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Monthly Archives: February 2012

Candidate Filing: 394 candidates in the first day

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

2012, candidate filing, missouri, Secretary of State

Via the Missouri Secretary of State:

UNOFFICIAL Candidate Filing List

Primary

[….]

Ballot Placement: First day filers (2/28/2012) selected a number by random drawing to determine their placement on the primary ballot. After the first day, all candidates are placed on the ballot in order of their filing.

All Candidates and parties are listed in ballot order.

(Name, Mailing Address and Date/Time Filed as of 2/29/2012 6:30 a.m.)

[….]

Several republican incumbent members of Congress who aren’t running for the U.S. Senate didn’t file on the first day. Any bets on surprise retirement announcements? We can hope, can’t we?

Eight candidates filed in the 2nd Congressional District. Three republicans filed in the 5th Congressional District for the opportunity to be humiliated by Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) in November.

At this point there’s a gender gap between the two major parties when it comes to candidates running for Lieutenant Governor.

There’s no shortage of republicans willing to run for the Missouri House. Maybe it’s folks thinking, “I can do better.” Or, perish the thought, thinking, “I can be crazier.” Probably the latter.

Previously:

Dave Spence’s (r) big day, sort of (February 28, 2012)

Candidate Filing: State Senate – pass the popcorn (February 28, 2012)

http://www.showmeprogress.com/diary/6977/candidate-filing-1st-congressional-district (February 28, 2012)

HB 1849: "I just want to say one word to you. Just one word."

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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bedbugs, General Assembly, HB 1849, Mike McGhee, missouri

Bed bugs.

Okay, that was two words.

A bill, introduced today:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1849

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE McGHEE.

6025L.01I                            D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 441, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to health control for multifamily rental dwelling units.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Section A. Chapter 441, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 441.451, to read as follows:

           441.451. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:

           (1) “Bed bug”, an insect of the species cimex lectularius, commonly referred to as bed bug;….

           ….(2) “Control”, the process required to eliminate or manage an infestation of bed bugs by poisoning, spraying, fumigating, trapping, or by any other recognized and lawful pest elimination method, including repeated application of any treatment, particularly to areas where bed bugs are likely to congregate. Control of bed bugs shall be deemed completed if there has been no evidence of bed bug activity for fifty days after the last application of any treatment;

           (3) “Dwelling unit”, premises or part thereof occupied, used, or held out for use and occupancy as a place of abode for human beings, whether occupied or vacant;

           (4) “Infestation”, the presence of bed bugs or signs of their presence in a quantity large enough that the tenant of a multifamily rental dwelling unit knew or should have known about the presence of bed bugs in the unit;

           (5) “Surrounding unit”, unit or units that share a common wall or are located above or below.

           2. (1) A landlord of a multifamily rental dwelling unit shall use reasonable efforts to maintain the dwelling unit free of an infestation of bed bugs.

           (2) Upon written notice from a tenant of a multifamily rental dwelling unit that he or she suspects the presence of bed bugs in his or her unit, the landlord’s designated pest control professional shall within seven days visually inspect the unit for bed bugs.

           (3) Upon conclusion that an infestation of bed bugs does exist in the unit following an inspection in accordance with subdivision (2) of this subsection, the landlord shall within fourteen days begin the process of controlling the bed bug infestation in the dwelling unit. The landlord shall also notify other tenants in the surrounding units of the multifamily rental dwelling unit that an infestation has been discovered and is being controlled.

           (4) Only a landlord or landlord’s designated pest control professional shall apply any bed bug control techniques as set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of this section.

           (5) When a landlord requires access to a multifamily rental dwelling unit for purposes of inspecting for an infestation of bed bugs or controlling an infestation of bed bugs, the landlord shall provide at least twenty-four hours’ notice to the tenant in writing that the landlord requires access for purposes of inspecting or controlling the infestation of bed bugs.

           (6) Except in a situation where a landlord has been grossly negligent, the landlord or the landlord’s employees, officers, agents, and directors shall not be liable to the tenant or the tenant’s guests for any damages relating to and arising from the infestation of bed bugs or the inspection for and control of bed bugs.

           (7) If, after receiving notice of a suspected bed bug infestation under subdivision (3) of subsection 3 of this section, the landlord fails to inspect and/or designate a pest control professional for the purposes of conducting an inspection and/or controlling bed bugs, or if the landlord obstructs or inhibits the ability of the landlord’s designated pest control professional to control a bed bug infestation, the tenant shall not be liable to the landlord or the landlord’s agents for any damages relating to and arising from the presence of bed bugs

           3. (1) A tenant of a multifamily rental dwelling unit shall use reasonable care to maintain his or her dwelling unit free of an infestation of bed bugs.

           (2) The failure of a tenant to report any bed bug infestation within his or her dwelling unit within seven days after move-in the exercise of reasonable diligence shall be an acknowledgment by the tenant that the dwelling unit is acceptable and bed bug free.

           (3) A tenant who knew or should have known of the presence of an infestation of bed bugs or who suspects the presence of bed bugs in his or her dwelling unit shall notify the landlord in writing as to the presence of bed bugs within his or her unit within forty-eight hours. Notice provided to the landlord by the tenant in accordance with this section constitutes permission to the landlord to enter the dwelling unit in accordance with subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of this section for the purpose of inspecting for or controlling bed bugs.

           (4) A tenant who fails to notify the landlord of the presence of bed bugs in accordance with subdivision (3) of this subsection may be held liable for damages related to the cost of treating the unreported infestation.

           (5) Upon notice from the landlord under subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of this section, a tenant shall grant the landlord or the landlord’s designated pest control professional access to the unit for purposes of conducting an inspection and controlling bed bugs.

           (6) The tenant shall not apply any bed bug control techniques as set forth in subdivision (2) of subsection 1 of this section.

           (7) If, after receiving notice of an inspection or control procedure under subdivision (5) of subsection 2 of this section, the tenant obstructs or inhibits the ability of the landlord or the landlord’s designated pest control professional to access the unit, fails to comply with protocol set forth by the landlord or landlord’s designated pest control professional, which is deemed necessary to carry out control of a bed bug infestation, or obstructs or inhibits the landlord or the landlord’s designated pest control professional from completing requisite treatment necessary to control a bed bug infestation:

           (a) The landlord shall not be liable to the tenant or his or her guests for any damages relating to and arising from the presence of bed bugs; and

           (b) The tenant may be found to be in violation of his or her lease and/or subject to reasonable damages.

It looks like three weeks is supposed to be a reasonable amount of time to get rid of bed bugs. Fancy that. Sleep tight.

There’s got to be a really fascinating story behind the existence of this bill.  

Dave Spence's (r) big day, sort of

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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2012, campaign filing, campaign finance, Dave Spence, governor, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Jennifer Bukowsky 810 E. Walnut St. Columbia MO 65201 Self Attorney 2/28/2012 $750.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Andrew Thome 21 Danfield Rd. St Louis MO 63124 JW Terrill President 2/28/2012 $1,000.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Kevin Maher 27 Upper Ladue Rd. St Louis MO 63124 St. Charles Automotive President 2/28/2012 $2,500.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Caryn Lamping 2 Waron Hills St Louis MO 63124 Self Homemaker 2/28/2012 $2,500.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Steven Trulaske Sr 7700 Forsyth Blvd. Ste. 1220 St Louis MO 63105 True Manufacturing Co. Executive 2/28/2012 $2,500.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Hal Ball 11 Kirken Knoll Dr. St Louis MO 63131 Hilliker Corp. VP/Principal 2/28/2012 $2,500.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Hilliker Corporation 2001 South Hanley Ste. 300 St Louis MO 63144 2/28/2012 $2,500.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR LUXCO 5050 Kemper Ave. St Louis MO 63139 2/28/2012 $1,000.00

C111205 02/28/2012 SPENCE FOR GOVERNOR Robert Byrne Jr 18 Manderleigh Est St Louis MO 63131 Huntleigh/Byrne Executive 2/28/2012 $2,000.00

[emphasis added]

Okay.

And, at the Missouri Secretary of State, also today:

UNOFFICIAL Candidate Filing List

Primary

Ballot Placement: First day filers (2/28/2012) selected a number by random drawing to determine their placement on the primary ballot. After the first day, all candidates are placed on the ballot in order of their filing.

All Candidates and parties are listed in ballot order.

Governor

Democrat

Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon 100 MADISON ST

JEFFERSON CITY MO 65101 572 2/28/2012

4:19 p.m.

Leonard Steinman 110 N LINCOLN ST

JEFFERSON CITY MO 65101 918 2/28/2012

12:03 p.m.

Republican

John D. Weiler 1740 CHERRY BLOSSOM CT

PEVELY MO 63070 215 2/28/2012

10:51 a.m.

David “Dave” Spence 2021 WARSON RD S

ST LOUIS MO 63124 236 2/28/2012

8:30 a.m.

Bill Randles P.O. BOX 734

LIBERTY MO 64069 454 2/28/2012

9:39 a.m.

All that money and the luck of the draw doesn’t get you top ballot placement. Bummer. Maybe the U.S. Supreme Court could do something about that.

Candidate Filing: State Senate – pass the popcorn

29 Wednesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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2012, campaign filing, David Pearce, Ed Emery, Jane Cunningham, Mike McGhee, missouri, Scott Largent

So far it’s been a very interesting day in Jefferson City (via the Missouri Secretary of State) as candidates file for office. In the State Senate:

State Senator – District 7

Democrat

Jason Holsman P.O. BOX 480572

KANSAS CITY MO 64145 2/28/2012

11:05 a.m.

Republican

Jane Cunningham 1602 TIMBERLAKE MANOR PKY

CHESTERFIELD MO 63017 2/28/2012

12:43 p.m.

Senator Jane Cunningham (r) is very, very unhappy. She filed in the 7th District. Does that mean she thinks the latest iteration of redistricting will get tossed and she’ll gain the top ballot position when (if) her district on the other side of the state reverts to its original number?

State Senator – District 21

Republican

Mike McGhee 5538 GRUBB RD

ODESSA MO 64076 2/28/2012

2:04 p.m.

David Pearce 123 SE 180TH RD

WARRENSBURG MO 64093 2/28/2012

3:46 p.m.

Okay, that makes this a primary between a birther who loaned his campaign $100,000.00 and one of the last republican moderates (and that’s relatively speaking) serving in Jefferson City.

Decisions, decisions.

State Senator – District 31

Republican

Scott Largent 1904 RUSTIC WAY

CLINTON MO 64735 2/28/2012

10:40 a.m.

Ed Emery PO BOX 123

LAMAR MO 64759 2/28/2012

4:13 p.m.

Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you feel like another nut.

WikiLeaks publishes stolen emails from intelligence firm and think tank Stratfor

28 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

anonymous, CIA, secrecy, stratfor, think tank, wikileaks

WikiLeaks on Monday began releasing a trove of 5 million emails from the Texas-based intelligence firm Stratfor. The emails were allegedly stolen by the elusive hacker group known as Anonymous in a penetration of the Stratfor website last December.

Stratfor, a “subscription-based provider of geopolitical analysis” has numerous Fortune 500 corporations as clients, in addition to various governmental organizations around the world.

WikiLeaks shared some of the more provocative stories contained within the email cache, including details about a proposed Stratfor spin-off intended to make financial investments based on pertinent intelligence the firm had gathered.

From Wikileaks website:

“The emails show that in 2009 then-Goldman Sachs Managing Director Shea Morenz and Stratfor CEO George Friedman hatched an idea to “utilise the intelligence” it was pulling in from its insider network to start up a captive strategic investment fund. CEO George Friedman explained in a confidential August 2011 document, marked DO NOT SHARE OR DISCUSS : “What StratCap will do is use our Stratfor’s intelligence and analysis to trade in a range of geopolitical instruments, particularly government bonds, currencies and the like”.

The emails show that in 2011 Goldman Sach’s Morenz invested “substantially” more than $4 million and joined Stratfor’s board of directors. Throughout 2011, a complex offshore share structure extending as far as South Africa was erected, designed to make StratCap appear to be legally independent. But, confidentially, Friedman told StratFor staff : “Do not think of StratCap as an outside organisation. It will be integral… It will be useful to you if, for the sake of convenience, you think of it as another aspect of Stratfor and Shea as another executive in Stratfor… we are already working on mock portfolios and trades”. StratCap is due to launch in 2012.”

FOX News website reported:

“The emails show Stratfor’s web of informers, pay-off structure, payment-laundering techniques and psychological methods,” the (WikiLeaks) website reads. It cites a Dec. 6, 2011, email from CEO George Friedman to Stratfor analyst Reva Bhalla, on how to exploit an Israeli intelligence informant providing information on the medical condition of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.

“[Y]ou have to take control of him. Control means financial, sexual or psychological control … This is intended to start our conversation on your next phase,” the email reportedly reads.”

A statement published on Stratfor’s Facebook page about the WikiLeaks release called the action “deplorable, unfortunate – and illegal – breach of privacy.”

Stratfor further advised,

“Some of the emails may be forged or altered to include inaccuracies; some may be authentic. We will not validate either. Nor will we explain the thinking that went into them. Having had our property stolen, we will not be victimized twice by submitting to questioning about them.”

The mass release of stolen private property, namely, Stratfor’s 5 million emails, might be crossing the line. Releasing documents, like the widely reported WikiLeaks U.S. State Department communiqués, makes up a basic pillar in the “open-source government” concept-that is, sunshine as the best disinfectant to address institutionalized secrecy and corruption.

But if there are no areas in the economy where private property and information is protected, then this precedent could usher in a new era of unbridled corporate warfare and espionage.

However, if there are significant illegalities uncovered, then the act of exposing private information to prevent a greater and continuing harm would justify WikiLeaks actions. In essence, this has been an ongoing criticism of WikiLeaks’ strategy-that a shotgun approach to releasing huge troves of secret or proprietary material is overreaching and potentially damages innocent actors in the process.

WikiLeaks would most likely assert that they have conducted copious amounts of due diligence in this regard and contend that the corporations or the governments that they choose to publish information about are in such a state of widespread corruption that there cannot be any “innocent” involvement with or within these institutions.

Bailout Binging Bainster TV Ad

28 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

We at AmericanLP have created a new ad to spotlight Mitt Romney’s hypocrisy on the issue of bailouts. By now, most observers have learned that Mitt Romney was against a bailout for Detroit. But what even many political insiders don’t realize is that Mitt Romney has been the beneficiary of a Federal bailout of sorts. As head of Bain and Co in the early 90s (he had been brought back from Bain Capital to sort out the mess at the mother company), Romney was in charge of keeping Bain from imploding under a huge mountain of debt. In addition to firing lots of people (naturally), Romney also squeezed suppliers and other creditors. What’s more, Bain had a $38 million loan from the Bank of New England, and that the Bank of New England had its own problems and had been taken over by the FDIC.

Romney shrewdly re-negotiated the Bain loan from $38 million to $28 million. So what does that mean, exactly? Well, since the FDIC is an arm of the Federal government, that means, essentially, that the FDIC (ahem, taxpayers) ate the difference. In other words, Romney conned the government into giving him and his cronies a $10 million bailout.

Yes, this was legal for Romney to do-other business people do it all the time. But it was a bailout to the tune of $10 million, Romney did personally benefit, and it’s a bit rich for Romney to be so sanctimonious about other people getting bailouts. Critics of our ad would suggest that it is unfair to imply that Romney benefited personally from the $10, million write-offs. While the money went to Bain and Co, Romney actually benefited to a much greater degree than $10 million. If Bain and Co had not gotten the bailout, it would have likely imploded. If Bain and Co had imploded, it would have likely tainted Bain Capital to such a degree that it would have been destroyed. If Bain Capital had been dismantled, Romney would have never been able to make his quarter billion that has allowed him the life of the perpetual candidate. Yes, this stuff is complicated-but that’s why rich finance guys like Romney are able to play the system to their advantage.

We start the ad with images of Ronald Reagan talking about the Chicago welfare queen in a Cadillac. This was a story Reagan told over and over again in the 1976 and 1980 campaigns. Even though Reagan never specified it was a black woman, it was widely assumed by most observers across the spectrum that Reagan was in fact talking about a black woman from Chicago with 80 different fake names. (It turns out that Reagan didn’t have his facts straight on this-surprise, surprise)

By showing Reagan at the beginning of the ad, we are trying to evoke the warm feelings conservative Republicans have toward Reagan and his beliefs about “welfare queens.” That is why we are literally showing what appears to be a woman driving a pink Cadillac in an inner city. We then show that in fact the “woman” is none other than Mitt Romney in drag. Romney should actually be seen as a modern day welfare queen who ripped off the government for more than any “welfare queen” from the inner city could ever imagine.

By portraying Romney this way, we are attempting to turn ugly racist beliefs on their head and make people realize that the biggest freeloaders on the government system are actually people who look like Mitt Romney.

At the end of the ad, we show Mitt Romney’s vacation mansion worth $10 million. We aren’t suggesting that Romney criminally stole tax dollars to buy his house illegally. But money is fungible, so any money that benefits Romney in one account can be used to purchase luxuries from any other account.

The point is that Romney and his colleagues at Bain were already wealthy by the early 1990s when the difficulties with the loan arose. Because, as we know, “corporations are people,” Romney and his cronies weren’t personally liable for the full $38 million. Instead, just the corporate entity of Bain and Company was liable. But there was nothing stopping Romney or his wealthy colleagues at Bain from paying back the full $10 million out of their own pocket at the time. For that matter, Romney and his colleagues could have paid the Government back in later years, after they’d all become super, super rich.

The bottom line is Romney got the best deal he could, just because he could. And yet he belongs to a political party that says people who do that are evil parasites for not being “rugged individuals” and succeeding on their own merits.

Finally, our goal here is to make conservatives sickened by the hypocrisy of Romney taking bailouts and for moderates and independents to be disgusted by Romney for making himself richer at the expense of average taxpayers. This bailout for Romney is a perfect window into why Romney should be seen as an utterly detestable and phony candidate regardless of one’s ideological position. Please take a look at the ad below.

http://youtu.be/-L8oCg_pM2M

More info at http://www.americanlp.org

Candidate Filing: 1st Congressional District

28 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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1st Congressional District, candidate filing, Lacy Clay, missouri, Russ Carnahan

Candidate filing commenced today in Jefferson City. In the 1st Congressional District, via the Missouri Secretary of State, a consequence of redistricting and the loss of one congressional seat in Missouri – two sitting members of Congress from the same party facing each other in a primary:

UNOFFICIAL Candidate Filing List

Ballot Placement: First day filers (2/28/2012) selected a number by random drawing to determine their placement on the primary ballot. After the first day, all candidates are placed on the ballot in order of their filing.

Candidates are not listed in ballot order.  Ballot order will be displayed after 5:00 p.m.

(Name, Mailing Address and Date/Time Filed as of 2/28/2012 11:39 a.m.)

U.S. Representative – District 1

Democrat

Candice Britton 6614 CLAYTON ROAD, #148

ST LOUIS MO 63117 2/28/2012

8:36 a.m.

Russ Carnahan 3150 ALLEN AVENUE

ST LOUIS MO 63104 2/28/2012

8:46 a.m.

Lacy Clay 6023 WATERMAN, APT 1W

ST LOUIS MO 63112 2/28/2012

9:44 a.m.

Republican

Martin D Baker PO BOX 8712

ST LOUIS MO 63101 2/28/2012

8:53 a.m.

Robyn Hamlin 21 NOB HILL DR

ST LOUIS MO 63138 2/28/2012

10:28 a.m.

Not particularly a surprise, but, nevertheless, oh my.

Herschel Young (r) or (D), choose which axe to grind

28 Tuesday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, Cass County, missouri, Teresa Hensley, Vicky Hartzler

Sometimes an individual can’t help going out of their way to confirm what everyone else has long since figured out. Last week:

Friday, Feb. 24, 2012

Herschel Young announces bid for Congress

By Allen Edmonds, The Democrat Missourian

Ousted Presiding County Commissioner Herschel Young has set his sights on Washington.

The rural Harrisonville resident announced this week that he intends to run as a Democrat for the Fourth District U.S. House seat currently held by Republican Vicky Hartzler. Cass County Prosecuting Attorney Teresa Hensley, whose quo warranto action against Young precipitated his ouster as county commissioner the day he was sworn in, indicated several weeks ago her plan to run for Hartzler’s seat as a Democrat as well.

Cass County Presiding Circuit Judge Jacqueline Cook affirmed Hensley’s quo warranto motion ousting Young due to a 1995 felony assault conviction, but set aside the final order removing him from office pending appeal. She did, however, grant a motion barring him from serving as county commissioner during the appeal process.

Young’s final appeal before the Missouri Supreme Court was heard in November 2011, but the high court has yet to rule….

[emphasis added]

In 2010:

Election Summary Report

CASS CO MO

GENERAL ELECTION

Summary For Jurisdiction Wide, All Counters, All Races

11/05/10

11:04:20

PRESIDING COMMISSIONER

Number of Precincts 48

Precincts Reporting 48 100.0 %

Total Votes 34304

GARY MALLORY DEM 15704 45.78%

HERSCHEL L. YOUNG REP 18554 54.09%

Write-in Votes 46 0.13%

[emphasis added]

republican or Democrat, which is it?

2012 ain’t 2010.

Unlike republican voters in Cass County in the 2010 general election, Democratic primary voters in the 4th Congressional District in 2012 are going to be able to figure this one out.

Previously:

New Cass County Presiding Commisioner Herschel Young (r) removed from office by court order (January 4, 2011)

Cass County: whether you vote or don’t even bother to try you get the government you deserve (February 3, 2011)

11CA-CV00001 State of Mo Ex Inf T Hensley v. Herschel L Young (February 4, 2011)

“…Respondent is ousted from the office of Presiding Commissioner, Cass County, Missouri.” (February 18, 2011)

Gov. Jay Nixon (D) appoints Luke Scavuzzo (D) to the Cass County Commission (January 11, 2012)

Roy Blunt should listen to George Will

27 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

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energy policy, gas prices, missouri, Roy Blunt

Today GOP Senator Roy Blunt’s latest, typically sclerotic, effort at political jujitsu, a missive with the subject line “skyrocketing gas prices,” popped into my email box (it’s also available online here). Blunt, who has always reciprocated the affection that the fossil fuel industry has demonstrated for him via big chunks of campaign change, claims that the President has some how appropriated his own “”all-of-the-above” energy strategy – although Blunt’s actual proposals have been pretty short on “all” and long on “drill.” Alas, Roy laments, the president just doesn’t know how to go about achieving that goal. The proof of that contention, Roy claims, is demonstrated by the aforementioned “skyrocketing” prices:

During the three years since the president took office, gas prices have doubled from $1.85 to $3.59 per gallon — meeting his prediction that fuel prices would “necessarily skyrocket” under his administration’s policies.

With no end in sight, families and job creators in Missouri and nationwide are bracing for the prospect of paying $4 a gallon for gas by this summer.

What’s wrong with this? It is, to hear Blunt’s fellow conservative, George Will tell it, “preposterous”:

Blunt’s right that gas prices are higher than when George Bush left office in 2009, but the reason isn’t because Bush’s policies were better. It’s just a simple economic fact that energy prices  plummet when the economy tanks and ol’ George did a real number on the economy. Speaking of a recent downturn in gas prices, economics professor Jerry McElroy observed:

So goes the economy, so goes the price of oil, […] When the economy is booming, then the price of oil is rising – and vice versa, as we see today.

The bad news is that greater economic activity spurs demand which fuels speculation which, in turn, raises prices at the pump. Want to know how speculation works? Read this Think Progress report on how such GOP über-supporters as the Koch brothers play the energy markets. Then tell me that the surge in gas prices are the fault of the Obama administration.

The good news is that it’s possible to see the rising cost of gas as one more of several recent indications that the economy is, indeed, improving. And, as far as energy goes, thanks to President Obama’s successful application of the “all-of-the-above” strategy that Senator Blunt wants to take credit for, the United States, as USA Today reports, is:

…. enjoying a mini oil boom. It’s producing more crude oil and, for the first time in decades, has become a net exporter of petroleum products such as jet fuel, heating oil and gasoline.

None of this, of course, would be of interest to Senator Blunt, who, like the current crop of GOP presidential contenders, seems to have little interest in the way things actually work in the real world. All of which obviously leaves conservatives who, like George Will, still retain some small shred of integrity, grinding their teeth in frustration.

 

HB 1833: staging a Leonard Bernstein musical

27 Monday Feb 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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Tags

General Assembly, HB 1833, missouri, switchblades

Introduced last week:

HB 1833

Makes possession, sale, repair, manufacture and unconcealed carry of switchblade knives lawful and makes concealed carry of switchblade knives unlawful

Sponsor: Brown, Wanda (116)

Co-Sponsor: Pollock, Darrell (146) … et al.

Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2012

LR Number: 4901L.02I

Last Action: 2/23/2012 – Introduced and Read First Time (H)

Bill String: HB 1833

Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled

Calendar: HOUSE BILLS FOR SECOND READING

[emphasis added]

This will do a lot to diminish the switchblade gap. Oh, wait, that was an employment gap. Never mind.

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