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Today's Question Blog

Should lawmakers create a statewide standard for frac sand mining?

In hydraulic fracturing, a sand made from quartz rock plentiful in our region is blasted into shale rock to extract oil and natural gas. Skyrocketing demand for frac sand, a key ingredient in North Dakota’s energy boom, is creating a gold rush in the hills of southeast Minnesota and southwest Wisconsin. Local communities have regulated…
by Michael Olson

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Has the growing role of money in elections changed the quality of the candidates?

A record-setting $1.92 billion was spent on political advertising during the 2012 campaign season. The spending is up nearly 30 percent from the previous presidential election cycle. Today’s Question: Has the growing role of money in elections changed the quality of the candidates?
by Michael Olson

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What’s the worst experience you’ve ever had on vacation?

Passengers on the disabled cruise ship Triumph had to endure days at sea with limited power, malfunctioning toilets and no ventilation. Today’s Question: What’s the worst experience you’ve ever had on vacation?
by Eric Ringham

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Do designations of official state symbols serve a useful purpose?

A bill introduced in the Legislature would establish a poem called “Minnesota Blue” as the official state poem. Minnesota already has an official state song, muffin, mushroom, grain, apple, gemstone, butterfly, flower, tree, photograph, bird and more. Today’s Question: Do designations of official state symbols serve a useful purpose?
by Eric Ringham

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What specific steps should be taken to reduce gun violence?

In his State of the Union address last night President Barack Obama called on Congress to vote on gun control proposals widely debated since the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut. The president’s call to action comes as Oakdale, Minn., searches for answers in the shooting death of a young boy. Today’s Question: What specific steps should…
by Michael Olson

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Under what conditions would you support major cuts in nuclear weapons?

North Korea has announced its third nuclear test. The announcement brought a swift condemnation this morning from President Obama, who reportedly plans to use his State of the Union address tonight to call for deep cuts in the world’s nuclear arsenals. Today’s Question: Under what conditions would you support major cuts in nuclear weapons?
by Eric Ringham

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In your opinion, what was the best music of the past year?

The Grammy awards, handed out Sunday night, are meant to honor the year’s best recordings as determined by peers in the industry. Today’s Question: In your opinion, what was the best music of the past year?
by Eric Ringham

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Are transparency and accountability important values in the fight against terrorism?

The Obama administration’s use of drones to kill terror suspects has attracted harsh criticism in recent days and contributed to the controversy around the nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA. Some in government are calling for more transparency and accountability – for example, by subjecting drone strikes to a legal review process, or…
by Eric Ringham

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If you could have $1 million to improve your community, what would you do with it?

The Minnesota Idea Open and the St. Paul Foundation are sponsoring a competition to find the best idea for revitalizing St. Paul, and they will award $1 million toward implementing it. Today’s Question: If you could have $1 million to improve your community, what would you do with it?
by Eric Ringham

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