Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the group in support of raising Missouri’s lowest in the nation tobacco tax:

C121042 09/24/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Health Care Foundation of Greater KC 2700 East 18th Street #220 Kansas City MO 64127 9/24/2012 $435,000.00

[emphasis added]

C121042: Missourians For Health And Education

Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

Statutory Amendment To Chapters 149 & 196 Rsmo Relating To Tobacco Taxation & Regulation 11/06/2012 Tobacco Taxation & Regulation Statewide Support

[emphasis added]

They have been pulling in the contributions (2012):

C121042 01/27/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, High Plains Division, Inc. 2433 Ridgepoint Drive Austin TX 78754 1/26/2012 $217,622.00

C121042 02/09/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, High Plains Division Inc. 2433 Ridgepoint Dr Austin TX 78754 2/8/2012 $82,500.00

C121042 02/14/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 2/14/2012 $5,308.50

C121042 02/15/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City 2700 East 18th Street Suite 200 Kansas City MO 64127 2/15/2012 $350,000.00

C121042 03/16/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 3/16/2012 $9,781.63

C121042 04/03/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 4/3/2012 $9,000.00

C121042 04/13/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 4/13/2012 $18,763.00

C121042 04/20/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society-High Plains Division, Inc. 2433 Ridgepoint Dr Austin TX 78754 4/20/2012 $75,000.00

C121042 05/02/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 13740 W 7th Ave Golden CO 80401 5/2/2012 $9,000.00

C121042 05/16/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 5/16/2012 $25,892.00

C121042 05/25/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Gary Forsee 3 Dunford Circle Kansas City MO 64112 Retired 5/23/2012 $25,000.00

C121042 05/29/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Orscheln Management Co. 2000 US Hwy 63 South Moberly MO 65270 5/29/2012 $25,000.00

C121042 06/04/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION The Civic Council of Greater Kansas City 1200 Main Street Suite 230 Kansas City MO 64105 6/4/2012 $25,000.00



C121042 06/05/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 6/4/2012 $9,000.00

C121042 06/15/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washingto DC 20004 6/15/2012 $127,515.78

C121042 06/18/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, Inc. 555 11th Street NW Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 6/18/2012 $53,149.61

C121042 06/20/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Richard Miller 610 E. Jefferson Street Pittsburg KS 66762 Miller’s Professional Imaging/PPIX CEO 6/18/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 07/06/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Burns & McDonnell 9400 Ward Parkway Kansas City MO 64114 7/5/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 07/11/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Heart Association 7272 Greenville Avenue Dallas TX 75231 7/11/2012 $15,000.00

C121042 07/16/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 7/16/2012 $9,000.00

C121042 07/18/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION BlueCross BlueShield of Kansas City P.O Box 419169 Kansas City MO 64141 7/18/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 07/18/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Kansas City Southern Railway Co 427 West 12th Street Kansas City MO 64105 7/18/2012 $25,000.00

C121042 07/30/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Gray Ritter & Graham, P.C. 701 Market St. Ste 800 St Louis MO 63101 7/29/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 08/02/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION World Wide Technology Holding Co, Inc 60 Weldon Parkway St Louis MO 63043 8/2/2012 $25,000.00

C121042 08/07/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/6/2012 $21,904.50

C121042 08/07/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/7/2012 $9,000.00

C121042 08/08/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION JAD VII, LLC 2001 Shawnee Mission Pkwy Shawnee Mission KS 66205 8/8/2012 $15,000.00

C121042 08/14/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/14/2012 $11,564.22

C121042 08/16/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/16/2012 $9,000.00

C121042 08/17/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Friends of Chris Kelly 1400 Forum Blvd Ste 38 Columbia MO 65203 8/17/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 08/22/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Husch Blackwell LLP 4801 Main St., Ste 1000 Kansas City MO 64112 8/22/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 08/22/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Polsinelli Shughart 700 West 47th St., Ste 1000 Kansas City MO 64112 8/22/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 08/23/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Gilmore & Bell 2405 Grand Blvd, Ste 1100 Kansas City MO 64108 8/23/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 08/28/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/28/2012 $38,538.70

C121042 08/28/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/28/2012 $18,630.50

C121042 08/28/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/28/2012 $48,467.93

C121042 08/28/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 8/28/2012 $20,213.75

C121042 08/29/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Civic Progress Action Committee 800 Market St., Ste 1900 St Louis MO 63101 8/29/2012 $25,000.00

C121042 09/04/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION The Laclede Group, Inc. 720 Olive Street St Louis MO 63101 9/3/2012 $15,000.00

C121042 09/04/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Regional Business Council 7701 Forsyth Blvd., Ste 205 St Louis MO 63105 9/3/2012 $25,000.00

C121042 09/04/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION HMK Global Services P.O. Box 418307 Kansas City MO 64108 9/3/2012 $15,000.00

C121042 09/07/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION DST Systems, Inc. 333 W. 11th St. Kansas City MO 64105 9/7/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 09/09/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION American Cancer Society, Cancer Action Network 555 11th Street NW, Suite 300 Washington DC 20004 9/7/2012 $9,514.99

C121042 09/12/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP 460 Nichols Rd, Ste 200 Kansas City MO 64112 9/12/2012 $10,000.00

C121042 09/12/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Health Care Foundation of Greater KC 2700 East 18th Street #220 Kansas City MO 64127 9/12/2012 $210,000.00

C121042 09/17/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR HEALTH AND EDUCATION Missouri National Education Assoc Legislative Crisis Fund 1810 E. Elm St. Jefferson City MO 65101 9/17/2012 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Well, that’s an interesting group of Godless socialists if we’ve ever seen one….

Bumper stickers on a single vehicle, in west central Missouri:

Conveniently, they forgot about another, more recent, president.

Presidential Approval Ratings — Gallup Historical Statistics and Trends

First-Term Averages

Jimmy Carter January 1977-January 1981 45.5[%]

Second-Term Averages

George W. Bush January 2005-January 2009 36.5[%]

Job Approval Lows

Jimmy Carter June 1979 28[%]

George W. Bush October 2008 25[%]

[emphasis added]

Gee, where did that come from?

Sen. Roy Blunt (r): trying to be too clever (February 18, 2012)

[….] The U.S. Energy Information Agency, Gasoline Components History:

Month/Year Retail Price (Dollars per gallon)

Jan-00 1.289

Jan-01 1.447

Jan-02  1.107

Jan-03 1.458

Jan-04 1.572

Jan-05 1.831

Jan-06 2.316

Jan-07 2.24

Jan-08 3.043

Jan-09 1.788

Jan-10 2.715

Jan-11 3.095

Dec-11 3.266

During dubya’s eight years the price went from $1.447 in January 2001 to $4.062 in July 2008, then the economy collapsed. When the economy collapses gas prices can collapse, when the economy recovers those prices can also recover.

U.S. retail gasoline prices (in dollars) by month from January 2000 to December 2011.

That drop after the highest peak is dubya’s recession.

[….]

“The Navy SEALS removed one Muslim threat to America, it’s up to the voters to remove the other!”

Yep, that last one really sticks in their craw, don’t it?

If you take a listen at the video of “Women for Akin” rally (h/t the Turner Report), the most notable thing you’ll hear is that lots of women really were making their voicees heard – only the ones speaking up weren’t actually rallying for Akin. If you can’t manage to make it out, about 40 protesters are regaling the 100 or so attendees with the chant, “rape is rape”:

Otherwise, what you’ll hear if you take the time to listen to Akin’s remarks is his standard, rightwing Christian take on life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. For example, he unhesitatingly declared that if “you take a look at the Declaration of Independence, it is built on the brilliant idea that God intended you to have life, liberty and to pursuit happiness.” I’m sure that this would have come as a surprise to it’s author, the deist Thomas Jefferson, as well as to the other signatories, many of whom were not bible-believing Christians despite what Todd Akin and his revisionist Christian Nationalist pals would like us to believe. Of course, when you consider that when Akin talks about life, his biggest concern is abortion – he doesn’t approve – and, similarly, when he talks about liberty, he seems mainly concerned about taxes and government regulations – you know, the things that keep your food safe, and keep the banks from robbing us blind –  you begin to realize that it isn’t only history that he finds confusing.

Were his audience inclined to actually think about what he had to say, though, they might have been puzzled by the images he used to express his sense of American exceptionalism:

Let me just ask you a question. Do you like America? Let’s take a look about America and kinda see what it is we like about it. You remember we won two World Wars. We didn’t annex any territory, we didn’t crown any king or emperors, but what we did do is vote to tax ourselves to rebuild our enemies. How often has that happened in World history? We have the oldest written constitution, and the world over is blessed with the innovations and technology that have come from America and if you really think about, if you think about the times there’s a tsunami or earthquake or something like that and what do you remember? A gray hole with the Red, White and Blue behind it full of medical supplies and food to help people all over the world. And you know what? That’s who we are. That’s what America is – we give back; we help other people. …

This could almost be a bleeding heart liberal extolling Americans who taxed themselves to rebuild Europe and Japan, deliver disaster relief, and just generally help people. But this generous soul is also the same fool who says he would have refused to vote for the Farm Bill that would deliver disaster relief to American farmers devastated by this summer’s drought. The reason why? It also offers food aid to poor and working families who have been flattened by jobs lost during the Bush recession.

The contradictions are almost too painful: The women rallying for Akin were only concerned about doing away with reproductive choice for other women. At the same time the Todd Akin who stood on the Missouri Capitol steps and extolled the governmental decisions that resulted in the Marshall plan is the same fool who thinks that the only safety net Americans need is what they can beg from religious and private charities. It would be laughable if it weren’t so sad.

P.S. Akin’s also wrong about what country has the oldest written constitution. This guy can’t even get the easy stuff right.

This month, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 09/12/2012 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER JAMES HEBENSTREIT 5828 PEMBROKE COURT MISSION HILLS KS 66208 SELF 9/11/2012 $10,000.00

C091145 09/23/2012 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER August Busch III 1 Mid Rivers Mall Drive Ste 210 St Peters MO 63376 Self 9/21/2012 $7,500.00

C091145 09/23/2012 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Drury Southwest Corporation PO Box 1214 Cape Giradeau MO 63702 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

$17,500.00 this week. He’s gonna need it:

C091145: Friends Of Peter Kinder

Information Reported On: 2012 – 30 Day After Primary Election-8/7/2012

Beginning Money on Hand $35,159.84

Ending Money On Hand $18,260.36

[emphasis added]

Ouch. That was an expensive primary.

Meanwhile:

C111177 09/11/2012 MONTEE FOR MISSOURI I.B.E.W. Educational Committee 900 Seventh Street, N.W. Washington DC 20001 9/11/2012 $10,000.00

C111177 09/21/2012 MONTEE FOR MISSOURI Hoisting Engineers Local 513 Political & Educational Fund 3449 Hollenberg Dr. Bridgeton MO 63044 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

C111177: Montee For Missouri

Information Reported On: 2012 – 30 Day After Primary Election-8/7/2012

Beginning Money on Hand $140,121.24

Ending Money On Hand $185,200.46

[emphasis added]

Does anyone think that Peter Kinder (r) won’t have all the money he needs eventually?

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 09/23/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Hoisting Engineers Local 513 Political & Educational Fund 3449 Hollenberg Dr. Bridgeton MO 63044 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

C031159 09/23/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Cenpatico Behavioral Health, LLC 7711 Carondelet Ste. 800 St Louis MO 63105 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

C031159 09/23/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Advantage by Bridgeway Health Solutions 7711 Carondelet Ste. 800 St Louis MO 63105 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Attorney General Chris Koster (D) benefits yet again from rational people.

Somebody must think there are vulnerable republicans in the Missouri Senate. The past few days at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091061 09/22/2012 SCOTT SIFTON FOR SENATE Missouri Democratic State Committee State Account PO Box 719 Jefferson City MO 65102 9/22/2012 $7,500.00

C091061 09/22/2012 SCOTT SIFTON FOR SENATE Democratic Senatorial Committee PO Box 7319 Columbia MO 65205 9/22/2012 $25,000.00

C081050 09/23/2012 MARY STILL FOR SENATE MO Senate Democratic Campaign Committee PO Box 7319 Columbia MO 65205 9/22/2012 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

The candidates in the 1st Senate District:

State Senator – District 1

Democrat

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

[emphasis added]

The candidates in the 19th Senate District:

State Senator – District 19

Democrat

Mary Wynne Still PO BOX 933 COLUMBIA MO 65205 2/28/2012

Republican

Kurt Schaefer PO BOX 1614 COLUMBIA MO 65205 2/28/2012

[emphasis added]

The latest summaries, in the 1st Senate District:

C010450: Lembke For Senate

Information Reported On: 2012 – 30 Day After Primary Election-8/7/2012

Beginning Money on Hand $308,626.64

Ending Money On Hand $332,584.66

[emphasis added]

C091061: Scott Sifton For Senate

Information Reported On: 2012 – 30 Day After Primary Election-8/7/2012

Beginning Money on Hand $9,240.08

Monetary Receipts $110,995.11

Ending Money On Hand $36,336.62

[emphasis added]

In the 19th Senate District:

C081145: Citizens To Elect Kurt Schaefer

Information Reported On: 2012 – 30 Day After Primary Election-8/7/2012

Beginning Money on Hand $556,849.12

Ending Money On Hand $590,975.02

 [emphasis added]

C081050: Mary Still For Senate

Information Reported On: 2012 – 30 Day After Primary Election-8/7/2012

Beginning Money on Hand $138,893.39

Ending Money On Hand $149,597.04

[emphasis added]

The republicans have all the money the need. The Democratic candidates have demonstrated an ability to raise money. These races are going to be very interesting to watch.

Numerous news outlets are reporting that Rep. Todd Akin will support an earmark ban in order to get some campaign support from U.S. Senator Jim DeMint’s Senate Conservatives Fund. I appreciate that beggers can’t be choosers, but wasn’t it just a month or two ago when Akin was vociferously defending his earmarking practices?  I think he even produced an ad contending that his wise earmarking saved lives. (Of course, the subject only came up because John Brunner was making the claim that Akin’s judicious use of earmarks also made the Akin family a little bit richer.) As the Post-Dispatch notes, Akin explicitly defends earmarks on his congressional Website:

Some believe Congress should be prohibited from designating where money should be spent. While well-intentioned, such action violates the Constitution and shifts important spending decisions from elected representatives in Congress to unaccountable bureaucrats in Washington, D.C.. This is not the right path. Rather, such spending decisions should be carefully vetted  during the committee process-a process that is open and transparent to the public.

Contrast that with a recently posted statement on Akin’s campaign Website that purports to “set the record straight”:

Claire McCaskill has questioned Todd’s position on earmarks. For the record Todd’s position on earmarks has been clear and consistent and is not in conflict with Senator DeMint’s ban on earmarks.

I’ve always known that Akin was logic-challenged, but come on! Not even the divinely inspired Todd Akin can be against something and for it at the same time. Especially after he defended that something for years by arguing that it’s a constitutional mandate.

That’s probably why Akin’s statement is so vague, and, on the theory that the best defense is offense, veers post-haste into an attack against Claire McCaskill’s hypothetical earmarking practices. It seems that, according to Akin, McCaskill – who introduced legislation to ban earmarks – is a hypocrite because she voted for the stimulus, and Akin is an advocate of the theory that the stimulus was chock-full of wasteful earmark spending. Of course, whether or not the stimulus contained earmarks is debatable and depends largely on how one defines earmarks.  Even Politifact, which identified a few earmarks in the bill, conceded that “It’s worth noting again that Obama managed to get a bill that was largely free of earmarks.”

To summarize: Akin believes that earmarks are the best thing since apple pie (and he may have even pocketed some of that metaphorical pie), but he has no problem supporting a ban and thinks it’s consistent with his beliefs. His opponent, however, who has never taken an earmark, and consistently worked to get them banned, is an earmarking queen because she voted for a stimulus bill that was largely free of earmarks. Laughable? Maybe, but I bet it’ll go over great guns with Akin’s hardcore supporters who’ve been well trained to howl when they hear the word “stimulus.”

Relative to which, there was another prong to the Akin attack that hinged on citing some of the items in a list of “wasteful” stimulus projects bandied about by several GOP congressmen a couple of years ago. Here Akin’s logic seems to be that earmarks are often characterized as wasteful, so if you can show that there was waste in the stimulus, it must be because it was full of earmarks.  

Unfortunately for Akin’s logically twisted agenda, there may be some problems when it comes to demonstrating that the stimulus was larded with waste. NewsWeek‘s McKay Coppins looked at five of the items from the GOP list, two of which are cited by Akin as examples of wasteful stimulus spending, and found that they mostly did what the stimulus was supposed to do – create jobs. One would suspect, given the partisan rancor that obviously inspired the list, many more of those “wasteful” spending projects did so as well. And, in fact, an audit of the program reported in 2010 that:

…  Of the nearly 200,000 prime and sub contracts that the Recovery Act awarded, just 293 led to “consequential investigations” of fraud. That’s 0.2 percent-i.e., two-tenths of a percent. Given the amount of money we’re talking here, that’s astonishingly clean, even by private sector standards.

Lest you think this is just the Obama Administration whitewashing its own record-and me whitewashing their whitewashing-the General Accounting Office has reached the same conclusion, calling the amount of waste and fraud minimal. …

A small price to pay for saving us from another Great Depression.  

Because “Do Nothing Congress” was already taken. Heh. But old media is using it anyway.

The White House transcript:

Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

The White House

September 22, 2012

Hi, everybody. Last week, without much fanfare, Members of the House of Representatives banged a gavel, turned out the lights, and rushed home, declaring their work finished for now.

If that frustrates you, it should – because their work isn’t finished.

See, when they skipped town, Members of Congress left a whole bunch of proposals sitting on the table – actions that would create jobs, boost our economy, and strengthen middle-class security. These ideas have been around for months. The American people want to see them passed. But apparently, some Members of Congress are more worried about their jobs and their paychecks this campaign season than they are about yours.

Right now, if Congress had done the right thing, we could be on our way to having a veterans’ jobs corps that helps returning heroes find work as cops and firefighters in communities all across the country. These men and women have made incredible sacrifices for our country. They shouldn’t have to worry about finding a job when they get home. But last week, Republicans in Congress voted it down. And then they left.

Right now, if Congress had gotten its act together, we would have a farm bill to help farmers and ranchers respond to natural disasters like the drought we had this summer. And we’d have made necessary reforms to give our rural communities some long-term certainty. But so far, Republicans in Congress have dragged their feet. And now they’re gone.

Right now, if Congress had acted, thousands of responsible homeowners could be saving an extra $3,000 a year on their mortgages by refinancing at historically low rates. But instead, Republicans in Congress decided that working families could wait. And now they’ll have to wait a little longer.

And finally, if Congress had listened to you, they could have given 98% of Americans and 97% of small business owners a guarantee that your taxes won’t go up next year by a single dime. This is something we all agree on. It should have gotten done a long time ago. But Republicans in Congress have refused to budge. They’re holding tax cuts for 98% of Americans hostage until we pass tax cuts for the wealthiest 2% of Americans. And now middle-class families and small business owners are left wondering what their tax bill will look like next year.

All of these ideas would strengthen our economy and help the middle class right now. All of them are supported by Democrats, Republicans and Independents. There’s no reason to wait.

That’s why, after going home and listening to their constituents for a few weeks, Members of Congress should come back in November and do this work. They should do the right thing for veterans and farmers; for responsible homeowners and small businesses; for Americans everywhere who are just trying to get ahead.

And if you agree with me, I need your help. Tell your Members of Congress you can’t afford to wait any longer. If you get an answering machine, leave a message. If you see them campaigning back home, tell them in person. Because there’s been enough talk. It’s time for action. That’s what you deserve, and that’s what it’s going to take to move this country forward.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

###

People already know:

Congress Adjourns, Pointing Fingers, But Not at Poor Approval Ratings

Sep 22, 2012 12:00 AM EDT

….House Republicans left the Farm Bill off the schedule, but called up votes on bills like the “Stop the War on Coal Act” and the “No More Solyndras Act,” legislation sure to go nowhere in the Senate but ripe for their GOP-friendly rallies on the campaign trail later this fall….

….Gallup’s latest polls show just 13 percent of Americans approve of the job Congress is doing, the lowest number that Gallup has measured this late in an election year since it began asking the question…..

Well, Vicky (r)?:

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 584

     H R 6213      RECORDED VOTE      14-Sep-2012      12:19 PM

     QUESTION:  On Passage

     BILL TITLE: No More Solyndras Act

—- AYES    245 —

Emerson

Hartzler

Long

Luetkemeyer

—- NOES    161 —

Carnahan

Clay

Cleaver

—- NOT VOTING    23 —

Akin

Graves (MO)

[emphasis added]

Because agriculture is such a big priority in the 4th Congressional District, right?

The past few days, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051232 09/20/2012 CITIZENS FOR RYAN SILVEY Missouri Senate Campaign Committee PO Box 754 Jefferson City MO 65102 9/19/2012 $11,000.00

C081145 09/20/2012 CITIZENS TO ELECT KURT SCHAEFER Missouri Senate Campaign Committee P. O. Box 754 Jefferson City MO 65102 9/19/2012 $50,000.00

C111154 09/20/2012 DOUG LIBLA FOR SENATE Missouri Senate Campaign Committee P O Box 754 Jefferson City MO 65102 9/19/2012 $11,000.00

C091142 09/20/2012 ROMINE FOR SENATE Missouri Senate Campaign Committee P. O. Box 754 Jefferson City MO 65102 9/19/2012 $11,000.00

C081190 09/21/2012 FRIENDS TO ELECT COLE MCNARY Lewis and Clark Council Ozarks Mountain Forum 2974 East Battlefield Springfield MO 65804 9/20/2012 $15,000.00

C121046 09/21/2012 MISSOURIANS FOR ED MARTIN Hunter Engineering Company 11250 Hunter Drive Bridgeton MO 63044 9/20/2012 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

The republicans are spending serious money on continuing control of the legislative branch. That, plus the Ed Martin (r) attorney general crazy train appears to attract some money.

C081066 09/20/2012 CLINT ZWEIFEL FOR MISSOURI Hoisting Engineers Local 513 Political & Educational Fund 3449 Hollenberg Drive Bridgeton MO 63044 9/20/2012 $10,000.00

C111177 09/21/2012 MONTEE FOR MISSOURI Hoisting Engineers Local 513 Political & Educational Fund 3449 Hollenberg Dr. Bridgeton MO 63044 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

C071012 09/21/2012 KANDER FOR MISSOURI Hoisting Engineers Local 513 3449 Hollenberg Dr. Bridgeton MO 63044 9/21/2012 $10,000.00

C001135 09/21/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Greater Kansas City Building & Construction Trades Council 400 S. Main Street Independence MO 64050 9/19/2012 $7,500.00

C001135 09/21/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Sheet Metal Workers Local No. 2 Legislative Action Committee 2902 Blue Ridge Boulevard Kansas City MO 64129 9/19/2012 $15,000.00

C001135 09/21/2012 JAY NIXON FOR MISSOURI Pipefitters Local Union 533 Volunteer Political Fund 8600 Hillcrest Road Kansas City MO 64138 9/19/2012 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Organized labor (working people!) are contributing significant money to Democrats running for the executive branch.

I get the regular e-mail newsletter from the Missouri Republican Party. It starts out with the stories it will cover.  Here is that list:

• Dave Spence rally with Chris Christie this weekend

  • Candidates for Governor, Senate debate in Columbia

  • Rick Perry coming to Columbia for Ed Martin

  • Peter Kinder speaks with Mizzou College Republicans

  • Ed Martin endorsed by FL Senator Marco Rubio

  • Shane Schoeller tours Missouri farms

  • Vicky Hartzler warns of military cuts

  • Ann Wagner discusses US foreign policy with Jamie Allman

  • RNC Web video: Redistribution

  • Roy Blunt op-ed: “Stop the Mediscare”

  • Chris Koster whitewashes Nixon’s role in Mamtek fiasco

  • In other news

  • Upcoming events

Did you notice what statewide candidate’s name is missing?  

I wonder why our good Republican friends can’t say anything about rallys Todd Akin is having.