Al Franken's Blog, page 126

The Washington Post: Political Football

Sen. Al Franken finds reasons to continue cheering for his homestate Vikings during this dismal campaign.

The other day an old high school friend asked me what I've been doing with my leisure time. I told him that I enjoy watching my Vikings. We laughed sardonically. Bitterly, to be honest. If it's possible, this fall has been worse for Vikings fans than for Democrats.

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Read the rest of The Washington Post: Political Football (247 words)

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Minnesota Independent: Klobuchar, Franken press for ANWR protection

Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar pressed the Obama administration last week to grant the "strongest possible protections" to the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in a letter signed by 25 senators. The letter suggests that oil drilling should not occur in the wilderness area.

"As we approach the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge on Dec. 6, 2010, we ask that you grant the Arctic Refuge the strongest possible protections," the senators said in their letter. "Many Inupiat people across the North Slope have voiced opposition to oil drilling in the Refuge because they are increasingly feeling the cumulative effects of oil and gas development in the North Slope of Alaska on their subsistence resources and way of life."

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Read the rest of Minnesota Independent: Klobuchar, Franken press for ANWR protection (162 words)

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This Week Live: Sen. Franken visits Apple Valley school

A lesson on U.S. politics jumped beyond the books and into the classroom this week when students at Cedar Park Elementary met U.S. Sen. Al Franken.

The visit was one of two stops Franken made in Apple Valley on Nov. 22.

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The Nation: Al Franken Calls the Anti-Trust Cops on Comcast

Comcast executives may think that they made all the right contributions, lobbied all the right players and greased all the right wheels to get control of NBC.

But the controversial merger has yet to be approved.

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Read the rest of The Nation: Al Franken Calls the Anti-Trust Cops on Comcast (181 words)

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MinnPost: Guidelines outline spending-disclosure requirements for health insurers

WASHINGTON — Health insurers will be required to make public whether or not they're spending 80 percent or more of premiums on actual health care costs, officials with the Department of Health and Human Services said today.

Not only that, but they'll now be required to show their work, detailing everything from total premiums paid to actual spending on clinical services to the monies spent on quality care and required federal and state fees or taxes.

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Read the rest of MinnPost: Guidelines outline spending-disclosure requirements for health insurers (257 words)

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Reuters: Justice Dept. asked to probe Comcast's NBC role

(Reuters) – Senator Al Franken, who has been a critic of Comcast Corp's proposed deal for control of NBC Universal, asked the Justice Department on Monday to investigate whether the giant cable company had engaged in "illegal collaboration" concerning its intended target.

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The Hill: Franken wants antitrust probe of Comcast

Comcast's announcement of a new management team for NBC Universal may have been an illegal attempt to exert control over the company before the government has completed its antitrust review, according to Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.).

In a letter Monday to Assistant Attorney General for Antitrust Christine Varney, Franken asked for an investigation.

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Care2: Sen. Franken on Bullying: "We Are Failing Our Kids" [VIDEO]

Minnesota Senator Al Franken has made it a mission to see that the bullying of GLBT students stop. His latest effort? A push for an anti-bullying bill in the lame duck session.

Via Andy Birkey at The Colu.mn:

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Washington Post: Sen. Franken urges Justice to investigate Comcast antitrust violation

With its merger still under federal review, Comcast last week announced its new executive lineup for NBC Universal. And that, according to Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), might have violated antitrust laws.

Franken on Monday urged Justice's head of antitrust, Christine Varney, to investigate whether Comcast's appointment of 43 individuals to various positions at NBC Universal was "gun-jumping" and violated the "spirit of federal antitrust law."

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Read the rest of Washington Post: Sen. Franken urges Justice to investigate Comcast antitrust violation (182 words)

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Fox 9: Vietnam Vet Awarded Decades Later

ST. PAUL, Minn. – A Twin Cities veteran finally gets the honors he's been waiting for, three decades later.

The vet lost his service medals in a devastating fire, but on Saturday he received some very meaningful replacements.

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