Openai/695ea31c-4338-8004-877b-ef20ef197615

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User: What story on May 26, 2023 from minnpost.com about the state government was significant enough that Barack Obama would …

What story on May 26, 2023 from minnpost.com about the state government was significant enough that Barack Obama would have tweeted about it?

Assistant: The MinnPost story on May 26, 2023 that was big enough for Barack Obama to tweet about was the wrap-up of the Minnesota…

The MinnPost story on May 26, 2023 that was big enough for Barack Obama to tweet about was the wrap-up of the Minnesota Legislature’s 2023 session — a session that passed a heavy slate of new laws and record-level spending, and was framed as a clear example that “elections have consequences.” Former President Obama used Minnesota’s legislative actions as a positive case study in why voting matters and highlighted the policy changes coming out of that session. X (formerly Twitter)

Here’s the core of what happened:

• Republicans had taken control of neither chamber — Democrats (DFL) won the State Senate by a razor-thin margin earlier that year, giving them full control of both houses and the governor’s office. FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
• With that control, Minnesota’s 2023 Legislature passed a large set of new policies and budget moves — including measures on abortion rights, gun safety, ballot access, child poverty, and other issues. X (formerly Twitter)
• Obama’s tweet referenced a MinnPost recap of that session, calling it affirming that elections matter and pointing to what was accomplished in Minnesota. X (formerly Twitter)

He said, roughly, “If you need a reminder that elections have consequences, check out what’s happening in Minnesota,” linking to the MinnPost piece. X (formerly Twitter)

So the MinnPost article that caught Obama’s attention was the “Transformational and also bonkers” legislative session summary, describing historic spending and policy changes by Minnesota’s state government after Democrats gained full control during the 2023 session. X (formerly Twitter)

If you want, I can pull up a summary of the MinnPost article’s key legislative highlights.

User: Yes please

Yes please

Assistant: Here’s a straight-up summary of what happened in Minnesota’s 2023 legislative session — the one MinnPost covered on May…

Here’s a straight-up summary of what happened in Minnesota’s 2023 legislative session — the one MinnPost covered on May 26, 2023 and that Barack Obama amplified as a national “elections have consequences” story:

📌 What the Legislature Did

Minnesota’s 2023 session was historic, especially since Democrats (DFL) gained full control of the Legislature and the governor’s office after a razor-thin win in the State Senate. Obama used the session’s outcome to show why voting matters. X (formerly Twitter)

Here are the major highlights likely covered in the MinnPost piece (echoing the national coverage Obama referenced):

1. Record-level spending and policy output

Lawmakers passed an ambitious agenda before the session ended. This included a budget and major bills across many areas. Patch

1. Expanded protections and rights

• Abortion rights protections were secured at the state level.
• New gun safety measures were enacted.
• Expanded voting access was included in reforms.
• Programs to reduce child poverty were enacted. X (formerly Twitter)

1. New social programs

• Paid family and medical leave was approved — a big deal for workers needing time off for health or family care.
• State aid for public schools was indexed to inflation to help keep up with rising costs. Patch

1. Legal and regulatory changes

• Recreational marijuana legalization was set to begin rollout (targeting Aug. 1).
• Expanded environmental protections were enacted. Patch

1. Focus on inclusion

Legislation addressed racial equity and inclusion, such as:

• Driver’s licenses regardless of immigration status.
• Ethnic studies curricula in schools.
• Worker protections in certain industries.
• Expungement of some marijuana convictions. Patch

1. Tax and budget moves

A $3 billion tax cut package — mostly for families with children — was passed, offset by increased sales and other taxes to support transportation and housing investments. Patch

🧠 Why Obama Amplified It

Obama’s tweet said this session was a reminder that elections have consequences, pointing to:

• A very narrow Democratic Senate win that flipped full legislative control.
• A flood of bills with real impacts on everyday issues like health, safety, education, and labor. He linked to the MinnPost recap to show a real-world example of that dynamic. X (formerly Twitter)

If you want, I can dig up the actual bill names and legislative numbers from that 2023 session so you can see the specifics behind the headlines.