It seems that every Missouri Republican present  in the House of Representatives today voted for Paul Ryan’s budget. They voted to:

— destroy Medicare as we know it;

— gut the safety net – food aid, Medicaid, educational grants, etc.;

— increase defense spending beyond the amount sought by the military chiefs;

— offer big-time tax cuts for the rich and corporations.

On top of this, because of the tax cuts and the increased military spending, they also effectively voted to increase the deficit. I repeat, they will increase the very deficit that they’ve been incessantly braying about for the past three years.

While it’s true that this budget probably won’t make it through our (endangered) Senate, it does break the agreement between the White House and the Republican leadership that was struck last year, and it will likely bring us a replay of the big government shutdown drama. The people putting this budget forward know that it is a nonstarter, and they know that it will be costly and destructive to our political processes, but they just don’t care. The all games, all the time, GOP prepares to strike again.

According to House Speaker John Boehner, the budget proposal is a “‘real vision'” of how Republicans would govern if they had more control of Washington.” And the folks here in Missouri who will continue to help realize that “vision” if they make it back to Congress when their terms are up: Todd Akin, Vicky Hartzler; Sam Graves, Billy Long, Jo Ann Emerson, and Blaine Luetkemeyer.  

Because she did her bit for them (h/t Steve Benen at The Maddow Blog):

It’s a six figure ad-buy so maybe it’ll help. Alan Abramowitz predicts that the GOP will take the Senate along with the House in 2012 – and given the general consensus that McCaskill’s seat is among the most endangered, she needs all the help she can get.

Abramowitz does add this qualification:

The Senate forecast especially should be interpreted cautiously because the Senate model has a fairly large error term due to the small number of seats in each election.  And of course, it is still early and both the generic ballot and the presidential approval variables could change over the next few months.

So we gotta hope and keep on keeping on. Help from groups like VoteVets to neutralize the big money guys in organizations like Crossroads could still pull it out for McCaskill.  Don’t forget her biggest advantage – the weak GOP senatorial primary lineup which has to be one of the saddest bunch of losers in Missouri history.

Worth noting: Ezra Klein doesn’t think it’ll make much difference what happens to the Senate – we’re doomed to the current gridlocked status quo no matter what, thanks to the GOP House which is not likely to change – as long as Obama wins the presidency. Otherwise, it’ll be an orgy of right wing activism.  I’m not sure I agree  – the Senate is an imperfect buffer, but it’s still stands between the House and the total congressional control by the one percenters who’ve managed to buy up most of the available government.  

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission [pdf]:

CONTRIBUTION OF MORE THAN $5,000.00 RECEIVED BY ANY COMMITTEE FROM ANY SINGLE DONOR – TO BE FILED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF RECEIVING THE CONTRIBUTION

C010450 LEMBKE FOR SENATE 3/29/2012

Missouri Senate Campaign Committee

P.O. Box 754

Jefferson City , MO 65102 3/28/2012

$100,000.00

[emphasis added]

Well, that’s interesting. They seem to have all the money they need.

The candidates in the 1st Senate District:

State Senator – District 1

Democrat

Sue Schoemehl PO BOX 510376

ST LOUIS MO 63151 510 2/28/2012

Michael Vogt 6035 WEBER RD

ST LOUIS MO 63123 2/29/2012

Scott Sifton 9814 BERWICK PL

ST LOUIS MO 63123 3/27/2012

Republican

Jim Lembke 812 ANN LYNN CT

ST LOUIS MO 63125 3/20/2012

This wouldn’t be about those really interesting republican presidential caucuses, would it?

Introduced today:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 2031

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES FLANIGAN (Sponsor) AND ALLEN (Co-sponsor).

6256L.01I                                        D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To repeal sections 115.123 and 115.755, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to presidential primaries.

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

[….]

2. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection 1 of this section, an election for a presidential primary held pursuant to sections 115.755 to 115.785 shall be held on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in [March] February of each presidential election year.

[….]

2. The results of the presidential preference primary conducted under this section shall bind each party delegate on a first vote at the national party convention, and shall take precedence over any result of any presidential preference caucus.

Rick Rantorum (r) would be sitting pretty if this bill had passed a year ago.

Last January I wrote about the efforts of Tea Partier extraordinaire, Rep. Paul Curtman (R-105), to introduce into Missouri law Anti-Sharia prohibitons on the order of those found unconstitutional in Oklahoma last year. I observed about Curtman’s legislative forays at the time that:

… it was pretty easy to dismiss his anti-Sharia bill out-of-hand, although it’s difficult to say if that will be the case in the lege given some of their recent antics.

Indeed. The House will soon debate Curtman’s anti-sharia law while pretending, as in the past, that it’s anything but an effort to diss Muslims – a difficult thing to do when, according to reports, earlier debates of the same bill introduced last year centered on almost nothing but Sharia. Curtman will no doubt persist in hiding behind behind an understanding of the Constitution that seems to have been derived from the comic book version of the document:

This bill is about one thing and one thing only, and that is to protect the fundamental rights that are guaranteed to our citizens under our founding documents, in the federal constitution and in our state constitution.

Actually, there’s lots of guarantees in the Constitution that this law abrogates. Try the Freedom of Religion Clause in the 1st Amendment. And, for the record, Sharia is religious law, not “foreign” law which Curtman & Co. claim to be worried about – not that international law can’t be constitutionally recognized in U.S. courts. We couldn’t have international commerce if that were the case.

All of which is to beg the biggest problem with this type of legislation.  In San Diego recently, an Iraqi Muslim woman died after being found, brutally beaten, in her home with a note which, according to her daughter, read “Go back to your country, you terrorist.” Muslims are scarcer in Missouri, but we’ve still had examples of bigotry in action such as vandalism at a local mosque. So tell me, how is stupidity like Curtman’s little exercise doing anything more than feeding the prejudice that results in such actions? And while you’re at it, tell me how this level of ignorance is allowed to go unchecked in the state capital?

*Corrected for accuracy.  

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121045 03/28/2012 TEACHGREAT.ORG Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 3/27/2012 $75,000.00

[emphasis added]

Teachgreat doesn’t quite cut it. Add a PAC on teaching and Rex Sinquefield’s money and what you get is just another astroturf organization dedicated to trashing K-12 public education.

What are they pushing?:

From the committee’s March 13, 2012 Amended Statement of Committee Organization [pdf] –

“Constitutional Amendment to Art. IX, Relating to Teachers and Certified Staff, 2012-138”

Ah, the old “teacher tenure is really, really bad” schtick.

C121045: Teachgreat.Org

308 E High St Ste 301 Committee Type: Political Action

Jefferson City Mo 65101

(573) 634-2500 Established Date: 01/27/2012

[….]

Treasurer

Terry J Brady

4701 Nw 83Nd St

Kansas City Mo 64108

Deputy Treasurer

Kevin Mccoy

5297 Washington Palce St Louis Mo 63108

The language of the initiative if they manage to get the signatures on the petitions:

Constitutional Amendment to Article IX, Relating to Teachers and Certificated Staff, 2012-138

Be it resolved by the people of the state of Missouri that the Constitution be amended:

Article IX is amended by adopting five new sections to be known as Article IX, Sections 3(d), 3(e), 3(f), 3(g), and 3(h), to read as follows:

Section 3(d). All teachers and certificated staff shall be at will employees unless a contract is entered into between a school district and teacher or certificated staff i) prior to the effective date of this section; or ii) pursuant to the provisions of sections 3(e), 3(f), and 3(g) of this article.

Section 3(e). No school district receiving any state funding or local tax revenue funding shall enter into new contracts having a term or duration in excess of three years with teachers or certificated staff.

Section 3(f). Notwithstanding any provisions of this constitution, no school district which uses seniority or duration of employment as a basis, in whole or in part, to retain, remove, promote or demote teachers shall receive any state funding or local tax revenue funding.

Section 3(g). Notwithstanding any provisions of this constitution, every school district shall develop and use local performance standards to retain, remove, promote, demote and set compensation for teachers in such school district, the majority of such standards shall be based upon quantifiable student performance data as measured by objective criteria.

Section 3(h). Nothing in sections 3(d) through 3(h) of this article shall infringe upon the rights of employees to collectively bargain as provided in article I, section 29 of this Constitution.

Teachers and teacher tenure are the enemy in some worlds.

Really?

Introduced today:

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 1989

96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE RIDDLE.

6253L.02I                                                   D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 10, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to the designation of the state rifle.

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

           Section A. Chapter 10, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 10.055, to read as follows:

           10.055. The Hawken Rifle, also known as the plains rifle, is selected for and shall be known as the official rifle of the state of Missouri.

[emphasis in original]

How about a trebuchet?

No trebuchet? What they lack in rate of fire they make up for in ammo flexibility (take your pick, a grand piano or a Volkswagon minibus…).

Again, definitely not a jobs bill. Try again.

Pictured: “Your 2012 Constitution Party team for Governor and Lt. Governor?”

The best parts of filing month, the first day and the last two days when the business really picks up. And the business was pretty brisk in Jeff City today, so here’s all the candidates who filed today

The Governor’s race didn’t see a new candidate, but a candidate switch parties. Leonard Steinman of Jeff City switched from losing to Jay Nixon in the Democratic Party to losing to Jay Nixon in the General Election by filing in the Constitution Party primary. Ellington resident Clay Thunderhawk filed to oppose Jay Nixon in the Democratic primary near the end of business on Tuesday. Filing for Governor extends to Friday.

Speaking of switches, Bill Haas switched to his third different race in this filing season. Haas started in the 2nd Congressional District, switched to the 5th State Senate District, and switched today to running for Lt. Governor. Haas was the 8th Democrat to file for the office. The 7th Democrat was former Kansas City State Rep Jackie Townes McGee (who now resides in Hayti, Missouri, where she was raised).

Justin Harter of Columbia filed with the Constitution Party for Secretary of State. Dave Browning filed with the Libertarian Party for Attorney General.

Democrat Glenn Koenen of Valley Park filed for Congress in the 2nd District. Koenen was an executive director at Circle of Concern Food Pantry for 15 years before stepping down earlier this month.

In the 4th district, Bernie Mowinski of Sunrise Beach filed to oppose Vicky Hartzler in the Republican Primary. Mowinski has run for the State House five times since 1998. Libertarian Thomas Holbrook filed to oppose Herschel Young in the Libertarian primary. Greg Cowan filed with the Constitution Party. Holbrook and Cowan ran for Congress in 2010, with Holbrook losing in a primary.

Warrensburg Libertarian Randy Langkraehr kept his streak of running for Congress in the 5th district alive. Despite any suspicions to the contrary, the 5th only goes to Marshall, not to Warrensburg. Democrats Ronald William Harris and W. A.”Bill” Hedge of St. Joseph filed in the 6th District. Republican Christopher Ryan of Liberty filed to oppose Sam Graves.

And to the state legislature!

State Rep. Scott Sifton withdrew from seeking re-election to run for the State Senate in the 1st District, in a field with Democrats Sue Schoemehl and Michael Vogt, and Republican incumbent Jim Lembke.

Republican Terry Varner of Farmington filed for the Senate in the 3rd district. He will oppose Gary Romine of Farmington. The winner of that primary will face State Rep. Joe Fallert of Ste. Genevieve.

Jackson County Legislator Crystal Williams filed to oppose State Rep. Jason Holsman in the 7th Senate district.

Libertarian Steven Hedrick filed in the 21st State Senate District. Meanwhile in the new 31st, Midway School Board member Charlie Burton of Drexel filed for the Democrats while Dave Morris of Peculiar filed for the Republicans.

Now to the State House

Former State Rep. Rebecca McClanahan filed in the 3rd District. She will have to make it past Kirksville Mayor Richard Detweiler for the opportunity to challenge Freshman State Rep Zack Wyatt.

Republican Josh Hurlbert of Smithville filed in the 12th House District. He will face Ken Wilson of Smithville in the Republican primary. No Democrat filed in this district. But Democrat Eric Pendell of Kansas City filed in the 14th House District to challenge Ron Schieber.

Democrat Henry Carner of Kansas City filed to challenge incumbent Brandon Ellington in the 22nd District Democratic Primary.

Joshua Judy and Sally Miller filed in the 25th District to see which one of them will face the winner of the Jeremy LaFaver/Chris Miller Democratic primary.

Democrat Dale Walkup of Blue Springs filed in the 31st district, joining Syed Asif of Lake Lotawana in the Democratic field. The Republican field is incumbent Sheila Solon and Chris Lievsay. Democrat Ron Harvey of Lees Summit filed in the new 33rd district to challenge Republican Donna Pfautsch in a new open seat.

Democrat Chris Moreno and Republican Nola Wood filed in the 37th district. Moreno, who ran v. Will Kraus in 2006, will face Joe Runions of Grandview and former State Rep. Mike Sager of Lees Summit.

Democrat Kevin Morgan of Excelsior Springs filed to challenge Freshman Republican T.J. Berry of Kearney in the 38th district.

Former State Senator (in Springfield) Dennis Smith filed in the 44th House district to face former Libertarian Chris Dwyer, former Democrat Mike Becker and former something Caleb Rowden. The winner of that primary faces former State Senator Ken Jacob. Also in Columbia, Republican Fred Berry filed to oppose Democratic Incumbent Stephen Webber.

Democrat Ron Monnig of Slater filed in the 48th district. He will face the winner of the Dave Muntzel/Stephanie Fuemmeler primary. Democrat Thomas Minihan of Jefferson City filed in the 60th district to challenge Freshman Republican Jay Barnes.

Republican Rick Stokes of Wentzville filed in the 64th district to challenge Robert Cornejo in the primary. The winner will face another new filer, former State Rep. Wayne Henke of Troy.

Democrat Tony Weaver of Florissant filed to face incumbent Steve Webb in the 67th District Primary. Republican Glen Lindemann of Florissant filed to oppose Margo McNeil in the 69th district. Republican Tyler Holyfield filed to oppose St. Charles Republican Party chairman Eugene Dokes in the 70th district. The winner faces Bill Otto of St. Charles.

Democrat Paul Berry of Maryland Heights and Republican Patrick Brennan of St. Louis filed in the 72nd district. Berry faces incumbents Eileen Grant McGeoghegan and Mary Nichols in the Democratic Primary.

Democrat Michael Butler filed in the 79th to face Martin Casas. Democrat Mike Owens filed in the 84th to create a four-way field with incumbent Karla May, former State Rep Hope Whitehead and Samir Mehta. Republican Linda Mello filed in the 89th district to challenge John Diehl.

Democrat Deb Lavender filed in the 90th district to face off with Kirkswood Republican Rick Stream.

Democrat Bill Pinkston of St. Louis County filed in the 99th District to likely face Andrew Koenig in November. Koenig still has a primary challenge to get past (vs Richard La Violette). Republican Ed Rowles of Chesterfield filed to face incumbent Don Gosen in the 101st district primary.

Democrat Terry Lesinski of St. Peters filed to face Republican incumbent Kathie Conway in the 104th. Democrat Debbie Bixler of St. Charles filed to probably face Republican incumbent Mark Parkinson in the 105th. Parkinson drew a primary from a less notable Jason Smith. Tom Fann of St. Peters filed to face Chrissy Sommer (Sommer is facing a primary as well) in the 106th district. Democrat Rod Hoffman of St. Peters filed to face the winner of a Ron Hicks/AC Dienoff primary (which is probably gonna be Hicks).

Republican Ian McFarland filed in the 111th to face a primary v. Derrick Good. The winner faces former State Rep Michael Frame. Daniel James of Imperial filed to face Dean Asbury in the 112th. The Republican nominee is still likely to be Paul Wieland. Apologies to Avery Fortenberry.

The Constitution Party got a confused candidate in Richard Hoxsey of Butler, who filed in the new 120th but may have intended to file in another district (the current 120th includes parts of Bates County).

Democrat Bart Ziegenhorn of Sikeston filed to force a primary v. retired High School Teacher Mike Marsh for the 148th district. The winner faces the winner of the Holly Rehder/Josh Bill primary.

2008 winner of America’s Got Talent Neal Boyd will be testing his political talent this summer as he filed as a Republican to face incumbent Democrat Steve Hodges in the Bootheel 149th district.

Democrat Ryan William Holder of Advance filed in the 151st district. Holder ran for the seat in 2004, losing in the Democratic Primary to Bryce Wooley.

The Constitution Party got a State House ca
ndidate who filed in the right district as Sue Beck of Shell Knob filed in the 158th district. She will face the winner of a Scott Fitzpatrick/Mike Bennett/Frank Washburn Republican primary.

So, the 2002/2010 official scores for the districts with filing activity

SD1: 55/45D

SD3: 56/44D

SD7: 71/29D

SD21: 55/45D

SD31: 54/46R

HD003: 60/40R

HD012: 56/44R (no Dems)

HD014: 51/49D

HD022: 92/8D (no Reps)

HD025: 72/28D

HD031: 58/42R

HD033: 56/44R

HD037: 64/36D

HD038: 55/45R

HD044: 53/47D

HD046: 56/44D

HD048: 50/50

HD060: 53.5/46.5R

HD064: 54/46R

HD067: 80.5/19.5D (no Reps)

HD069: 65/35D

HD070: 50/50

HD072: 66/34D

HD079: 90/10D (no Reps)

HD084: 89.5/10.5D (no Reps)

HD089: 65/35R (no Dems)

HD090: 52/48R

HD099: 57/43R

HD101: 74/26R

HD104: 55/45R

HD105: 57/43R

HD106: 52/48R

HD107: 55/45R

HD111: 57/43D

HD112: 56/44D

HD120: 59/41R

HD148: 62/38R

HD149: 50/50

HD151: 64/36R

HD158: 70/30R

So the Republicans have candidates in 134 districts. The Democrats have candidates in 110 districts. Only 81 districts have a Democrat v. Republican race, despite the whole redistricting year thing.

Filing is still open until Friday for Governor, the State Senate (Districts 5 and 7), and the State House (Districts 49, 93, and 112).

Here’s the top 25 House Races, districts with a Republican incumbent or a Dem v. Republican match up and a the official 2002/2010 rating of less than 10% in favor of either side. Districts ranked in no particular order

HD005: Lindell Shumake (R-inc) v. Tom Shively (D-inc)

HD014: Ron Schieber (R-inc) v. Eric Pendell (D)

HD015: Kevin Corlew (R) v. Jon Carpenter, Shon Adamson, or Carol Suter

HD020: Brent Lasater (R-inc) v. John Mayfield (D)

HD029: Noel Torpey (R-inc) v. John Sutton (D)

HD039: Joe Don McGaugh (R) v. Will Talbert (D)

HD040: Paul Quinn (D-inc) v. John Kallash or Jim Hansen

HD041: Ed Schieffer (D-inc) v. Beverly Steiniger (R)

HD043: Jay Hougton (R-inc) v. Ed Lockwood (D)

HD044: Ken Jacob (D) v. Caleb Rowden, Mike Becker, Chris Dwyer or Dennis Smith

HD047: Darrel Hansen (R) v. Nancy Copenhaver or John Wright

HD048: Ron Monnig (D) v. Dave Muntzel or Stephanie Fuemmeler

HD053: Glen Kolkmeyer (R) v. Holmes Osborne (D)

HD057: Wanda Brown (R-inc) v. Don Bullock (D)

HD070: Bill Otto (D) v. Eugene Dokes or Tyler Holyfield

HD090: Rick Stream (R-inc) v. Deb Lavender (D)

HD094: Cloria Brown (R-inc/probably) v. Vicki Englund (D)

HD095: Marsha Haefner (R-inc) v. Joe Zelle (D)

HD097: John McCaherty (R-inc) v. Martin Sam Komo (D)

HD108: Chrissy Sommer (R-inc) v. Tom Fann (D)

HD112: Paul Wieland (R-inc/probably) v. Dean Asbury (D) or Daniel James (D)

HD132: Melissa Leach (R-inc) v. Charlie Norr (D)

HD144: Paul Fitzwater (R-inc) v. Michael Jackson (D)

HD149: Steve Hodges (D-inc) v. Neal Boyd (R)

HD150: Kent Hampton (R-inc) v. Tom Todd (D)

Also receiving votes (the next 6 in both directions): Denny Hoskins (R-inc) v. Nancy Maxwell (D) (HD54), Lincoln Hough (R-inc) v. Casey Clark (D) (HD135), Jeanne Kirkton (D-inc) v. Elizabeth Deal (R) (HD91) and Genise Montecillo (D-inc) v. Al Faulitsch (R) (HD92). All apologies to Wayne Henke, Kevin Morgan, and Republicans running in 60% Democratic districts.

As for the State Senate, the top races are..

SD1: Lembke (R-inc) v. Dem (Sue Schoemehl, Michael Vogt or Scott Sifton)

SD3: Fallert (D) v. Rep (Gary Romine or Terry Varner)

SD19: Schaefer (R-inc) v. Mary Still (D)

SD25: Terry Swinger (D) v. Rep (Billy Pat Wright or Doug Libla)

and i’ll leave the 5th spot for the primaries due to a variety of uncontested races remaining for the Senate.

So, how does it look?

Heh. Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) and Herschel Young (?) get primaries. Via the Missouri Secretary of State:

(Name, Mailing Address and Date/Time Filed as of 3/27/2012 5:00 p.m.)

U.S. Representative – District 4

Democrat

Teresa Hensley PO BOX 620

RAYMORE MO 64083 3/14/2012

2:58 p.m.

Republican

Vicky Hartzler 30218 S. PLEASANT RIDGE RD.

HARRISONVILLE MO 64701 3/2/2012

2:18 p.m.

Bernie Mowinski 16 KATE CIR

SUNRISE BEACH MO 65079 3/27/2012

3:35 p.m.

Libertarian

Herschel L. Young 17100 E STATE ROUTE 2

HARRISONVILLE MO 64701 3/26/2012

10:30 a.m.

Thomas Holbrook 515 LAUREL DR UNIT B

WARRENSBURG MO 64093 3/27/2012

4:02 p.m.

Constitution

Greg Cowan PO BOX 1852

LEBANON MO 65536 3/27/2012

11:56 a.m.

[emphasis added]

Previously: 4th Congressional District: if at first you don’t succeed, file as a Libertarian (March 26, 2012)