1. A pop star on a cable television awards show?

2. A state representative busted for possession of marijuana?

3. The one percent buying elections and public policy?

You’re supposed to decide. We know which two old media has chosen.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C001135 08/24/2013 A BETTER MISSOURI WITH GOVERNOR JAY NIXON Southwestern Bell Telephone, L.P., d/b/a AT&T Missouri One AT&T Center Room 4200 Saint Louis MO 63101 8/22/2013 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s a lot of money but not really a lot of money, if you know what I mean.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: What on earth for? (June 30, 2013)

Campaign Finance: very interesting (April 16, 2013)

Campaign Finance: still not running for anything (February 9, 2013)

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE is the discomfort experienced when simultaneously holding two or more conflicting cognitions: ideas, beliefs, values or emotional reactions. In a state of dissonance, people may sometimes feel “disequilibrium”: frustration, hunger, dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety, etc

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch ran a very informative first page article on Missouri’s potential “Medicaid gap” today. The term refers to the situation of folks who are too poor for the Obamacare health insurance care exchanges, those the plan had intended to cover by expanding Medicaid eligibility. Unfortunately, after the Supreme  Court ruled the Medicaid expansion optional,  Missouri’s Republican pols were unwilling to accept the federal money that would fund the expansion – full federal ride for three years, thereafter an increasing share to be paid by Missouri until the state reaches the 10% cap on its contribution in 2020. Expanding Medicaid is unarguably a good deal that would bring lots of Missouri’s federal tax dollars home and cover hundreds of thousands of currently uninsured  Missourians. The result of the GOP’s intransigence is nearly 300,000 uninsured individuals who will remain uninsured after Obamacare’s full implementation unless the legislature relents.

The article suggests that many of our GOP state legislators are in a state of denial about what federal funding means, as witness this statement from state Senator Gary Romine (R-3):

With our budget as tight as it is, to add anyone else to the rolls only takes dollars away from another area […]. So for us to find ways to cover those in need, we’ve got to find a way to come up with funds.

But this type of idiocy is not the cognitive dissonance I am concerned with. I rather suspect that Senator Romine knows very well that the funds for the expansion will be available from Washington (and without busting the federal deficit either). He also knows that funds are  tight in Missouri because of the desire of the GOPers in the legislature to lighten the tax burden for their corporate patrons. He’s just trying to put a good face on a decision that will hurt many Missourians for almost no reason at all.

A statement from one of those poor souls who will probably not be able to obtain subsidized coverage on the exchanges, however, not only exemplifies the definition of cognitive dissonance, but indicates just how the GOP can use it to get away with cutting off so many Missourians’ noses to spite the Obamacare face:

Count Jennifer Rosa, 40, of Ellington, Mo., in Reynolds County, in that group. She works full time at a grocery store, handling carry-out for customers and stocking shelves. The store doesn’t offer insurance to its employees.

Her son is on Medicaid – the cutoff is higher for children – and Rosa said she pays $75 a month for that. But she makes too much to be eligible herself.

“You get up every morning and pray you don’t get sick, don’t have a toothache, don’t need glasses,” she said.

About twice a year, her chronic bronchitis flares up.

“You just don’t go to the doctor,” she said. “You get sick and just tough it out.”

While she would like to have affordable insurance, she’s not a fan of the Affordable Care Act, dubbed Obamacare.

“I don’t like the idea of them forcing this down our throats,” Rosa said. She opposes subsidizing people who “sit at home and draw a check. I don’t want them to do everything for me, but as a working person, some help would be great. We’re people who work for a living.”

Get that? Somehow, Ms. Rosa is sure the beneficiaries are unworthy, folks who sit on their butts and “draw a check,” even though she herself is exactly the type of person who would be covered by the expansion. She wants health care, she needs health care, but she knows, thanks to the tireless demagoguing of the GOP, that making it available to her is “stuffing it down our throats” – which we all know is very bad. There’s a little mean-mindedness here – the phobic response to the the mythical “welfare queen” stereotype – but otherwise, cognitive dissonance anyone?

This mental disjunct may be good short-term politics for the GOP in Missouri, but long-term it’s very bad for the state. Remember the products of cognitive dissonance? A misinformed, inflamed citizenry raddled by “frustration, …  dread, guilt, anger, embarrassment, anxiety” isn’t going to do anybody any good and may indeed be responsible for lots of very bad future events.

2nd paragraph slightly edited for clarity.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091068 08/24/2013 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, INC MIssourians For Tim Jones PO Box 434 Eureka MO 63025 8/22/2013 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C051087 08/25/2013 MISSOURIANS FOR TIM JONES RightChoice Managed Care Inc PO Box 680086 Cincinnati OH 45206 8/23/2013 $6,500.00

[emphasis added]

Following campaign finance in Missouri can sometimes be like watching a dryer in a laundromat. The window is there, not too many people pay attention, and the circle thing is a constant.

Yesterday morning Representative Denny Hoskins (r) appeared with Senator David Pearce (r) before the University of Central Missouri Board of Governors meeting on campus in Warrensburg. The effect of a veto override of HB 253 was the main subject of the conversation.  

And, we may have an idea of the latest whip count.

“….Um, you know, my personal opinion on, on 253, currently I, I do not believe the votes are there for a override of the Governor veto. Uh, could that change? Yes, it could change….”

The transcript:

[….]

Representative Denny Hoskins (r) : ….And I want to commend UCM [University of Central Missouri], uh, professors, staff, Board of Governors that, uh, we are a, a shining star, uh, among the state universities. And a lot of the different things that we’re doing, um, are models for a lot of the other state schools. And so I’m going to commend, uh, the Board of Governors and professors and staff on that.

And one of those items that, that, uh, President Obama talked about was the Senate Bill 381. We did have the [inaudible] Nixon come in and sign that bill earlier this year.  Uh, it really, that’s, uh, a great bill, a great law that’s , will go into effect August twenty-eighth. And so I want to commend the University for supporting us on that. As well as, uh, commend the House sponsor and as well the Senate sponsor, as that gone through to create that fund in order to further the innovation campus.

Um, in other news, and before I turn it over to Senator [David] Pearce [r], uh, we did have the Speaker Pro Tem election this past, uh,  weekend and I’m glad to report that I am the new Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri State House of Representatives. So that is the number two leadership spot in the Missouri State House of Representatives. I’m excited about, uh, the opportunity that will afford me for, to help out UCM as well as, uh, 54th District and the State of Missouri. So, I’m transitioning into that new role, uh, in leadership and therefore I, I will be giving up my, uh, chairmanship of the Appropriations for Economic Development and, [inaudible] five other ones on there, Department of Revenue, Department of Insurance, Department of Labor, and, uh, MoDOT. So, it’s, uh, kind of a transition period for us as we lead up to veto session on September eleventh….

[….]

Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: ….and, of course, this has been in, in, very, uh, specific spotlight across the state, uh, both from the Governor and the legislature going into veto section, session. I think, uh, for us, just specifically focusing that on the impact on the University of Central Missouri. We’re, we’re at a point where we’re educating the most students, graduating the most students, maintaining a high level of performance, and done everything, uh, as diligent as we possibly can to be good stewards of our resources.  Um, and, uh, [Senator] David {Pearce], as you mentioned the, the funding formula, and this appropriation cycle, even though we got an appropriations increase, uh, it did not meet the requirements of just our MOSER mandate, uh, to keep up with our retirement. And, uh, as best as we understand it, uh, the range of potential, uh, negative impact on general revenue could range from six hundred million dollars, uh, kind of in a best case, uh, to maybe as much as one point two billion [dollars], uh, in a worst case. And then of course anywhere, as you know as appropriators, anywhere in that kind of loss of revenue would, would mean, as the Governor said, the very difficult, uh, time that even thinking about running state government they way we’re currently running it. Certainly, we continue to be more efficient. Um, but, with his tack of maintaining the state’s triple A bond rating by, uh, putting the withhold, uh, in place currently, at two hundred thousand dollars a month [for UCM] and a projected two and a half million dollar loss off, uh, appropriations in this fiscal year, uh, without passing significant costs on students, which we know one of the best things that we collectively have done together is hold our increases in costs down, uh, it would be catastrophic for the University of Central Missouri. And there would be no way for us to meet this fiscal challenge, uh, without reducing workforce, uh, or significant, and when I say significant, it would be major double digit tuition increases passed on to our students. And we all know that they simply just can’t afford it. Uh, and we’ve heard from, you know, all of the public sector, and, of course, K-12 has been very direct in its impact with resolutions from board, you know, school boards and, uh, but we would ask, uh, especially at a time when we are trying to, to run as a, as high performers to meet the state’s needs, and as you said, trying to, to create the, the future from here, uh, it, it would not just slow our momentum, uh, it, it would take it away from us. Um, so, I, I would like to just ask, you know, where is it, uh, what you would suggest for us to do, uh, to underlie its impact not just on Central Missouri and our students, uh, but across the state, uh, across education, uh, and, and certainly, uh, within scarce resources? Uh, and if we look across the border to our west, there’s no demonstration that, that that tax experiment done, has done anything to, to strengthen, uh, resources to, to put into, to teaching. So, I, I just ask, what can we do, where are we, uh, and, uh?

Representative Denny Hoskins (r): I get, I guess, uh, the first question I have, I know that we ended up with four hundred million dollar surplus over, um, this past fiscal year and the Governor decided to withhold that. So, had the board taken any position on asking the Governor to release the withholds?

Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: Well, we talked to the Governor about releasing the withhold.

Representative Denny Hoskins (r): Great.

Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: And, uh, and absolutely, uh, and as John Merrigan would put it, [inaudible], right now, uh, with his tack, uh, it is two hundred thousand dollars of, of cash, uh, withheld money which would not take us very long to feel. Uh, and I, I guess the only thing he’s come back with and said, until we get through veto session and know where that’s gonna go that he will continue [withholding]. And if it is overturned his intent would be to keep that [inaudible].

Representative Denny Hoskins (r): There are a lot of different groups out there and, and I know the Governor has, uh, his groups and his talking points, as well as what, uh, he, uh, believes to be a cat, catastrophic, uh, shortfall of revenue. I’m of, I’m of the other opinion. I don’t, I don’t believe that there, I believe that the Governor’s playing political games and, uh, he’s, he’s hitting all the right groups and withholding these funds even though that the money is right there, uh, in order to use. And I disagree with the Governor philosophically as far as what a tax cut would do for the State of Missouri, uh, on a personal side, uh, incremental tax cut of twenty-five percent over the next ten years. And that’s only happens if, uh, revenue, general revenue increase a hundred million dollars [inaudible] each year. So, uh, [inaudible]. Again, that does not happen if general revenue doesn’t, doesn’t increase at least a hundred million dollars. So, philosophically the, the Governor and I have a difference of opinion on, uh, [inaudible]. I know you mentioned Kansas, uh, our, our neighbor to the west. We’ve seen other states such as Tennessee, Oklahoma, uh, Texas. And you know, if you haven’t heard yet Governor Rick Perry is coming to Missouri next week and he’s launched a campaign to try and lure, uh, Missouri businesses to, uh, Texas, the State of Texas. And, um, you know, [inaudible] the low, the low tax state as well as, uh, a state that’s very friendly toward business and, and the economy.

So, I guess, I understand your concerns and many of my colleagues have those same concerns on both sides of the aisle. Uh, I do have, I do share some of those concerns but philosophically I believe that, that those can be overcome and I do not believe in, in the doomsday, uh, projections that, uh, Governor Nixon has, has said. Um, and I’ve gone on record and I said I, I guarantee that if House Bill 253 [veto] was  overridden education would not receive less money next year. We will not fulfill the Governor’s promise. That, that’s kind of where I stand [inaudible]. Senator [David] Pearce and I agree on a lot of things and, uh, we, we have a difference of opinion on, on this issue. So….

[….]

Chuck Ambrose, President, University of Central Missouri: ….Uh, but, you know, I, I, I’m taking the Governor on his word he’s gonna maintain the withhold if his veto is overturned.

Representative Denny Hoskins (r) : This has been a point of contention with the, uh, Missouri General Assembly as well as the Governor’s office. Um, and something will probably get [inaudible] to take to court. Constitutionally the Governor is not supposed to withhold unless the revenue’s not there. But the revenue’s there and [inaudible] he’s still deciding to withhold.

Um, you know, my personal opinion on, on 253, currently I, I do not believe the votes are there for a override of the Governor veto. Uh, could that change? Yes, it could change. I have, uh, been in discussions with, with some of the different groups, education as well as business groups. Uh, in the event that it is not overridden on September eleventh, come together [inaudible] work out a, uh, tax cut as well as, uh, provide adequate funding for education….

[….]

Marvin “Bunky” Wright, President, University of Central Missouri Board of Governors:  ….Uh, the board has discussed at great length this whole situation. You can refer to it as a difference in philosophy, frankly, I don’t care what you refer to it as. Uh, this board has got responsibility of this University. And I’ve seen President Ambrose, the faculty, the staff, everybody cut to the core budgetwise in the last three years. Uh, the last thing we need is a further crunch because of political differences. There isn’t any political difference when it comes to higher education when we’ve got responsibility. And we would ask that the two of you [Rep. Hoskins and Senator Pearce], uh, do not support the position of overriding this veto. I mean, we can’t sit back and wonder who’s right or wrong, because some money’s gonna go by the wayside. And whatever it is is gonna hurt us. So, you know, we would ask you to support this University which is in your district and the people. We think we’re one of the best universities in the state. I happen to think it is the best. A lot of it is due to the help of people like you. And we’re asking you again, and I’d like to go on record for this board as requesting that you support us, uh, in this override session. We appreciate you coming in very much. If you ever have any questions, why, give us a call. We’ll try to answer them.

Representative Denny Hoskins (r): Thank you.

[….]

Philosophically, giving tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires while increasing the burden on seniors and the poor through an added sales tax on their prescription medications is a good thing. Philosophically.

Philosophically, giving tax breaks to billionaires and millionaires while defunding the infrastructure of society and diminishing access to a quality education is a good thing. Philosophically.

Philosophically, holding up the less than erudite Governor of another state making a political visit to poach jobs from your own state as an ideal is a good thing. Philosophically.

….Governor Perry (r) is wasting money traveling to Missouri (paid for by TexasOne) to poach jobs and advocate for a change in Missouri law (HB 253) that would ostensibly (in his opinion) make it more difficult for Texas to poach Missouri jobs? Uh, definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer….

Philosophically, being the new Speaker Pro Tem of the Missouri House is more important than representing the interests of the voters in your district. Philosophically.

If you’re in the right wingnut majority in control of the Missouri General Assembly, that is.

Previously:

New Missouri Rule: if the governor governs right of center you can’t call him a “liberal” (July 1, 2013)

Bill signing Kabuki (July 12, 2013)

Rep. Chris Kelly (D): HB 253 – “I’d like to know what your opinion is.” (July 19, 2013)

Rep. Denny Hoskins (r): probably not gonna sustain the Governor’s veto of HB 253 (August 19, 2013)

Sec. of State Jason Kander (D) to Texas Gov. Rick Perry (r): You forgot about that Medicaid thing? (August 23, 2013)

Texas Governor Rick Perry (r) is making a trip to Missouri to supposedly poach jobs. The television and radio ad text running in Missouri from a press release from Governor Perry (r):

….This is Texas Governor Rick Perry. Like most businesses, Missouri companies are looking for stability in their state’s business environment. Before they invest in the future, they want to know they’re investing wisely.

Unfortunately your governor vetoed a bill that would have lowered taxes and controlled wasteful spending, making Missouri more competitive.

Vetoing a tax cut is the same thing as raising your taxes….

Governor Perry (r) is wasting money traveling to Missouri (paid for by TexasOne) to poach jobs and advocate for a change in Missouri law (HB 253) that would ostensibly (in his opinion) make it more difficult for Texas to poach Missouri jobs? Uh, definitely not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Yesterday Secretary of State Jason Kander (D) called out Texas Governor Rick Perry’s (r) Missouri publicity stunt. Here’s the letter from the press release:

August 22, 2013

Governor Rick Perry

Office of the Governor

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, Texas 78711-2428

Dear Governor Perry,

I read with dismay about your decision to visit Missouri and run television advertisements to try and steal jobs that our businesses have worked so hard to create over the years. I hope that you reconsider.

Instead of launching a wholesale public relations effort meant to depress Missouri’s business climate in hopes of luring jobs to Texas, I suggest you spend your time asking Texas business owners if there’s anything you can do to help their companies move forward. If a company moves to Texas as a result of your sales pitch, there’s a good chance it will leave for a better deal in some other state in the future. But if a company starts in Texas, it’s more likely to stay there.

There are some great examples of that in Missouri. Consider Express Scripts, which was founded in Missouri in 1986. Not only have they thrived in the state in which they began, they’re still growing here. This summer, the company announced it is adding 1,500 jobs here by 2018. There’s also Monsanto, which started here in 1901and now has more than 21,000 employees worldwide. In April, the company announced it would add 675 jobs right here in Missouri. On the other side of the state we have Cerner, which was founded in Kansas City in 1979. Earlier this month, the company announced it would acquire 236 acres to build a campus big enough to expand by 12,000 new employees by 2020.

Those are just a few cases, but as you can see, there is a path to gain jobs by actually growing jobs. Simply poaching jobs from one state and bringing them to another doesn’t grow our nation’s economy, so I hope you reconsider your efforts and instead look at ways to cultivate new industries and companies in Texas, rather than just trying to steal other states’ successes.

But if you choose to come to Missouri next week anyway, there is a way you can make the trip worthwhile. I read in POLITICO that you are seeking $100 million in Medicaid funding for the disabled and elderly. Our state legislature in Missouri has refused to accept additional Medicaid funding from the federal government, so it would be great if you could explain to them why they should follow your lead on this issue.

Sincerely,

Jason Kander

Missouri Secretary of State

Heh.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131113 08/22/2013 CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH Brad Bradshaw 1904 S. Shady Hill Lane Springfield MO 65809 physician and attorney 8/20/2013 $33,000.00

[emphasis added]

Well, what’s that all about [pdf]?:

Health Research Tax 11/5/2013 Jackson County Oppose

Name of Ballot Measure  Election Date & Political Subdivision Support or Oppose

[emphasis added]

It’s a brand spanking new political action committee:

C131113: Citizens For Responsible Research

1736 E Sunshine Ste 600 Committee Type: Political Action

Springfield Mo 65804

[….] Established Date: 08/16/2013

[….]

Treasurer Deputy Treasurer

Brad Bradshaw

1736 E Sunshine Ste 600

Springfield Mo 65804

[emphasis added]

The very same person?

If you’re the only one (so far) contributing to the political action committee and you’re the treasurer, too, does the plural in the committee title really work? Just asking.

…with deep pockets. Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 08/22/2013 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Sam Fox 7701 Forsyth Boulevard Suite 600 St Louis MO 63105 Harbour Group Owner 8/21/2013 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Those round numbers…

Previously:

Campaign Finance: putting everyone to sleep (July 4, 2013)

Campaign Finance: a familiar amount, again (June 27, 2013)

Campaign Finance: it all adds up (June 22, 2013)

And, déjà vu, all over again:

Campaign Finance: relying on the grassroots (June 7, 2013)

Maybe the quarterly contribution is just early.

Public Policy Polling (PPP) released a survey [pdf] taken in Louisiana. From the republican portion of the sample:

[….]

Q2 Who do you think was more responsible for the poor response to Hurricane Katrina: George W. Bush or Barack Obama?

George W. Bush ……………………………………… 28%

Barack Obama………………………………………… 29%

Not sure …………………………………………………. 44%

[….]

….PPP surveyed 721 Louisiana voters, including an oversample of 274 usual Republican primary voters, between August 16-19, 2013. The margin of error for the overall survey was +/- 3.7% and +/- 5.9% for the GOP portion….

The crosstabs are interesting.

In case you forgot, Hurricane Katrina occurred in August 2005, over three years before Barack Obama took office as President.