Tuesday, September 18, 2012
New Spence Ad: Nixon and Obama
In a new TV ad which will start a full-state rotation today, Republican gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence ties Governor Jay Nixon to President Barack Obama.
The ad has footage of Nixon introducing Obama, and photos of the two of them together. It blames Nixon for “pushing Obama’s failed stimulus on Missouri even if our kids would bear the burden of the debt.”
The closer: “Barack Obama and Jay Nixon, they’ve failed Missouri together.”
The ad keeps the focus on the economy and jobs while drawing in the presumably unpopular president.
Meanwhile
Jay Nixon released his latest ad yesterday. It’s also focused on jobs and the economy. No mention of Barack Obama, of course. And no mention of being a Democrat, of course.
Nixon compares Missouri’s unemployment rate to the national average (favorably) while Spence compares it to our surrounding state (unfavorably).
No American Action in Akin Race
Informed source: “That AAN is currently running ads in opposition to David Gill, a Democrat running for Congress in IL-13. I don’t see anything to indicate that they are playing in the MO Sen race.”
And Akin Continues to Amaze
This time his wife, Lulli Akin, steps up to the mic…
From her interview with National Journal: “Party bosses dictating who is allowed to advance through the party and make all the decisions—it’s just like 1776 in that way.” She cited colonists who “rose up and said, ‘Not in my home, you don’t come and rape my daughters and my … wife.’” Read it here.
Romney Video
The national news du jour is a hidden camera tape of Mitt Romney speaking at a fundraiser in which he describes 47% of the country as government dependents who don’t pay taxes and whose votes Obama has locked up due to their reliance on hand-outs.
It may renew calls on Romney to release his tax returns. And as one pundit has observed, the 15.3% payroll tax that most of those 47%ers pay is higher than the rate (13-14%) that Romney himself says he’s been paying. See NYTimes coverage here.
The Case for Ethics Reform
The Romney gotcha was apparently the sort of thing that Speaker Tim Jones was referring to days ago when he said the abundance of iPhones was a safeguard against corruption in the capitol.
And while he’s true the iPhones will catch the candid thoughts of politicians, what average citizens (and lobbyists, and journalists, and politicians, and others) worry about is a subtle corruption that’s woven into the fabric of doing business in the capitol.
It’s most obviously evident in unlimited campaign contributions.
Studies of human behavior make it clear that rather than the tidy division of “good” people and “bad “people, we’re all much more alike in our moral fragility than we imagine.
Moral compasses will stray where the circumstances and incentives are constantly pushing them to. And that’s the situation we have. A system designed for to create conflicts of interest and temptation, rather than one designed to limit these situations.
How do you take $10,000 checks, or $100,000 checks, and pretend it doesn’t have some influence your thinking and actions? Only by believing that you’re immune to the human condition, above temptation and wrong-doing.
Now Republicans won’t yield the advantage they have gained though unlimited contributions. That’s clearly off the table.
But the legislature should pursue some ethics reform: true transparency, for example. No more fake non-profits to hide contributors, a more robust reporting system and website for campaign contributions and financial disclosures, and a stronger more aggressive Missouri Ethics Commission with the level of funding to achieve greater policing.
Cole’s Big Day
Rep. Cole McNary running for Treasurer had a series of fundraising events over the past 48 hours featuring Al Sikes, his father-in-law.
Saturday began with a lunch event in Jefferson City, hosted by Diane and Kelly Gellespie and then the MU game.
Yesterday McNary started in Sikeston with a breakfast hosted by Rep. Ellen Brandom and then a lunch in Cape Girardeau hosted by John and Donna Lichtenegger. That host committee included Peter Kinder, Steve Tilley, Clint Tracy, Gary Rust, Wayne Wallingford, and Shelley Keeney.
And finally last night at St. Louis’ wooded Deer Creek Club where hosts and attendees included Jack Danforth, Jack Taylor, Barbara Bryant, Brian Underwood, Bill Corrigan, and Catherine Hanaway.
Next stop, Springfield on Thursday.
JMO to MASW
Termed Rep. Jeanette Mott Oxford will take over leadership of Missouri Association of Social Welfare, replacing Bob Quinn.
The statement from MASW: “The MASW Board of Directors is pleased and excited to announce that we have offered Jeanette Mott Oxford the position as our organization's new
Executive Director. While we are clarifying the details of the negotiation, Jeanette has accepted the offer.
“Jeanette served nine years as Executive Director of ROWEL before beginning a long and successful career as a Missouri State Legislator. Jeanette is no stranger to MASW, having been recognized several times for her community leadership and her contributions to the organization.
We are very excited about the energy and vision she is bringing to the organization. Her official start date is scheduled for October 1, 2012…”
Lobbyist Registrations
From the Pelopidas website:
Gary L. Burton, James Foley and Chris Liese added Saint Louis Police Officers Association.
$5K+ Contributions
Missourians for Health and Education - $25,000 from Missouri National Education Assoc Legislative Crisis Fund.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $10,000 from Citizens for Diehl.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $15,000 from Peabody Investments Corp.
House Republican Campaign Committee Inc - $50,000 from Douglas Albrecht.
Missouri’s Future - $14,000 from Strong Garner Bauer P.C.
Missouri’s Future - $21,500 from Langdon & Emison.
Missourians for Fair and Impartial Courts Committee - $15,000 from Langdon & Emison.
Schoeller for Missouri - $89,300 from The Lamar Companies.
Cash Commentary
Missouri National Education Association is playing in the ballot initiatives. $25K today for the cigarette tax which would help better fund the foundation formula. And the other day $10K against the change in court plan, presumably because so many education issues end up getting decided in the judicial branch.
The $89K to Rep Shane Schoeller from the Lamar Companies is probably an in-kind ala their contribution to Sen. Bill Stouffer… free billboard space along Missouri’s highways and byways.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Chris Carter (31) and former Rep. Don Calloway (33).