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Monthly Archives: December 2015

Campaign Finance: making a statement

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

campaign finance, governor, John Brunner, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission

“Grassroots? We ain’t got no grassroots. We don’t need no grassroots. I don’t have to show you any stinkin’ grassroots…”

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for John Brunner’s (r) 2016 gubernatorial campaign:

C151077 12/31/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR JOHN BRUNNER John G Brunner 11939 Manchester Road #151 St Louis MO 63131 Retired Retired 12/29/2015 $600,603.77

C151077 12/31/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR JOHN BRUNNER John G Brunner 11939 Manchester Road #151 St Louis MO 63131 Retired Retired 12/30/2015 $3,000,000.00

C151077 12/31/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR JOHN BRUNNER John G Brunner 11939 Manchester Road #151 St Louis MO 63131 Retired Retired 12/30/2015 $35,000.00

[emphasis added]

That’s one way to do it.

Previously:

We never get out of junior high school (November 24, 2015)

Campaign Finance: back to business (November 25, 2015)

Campaign Finance: What for who for what? (December 22, 2015)

Your last day of the year moment of Zen

31 Thursday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

missouri, snow, winter, woods

In west central Missouri.

In west central Missouri.

Roy Blunt: The beginning of the end?

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Guess who’s number 9 in Hotline’s list of the most competitive 2016 Senate races. If you guessed corporate toady Roy Blunt, you’d be right. Here’s what Hotline has to say about the race between Blunt and Democratic challenger Jason Kander:

Among Demo­crats this year, the Mis­souri Sen­ate race has evolved from an af­ter­thought to the trendy up­set pick of 2016. The change is thanks to Sec­ret­ary of State Jason Kander, a 34-year-old Army vet­er­an whose fresh face and hawk­ish for­eign policy have put the in­cum­bent Blunt on the de­fens­ive. Of course, Kander re­mains a long shot in a state that hasn’t backed a Demo­crat­ic pres­id­en­tial can­did­ate since Bill Clin­ton in 1996, even if Blunt’s lob­by­ist ties and long ten­ure in Wash­ing­ton make him an in­vit­ing tar­get. Demo­crats are hope­ful that a strong chal­lenge in a red state will force Re­pub­lic­ans to spend real money in a place that should have been a GOP strong­hold.

We shouldn’t be too excited yet – Blunt’s a cagey character who surely  inspires plenty of monetary loyalty from the plutocrat class after his years of lickspittle servitude. Nevertheless, it is a fact that his bought and sold persona – along with his poorly hidden disdain for the crazies who crawled out from under rocks to form the Tea Party – has even turned off lots of GOPers in Missouri. Remember how the Tea Partiers  went after their beloved Michelle Bachman when she bowed to reality and endorsed Blunt in 2010?

Meanwhile one can dream. “Oh, wouldn’t it be loverly, loverly, loverly, loverly, loverly… ” if Roy Blunt went bye bye and his is the departure that shifts the Senate away from the deluded conservative clowns who, in their efforts to drown government in the bathtub,  have blighted our nations’ prospects over most of this young century?

What’s up with Republicans and charter schools?

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, charter schools, education, missouri, Peter Kinder, republicans

Last week there were numerous radio reports that Missouri Lt. Governor (and one of a  bevy of GOP gubernatorial candidates) Peter Kinder was all worked up about the recommendations of the Ferguson Commission Report that concerned education. Seems the report neglected to mention charter schools, the favorite GOP fix for the failing schools one finds in the poorest parts of the U.S.

True – some Democrats talk the charter school talk  as well, usually in the name of allowing innovation – or  as seems to be the case for some state senators representing urban St. Louis, despair that the legislature will ever provide adequate resources to bring urban public schools up to the level of those in the suburbs – where, significantly, nobody wants charter schools. But for the most part, charters tend to ring specifically Republican bells.

The partisan bias has become more pronounced now that we have some experience with charter school performance and opponents have begun to push back. Recent studies evaluating charters show that their results are, overall, no better than those of public schools. Some do better, some do worse, some show little difference – despite the ability of charter schools to cherry-pick the best students and exclude problem children. There is also the problem of financial malfeasance that has cropped up with some regularity:

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) reports that 2,500 charter schools have failed since 2000. The list includes “ghost” schools that collected public funds but never served any students. These include 25 charter schools in Michigan that were awarded federal grants of between three and four million dollars in 2010-2011 but never opened. CMD estimates that during the last twenty years the charter school industry has received over three billion dollars in federal tax dollars that should have gone to public schools.

But hey! What’s a little fraud and corruption if  you’re an ideologically-committed conservative? Charters, especially for-profits, fit well with the extreme free market religion espoused by many on the right. They can operate free of  regulations that govern most public schools; they circumvent the hated federal government’s role in setting educational policy;  and they are free to hire non-union (and even unaccredited) teachers.  Finally, many Southern states seem to be taking advantage of the lack of oversight to violate constitutional strictures against religion in publicly-funded charter school classrooms. For example, an outfit called Responsive Education Solutions (RES) rakes in federal dollars, $82 million in Texas alone where it is a major player, and in return delivers lots of that old time religion:

 For a student enrolled in an RES charter school to pass biology they have to study “Knowledge Units,” workbooks that overtly and underhandedly discredit evidence-based science and teach creationism as science in public-school classrooms. Responsive Ed not only discredits science, the opening section of a workbook section on the origin of life plagiarizes the Christian bible and states, “In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth.” The so-called science curriculum also states emphatically that “scientists question the validity of the conclusions concerning the age of the Earth” to mislead students into believing there is serious scientific debate about the age of the Earth, the nature of the geological record, and validity of biological sciences.

You can see why all this potential right-wing bounty might appeal to some wingers despite the indifferent educational record racked up by charter schools. But there’s even more to the Republican love-affair with charter schools. And by more I mean the private  money that greases the political system.

In Missouri, it doesn’t hurt that Rex Sinquefield, the billionaire who has been in the process of buying the state on the installment plan for the past several years, counts charter schools along with other efforts to privatize education as one of his main priorities. The aforementioned Peter Kinder received over $250,000 from Sinquefield in 2008 when Kinder was running for his second term as lt. governor. Almost any state politician, regardless of party, who’ll say  a good word about charter schools, has gotten a bite of the dough that Sinquefield regularly doles out – which means that lots of Missouri pols will continue to ballyhoo the virtues of charter schools as the answer to all educational ills.

In 2008 Kinder also received big donations from the charter school crusader, hedge fund owner Paul Singer. Why is a hedge fund manager located in New York donating to a Missouri supporter of charter schools? According to a story that appeared in the Washington Post, investment bankers like Singer, along with real estate types, see big opportunities in charter school expansion that  will allow them to profit off the publicly-funded schools:

As a result of this change to the tax code, banks and equity funds that invest in charter schools in underserved areas can take advantage of a very generous tax credit. They are permitted to combine this tax credit with other tax breaks while they also collect interest on any money they lend out. According to one analyst, the credit allows them to double the money they invested in seven years. Another interesting side note is that foreign investors who put a minimum of $500,000 in charter school companies are eligible to purchase immigration visas for themselves and family members under a federal program called EB-5.

The tax credit may also explain why Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg partnered with the former mayor of Newark, New Jersey, to promote charter schools; donated a half a million dollars worth of stock to organizations that distribute charter school funding; and opened his own foundation, Startup: Education, to build new charter schools.

The real estate industry, which already receives huge tax breaks as it gentrifies communities, also stands to benefit by promoting charter schools and helping them buy up property, or rent, in inner city communities.

So charter schools have something for every Republican. They hit all the right ideological notes, satisfy the GOP one percenter patrons, and bring in the dollars.With all that who cares if they’re effective?

No wonder Kinder is so aggressive in pushing charter schools as a solution to the issues of education in Ferguson. He gets a chance to criticize the Ferguson report (which earns points with Missouri GOP racists)  while avoiding any discussion of the report’s actual recommendations – which stress equity in funding across all school districts –  and significantly increased funding to support the “whole” child, something that the legislature (and a GOP governor, should there be one) will likely never touch since it might mean admitting that Missouri’s inadequate and unbalanced system of taxation should be addressed by  something other than a flat tax. On top of that, Kinder’s commitment to the charter school cause pleases many of the ideology über alles crowd while stimulating the largess of rich men who plan on getting even richer off charter schools. Hog heaven for Republicans.

Edited slightly for clarity 12/31/15

Rep. Billy Long (r): It’s your party…

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

7th Congressional District, Billy Long, missouri, president, social media, Twitter

Yesterday from Representative Billy Long (r) via Twitter:

BillyLong122915

Billy Long @auctnr1
With @GovernorPataki out what are we down to now 12, 9, 14, 16??? 7:18 PM – 29 Dec 2015

You can cry if you want to.

Good question. No one else is certain either.

Dark of Winter

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

missouri, winter

In west central Missouri:

IMG_1481X7

The political year in pictures – 2015 – part 2

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in meta

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

meta, missouri, pictures, retrospective

A continuation of our retrospective.

Truman Days in Kansas City:

Jim White (D), one of the Democratic Party candidates in the 4th Congressional District, speaking with Representative Emanuel Cleaver.

Jim White (D), one of the Democratic Party candidates in the 4th Congressional District, speaking with Representative Emanuel Cleaver.

Jackson County Democratic Committee – Truman Days 2015 (May 9, 2015)

Jefferson City, sigh.

Representative John Diehl (r) [May 2014 file photo].

Representative John Diehl (r) [May 2014 file photo].

No Diehl in Jefferson City (May 14, 2015)

Local organizing. Presidential campaigns don’t happen because…magic.

Local organizing in Warrensburg for Hillary Clinton's (D) presidential campaign - June 2015.

Local organizing in Warrensburg for Hillary Clinton’s (D) presidential campaign – June 2015.

Organizing for Hillary – Warrensburg – June 18, 2015

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) has a sad.

Marriage equality comes to America - via the United States Supreme Court.

Marriage equality comes to America – via the United States Supreme Court.

Conversations like this are taking place today in courthouses across Missouri and America (June 26, 2015)

Rep Vicky Hartzler (r): has another U.S. Supreme Court sad – today it’s marriage equality (June 26, 2015)

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) has another sad. This time on Iran:

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) speaking at her congressional town hall on Iran - Harrisonville, Missouri - August 14, 2015.

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) speaking at her congressional town hall on Iran – Harrisonville, Missouri – August 2015.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): on the Iran nuclear deal – Harrisonville, MO – August 14, 2015 (August 15, 2015)

We’d have ham and eggs. If we had some ham and if we had some eggs.

A rally with Senator Roy Blunt (r) outside the entrance to the Governor's Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia - August 2015.

A rally with Senator Roy Blunt (r) outside the entrance to the Governor’s Ham Breakfast at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia – August 20, 2015.

Missouri State Fair – Governor’s Ham Breakfast – August 20, 2015 (August 21, 2015)

Campaign fashion at the Missouri State Fair Governor’s Ham Breakfast (August 21, 2015)

Everyone loves a parade.

Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander (D) working the crowd at the University of Central Missouri Homecoming Parade in Warrensburg - October 24, 2015.

Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander (D) working the crowd at the University of Central Missouri Homecoming Parade in Warrensburg – October 2015.

Jason Kander (D) at the University of Central Missouri Homecoming Parade – October 24, 2015 (October 24, 2015)

The 55th Legislative District gets a Democratic Party candidate to challenge one of the biggest embarrassments in the Missouri General Assembly.

Ashley Beard-Fosnow, the Democratic Party candidate in the 55th Legislative District.

Ashley Beard-Fosnow, the Democratic Party candidate in the 55th Legislative District.

Ashley Beard-Fosnow (D) in the 55th Legislative District (November 8, 2015)

Ashley Beard-Fosnow announces her candidacy for Missouri House (November 11, 2015)

Teabaggers with guns.

Juxtaposition.

Juxtaposition.

The Bill of Rights applies to everyone, right? (October 10, 2015)

Juxtaposition (November 14, 2015)

Never underestimate retail politics in Missouri.

Judy Baker, one of the Democratic Party candidates for State Treasurer, in Warrenburg - December 2015.

Judy Baker, one of the Democratic Party candidates for State Treasurer, in Warrensburg – December 13, 2015.

Retail politics (December 14, 2015)

Previously:

The political year in pictures – 2015 – part 1 (December 30, 2015)

The political year in pictures – 2015 – part 1

30 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in meta

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

meta, missouri, pictures, retrospective

It’s been a very interesting year for us. We changed our platform (on relatively short notice) and managed to keep over eight years of content in our archives accessible. That’s good.

2016 is an election year. That’s good for us. It helps us feed the content beast.

There are no limits on money in the political process through the state level in Missouri. That’s bad for everyone. That’s why we cover campaign finance. We’ll continue to do so.

Over the course of the last year we covered a number of government and political events in Missouri (and elsewhere), in the process taking thousands of photographs. Most of them didn’t make it into the blog. Some of the things we saw and heard made us smile, made us think, made us gasp, made us hope, and made us despair. We thought we’d provide a retrospective of some of the pictures and stories we consider to be memorable.

A perfect metaphor for the 2015 session of the Missouri General Assembly. On a ledge:

Representative Mike Kelley (r) (right). There is no railing, there are no steps, there is no safety net.

Representative Mike Kelley (r) (right). There is no railing, there are no steps, there is no safety net.

The exterior window ledge caucus (January 9, 2015)

President Obama came to Lawrence, Kansas:

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (r) (left) greeting President Obama as he arrives in Topeka aboard Air Force One the night before his speech in Lawrence at the University of Kansas.

Kansas Governor Sam Brownback (r) (left) greeting President Obama as he arrives in Topeka aboard Air Force One the night before his speech in Lawrence at the University of Kansas.

President Obama in Kansas – January 21, 2015 (January 22, 2015)

President Obama in Lawrence, Kansas – January 22, 2015 – Photos (January 23, 2015)

President Obama in Lawrence, Kansas – January 22, 2015 – White House transcript (January 23, 2015)

State Auditor Tom Schweich, an announced candidate for governor in 2016, took his own life.

State Auditor Tom Schweich in a side gallery of the House chamber in Jefferson City – January 8, 2014.

State Auditor Tom Schweich in a side gallery of the House chamber in Jefferson City – January 8, 2014.

State Auditor Tom Schweich (1960-2015) (February 26, 2013)

Political dinners are a staple of Missouri politics. At the Kirkpatrick Dinner in Warrensburg:

Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander (D) speaking at the Johnson County Democratic Committee Kirkpatrick dinner in Warrensburg – March 28, 2015.

Secretary of State and U.S. Senate candidate Jason Kander (D) speaking at the Johnson County Democratic Committee Kirkpatrick dinner in Warrensburg – March 28, 2015.

Sen. Harold Caskey (D) – Johnson County Kirkpatrick Dinner – March 28, 2015 (March 29, 2015)

Jason Kander (D) – Johnson County Kirkpatrick Dinner – March 28, 2015 (March 29, 2015)

Economic justice in the Fight for $15 in Kansas City.

The fight for $15 in Kansas City.

The fight for $15 in Kansas City.

Fight for $15 – Kansas City – April 15, 2015 (April 16, 2015)

Mayor Sly James speaks at Fight for $15 – April 15, 2015

Sometimes you have to be in two places, not quite at once, but in the same day.

The Great Orange Satan sponsored an event in Kansas City, we covered it as media:

Work, work, work...

Work, work, work…

Kos.

Kos.

Daily Kos in Kansas City – April 25, 2015 (April 26, 2015)

And at the Back to Blue Dinner in Cass County:

State Senator Scott Sifton (D), at the time an announced candidate for Attorney General in 2016. He has since withdrawn from that race.

State Senator Scott Sifton (D), at the time an announced candidate for Attorney General in 2016. He has since withdrawn from that race.

Back to Blue Dinner in Cass County – April 25, 2015 (April 27, 2015)

Winter sunset

29 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

missouri, sunset

This evening in west central Missouri:

Missouri sunset - December 29, 2015.

Missouri sunset – December 29, 2015.

Campaign Finance: trickle in…

29 Tuesday Dec 2015

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

campaign finance, governor, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Peter Kinder

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for Peter Kinder’s (r) 2016 gubernatorial campaign:

C151161 12/29/2015 MISSOURIANS FOR PETER KINDER James Hebenstreit 5828 Pembroke Court Mission Hills KS 66208 Bartlett & Co CEO 12/28/2015 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Hmmm. Can’t vote in the primary. Is there nothing going on in Kansas? Oh, right…

Previously:

Campaign Finance: ya gotta make it up somewhere (Decemeber 16, 2015)

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