transfer — which it inaccurately calls “human cloning” — in the budget deal that could end the ongoing government shutdown. No state-funded entities in Minnesota have conducted the research.

Minnesota Capitol. Photo: Paul Weimer, Flickr

GOP pressed for abortion, stem cell research bans during budget negotiations

By Andy Birkey | 07.01.11 | 10:35 am

During budget negotiations the week before Friday’s government shutdown, Republican leaders pressed Gov. Mark Dayton to include a ban on abortions at 20 weeks gestation, a ban on taxpayer-funded abortions and a ban on some forms of stem cell research. Even as the shutdown of Minnesota government had begun, the principal anti-abortion lobby, Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life, continued to push its agenda.

Bachmann’s counseling clinic takes Medicaid payments

By Andy Birkey | 06.29.11 | 10:46 am

The Christian counseling clinic started by Rep. Michele Bachmann and her husband Marcus has taken in $137,000 in Medicaid payments over the last several years, despite the congresswoman’s public opposition to government involvement in health care, NBC News reported Tuesday. That’s in addition to the $30,000 in state funds that the Minnesota Independent first reported last summer.

Franken notes ‘absurdity’ of Rand Paul stance on funding senior hunger act

By Paul Schmelzer | 06.24.11 | 10:33 am

Senators discussed the “human toll and budget consequences” of senior hunger at subcommittee on Primary Health and Aging Tuesday. Arguing for increased funding for the Older Americans Act of 1965, Sen. Al Franken and committee chair Bernie Sanders said that the Older Americans Act saves money. “It allows seniors to stay in their homes, who wouldn’t otherwise be able to stay in their homes,” Franken said. Sen. Rand Paul countered that “only in Washington, D.C., can you spend two billion dollars and claim that you’re saving money.” His solution: Letting charities deal with senior citizens.

Pawlenty, Bachmann sign abortion ban pledge

By Andy Birkey | 06.20.11 | 12:10 pm

Michele Bachmann and Tim Pawlenty have signed on to the Susan B. Anthony List’s 2012 Pro-life Presidential Leadership Pledge. The presidential candidates have pledged to roll back abortion rights in four key areas, and the duo join three other presidential contenders: Newt Gingrich, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum. Bachmann went after fellow presidential candidate Mitt Romney on Sunday for not signing the pledge and not committing to “ending the practice of abortion.”

Survey: Americans are tired of abortion debate

By Ashley Lopez | 06.03.11 | 3:33 pm

A recent poll finds that Americans are tired of the current debate over abortion rights. Most respondents agreed with pollsters who asked them if they thought a broader discussion about reproductive issues would be more constructive.

Citing lack of compromise, Dayton vetoes GOP budget bills

By Andy Birkey | 05.24.11 | 1:45 pm

As expected, Gov. Mark Dayton vetoed all budget bills Tuesday that were submitted by the Republicans. His message to the GOP: “Compromise.” Dayton also hit Republicans for including divisive social issues in their budgets.