Posts by Dr. Eric Ostermeier
Three Upper Midwestern US Senators Publicly Oppose Bush’s New Iraq Strategy
Less than 12 hours after President George W. Bush’s address to the nation revealing his new strategy for victory in Iraq—a strategy that included sending more than 21,000 new troops to the region—three Upper Midwestern senators have expressed public disapproval…
Read MoreCollegiality in 110th Congress Enhanced by Rosie-Donald Junk News Feud
As Democrats took control of Congress this week, a few reports have emerged of an apparent camaraderie between the outgoing Republicans and the incoming Democrats. Some of these reports deal with the trivial—such as Democrats taking a break from the…
Read MoreWill 2008 Republican National Convention Have An Impact On MN Presidential Vote?
When the Republican National Committee announced in September 2006 that its Site Selection Committee had voted to recommend the Twin Cities to host the 2008 Republican National Convention, it continued an interesting trend in GOP party politics. For the fourth…
Read MoreSmart Politics Meets Twin Cities Public Television
Smart Politics blog author Eric Ostermeier is now also a regular on-line commentator for Twin Cities Public Television’s Almanac: At The Capitol website. Ostermeier is part of that website’s “Brain Trust” – a collection of political opinion leaders who write…
Read MoreImmigration: The Unspoken Issue Facing Minnesota Politics?
Most Republicans and DFLers at the Minnesota Capitol are in agreement regarding the most important issues to be addressed this year—education, property taxes, transportation, health care etc. But there is one concern to many Minnesotans that remains bubbling beneath the…
Read MoreFord Ran Successful Upper Midwest Presidential Campaign in 1976
The passing of our 38th President Gerald Ford prompted Smart Politics to take a look at his 1976 presidential campaign in the Upper Midwest—and the close races he faced with Jimmy Carter that year. Richard Nixon—who had nearly swept the…
Read MoreEnd of the Year Thank You
Smart Politics would like to thank our readers who have helped give this blog a great start since our launch in September 2006 – especially those of you who have written in support and who have contributed with comments. Smart…
Read MoreJohn Edwards Officially Enters 2008 Presidential Race
Former Democratic North Carolina Senator and 2004 Vice-Presidential nominee John Edwards officially launched his 2008 presidential campaign Thursday. Edwards’ announcement speech picked up on his 2004 stump speech in which he restated his fight for the less fortunate and his…
Read MoreIowa Projected to Lose 1 Congressional Seat in 2012 Reapportionment
The Hotline, the on-line wing of National Journal, is reporting that Iowa is one of a handful of states projected to lose one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2012 reapportionment that will occur after the 2010…
Read MoreNo Surprises in Early Iowa GOP Poll
Last week’s Iowa poll that unofficially launched the 2008 Election season found little surprises on the Republican side of the ballot. John McCain (27%) and Rudy Giuliani (26%) led the field of several potential Republican candidates (virtually none of whom…
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