Sunday early afternoon digest: home in the valley edition

Update: we've read that servers on the Hill are getting slammed, so here's a mirror provided by the helpful good people at the Sunlight Foundation (pdf); embedded version here. end update.

News reports say that negotiators in Washington have reached an agreement on proposals to aid Wall Street. The final language has yet to be released to the public (and may indeed still be incomplete). When done, the deal will be posted here: http://financialservices.house.gov/.  (Isn't Michele Bachmann on that committee?)

From what we're reading in the papers, we're inclined to say  that Minnesota's congressional delegation should say no, but we withhold final judgment until the written details are made public.  Congressman Walz's constituents should let him know what they think. Contact information here.

It's times like this that we are grateful for once having dated a bank examiner for the FDIC.  Who knew that pillow talk would come in handy?

The Albert Lea Tribune reports in People using absentees can vote next week:

In Minnesota, people can vote absentee if they will be absent from the precinct the day of the election, if they have an illness or disability that disables them from coming out to vote or if they are serving as an election judge in another precinct.

Another reason people can vote via absentee is because of a religious discipline, religious holiday or observance. The last reason is if there is an eligible emergency declared by the governor or a quarantine declared by the federal or state government.

Martinson said a large number of people who vote with absentee ballots in this area are absent from the precinct and are in other states at the time of the actual election. There’s also a fair share of college students and others with disabilities that vote via absentee.

For more information on absentee voting, check out the details at the Minnesota Secretary of State's Voter Information page. Be very wary of requests for absentee ballots sent to you in mass mailings by a campaign or political party, as mischief has been reported elsewhere in the country in such devices.

Walz supporter Ron Yezzi writes the Mankato Free Press to say Walz not too liberal, concluding:

I strongly support Walz’s reelection. He’s an amazingly gifted person totally dedicated to serving the public interest with openness and fairness. His outstanding first term shows he can work effectively on the nation’s problems and he has the potential to attain national political stature. But if he ever gets derailed, it should not be because voters make the mistake of thinking he’s too liberal for the 1st District.

The Rochester Democrat notes that Walz Hails Passage of Second Economic Stimulus Package. Go read the details there.

Just across the river from the LaCrescent area, Sen. Obama stopping by La Crosse on Wednesday.

A little ditty to lighten up the day, from Minnesota's most prominent songbird: