Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C121477 10/14/2013 MISSOURIANS FOR FAIR TAXATION Missouri Association of REALTORS 2601 Bernadette PL Columbia MO 65205 10/14/2013 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

For the folks against the 2012 “Almost Everything Tax” sales tax.

Interestingly, House republicans have fumbled their debt ceiling hostage demand for approval of the Keystone pipeline (among many other demands).

The price of gas in west central Missouri this morning:

Gee, it’s been mighty quiet of late at 1023 Longworth HOB.

Previously:

Water is wet (October 9, 2013)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): we don’t need no stinkin’ objective reality (January 21, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): not especially prescient (January 9, 2013)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): strange silence, still (December 19, 2012)

Quick, blame Obama! – part 3 – trickle down (December 8, 2012)

Quick, blame Obama! – part 2 (December 5, 2012)

Quick, blame Obama! (December 1, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): make it stop… (November 18, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): the price keeps dropping and we’re running out of gas puns (November 15, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): on an express elevator… (November 12, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): wait, wait, don’t tell me (November 8, 2012)

Vicky Hartzler (r): it’s so quiet when the price keeps dropping (October 31, 2012)

Vicky Hartzler (r): What’s that? Did you say something? Apparently not. (October 29, 2012)

Vicky Hartzler (r): the sound of silence (October 23, 2012)

The past, the gas, and isms (September 24, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): let’s pass the gas – part 2 (June 6, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): let’s pass the gas (May 27, 2012)

Rep. Ann Wagner (R-2) wants all her constituents to know that she’s been playing a leading role in getting the government back open – and I’m not referring to the twisted logic whereby she claims that when she and the rest of her crazy party voted for a continuing resolution that defunded Obamacare, they were voting to keep the government open. No, this time she’s really, really proud of her prominent place in a recent St. Louis Post-Dispatch article about Thursday’s House GOP palaver with the President which she, as Chair of the House freshman class, attended. In fact she’s so pleased with herself that she sent those of us on her mailing list an email copy of the article.

Whooeeee! Now we’ll know whom to thank when they finally open the government back up. Wagner’s already asserting her claim to a place in the history books, breathlessly gushing, “”it was an amazing moment, and it was a great privilege to be part of it.” A great moment indeed, and one that Rep. Wagner might never have been able to savour had she and her party not gone whole-hog Tea Party and shut down almost the entire government shebang, evidently for no other reason than the pure hell of it. Or so at least one might conclude based on the recent GOP dithering about what it would take to get them to go back to doing what they’re supposed to do.

The article quotes Wagner’s assurances that there was no blaming or name-calling at the meeting. Does it strike anyone as odd that she might have thought the GOP House delegation would be greeted with or would demonstrate rudeness at a business meeting? Of course, some have speculated that the reason that Speaker Boehner did not permit the entire Republican caucus to meet with the President, who had initially requested such a meeting, was that he might be worried about members who have, in the past, shown a proclivity to yell insults at the President like, say, “you lie” at important public events. God only knows what some of the more obstreperous members might do in private.

Also notable in Wagner’s carefully measured account of the meeting is the implication that the wise and purposeful GOPers ran the show:

Wagner said House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and other GOP leaders spelled out an agenda they wanted addressed in coming weeks.

“We want budget negotiators to tackle the big issues like growth policy, tax reform, entitlement reform and things having to do with the big-picture issue of our $17 trillion debt,” she said.

I don’t really think so. Michael Tomasky presents us with a different but probably far more accurate reading of the meeting that Wagner has attempted to decorate with GOP happy faces:

… Then, late in the day, the Not-So-Magic Bus of 20 Republicans rolled up to the White House, and Boehner put … well, put something on the table to Obama, something involving a six-week increase in the debt limit but who knows what else, and Obama said: not yet.

Differences of perception such as this inevitably result when people like Wagner convince themselves that real negotiations can take place when one of the participants is holding a bomb. While she and her colleagues may be betting that fear of harming lots of innocent bystanders may constrain their bargaining partners to such an extent that they will submit to government by intimidation, she shouldn’t forget that if that bomb does go off, the guys holding it are going to be obliterated.

Friday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the health research tax on the November ballot in Jackson County:

C131107 10/11/2013 COMMITTEE FOR RESEARCH TREATMENTS AND CURES St Lukes Health System 10920 Elm Ave Kansas City MO 64134 10/11/2013 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

C131113 10/11/2013 CITIZENS FOR RESPONSIBLE RESEARCH Brad Bradshaw 1904 S. Shady Hill Lane Springfield MO 65809 physician and lawyer 10/11/2013 $55,000.00

[emphasis added]

The first contribution is in support of the tax, the second contribution is from an individual opposed to the tax who has contributed a significant amount to that cause.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: not quite plural (August 22, 2013)

Campaign Finance: make it an even $50,000.00 (August 28, 2013)

Campaign Finance: counter volley (August 30, 2012)

Campaign Finance: a citizen keeps contributing (September 3, 2013)

We’re big enough to take care of ourselves (September 4, 2013)

Campaign Finance: Wham! (September 4, 2013)

Campaign Finance: Wham! again (September 6, 2013)

Campaign Finance: Wham! and again (September 7, 2013)

Campaign Finance: it looks like a contribution, only smaller (September 11, 2013)

Campaign Finance: trying to do something (September 17, 2013)

Campaign Finance: and still (September 19, 2013)

Campaign Finance: now that’s what you call research money (September 27, 2013)

Campaign Finance: definitely not holding anything back (October 2, 2013)  

…than expect republicans in Congress to act rationally.

While we waited for the International Space Station to cross the sky this evening we took a few photos of the moon.

F32, 1 second, ISO 100, 200mm.

Lunacy is certainly the norm in republican Washington.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D), via Twitter:

Claire McCaskill ‏@clairecmc

Did House go home? 1:39 PM – 12 Oct 13

Yep, that’s insanity.

Today, at the top of the White House web site:

“Due to Congress’s failure to pass legislation to fund the government, the information on this web site

may not be up to date. Some submissions may not be processed, and we may not be able to respond to your inquiries.”

That’s using your pulpit to smack down bullies. Heh.  

The republican instigated government shutdown continues…

From Senator Claire McCaskill (D) today, via Twitter:

Claire McCaskill ‏@clairecmc

Working at Capitol. In caucus. 11:52 AM – 12 Oct 13

A sample of constituent responses:

Kevin ‏@KevinWalsh222

so do you think the R senators saying “we lost it was a dumb move” are falling on swords to bring down “joe mcccarthy cruz”?@clairecmc 11:55 AM – 12 Oct 13

sean patrick ‏@RoRuckus

@clairecmc Hang in there! 11:56 AM – 12 Oct 13

tlcesq ‏@tlcesq

@clairecmc 1) Nuclear option. 2) don’t cave. 11:56 AM – 12 Oct 13

Evidently, not into compromise for the sake of compromise or the sensibilities of the inside the beltway cocktail weenie circuit.

Scotts Contracting ‏@StLHandyMan

@clairecmc Be Part of the Solution is my advice…Don’t cave to the #GOP. #StayTheCourse they are on the Ropes and grasping for anything 12:01 PM – 12 Oct 13

Bison as metaphor ‏@bidwell_g

@clairecmc but can anything not harmful get done w/ GOP intransigent as molasses in winter? do not capitulate else pattern shall repeat 12:01 PM – 12 Oct 13

And there are a few responses from teabaggers who want the world to burn down. It’s in their nature.

And the republicans in Congress?:

NBC/WSJ poll: Shutdown debate damages GOP

….By a 22-point margin (53 percent to 31 percent), the public blames the Republican Party more for the shutdown than President Barack Obama – a wider margin of blame for the GOP than the party received during the poll during the last shutdown in 1995-96.

Just 24 percent of respondents have a favorable opinion about the GOP, and only 21 percent have a favorable view of the Tea Party, which are both at all-time lows in the history of poll….

….a whopping 70 percent say congressional Republicans are putting politics first….

[emphasis added]

Today, Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) via Twitter:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler ‏@RepHartzler

Did you know, Obamacare increases premiums in #MO 107% for young men and 36% for young women? #ObamacareFails 10:58 AM – 11 Oct 13

Some constituent replies:

Isaac Baumann ‏@Lunchboxc

@RepHartzler Did you know I’m 107% voting against you? 11:00 AM – 11 Oct 13

Terry Fillow ‏@Fillows4

@RepHartzler I think someone didn’t do her homework & is using talking points. 11:03 AM – 11 Oct 13

Bob Yates ‏@OldDrum

@RepHartzler No, I did not know that. Did you just make that up? 11:04 AM – 11 Oct 13

A skeptic. I wonder why.

Randall Rogers ‏@Randy520

@RepHartzler DO you know that I hope and pray that you willl not be re elected I really thought I had voted for the right person me the fool 11:08 AM – 11 Oct 13

Ah, buyer’s remorse.

Avocet ‏@_Avocet

@RepHartzler Step away from the shutdown and we can talk. #RepublicanWankers 11:11 AM – 11 Oct 13

Chris Clause ‏@ChrisClause1

@RepHartzler what will premium increases be long-term without Obamacare? 12:56 PM – 11 Oct 13

Frank Funaro ‏@FrankFunaro

@RepHartzler Did you know approval of the ACA has increased and #GOP is the most despised party in history since your #GOPshutdown? 1:55 PM – 11 Oct 13

In case anyone was wondering.

Rita Wheeler ‏@rwmw7172

@RepHartzler #Obamacare saves lives. For those who had 0% insurance premiums before, any cost is going to be over 100% – duh. 2:49 PM – 11 Oct 13

They’re not particularly happy, are they?

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131145 10/10/2013 MISSOURIANS FOR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION Missouri Catholic Conference 600 Clark Ave Jefferson City MO 65109 10/9/2013 $11,216.59

C131145 10/10/2013 MISSOURIANS FOR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION Archdiocese of St. Louis 20 Archbishop May Drive St Louis MO 63119 10/10/2013 $300,000.00

[emphasis added]

It’s a brand new PAC:

C131145: Missourians For Children’s Education

Po Box 144 Committee Type: Campaign

Jefferson City Mo 65102

[….] Established Date: 10/09/2013

[….]

Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

Constitutional Amendment To Article Ix, Relating To An Education Tax Credit 11/04/2014 Children’s Education Initiative/State Of Missouri Support

[emphasis added]

Probably this one:

Constitutional Amendment to Article IX, Relating to an Education Tax Credit

2014-045

[….]

Submitted by: Barbara Swanson

Barbara Swanson

201 Dover St

Jefferson City, MO 65109

Official ballot title certified by Secretary of State on September 18, 2013.

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE AS CERTIFIED BY

SECRETARY OF STATE

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

   create a tax credit for donations made to nonprofit corporations that provide funds to improve programs in public school districts, provide scholarships for students to attend qualified private or parochial elementary or secondary schools, or support special education services for children;

   limit the tax credit to $50,000 annually per individual or business entity, and cap the entire credit at $90 million annually; and

   repeal any constitutional provisions that prohibit taxpayer funds from being used to aid private or parochial elementary or secondary schools that qualify for the funding in this measure?

Any decrease in state revenue will depend on the redemption of tax credits issued related to this proposal, initially limited to $90 million per year. Increased annual state operating expenses are expected to be initially about $120,000. Each individual school district will experience an unknown annual change in revenue.  

[emphasis added]

Initially limited to?

It’s probably not this one:

Constitutional Amendment to Article IX, Relating to Repealing the Current Prohibition on Using State or Local Government Funding for Religious Purposes

2014-033

[….]

Submitted by: Todd Jones

Todd Jones

231 South Bemiston Ave.

Suite 800

St. Louis, MO 63105

Official ballot title certified by Secretary of State on June 12, 2013.

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE AS CERTIFIED BY

SECRETARY OF STATE

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

   repeal the current prohibition on using state or local government funding for religious purposes;

   repeal the current prohibition on using state or local government funding to aid religious schools, academies, seminaries, colleges, universities, or any other school controlled by a religious organization; and

   repeal the current prohibition on the government granting or donating personal property or real estate for religious purposes?

The potential costs or savings to state and local governmental entities are unknown.

Which religions? Just asking.

It’s not this one, though the effect would definitely go further in the same direction:

Constitutional Amendment to Article X, Relating to a State Income Tax Credit, version 2

2014-022

[….]

Submitted by: Mr. Herman Kriegshauser

Herman Kriegshauser

19 Jennycliffe Lane

Chesterfield, MO 63005

314-223-4555

Official ballot title certified by Secretary of State on March 20, 2013.

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE AS CERTIFIED BY

SECRETARY OF STATE

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to create an individual and corporate state income tax credit of 60% of the amount donated to Missouri not-for-profit elementary and secondary schools or school districts and Missouri not-for-profit foundations providing scholarships for Missouri secondary school graduates to attend Missouri not-for-profit higher education colleges and universities (this credit cannot exceed the donor’s state income tax liability for the year)?

Annual state government revenue may decrease by an estimated $236 million to $938 million. Annual state operating costs may increase by at least $200,000. Reduced state revenue could result in decreased state funding for local governments and public education entities. Public education entities could have an unknown increase in donation revenue.

[emphasis added]

Well, that would certainly contribute to defunding public education.  

There was a story on one of the morning infotainment shows early today about a restaurant chain franchise donating one day of profits to help make up some of the loss in survivor benefits for military casualties which have been suspended due to the government shutdown. The person representing the franchise stated (paraphrased), “If enough people contribute it can be taken care of…”

I believe that’s the point of taxes in a representative democracy.

I await the arrival of a giant asteroid.