respublica

Oddest campaign issue

Two candidates hoping to win Missouri's republican gubernatorial primary have begun fighting over what some in the state are calling Viagra-Gate.  State Treasurer Sarah Steelman dukes it out with Congressman Ken Hulshof.

The Obama buck stops in Missouri

It looks as though the Obama campaign is going all out to make sure Missouri ends up in the blue column after November's election.  They are pulling out all the stops, sending some of their best people to run his campaign here.  Someone named Buffy Wicks was named his state director.  I've never heard of Buffy Wicks, but she must be quite the operative, with connections all over the country.  A website named Muckety has an interactive page supposedly showing all her connections, but for some reason my computer only brings up the latest.  My Java is probably out of date, as they say.

Meanwhile, Barack Obama took in $1.2 million while he was in St. Louis this past Monday and Tuesday.

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill is touted as one of the big winners in the democratic primary campaign for her total and early support for Obama.

Mizzou's Coach McGuire

Vahe Gregorian of the Post-Dispatch has written a terrific feature on University of Missouri track coach, Rick McGuire. 

We got to know Coach McGuire when our daughter ran track and cross country at Mizzou and can say without any hesitation at all, that every word in this story is spot on. 

"The most important win in Coach McGuire's life is winning the kid," MU assistant track coach Brett Halter said as McGuire was presented the Faurot award.

Winning the kid is reflected on the track and in the classroom, where McGuire's teams set the standard for all of MU athletics. It also is evident in what his protégés will take with them in every endeavor."

Dog bite? They've got you covered

Local personal injury lawyers are now on the prowl for victims of dog bites and have created a website for those thinking of filing a claim.

Missouri Dog Bite Claim attorneys.

About those Missouri NEA endorsements

Bwahahahahahahaha.  They make me laugh so hard.

The Missouri National Education Association came out with their endorsements for state offices.

Take a look.  Reps of one party are clearly under represented.  It's hilarious that they even need to make a public announcement on their endorsements.

Missouri gas prices

The lowest in the nation.

How about that?  Missouri's number one...or number 50 depending on how you look at it.

Map of U.S. prices

Voter fraud is a myth...

...according to a New York Times editorial this morning.  The paper takes on Missouri's proposed voter id law, calling the effort a ploy by republicans to reduce the turnout of eligible voters. 

The Times writes that Missouri and 11 other states are hoping to pass id legislation to prevent non-citizens from voting and that there is no evidence that this is a significant problem.  But they do believe showing a photo id will keep eligible voters from the polls.

When the argument for or against voter id laws uses non-citizen voting as cause and effect it distracts us from other possibilities in voting irregularities such as the Acorn group now facing trial or penalties for their fraudulent voter registration efforts.  Absentee ballots have often played a role in vote fraud, the possibility of using those ballots to someone's benefit are legendary. 

So, the question has to be, can the NYT's be sure there is enough evidence to say vote fraud is a myth?  Vote fraud of all kinds, not just voting by non-citizens.  I doubt there has been all that much real investigation done in this area. 

Most people have some sort of photo id, it is necessary for almost everything we do these days and those who do not have one should be able to get one, or receive some sort of exception for religious reasons, without much ado.  After all, we sure turned the page from those punch card ballots in one big hurry.  And that was a huge change in how we vote, lots of training lots of education.      

Quietest holiday

Today is a state holiday in Missouri, all state offices will be closed in honor of Harry Truman's birthday.

He was born 124 years ago today.

The "unthinking oaf approach to regionalism"

An editorial in the Belleville News-Democrat today takes issue with the way in which Missouri and St. Louis officials are dealing with China over possible air cargo and passenger air travel, correctly pointing out that all the nice talk about "regionalism" really leaves the Illinois side of the metro area out.

"It's the unthinking oaf approach we've seen so many times from Missouri's leaders. Regionalism is a great idea when Illinois is promoting businesses on the St. Louis side of the river. But Missouri helping attract commerce to Illinois? Forget about it."

Unfortunately, it is all too true.

Brock Olivio's fund raising report

Former Missouri football player and candidate for U.S. Congress, Brock Olivo's campaign finance report for April shows he took in $36,233 of which $30,000 was in the form of a loan.  There were 40 donors averaging $155.  Putting aside the probable personal loan, he raised $6,233 from supporters.

St. Louis' Mayor Slay, on the other hand, who is running for re-election next March, has on hand, $642,135 and Missouri Attorney General, Jay Nixon who is running for governor took in $1.5 million during an April fundraiser and has a total of $2.7 million in his campaign fund.