Action Jackson

Un-Fair Tax

2009-06-11T09:25:00.000-07:00

Conservatives, spurred on by a national campaign, will rally Saturday in Columbia for what supporters call the “Fair Tax”.

Introduced as House Joint Resolution 36 in Missouri last session, it would replace the current state income tax with a tax on all sales and services. Let me repeat that ALL sales and services.

At a time when Congress is talking about getting more people health care, our Missouri General Assembly is talking about taxing it. But that’s not all, every service you pay for from TV repair to your electric bill would be taxed.

Obviously, such a regressive tax would heavily effect the poorest Missourians, but a full 95% of Missourians would pay more in taxes under this plan according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy. They also estimate that in order to make the tax revenue neutral – which they claim to want in the legislation – the tax would have to be 12.5%. Now imagine paying an additional 12.5% on every dollar you spend on any goods or services.

These types of proposals make it clear that conservatives have no qualms about raising taxes – they just want to raise them on middle and low income Americans and cut taxes for the wealthiest 5%.

Of Morons and Medicaid

2009-05-22T15:33:00.001-07:00

Toward the end of the Missouri Legislative Session, the House Republicans, who had already voted down a State Budget to expand Medicaid, took the further step of voting for their version of the Senate's Medicaid expansion proposal that wouldn't have expanded coverage to anyone. Oh, sure, they spoke about covering the “uninsurables” but the group they were talking about covering were already covered in the Senate plan and, under the House plan, were not funded for coverage under the Budget that the House Republicans had passed.

So, the House Republicans turned down nearly $100 million per year in Federal funds and over $50 million per year in new funds from Missouri's hospitals. Yet somehow, they have the audacity to say that their decisions were “fiscally responsible”.

At least one House Republican, Representative Bryan Pratt, knew better than to try to defend their actions, instead, he made baseless accusations of impropriety against the Governor and the groups that were advocating for the expansion. These accusations have yet to be backed up by any actual evidence, but Republican Representatives did put up signs in their offices reading “Governor Nixon, My Vote Is Not For Sale.” Of course, considering the source of the accusations, perhaps these Representatives should have put up “For Sale” signs with the tell tale “Sold” sticker across them since all of their votes were purchased long ago by Rex Sinqufield.

I cannot, however, group all House Republicans together. Evidently, there remains four Republican Representatives who are actually fiscally responsible: Jay Wasson, Ryan Silvey, Scott Largent, and Denny Hoskins. These are the only four Republican Representatives who voted against their caucus in support of a free healthcare expansion.

Is TABOR Lite Dead?

2009-04-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

House Joint Resolution 23, often called TABOR Lite by members of the Democratic Caucus, had a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee last week. A surprise move since it is rumored that the chairman of the Committee is opposed to the legislation.

The House approved the measure by only one vote, and several moderate members have said that they were able to support the Budget Chairman’s legislation only because they knew that is was dead in the Senate.

Well, the Senate Committee meeting was certainly a downer. Chairman Vogel was the only member of the committee present during the proceedings – sitting alone for nearly an hour waiting for the sponsor of the bill, Representative Allen Icet, to appear.

When it became overly clear that the sponsor would be a no-show, the Chairman dropped the gavel and called the meeting adjourned. Rumor is that the main supporter of the bill, former Representative Carl Bearden, received an ear full from the Chairman and his Chief of Staff following the meeting.

Evidently, Icet and Bearden had misrepresented (read lied) some deals made with leadership in the Senate around the legislation. Lobbyists in the Capitol say that at best HJR 23 is on life support and at worst, this was the last nail in its coffin.

FBI Back in the Capitol

2009-03-30T06:56:00.000-07:00

The Missouri House Republicans have been working for years under pay-to-play rules.

Lobbyists used to joke that the House Rules Committee has been more like an auction than a hearing when controversial legislation was waiting for a hearing on the floor.

Well, it appears that the FBI is back in the Capitol to investigate some of these rumors.

Republicans Fight Healthcare with Racism

2009-03-26T08:37:00.000-07:00

Yesterday during the House Budget Debate in the Missouri House of Representatives, Representative Robert Schaaf compared providing healthcare to lower income children with slavery. He defined slavery as when you “make someone else pay for something you receive.”

Now, I’m no historian, but I thought that slavery was about owning, mistreating and forcing other human beings to live their lives in servitude with no compensation.

Fortunately, after this misguided rant, Representative Shalonn Curls stood to be recognized to cheers from the Democratic side of the chamber. She pointed out to the racist from Buchanan that his argument was offensive to several members of the House. Representative Schaaf just shrugged and said, “So?”.

But that wasn’t enough for the Republican Caucus, evidently. The next Republican to stand up was Representative Bryan Stevenson, who earlier this session compared the “Freedom of Choice Act” to the “War of Northern Aggression”.

Evidently, now that the Republicans have elected a black man as their national chairman, they’re free to let their racism shine.

Missouri Senate Fights over Abortion for Huckabee’s Entertainment

2009-03-24T08:52:00.000-07:00

So the Missouri Senate debated late into the night yesterday on a bill that would make coercing a woman to have an abortion a crime. It’s funny that they would work this hard to pass a bill that has no chance of being signed into law by the current Governor. Never mind the idiocy of making it a crime to coerce a person to do a legal act.

So, why would the Missouri Senate fiddle away at abortion while the Missouri economy burns? Why, former presidential candidate and current False News talk show host Mike Huckabee was in town!

Who would want to be the elected official in the front row at a Huckabee event without being able to say, “Mike… Mike… I hate abortions too!”

So, Senators Jeff Smith and Jolie Justus discussed how many people follow their twitters (tweets?) and Minority Leader Callahan pointed out how foolish it was to be debating this meaningless bill while Missourians are losing jobs and struggling to keep their health care.

Oh No, They’re Going Back to Work

2009-03-23T08:56:00.000-07:00

In these tough economic times, you would think that everyone would be happy to see Missourians going back to work. The single exception to this would have to be the Missouri General Assembly, who after a week-long spring break will be returning today to the Capitol.

The same group that has ignorantly brought infrastructure projects to a screeching halt and worked to cut programs for seniors, children and the mentally ill will come back to a House Budget with over $1 billion in cuts ready to be amended on the House Floor.

House Minority Leader Paul LeVota has eloquently pointed out several times to the rest of the House that the Budget process under their rules is flawed. You see, the Budget Chairman, Representative Allen Icet, is given supreme authority in the House as to what the maximum spending will be. If you want to add funding to a program, you must decrease funding to another program – all without the federal funding that is supposed to carry Missouri through these tough economic times.

These arbitrary rules mixed with the Majority’s refusal to use stimulus funds has already forces Democrats and moderate Republicans to take funds from programs necessary to implement the line items they have restored funding to.

This is no simple oversight by the Budget Chairman. As sponsor of House Joint Resolution 23, often referred to as TABOR, he is trying to force the House to comply with his misguided Constitutional Amendment before the voters even have the chance to vote on it.

This kind of shortsighted budgeting will guarantee a quick downturn in essential state services, loss of even more jobs, and federal funds meant for Missouri traveling to California, Illinois, and Massachusetts.

My Apologizes to a Box of Rocks

2009-03-13T10:16:00.000-07:00

The other day, while watching the antics of the House Republicans, I looked over to my friend and said, “My god, these guys are as dumb as a box of rocks.” I think an apology may be in order.

You see, today at a press conference the Speaker of the House Ron Richard vowed not to use any stimulus money in the budget for ongoing activities. Then just a few moments later at the same press conference Budget Chairman Allen Icet admitted that the Republican-crafted budget currently under discussion does indeed include stimulus money for ongoing expenses. Woops!

But fear not, Ron Richard still considering a tax rebate as a way of using the stimulus money and Allen Icet was confident he and the senate could find a way to make even deeper cuts in the budget to carve out all of the stimulus money. You heard me right…these two rocket scientists have figured out that the best way to save the sinking ship that is the Missouri economy is to cut jobs, cut investment and not pay for services rendered by health care providers.

In a period of deleveraging, in a time of hemorrhaging unemployment and shrinking GDP, when the sole purpose of the stimulus funds are to artificially stimulate aggregate demand so as to end the death spiral of death spiral of deflation and reignite the virtuous spiral of investment and job growth, these two naybobs have decided that the best way help the economy is to cut jobs and not pay for service provided to foster kids, mentally retarded adults and the children of drug addicted parents. Poor old Professor Walter Johnson, the famous and funny MU professor of Econ 51, who served in the Nixon administration, must be spinning in his grave.

But what do you expect from people so whetted to an ideology that logic, reason, and science matters not.

At the national level more of the same, House Minority Leader John Boehner commented the other day that “It’s time for government to tighten their belts and show the American people that we ‘get’ it.” Huh? Even conservative economists know and proclaimed that in economic conditions like we have now, the government must be the “spender of last resort.”

Paul Krugman characterized Boehner’s comments thusly “Boehner’s idea of economics is completely insane.” But what does Krugman know? He only has a PhD in Economics and a Nobel Prize while John Boehner has a really fake tan.

So today I want to publicly apologize to any box of rocks that may have been offended by my comment. It is now apparent that the House Republican leadership is not as dumb as a box of rocks but in fact they are much, much dumber than a box of rocks.

Missouri House Poised to Give Kids the Shaft

2009-03-06T15:29:00.000-08:00

The House Budget Chairman, Allen Icet, has released the initial summary of the cuts he plans to make to the Departments of Social Services, Mental Health and Health and Senior Services.

Not surprisingly, the people who will get shafted are people with disabilities, the elderly, and children.

For the elderly, there are drastic cuts to their support systems, such as the Area Agencies on Aging, their in-home services, and funding for Alzheimer’s research and treatment.

For people with disabilities, in-home services are being cut and support and treatment for people with mental and physical disabilities (veterans anyone?).

Children get the shortest straw. Under this budget children will have less access to health care, be less likely to receive quality child care, and foster children will be less likely to get adequate clothing and diapers.

All of these cuts while they leave over $800 million in economic stimulus money in Washington, where it can be divvied out between the coastal states.

But I think I’ve figured this strategy by the Republicans out. They think that they’ve been losing seats in the House because they haven’t yet done enough damage to vulnerable Missourians. They think that the height of their popularity was after they made similar cuts in 2005, so they must do something equally drastic now.

Housing Trust Makes a Comeback

2009-03-05T07:07:00.000-08:00

Last fall, this blog carried a story on the Missouri Housing Trust. The issue is back this year with a vengeance. Senator Jolie Justus introduced a new compromise bill that will ensure that the funding from the real estate filing fee goes directly to preventing foreclosures and evictions.

The same groups are in favor of the bill as last year – Senior and Disability Groups, Social Welfare Organizations, Poverty Groups, and a whole host of faith-based groups including Catholic Charities and Salvation Army. A new addition was the Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

Former Senator Pat Dougherty now with Catholic Charities laid out the need for these funds throughout the state – even giving each member of the committee the requests that went unfunded from their districts and the community groups that would have benefited.

Each proponent made the case that and increase of $7 in the cost of purchasing property certainly wouldn’t prevent anyone from purchasing a house.

The same groups are opposed to the bill as last year as well – Realtors, Mortgage Brokers, Bankers, and Home Builders.

The members of the Senate Progress and Development Committee asked several pointed questions of the opponents to the bill about why they support massive tax credits for purchasing a home, but oppose a $7 increase in fees that would go towards protecting their bottom line. Senator Jason Crowell was particularly interested in why they supported another fee increase on real estate filings but opposed this one. The answer seemed to be that they would benefit more directly from the other fee increase.

The issue certainly received a friendly reception this year than it has in years past. Perhaps this year the General Assembly will finally take action to adequately fund this worthwhile program.

Missouri House Votes Down Children’s Health Care

2009-03-04T10:06:00.000-08:00

Today the Missouri House of Representatives voted down several amendments by the Democratic Caucus that would have restored the Governor’s request for increased funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program.

The first amendment by Representative Chris Kelly, ranking member of the House Budget Committee, would have slightly reduced the increase in provider reimbursement for this year to cover an additional 20,000 children in Missouri. Essentially, this amendment would have taken a little bit of money from doctors and given life-saving health care to children.

The second amendment by Representative Leonard “Jonas” Hughes would have taken money from a variety of sources including meals for prisoners to give health care to children. The amazing thing about this amendment was that prisoners – that’s right prisoners – from around the state wrote to the General Assembly asking them to support the amendment. These prisoners were willing to have lower quality food to make sure that more children in the state would have health coverage. This gave Representative James Morris the opportunity to point out that Missouri prisoners may be smarter than the Republican Representatives.

Finally, House Minority Leader Paul LeVota moved to suspend the rules so that the House could simply increase the funding without having to offer a decreasing amendment.

All three of these failed along party lines.

As the Capitol Turns

2009-02-28T10:16:00.000-08:00

Missouri State Capitol gossip that’s mostly true

Representative Cynthia Davis is still saying stupid things

This installment finds Sinthia pushing really, really crazy legislation that is dangerous for Missouri’s children. Sinthia has introduced HJR 16, a constitutional amendment that could, and likely would, effectively end enforcement of most of Missouri’s child protection, immunization and provision of education (as weak as they are) statutes.

HJR 16 reads: That parents and legal guardians have a natural and fundamental right to direct the care, education, and upbringing of their children, and that no government action shall burden, abridge, or hinder this natural, fundamental right unless it is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and is the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest.

This piece of crap has been killed easily in the past. However, the Speaker of the House, in his infinite wisdom, assigned the bill to Sinthia’s very own Hate Women, Love Fetuses, Children are Chattel Committee. It’s coming out of committee, people. Just when we think it can’t get any worse—it does.

Direct quote by Sinthia, when questioned by a committee member on how her constitutional amendment might affect enforcement of current state statute, “I’ll repeat this again for those of you that are fuzzy. This is a constitutional amendment. It only affects the constitution. That has nothing to do with state statutes. The two are not the same, and do not affect each other at all. They have nothing to do with each other.” (Emphasis added.) WTF? I mean, could we make this shit up? I think not.

It’s now official

The Governor thinks so little of the Kansas City Metro that he is not opening a constituent office in Jackson County. We suppose that makes sense, because it would mostly be flooded with complaints about how his staff doesn’t return phones calls. How would the statewide democratic officeholders feel if, in the next election, we just withheld our love for a cycle?

BTW, that doesn’t include Treasurer Clint Zweifel, who has spent more time in Kansas City than our creepy mayor since the general election. We think Zweifel is dreamy….

Tinfoil hats attract unwanted attention

So, Representative Jim Guest’s Real ID bill, assigned to his very own Real ID Committee, was totally gutted this week. This committee has become a favorite of lobbyists and staffers alike, as it is kind of like watching Beverly Hillbillies meets Frasier.

On one hand you have these absolutely delusional, somewhat stinky people pouring out of the hills to talk about how the govmn’t (that’s how they say it) is going to track their every movement—I mean really, who gives a shit what they do as long as they limit their meth cooking to their personal family consumption—and on the other hand, you have committee members who have book learnin’, and even high school degrees, that are just sitting there going WTF? So the committee took all the “not(s)” out of the “shall not” portions of the bill.

The anti-Real ID bill is now the Real ID is not so bad bill, and it has been voted out of committee. The vice chair of the committee was one who voted to gut the bill. The bill the committee was named after. What fun!

Stay tuned, because next week, they are going to hear a bill about chips being implanted into people by the govmn’t. Can’t wait.

A guy got tasered by the guard shack

And no one knows why. It was during a rally with about 500 Medicaid restoration activists in the building, so of course before the smoke cleared (pun intended), it was rumored that a disabled guy got tasered by irate guards missing the drama of the former governor’s complicated personal life. Whatever. It was probably one of those Real ID geniuses trying to pack heat into the Capitol.

Let’s Make Those Courts More Partisan

2009-02-27T13:22:00.000-08:00

Representative Stanley Cox, of Photo Voter fame has introduced another Constitutional Amendment, House Joint Resolution 10, to weaken the Non-Partisan Court Plan (often called the Missouri Plan). Perhaps he hopes that Democrats are as mindlessly partisan as he is and that with a Democratic Governor he'll get more Democratic votes this year

Missouri was the first state to adopt the Non-Partisan Court Plan in 1940 due to the incredible influence that Tom Pendergast had over elections throughout our fair state. Our court plan has been so popular that 12 other states have now followed Missouri’s lead in adopting it.

Since the really corrupt party bosses are now all Republicans, they’re fighting to re-partisan the Missouri Courts.

Last session, Representative Beth Low fought the resolution in committee and it died a painful death early in the session in a bipartisan House vote. Hopefully it will suffer a similar demise this year.

Medicaid Makes Cents

2009-02-25T11:21:00.000-08:00

So on the same day that Allen Icet, Chairman of the House Budget Committee released his version of the Supplemental Budget with the Governor’s health care expansion and economic recovery funds stripped out, over 300 Missourians from with disabilities, nurses and state employees rallied in the Capitol Rotunda for restoration of Medicaid wearing t-shirts proudly stating "Medicaid Makes Cents".

The Governor, Representatives Kuessner, McClanahan, and Senator Wright-Jones were all there to push for restoration.

Even in the dungeon of the House Budget Committee, you couldn’t help but hear the cheers and chants from the floors above.

No doubt, the Republicans will have no trouble ignoring the calls for Medicaid expansion from their constituents, just like they did in 2005. But these brave Missourians are making themselves difficult to ignore.

Photo Voter Makes a Comeback

2009-02-25T07:55:00.000-08:00

Ah, it seems like only yesterday that two Democratic State Senators filibustered the village law bill (I still have no idea what that bill is about) while the hours clicked slowly toward the end of session. While they chatted with each other on the floor about progressively less relevant topics, thousands of phone calls from around the state were coming into the offices of the State Senators urging them to oppose a resolution to require a state-issued photo ID to vote.

There’s still disagreement over whether Victor and Chris were actually opposed to the repeal of the village law or whether they were trying to stall to prevent passage of Photo Voter, but it certainly gave voting rights advocates the time they needed to kill the resolution.

Well, no surprise, Photo Voter is back. Representative Stanley Cox presented the resolution in the House Elections Committee on Tuesday morning.

His star witness was the attorney for the Republican Party. You see, for Republicans, this is a partisan issue. They want to ensure that every Republican voter gets their vote counted but anyone who has felt the pain of their 2005 Medicaid cuts must be disenfranchised.

As the Capitol Turns

2009-02-20T13:51:00.000-08:00

Missouri State Capitol gossip that’s mostly true

Funky goes to Jefferson City

This week’s installment finds Mayor Funky of Kansas City wandering aimlessly around the Capitol late Wednesday afternoon. He is visiting (first time this legislative session—it is late February for anyone keeping track) because he is hosting, along with the Kansas City Council, a dinner with Kansas City legislators.

A couple of problems are immediately evident. It appears that only four council people actually showed up—Councilwomen Melba Curls and Jan Marcason and Councilmen Ed Ford and Bill Skaggs. They obviously lost the Rock, Paper, Scissors contest, and had to chaperone Funky. People are happy to see them, but run from the mayor.

Why, besides the obvious stench of political failure? Because he has in tow that Mark Seittman person, most recently homophobic blogger and hard core republican tracker in the employ of Jeff Roe, most hated failed political operative of Kansas City. Last time I checked, the majority of legislators representing Kansas City are Democrats. Damn this guy is clueless.

Word from the dinner describes misery all around. Gloria introduced herself with the elected officials, they both had steak and nobody talked to the Seittman guy. Only a handful of legislators even bothered to show up, and most escaped to other –in some cases fabricated—events before the meal. The mayor praised Senator Kit Bond (again, all attending are democrats) for railing against the stimulus package, voting against it and taking credit for bringing the money home. Wouldn’t surprise anyone I know that Funky admires another politician for being dishonest and deceitful.

Former Speaker Rod Jetton is getting a divorce

No shit. There’s a shocker. They just took down the sex swing in the former Capitol vault—Jetton’s unofficial office while in power.

Cynthia Davis said something stupid

Sinthia doesn’t think that men should be able to get her newly proposed “Stay at Home Mother Scholarships” because they can’t breastfeed and aren’t natural “nurturers.” My god, that woman is thick. She is a Saturday Night Live skit come to real life. Too bad she chairs the only committee focused on children and families, as Sinthia mostly focuses on fetuses and keeping women in their place.

TABOR

2009-02-19T06:43:00.000-08:00

The Tax Payers Bill of Rights, also known as TABOR, caused a fiscal crisis in the State of Colorado. This Constitutional Amendment limits state spending to the rate of inflation and population growth. While this sounds like a good idea, state spending isn’t like household spending. Programs like healthcare and higher education have costs that increase at a rate much greater than inflation.

In Colorado, this amendment has led to drastic cuts in higher education spending, Medicaid and road improvements.

Well, since this was such a shining success in Colorado, the Missouri House is considering passing a similar provision. Nothing is more satisfying to a Republican Majority than starving State Government.

The Missouri House is doing one better, though, than even Colorado. When Colorado passed TABOR, they had fairly high state spending per capita. Basing a TABOR on Missouri’s current General Revenue (because the amendment does not account for additional Federal funds) is complete lunacy.

The House Budget Committee passed TABOR, this year HJR 23, with a vote of 16-13. At least one Republican member, Representative Mark Bruns, seemed ashamed of his vote. He came in at the last minute and whispered his “aye” to the committee aide. No doubt it is difficult for the person who represents Jefferson City, and therefore many state employees to vote to pass a Constitutional Amendment that could destroy his constituents' livelihoods.

Is Anyone Talking About Medicaid Anymore?

2009-02-18T04:10:00.000-08:00

Congress has been nice enough to pass an economic recovery package that includes a significant increase in the federal Medicaid match.

For states that have reasonable eligibility levels for Medicaid – you know, like the poverty level – this will allow them to keep their eligibility at current levels instead of being forced to make cuts.

Missouri, however, with one of the lowest eligibility levels in the nation, is going to use those extra funds for other programs - or worse, not take the money at all.

Now, if the General Assembly actually was interested in stimulating the economy, they would invest in health care. Not just because health care spending hits main street faster than any other state spending, but because the Federal Government is willing to pay for more than 60% of the cost. So they can spend significantly less State Revenue than they would for any other program and still inject money into the Missouri economy.

I guess the real question is, why aren’t any of Missouri’s elected officials talking about restoring Medicaid? As I recall, quite a few of them ran for office on that exact platform.

The Missouri House Continues its Campaign Against LGBT Legislators

2009-02-12T07:14:00.000-08:00

This week, Missouri Speaker of the House Ron Richard removed another gay Representative from their committee appointment.

Representative Mike Colona was removed from the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules (JCAR) and replaced with Representative Theodore Hoskins who is known for his conservative views on education funding, taking campaign dollars from Republican donors, and generally voting with Republicans.

Insiders are unsure whether the Speaker is expanding his attack on LGBT Representatives or if he simply wanted another Republican vote on the Committee, but given his track record with Representative Jeanette Oxford, it may just be both.

Jane Cunningham is (gulp) right

2009-02-10T14:51:00.000-08:00

Sen ator Jane Cunningham is not known for her progressive ideals. She opposes reproductive choice to the point of lunacy and was criticized for kicking gay students out of her legislative office.

Senator Jolie Justus is known for her progressive ideals. She is an advocate for women’s rights (reproductive and otherwise) and is the first openly gay State Senator in Missouri.

Today, however, in the Senate Committee on Health, Mental Health, Seniors and Families, Senator Cunningham agreed passionately with Senator Jolie Justus. Let me say that again… they agreed. They agreed on the issue of expanding Missouri’s Child Care Subsidy.

The issue should be bipartisan. Women who can’t afford childcare can’t afford to go back to work and our income eligibility in this state is so insanely low that even if they can find a job that pays little enough, they are forced to refuse and sort of promotion.

So really, expanding the child care subsidy should be a jobs program, and one considerably more palatable than the “Quality Jobs Act” which just hands out tax credits to corporations that have already created the jobs. Those funds could be much better used on keeping the 1,300 state employees or giving more mothers a child care subsidy.

So I’m happy to admit it, Senator Cunningham is absolutely right on this issue – and I don’t mean conservative – she is correct.

CWIP Hearing Today

2009-02-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

Today the Senate Committee on Commerce, Consumer Protection, Energy and the Environment will hear Senate Bill 228, or CWIP (Construction Work In Progress). As I posted earlier, this bill will allow AmerenUE to raise their rates between 29% and 40% to cover the cost of building a (second) nuclear power plant in Calloway County.

Yes, I know that we all voted for clean (renewable?) energy in the last election, and evidently for the good people at AmerenUE that means nuke.

This bill will allow for power companies to charge upfront – something that hasn’t been allowed in Missouri since 1976 – for several different types of power plants, including coal.

The odds are stacked in favor of this legislation passing, but it would be a serious hit to lower income consumers.

Missouri GOP Still Refusing to Stimulate the Economy

2009-02-09T07:24:00.000-08:00

The Federal Economic Recovery Package is set to pass with a bipartisan vote this week, but Republicans in Missouri are saying that they don’t want it.

These funds are designed to make a direct infusion of cash into the national economy, but if states refuse to use the funds, the stimulus will lay unused in Washington.

The Republican leadership has discussed using the funds for tax cuts which would only stimulate the economy an average of 72¢ for every $1 handed out. They’ve talked about building more infrastructure – a shocking proposal while our current infrastructure crumbles. Several others are putting on the heirs of fiscal responsibility and proposing that we use the funds to pay down debt, which would be very responsible indeed if it did anything to stimulate our faltering economy. Others, like Appropriations Chairman Gary Nodler have stated publicly (on the floor of the Senate) that they believe the Recovery Package is a conspiracy by the federal government to take over our State Budget and force spending in the way Congress sees fit.

There are states that will make wise use of the Recovery Package. These states will reap the economic benefits of doing so and will recover from this recession (depression?) more quickly.
I don’t know that I want elected officials who are too stupid to take free money

Have hopes for Healthcare Reform been Daschled?

2009-02-03T21:35:00.000-08:00

The loss of Tom Daschle will hurt. No doubt about it. Health Care Reform has taken a body blow. Let us not kid ourselves health care reform is dirty business because it is big business. All the pious lefties who drew their knives and struck them into the back of the President’s pick for HHS director better wise up. This fight is going to be mean and all the pious phonies better stop polishing their tiny ivory towers and get ready for a fight. Tom Daschle knew this. He knew the players. Most importantly, he knew the end game. Why?? Because he played the game and he played it well. Nobody becomes Majority Leader in the Senate from South Dakota…nobody, unless you know better than most how to play the game. South Dakota doesn’t have big donors like New York, California and Texas. It doesn’t have big oil or big coal or big machine politics. But Tom won.

I guess Tom should have moved back to South Dakota and opened a Bed and Breakfast like George McGovern. Instead, he stayed in the town he lived in for 30 years and worked in the career arena where he devoted his life. Maybe, we should require all unemployed politicians to retrain as carpenters or grocery clerks or bloggers (God forbid). But he stayed and did the work he knew and got paid. The shame!

John Thain: American Sun King

2009-02-03T19:00:00.000-08:00

Louis XIV (1638–1715), by Charles LeBrun

On July 18, 1668 in the gardens of Versailles, Louis XIV threw quite a fête for himself to celebrate his military victories. "Le Grand Divertissement royal," it was called, and cost one-third the yearly budget of Versailles. Royal parties were expensive. So Louis raised taxes -- relying heavily on the peasants -- and forced prosperous towns to pay homage of huge sums.

The Sun King was well known for his opulent extravagance. This is best exemplified by the construction of his palace at Versailles, the infamous Hall of Mirrors and the over the top baroque furnishings. Louis' motivation was not based just on his eye for luxury, but it was also a way of controlling the nobility, reducing their power and keeping a sharp eye for any potential rivals. Louis was flattered by all as much as he was feared. He insisted on his particular daily rituals. The Levee and the Coucher. Around 8.30 am the king would hear: 'It is time, Sire'. The levee was a ceremonial rising especially for the king. Doctors, family and a few favored friends entered the King's Bedchamber where he is washed, combed, shaven and dressed. Then he slurped down a breakfast of broth with everyone standing around. Attendance was estimated at one hundred, all male. At 11.30 pm, The Couchee, was performed, is a reverse, shortened version of the levee to celebrate Louis retiring to bed.

Skip to nearly three-and-a-half centuries later in America: John Thain’s task was to oversee the sale of Merrill Lynch to Bank of America Corporation and take over the bank's wealth management and corporate and investment banking divisions. He had to cut thousands of jobs, reduce expenses and fix the security firm. In order to get his wits about him, he needed to spend $1.2 million of the bank's money to lavishly redecorate his Merrill Lynch office while the firm was going down in flames.

Thain hired Michael Smith for $800,000 to create an environment he could adequately think in. Smith procured two area rugs for a total of $131,000, two guest chairs for $87,000, a nineteenth-century sideboard for $68,000, four pairs of drapes at $28,000, Roman Shades for $11,000, a mahogany pedestal table at $25,000, a George IV Desk for $18,000, a sofa for $15,000; a custom coffee table for $16,000; Regency Chairs for $24,000 (I question if they were ‘in the style of’); 40 yards of fabric for wall panels for $5,000, six wall sconces for $2,700, and a parchment covered trash can for $1,400.

In his private dining room he got six chairs for $37,000; a mirror for $5,000; a chandelier for $13,000.
And lastly, a $35,000 "commode on legs." (does this mean toilet? Dresser?)
The documents also show that Thain signed off on the purchases personally. "Labor to relamp the six wall sconces" cost $3,000, and Thain authorized the payment of another $30,000 to pay the expenses Smith incurred in doing the work.
Michael Smith is being paid $100,000 to redecorate for the Obamas, which includes items from Target. (According to The Daily Beast.)

We live in a society where an outrageous level of compensation is a justifiable reward for executives. Apparently, this level of extravagance is standard operating behavior. And apparently, high-profile CEO’s have the power and magnitude of kings.

Are the rest of us mere peasants? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the national average salary is a little over $40,000, or in other words, approximately one thirtieth of Thain's expenses for the redecoration of his office.

Bank of America received $25 billion in bailout funds and then an additional $20 billion mid January.

Thain resigned at the end of last month after being found out. Perhaps now he can understand what it is like to be a regualr Amercan down on his luck. However, I suspect he squirreled away enough money from his exorbitant bonuses to live high on the hog for a bit.

Merrill Lynch lost $56 billion from sub prime loans and the credit crisis what’s another $1.2 million, eh John?

Guest written by Le Petite Grande Dame

MO Senators Say “No Thanks” to Stimulus Money

2009-01-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

Evidently, the fact that our country is in economic crisis hasn’t hit the Missouri General Assembly yet. Senators, on Wednesday, in the Senate Select Committee on Oversight of Federal Stimulus expressed the need to ignore or even send back the funds being offered to States by the U.S. Congress.

The arguments? Most said that this was “one time” money and should not be used for continuing projects. Evidently, many Missouri Senators plan on crashing our economy further into recession so that no further revenue will be collected even after the rest of the nation has begun recovery.

It makes sense really, Republicans have been so committed to destroying our economy for the past four years that they have stolen money from health providers and low-income Missourians and given it away in non-matched corporate welfare.

Never mind that the Federal Government is more than happy to match funds used for Medicaid 2-1.

What’s that sucking sound? California?…Massachusetts?

“Offensive” Champion for Children Sidelined

2009-01-29T04:53:00.000-08:00

Representative Jeannette Oxford is one of the most polite, charitable, and caring members of the General Assembly. Her quiet demeanor is only broken by a flash in her eyes when she hears of children being harmed.

For the last four years on the House Committee on Children and Families, Representative Oxford and Representative Beth Low have been the progressive 1-2 punch that prevented many bills that endangered children or limited reproductive choice from passing.

This year, a new Chair of the committee, Cynthia Davis, ran off many of the previous members of the committee. Representatives who championed these issues for years also knew that they couldn’t work with her. At the end of the upset, one Democratic Representative agreed to return to work on that committee – Representative Oxford.

When it came time for the Speaker of the House, Ron Richard, to appoint this “Special Committee”, however, he refused to appoint Representative Oxford to the committee saying that “…some members find her offensive.”

I’ve seen Representative Oxford at work in this very committee and she’s never been “offensive”. In fact, she is overly polite to members who are less intelligent and poorly informed – some who have failed to even read the legislation before them.

There are only two things that may qualify as “offensive” in ultra-conservative circles: 1) her ability to speak intelligently about progressive issues, or 2) her sexual orientation.

On the first offense, it’s true that Representative Oxford would run verbal circles around the committee chair effectively running a group of freshmen Democrats through the ropes course of legislative sparring, but the failure of the Republicans to appoint a more verbose chair is hardly Representative Oxford’s fault.

On the second offense, if true, I would hope that even conservative Republicans would find "offensive". You don’t deny a person of color the right to sit on a committee with a racist, and you can’t deny a lesbian the right to sit on a committee with a bigot.

8 Months on Healthcare Leads to 1 Minute in a Speech

2009-01-27T17:58:00.000-08:00

So, the State of the State Address by our new Democratic Governor has come and gone. He spent one of his 45 minutes on healthcare – an issue he ran on for 8 months.

He recognized that healthcare is the backbone of economic recovery, but he’s relying on the Federal Government to come in and rescue the State Budget.

1,300 State employees will receive pink slips. We’ll spend $25,000 to develop each new private job, but for some reason, State employees are not considered as valuable.

Now, I’m happy to have a Democratic Governor. In fact, I may be more disappointed because I expect better from Jay Nixon than the speech he presented tonight. We’ll wait to see if there’s more in the Budget when it’s released later this week.

Pay Me Now for a Power Plant Later

2009-01-27T08:02:00.000-08:00

AmerenUE and KCP&L are working the capitol hard this year to pass a bill that would allow them to charge consumers for the cost of building a new power plant a decade before it goes online.

Some people may remember that back in 1976, the people of Missouri decided that this sort of practice would be illegal. With a 2-1 margin, Missourians said that monopolies couldn’t raise their rates for new construction until they were reaping the benefits of that construction. A law that these monopolies now want to see reversed.

What is most interesting about this debate is that the same Republicans who adamantly oppose increasing taxes during a recession line up to sign on to increase energy rates during a recession.

It may be that this increase will affect lower income Missourians more than their wealthy friends, or it may be just that they sit comfy in the pockets of the utility companies, but either way it shows their incredible hypocrisy.

While it’s still early in the session, it seems likely that this bill will pass with an overwhelming majority (just look at the co-sponsors). Once again, corporate welfare will win out and Missourians will get screwed.

Sarah Palin's Christmas Card

2009-01-24T06:57:00.000-08:00

So, I know that Mrs. Palin has been so quiet and unobtrusive since the campaign that it's probably out of line to post about her.

However, I'm a little slow and just saw her official Christmas card. Now, there are a lot of fake cards out there (not surprisingly), but I have it from several good sources that this is the card that was actually sent out from the Governor’s office.

Okay, Governor, we get it. You have a special needs child. Now, quit exploiting the fact. Good mothers don’t turn their child into a political football. Good mothers don’t parade their troubled teenagers across the national stage because their own political ambitions can’t possibly wait until the family crisis has passed.

Leavin' on a Jet Plane

2009-01-16T17:54:00.000-08:00

So, Jason Noble missed the story.

The story isn’t that a lobbyist forgot to file business relationship paperwork. The story isn’t that a legislator and a lobbyist even have a business relationship. The story, buried deep in the Prime Buzz story was that Steven Tilley, our State House Majority Floor Leader spent a significant amount of his campaign funds paying a company that pays him.

It’s the old bait and switch. I’m going to send a significant amount of money to a company I partially “own” (which those campaign funds may have been his ownership payments) and then keep those funds for myself.

Using political contributions for personal gain is unethical and illegal under state law. And I would bet nickels to dollars that is exactly what happened in this case. Floor Leader Tilley is only lucky that the true story will only be told on a little blog that no one reads instead of in the Kansas City Star.

Is it Time for a Significant Federal Gas Tax?

2009-01-12T05:51:00.000-08:00

For decades, even hinting at an increase in the Federal Gasoline Tax has been considered political suicide. New polling, however, shows that Americans may be willing to support a gas tax increase if it would reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Alternative energy proponents such as T. Boone Pickens have been politically savvy enough to appeal to fears ingrained in the American psyche.

Many people understand that increasing the gas tax alone would decrease demand, and therefore reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil, but I believe we can take this even further. An increase in the gas tax of $.50 to $1.00 could net between $75 billion and $150 billion. That money could be used to increase funding for mass transit and tax credits for purchasing energy efficient vehicles and personal energy efficiency improvements.

Now many members of the media and even auto industry CEOs are beginning to discuss the merits of an increased gasoline tax.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

It’s even becoming clear that increased gasoline taxes don’t have serious impacts on the economy. In the European Union, now rivaling the United States for the world’s largest economy, gasoline prices are between $6 and $9 per gallon, mainly due to their member countries’ fuel taxes.

There are pitfalls, however. Gasoline taxes are a regressive tax. These taxes will affect lower income Americans significantly more than higher income Americans. Families with lower means are not able to purchase higher efficiency vehicles because of the higher cost. This means that any gasoline tax increases must be focused on reducing the impact on these families. There are several ways to accomplish this. Congress could use the revenues to decrease the cost of vehicles for people in the lowest two quintiles of American wage earners or to increase energy assistance for the same families.

Out With the Old…

2009-01-10T06:17:00.000-08:00

This week, Governor Elect Jay Nixon sent 150 state employees their walking papers. Most of them housed in the Department of Social Services – responsible for programs such as Medicaid, Food Stamps, and the Child Care Subsidy.

While this was certainly not an unexpected move, many of these directors and deputies seemed surprised at their dismissal. It is unknown how the transition team made these decisions. Certainly, some of them helped or at least presided over the massive service cuts that were made under the Blunt Administration, but others seem to be at least qualified administrators of the programs.

This massive firing may hint at a massive reorganization of State Government about to be implemented by the new governor.

2008: A Year of Change

2008-12-30T08:39:00.001-08:00

At the end of 2008 we now know that America was ready to elect an African American president.

We know that younger Americans can and will vote but they have to be inspired by a dynamic candidate.

Yes, Barack Obama won the Presidential election. That alone would make 2008 the year of “change”. The President isn’t the only thing that changed in 2008, however.

Politics
This morning I was thinking back to the beginning of 2008. Back when the frontrunners for the Presidential election were Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani. The Giuliani campaign may have fizzled out early in the year, but Clinton surged toward the end of the primary season.

Ultimately, however, change won out. The Mavericky John McCain won out over the candidate who was little more than a noun a verb and 9/11. Barack Obama won out over the more experienced and inevitable Clinton machine.

There are many in the media – and even friends I talk to – who believe that Obama won the general election only because of the economic crisis. I would prefer to believe, however, that America was ready for something new and different. A President who listens and thinks more that he decides and who can manage to rule through consensus with former rivals.

We also learned that the coattails from the Presidential Candidate extend only so far. Many Congressional candidates and Gubernatorial candidates coasted into office in the wake of Obama’s campaign, but the control of State Legislatures remained mostly unchanged.

Economics
In 2008 we learned that bankers aren’t geniuses. We’ve learned that they didn’t know any more about the economy or their wildly complex investment and risk strategies than we did. The straw castle that they had built on the backs of American homeowners was exposed only after it had collapsed and smothered the rest of the World Economy.

We saw our Congressional leaders move quickly to shore up the companies that had destroyed the economy but refuse to help Americans who make up the backbone of our nations manufacturing base.

Americans now know that we are active participants in our own economy. A drop in value of our homes can collapse the world’s economy. Our spending habits can make or break large corporations. Our economic power has turned voodoo economics on its head causing our new leaders to begin talking about trickle UP economics.

Media
The mass media was changing for years before 2008, but in the past year, large media outlets have learned that they must keep up with changing dynamics if they are to maintain their impact on the American political psyche.

In 2008, one of the greatest political commentators and perhaps the greatest interviewer still regularly appearing on television died suddenly. Tim Russert was looking forward to covering the 2008 Presidential Election and may have been the first national media figure to say that this would be an election like no other. Russert was such a powerhouse that it took three people to fill his shoes.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

MSNBC became the yin to Fox News’ yang. In what became the most savvy business moves of 2008, MSNBC filled their evening lineup with progressive commentators who consistently outperformed their conservative counterparts. Who would have guessed at the height of Fox’s dominance that another 24 hour news channel would hire a sports journalist and radio talk show host, and that they would become the public voice and face of progressive America. Many of us were thrilled to finally see the emergence of the mainstream liberal media.

2008 was certainly a year of change and I can’t help but feel sad and relieved that it’s finally over. I’m relieved that now my 401K may begin to recover along with the greater world economy. I’m sad that many of the in-depth policy discussions that powered this election year will begin to diminish as Americans leave policy decisions up to their new elected officials.

Bad Baby Names

2008-12-30T07:36:00.000-08:00

Ok, I know that they're just kids and they're being forced into marriage by Bristol's mom's political machine, but naming your newborn "Tripp" when your mother is being brought up on drug charges is just idiotic.

I Have This Rock That Keeps Away Tigers

2008-12-17T18:37:00.000-08:00

So, the current President (the one at a time that we have) is taking his victory (?) lap around the country, and he has some doozies to tell. Evidently, since there have been no terrorist attacks on the country since September 11th, 2001, Junior Bush has done a phenomenal job of protecting our country.

He cites several examples of the attacks he has thwarted – an supposed attack on JFK Airport’s fuel supply – since determined to be a minimal threat – a supposed plot to bring down the Library Tower in LA (he called it the Liberty Tower, but you know he loves those patriotic names) and an attack on the Sears Tower in Chicago of which the alleged plotters have been acquitted.

I’m reminded of an episode of the Simpsons...

Homer: Not a bear in sight. The Bear Patrol must be working like a
charm.
Lisa: That's spacious reasoning, Dad.
Homer: Thank you, dear.
Lisa: By your logic I could claim that this rock keeps tigers away.
Homer: Oh, how does it work?
Lisa: It doesn't work.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: It's just a stupid rock.
Homer: Uh-huh.
Lisa: But I don't see any tigers around, do you?
Homer: Lisa, I want to buy your rock.

Hell, if I worked for Haliburton I could sell the government this rock for millions of dollars!

40 More Days of Blunt Trauma

2008-12-04T09:23:00.000-08:00

Governor Matt Blunt is on his way out. But before he can leave, he wanted to distribute a little more misinformation.

We’ve suffered through his healthcare cuts in the name of “eliminating fraud”. Funny, because Medicaid fraud hasn’t decreased, the lines at the emergency rooms are growing, and children and seniors are dying.

Now he’s continuing the lie that Missouri has some magical surplus hiding just below the surface somewhere. Well, the good people at the Missouri Budget Project have been good enough to point out that there has been one – that’s right, ONE – surplus during this abysmal failure of a Governor’s single term. This lone surplus, made on the backs of the working poor, children, and the disabled, quickly turned to a deficit because of the terrible toll it had on our state’s economy.

Our Governor Elect, however, after having some very smart people look over the actual numbers found that we’re deficit spending this very year (something Missouri isn’t allowed to do by the way).

So now, after taking from the poor and giving to the rich, our economy is in worse shape than ever, and Lil’ Blunt gets to pass the buck onto the new Governor.

58 and (re)Counting

2008-11-18T18:13:00.000-08:00

Missourians who are disappointed with our state’s decision to keep Republicans in control of the State House and Senate can at least take comfort in the fact that the obviously misguided voters in Alaska have decided to elect Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich over convicted felon Ted Stevens.

Senator Pork Barrel, of Bridge to Nowhere fame has been unseated by an up-and-coming Democrat from Alaska’s largest city.

More importantly, perhaps, is that this will prevent the US Senate from having to expel Senator Pork Barrel from their ranks clearing the way for Sarah Palin to become the new Senator from Alaska.

This is most refreshing from a state that approved the appointment of the current Junior Senator from Alaska, Lisa Murkowski, or Senator Nepotism.

Now, everything comes down to Minnesota’s recount and Georgia’s runoff election. It is unlikely, however possible, that Democrats will control 60 seats in the Senate. That will clear the way for the kind of progressive change that we are all expecting from President Elect Obama.

History

2008-11-04T21:20:00.000-08:00

We have seen it. History has not only been made tonight. It has begun again.

We now have a president who begins by speaking of a history yet to be made. A history that will exist in the NEXT century.

The war has been fought for so long. Not just for the last two years, but for the last two centuries. Let this truly be the last battle of the American Revolution.

God bless America.

One Week until Election Day

2008-10-28T08:24:00.001-07:00

Well, we’re finally here - the last week before the election on November 4th. Missourians have been pulled every which way by national and state politicians (though Nixon has just trudged on toward victory undeterred) and now we’ll hear the final arguments.

Barack Obama has run a phenomenally disciplined and consistent race that has kept our little state in the running as a swing state. His incredible fundraising and prowess with the internets has given him the resources to run and unparalleled ground game as well as outspend his opponent in media four to one. His polling numbers in many swing states have propelled him to almost certainty as our next president.

But now is not the time for us to let up. Missouri progressives will have to turn out in record numbers to ensure that Barack Obama carries our state (which is polling neck and neck) and that means all of us will have to commit not only to voting ourselves, but bring as many progressive friends to the polls as possible.

Then, if after all of our efforts, Missouri turns from purple to blue, we have an even bigger task for the next two and four years. Our elected officials will continue to be some of the most important votes on progressive policies in our nation. We will be called on by many organizations to pressure those same people we are working to elect to vote for the issues we hold dear.

As November 4th approaches, remember that voting is truly the very least you can do to participate in our democracy.

Couldn’t Have Happened to a Nicer Guy

2008-10-28T05:23:00.000-07:00

So, Sarah Palin’s buddy, Ted Stevens, is guilty on all seven counts.

This man – the most senior Republican in the Senate – is a champion of unnecessary earmarks, a defender of environmental criminals, and an icon of political corruption. He delivered the dollars to Sarah Palin for the "Bridge to Nowhere" even without the earmark for the project.

I’m glad they finally got something to stick to this guy who must have Teflon sewn into his Incredible Hulk ties.

However, the guy’s still seeking reelection in Alaska. His opponent, Mark Begich, may have gotten a boost out of this conviction, but Uncle Ted has spread a lot of pork around his home state.

Sarah Palin’s Home Paper Endorses Obama

2008-10-27T08:52:00.000-07:00

I just thought it was worth noting that even the Anchorage Daily News endorsed Obama.

So Much Rides on Northern Missouri

2008-10-27T08:14:00.000-07:00

In a week, Missourians will go to the polls and elect our new president. That alone means that every vote in Missouri – the forgotten swing state – will count.

There are other races that matter greatly for the future of our state and country that rest on the shoulders of our friends in Northern Missouri.

Kay Barnes (Congress): Former Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes has been a long-time advocate for progressive issues in Western Missouri. She has stood up for urban renewal, equal rights, and energy efficiency.

The differences between Kay and her opponent couldn’t be starker. Kay has run a fair and clean campaign with few negative attacks on her target rich opponent while he started his smears back in the spring. Kay has been a leader in the Kansas City Metro while her opponent has been satisfied with following the lead of George Bush in Congress.

For all of these reasons, Kay Barnes will be a breath of fresh air and a valuable addition to Missouri’s Congressional Delegation.

Sandra Aust (State Senate): I know that I’ve raved about Sandra before, but a win in this Senate seat would bring Democrats very close to a majority in the State Senate.

As an advocate and a practicing nurse, Sandra brings experience and a passion for healthcare issues that would be an incredible addition to Missouri’s state government. With a Democrat in the Governor’s Mansion and another sitting in the Dias in the Senate, Sandra would be able to make a significant impact on policy making in Jefferson City.

Judy Baker (Congress): Representative Baker has been a leader on healthcare issues in the State House. Her experience with healthcare issues as a hospital administrator and with social issues as the wife of a minister would position Missouri’s Ninth District to make a significant impact in Congress.

When she decided to run for this seat, she expected to be running against incumbent Kenny Hulshof. His departure to run a dismal failure of a race for Governor and her ability to speak across party lines and geographic barriers has positioned her to take this seat for Democrats.

These elections and many other state-wide and national races will be determined by our ability to get out as many progressive voters as possible. If you live in these areas, take election day off work and volunteer with one of these campaigns. If you don’t, connect with Barack Obama’s campaign or Jay Nixon’s and help get as many progressives to the polls as possible.

I Guess I’ll Hold My Nose & Vote Koster

2008-10-21T06:41:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know that as a progressive Democrat I should wish for nothing less than a Democratic sweep in Missouri elections. And with one small exception, I am.

Chris Koster.

Chris was certainly a moderate to progressive Republican, but I still have no idea what a Koster Attorney General’s office will look like. He’s taken (more than) his fair share of donations from unions, but he’s also gotten contributions from Republican donors such as Rex Sinquefield.

He voted several times to oppose Medicaid restoration. Until his party jump, he opposed reproductive choice, with a few exceptions.

Now, I know that Michael Gibbons has the same history of conservative voting, but at least he didn’t attempt to run as a Democrat.

I could write in the name of a more consistently progressive Democrat like Margaret Donnelly, but without a serious, state-wide write in effort, that vote might as well go to Gibbons.

So, here’s what I’ve decided to do. I’m going to cruise through the rest of the ballot happily voting for Democrats down the line. Then, I’ll come back to the Attorney General’s race, hold my nose and cast my vote for the former Republican.

How Would You Balance the Budget Congressman Hulshof? Add Bureaucracy!

2008-10-18T16:23:00.000-07:00

Today I was watching KTVI’s gubernatorial debate between Attorney General Jay Nixon and Congressman Kenny Hulshof.

A question was asked about what the candidates would do to restrict state spending in these difficult economic times. Jay Nixon answered that he would consolidate offices that have similar duties in Jefferson City.

Congressman Hulshof proposed creating a new office, the Inspector General’s office to determine where overspending is taking place.

Uh, really? We need more bureaucrats to tell us how to spend our money? If there’s one thing our state doesn’t need it’s more bureaucracy. We need more people with health insurance, more jobs, and more integrity from our elected officials, not more offices for Republicans to give jobs to their party cronies.

A Chance to Laugh Out Loud at Both Candidates

2008-10-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

In this time of extreme partisanship, an evening like last Thursday’s Alfred E. Smith Memorial Dinner lets me know that our country will survive and thrive. In every tough moment in my life, I’ve known that if my family can laugh at themselves, I’ll be okay.

Watch and enjoy.

Talk About Erratic

2008-10-15T19:34:00.000-07:00

So, the final debate has come and passed. John McPalin, once again, proved that he is an erratic candidate who has little or no control over his campaign. He is unable to look Senator Obama in the eye and make the same personal accusations that his more prominent and popular running mate has been making.

It’s the same reason that Americans don’t trust him to fix our economic woes. His erratic behavior matches the erratic behavior of the American stock market.

I have to admit, however, that he exceeded my expectations for him this evening, but I expected that he would show up in a bathrobe and bunny slippers tossing out bird seed for imaginary pigeons.

The Stench is Just Awful

2008-10-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

First, I didn’t post about the last debate, because it was just so boring. I mean, Obama kicked his ass from the word go. The only reason he didn’t use McCain’s creepy old man comb-over to mop the floor, was because he was afraid some of the undecided voters would start to feel sorry for the old guy. It just wasn’t necessary—Obama looked elegant and gracious, while cranky-pants wandered around the stage looking like he couldn’t find the men’s room. Prostate, you know.

Everyone is aware that the Snowbilly is inciting the white trash attending the McCain campaign events to riot. I mean, her “speeches” are just precious. “Obama isn’t one of us.” “Who is Barack Obama? “ “What do we know about Barack Obama?” Who the hell is she?

Well, here is what we know today about Sarah Palin. According to the bipartisan report released this evening, she unlawfully attempted to use her power as the governor of Alaska to try—repeatedly—to get her ex-brother-in-law fired from his post as an Alaska state trooper. However, these people are just so fucking DUMB that they might as well have taken an advertisement out in the Wasilla Daily Spawn of Hell;they were that smooth about it. Please, I’m recommending that you read the damn report—I’m only on page eighty-something, but it is highly illuminating, particularly the influence that her husband has over her operations as governor.

Riveting and hilarious are the details around the illegal moose shooting incident. You’ve read about that, right? Turns out, the wife (at the time) had a moose tag and was with the evil trooper when he shot the moose, and the ex-wife’s father, yeah Sarah’s father, skinned the moose in the field. Todd Palin was told by various law enforcement officials that if the ex-brother-in-law was busted for breaking the law, then the rest of them would go down with him. No, insisted Todd the Swift of Mind. Only arrest the bastard ex-brother-in-law. They are just brilliant.

So here we are. Christopher Buckley, son of the late conservative stalwart (and rare to find in this breed, an actual intellectual) William Buckley, endorsed Barack Obama today. Christopher does not consider himself a democrat. He’s a republican with libertarian leanings. BTW, Christopher Buckley writes political satire that kills. Check out his books. This week, there has been a torrent of republicans endorsing our fair candidate. From the pissed off and deserted Michigan republicans—we in Missouri know how they feel, thanks to John Kerry THE DESERTER four years ago—to that sissy David Brooks, they are all rats jumping a sinking ship.

And last, but certainly not least, the white working class is counting on Barack Obama to save their asses. It looks like they are going to vote for the smartest man in the room for a goddamn change. I’m thrilled, cause them’s my people. I am now worried about what happens when, and if (I’m suspicious, okay?), we win this thing. He—WE—have a hell of a mess to dig out of.

Sarah Palin will probably have to do community service when we send her back to Alaska. I hope she is detailed to the Anchorage Planned Parenthood, where she is required to hand out birth control pills and medically accurate sex education brochures to sexually active teenagers.

Oh No, McPalin, Please Don’t Throw Me into That Briar Patch!

2008-10-07T09:15:00.000-07:00

So, Sarah Palin has been traversing the country spewing on about Barack Obama living in the same neighborhood as Bill Ayers, a “domestic terrorist” by her standards. Bill Ayers was indeed a militant anti-war protester against the Vietnam War. Again, that’s the Vietnam War. The McPalins are so desperate that they’re pulling out a 40 year old scandal that had nothing to do with their opponent (and happened when he was 6 years old).

But let’s jump into that briar patch. Sarah Palin’s buddies in Alaska are now serving time in federal prison for taking bribes from another close pal of hers, Bill Allen, CEO of VECO Corp., who has also been convicted of giving bribes in order to affect public policies favoring his company for a natural gas pipeline. This is the same pipeline that Palin takes credit for, even though ground hasn’t been broken on the project.

How about John McCain’s ties to Charles Keating? John McCain not only accepted $112,000 from this morally challenged real estate speculator, but also received trips to the Bahamas. For his money, Keating was able to get John McCain as an early sponsor for his deregulation resolution and several threatening calls to the Treasury Department in an effort to keep Keating from serving time for his federal fraud charge.

But the McPalin attacks didn’t end there. They’ve accused Obama of being tied to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. This is especially interesting since their campaign manager was being paid by Freddie Mac up until August of this year while continuing to work on the McPalin campaign.

I know that you McPalins are trying to get Americans to question whether we really want to elect a brilliant progressive young man to sit in the Oval Office – and I know you can’t scream, “He’s Black!” but your desperate search for a scandal in the face of your obvious ties to unscrupulous CEOs shows only that you’ve run out of tricks and have no idea how to manage America’s domestic issues.

McPalin & Reganomics

2008-10-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

The McPalin campaign has done all they can to tie themselves to the Regan Administration. It makes sense, after all, Ronald Regan carried 44 states in the 1980 election, running against an incumbent, and 49 states in 1984. This feat was also accomplished by Richard Nixon in 1972, but for some reason Republicans don’t like to be compared to his administration.

The truly interesting thing about comparing yourself to Ronald Regan is that you also link your policies to so-called Reganomics. This economic policy was referred to as “Voodoo Economics” by George Herbert Walker Bush (remember he’s the one who actually won a war in Iraq).

Reganomics took the country from the stagflation of the late 1970’s to massive budget shortfalls in the 1980’s and then to the second worst recession in American history by 1987.

George W. Bush (I think he’s still the President) has accomplished much more with his strict adherence to Reganomics. He’s managed to take the country from the prosperity of the 1990’s to both stagflation and a massive recession.

Now the question that Americans are asking themselves is whether they want another Reganomics disciple to handle our waning economy or a Clinton-style progressive. If the polls are any indication, even historically Republican states are hungry for a return to the friendly economic climate of the 1990’s.

Physically Ill

2008-10-06T18:08:00.000-07:00

The McCain campaign has finally done it. I am actually sick from reading one repugnant, morally reprehensible statement after another that McCain, or that Snowbilly White Trash woman he has foisted upon the nation, has uttered over the last 72 hours. Oh, wait a minute, he doesn’t “work” weekends; it was mostly her spouting this garbage until today. Then McCain and his grimace jumped in with both little feet.

McCain’s is the most pathetic campaign EVER (hey, let’s have yet another goddamn conference call with the lazy- ass, gullible national press so we can spoon feed them our campaign strategy—we’re pulling out of Michigan—we’re going to personally attack Obama), yet this evening even fucking NPR is evaluating whether Obama’s relationship with Ayers is what Snowbilly claims it is. Hello? At one point today, the Dow drops 800 points, and they are investigating whether or not the dumbest woman in America is speaking the truth when she says Obama is palling around with terrorists. Oh, and lest I be challenged as an elitist citified left-wing liberal, I can tell you that I can build a fence, buck a bale and castrate a hog with the best of them, so don’t accuse me of elitism when I once again say that woman is too stupid to pour piss out of a boot with the directions on the heel.

Well, you must give the McCain white boys (and girl) this—the press strategy is kind of working, isn’t it? They are trying to move the nation’s attention off real subjects like whether I MAY HAVE LOST MY ENTIRE RETIREMENT INCOME TODAY, to whether small-minded, scared, mean people don’t like the brilliant multi-racial Obama, who has spent most of his adult career in service to his fellow Americans.

However, I believe that we are a nation of decent people, and we can overcome this cabal of hate and turn a new page in our history. Please, I am begging you, everyone, talk with your neighbors, talk with the people sitting next to you at church, talk with folks in line at your local grocery. Campaign in every venue—don’t be shy about your beliefs or your values. My child’s future depends upon you, and me, standing up and saying enough. I fear that people will get so tired of the shit flying that they will lose heart and hope. Please don’t let that happen.

Say It Ain't So Joe and the Snowbilly

2008-10-02T20:41:00.000-07:00

Ah, the Vice Presidential Debate. Usually the minor leagues of Presidential politics, tonight it was much more interesting and engaging than the foreign policy debate we had to suffer through last week.

I’m sure that people will be shocked to learn that I think that Joe Biden won the debate, but I would go even further. Joe Biden was perfect. And he had to be. Biden knew that if he hit too hard, he would be called a sexist. If he didn’t hit hard enough, the value of his political experience would come into question.

But that’s not special. What was special tonight was how horrible Governor Palin was. It’s special that the woman who dominated the Alaska Gubernatorial debates couldn’t answer the softball questions being lobbed at her from moderator Gwen Ifill.

It’s special that she has adopted some of the most notorious Bushisms (They hate our freedom) at a time when her lesser running mate has been desperately trying to distance himself from the current President.

It’s especially special that a person who wants to be taken seriously as a politician would give a “shout out” to anyone, much less a third grade class followed by a promise of “extra credit for watching.” I was just waiting for her to say, “…and there’s a kegger at the Kappa Sig house after the debate, ya betcha!”

The most telling moment, though, was when Sarah Palin had the nerve to talk about the pain that people on Main Street Wasilla are feeling during this economic crisis. That's Wasilla, Alaska, friends, where Main Street is littered knee deep with oil dollars and the double dividend the State paid every man woman and child because of the oil windfall.

Hulshof Supports School Vouchers

2008-10-01T16:34:00.000-07:00

This week, Congressman Kenny Hulshof expressed his support for school vouchers.

He is certainly not alone in his support for transferring public funds from public schools to private schools. Many Republicans and several urban Democrats have also decided to support this short-sighted and possibly illegal use of state dollars.

I have spoken with several Democrats (and even a few Republicans) who support school vouchers for noble, if misguided, reasons. Ensuring that every child in your state, city, or district has access to a quality education is indeed noble. School vouchers, however, do not ensure this at all.

School vouchers take valuable funds from already short-funded urban schools, which serve every child regardless of scores, status, or disability, and give those funds to private schools which do consider scores, status, and disability and cannot possibly serve the entire population.

There is another, more sinister issue involved in the so-called “school choice” movement, however. Nearly 85% of private school students are enrolled in parochial or religious schools (49% alone in Catholic schools). The school voucher movement is little more than a money grab for churches, specifically, the Catholic Church, which has seen a serious decline in donations from its sizable membership, in spite of their members having a significantly higher income than average Americans.

I have no idea what it takes to gain Rex Sinqufield’s favor in Missouri politics, but I am quite sure that presenting a campaign platform that includes school vouchers is part of the prerequisite.

At Least Get Your Bigotry Right

2008-10-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

I can’t think of a better way to point out the idiocy of bigotry than to point out what idiots bigots are.

This charming gentleman in Barefoot Bay, Florida posted a sign reading:

“OBAMA HALF-BREED MUSLIN”

Now, the reporter assumes that he meant “Muslim”. I guess that’s fair, but just as true as him being finely woven cotton fabric.

The deeper problem, perhaps, is that if Barack Obama were a Muslim, that should mean that Americans shouldn’t vote for him. The fact that the Obama Campaign has to fight these allegations at all is evidence that our nation is far from true religious freedom.

Just When We Thought He Couldn't Get Any Lower

2008-10-01T07:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Prime Buzz reported that Mayor Funkhouser is toying with the idea of hiring Jeff Roe as his political advisor.

Even if Roe's tactics weren't known to be unethical and his politics dangerously conservative, his dismal track record as a political consultant should be enough for a person of sound mind to keep their distance.

Kansas City's Mayor, however, has proven that he is not of sound mind. I have been told that he is a competent number puncher but as an executive he has been a dismal failure.

His no compromising attitude – even in the face of overwhelming opposition – is a recipe for disaster for an executive working in a weak mayor system. And he is working in a weak mayor system, a fact he has yet to acknowledge, however, as evidenced by his determination to refer to his scandal entwined wife as “first lady”

People that I know voted for the Funk no longer admit to it. Many of his greatest supporters are now his detractors. It’s just unfortunate that Kansas City’s first woman majority City Council is mired in the muck of preventing their executive from doing too much damage to their city and their constituents.

The Peter Kinder Shell Game

2008-09-30T05:34:00.000-07:00

You’re paying for Peter Kinder’s campaign staff. Not just you – but every taxpaying Missourian. Peter Kinder has been playing a shell game, increasing pay for certain State-paid staff for several months during the campaign season while others in the office go to work electing Republicans.

He’s tried to avoid the “bonus situation” that other elected officials have found themselves in – giving bonuses for successful election cycles – but his shifting of funds have ensured that his staff gets a bonus of over 7% a year.

He’s used state funds to reward campaign workers. He’s continued to keep staff on the payroll as they are also paid by his campaign. He’s been abusing his position with the state to reallocate funds that benefit him politically.

What’s that called again…embezzlement?

Of Maestros and Men…and Market Fundamentalists

2008-09-29T21:07:00.000-07:00

From Maestro to Mr. Magoo...

The potential collapse of the global financial system, the pyrotechnics on Wall Street, the implosion watched round the world on CNBC has been strangely terrifying and mesmerizing. The amazing spectacle of the titans of Wall Street and the party of Ronald Reagan, Phil Gramm, and Dick Armey, these big government hating, rugged masters of their domain who this week ran right up to the edge of the abyss, looked over and promptly pissed their pants. Crying like babies, they flung themselves into the arms of Uncle Sam where they were finally safe to suckle upon the teat of the American taxpayer.

Who is to blame? The Republicans will be pointing fingers in all directions. But the finger pointing in the directions of the Church of the Market Fundamentalists with their patron saints of deregulation and their unquestioned faith in the power of market self correction points to true north. These are the guilty! Make no mistake, it is indeed them and no one guiltier than their high priest Alan Greenspan and his evil disciple Phil Gramm. Listen to what Barney Frank says on Charlie Rose……

In 1994, Congress went to Greenspan and asked him to regulate this new market in Mortgage Backed Securities. Congress pointed out that the financing of mortgages had changed. They were no longer held by the originating banks but passed on to investment houses that bundled them into bond like securities, who passed them on again with AAA ratings to investors of all kinds. Congress thought they should be regulated similar to banks, since they were doing the same work and had significant contingent liability.

Greenspan replied by doing nothing. How could he have done anything else? Lowly Congress, mere politicians, simple-minded representatives of the great unwashed, they did not know! They had not read the sacred translations of Milton Friedman. They hadn’t spent long hours at the feet of Ayn Rand as she lifted the skirt of possibility and gave young Alan a peek at the freeing force of the individual unrestrained. The secret alchemy of the market, its wizardry, its potency, its cleansing force is not to be tapered with by mere mortals! Those who have drunk of the wine of Market Fundamentalism could no more imagine regulating a market than they could imagine regulating art or even God himself.

So Greenspan did nothing. He went on to speak his gospel before Congress in his phony Greenspeak, a language not so different than Ancient Greek or long dead Latin. He finally stepped down from the Fed, leaving the pulpit, confident in his faith of the infallibility of markets. Bob Woodward called him Maestro.

The destruction wrought upon the financial system by unregulated Asset Backed Securities will cost the American taxpayer an estimated $1 TRILLION!!!!

Beware of false gods and their bespectacled prophets speaking in tongues.

Republicans Tank Economy

2008-09-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

As if the Republican Party hasn’t done enough to damage the American economy, they have now killed a bill that would have begun the recovery process.

House Republicans – including Sam Graves and Kenny Hulshof – voted down a bill intended to jump start the waning Bush economy and protect homeowners from foreclosure.

I’m sure that Congressmen Graves and Hulshof don’t believe that any of their constituents are feeling the pinch of this horrible economic crisis they helped create, but they’d be wrong. Homeowners from Kansas City to Hannibal are facing foreclosure and credit crises in the current economy.

House Minority Leader Boehner took the opportunity to blame Speaker Pelosi because she actually placed blame for the current crisis where it belongs… the Bush Administration.

After the failure of the House Republicans to pass the bill, the Dow dropped 778 points – the worst single day drop…EVER.

McCafferty vs. McPalin

2008-09-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

This is brutal. We should have a contest to see if anyone could diagram Palin's sentences in her response to Couric's question.

The debate in St. Louis is going to be a spectacle not seen since the Romans fed slaves to the lions. Biden's main task may be not making Palin cry on national TV.

Ahma..dahna..shama lama..dinejad uh, Ahmadinejad

2008-09-26T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have pointed out several times that John McPalin is lost on foreign policy, an area where he likes to claim supremacy.

Well, tonight, he mispronounced the name of the current president of Pakistan and painfully stumbled for several seconds over the name of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

I’m not surprised, and it doesn’t seem that many other are either that Barack Obama held his own in the foreign policy debate tonight. I did not, however, begin to imagine that McPalin would make such obvious gaffs.

McPalin Suspends Campaign

2008-09-25T06:44:00.000-07:00

You know, the last time I heard someone say that they were “suspending their campaign for President” it meant that they were, oh, ACTUALLY GOING TO STOP RUNNING. It also meant a terrible sex scandal was going to break.

Well, David Letterman was a little miffed about being snubbed. Especially since Sarah's lesser running mate still seemed able to speak with Katie Couric in spite of his suspended campaign.

Well, Dave is right. Something about this smells funny. Is there a scandal about to break (I mean other than the many scandals that have already broken) or is the ancient senator from Arizona just afraid to debate foreign policy with Barack Obama?

Considering McPalin’s proven foreign policy prowess, I would be afraid to match wits with the Junior Senator from Illinois as well.

Peter Kinder’s Flip Flops

2008-09-23T11:53:00.001-07:00

In the last several weeks, Sam Page has been doing a good job of starting to nail down Peter Kinder on a few of his positions.

For the last several years, our Lieutenant Governor has worked hard to keep from directly answering whether he supported stem cell research or not. It seems that when he spoke with the business community, he would claim to support life-saving cures and the economic development that would come from expanding research in our state, but to Christian conservative audiences, he would change his position to match their talking points.

This constant flip-flopping kept the Lite Gov from getting the endorsement of the Right-to-Life crowd. Now, however, Sam Page has finally gotten Peter Kinder to take a position. He OPPOSES STEM CELL RESEARCH. I hope that all of the pro-business, economy-minded people of our state take note.

Peter Kinder also conveniently changed positions on whether powerful lawmakers should be allowed to do campaign consulting on the side after Speaker Rod Jetton began being criticized for his blatant favoritism toward clients. This, of course, came after Peter Kinder (then trying to hire Jetton) accepted several of those favors.

He relished being compared to Obama in St. Louis, but then referred to him as the “hardest left presidential candidate ever” when he was speaking in Cape Girardeau.

I understand playing to the conservative base when you have enough skeletons in your closet to fill a cemetery, but Peter Kinder wants to have it both ways. I just hope neither side is fooled.

Something Smells "FUNKY" at City Hall

2008-09-19T21:47:00.000-07:00

So, according to this, our esteemed Mayor has had the opportunity, perhaps HUNDREDS OF TIMES, to maneuver his litigation-prone wife the hell out of City Hall. I mean, these people don’t need to see more of each other —they need to see a therapist. Serious, WTF is wrong with this picture, psychotherapy. The Mayor and wife are captured on a rare, seemingly unedited, interview saying shit like, “The only way we could stay together is if she’s here,” and “Thank God we didn’t know during the campaign what we know now, or I wouldn’t have worked so hard to get him elected.”

The Mayor comments on his wife’s daily mental health, “I have to feel like she’s okay.” Is this why she has to follow him to work every day, and why they are seriously, dangerously attached to one another?

Hoovervilles in the 1930’s – Bushvilles in the 21st Century?

2008-09-19T07:33:00.002-07:00

CNN is reporting that tent cities are sprouting up all over the country. Now, I’m MUCH too young to remember the Great Depression, but I did take a history class or two. As I recall, tent cities were the first sign of the depression in the 1930’s and the massive recession in the 1980’s.

Even the talking heads on the TV who were saying we should be whistling a happy tune as the markets drained our 401(K)s are now saying that this is the worst crisis in a century.

You know it’s a major crisis when a deregulator like John McCain is saying that he’ll undo all of the damage he and his campaign staff have done over the years to the economy if we’ll just elect him.

I’ll say, “Thanks, but no thanks, on that Bridge to Nowhere.”

John McCain is Losing on the Economy (and is Lost on Foreign Policy)

2008-09-19T07:33:00.001-07:00

It’s obvious that the McPalin campaign has little to no idea what they’re talking about when it comes to the economy. We all know that. Even this morning when Senator McCain released his plan for the economy, he was obviously reading from a teleprompter that Phil Gramm was furiously typing into.

It’s becoming more and more obvious, however, that the McPalins also have no idea about foreign policy.

With foreign policy missteps like these, I can’t wait to see the Vice Presidential Debate in St. Louis on October 2nd. It seems Barack Obama picked a running mate who will actually help him lead our country, and John McCain picked a beauty queen who could help him win the election, but got a "D" in economics.

Democrats Eating Democrats

2008-09-19T07:33:00.000-07:00

There’s a long history of Democratic feuds here in Jackson County. Dating all the way back to the Truman/Slaughter feud of 1950, it seems that Jackson County Democrats aren’t happy unless their leaders are pissing on each other over some perceived wrong.

Our current County Executive and Missouri House Minority Leader could learn a lot from the Truman/Slaughter feud. Harry Truman and Tom Pendergast were successful in removing Roger C. Slaughter from Missouri’s 5th Congressional Seat, but he was replaced by a Republican.

Jackson County Democratic feuds may be good theater, but they have been instrumental in turning Missouri red. As goes Jackson County so goes Missouri, and as they say, as goes Missouri, so goes the Country.

I have no misconceptions that my little post on a blog that no one reads will make any difference in our party’s in-fighting, but if those of us who respect the values of our party over the personalities in office, refuse to take part in the sophomoric bickering of our leaders, we may prove to Missouri and our Nation that progressive values can triumph.

Perhaps even over the pettiness of our leadership.

Right-wing Name Calling: Elitists

2008-09-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

It is highly entertaining to watch the McCain ugly white people (except for that woman they have as a spokesperson--sometimes it seems she can't believe what is coming out of her mouth) label Obama and Biden as elitists. OMG, like McCain's legacy admission into the Academy (never forgetting his third from the last in his class graduation standing) and his highly lucky second marriage don't land him squarely in what most of us would characterize as elitist.

Evidently, elitist is now code for smart, well-spoken and thoughtful. In other words, a far cry from dumb, combative and inarticulate--cornerstones of the last eight years in the White House.

I'm really curious. Are all of these wounded losers that are parading on Fox News on behalf of McCain and Palin really suggesting to us that our standards should really be so low as to expect the leaders of the most powerful country in the world need not have a firm grasp of national and world economic policies (no, really, McCain is now for regulation of the banking industry) or foreign issues affecting world stability (I can see Russia from an island in Alaska)?

I think they are suggesting that the white people in this country will once again be talked into voting against their own economic and security best interests because brown and black people are scary. Well, I call bullshit on that. I was listening to KCUR this morning, and they interviewed six Lee's Summit moms who stay at home with their kids for whom they will be voting. Three said McCain and three said Obama. Bad news for the McCain camp, since Lee's Summit is considered the Greater Kansas City Mecca for home-schoolers and evangelicals. McCain needs these folks to get elected. He needs all those votes. Turns out that many woman prefer the smart elitists to the confused weird guy from Arizona and the mean girl.

I remain hopeful that these idiots will be handed their asses and told to go home. We have a hell of a mess to clean up, and we just don't need them in the way. Keep the faith.

Even Alaska Women Reject Palin

2008-09-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

I don’t hate Alaska. I hate corrupt politicians, and it just so happens, that Alaska has a bunch of them. I love and respect progressives where ever they are, however, and I especially respect them in a hostile place like Alaska.

Five days ago, right after Governor Palin’s “rousing speech” at her homecoming to Anchorage, Alaska, a crowd of progressive Alaskan women protested her on a busy street…also in Anchorage Alaska.

I saw the news reports of the crowd of 1,000 people she pulled to the convention center in Anchorage, but no one seemed to report that an estimated 1,400 people came out to protest her in her home state.

Well, thanks to the progressive bloggers and my connections up north the for pointing out that liberalism survives even in the Northernmost State in the Deep South.

Nick Jordan Gets Advice from Crack Whores

2008-09-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, I know I’m supposed to stay east of State Line, but I couldn’t help bringing this one up.

Congressional Democrats - including Dennis Moore - have voted for drastically expanded offshore drilling. My anti-drilling friends will tell you that expanded drilling won’t solve the energy crisis. Um, duh. What expanding drilling does though is give cover on the right for increasing efficiencies on the left.

After the vote, however, Nick Jordan attacked the bill calling it “pulling the wool over the American people’s eyes,” because he believes the majority of oil is closer than 50 miles to shore.

Why does he believe that? Because the Interior Department’s Minerals Management Service says so. This is the same group of federal employees who have been accused of taking sexual favors and drugs from the oil industry in return for favorable decisions.

Evidently Nick Jordan, and a sizable group of Congressional Republicans couldn’t find a more credible source.

State Campaigns Progressives Can Get Excited About

2008-09-17T09:48:00.000-07:00

It’s hard to get excited about the Jay Nixon campaign. Jay’s polling 10 to 15 points up and is far from a true progressive. Maybe that’s why the new Hulshof ads are so laughable. Even those of us who ARE liberal know that Jay Nixon isn’t. He is so not liberal in fact that he did not get my vote in the primary.

It’s also hard to get excited about the Chris Koster campaign. I appreciate that he’s switched parties (it does make sense for him to be a Democrat) but he’s switched positions on so many issues it’s hard to know what a Koster Attorney General office will look like.

These sort of boring non-progressive races have pushed many more progressive eyes up to the presidential race, and I must admit that I am as guilty as anyone. There are state campaigns that progressives can and should get excited about though.

Sam Page for Lieutenant Governor:
Representative Page isn’t a super liberal either, but in the House he championed many health care issues and has been the go-to negotiator on many contentious health issues. The reason to get excited about Page, though, has more to do with the position than the man. Democrats will not take back the Senate, that’s something we’re all going to have to learn to live with, but a Democrat in the Dias in the Senate would mean an end to the string of previous question motions. It looks as if we’ll take the Governor’s mansion, and may have a razor thin majority in the House, but the most we’ll be able to hope for is a strong Lite Gov in the Senate.

Sandra Aust for State Senate:
Sandra Aust is an articulate, poised and respected member of the community in North Kansas City. That alone makes her an improvement over the current senator from the 17th. Almost as important, though, is that one more Democratic seat in the Senate means that Democrats control 47% of the Senate. That means only one seat left to pick up in 2010 and with a Democratic Lite Gov, a significant Democratic advantage in the Senate.

Even though the top of the Missouri Democratic ticket is a boring conservative, please stay involved in the campaigns further down the ticket, and just be glad that the Gubernatorial race got Kenny out of Congress, clearing the way for Judy Baker to take his seat.

Gov. Palin and Senator Clinton Address the Nation

2008-09-15T15:06:00.001-07:00

This Saturday Night Live sketch was too funny not to share...

Same Old Politics – Same Old Lies

2008-09-15T09:16:00.000-07:00

I forced myself to watch John McCain’s speech at a rally this morning on the MSNBC. It’s shocking to me the statements that he’s able to get away with. I don’t know if it’s a bizarre conservative media bias – I miss the liberal media – or a fear of beating on an old guy, but it’s shocking to me.

He has yet to get off of his talking point about Governor Palin standing up to earmarks. What he doesn’t mention is that federal earmarks are almost as important to the Alaska economy as oil is. Alaskans, including Governor Palin, refer to Ted Stevens as “Uncle Ted”. The state legislature has even joked about passing the Ted Stevens Longevity Act.

Senator McCain went on to say about earmark sponsors that “I will make them famous. You will know their names!” Yet Senator McCain has yet to speak out against Senator Ted Stevens who is the most famous earmarker in Congress. Perhaps that’s because Senator Stevens has the most difficult reelection race in his long history in the Senate and John “Maverick” McCain is more concerned about keeping Republicans in office that he is in standing up to government waste.

Senator McCain said that they would stand up to the culture of corruption in Washington, but fails to mention that the State of Alaska is currently embroiled in many political corruption scandals of which his more famous running mate is part of. Troopergate may be what is in the media now, but don’t forget that the long Congressman from Alaska, Don Young is under investigation for accepting “improper gifts” (bribes) from Veco, an Alaska oil field services company. Senator Ted Stevens has already been indicted for similar activities.

This same company, dismantled following the guilty pleas of their chief officers, has donated thousands of dollars to the Republican Party and Governor Sarah Palin.

What’s most amazing is that all of this corruption is in the Republican Party! So, his biggest leap is that we’re supposed to believe that the best way to boot out those corrupt Republicans is to elect… Republicans!

Now, John McCain is outraged, OUTRAGED, that Democrats have the gall to tell the truth about him and his running mate in response to the lies he has told.

“Thanks...but No Thanks on that Bridge to Nowhere.” But We’ll Keep the $$

2008-09-13T05:16:00.000-07:00

Alaska’s Governor Sarah Palin is quickly becoming famous. First she became famous for having two x chromosomes, now she’s becoming famous for her hypocracy and her out-right lies.

Evidently, her now famous quote about saying “Thanks...but no thanks on that bridge to nowhere” meant that she in a very rare move by Congress was given ALL of the money necessary to build that bridge if she wanted to, but no direction to build it. In a bold move, she spread those funds around the state securing her 80% approval rating.

I think that when most of say “no thanks” we aren’t just turning down the project but the funds as well.

That’s not the end of it though, she also spoke in favor of the bridge until after Congress had decided to drop the earmark, but began speaking against it to ensure that Alaska still received all the funding for the now non-project.

12 to 1 – And We’re Going to Fight It!

2008-09-11T17:47:00.001-07:00

Oh, the wonderful exploits of our Mayor and his wife or Lurch and Uncle Fester, as I like to call them.

Mayor Lurch seems surprised that the rest (yes all of them) of the city’s elected officials would rather not have the woman who has opened the city up to a massive liability working in city hall – even in a volunteer capacity.

So Lurch says that this is personal. “I don’t think it’s right. I don’t think it’s good government. I don’t think it’s fair, at all,” he said. “I do take this personally.”

He’s right. A volunteer, especially a spouse of an elected official, who is accused of racial and sexual discrimination and harassment is personal. It was personally offensive to the person who has filed the charges and it’s personally offensive to the people of Kansas City who have been embarrassed by their Mayor and his spouse.

The Palin Interview – In Case You Missed It

2008-09-11T16:29:00.000-07:00

I have to admit that I was one of the people who believed that Charlie Gibson of ABC News would go easy on Governor Palin. I am pleased to say that I was wrong.

Gibson questioned her experience, quizzed her on foreign policy, and refused to let her sidestep his questions.

Palin was no lightweight either, but she was obviously irritated when her experience was questioned. She spent the entire time with her hackles up – pit bull style.

Now, I think it’s fair to question her experience, so I guess I’m in the minority right now. But I think that she should have simply admitted her ignorance of foreign policy. I certainly don’t expect the Governor of my state to have foreign policy experience.

I do believe that as the Governor of the largest oil producing state in our nation she’s probably qualified to speak about energy policy – even if her policy would be to drill, drill, drill…

She was also clear that she didn’t hesitate at all when asked to run for Vice President and that she had no reservations about her lack of experience. This is a much different story from a month ago when she wondered what the Vice President did.

No, what frightened me the most was her continued assertion that the war in Iraq is a “mission from God” and that a war with Russia is a possibility.

Seven Years Ago Today

2008-09-11T07:29:00.000-07:00

This morning I was reminded of the morning seven years ago when airliners were flown into the twin towers in New York and the Pentagon. I remembered the fear and the misinformation that was leaking out. I remembered being glued to the sofa watching for any new information and not really knowing what to do.

I remember the Members of Congress standing on the steps of the capitol that evening singing “God Bless America”. I remember partisanship falling away as we all remembered we are Americans first and Democrats or Republicans second.

I remember Mayor Rudy Giuliani telling us to get out and go shopping.

I remember the President faced with the entire nation looking to him for guidance telling us to go to Disneyworld.

I’ve heard many people say that we were poised to do whatever the President proposed at that time, but I have to admit, I didn’t go to Disneyworld, and I don’t even think I went shopping as America’s mayor proposed. I just sat on that sofa watching the planes smash into those towers over and over again until my niece said we should change the channel because she’d “already seen this show.”

She is now seven years older and may not even remember that day, but I am convinced that we are no safer today than we were then.

We have conquered Iraq, a country that had nothing to do with those attacks while great parts of Afghanistan are controlled by the Taliban once again. We have not captured Osama bin Laden, but 4,155 promising American lives have been cut short in Iraq.

$7 Will Stop You From Buying a House

2008-09-10T14:43:00.000-07:00

Tuesday afternoon, in Jefferson City, a Senate interim committee listened to testimony on increased funding for the Missouri Housing Trust Fund.

The Missouri Housing Trust Fund was created by the State Legislature in 1994 to help meet the housing needs of very low income families and individuals. The Missouri Housing Development Commission administers the Trust Fund, which provides funding for a variety of housing needs, such as homeless prevention, rehab or new construction of rental housing, rental assistance and home repair.

Not surprisingly, many organizations who work to fight poverty and support people with disabilities testified in favor of increased funding for this invaluable program. The current fee of three dollars on real estate transactions funds less than 20% of the current need.

What was surprising was the opposition by the Home Builders Association, the Association of Realtors, and the Mortgage Bankers. Evidently, these three groups, who contribute greatly to the added costs of purchasing a house, feel that adding $7 to a fee would keep Missourians from purchasing houses.

No doubt, it’s this reality that has kept the General Assembly from raising the fee for the last 13 years. Of course, the funds raised by the fee go back into the pockets of realtors, home builders and mortgage bankers so this is a little confusing. You see foreclosures, evictions and institutions lower property values lowering the amount that these opponents to the Housing Trust receive.

Either the members of these organizations are incredibly short-sighted or their lobbyists haven’t bothered to tell their members that they are working against their own interests in the Capitol.

Governor Palin & the Oppressed Majority

2008-09-09T06:26:00.001-07:00

Isn’t it mind boggling that the first Vice President who is a member of the oppressed majority may very well be in favor of that oppression?

Governor Sarah Palin and her lesser running mate were here in Jackson County this week. She has certainly invigorated his campaign in a way that very few expected. Indeed, her speech was the only late-night speech at the Republican Convention that I stayed awake through. That alone may be justification for choosing her over Joe Lieberman.

The first Republican woman to be nominated for Vice President is far from pro-woman, however. Even after her family has made two very difficult choices concerning reproductive rights, she doesn’t believe that any other families should be allowed to make those choices. Even after her offspring, the product of abstinence only sexual education, became a pregnant teen, she continues to oppose medically accurate education.

She may, as she said, “shatter that glass ceiling!” but her political views will raise that ceiling for many women coming after her.