Tuesday, August 28, 2012

This Day in Akin

Karl Rove blasts Todd Akin’s candidacy again.  Read it here.

Pull Quote: “I know Todd. He’s a good man. He has a good heart. But he said a real stupid, indefensible thing from which there’s no recovery. And if he really cares about the values of conservatism and pro-life, then he will not go down in defeat with the biggest loss of any Republican candidate for Senate in the modern history.”

Troy Newman, president of Operation Rescue, swings for Akin.  Read it here.

Pull Quote: “Heaven sent a hurricane to hold off Gov. Romney’s coronation, so today we’re urging pro-life GOP delegates to abstain from any voting on Romney’s nomination until all GOP financial support for Todd Akin is reinstated…”

The peerless John Combest tells the Beacon that GOP should use carrot, not stick on Akin.  Read it here.

Pull Quote: “GOP/business/conservative leaders must give Akin a soft landing – a well-paid advocacy group position, perhaps – to provide the requisite ‘He-did-what’s-best-for-his-family’ cover he needs.”

From a MOScout tipster in Tampa: “You could cut the tension in the room with a knife as Republicans from the Missouri delegation gathered for their opening breakfast this morning. Jim Talent and Roy Blunt headlined the event, but the room was clearly divided between a handful of ardent supporters of Todd Akin and the majority who wish he would just go away, never to be seen or heard from again.  But wait, that's not the only issue roiling Missouri delegates.  Missouri has a handful of Ron Paul delegates and it has been alleged the Paulites are trying to secretly tape conversations with other delegates to embarrass the opposition and further the cause of the candidate they support…”

Dempsey on Tax Credit Reform

Presumptive Pro Tem Tom Dempsey signaled a willingness to continue the Senate’s quest for meaningful tax credits reform.

“This past year alone, $629 million was redeemed in all of Missouri’s tax credit programs combined. Of this amount, nearly $300 million came from just the low income and historic tax credit programs – an increase of over $47 million from the year before.  For the past four years, the Missouri Senate’s efforts to pass comprehensive economic development legislation have been blocked but I believe it is time to move forward. Developing a responsible economic development approach that invests state resources wisely and cuts back on inefficient tax credits must be a top priority.”  Read it here.

There should be some strategic changes in the legislative landscape to make progress on this front more likely next session.

First, the departure of Sen. Jason Crowell, who issued ultimatums insisting on a “global” solution, should open up an incremental path.  The House – which will continue to be led by an ardent tax credit supporter in Speaker Tim Jones – will more likely find itself with a negotiating partner instead of the inter-chamber game of chicken from past sessions.

Second, because meaningful economic development packages have mostly died in the past few sessions, there will be heavy appetite for passing something.  That’ll provide the incentive for the incremental change.

Nixon on Auto Tax

Governor Jay Nixon used his bully pulpit to try to move some votes ahead of next month’s veto session (September 12).  Read the letter he sent legislators here.

Nixon points out that if the legislature overrides his veto, Missourians who purchased cars in the past four months will receive tax bills for those cars.  They will likely be surprised and upset when that happens.

It’s a really smart gambit to play against the Republican legislature which hates taxes almost as much as the governor.

It’ll be interesting to see if Nixon can – between corralling some Dems to stick with their governor on the veto, and cold feet among some Republicans over the tax issue – defend his veto from the override.

Move Over Aerotropolis

I have seen the future and it is… Subtropolis.  Just outside Kansas City.  See it here.

$5K+ Contributions

Missouri’s Future - $11,000 from Simmons Firm.

Missouri’s Future - $6,000 from Brown & Crouppen P.C.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to John Diehl (47) and Shamed Dogan (34).