Health
By Eric Ostermeier on April 5, 2012
The president of America's Health Insurance Plans targets the role hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, and technology firms play in the escalating costs of health care.
By Eric Ostermeier on June 15, 2011
Mitt Romney landed the most jabs at Obama among the seven candidates; Herman Cain and Ron Paul, meanwhile, pulled the most punches.
By Eric Ostermeier on November 10, 2010
House Democrats from McCain districts voting 'no' on health care were reelected at nearly four times the rate as those voting 'yes'
By Eric Ostermeier on September 13, 2010
DFL gubernatorial candidate launches 16 attacks against his 2010 rivals' tax and budget plans and outgoing Pawlenty administration in hour long U of MN event
By Eric Ostermeier on March 24, 2010
Nine-term Democrat has won by more than 32 points in each of the last four election cycles
By Eric Ostermeier on March 23, 2010
Years of service in U.S. House, district competitiveness, and district vote for McCain in '08 shaped Democratic votes; percentage of uninsured constituents in district had no impact
By Eric Ostermeier on March 22, 2010
The only three members of Minnesota's U.S. House delegation to issue press releases in the immediate hours after the 219-212 passage of a landmark overhaul of the nation's health care system were its three GOP critics
By Eric Ostermeier on February 22, 2010
Judy Feder stressed the need to move ahead and avoid the traps of passing incremental reform at this juncture in the legislative process
By Eric Ostermeier on February 19, 2010
Governor begins 8th year in office with 100 vetoes under his belt and a policy agenda undaunted by large DFL legislative majorities
By Eric Ostermeier on November 10, 2009
Majority of Blue Dogs, Democratic Representatives in '08 pick-up districts, and Democrats in competitive districts all vote in favor of bill
By Eric Ostermeier on November 8, 2009
Region supported amendment banning abortion services from bill by 12-11 vote
By Eric Ostermeier on August 13, 2009
With the U.S. Census and reapportionment just around the corner, reports have come out during the past year, including data from Minnesota's own state demographer, that indicate the Gopher State is in real danger of losing a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012. While that may still...
By Eric Ostermeier on July 2, 2009
While Minnesota recently lost its #1 ranking to Wisconsin for the state with the best quality of health care nationwide, a new study released Tuesday by the Trust for America's Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation reveals the Gopher State to have the lowest percentage of overweight and obese...
By Eric Ostermeier on June 28, 2009
The newly released 2008 state rankings by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's Agency for Health Care Research and Quality (AHRQ) finds the State of Wisconsin has passed Minnesota for overall health care quality in the United States. Minnesota, ranked #2 in 2008, was the top state in...
By Eric Ostermeier on April 13, 2009
Although Minnesotans may not enjoy the harsh cold weather and long winters the state endures year after year, there is little evidence to suggest Gopher State residents are suffering the degree of severe depression or mental illnesses experienced by many other states across the country – illnesses that sometimes contribute...
By Eric Ostermeier on March 9, 2009
President Barack Obama's decision on Monday to permit federal funds for a greater spectrum of embryonic stem cell research is likely to be met with overwhelming support in the Gopher State, as well as the Upper Midwest generally. Obama's directive overturns his predecessor's policy that limited the use of federal...
By Eric Ostermeier on February 2, 2009
From the rising unemployment numbers to the state budget crisis, the news in Minnesota seems to be getting worse and worse. Adding insult to injury came the recent news last week that Minneapolis ranked as the fourth least desirable metropolitan area to where Americans would like to move out of...
By Eric Ostermeier on December 9, 2008
3:00 p.m. The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance is hosting a conference on health care, entitled: "Market-Based Reforms in Health Care: The Next Step?" The first presenter is Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty, with Larry Jacobs, Director of the Center, serving as moderator. 3:01 p.m. Pawlenty signed health...
By Eric Ostermeier on December 9, 2008
Smart Politics will live blog a health care conference this afternoon sponsored by the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance, which features a presentation by Governor Tim Pawlenty. From the CSPG website: “The Center for the Study of Politics and Governance welcomes Governor Pawlenty and Minnesota business and...
By Eric Ostermeier on September 4, 2008
2:25 p.m. "Moving Forward On Health Care Reform" is the final panel at the Humphrey Institute's four-day series of forums entitled, America's Future: Conversations about Politics and Policy during the 2008 Republican National Convention. The discussion is moderated by Lawrence Jacobs (Director, Center for the Study of Poltiics and Governance,...
