Economy and jobs
Upper Midwestern House Delegation Split in Support of Financial Industry Bailout Bill
The rejection by the U.S. House today of the $700 billion financial industry bailout package was the result of a stranglely-cobbled coalition of conservative Republicans, blue-dog Democrats, and liberal Democrats. The bill, backed by President George W. Bush, eventually won…
Read MoreEconomic Concerns Nothing New to Upper Midwesterners
While sometimes it is difficult to get Democrats and Republicans to agree on anything, the economic concerns facing the nation are at the forefront of the minds of the electorate for both major political parties in the Upper Midwest and…
Read MoreWisconsinites Extremely Dour on the National Scene
The latest in a series of biannual polls conducted by Wisconsin Public Radio and St. Norbert College over the past decade demonstrates that Wisconsinites view the state of the nation—its institutions and economy—to be of grave concern. An incredibly low…
Read MoreEconomic Conerns Continue to Dominate Upper Midwest
In monthly surveys tracking what is the most important issue facing the next president, the economy has emerged as the dominant issue across the Upper Midwest. SurveyUSA asked 600 likely voters in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin closed-ended questions with eight…
Read MoreSouth Dakota Passes Qualified Minimum Wage Increase
This week South Dakota enacted legislation increasing the state hourly minimum wage—contingent upon an increase in the federal minimum wage law. South Dakota’s current minimum wage is fixed at $5.15 per hour—identical to the federal law—and will not increase…
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