on December 16, 2020

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Grass roots campaign forces Gov. Walz to relax restrictions on health clubs, pressure remains for youth sports and restaurants

Written by Bill Walsh

COVID Common Sense website sponsored by Center of the American Experiment sent 30,000 letters to state capitol After Gov. Walz issued his last executive order closing health clubs, youth sports, bars and restaurants, Center of the American Experiment launched a grass roots campaign that helped 11,000 Minnesotans send 33,000 letters to Gov. Walz and their State Representatives and Senators. The opening of health clubs today is a partial victory, but the campaign will remain in full force until common sense returns to Minnesota’s COVID-19 strategy. Minnesotans can add their names to the effort at www.COVIDCommonSenseMN.com. “The data does not support the ongoing closure...

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on December 01, 2020

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With a $1.2 Billion Deficit, American Experiment Budget Report Argues for GDP Growth, Not Tax Increases

Written by Allison Payne

Center of the American Experiment this week released their latest economic report titled Closing Minnesota’s Budget Deficit, providing a roadmap for Governor Walz and the legislature to follow while closing a $1.2 billion budget deficit for the next biennium. The report offers research, data and suggestions for how to deal with the budget deficit. The report concludes that growing Minnesota’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) will have a much stronger impact on revenue growth than raising state tax rates. “To solve the state’s $1.2 billion budget shortfall and increase revenue to the state, leaders should focus on growing the state economy rather than increasing...

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on June 25, 2020

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AG Keith Ellison Virtue Signals at Taxpayer Expense

Written by Allison Payne

In response to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison’s lawsuit against major U.S. energy producers, Isaac Orr released the following statement: "The most likely outcome from this lawsuit is a gigantic waste of taxpayer money. This is simply a copycat of the lawsuit filed by New York’s attorney general that resulted in a humiliating defeat six months ago.” “According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, 80% of all the energy Minnesotans use comes from oil, coal, or natural gas. Minnesotans choose these sources of energy to power their lives because they are the most reliable, affordable means of driving their kids to school, keeping warm...

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on June 04, 2020

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Rep. Ryan Winkler’s long history of deceitful, divisive behavior

Written by Katie Fulkerson

In response to House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler’s (DFL-Golden Valley) lie that a white supremacist intentionally tried to murder peaceful protestors on Sunday, John Hinderaker released the following statement: “DFL House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler has a long history of deceitful, divisive behavior. His conduct is contrary to Minnesota values and the last thing we need in a legislative leader. Rep. Winkler is unfit for office and should resign.” In 2013, Rep. Winkler tweeted a racial slur against the only black member of the U.S. Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas. In April, he was caught on video giving the middle...

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on April 08, 2020

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State Leaders Must Release COVID-19 Model

Written by Katie Fulkerson

John Hinderaker, President of Center of the American Experiment, released the following statement in response to the extension of Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-at-home order: “State leaders must release the model they are using to predict the impact of COVID-19. It’s unconscionable to expect Minnesotans to blindly follow government guidance when their lives and livelihoods have been completely upended. “Today we are calling on Gov. Walz and Commissioner Malcolm to immediately release the original model that informed the decisions made two weeks ago, the revised model that has informed today’s decisions, and all of the underlying data and assumptions. This is the time for complete transparency; the...

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on March 31, 2020

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Little-known Minnesota law artificially restricts the supply of hospital beds

Written by Katie Fulkerson

As COVID-19 infections sweep the nation, a Minnesota law restricting the number of hospital beds in the state isdrawing new scrutiny. Since 1984, the Hospital Construction Moratorium has put an artificial cap on hospital beds. The law prohibits the building of new hospitals as well as “any erection, building, alteration, reconstruction, modernization, improvement, extension, lease or other acquisition by or on behalf of a hospital that increases bed capacity of a hospital.” To add more beds, hospitals must jump through hoops to secure special approval from the Minnesota Department of Health and the Minnesota Legislature. By April 18, Minnesota will likely...

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on January 08, 2020

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DFL leader’s threat against Beltrami County illustrates urban/rural divide

Written by Katie Fulkerson

John Hinderaker, President at Center of the American Experiment, released the following statement in response to House Majority Leader Ryan Winkler’s threat via Twitter to withhold state aid from Beltrami County: “This threat to Greater Minnesota is a rare moment of honesty from one of the DFL’s most powerful state leaders. The urban/rural divide is not only real, it’s driven by liberal politicians who look down on Minnesotans who don’t agree with them, and will punish them for their independence by any means necessary.” ...

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on November 19, 2019

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Center of the American Experiment releases Minnesota state government scandal tracker

Written by Katie Fulkerson

After yesterday’s announcement that taxpayers are on the hook for another $23 million due to the Department of Human Service’s continued mismanagement of public funds, Center of the American Experiment released a comprehensive list of state government failures in recent years, dating back to the failed MNsure rollout of 2013. The aptly named scandal tracker describes nearly fifty state government failures in one sentence each, lists them by date, and categorizes them as examples of mismanagement, cronyism/corruption, IT failures, or data breaches. State Government Scandal Tracker The scandal tracker is an extension of the recent Thinking Minnesota magazine cover story The Masquerade...

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on September 12, 2019

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Unethical arrangement allowed anonymous donor to launder left-wing agenda through public university

Written by Katie Fulkerson

As reported by the Pioneer Press, DFL legislator Jamie Long resigned from his job as an Energy Research Project Specialist at the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment after questions were raised about his hiring and potential lobbying conflicts. According to emails obtained in a data practices request, the position created at the university for Rep. Long was expected to “provide a ‘truth squad’” to “debunk right-wing misinformation spread by a local ‘think tank’ about the reliability and cost of renewable energy, fossil fuels, and nuclear.” This undoubtably refers to Center of the American Experiment policy fellow Isaac Orr,...

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on July 23, 2019

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DHS leadership dysfunction is a feature, not a bug, of the agency

Written by Katie Fulkerson

Following a Star Tribune report of another whistleblower alleging misconduct and retaliation by leadership at the Minnesota Department of Human Services, John Hinderaker, President of Center of the American Experiment, released a statement: “The dysfunction and lack of accountability within DHS are clearly features, not bugs, of the agency. Whistleblowers under two different governors and two different commissioners have tried, and failed, to create a more honest culture from within. What we have here is either corruption, or a leadership vacuum. In either case, we must strengthen Minnesota’s whistleblower protections to make sure state employees who work for the taxpayers can...

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