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~ covering government and politics in Missouri – since 2007

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Monthly Archives: July 2026

The usual suspects

31 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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bigots, book banning, Daniel Boone Regional Library, Denny Hoskins, LGBTQIA+, missouri, pearl clutching, Rick Brattin, right wingnuts, story time

“…Rick Brattin (r) and Denny Hoskins (r) are the pre-eminent legal scholars and final arbiters of the law in the State of Missouri, said no one ever…”

Rick Brattin (r) [2013 file photo].

Denny Hoskins (r) [2017 file photo].

Pearl clutchers gotta clutch pearls.

What Missouri officials didn’t explain about an LGBTQ+ library story time
Jason Hancock
July 30, 2026 5:45 am

Denny Hoskins wants to cut a library’s funding over two books he has not read.

He Googled them, saw excerpts and looked at some pictures. For Missouri’s secretary of state, that was enough.

The books are “Rainbowsaurus,” the tale of a family searching for a rainbow dinosaur, and “Big Wig,” about a child who wins a costume contest in drag. Staff at a Columbia library read them aloud to toddlers and preschoolers during a “rainbow story time” attended by families who chose to be there.

The additional cost to Daniel Boone Regional Library for the event was $26 — $18 for a prop wig and $8 for contact paper. Everything else came from resources the public already owns.

When Hoskins learned of the event, he warned the library that if the “inappropriate endeavor” went forward, he would use his authority over the Missouri State Library to block every dollar of state and federal funding he could from future events.

The library read the books anyway.

And thus, a press conference was quickly convened.

Hoskins stood beside Rick Brattin, a state senator running for Congress, with a warning letter from Attorney General Catherine Hanaway providing the legal backdrop. Together, they brought the machinery of state government to bear on a Saturday morning story time for preschoolers.

[….]

“…Denny Hoskins wants to cut a library’s funding over two books he has not read…”

Next step, book burning for fun and profit.

Previously:

Addressing Bigotry – Warrensburg, Missouri City Council Meeting – May 8, 2023 – part 3 (May 9, 2023)

Some (former) constituents are more equal than others (June 4, 2023)

Josh Hawley (r): “Two years ago I couldn’t spell ‘constitutional scholar’, now I are one.”

29 Wednesday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Josh Hawley, US Senate

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Anthony Fauci, Asshole, Fascist pig, Josh Hawley, missouri, right wingnut, U.S. Senate

Josh Hawley (r) [2024 file photo].

Oh, FFS.

Hawley Exposes Fauci’s Self-Dealings, Fauci Pleads the Fifth
Wednesday, July 29, 2026

WASHINGTON — Today, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) grilled Dr. Anthony Fauci in a Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing over his self-dealings, pursuit of awards and cash prizes, and illegal use of federal employees and resources amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Fauci pled the Fifth each time, refusing to answer any of Senator Hawley’s questions. Fauci even pled the Fifth when Senator Hawley asked what day of the week it was, what color his tie was, and what color the carpet in front of him was, proving he had no intention to answer questions in good faith. [….]

“Silence is admission….

[….]

Amendment V
No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a grand jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

“…Silence is admission….”

No, it is not, asshole.

Fascist pig.

Campaign Finance: Two PACs, passing in the night….

28 Tuesday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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Amendment 4, ballot initiatives, campaign finance, General Assembly, HJR 3, Mike Kehoe, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Missourians for Fair Governance

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

121477 07/28/2026 Missourians for Fair Taxation Missourians for Fair Governance 100 E High St Floor 1 Jefferson City MO 65101 7/27/2026 $162,035.00

C232522 07/28/2026 Missourians for Fair Governance Missourians for Fair Taxation 100 E High St Floor 1 Jefferson City MO 65101 7/27/2026 $518,705.00

[emphasis added]

In what order? Just asking.

Campaign Finance: defunding public education

28 Tuesday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

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American Federation for Children, campaign finance, defunding public education, federal, House Republican Campaign Committee, HRCC, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Public Education, right wingnuts

Vouchers.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091068 07/27/2026 House Republican Campaign Committee, Inc American Federation for Children 5950 Berkshire Ln Dallas TX 75225 7/27/2026 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

From Dallas, Texas to Jefferson City, Missouri. A cheap buy.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: dismantle the public good, privatize everything (July 28, 2018)

Campaign Finance: Public education, eh? (September 15, 2019)

Campaign Finance: oxymoron (July 14, 2020)

Campaign Finance: of, by, and for the children (July 24, 2020)

Campaign Finance: in a name, sort of (October 6, 2020)

Campaign Finance: Who profits? (July 12, 2022)

Campaign Finance: Why not just name it ‘The Committee to Defund Public Education in Missouri’? (July 11, 2024)

Campaign Finance: the money behind the “school choice” voucher scam designed to defund public education (July 30, 2024)

What a friend we have in Donald (r), and Betsy, and…June 10, 2026)

Joined at the hip (June 11, 2026)

Campaign Finance: from Alabama to Dittmer (July 18, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Sadly, no

27 Monday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

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campaign finance, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, PAC, right wingnuts

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

243110 07/27/2026 Missouri Prospers PAC Good Day Farm Missouri 425 West Capitol Ave Suite 1350 Little Rock AR 72201 7/27/2026 $150,000.00

[emphasis added]

Hasn’t felt like it for years.

Arkansas?

Lame-duck Missouri governor still raising campaign cash with the help of lobbyist
[….]
September 17, 2024 1:15 pm

[….]

Missouri Prospers is one of a constellation of political action committees connected to Tilley, a former Missouri House speaker who became a lobbyist after resigning from office in 2012.

For years, Tilley’s lobbying clients have spread donations among six PACs associated with him and his firm. The PACs then donate that money to candidates.

[….]

“What does God need with a starship?”

25 Saturday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

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4th Congressional District, Fascist pig, former newsreader, Mark Alford, missouri, right wingnut, social media, that ridiculous hat

Read the Constitution, dumbass.

Mark Alford (r) [2023 file photo].

Congressman Mark Alford
[July 25, 2026]

If we are one nation under God… why should we keep watching prayer get kicked out of American classrooms?
COMMENT 👇
Should we return prayer to our schools?
👍 YES — Bring it back!
😟 NO — Explain why…

FFS.

Some of the responses:

Because it’s in the US Constitution! 😎

Absolutely not.

absolutely. along with the pledge of allegiance and only flag should be the american flag

Stupidity may be inherited, ignorance is a personal choice.

WEST VIRGINIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ET AL. v. BARNETTE ET AL., 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

Absolutely not. Separation of church and state. Go to a private school, teach it at home, go to whatever location for the religion you want. Do NOT indoctornate or force anyone to attend.

Under which God?

Which prayers? Are we including all religions?

Who’s prayer tradition? Catholic, Methodist, Quaker, Reform Jew, Orthodox Jews, Greek Orthodox, Coptic Christian, Romanian? In Latin, English, Hebrew, Spanish, Greek Aramaic?

Separation of Church and State. End of discussion.

It is good to know you want a state-supported religion. Would you tell us what kind of prayers you would allow in a public school?

If you can’t read and comprehend the first of our constitutional amendments, you have no business being in congress.

No. When was it in school? I went to a parochial school so we prayed there. When I went to public school we did not. That’s okay.
But curious, I’m almost 60. I’m not aware any public schools had prayer in my lifetime, so who are you talking to when you say “bring it back”?.
Anyone under 70 remember prayer in public school?

So if you have Christian prayer, will you also give equal time to Muslim prayers?

Your initial premise is flawed. The Constitution does not establish “one nation under God.”

The under God part was not part of the original pledge of allegiance either. It was put into show those “commies” that we were a god-fearing nation.

“….It seems trite but necessary to say that the First Amendment to our Constitution was designed to avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings. There is no mysticism in the American concept of the State or of the nature or origin of its authority. We set up government by consent of the governed, and the Bill of Rights denies those in power any legal opportunity to coerce that consent….” – WEST VIRGINIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ET AL. v. BARNETTE ET AL., 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

*The Satanic Temple enters the chat*

Next, Pastafarians.

See, there’s this thing called the First Amendment… if someone CHOOSES to pray to the God of their understanding in the way their faith prays, that should be allowed. Insisting everyone pray to one God of a singular religion, it’s not. Everyone who says yes, would you want you child being forced to pray to The Flying Spaghetti Monster?

Called it.

Need to put prayer back in churches and education back in schools

No. There’s are many different religions of the citizens of this country. It’s one thing to teach the basics of all religions, it’s a whole other beast to require kids to pray when we have religious freedom in this country.

Did you have a particular deity in mind, or a particular manner in which to pray?

I’m 74, and I don’t remember ANY prayers in school.
I also don’t remember any math in Sunday school.

Just “Christian” prayer or everyone’s prayer?

==========

Should we bring back The Ten Commandments to the White House?

no. We can’t even get the constitution there.

first, we would have to have a president who can read.

The lightning strikes would be frequent and spectacular…

==========

All prayer or just republican prayer?
Not in public schools!

Send your children to a parochial school of your choice, if that is important to you. Let public schools teach education, not religion. Teaching common moral principles, is acceptable I think, such as honesty, respect, integrity, inclusion, etc.

Whose prayers? Everyone’s? Or just the ones you want?

Which prayers??? Which religion/faith???

I’m sorry but RETURN? What timeline is he from?

What does prayer have to do with education?

Do they teach you the first amendment in Congress school?

Apparently not.

No mandated prayer in public school because “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.” You would hope the congressman would know better.

But we don’t have to explain “Yes”? 😂

He was hoping no one would notice.

Should we bring the constitution back to schools because the Congressman doesn’t know it.

Why is your church not enough for you?

Good question.

Glory to Thor!
See how it works, genius?

Lets teach the constitution cause the government seems to have misplaced their copy. Prayers belongs in churches and teaching belongs in schools.

We aren’t “one nation under god,” so of course we shouldn’t “bring prayer back to school.”

I started public school in the 50’s. we never had prayer in school back then. Alford doesn’t know what he is talking about or is hoping no one is old enough to remember we did not have “back in the day” so he can try and put it in now. We prayed in our home even though it wasn’t in our school. Seemed to work just fine.

I found it annoying being forced to go to church as a kid. I would’ve been even more annoyed to deal with it 6 days a week instead of just 1. I probabaly would’ve turned even more of an atheist if I was forced to engage in that.

No one ever stopped prayer in schools. The courts stopped MANDATED PRAYER in school. That is quite a different matter, friends. I don’t want to sound humorous but believers have always prayed – before a test, when a sitting in the principals office, before a big game. No one will stop a child. Students at Missouri school are allowed prayer time during Ramadan for example and the administration supports it. Students are allowed to have Christian Fellowship groups that pray together. Moments of silence occur in response to tragic events. However there are no times in a public school when teachers are required to lead a prayer while everyone prays along.

Bring back smoking in the bathroom

No. Next question.

Prayer is in schools, you can pray literally anywhere, but school isn’t the place to evangelize. Student led prayer like “see you at the pole” is already widely practiced in Missouri. Let’s keep organization-led prayer in the churches where it belongs and put education and academic rigor back in schools.

“….our Constitution was designed to avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings….”

Why does prayer have to be said aloud? God hears it even when it’s silent, right?

In his starship.

Nope. Anyone can say a silent prayer to whichever God they believe in at any time of the day in school. Lord knows I said plenty of them in my 30+ years in education. But organized, school sponsored prayer is not appropriate and violates the Constitution.

Pray for each child to have a meal during the school day, pray for a supportive, trained and fairly paid staff, pray for the resources needed to educate and train students, pray for secure and safe environments where students feel at ease, pray for common sense gun laws to ensure that it happens and pray for parents to have morals, be unselfish and practical when it comes to the needs of all students, not just theirs. How about that?

Let’s talk about it and everything else in an OPEN TOWN HALL!

Heh.

Is this the new non issue you will be ‘working for us’ again?

School is for academics. Church is for religion. This is the way.

Please read the Constitution and respect it. We don’t force religion on our fellow citizens.

No. Prayer is something that parents should be in control of, and instruction should be done on their time not classroom time.

Prayer has no place in public schools. If faith is a critical part of one’s life, take the private school route, consider home schooling or pray with your children before and after school. People of other faiths or have no religious beliefs should not be coerced into Christian prayer.

We were “one nation, indivisible” until Christians had to weasel into the pledge in the 1950s.
Same with paper money…

This should be qualified as Christian prayer since we were founded a Christian nation.

And this is the problem.

The Christian community needs to pray together and decide what one of the 39,000 versions of Christianity, is the right one.
Until they can agree, there is no reason for them to push it off onto others.
Also, The United States Constitution grants and protects our right to believe in any religion we want to. It also gives us the right to not believe in any type of religion. Most importantly it keeps the government from establishing any set religious beliefs as well as not making any laws to favor a religion.
So short answer. No!!! Keep your bs to yourself.

Interesting that you don’t ask one side to explain its position.

If you need a public place to pray and worship go to church. School is a place to learn. If people want to study mythology there is a place for that in higher education.

Are you sure that you want me to lead students in prayer?

If you want it in schools, keep it in your “Sunday Schools.” Religious freedom also means freedom FROM religion.

No. This is not a theocracy.

No, half the kids won’t take it seriously and will make fun of the half that do.

Yes, my children shall pray to Satan

You’re perfectly okay with teachers leading prayers to Baphomet?

“….our Constitution was designed to avoid these ends by avoiding these beginnings….”

Would prayer be about Republican Jesus or Classic Jesus?

Diet?

This is what you choose to concern yourself with?

I remember student prayers over the intercom, often ending “in Jesus’s Name…” and I remember the Jewish classmate of mine sitting next to me with a pained look. Never said a word, but I thought then, and think now, this is wrong. Don’t tell me it’s “voluntary”. There’s no such thing in a peer environment of students. Organized prayers in public schools should not be brought back.

Hell no! Brain wash your kids in your church but not my kids!

Don’t you have more important things to do?

Since you’re using your church as a political tool, let’s start taxing them.

Stop being gross, Mark. This is not a Christian nation. Stop trying to ruin our country with your selfish fuckery.

Only if we can play dodgeball in your sanctuaries during services…

Pray to Zeus? To Odin? To a different “God” every day of each and every year throughout a public school education? That might be an element worth implementing in order to help people learn that a multitude of imaginary friends have existed over the timeline of recorded human history.

This is rage bait, right?

And you are…who???

Pray by yourself.
Good grief.

Church is for prayer, school is for education. Not everyone in public school practices Christianity or any religion for that matter. This is purely indoctrination. If you want your kids to be involved in religion, there’s a designated place for that. Leave the rest of them out of it.

Previously:

Yes, he really is that stupid (July 18, 2026)

Are the Communists hiding in your closet right now?

24 Friday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

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4th Congressional District, clown, dumbass, Fascist pig, former newsreader, Mark Alford, missouri, right wingnut, social media, that ridiculous hat

Mark Alford (r) [2023 file photo].

Today:

Congressman Mark Alford
[July 24, 2026]

Talking about the direction of the country, the policies impacting working families, and why so many Americans are concerned about where things are headed.
Take a look
[….]
Washington Reporter
INTERVIEW: House Republicans discuss the “Bolshevik takeover” of the Democratic Party

Oh, FFS.

Some of the responses:

What about the violent takeover on J6 MA?

Yeah, about that…

Ok McCarthy Jr.

Which president took a direct stake into US Steel? Hint: it wasn’t Biden.

Careful, young voters have figured out Communism is not the same as socialist support like VA, HUD, SNAP, SBA, Farm Bill etc.

Republicans are under orders to falsely claim we are communist because he is losing and needs a new crisis.
No surprise there…

Democrats are NOT communists! Know your history- McCarthyism!

You bet we are! We are tired of your bunch allowing T to keep adding to the national debt and leading our country into bankruptcy.
From whom much is given, much is expected. Our country’s taxes should be benefiting the American taxpayers and especially ‘the least of these’. Your policies are not doing that.

Look for a new job

Get ya bootlicking ass outta here ya scrub

Circus clowns give interview 🙌

Mr Alford, you’re throwing around those historical propaganda words again, without knowing what they mean (other than you want people to be scared of the “others”, even though the fear should be of you and your compadres).
[….]

Let’s talk about the fascist takeover of Republican Party. All this commie bullshit is just cynical distraction to get us to ignore the crimes of Trump and his accomplices. And you Alford are his useful idiot

Missouri has one tragedy after another on our insufficient highways and you are concerned with communism???

The cyclospora outbreak has reached 7,400 cases across 9 states.
The FDA just recalled 1.6 million eggs due to salmonella contamination.
Screwworm cases continue to rise.
And we’ve just surpassed 2,300 measles cases — breaking 2025’s record.
“Make America Healthy Again.”

Squirrel!

The Pentagon removed four soldiers killed last weekend from its Iran war death toll because they died after Donald Trump’s April ceasefire.
The Pentagon’s official death tally stood at 18 American service members killed as of Wednesday. By Thursday, it was 14.
Scrubbing the names of four American heroes killed in Jordan and Iraq – simply because their deaths came after Trump’s so-called “cease-fire” – is a grotesque insult to their sacrifice and a deliberate attempt to whitewash the true cost of this endless war.

Bootlicking fascist scum

You are a lying ass goose stepping pos!

People need people
Not billionaires
Fuck face

Socialism is not communism you sentient potato 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

The CONCERN is where we’re headed under TRUMP.

You don’t even know what a Bolshevik was, clown.

More fear tactics. That’s all you have! Constantly trying to scare people with BS catch phrases. You don’t have any answers or solutions to help common people so you turn to fear and religious superstition to keep your sheep in line.

You’re sick and twisted, and the fact you’re an ELECTED person, is horrifying.

Stop lying! Do your job!

You are such a stooge. You’re embarrassing yourself.

Magas using fake communists distract from how they’ve screwed over the average American.

You’re a fuckin joke Congressman Mark Alford

You are pathetically embarrassing

“Bullsh!t” takeover of the Democratic party??? YOU ARE SO FULL OF CRAP!! WHY DO YOU THINK TRUMP HAS THE NICKNAME PUTINS PUPPET ???

Is the communism in the room with you now? How about you come to a few areas north of 50 Hwy and talk to a few of the people who got gerrymandered in to your district and we can discuss some of this BullS**t you keep pushing.

It’s time for you to go little Mark All-Lies.

Congressman Mark Alford try spending your time figuring out why 2/3rds of your state read and write at an elementary level.

He considers that a feature, not a bug.

How about all of you in Congress discuss the grifting and crime which you all turn a blind eye to that Trump and his family commit every day. Standing up to him and all the donors who control him and all of you could put you on the right side of history. How about running campaigns on issues that concern people and solving real problems instead of grandstanding about how loyal you are to Trump, who has said many times he doesn’t care about average Americans. There’s never been a platform from the MAGAts other than yelling about immigrants and transgender people who aren’t doing anything dipshit says they do. Just whatever whims he has.

Do something about the war that trump is losing. All he’s accomplished is making Iran stronger.

Congressman Mark Alford is a Fascist White Nationalist rage baiting POS. Mark Alford is a pathological liar, racist, bully, and proven abuser. Remind you of anyone? This man is unfit to serve. Vote this incompetent, ignorant POS out of office. #RememberInNovember

You MAGAs are scared shitless, aren’t ya…like Lettuce Diarrhea scared. 🙂

This is a flat out lie Mark!!

Mark Alford (r) [2024 file photo].

Campaign Finance: do the math

23 Thursday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Amendment 4, Amendment 5, August primary, ballot initiatives, campaign finance, class warfare, General Assembly, HJR 173, HJR 3, income tax repeal, Mike Kehoe, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Missouri Promise, National Education Association, NEA, PAC, Project Majority Rule, regressive taxation, right wingnut welfare, right wingnuts, shift the tax burden, welfare for billionaires and millionaires

“…In the 2020–21 school year, there were 3.8 million full- and part-time public school teachers, including 1.9 million elementary teachers and 1.9 million secondary teachers….”

In 2024-2025 there were 72,700 [public education] K-12 teachers in Missouri.

“…The United States has 989 billionaires in 2026, more than any other country [….] American billionaires make up about 29% of the world’s billionaire count, while holding about 42% of billionaire wealth worldwide….”

“…the state of Missouri is home to eight billionaires. This group has a combined net worth of $49.2 billion….”

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission, from the National Education Association [NEA], in opposition to Amendment 4 and Amendment 5 on the August 4th ballot:

C253757 07/23/2026 Protect Majority Rule Missouri National Education Association 1201 16th St NW Washington DC 20036 7/22/2026 $750,000.00

C264282 07/23/2026 No Everything Tax National Education Associaton 1201 16th Street NW Washingtong DC 20036 7/22/2026 $1,250,000.00

They royally pissed of teachers. Apparently.

Amendment 4 (HJR 3) would place restrictive requirements on initiative petitions by Missouri voters.

Previously:

About that ‘inconvenient’ redress of grievances thing… (June 5, 2026)

Campaign Finance: but wait, there’s even more (June 5, 2026)

Campaign Finance: way, way in (June 13, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Democracy (June 19, 2026)

Campaign Finance: fight the power (July 10, 2026)

Campaign Finance: next, you need to vote (July 19, 2026)

Amendment 5 (HJR 173) would eliminate Missouri’s income tax and redistribute a regressive tax burden to non-wealthy Missourians.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: for billionaires and millionaires (May 30, 2026)

Bait and switch (June 3, 2026)

Campaign Finance: promising us high regressive sales taxes (June 14, 2026)

MoGop’s Dark Money (June 20, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r): “Missouri voters are stupid” (June 24, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Missouri is a suburb of Ohio…and Virginia (July 7, 2026)

Campaign Finance: When they say, “We’ll make the rubble bounce,” they add, “…this high.” (July 8, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Kings take pawns (July 10, 2026)

Campaign Finance: throw in dark money, stir… (July 16, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Missouri is an expensive suburb of Ohio…and Virginia (July 16, 2016)

Campaign Finance: Maryland, Virginia, whatever… (July 18, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Pennies from heaven? (July 23, 2026)

“Vote No on Amendments 4 & 5”

No on Amendments 4 and 5.

Campaign Finance: Pennies from heaven?

23 Thursday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Amendment 5, campaign finance, class warfare, Dark money, HJR 173, income tax repeal, Mike Kehoe, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, Missouri Promise, PAC, regressive taxation, right wingnut welfare, right wingnuts, shift the tax burden, welfare for billionaires and millionaires

Nope.

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the dark money PAC helping to perpetuate right wingnut welfare for millionaires and billionaires:

C264249 07/22/2026 Missouri Promise PAC Secure Missouri 308 East High Street, Suite 300 Jefferson City MO 65101 7/21/2026 $1,450,000.00

[emphasis added]

The “populism” is so touching.

….Secure Missouri was formed to support Governor Mike Kehoe’s vision….

“Surprisingly”, there are skeptics (from April):

I plan on voting no on this bill it will cost Missouri and extra money retired people low income Social Security recipients Medicaid recipients all of these do not pay state income taxes but they will have to start paying the higher sales tax I for one will go across the state lines to buy whatever I need this is not good for the state of Missouri the only people that will gain from it are the wealthy people

You are exactly right. Seniors and low income will suffer as the tax rate will go higher and they will suffer.

lottery, casinos, dispensaries, online gambling…all were supposed to fund schools. You would think with all that allegedly going to schools we would be ranked much higher in education. Personally I think they want everyone to be stoned, stupid and broke so nobody pays attention to what they are doing.

He just can’t say how that money will be replaced.

Funny that.

Keep income tax and get rid of personal property tax!

Voting No! Bad idea Mr kehoe

Why dont you have a public town hall mtg gov. Let people express some concerns they have with your plan.

You know, travel across the state…

Why are you presenting non-facts as facts?

I don’t know? Skeptical

The Governor is lying again, his lips are moving.

It’s not going to affect public education dollars. But what will the percent of sales tax be to offset the income income tax? What will the percentage be? In Green County right now we pay right around 8.1% in sales tax. Every time we go to the grocery store every time we buy a car. So if you add 4% 8% on that. Then go purchase a $40,000 car. And then you have to pay a 16% sales tax on that. Yeah it’s gonna devastate the middle class. While Rich business owners are gonna kick back and laugh. You’re gonna have to have a better plan to convince me as a voter that this isn’t going to raise the sales tax one dime. Most homeowners already know that most schools and everything are paid through their property tax. We already know that you guys lied to us with the lottery. It never has gone directly to schools. It’s gone directly into the general fund and then the state does what the state is always done allocate so much money to our school systems. None of you politicians can be trusted. I don’t care if you’re republican or democrat. You take our money and waste it. And then you make your backroom deals with big business. This stuff has to stop. Do you want to do something? That’s good. Reconstruct how you fund school systems. Make sure every dime of the lottery goes into the school system. And abolish property tax, not state income tax. But you guys aren’t gonna do that because special interest will start crying? You guys in State Office need to grow a spine or just get out and let somebody in there that can handle the problems that the middle class in the state are facing.

Voting no, bad idea Mr. Kehoe!

No income tax will help the millionaires and billionaires, and a sales tax will hurt the middle class and seniors on a limited budget

Bingo!

Do the math for us Mike. Show us how this will keep more money in our pockets. And make sure you include the increased sales taxes in your figure. I GUARANTEE the end figures show us with LESS money in pur pockets.

If you’re close to retirement, vote no! You’ll be paying other taxes to make up for this for the rest of your life after paying income tax your whole working life. This will hurt any retirees that are living on a fixed income!

Only people keeping their own money will be the rich. Because the rest of us will be paying for the money they get to keep!

w

No it’s not, you’re just gonna take the money from somewhere else most likely in sales tax, stuff is about ready to get really expensive

I vote No !, it means more other taxes hitting those retired, fixed income, disabled, making us pay more and the young working Missourians paying more too, even with greater take home pay. Vote No !

So instead of just taking it from my check you’ll let me see it then over tax me in every way possible but my income

That just about sums it up.

When I’m not sure what politics are trying to explain, I vote against that razzle dazzle

Brother we need to show some common sense, and ban shurea law in Missouri.

Uh?

He thinks full funding is zero$.

Benefiting your cronies and donors at the expense of people you’re “claiming” to help. Missouri is indeed being run like a used car lot…

No details are bad details. Too much legislative Trump-like power.

“Mike Kehoe is Trump’s Bitch”

JUST FOR THE RICH

Talk about what it does to your grandma and grandpa who paid their income taxes anyone who votes yes just admit you don’t care about your grandparents

HYPOCRISY AND LIES
trump economics!

Missourians need only consider one word in evaluating Kehoe’s plan. That word is Brownback. We should all recall the sorry saga of the Kansas governor who almost bankrupt the State. Missouri is known as a “low tax, low service” state. Our tax burden per capital is one of the lowest in the nation. Recent reductions in income tax rates and corporate tax rates have not caused a stampede of new businesses into the State. Missouri’s reputation for substandard and underfunded schools, roads and other infrastructure, and inadequate public services is much more responsible for new business development than our state tax rates.

Remember Kansas.

Well he is a liar.

Same old republican verbage…vote no and then vote them out of office.

Mike kehoe is a politician. Deception is his moto. Vote no.

No way! Your going to raise sales tax and we will all be paying more! This clowns got to go! Im so sick of these politicians thinking we are all so stupid

Crook!

If it’s promoted by the republicans,…you can bet your bottom dollar it will help the rich!!!

NO, He LIES like his leader

Tax hike Mike at his best.

Vote No. I am a Republican. Did you see them? Squint, you can see the strings attached to this puppet.
Do your research. At first they will raise the sales tax to 8%. Which means in Springfield you could pay
12% or higher tax. Branson would pay 16%. That’s if it works. It will go up as they spend and need more.
Analysts suggest this would result in higher overall taxes for 80% of Missourians, pushing the combined rate substantially higher in areas like Springfield that already have high local taxes.
80%? Want to know why. Because people on Social Security would pay more. People on Disability would pay much more. Millitary people on Disability would pay much more. The working poor would pay much more. Active Millitary Soldiers would pay much more. Those on Millitary pensions would pay more. Millitary retirees contribute 30 billion to the economy. We will lose a big percentage of these folks.
Look at Wyoming sales tax it is 6%, they have no state tax. Look at Florida. The highest sales tax is 8%. They have no state tax. Do you see what these clowns are trying to do?
No state tax is a great idea. This is not a good idea.
Vote no. Cut the puppet strings from this idiot and the big interest ventriloquists that speaks for him.
This guy does not have the people’s interested heart. He has big business and corporations interest at heart.
I am ashamed I voted for him!

You knowingly and willingly defund education every year. Your plan hurts the poor and middle class!

Never beliethey hve this guy

A 15 second video?!?!? You need to do better than that!!!

And yet, apparently, they have very deep pockets.

Missouri voters pass and fail ballot issues couple times a yr and you and others in the Capitol overturn the people’s choices.
You sir can not be trusted.

He’s a liar. All he does is lie and this new tax plan will do nothing but give the rich more money and take from the poor.

This bill lets rich people keep their money, and raises all other taxes to make up the loss. We must not pass this law.

He is NOT telling the whole story. This will be replaced with another one of the swamps “solution” scheme that will cost double what he says. Kehoe is just another RINO protecting his power and his corporate donors. This state has not had a decent governor in forever! Do not buy this BS Missouri voters. It is a well- disguised tax increase to the people who can afford it the least and Kehoe is a lying snake!

I think it’s a very BAD IDEA!

Mike Kehoe (r) [2025 file photo].

No on Amendment 5.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: for billionaires and millionaires (May 30, 2026)

Bait and switch (June 3, 2026)

Campaign Finance: promising us high regressive sales taxes (June 14, 2026)

MoGop’s Dark Money (June 20, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r): “Missouri voters are stupid” (June 24, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Missouri is a suburb of Ohio…and Virginia (July 7, 2026)

Campaign Finance: When they say, “We’ll make the rubble bounce,” they add, “…this high.” (July 8, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Kings take pawns (July 10, 2026)

Campaign Finance: throw in dark money, stir… (July 16, 2026)

Campaign Finance: Missouri is an expensive suburb of Ohio…and Virginia (July 16, 2016)

Campaign Finance: Maryland, Virginia, whatever… (July 18, 2026)

“Vote No on Amendments 4 & 5”

Big Boy, No. 4014

21 Tuesday Jul 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Big Boy, No. 4014, railroad, steam, train, Union Pacific

This afternoon in Warrensburg, Missouri:

Union Pacific Big Boy No. 4014, Ridgeview crossing on the east side of Warrensburg, Missouri.

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