Good morning. The people who make those "day of" lists want you to don an ugly Christmas sweater today.
Minnesota’s law giving people with felony convictions a faster route back to the voting booth has survived a legal challenge for now. MPR’s Matt Sepic says an Anoka County District judge threw out a lawsuit that challenged it. Judge Thomas Lehmann’s 11-page order dated Wednesday dismissed the case on multiple grounds. In February, the DFL-led Legislature sped up the restoration of voting rights. People with felony convictions were allowed to vote so long as they are not in prison. Before the change, they had to finish supervised release and probation as well. The Minnesota Voters Alliance, a conservative group, argued that Minnesota's Constitution requires that people convicted of felonies serve all parts of their sentence before their civil rights — including voting rights — are restored. It plans to appeal. But for now, the law will stand heading into the 2024 election.
Is this the crescendo for the Minnesota flag redesign? It very well could be. The commission overseeing the process holds its second meeting of the week with just three designs left on their canvas. They’re down to colors, star shapes and other finer points to punctuate a new Minnesota flag. MPR’s Dana Ferguson writes they must make their selection before the end of the month and seem inclined to create a hybrid of three submissions that made it this far before sending one up the proverbial flagpole.
Unsure how to pronounce the Dakota phrase that will grace the new state seal? You’re not alone. MPR News Native News reporter Melissa Olson paid an expert a visit to find out how to say "Mni Sóta Makoce."
Once the flag hoopla clears, we can all get worked up about snowplow names. MnDOT’s annual plow naming contest is afoot. But MPR News producer Gracie Stockton has found that “while the now-annual event garners thousands of punny monikers, some plow drivers are hoping it’s an opportunity to keep Indigenous languages alive, one truck at a time.” Those drivers are encouraging tribal nations and ethnic groups from around the state to submit names in languages other than English this year. One driver has hopes for at least one truck with an Indigenous name on each of Minnesota’s 11 tribal nations.
About a month from now we’ll get our first glimpse at the campaign finances of Democratic presidential candidate Dean Phillips. That won’t tell us everything about the viability of his campaign. But it’s one metric. NPR’s Tamara Keith focused on the Minnesota congressman’s efforts to overtake or at least get close to President Joe Biden in a New Hampshire contest on Jan. 23 — one that the Democratic Party considers unsanctioned. MinnPost’s Ana Radelat meanwhile has more on Phillips making some policy or at least rhetorical breaks from Biden. And the Star Tribune’s Ryan Faircloth zeroes in on Phillips saying he’s in the race for the long haul.
The IRS decision to tax Minnesota rebate checks was cast as final but that doesn’t mean the political opportunity has lapsed. U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber, a Republican from northern Minnesota, isn’t wasting the chance to pound away at Gov. Tim Walz and Democrats for the rebate structure and timing. And he’s slamming the IRS for the ruling, which could result in $26 to $286 of every check going into federal coffers at tax time. Stauber’s office says he’ll discuss the matter with the IRS commissioner today. In the meantime, Stauber sent a letter to Walz putting fault at the governor’s doorstep given that timing might have played a role. He ends that with “I intend to explore all options to rectify this situation to ensure that hardworking Minnesotans are not unduly punished for your ineptitude.” Stauber was seen as a potential 2022 candidate for governor, but he passed on the race. Perhaps this is 2026 groundwork. For his part, Walz declined to respond to yesterday’s Stauber letter. Last week, he too criticized the IRS determination.
On the topic of taxes, there is a perpetual debate at the Minnesota Capitol and beyond about whether the state’s comparatively high rates drive people out. MinnPost’s Peter Callaghan explored the topic of tax-based relocation in a piece posted yesterday. Those who support the current tax structure as supporting key investments say the flight argument is overblown while those who want tax cuts say the migration is happening. His story poses the question: “So who is right? Depending on the data and analyses of that data, both can find backing.” Competing metrics can be used to back up and knock down arguments. It’s worth your time so read it in full.
If that kind of issue lights up discussion at the holiday dinner table or any political discussion does, we hope to point you to a toolkit — part of a project called Talking Sense — for keeping those conversations civil. As the holidays and a contentious election year, we’re hoping you’ll share your tips for navigating challenging conversations with family members on the opposite end of the political spectrum. Tell us at talk@mprnews.org | 
