Thursday, October 23, 2014
It’s a Bits sort of day… in no order…
Kansas Tax Situation
National media still casting a skeptical eye on the Sam Brownback tax cuts in Kansas. New York Times reports that the latest figures show a revenue shortfall…. Read it here.
Note to Supply-Siders: You can believe in the Laffer Curve and still acknowledge that when you cut revenue, usually revenue is cut. While Friedrich Hayek has a valid point about the conceit of central planners, there is equal reason looking at Kansas to beware the conceit of legislators. How do they know where we are in Laffer Curve or the particular shape of the Laffer Curve at a particular time and place? Who suffers the consequences when they’re wrong?
Poll on Energy
Partnership for a Better Energy Future (see the website here) which is “concerned” with President Barack Obama’s efforts to reduce greenhouse emissions, polled Missouri on their views of the new regulations. See it here. And See the polling memo here.
Missouri Chamber of Commerce is a member of the Partnership.
Ferguson Bits
US Attorney General Eric Holder rebukes the “selective information flow” and leaks from the Grand Jury.
Georgia Democrats invoke Ferguson ahead of their election. Read it here.
eMailbag on Non-Indictment
“There is not a chance in hell that Bob McCulloch lets a non-indictment come out before Election Day.”
MNEA on Next Nicastro
The press release: Missouri NEA President Charles E. Smith, an English teacher on leave from the Center School District and President of Missouri NEA, sent a letter to the Missouri State Board of Education today urging an open, transparent and inclusive process in the selection of the next Commissioner of Education.
"Rather than make the selection process of the new Commissioner a closed-door process," writes Charles E. Smith, "I ask for serious consideration of an open and transparent approach that includes other stakeholders in the education community…"
Noting the lack of diversity at DESE, the letter asks the State Board to use the hiring of a new commissioner as an opportunity to bring new perspectives to the department's senior management…
19th Circuit Update
Hitting the mailboxes, a hit piece paid for by the Adam Smith Foundation, Buddy Hardin president, dinging incumbent Pat Joyce for “siding with sexual predators…”
And
In the Non-Committee Expenditures… The Missouri Bar spent about $50K preparing and distributing their evaluations for retaining judges. See the report here.
Ebola Hearing
Missouri Republicans were unsatisfied with the Ebola hearing yesterday. Staffer: That Andrea Spillars is testifying for DPS is the first clue that Jay Nixon has done nothing proactively regarding Ebola. The confirmation of this fact is that the ONLY accomplishment that they can hang their hat on is some additional training. No Exec Orders prepared, no legal opinions researched, no protocols in place. This is the CEO of Missouri....
Tweet of the hearing: From Eli Yokley: @eyokley:
Schaefer: “You’re a lawyer…with no scientific knowledge… and are the director of health?” Vasterling: “Yes. And you confirmed me.” #MOLeg
Senate 24
About a week away from the final positive message? Tipster: “Two negative mailers today in the Ashcroft/Schupp war. Jay Ashcroft says Schupp has a job killing agenda and Jill Schupp says "Like Todd Akin, Jay Ashcroft thinks politicians should control women's bodies.”
House 89 Update
Everytown source says that they are NOT polling or active in House 89. Sorry for the apparent mix-up….
Meanwhile Ron Calzone, director and unregistered lobbyist for Missouri First, is still hating on John Diehl. From his latest email zinger…
I am writing to each of the several thousand Missouri citizens who have used our LibertyTools witness form system to submit more than 25,000 witness forms to legislative hearings in Jefferson City since 2011…
*Now, I need a big favor* for a critically important project designed to* break a corrupt cycle* that includes the sort of concentration of power that attracts selfish interest money and diminishes the ability of all but a few Representatives to truly influence the legislative process…
Did you realize that the majority party in the Missouri House of Representatives chooses the Speaker of the House a couple of years in advance of his taking that position? One of the primary reasons, if not THE reason, for doing so is to raise money… The problem is, the money cycle sort of obligates the candidates who receive that money to be loyal to the "Speaker Presumed". And, worse, it concentrates a LOT of power in the hands of the Speaker and other members of leadership… The current "Speaker Presumed" is shaping up to be a particular problem for those who love liberty and free market principles. *Rep. John Diehl* has been one of the greatest purveyors of mercantilism (crony capitalism) in the House…
And from a Tipster: “Driving along Clayton Road saw about 10 Gerber signs and zero Diehl signs. Diehl doesn't even have a sign in front of his own house. Maybe he's waiting until the official ‘two weeks out’ date to start tomorrow.”
County Executive Bits
Last night the Rick Stream fundy at the Dunn and Miller Law Firm featured host committee of Sens. Tom Dempsey and Eric Schmitt, Speaker Tim Jones and Leader John Diehl, Amy and Mark Dunn, Jane and Tony Jokerst, Colleen and David Wasinger…
Tipster: “I just got a robocall from Rick Stream saying he would demand transparency into the Bridgeton land fill to keep our communities safe.”
Coming Clean on Carpenter
Marie Ceselski continues her one-woman campaign to tell the truth about all of former St. Louis Recorder of Deeds Sharon Carpenter’s misdeeds. Read her latest blog post here where she alleges public resources going to Carpenter’s campaign.
$10K More to Hanaway?
In the large contributions Rex Sinquefield sends $10K to Catherine Hanaway just days after the big $750K. Seems sort of odd. The responses… Lobbyist: “May be it fell out of his pocket.” Renee Hulshof (on Twitter): “pin money.”
And: Also in the $5K+ Contributions, State Board of Education member Peter Herschend tosses $7,500 to the Republican Senate’s campaign committee. Wonder which Democratic senator he doesn’t want elected….
Today’s Listen
I haven’t listened yet, but will today… Political consultant Gregg Keller on the mighty Jason Rosenbaum’s Politically Speaking podcast. See it here.
Long Still Fed Up
Congressman Billy Long reprises his “Fed Up” tag line. In this campaign commercial he says he’s fed up with campaign commercials. He also touts having voted against Obamacare 56 times. Maybe next term he can break that record and go for 57? See the ad here.
New to the Twitters
Colleen Coble, of the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, is now @colleenscoble in the Twitterverse.
Royals Roar Back
The KC Royals rolled over the Giants last night evening the series. But this was the nugget of the night from Facebook… Jeff Roe: “Little known fact: I own the entire KC Royals Topps Baseball card collection from 1979-1985...”
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Gate Way Group website:
Paul G Berra added Charter Communications.
Megan Browning added Brent Hemphill & Associates.
Megan Ellyia Green added Child Care Aware of Missouri.
David A Williams added Actavis PLC.
$5K+ Contributions
Hanaway for Governor - $10,000 from Rex Sinquefield.
Committee to Elect Dearing - $14,500 from Missouri Democratic State Committee.
Friends of Gina Jaksetic - $23,047 from House Republican House Committee Inc.
Friends of Tom Schweich - $10,000 from Cae Radiology Group.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $150,000 from Eastern Missouri Senate PAC.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $7,500 from Peter Herschend.
Citizens for Shane Roden - $9,677 from House Republican Campaign Committee Inc.
Missouri Senate Campaign Committee - $7,500 from Mark Gardner.
Committee In Support of Public Education - $250,000 from MO National Education Association.
Moderates for Missouri - $20,000 from Planned Parenthood VOTES St. Louis.
HealthPAC - $15,700 from Health Care Leadership Committee.
Enhancing Community PAC - $31,000 from Paric Corporation.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $17,000 from Friends For Tim Remole
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $16,000 from Committee To Elect Jim Hansen.
Kim Shaw for Judge - $10,257 from Stan Knepp.
Friends of Rick Stream - $15,000 from David Spence.
Friends of Rick Stream - $10,500 from Missourians for Tim Jones.
Happy Birthday
Happy birthdays to Kenny Murdock (47) and former Rep. Rebecca McClanahan (63).
Drebes Got a New Blackberry
I am returned. I have missed you all. Please call and text me 314-255-5210. Thanks for all the love and support by the way…
“With a Blackberry, I'm not sure you've ever had a ‘smart’phone.”
“Dude as your friend I must beg of you, just get an iPhone.”
“You need to sack up and go DROID .Once you go DROID you'll never go back to anything else.”
“Get a f(***)ing iPhone.”