Further Tragedies From Missouri and Kansas Republicans

This is why Missouri needs Republicans out of office in Jefferson City.

Senate Leader Ron Richard on Campaign Contribution Limits: "It’s Just Not Going to Happen."

Recipient of large campaign donation checks unmoved by calls for ethics reform

We, Missouri, are the only state in the Union that doesn't have limits on campaign contributions.

It's shameful. 

It's stupid. 

It's irresponsible. 

It's certainly not for the people.

It's legalized bribery and it needs to end and soon as possible.

And here's a quick, terrific example of why Kansans need Republicans out of office in Topeka:

Kansas won't join effort to tighten domestic abuse gun laws

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Kansas apparently won't join several other states that have passed recent laws aimed at making it more difficult for domestic abusers to have weapons.

That's brilliant, huh? A man might abuse his wife or partner but can still  get weapons due to the Republicans actions.

Republicans clearly, clearly need to be voted out of both state houses.

Let's get busy.

Links:  Jeff City Gift Takers, Ranked  

The Jeff City Gift Culture, by the Numbers

If you aren’t worried about the future of Kansas, here are some reasons to start

Not to be outdone, stupid out of Jefferson City

I've written here lately and through time about different ugliness coming out of the very Right Wing, Republican Topeka statehouse what with the legislation they've proposed and, at times, passed lately.

As said above, Missouri, not wanting to be outdone, seems to be wanting to keep up with their bi-state counterparts.  Here's the latest in the form of Senate Bill 207 and what it says:

This act requires companies that own or license personal information about Missouri residents to notify the affected individuals if the company discovers that security of the personal information has been breached. The notification must be made without unreasonable delay, but may be delayed by a law enforcement agency if the notification would compromise an investigation or homeland security.

Certain pieces of information must be included in the notification, such as the type of personal information compromised, the steps being taken to protect further breaches, and certain advice and contact information.

The act provides an exception to the notification requirements if it is determined that no risk of identity theft or other fraud to a consumer is reasonably likely to result from the breach.

Notification to affected consumers of a breach may be made in writing, via e-mail, or by telephone. In cases when the cost of notifying would exceed $250,000, when there are over 500,000 affected people to notify, when the company does not have sufficient contact information, or if the company cannot determine which consumers are affected by a breach, the company may use alternate notification procedures as described.

Companies shall notify the Attorney General in cases where the personal information of over 1,000 Missourians has been breached.

Companies that maintain their own notification procedures for security breaches that are consistent with this act shall be deemed in compliance with this act if they follow their procedures. Similarly, if a company maintains procedures for security breaches under another state's laws or federal law, and it follows those procedures, the company shall be deemed in compliance with this act.

The Attorney General has exclusive authority to bring action for actual damages for willful and knowing violations of this act as well as may seek a civil penalty of up to $150,000 per security breach.
Now, here's what this means to you and I as described by the Missouri AARP:

 

Senate Bill 207 is a bad idea for consumers

SB 207 would significantly expand the current Infrastructure Surcharge Replacement Surcharge (“ISRS”) to make it easier for electric utilities to raise rates up to 10% each year. AARP opposes the surcharge legislation because it will make it easier and faster for utilities to increase rates to consumers and gut the process that is designed to ensure Missouri consumers pay fair utility rates. It is questionable whether the result would create any more jobs than would occur under the current law.

 

Our state has ensured that our utilities are healthy and able to make necessary investments. These companies should do the work and then recover costs on the basis of quality and efficiency of that work, not ask for a short cut that disadvantages consumers.

 

Once again, no surprise, our legislators, this time in our statehouse, are looking out for the corporations first, instead of the people. It's legislation for the corporations and companies, not for you and me.

 

And as I keep saying, this will continue as long as those legislators--what are supposed to be our government representatives--need to receive "campaign contributions" from the wealthy and corporations in our society, in order to be re-elected to their posts.

 

It's why we need to kill campaign contributions, ladies and gentlemen, and why we need to work and work hard to end them. This will only happen if we demand it.

 

In the meantime, as the AARP says at their site, "Tell your state senator to oppose SB207 today!"

 

Link to contact your state Senator here: Missouri State Government

Face it, our government doesn't want us to vote

After the whole voter ID thing, you need further proof?

Okay, here you go:

Mo. Senate votes to eliminate 2 election dates

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The state Senate has voted to trim the number of potential election days in Missouri.
Legislation passed by the Senate would abolish the option for holding elections in February and June. It would still leave regular election dates in April, August and November, with the possibility for some elections to occur in March.

Think about it.  It's as I've said here before, if they really wanted us to vote, wouldn't it be on Saturdays, when more of us can easily get away to do it?

They want the moneyed people to vote and they want the old people to vote and that's about it.

It's disgusting.

More proof and reason we need to take and get our government back, away from the wealthy and corporations, folks.

As the saying goes, if you're not angry, you're not paying attention.

Link:  http://www.nbcactionnews.com/dpp/news/state/missouri/mo.-senate-votes-to-eliminate-2-election-dates

The Tea Party Pledge Rep Roy Blunt signed

Herewith, the “Tea Party Treaty” Rep Roy Blunt signed earlier (see video in earlier post), sans much comment from me other than the fact that, to date, Rep Blunt has not followed items 2 or 3 in any way.  He has only been instrumental in getting us where we are today, with a much larger government.  But who knows?  Maybe that old dog can learn some new tricks.  (All punctuation their own).

Tea Party Treaty

1)      I believe the Health Care Reform bill (Affordable Care Act) should be immediately repealed as an un-Constitutional extension of governmental powers according to Article I of the US Constitution, and thus a burden on the people’s rights as recognized by the 9^th Amendment.

2)      I believe the government should reduce taxes and cut spending, as a rejection of the Keynesian model of economics.  Government should be fiscally responsible with the people’s dime.

3)      I believe that we should reduce the federal bureaucracy.  The size and scope of federal regulation endanges all liberty, and hinders accountability to the public.

______________________________         _________________

SIGNATURE                                                                         DATE

Link:  www.stlouisteaparty.com

Notes on a Sunday morning

--Steve Kraske makes a terrific point about media outlets in town making boodles of money--hundreds of thousands of dollars per ad run--but those same media outlets not doing any real, serious analysis of the ads, to the detriment of their viewers specifically and our society, more generally; --Thomas E. McClanahan complains in his big, bold headline today that (Robin) CARNAHAN IS RUNNING AN OUTDATED CAMPAIGN. Hmmmm. I'm thinking it's also effective, Mr. C., since she's closing in on her Republican opponent for the Senate, Roy "Put the Money in Here" Blunt. Is that why you're having such a hissy-fit, Mr. C?; --There is a terrific and informative, if depressing and frustrating, article today in the NY Times about computers bought by you and me--the US taxpayer--to the tune of $1,800,000 (8080 in all) that were stolen by someone in Iraq before they got to the students they were intended for. I see it as just that much more proof of why W's reasons to attack Iraq and for our reasons to stay now are at least mistaken, if not downright stupid; --20 more US military service members died , we are told, this week in Afghanistan. More proof, to a lot of us, of why we need to get out of Afghanistan, of course, not meaning to be repetitive; --There is a brief story in the Star today about the coral reefs around the world possibly bleaching out, due to the record-setting heat set this year and what it might possibly mean for the ocean--and us humans. It was far too short and needed more information, I thought, but it was an important and helpful start on the topic; --Not in the Star but our annual "block party" that is the Annual Plaza Art Fair is about over now. It was great fun. Now, y'all get out of my front yard, will you? Links: www.kansascity.com http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/26/world/middleeast/26iraq.html?th&emc=th;

If a young woman even thinks about an abortion, why don't we just beat her?

I mean, isn't that what the anti-rights people want?

Did you see where now they want yet more laws on abortions?

Check it out:

"Missouri senators endorsed legislation Thursday increasing the information that women must receive from medical professionals at least 24 hours before having abortions."

"Although Missouri already has a 24-hour informed consent law, abortion opponents assert that a more specific law is needed because some women still are unaware of the characteristics and capabilities of the fetuses being aborted."

"The legislation would require that women be provided the following statement: 'The life of each human being begins at conception. Abortion will terminate the life of a separate, unique, living human being.'"

All of the last teo statements being completely subject to opinion, of course.

But wait, as always with these people, there's more:

"Missouri is one of five states that currently prohibit abortion coverage in basic insurance policies, instead requiring the payment of an additional premium. The Senate bill would not allow coverage — even with an additional premium — under the government subsidized health exchanges."

Even though abortion is legal in this country and has been since 1973, these people are going to do all they can, ad infinitum and ad nauseum, to make it as completely, utterly and totally difficult, short of illegal and impossible, to let a woman do with her body as she would.

And these are the "small government" people.

And they don't see the hypocrisy, either.

Link to original story:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/36566860

Federal or State, there's too much ugly money in government

Thank you, Missouri State Auditor Susan Montee, for your audit of Missouri government, recently released.

Ms. Montee found that "The Missouri House and Senate regularly solicit donations from lobbyists to pay for office parties, gifts and meals..."

Further: "The audits suggest the practice raises conflict-of-interest questions and notes some instances appear to violate state law."

Ya' think?

The more you hear about our Federal and State governments, the more difficult it is to not be cynical.

But this is my favorite revelation from the audit and article in The Kansas City Star today: "The audit found that in the Senate, lawmakers and staffers have solicited donations and banked them in a private account outside the state accounting system since 2003."

Can you say "slush fund"?

"More than 100 lobbyists donated more than $76.000.00 to the account through December2008. Of that, nearly $61,000.00 was spent on Christmas parties, retirement receptions, gifts for senators and staffers and meals for evening work sessions."

And think about this--not only are the legislators and bureaucrats getting "money on the side", so to speak--which is bad enough--but then, like a street cat to a saucer of milk, they get to keep going back to the source--the lobbyists--to get more and more money, again and again.

You don't think that wouldn't make for some relationships you'd want to keep happy?

This way, the government employees of all levels have a vested interest in giving these lobbyists and their organizations--mostly corporations, no doubt--just what they want, legislatively, so they can keep their money pot full.

This is wrong on so many levels it's hard to fathom.

And, of course, it gets continually better, too.

Check this out--"The audit...called the Senate's bank account illegal, because the Missouri Constitution requires all state funds to be 'held and disbursed' by the state treasurer."

This is where it gets good: "The Senate, however, maintains that the money received from lobbyists does not constitute 'state funds' and isn't subject to oversight from the treasurer."

So, basically, folks, what the Senate is saying is 1) "Yeah, sure we've got this money--so what?" and b) "Law or no law, this money is ours and don't mess with us."

Talk about thumbing your nose at Missouri citizens---and our laws.

Sheesh.

These guys have some major cajone's.

This needs to be stopped and it needs to be stopped now.

They should either turn it over to the State Treasurer immediately or give it to a worthy charity right away, be done with it and not repeat it.

We have to get the ugly, corrupting money out of our legislatures and as soon as possible.

It won't happen in Washington anytime soon--until we really raise cane, anyway--but we can push for it.

Oh, and please note---this is why we need metropolitan newspapers of some sort. If we don't have them in some form, we can't keep an eye on our government and keep them "straighter", if not "straight".

Link to article: http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/story/1446445.html