Today, from Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (r):

WTF? Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder Wants ‘Anglo-American’ Justice In Ferguson

By David August 19, 2014 1:10 pm

[….]

“We have legal processes that are set in motion, that are designed after centuries of Anglo-American jurisprudence tradition, they’re designed to protect the rights and liberties of everyone involved.”

[….]

A protest sign from over a decade ago:

A paraphrase of lyrics from a Canadian punk rock group’s song –

Subhumans (Canada), “Firing Squad” (Mike Graham), “Firing Squad” b/w “No Productivity”, 1980.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 04/14/2014 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Roy Pfautch 52 Portland Place Saint Louis MO 63108 Civic Service, Inc. Consultant 4/12/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

It’s nice to have friends.

In the previous couple of weeks:

C091145 03/31/2014 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Lewis & Clark Ozarks Mountain Forum 1736 E Sunshine St Ste 402 Springfiel MO 65804 3/29/2014 $10,000.00

C091145 03/31/2014 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Lewis & Clark Regional Leadership Forum Po Box 1013 St Charles MO 63302 3/29/2014 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Must be running for something sometime, right?

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 11/13/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Sam Fox 7701 Forsyth Blvd St Louis MO 63105 Harbour Group 11/11/2013 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Is Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (r) running for something? Just asking.

It’s no secret that the American Legislative Education Committee (ALEC), the corporatist front group owned in large part by the billionaire Koch brothers and used to enact their political preferences into law, is really big on right-to-work (RTW) legislation. ALEC is not alone in promoting RTW – the Chamber of Commerce; ALEC’s sister organization, Americans for Prosperity (AFP); along with numerous rightwing groups have also made RTW their cause du jour, but ALEC has had a particularly important role. In fact, several past efforts to enact RTW bills in Missouri adhered closely to he pattern of ALEC model legislation. Those bills – so far – have failed to gain sufficient traction to pass.

But never fear – RTW is still a priority. House speaker, Tim Jones recently, proclaimed that “we’re going to make Missouri the 25th right-to-work state.” The only thing that has changed is the strategy, as Peter Kinder explained to the ALEC overlords last month:

Earlier this month, Republican Lt. Governor Peter Kinder told an audience at the national American Legislative Exchange Council convention in Chicago that “Right to Work” (RTW) didn’t have the legs to pass through Missouri’s Republican-controlled legislature, and that the matter would likely be placed on the ballot for the next general election.

Sounds grim. RTW is not just one more effort to chip away at the ability of unions to function effectively, it’s a chain saw that can be used to slice away huge chunks of union membership.The word is that Missouri unions are already building up their war chests in anticipation of a nasty fight:

The 1978 fight pales in comparison to what the fight would cost both sides now,” Missouri AFL-CIO President, Hugh McVey, told The Missouri Times. “We won big last time and the numbers kind of speak to that, but I don’t know that we’d win like that this time. Although I do still think we would win.”

At a meeting of the Missouri Progressive Action Group (MOPAG) last Saturday, however, Democratic Rep. Bill Otto had a different perspective, all but daring the Republicans to put RTW on the ballot. His argument touched on the issue of turnout during midterm elections. Many of us believe that the reason Missouri sent such a large population of Tea Party fence posts (as in “dumb as a fence post”) to Washington in 2010, and voted for things like the anti-Obamacare Prop. C had more to do with small overall turnout and over-excited Tea Partiers than the real druthers of less extreme Missourians. One thing a RTW ballot initiative could do, if state Democrats are able to act quickly and smartly – a big if, I know – would be to energize the Democratic base. I don’t know about you, but I’ll wait and see. I’ll also keep my fingers crossed.  

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 08/26/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER G.J. Grewe Management Co. 9109 Watson Road St Louis MO 63126 8/26/2013 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Probably not.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 07/15/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Cape Radiology 70 Doctors Park Cape Giradeau MO 63703 7/15/2013 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

The July quarterly campaign finance reports are out. These are always interesting:

REPORT SUMMARY

FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER [pdf] 7/15/2013

2. All Monetary Contributions Received This Period $26,500.00

27. Money On Hand at the close of this reporting period $53,343.07

[emphasis added]

ITEMIZED EXPENDITURES OVER $100 SUPPLEMENTAL FORM

FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER [pdf] 7/15/2013

[….]

David Barklage

7925 Clayton Rd

St Louis MO 63107

4/2/2013

Messaging $2,000.00

[….]

David Barklage

7925 Clayton RD

St Louis MO 63107

6/17/2013

Research $10,000.00

Capitol Consulting

PO Box 931

Jefferson City MO 65102

6/26/2013

Fundraising $5,500.00

[….]

Peter Kinder

1220 Rockwood

Cape Giradeau MO 63701

6/21/2013

Hotel Reimbursement $602.84

[emphasis added]

Heh. “Messaging”. Indeed.

Previously:

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 02/18/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Roy Pfautch 52 Portland Pl St Louis MO 63108 Civic Service Consultant 2/16/2013 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

They’ll always have the money they need, and more. Think of it as the definition of political symbiosis.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 02/12/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Westphalia MO 65085 Self 2/7/2012 $20,000.00

[emphasis added]

Why, February 7th was a few days before that 8th Congressional District republican committee meeting in which they selected not Peter to run in the special election.

Go figure. Twenty thousand of them.  

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091145 01/22/2013 FRIENDS OF PETER KINDER Centene Management Company LLC Centene Corporation St Louis MO 63105 1/22/2013 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Recharging or charging up?

Blue skies, cold air, can’t lose

Perhaps “it’s cold at the inauguration is a first world problem”. Ok, it is. Plus it warmed up to 24 degrees. Plus our hearts were warmed as Senator Tom Dempsey underestimated the capabilities of a bell denoting 12 Noon (Dempsey came to stage after 8 chimes, only to hear the 9th).

The Inaugural speech clocked in at a brisk 12 minutes. Speaking of the current split government and comparing it to an opposite split from 1987. Then talking about the Civil War. Then a brief summary of the last four years (the auto industry is back, natural disasters). Before going into a future without limits in regards to education, science, business, agriculture and conservation. Then noting the bold pioneers of the past and future and closing by noting that he took his oath to a variety of people (waitresses pulling double shifts, veterans, farmers).

Of course the realist and cynic would note the problems ahead. But then again, those problems have always been around since 2009, aside from the veto-proof super majority and all. But it’s an inaugural speech, reality will be known later.

So some photos of the inaugural events taken from the blue section of the South Lawn:

Governor Nixon arriving on the scene with his wife Georganne

The match of the statewides



Attorney General Chris Koster being sworn into office

Treasurer Clint Zweifel being sworn into office

Secretary of State Jason Kander being sworn into office

Lt. Governor Peter Kinder being sworn into office

Governor Jay Nixon being sworn into office

Governor Nixon speaking during the Inaugural Address