Cardboard coffin from the public demonstration in front of the Johnson County Courthouse on January 20, 2001.

…What possesses anyone to publicly speak out in dissent?

It started for me after December 12, 2000 when the United States Supreme Court appointed an occupant to the White House in a decision so blatantly partisan even they wouldn’t allow it as precedent.  A coup.  Not a polite way of putting it, but accurate.

Even then, new to the idea of public dissent and so unsure of how to do this, it wasn’t until the day of the inauguration on January 20, 2001 that I organized my first public protest.

I quietly spread the word to other potential activists.  On that bitterly cold day we set up a picket line in front of the county courthouse with everyone dressed in black and carrying signs [and a cardboard coffin emblazoned with the legend: “democracy”] in our “funeral for democracy.”  We numbered thirty-eight people and one dog.  It caused something of a stir, but better still, it served to make us all feel like we were doing something positive by expressing our disdain…

It’s been a long eight years. Unlike eight years ago I don’t think I’ll be actively participating in any activities marking the day. The damages done to our nation, our Constitution, the world, and to the concept of rule of law have been too severe.

Signs from the public demonstration in front of the Johnson County Courthouse, January 20, 2001.

For me the day will be one of reflection and mourning for what could have been. It will be a long and difficult journey back for every one of us.

Representative Jason Kander (D – 44) gets cut back by the Speaker:

For Immediate Release

Republican Speaker Blocks Freshman Representative’s Appointment to Powerful Committee

Democrat Jason Kander chooses to view extraordinary step as compliment

Jefferson City – In a late-night meeting between Republican and Democratic senior staff, Speaker Ron Richard’s office characterized Rep. Jason Kander (D-Kansas City), an attorney and Afghanistan veteran, as a “political problem” for the Republicans. Accordingly, the Speaker took the extraordinary step of blocking Kander’s appointment to the powerful professional licensing and registration committee.

A select few other Democratic appointments were blocked, but only Kander did not receive another appointment as a consolation prize. While a handful of senior members in leadership positions have fewer committee assignments, the over 150 rank-and-file members of the House all serve on a minimum of three committees. Kander, who was sworn in less than two weeks ago, is the only rank-and-file member of either party that the Speaker has limited to just two committees.

The professional registration committee oversees the regulation of a variety of professions ranging from insurance agents to physicians. Kander remains on the Homeland Security Committee and the high-profile Budget Committee.

“I think it says a tremendous amount about the strength of young Democrats when the Speaker of the House is going out of his way to play defense against one of our freshmen,” said House Minority Leader Rep. Paul LeVota (D-Independence). “Despite the Speaker’s best efforts, Representative Kander is going to be an extremely effective member of this body.”

“I came here to champion the economic agenda that gave Governor Nixon a twenty point victory, so this presents an obstacle,” said Kander, “but I’ve decided to take the advice of senior members and view this as a roundabout vote of confidence from the Republican leadership.”

But Kander is unlikely to have difficulty filling his day, as he has political duties to tend to outside the Capitol. After his election, Rep. LeVota appointed him to the House Democratic Campaign Committee and his peers in the freshman class elected him to the executive committee of the Freshman Democratic Caucus.

“Jason’s efforts this last election cycle have made his work ethic legendary,” said Rep. Mike Talboy, chair of the House Democratic Campaign Committee.  “It’s no surprise to me that the Speaker is worried about him.”

***

[emphasis added]

Well, let’s look at another freshman representative – Denny Hoskins (r- 121 – “noun, verb, CPA”):

Representative

Denny Hoskins

District 121

Republican

Committees:

   * Budget

   * Appropriations – Transportation and Economic Development

   * Higher Education

   * Veterans

Four committees, count ’em, four. Maybe because he doesn’t like counting the Speaker has figured he wouldn’t notice if they slipped him another one.

Or, maybe because he’s a legislation generating machine. Nope. This is it:

Missouri House of Representatives

2009

95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session

Legislation Sponsored by Rep. Denny Hoskins

COSPONSOR

HB303

Prohibits health insurers from discriminating against any willing provider in the geographic region of the health benefit plan

HB303 — (LR# 0462L.01I)

Introduced and Read First Time (H)

Hmmm. Let’s look at Jason Kander’s bill sponsorship:

Missouri House of Representatives

2009

95th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session

Legislation Sponsored by Rep. Jason Kander

COSPONSOR

HB49

Allows voters to cast advance ballots

HB49 — (LR# 0275L.01I)

Read Second Time (H)

HB150

Changes the laws regarding unsecured loans of $500 or less, commonly known as payday loans, and allows the Attorney General to maintain an action to enforce compliance

HB150 — (LR# 0649L.01I)

Read Second Time (H)

HB168

Prohibits members of the General Assembly from contracting with or soliciting each other for the purposes of securing services for political campaigning, fundraising, or consulting

HB168 — (LR# 0638L.01I)

Read Second Time (H)

HB219

Changes the laws regarding the requirements of certain corporate filings

HB219 — (LR# 0888L.01I)

Read Second Time (H)

HB221

Prohibits elected officials from registering or acting as lobbyists within two years after leaving office

HB221 — (LR# 0481L.01I)

Read Second Time (H)

An active legislator interested in accountability. What a concept.

As for the contrast between the two freshman?: One of these things is not like the other…

MOSERS, the Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System, lost a chunk of change in the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme. New Missouri State Treasurer Clint Zweifel, who serves as an ex-officio member of the board of MOSERS by virtue of his office, issued the following press release:

OFFICE OF THE MISSOURI STATE TREASURER

Clint Zweifel, Treasurer

MISSOURI STATE CAPITOL, P.O. BOX 210, JEFFERSON CITY, MO 65102

For immediate release:…

Zweifel Learns Of Madoff Connection to MOSERS

Bernie Madoff scam costs state retirement fund an estimated $3.5 million

Jefferson City, Mo – Missouri State Treasurer Clint Zweifel attended his first official meeting of the MOSERS Board, the state retirement agency, on Thursday and learned that money MOSERS placed with the asset management firm, Silver Creek Capital Management, fed money to Bernie Madoff.  This investment resulted in a $3.5 million loss to the state employee retirement fund.  Madoff, a financier, is allegedly behind a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.  “There has never been a more important time to protect the retirement of hard working Missourians and the investments of taxpayers” said Zweifel.  Treasurer Zweifel urges the Board and the staff of MOSERS to implement the following actions to protect investors and taxpayers

·         The relationship between MOSERS and Silver Creek should be thoroughly examined and all courses of action should be considered.

·         Development of policies that promote increased openness and transparency of MOSERS’ investments by defining what issues are appropriate to discuss in open session versus executive session.

·         Improved and more detailed disclosures so MOSERS board members know and understand how specific investments are performing.

·         Increased due diligence on asset managers by MOSERS to provide for increased accountability.  This is particularly important considering the “fund-of-fund” investment method sometimes used by MOSERS.

·         We should consider pursuing legal action for plan participants who have been harmed by the decision to invest with a firm that invested with Bernie Madoff.

·         There needs to be a comprehensive review of all MOSERS investments to ensure there isn’t additional Madoff exposure.

“The Board and the MOSERS staff should immediately take steps to remedy the situation at MOSERS” said Zweifel, “It is unfortunate that anyone was affected by Madoff.  It is crucial we take immediate action to see that this does not happen again.”

###

The consequences of a complacent Securities and Exchange Commission and political leadership which disdains proper regulation has far reaching consequences. It’s not just about a bunch of (formerly) wealthy individuals in New York City who misplaced their trust in someone.

DECEMBER 18, 2008

Madoff Misled SEC in ’06, Got Off

By GREGORY ZUCKERMAN and KARA SCANNELL

Securities and Exchange Commission investigators discovered in 2006 that Bernard Madoff had misled the agency about how he managed customer money, according to documents, yet the SEC missed an opportunity to uncover an alleged Ponzi scheme.

The documents indicate the agency had Mr. Madoff in its sights amid multiple violations that, if pursued, could have blown open his alleged multibillion-dollar scam. Instead, his firm registered as an investment adviser, at the agency’s request, and the public got no word of the violations….

State Treasurer Clint Zweifel is evidently intent on exercising his fiduciary responsibility – that’s quite a contrast with dubya’s administration.

Fitting for the inaugural weekend, I present to you reproductions of the famous Shepard Fairey Obama prints on the side of the Royale in Saint Louis, by day and by night.

Photos courtesy of a Creative Commons license by Flickr users MBK and prettywarstl, respectively.  

It’s so obvious that I resent having to repeat it:

…If we whitewash the abuses of the past eight years, we’ll guarantee that they will happen again…

– Paul Krugman – Forgive and Forget?

The villagers are gonna wring their hands about all this unpleasantness: What’s CIA Director Hayden Hidin’?

Let’s hope Chuck Hatfield spends more time and has more success lobbying for Wind Capital Group than Peabody Energy (the coal company.)

A proclamation in the name of dubya was issued from the White House yesterday. They are consistent in their cluelessness and obsessive in serving their base:

For Immediate Release

Office of the Press Secretary

January 15, 2009

National Sanctity of Human Life Day, 2009

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.

The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America. Also, I was proud to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, which allows authorities to charge a person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb with a separate offense in addition to any charges relating to the mother…

[emphasis added]

Timeout: Could someone explain how teen abstinence is part of “promoting a culture of life” and yet there’s no mention of the horrors of war?

The proclamation continues:

…America is a caring Nation, and our values should guide us as we harness the gifts of science. In our zeal for new treatments and cures, we must never abandon our fundamental morals. We can achieve the great breakthroughs we all seek with reverence for the gift of life.

The sanctity of life is written in the hearts of all men and women. On this day and throughout the year, we aspire to build a society in which every child is welcome in life and protected in law. We also encourage more of our fellow Americans to join our just and noble cause. History tells us that with a cause rooted in our deepest principles and appealing to the best instincts of our citizens, we will prevail.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim January 18, 2009, as National Sanctity of Human Life Day. I call upon all Americans to recognize this day with appropriate ceremonies and to underscore our commitment to respecting and protecting the life and dignity of every human being.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-third.

GEORGE W. BUSH

# # #

I encountered this same attitude up close and personal during the closing days of the last campaign:

Kicking up the tempo

…A large sedan plastered with republican and anti-choice bumper stickers pulled to a stop as we walked down the street on our canvass. A little old lady (very spry) jumped out and asked us who we were. We told her we were canvassing for Obama. She told us, “Wait a minute, I’ve got something for you.” She pulled forward out of traffic, then jumped out of her car to open the trunk. We stopped our walk in the opposite direction and turned to walk toward the car. As she opened the trunk she turned to look for us and started, saying, “You scared me!”

“You know I’m pro-life.” I replied, “I take it that means you’re against the death penalty and war?” “Oh no, it’s about murdering babies. Do you believe in God? Are you saved, is Jesus your savior? What church do you belong to?” I replied, “I don’t. I’m Jewish.” Without missing a beat she asked, “What about Israel?” I replied, “What about it?” She handed us each a flier and asked us to read it, saying, “Pray on this. I know you’re doing what you believe in.” She turned to go back to her car and we each said, “Have a nice day.”

[emphasis added]

Evidently starting a war based on lies doesn’t figure in their equation.

Irony impaired in perpetuity.