Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (r), a sort of candidate for governor in 2012, filed his April quarterly campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission yesterday.

REPORT SUMMARY

FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER [pdf] 4/15/2011

1. Total Receipts For This Election Previously Reported $1,201,151.07

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $769,559.59

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $215,341.15

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $902,221.87

[emphasis added]

Let’s take a look at the contribution report to find some of those friends:

CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED – SUPPLEMENTAL

FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER [pdf] 4/15/2011

Schweich for Auditor

PO Box 16084

St. Louis MO 63105

10/5/2010

$100.00

[emphasis added]

So, does that $100.00 from Schweich for Auditor cover the cost of an overnight hotel stay or an audit? Just asking.

We’ve covered the really big bucks contributions in previous posts.

Some of the expenditures are quite interesting, also, too:

EXPENDITURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE

FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER [pdf] 4/15/2011

C. Contributions Made (Regardless of Amount)

Friends of Peter Kinder Debt Committee

PO Box 712

Jefferson City MO 65102

12/30/2010

$11,000.00

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

Gibbs Pool and Turner

3225 Emerald Lane Suite A

Jefferson City MO 65109

10/1/2010

compliance and legal

$6,713.00

Capital Consulting LLC

PO Box 754

Jefferson City MO 65102

10/1/2010

fundraising

$6,028.54

Pat Thomas

3444 Hobbs Lane

Jefferson City MO 65109

10/1/2010

grassroots development

$6,000.00

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

10/5/2010

lodging

$229.07

Highland Consulting LLC

3605 Gettysburg Place

Jefferson City MO 65109

10/5/2010

compliance

$2,500.00

American Viewpoint

300 North Lee Street Suite 400

Alexandria VA 22314

10/5/2010

polling

$6,500.00

Peter Kinder

635 NW End Blvd

Cape Girardeau MO 63701

10/5/2010

exp reimb

$2,417.76

Intercontinental KC

401 Ward Parkway

Kansas City MO 64112

10/6/2010

lodging

$125.04

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

10/7/2010

lodging

$116.95

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

10/12/2010

lodging

$122.59

Multimedia PR Group

1221 Locust Street

St Louis MO 63103

10/18/2010

media consulting

$5,000.00

McGill Consulting

7643 South Bay Driv

Bloomington MN 55438

10/21/2010

FR retainer

$6,500.00

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

10/28/2010

lodging

$122.62

Pat Thomas

3444 Hobbs Lane

Jefferson City MO 65109

10/28/2010

grassroots development

$3,000.00

Highland Consulting LLC

3605 Gettysburg Place

Jefferson City MO 65109

11/1/2010

compliance

$2,500.00

Capital Consulting LLC

PO Box 754

Jefferson City MO 65102

11/1/2010

fundraising

$13,824.20

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

11/2/2010

lodging

$117.86

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

11/3/2010

lodging

$112.62

Inn on Fifth

699 5th Avenue South

Naples FL 34102

11/16/2010

lodging

$163.90

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

11/29/2010

lodging

$121.62

Pat Thomas

3444 Hobbs Lane

Jefferson City MO 65109

12/1/2010

grassroots development

$3,000.00

Strategic Communications

PO Box 1776

Cape Girardeau MO 63701

12/1/2010

polling and research

$10,000.00

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

12/1/2010

lodging

$112.62

Highland Consulting LLC

3605 Gettysburg Place

Jefferson City MO 65109

12/6/2010

compliance

$2,500.00

American Viewpoint

300 North Lee Street Suite 400

Alexandria VA 22314

12/10/2010

polling

$15,000.00

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

12/10/2010

lodging

$143.53

Capital Consulting LLC

PO Box 754

Jefferson City MO 65102

12/13/2010

fundraising

$5,000.00

Multimedia PR Group

1221 Locust Street

St Louis MO 63103

12/13/2010

media consulting

$5,000.00

McGill Consulting

7643 South Bay Driv

Bloomington MN 55438

12/13/2010

fundraising

$6,500.00

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

12/19/2010

lodging

$227.73

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

12/24/2010

lodging

$225.24

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

12/30/2010

lodging

$112.62

Pat Thomas

3444 Hobbs Lane

Jefferson City MO 65109

12/31/2010

grassroots development

$6,166.66

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

1/6/2011

lodging

$115.95

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

1/10/2011

lodging

$279.85

Barklage Company

PO Box 1776

Cape Girardeau MO 63702

1/12/2011

polling and research

$5,000.00

Highland Consulting LLC

3605 Gettysburg Place

Jefferson City MO 65109

1/12/2011

compliance

$2,500.00

Sam Scism Ford

5019 Highway 67 S

Park Hills MO 63601

1/12/2011

campaign vehicle purchase

$10,700.00

Capital Consulting LLC

PO Box 754

Jefferson City MO 65102

1/17/2011

fundraising

$14,162.50

Craig Arnzen

62 N Cedar Lake Rd W

Columbia MO 65203

1/19/2011

polling and research

$1,000.00

Strategic Communications

PO Box 1776

Cape Girardeau MO 63701

1/21/2011

polling and research

$5,000.00

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

1/29/2011

lodging

$112.62

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

1/31/2011

lodging

$140.07

Highland Consulting LLC

3605 Gettysburg Place

Jefferson City MO 65109

2/3/2011

compliance

$2,500.00

Capital Consulting LLC

PO Box 754

Jefferson City MO 65102

2/3/2011

fundraising

$5,000.00

Tyler Holman

437 California Ave

St. Louis MO 63119

2/19/2011

polling and research

$1,500.00

Villas at Brentwood

1800 S. Brentwood Blvd

St. Louis MO 63144

3/2/2011

sec. deposit

$655.00

Barklage Company

PO Box 1776

Cape Girardeau MO 63702

3/2/2011

polling and research

$10,000.00

McGill Consulting

7643 South Bay Driv

Bloomington MN 55438

3/4/2011

exp reimb

$3,068.12

Highland Consulting LLC

3605 Gettysburg Place

Jefferson City MO 65109

3/4/2011

compliance

$2,500.00

Villas at Brentwood

1800 S. Brentwood Blvd

St. Louis MO 63144

3/7/2011

rent

$1,387.00

Barklage Company

PO Box 1776

Cape Girardeau MO 63702

3/11/2011

polling and research

$5,000.00

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

2/5/2011

lodging

$120.47

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

2/13/2011

lodging

$112.62

Omni Hotels

2500 Calvert Street NW

Washington DC 20008

2/14/2011

lodging

$709.15

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

2/23/2011

lodging

$112.62

Barklage Company

400 Broadway Ste 508

Cape Girardeau MO 63701

3/4/2011

Polling and Research

$5,000.00

Westin Crown Center

1 E Pershing Rd

Kansas City MO 64108

3/5/2011

lodging

$153.55

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

3/6/2011

lodging

$112.62

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

3/11/2011

lodging

$131.90

Weekends Only

11333 Blake Drive

Bridgeton MO 63044

3/18/2011

furniture

$889.00

Value City

11900 Saint Charles Rock Rd

Bridgeton MO 63044

3/18/2011

furniture

639.00

Four Seasons Hotel St Louis

999 N 2nd Street

St Louis MO 63102

3/19/2011

lodging

$181.25

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

3/22/2011

lodging

$116.95

Chase Park Plaza

212 N Kingshighway

St Louis MO 63108

3/26/2011

lodging

$115.95

Intercontinental KC

401 Ward Pkwy

Kansas City MO 64112

3/30/2011

lodging

$115.82

[emphasis added]

That’s quite a burn rate. Hotels, hotels, hotels. Polling, polling, polling. Grass roots development? What the hell is that and why is it so expensive? Just asking.

Fundraising, fundraising, fundraising.

The Chase Park Plaza or the Four Seasons? Which do you prefer? You’ve got to wonder what the polling says about that…

Barklage Company

PO Box 1776

Cape Girardeau MO 63702

3/11/2011

polling and research

$5,000.00

…or even if they asked.

Villas at Brentwood? Is that a condo? Just asking.

Furniture? Is someone furnishing something? Just asking.

Via Twitter:

@RepCarnahan Russ Carnahan

Can’t believe Republicans actually just voted to end Medicare as we know it to pay for tax handouts for millionaires #priorities #values 2 hours ago

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 277

(Republicans in roman; Democrats in italic; Independents underlined)

     H CON RES 34      YEA-AND-NAY      15-Apr-2011      2:23 PM

     QUESTION:  On Agreeing to the Resolution

     BILL TITLE: Establishing the budget for the United States Government for fiscal year 2012 and setting forth appropriate budgetary levels for fiscal years 2013 through 2021

—- YEAS    235 —

Akin

Emerson

Graves (MO)

Hartzler

Long

Luetkemeyer

—- NAYS    193 —

Carnahan

Clay

Cleaver

@KellyO Kelly O’Donnell

Now @nancypelosi speaks to House Rs: “Do you realize your ldship is asking u to vote to abolish Medicare as we know it?” 3 hours ago

@NancyPelosi Nancy Pelosi

100% of House Dems voted against #GOPBudget to end Medicare while giving wealthiest more tax cuts http://go.usa.gov/Tmn 2 hours ago

@dscc DSCC

Today, @ToddAkin voted to end Medicare and cut taxes for billionaires and corporations. Is that what Missourians want? #p2 #mosen 20 minutes ago via web

Those 2012 Senate campaign ads are gonna write themselves.

Yesterday, the bill setting up a health insurance exchange for Missouri, HB 609, unanimously passed in the House.

…establishes the Show-Me Health Insurance Exchange Act to comply with the requirements of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) of 2010 to facilitate the purchase and sale of qualified health plans and qualified dental plans in the individual market and to provide for the establishment of a small business health option program (SHOP exchange) to assist qualified small employers enrolling their employees in qualified health plans and dental plans offered in the small group market.  The intent of the exchange is to reduce the number of uninsured; provide a transparent marketplace; increase competition in the health insurance market; increase portability of health insurance coverage; reduce health care costs; provide consumer education; and assist individuals with access to programs, tax credits, and cost-sharing reductions….

Wow! That sounds good to me.

From the Journal of the House [pdf]:

THIRD READING OF HOUSE BILL – FEDERAL MANDATE

HCS#2 HB 609, relating to the Show-me Health Insurance Exchange, was taken up by

Representative Molendorp.

On motion of Representative Molendorp, HCS#2 HB 609 was read the third time and passed

by the following vote:

AYES: 157

Allen Anders Asbury Atkins Aull Bahr Barnes Bernskoetter Berry Black Brandom Brattin Brown 50 Brown 85 Burlison Carlson Carter Casey Cauthorn Cierpiot Colona Conway 14 Conway 27 Cookson Cox Crawford Cross Curtman Davis Day Denison Dieckhaus Diehl Dugger Ellinger Elmer Entlicher Faith Fallert Fisher Fitzwater Flanigan Fraker Franklin Franz Frederick Fuhr Gatschenberger Gosen Grisamore Guernsey Haefner Hampton Harris Higdon Hinson Hodges Holsman Hoskins Hough Houghton Hubbard Hughes Hummel Johnson Jones 63 Jones 89 Jones 117 Kander Keeney Kelley 126 Kelly 24 Kirkton Klippenstein Koenig Korman Kratky Lair Lampe Lant Largent Lasater Lauer Leach Leara Lichtenegger Loehner Long Marshall McCaherty McCann Beatty McDonald McGeoghegan McGhee McManus McNary McNeil Meadows Molendorp Montecillo Nance Nasheed Neth Newman Nichols Nolte Oxford Pace Parkinson Peters-Baker Phillips Pierson Quinn Redmon Reiboldt Richardson Riddle Rizzo Rowland Ruzicka Sater Schad Scharnhorst Schatz Schieber Schieffer Schneider Schoeller Schupp Shively Shumake Sifton Silvey Smith 71 Smith 150 Solon Spreng Still Stream Swearingen Swinger Talboy Taylor Thomson Torpey Wallingford Walton Gray Webb Webber Wells Weter White Wieland Wright Wyatt Zerr Mr Speaker

NOES: 000

PRESENT: 000

ABSENT WITH LEAVE: 005

Brown 116 Funderburk May Pollock Zimmerman

VACANCIES: 001

Speaker Tilley declared the bill passed.

Really? Unanimously. Think about that for a minute. Not one teabagger voted against a key component of health care reform.

State Auditor Tom Schweich (r) filed his April quarterly campaign finance report with the Missouri Ethics Commission yesterday.

REPORT SUMMARY

SCHWEICH FOR AUDITOR [pdf] 4/14/2011

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $86,667.12

10. Expenditures made by cash or check this period $55,132.37

21. Payments This Period on Prev Reported Expend Incurred (Paid by Cash/Check Only) $25,000.00

24. Money On Hand at the beginning of this reporting period (Including funds in depository, cash, savings accounts and all other investments) $978.08

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $7,512.83

34. Total Indebtedness at the Close of This Reporting Period $15,472.20

[emphasis added]

That’s not a lot of cash on hand. But, then, republican friends can always find it within themselves to write $10,000.00 checks at the drop of a hat for the next go around, whatever that might be.

Let’s take a look at some of the contributions:

CONTRIBUTIONS AND LOANS RECEIVED

SCHWEICH FOR AUDITOR [pdf] 4/14/2011

HBE Corp.

11330 Olive Blvd

St. Louis MO 63141

12/28/2010

$1,000.00

Herzog Construction Co.

PO Box 1089

St. Joseph MO 64502

3/4/2011

$7,500.00

Leggett & Platt, Inc.

Number 1 Leggett Road

Carthage MO 64836

1/5/2011

$5,000.00

MHA PAC

PO Box 60

Jefferson City MO 65102

12/12/2010

$2,000.00

Med-Pay Inc.

PO Box 10909

Springfield MO 65808

1/25/2011

$1,500.00

Realtors PAC

PO Box 30635

Columbia MO 65205

1/2/2011

$5,000.00

Unigroup, Inc.

One United Drive

Fenton MO 63026

1/5/2011

$500.00

Republican State Committee

PO Box 73

Jefferson City MO 65102

2/9/2011

$10,000.00 [Bingo!]

Thompson Communications

PO Box 5

Marshfield MO 65706

2/1/2011

$3,742.10

Thompson Communications

PO Box 5

Marshfield MO 65706

2/1/2011

$10,789.02

John Danforth

911 Tirrill Farms Road

St. Louis MO 63124

Retired

12/18/2010

$1,000.00

Richard Fox

623 Old Slave Road

Wildwood MO 63005

Brady McCasland

12/21/2010

$36.00

Peter Herschend

538 Oak Bluff Road

Branson MO 65616

Herschend Family Entertainment

1/22/2011

$10,000.00 [Bingo!]

World Wide Technology Holding Co., Inc.

60 Weldon Parkway

St. Louis MO 63043

1/5/2011

$5,000.00

Southwest Missouri Leadership PAC

PO Box 1725

Joplin MO 64802

1/25/2011

$2,000.00

Enterprise Holdings PAC

600 Corporate Park Drive

St. Louis MO 63105

12/21/2010

$1,300.00

Emerson’s Missouri PAC

8000 W. Florissant Ave.

St. Louis MO 63136

1/21/2011

$4,000.00

[emphasis added]

Could it be? That John Danforth?

Well, bless Richard Fox.

And some of the expenditures?:

EXPENDITURES AND CONTRIBUTIONS MADE

SCHWEICH FOR AUDITOR [pdf] 4/14/2011

The Rocket Group

PO Box 913

Jefferson City MO 65102

1/13/2011

Media

$5,725.26

John Hancock & Assoc.

16100 Chesterfield Parkway

Chesterfield MO 63017

1/26/2011

Printing

$2,614.61

Republican State Committee

PO Box 73

Jefferson City MO 65102

2/22/2011

Event Fee

$611.00

Republican State Committee

PO Box 73

Jefferson City MO 65102

2/25/2011

Event Fee

$2,000.00

Mike Michelson

2635 Kenwood Drive

Jefferson City MO 65101

1/26/2011

Pianist

$350.00

David Barklage

7925 Clayton Road

Saint Louis MO 63105

2/3/2011

Consulting Fee

$20,000.00

[emphasis added]

They paid the musician!

And the consultant! Must be nice work, if you can get it.

An article in The Hill today highlights the GOP’s intention to go after purple state Democrats – think Claire McCaskill here –  for voting against the GOP wish list resolutions that would have denied federal funding to Planned Parenthood and funds needed to implement the Affordable Care Act. According to GOP strategists, the case against McCaskill will be strengthened by the recent defection of Missouri’s Attorney General, Chris Koster, to the dark side:

McCaskill will come under criticism for voting to preserve funding for the implementation of healthcare reform after Chris Koster, Missouri’s Democratic attorney general, endorsed a multi-state lawsuit challenging the law. Koster filed a legal brief in federal court this week supporting a lawsuit in Florida challenging the constitutionality of the individual mandate.

So Koster’s little exercise in how not to waffle effectively may prove to be the gift that keeps on giving – to Republicans. It certainly seemed to please his erstwhile GOP colleague, Crazy Jane Cunningham, who expressed her gratitude in her usual overblown style:

I sincerely thank our attorney general for his step forward in defending citizens’ rights and freedoms and confronting federally mandated health care.

With Democrats like Koster, we don’t need Republicans to gum up the works.

The Democratic Governors Association is placing Internet ads critical of Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder’s (r) hotel bills.

DGA Internet ad at Balloon Juice.

The ad takes you to a web page which asks you to sign a petition.

TELL PETER KINDER: RELEASE ALL DOCUMENTS ABOUT TAXPAYER FUNDED VISITS TO LAVISH HOTELS & CASINOS!

The Missouri Lieutenant Governor, Republican Peter Kinder, has been charging his odd and out-of-touch lifestyle to Missouri taxpayers. According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Kinder billed taxpayers for at least 329 nights at St. Louis’ most luxurious hotels and casinos so he could attend non-official events. While Kinder lived it up at the Ritz-Carlton and the Four Seasons, hardworking Missourians picked up the tab….

Obviously, they’re not gonna let up.

Previously:

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder (r), hotels, the taxpayer’s dime: the ads write themselves (April 7, 2011)

“Official State Guest”: Ooh, that’s gonna leave a mark (April 5, 2011)

It’d probably be more effective in addressing the price of oil than this, introduced yesterday

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 53

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ROWLAND (Sponsor), POLLOCK, SHUMAKE, BERRY, REIBOLDT, KELLEY (126) AND REDMON (Co-sponsors).

2158L.01I

           WHEREAS, the average price of gasoline has risen to nearly $4.00 a gallon and are projected to remain there or go even higher as the summer months approach; and

           WHEREAS, numerous components make up the price of gasoline, including the cost of crude oil (45%), federal and state taxes (23%), refining costs (22%), and marketing and distribution costs (10%). These components are affected by many factors; and

           WHEREAS, the three main factors that contribute to changes in the price of gasoline are changes in crude oil prices, the transparency of energy markets, and regulations that affect the price of gasoline; and

           WHEREAS, there is very little government can do about crude oil prices and transparency. Crude oil prices are affected by world supply and demand, which continues to grow and most rapidly in Asia. Transparency produces highly efficient markets, but it also increases volatility. Any reduction in transparency would offset efficiency; and

           WHEREAS, while states have limited authority and options available to attempt to reverse the soaring fuel prices and alleviate the growing financial burden on its citizenry, the federal government is able to ease the pressure on prices and reduce volatility by reducing its own interference in the market – most directly by the way of taxes and regulation; and

           WHEREAS, federal regulations have contributed significantly to the high price, high volatility environment facing consumers today. These regulations have led to the proliferation of numerous fuel blends – known as “boutique fuels” – which in turn have increased refining and distribution costs; and

           WHEREAS, in addition to addressing the boutique fuel problem, Congress and the Administration should reform other Clean Air Act regulations that have resulted in the halt of construction of new refinery capacity and offshore drilling. More production and refinery capacity is needed to ease the pressure on the production system; and

           WHEREAS, federal regulations are also affecting gasoline imports because foreign suppliers are unable to keep up with the increasing complexity of federal gasoline requirements. Volatility in the Middle East also threatens our second largest supplier of oil – OPEC; and

           WHEREAS, while changes in federal regulations and policies are needed as a long-term solution, the federal government is able to impact gasoline prices in the short-term as well; and

           WHEREAS, in the short-term, the Environmental Protection Agency should temporarily suspend clean-fuel requirements and reduce the number of fuel specifications across the country by offering a limited menu of fuel choices that states and localities can choose from; and

           WHEREAS, with crude oil costs being the single largest component in the cost of gasoline, the only real impact on crude oil prices is the threat of competition; and

           WHEREAS, the leading supplier of oil to the United States market is Canada, with Mexico as the third leading supplier. There are enough oil and gas resources under the ground of those two reliable neighbors to supply the United States at current consumption levels for the next 100 years; and

           WHEREAS, by lowering any remaining cross-border barriers to energy imports and by increasing the capacity of cross-border distribution systems, Congress can lower the cost to both Canada and Mexico of shipping oil to the United States, thereby inducing them to bring more supply on line; and

           WHEREAS, in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, Congress and the Administration should find ways to facilitate the building of new refineries, and an increase in production by permitting the uncapping of existing wells and the drilling of new wells; and

           WHEREAS, Congress and the Administration should strive to maintain a well-functioning gasoline market for the good of the economy, without interfering in the marketplace. Changes in federal regulation, introduction of fuel flexibility, removing impediments to importation of fuel from Canada and Mexico, increasing refinery capacity and pipeline construction, as well as greater domestic oil exploration and opening additional areas of production would begin to ease the rising cost of fuels and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil:

           NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-sixth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby strongly urge the United States Congress and the Obama Administration to immediately seek long-term and short-term solutions to the rapidly rising fuel costs to ease the financial burden on its citizens and prevent a second recession; and

           BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare properly inscribed copies of this resolution for President Barack Obama; Lisa P. Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency; the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Congress; and each member of the Missouri Congressional delegation.

It’s comforting to know that deregulation would do wonders for safety, production, and the environment in the Gulf of Mexico.

Jobs bill anyone?

The deal that President Obama and the congressional leadership struck in order to – finally – pass the 2011 budget, HR 1473, Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, passed today on a vote of 260-167.  59 Republicans voted against it. 81 Democrats voted for it.

From the Missouri delegation, the only Republican to vote against it was Billy Long (R-7), the only Democrat to vote for it was Russ Carnahan (D-3). What this means is that Billy Long, died-in-the-wool Tea Partier, voted with Nancy Pelosi – and Carnahan and Todd Akin (R-2) were on the same side. Does this sun-coming-up-in-the-West type event lend itself to some great sound bites or not. Just saying …

David Weigel notes that there was a hold-the-nose factor on the Democratic side:

Rep. Brad Miller, D-NC, had voted for previous continuing resolutions. He voted against this one, as did Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi. He did so, he said, expecting that the votes were there to pass the package. In the end a lot of Democrats waited until the bill was clearly en route to victory. ad [sic] they wanted to hold their powder, 42 more of them could have voted no.

Lots of Republicans probably weren’t too happy either given the talk about how it’s likely they didn’t actually achieve too much despite all their drama queen hysterics.  

Spotted on a vehicle in west central Missouri.

Or, they could be Auburn fans.

In his most recent tweet about the President’s debt reduction plan, Rep. Todd Akin (R-2) seems to be trying for a little gravitas – as befits a senatorial candidate, perhaps?:

Glad to see the President finally entering the conversation on our federal debt. He should remember it is a spending – not revenue – problem

Surprising comment on two points:  

One – Akin has never impressed anyone who watches him closely as a person who enjoys give and take on the issues – witness his treatment of folks who try to ask challenging questions at his town halls. So now he wants us to believe that he welcomes presidential involvement? Particularly when that involvement contrasts so vividly with the fact-challenged GOP budget plan put forward by Rep. Ryan?*

Two – where’d Akin get the idea that that the deficit is a spending problem rather than a revenue problem? Lots of Republicans like to say this, but it clearly doesn’t stand up to even cursory examination. Do they really think anyone with half a brain believes it? Do they really believe it themselves?

We decrease revenue, presto-bingo, we increase the federal debt. Remember – we had a budget surplus until Bush enacted his tax cuts – cuts that, incidentally, contrary to the related tenet that Akin pushes, didn’t seem to have much positive effect on the economy during the Bush years. Instead, economic growth was consistently anemic, ultimately culminating in the massive Bush Recession.

Math-challenged Rep. Akin also seems to be ignoring the incontrovertible truth that if we do nothing about spending, but just let the the Bush tax cuts die a natural death, we would halve the deficit by 2021.

As Eliot Spitzer pointed out in Slate Magazine last January, our budget is out of balance: we spend in the neighborhood of $3.8 trillion, we take in about $2.5 trillion in revenue, leaving a deficit of about $1.3 trillion. Think about it. And then consider that Rep. Akin believes revenue absolutely, positively isn’t part of the problem. Do you think it might be due the fact that his ideological blinders are welded on just a little bit too tightly?

Just goes to show that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks and, no matter how he gussies himself up, Senator Akin would probably be just as fact-challenged and hide-bound as Representative Akin has shown himself to be on so many memorable – and often genuinely amusing – occasions.

* But wait – was this just Rep. Akin trying to be snarky? If so, he needs to try a little harder.