When asked whether “big government,” “big business,” or “big labor” are the biggest future threat, 57% of Americans chose “big business.” GALLUP: https://fluence-media.co/3Ns21q3
The State Department says its suspending processing immigrant visas for people from 75 countries “whose migrants take welfare from the American people at unacceptable rates.” X: https://fluence-media.co/49CgI17
Minnesota is the second best state to raise a family, according to WALLETHUB: https://fluence-media.co/49o8ESV
“Breaking news” from Morning Consult:
From Minnesota Monthly, a list of Minnesotans headed to Italy for the Olympics. SEE: https://fluence-media.co/3ZbOiX1
Sports Take out later today: Revenge for a former Gopher, Howard Sinker’s baseball Hall of Fame ballot (Yes, he’s a voter) and a coach with Minnesota ties tells why he quit his job with seven years (and more than $40 million) left on his contract.
Today’s WCCO Radio morning take at 6:20 with Vineeta Sawkar. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/4qYG6Wc
In a must listen, Legislative Auditor Judy Randall joined Sunday Take to discuss fraud in state programs. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3YTziND
The Fluence Forum - The State of Energy is Jan. 21.
Health Care will remain a top issue into 2026, the State of Health Care Fluence Forum panels from last week are now available in podcast form. LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/FluenceForumPodcast
Want to manage your subscription to TheDailyAgenda.com? HERE: https://fluence-media.co/managesubscription
The latest insight from Fluence Advisory on the loss of institutional knowledge from the Minnesota Legislature. READ: https://fluence-advisory.com/insights/
Blois
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Midday DC vs MN Split Screen
INSURRECTION ACT: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “President Donald Trump on Thursday threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to quell persistent protests against the federal officers sent to Minneapolis to enforce his administration’s massive immigration crackdown . . . Trump has repeatedly threatened to invoke the rarely used federal law to deploy the U.S. military or federalize the National Guard for domestic law enforcement, over the objections of state governors.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qoLnq8
MORE: Senator Tina Smith responded this morning on WCCO-Radio, SMITH: “There is no de-escalation when that kind of behavior is put on us, and trust me, if we were to somehow say we’re going to, oh, we’re going to try to appease this man, that is only going to further undermine our rights and our freedoms in Minnesota,” says Sen. Smith. “And so, it is stunning to think he just threatened to go to war with the State of Minnesota.” LISTEN: https://fluence-media.co/3YG1TG4
WHAT IT IS: Via Brookings, a two-page reference sheet on the Insurrection Act. READ: https://fluence-media.co/49nkU67
EMMER: Via Rep. Tom Emmer, QUOTE: “The scenes of destruction and damage taking place in Minneapolis are abhorrent. This violence cannot be tolerated. Unfortunately, our state leaders’ inaction and support of these violent riots are failing every Minnesotan and putting law enforcement’s lives at risk. It’s past time for Governor Tim Walz to take accountability for his sanctuary state policies that got us here in the first place and lower the temperature. But last night’s embarrassing and inflammatory speech once again proved he is incapable of leading. Tim Walz should resign, effective immediately. The safety of Minnesotans depends on it.”
CHAMPION: Via Minnesota Senate, from Sen. Bobby Joe Champion, QUOTE: “It is long past time that ICE leave Minneapolis and Minnesota. Families are afraid to leave their homes, go to work or school, or even seek medical treatment because ICE deals in escalation, intimidation, and fear. These actions have completely eroded public trust and raise serious constitutional and civil rights concerns. Following the activity last night, ICE released huge amounts of chemical irritants into the neighborhood which remain heavy in the air, impacting countless families and children still this morning. ICE has put even our health at risk.”
WALZ: From Governor Tim Walz via Instagram, appeals to both the President and Minnesotans to “turn the temperature down.” SEE: https://fluence-media.co/4qUi8es
MINNESOTA DIVIDED: The New York Times reports from a bar in Nisswa. VERBATIM: “In Minneapolis, protesters saw an innocent woman killed by a federal agent and took to the streets. At ‘the Pickle,’ the regulars saw a woman who should have complied. In bars, cafes and coffee shops across rural Minnesota, the same conversations were unfolding. Ms. Good’s death had become a mirror, reflecting back a fracture that had been deepening for years — not just in their state, but across the country, wherever rural areas chafe against the political power of big cities.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qlH12J
SCHOOLS: Axios looks at absenteeism in local schools. Here’s what they found in St. Paul, VERBATIM: “Between Dec. 1 and Jan. 6, the total number of absences increased 13% among Spanish-speakers, 8% among Karen-speakers, and 6% among Hmong-speakers compared to the same period last school year. District-wide, absenteeism is up only slightly from last year. The number of absent English-speakers increased by just 2%.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49TAfvo
BROADBAND: Comcast is rewriting the broadband playbook in the Twin Cities. From neighborhood networks to next-gen tech, we’re delivering community-first internet connectivity with no contracts, no surprises. The new Xfinity package means unlimited data, blazing-fast, reliable speeds and a 5-year price guarantee, plus free mobile for a year. It’s not the old Comcast — it’s a bold new era of connection. Let’s power the future, together. LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/Comcast2025-1 (SPONSORED: Comcast)
BUSINESS ISSUES
SURVEY: Via NFIB, VERBATIM: “The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index rose 0.5 points in December to 99.5 and remained above its 52-year average of 98. Of the 10 Optimism Index components, two increased, three decreased, and five were unchanged. An increase in those expecting better business conditions primarily drove the rise in the Optimism Index. The Uncertainty Index fell 7 points from November to 84, the lowest reading since June 2024.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4pRtsY8
SUPPLY CHAIN: Via Eden Prairie-based C.H. Robinson, VERBATIM: “C.H. Robinson, the leader in Lean AI supply chains, today filed its merits brief in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II, LLC, a U.S. Supreme Court case that will determine whether freight brokers may be held liable under varying state laws for accidents involving federally licensed motor carriers. As one of the world’s largest logistics platforms—trusted by 83,000 customers and 450,000 contract carriers to move 37 million annual shipments—C.H. Robinson depends on consistent federal rules that keep goods moving safely and efficiently nationwide.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sP0gUj
HERMANTOWN: Via Northern News Now, VERBATIM: “An environmental group is challenging the approval process that led to ALLETE’s acquisition by two private equity firms, alleging Minnesota Power representatives failed to disclose information about a proposed data center. CURE, a Minnesota-based environmental group, filed a petition on Dec. 30 asking the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission to reassess its approval of the acquisition. The group claims Minnesota Power employees were taking part in discussions about the proposed Hermantown data center before the acquisition but failed to disclose that information during hearings.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4jKMNsq
ST PAUL: Via Axios, VERBATIM: “St. Paul tenant rights advocates are launching a campaign to put a ‘right-to-repair’ ordinance on the November ballot. Why it matters: If enacted, the ordinance would join St. Paul’s growing list of sweeping tenant protections and give renters more leverage to address certain lingering maintenance problems.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49Wdvec
ECONOMY: Via Investing, VERBATIM: “Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis President Neel Kashkari expressed optimism about the U.S. economic outlook on Wednesday, stating he expects continued growth and declining inflation.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jD7lTu
MORE: Via Reuters, VERBATIM: “Kashkari, who will have a vote on the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee this year, did not offer any clear views on what he expects out of interest rate policy this year after last year’s easing cycle that left the central bank’s interest rate target range at between 3.5% and 3.75%. Fed officials have penciled in a quarter percentage point cut at some point this year but thus far they’ve given no signal when that might happen as they look to see how much inflation eases, amid a tender job market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49Fb2DA
CLEAN | RELIABLE | AFFORDABLE: Via Xcel Energy, VERBATIM: “We’re powering the Upper Midwest with clean, reliable, and affordable nuclear energy. For more than 50 years, our Prairie Island Nuclear Plant, located near Red Wing, MN, has been a workhorse of reliable, carbon-free energy. With two pressurized water reactors producing about 1,100 megawatts, Prairie Island generates enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes across the Upper Midwest. Unlike sources that depend on weather, nuclear energy delivers 24/7 reliability—providing the power we need today while protecting the environment for tomorrow.” LEARN MORE: https://fluence-media.co/4oCHdK9 (SPONSORED: Xcel Energy)
LEGAL STRATEGIES
CIVIL: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “Lawyers representing the family of Renee Nicole Good, the woman killed by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis last week, announced on Wednesday that they were pursuing what they described as a civil investigation of the shooting. The law firm Romanucci & Blandin, which said that it and another firm were representing Ms. Good’s partner, parents and siblings, also provided the family’s fullest accounting of what happened on Jan. 7, when Ms. Good engaged in a dispute with immigration agents that ended with her being fatally shot in her vehicle.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b1UGr5
10TH AMENDMENT: Axios notes attorneys representing both Illinois and Minnesota are citing the 10th amendment of the Constitution in their attempts to reign in ICE operations. VERBATIM: “The 10th amendment says that ‘the powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.’ ‘If it isn’t listed, it belongs to the states or to the people,’ according to the National Archives. Zoom out: Both Illinois and Minnesota argue that the administration’s immigration crackdown violates their sovereignty by disrupting the lives of residents, the health of businesses, and the power of the state governments.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45P1iWb
CRIMINAL: Via The New York Times, VERBATIM: “There would be many obstacles for any prosecutors trying to bring a case against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis last week. If the state were to charge the agent, the U.S. Constitution makes it difficult for state authorities to prosecute federal officers for actions taken while on duty. Even if the state cleared that hurdle, it is difficult to convict law enforcement officers in any circumstances, let alone those as contentious as the shooting of the woman, Renee Nicole Good.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qGrOd7
OVERSIGHT: Via Minnesota Reformer, VERBATIM: “U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb Wednesday probed whether the Trump administration has violated her court order, after Minnesota lawmakers said they were denied an oversight visit to a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility following a deadly shooting by an immigration officer in Minneapolis. Democratic Reps. Ilhan Omar, Angie Craig and Kelly Morrison of Minnesota said they were denied entry to the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building in Minneapolis last weekend.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qnWnEd
SPEECH: Via MinnPost, VERBATIM: “Reports of violence, retaliation and threats by federal immigration agents against peaceful protesters and legal observers are multiplying in the Twin Cities. Free speech lawyers say what’s happening in Minnesota matches a pattern of tactics used across the country, documented in a series of federal lawsuits.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3Nmcrru
USE OF FORCE: Via The Trace, VERBATIM: “To better understand the policies and laws surrounding law enforcement’s use of deadly force, The Trace spoke with Kami Chavis, a professor who directs the Center of Criminal Justice and Police Reform at William & Mary Law School.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45e5AX1
BUSINESS IMPACTS
SMALL BUSINESS: Via Main Street Alliance, VERBATIM: “Since December 6, after the launch of Operation Metro Surge, the situation has grown far more bleak, with both immigrant owned businesses and non immigrant businesses losing employees due to raids in the workplace and homes, and closing their doors. Businesses from restaurants to healthcare centers to construction companies are impacted- having an enormous impact on all sectors of the local economy, disrupting daily life for Minnesotans who need essential services.”
MORE: MPR checked in with businesses around the state to see how they’re faring. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4pHe9Rs
LAKE ST: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports the Lake Street Council as saying businesses along Lake Street in Minneapolis have seen 40-80% declines in monthly revenue during the ICE surge. READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b0Y0CN
BIG BUSINESS: Via MPR, a look at a shift among Minnesota’s largest companies. VERBATIM: “For decades, executives at these firms have been part of the state’s civic backbone — serving on nonprofit boards, weighing in on workforce issues, joining task forces focused on solving major social issues and tapping into their corporate foundations and personal pockets to financially support community initiatives. Corporate leadership, at least here, made a difference. Which is why the quiet right now is so striking.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4sIH8He
WILD ABOUT READING: Join more than 800 Minnesota classrooms and 30,000 students participating in the “Wild About Reading” program, a partnership with Flint Hills Resources which encourages students to read more using Minnesota Wild-branded posters, reading logs, and bookmarks. Teachers set weekly reading goals and give certificates to students who complete the four-week program. Fun program incentives include classroom visits from the Wild’s mascot, Nordy – and the team dog, Paulie; a pair of tickets to a Wild home game, player signed pucks and photos; and a pizza party for a classroom. LEARN MORE: Wild About Reading (SPONSORED: Flint Hills Resources Pine Bend refinery)
COMMERCE
POT: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Minnesota’s cannabis industry has had a heady start. Since retail sales of adult-use cannabis products became legal in September, the number of non-tribal dispensaries selling recreational products has roughly tripled. That’s according to the state Office of Cannabis Management.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jJ4kRQ
FITNESS: The Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal reports a Crunch Fitness franchisee planes to open four gyms in the Twin Cities. READ: https://fluence-media.co/3LvXnXG
PARTNERSHIP: Via MplsStPaul, VERBATIM: “When hometown heavyweights Evereve and Life Time came together to launch a fashion collaboration, it felt like a match made in retail heaven. Their new partnership is a timely reflection of where fashion and wellness intersect right now: sporty, elevated, and designed for everyday life.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45Wuef1
H.B. FULLER: Via Associated Press, VERBATIM: “H. B. Fuller Co. (FUL) on Wednesday reported net income of $29.7 million in its fiscal fourth quarter. On a per-share basis, the St Paul, Minnesota-based company said it had profit of 54 cents . . . The adhesives company posted revenue of $894.8 million in the period, which fell short of Street forecasts.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4bkaVjB
FRESH15: The latest season of Fresh15 includes interviews with new Minnesota House members. So far, five new members have shared their goals, background and fun facts before they take office in a historic session this January.
Rep. Kari Rehrauer
Rep. Wayne Johnson
Rep. Julie Greene
Rep. Keith Allen
Rep. Peter Johnson
Follow on your favorite podcast platform, or at www.TheDailyAgenda.com/Podcasts. (SPONSORED: Minnesota Telecom Alliance)
AROUND MINNESOTA
SNAP: Via news release from the Attorney General, VERBATIM: “Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota granted Attorney General Keith Ellison’s request for a preliminary injunction from the bench, protecting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the almost half a million Minnesotans who rely on the program to put food on the table. The preliminary injunction blocks the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) December 16 demand that, within 30 days, Minnesota interview in person roughly 100,000 households that receive SNAP benefits to verify their eligibility for the program.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jHuvZ3
SD44: Via release from the Rosemark campaign, VERBATIM: “Sam Rosemark, a lifelong resident of Minnesota Senate District 44 and member of the ISD 622 School Board, today announced his candidacy for Minnesota State Senate in District 44.”
2B: Via Lakeland PBS, VERBATIM: “District 2B state Rep. Matt Bliss has announced he is seeking re-election for a fifth term in the Minnesota House of Representatives.” WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/4qUKTHR
MILLE LACS: Via MPR, VERBATIM: “Virgil Wind, chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe, gave the tribe’s 42nd annual State of the Band address on Tuesday at the Grand Casino Mille Lacs in Onamia. The address updates band members on current tribal affairs and provides updates from the previous year. Last year, Wind named 2025, ‘Year of the Child.’ The tribal government said it would update the band’s K-12 schools. Since then, he said the band has hired more teachers in its early education classrooms, totaling 61 teachers across districts — an increase from its original 45 teachers.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qYIb4s
BROOKLYN CENTER: Via CCX Media, VERBATIM: “Brooklyn Center will soon be home to a new barbering school. Melt City Barbering School of Craftsmanship got the go-ahead for operation from the Brooklyn Center City Council on Monday.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49I3a4l
WHAT’S NEXT?
NOW: Via Minnesota Monthly, VERBATIM: “Visitors to Stillwater over the next couple of weeks can take part in one of Minnesota’s favorite pastimes: embracing winter, wholeheartedly. The city hosts the World Snow Celebration, which kicked off on Jan. 13 and exemplifies Minnesotans’ commitment to enjoying the outdoors, no matter the weather.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4qTWSpa
JAN 21: Via Eden Prairie-based NVE, VERBATIM: “NVE Corporation (Nasdaq: NVEC) announced that it plans to release its financial results for the quarter ended December 31, 2025 on Wednesday, January 21, 2026 after the close of the Nasdaq Regular Market.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4jEIf6M
JAN 28: Via Minneapolis-based Deluxe, VERBATIM: “Deluxe (NYSE: DLX), a Trusted Payments and Data company, will report fourth quarter and full-year 2025 financial results on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, following market-close.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/49nwXAn
JAN 29: Via Minneapolis-based Ameriprise, VERBATIM: “Ameriprise Financial, Inc. (NYSE: AMP) plans to release its fourth quarter 2025 results at approximately 6:30 a.m. (ET) on Thursday, January 29, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3YHag3Z
JAN 30: Via DEED, VERBATIM: “The Minnesota Trade Office (MTO) is delighted to invite you to join Governor Tim Walz, Department of Employment and Economic Development Commissioner Matt Varilek and Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen at a luncheon event to honor this year’s recipients of the Governor’s International Trade Awards.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/45dfzfn
FEB 4: Via Hopkins-based Digi, VERBATIM: “Digi International Inc. (NASDAQ: DGII) will release its financial results for the first fiscal quarter 2026 on Wednesday, February 4, after market close.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/4b1fRcU
FEB 6: Via Minneapolis-based Piper, VERBATIM: “Piper Sandler Companies (NYSE: PIPR), a leading investment bank, will release its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results prior to the opening of the market on Friday, February 6, 2026.” READ: https://fluence-media.co/3ZdbBQb
FORUM: If you’re interested in having the Fluence Forum host a topic, please contact Blois Olson at bloisolson@gmail.com
BDAYS: fmr. journalist Dane Smith, rural leader Colleen Landkamer, lobbyist Teresa Lynch
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