It’s been a while.

In the universe of political stenography you can ignore a candidate’s behavior because it’s not quite as outrageous as that of someone else.

Yesterday, at the Kansas City Star:

Steve Kraske: The money in politics is out of control

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star 01/30/2015 5:19 PM 01/30/2015 5:30 PM

….On Thursday, Republican Tom Schweich kicked off his campaign for Missouri governor attacking what he considers the whacked-out money culture in Jeff City.

“You can’t get anything else done until you clean up the corruption,” he said.

Voters, for sure, are weary of all the talk of big money gobbling up government. They think the whole game is rigged. They’ve disengaged.

It feels like the system is coming unhinged. Government isn’t just for sale, folks. It’s been sold, and folks like Rex Sinquefield have the receipts.

[emphasis added]

On that same day State Auditor Tom Schweich’s (r) gubernatorial campaign committee took in over $360,000.00 from twenty-eight individuals and entities. There was one campaign contribution of $50,000.00 from one individual and a total of $75,000.00 in two separate contributions from one couple. All of those twenty-eight contributions were over $5,000.00 and were required to be reported within forty-eight hours.

Tom Schweich (r) ain’t exactly the poster child for campaign finance reform and single source fundraising restraint.

You think that would be worth a mention?

Previously:

Sorting it all out (January 12, 2015)

Campaign Finance: the giant chess piece in the room (January 15, 2015)

Tom Schweich (r) versus Catherine Hanaway (r) in 2016 (January 28, 2015)

Campaign Finance: kings to pawn $361,506.00, check (January 29, 2015)

Campaign Finance: trickle in (January 31, 2015)

Campaign Finance: keeping up with the Schweichs (r) and Hanaways (r) (January 31, 2015)

I choose math challenged.

The stenographer in today’s Kansas City Star:

On Friday, the White House announced its three finalists for the Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge.

Blue Valley Northwest wasn’t one of them.

The high school had been named one of six semifinalists in the country still in the running to bring President Barack Obama to its graduation ceremony. Students had produced a video and completed other tasks to advance as far as it did.

An Obama spokesman insisted that the three finalists were picked by people who visited the White House website and voted.

But from the start, I thought that given Kansas’ GOP propensities, there wasn’t a snowball’s chance that Blue Valley Northwest would win.

Turns out that the three finalist high schools are in Ohio, Michigan and Colorado, each a pivotal swing state.

The White House flack told me I’m too cynical. Really?

Too cynical? They were being way too nice. You’re math challenged.

“…An Obama spokesman insisted that the three finalists were picked by people who visited the White House website and voted…” [emphasis added]

Uh, why did the White House spokesperson have to “insist” for you? Did you question the process? Just asking.

We sort of get the point that the Johnson County, Kansas school didn’t have a chance. But, it’s not the White House doing the voting.

The vote in Johnson County, Kansas and in the state of Kansas in 2008:

Johnson [Kansas President 2008]

McCain 152,627 54%

Obama 127,091 45%

That’s not a lot people, eh?

President [2008]

Kansas

McCain 699,655 57%

Obama 514,765 42%

So, would anyone who was not a stenographer think to check the differences in the presidential election voting population among the areas of the school finalists? You bet, that’s why we’re here.

The White House press release:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

____________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 30, 2010

Top 3 Finalists Announced for Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge

National winner to be selected by President Obama for commencement speech

WASHINGTON – The White House and the Department of Education announced today the top three finalists of the first annual Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge.

The top three finalists, in no particular order are:

• Clark Montessori Jr. & Sr. High School in Cincinnati, OH

• Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, MI

• Denver School of Science and Technology in Denver, CO

Between April 26th and April 29th, over 170,000 people weighed in on the six high school finalists.    President Obama will now choose a winner from the top three rated schools and deliver their commencement address later this spring.  The final winner will be announced on Tuesday, May 4.

In recognition of the extraordinary achievements and outstanding efforts by each of the original six finalists, the Obama Administration will work to provide a Cabinet secretary or senior administration official to deliver the commencement address at each of the five schools not selected as the national winner.

The Commencement Challenge, launched in late February, invited public high schools around the country a chance to show how they are challenging their students to excel in academics, take personal responsibility for their education, and graduate high school ready for college and career.  Over one thousand schools submitted applications.

# #

[emphasis added]

Well, Blue Valley Northwest does get a consolation speaker. Secretary Sebelius, perhaps?

Let’s take look at President Obama’s most recent approval numbers in Kansas, via Survey USA:

Geography: Kansas

Data Collected: 04/09/2010 – 04/11/2010

Release Date: 04/14/2010

Sponsor: KWCH-TV Wichita

600 Adults

Margin of Sampling Error: ± 4%

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President?

Approve – 34%

Disapprove – 62%

Not Sure – 4%

If you were anything but a stenographer would you think if the President wasn’t too popular in a state that perhaps people wouldn’t go out of their way to vote on-line to bring the President to speak at a high school graduation ceremony?

Let’s take a look at some of the 2008 election results for the locations of the finalist schools:

Denver [Colorado President 2008]

Obama 204,882 76%

McCain 62,567 23%

Okay, that’s a lot more people voting for the President in 2008 than in Johnson County, Kansas.

Kalamazoo [Michigan President 2008]

Obama 77,051 59%

McCain 51,554 39%

Well, there are fewer voters than in Johnson County, Kansas, but, to be sure, Sunday Talk Show President McCain lost the county by twenty points.

Hamilton [Ohio President 2008]

Obama 224,644 53%

McCain 195,107 46%

Yep, more people voted for Obama in 2008 in Cincinnati than in Johnson County, Kansas. Go figure. Yeah, the percentages are similar but the numbers are larger.

“…Turns out that the three finalist high schools are in Ohio, Michigan and Colorado, each a pivotal swing state…”

Uh, it turns out that President Obama carried Ohio, Michigan and Colorado in 2008. He didn’t carry Kansas in 2008. You think that people who didn’t vote for him in 2008 were gonna vote to bring him to their community in 2010? Just asking.

Heads or tails? Stenography can be so difficult sometimes.

The stenographer spent some time in today’s edition of the Kansas City Star trying to flip coins (or read the tea leaves) for the upcoming Kansas City mayoral race.

Who leads the mayor’s race? Who knows?

By STEVE KRASKE

The Kansas City Star

…Maybe the bigger question is: How could it come to this…?

…For others, maybe it’s the blogosphere world we live in, where even the wisest decisions are pilloried as stupid and a sure sign of Stalinism, Maoism or Attilaism.

Take Barnes. Some speculate that at 72, she could be talked into running. The city charter says she can run again after sitting out a term.

But didn’t she drag the city down into a financial rathole with the downtown entertainment district? At least, that’s what you hear from some bloggers.

See? Who needs it?

Wisest decisions? And which self appointed gatekeeper is the arbiter of that?

You left out McCarthyism.

Yeah, those unruly bloggers, asking uncomfortable questions, are such a bother. Who knew that they were so influential? Do you think it’s because old media is failing and nature abhors a vacuum?

By the way, it’s blogtopia (y, sctp!).

I’m shocked, shocked to find that gambling is going on in here!

The stenographer writes in today’s Kansas City Star:

Posted on Sat, Dec. 12, 2009 10:18 PM

ON POLITICS

Ex-lawmaker calls Missouri General Assembly a ‘scam’

By STEVE KRASKE

Former Missouri lawmaker Brian Yates couldn’t hold back.

Having resigned his seat Dec. 1, midway through his final term, the Lee’s Summit Republican let loose last week with a no-holds-barred assessment of the state of Jefferson City….

….Serving in the General Assembly, he said, had become a “scam….”

….The 34-year-old lawyer ticked them off: the passage of legislation in exchange for campaign donations, the underhanded dealings of former House speaker Rod Jetton, price tags placed on committee chairmanships, wealthy folks getting all the attention, all that political money sloshing around the Capitol….

The stenographer fails to mention what our good friends at Fired Up point out:

Brian Yates (R-Payday Loans)

Submitted by .Sean on November 30, 2009 – 5:43pm

Rep. Brian Yates (R-Lee’s Summitt) is officially resigning at noon tomorrow to work full time for QC Holdings.  It’s a payday loan company, with stores operating mostly as Quik Cash or National Quik Cash.

H’ray usury!

We did a search at the Missouri Ethics Commission for campaign contributions by QC Holdings during 2008 and this is what we came up with:

[Note: duplicate listings for the same single contribution will show up due to ammended campaign finance reports]

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 12/19/2007 $625.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071143 CITIZENS TO ELECT SUE ALLEN — QC Holdings 10/05/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071365 SPEAKER JETTON LEADERSHIP FUND — QC Holdings INC 12/29/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — AMENDED JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 11/29/2007 $1,000.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031227 REPUBLICAN 18TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT COMMITTEE — QC Holdings Inc 10/17/2007 $500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051222 CITIZENS TO ELECT JAMILAH NASHEED — QC Holdings Companies 11/01/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071365 SPEAKER JETTON LEADERSHIP FUND — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 12/29/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 11/14/2007 $2,500.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 12/05/2007 $3,750.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C010289 PEOPLE FOR MICHAEL SPRENG — QC Holdings , inc 10/24/2007 $325.00 Yes — JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 11/29/2007 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc.   01/11/2008 $18,000.00 Yes — 24 HOUR EXPENDITURE REPORT – SPECIAL ELECTION

C010402 ZWEIFEL FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE — QC Holdings 02/21/2008 $325.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C001096 FRIENDS OF DELBERT SCOTT — QC Holdings 01/02/2008 $650.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031160 FRIENDS OF TILLEY — QC HOLDINGS INC 01/02/2008 $325.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 02/28/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc.   12/19/2007 $625.00 Yes — AMENDED – JANUARY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 2/26/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc. 02/28/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051104 MISSOURIANS FOR STEVE HOBBS — QC Holdings 06/30/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051104 MISSOURIANS FOR STEVE HOBBS — QC Holdings 06/30/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 04/24/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 06/30/2008 $5,300.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041065 FRIENDS OF WARD FRANZ — QC Holdings, Inc. 06/27/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C010503 CITIZENS FOR JAY WASSON — QC HOLDINGS, INC. 06/26/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C051087 CITIZENS FOR TIMOTHY W JONES — QC Holdings, Inc. 06/05/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C031212 BRUNS FOR REP — QC Holdings Inc –   06/29/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C061248 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM Yes QC Holdings, Inc 06/05/2008 $325.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C081056 GINA LOUDON FOR SENATE — QC Holdings Inc   04/10/2008 $650.00 Yes — JULY – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041135 CITIZENS FOR BOB NANCE — QC Holdings 07/11/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C061401 MO LEADERSHIP COMMITTEE — QC HOLDINGS, INC. 07/01/2008 $2,500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051286 CITIZENS FOR MIKE TALBOY — QC Holdings, Inc.   07/01/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C010334 FRIENDS OF CHARLIE DENISON — QC Holdings, INC 07/11/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C061291 LEADERSHIP FOR TOMORROW — QC Holdings, Inc 07/24/2008 $500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051232 CITIZENS FOR RYAN SILVEY — QC Holdings, Inc. 07/02/2008 $325.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051161 CITIZENS FOR A BETTER GOVERNMENT — QC Holdings Inc. 07/01/2008 $500.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C051286 CITIZENS FOR MIKE TALBOY — QC Holdings, Inc. 07/01/2008 $325.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE PRIMARY ELECTION

C010193 RON RICHARD 2010 — QC Holdings 09/03/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC   09/04/2008 $2,500.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000745 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 09/10/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071368 STEVENSON PAC — QC Holdings Inc – 07/14/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000762 GREATER KC WOMENS POLITICAL CAUCUS PAC — QC Holdings 09/29/2008 $1,250.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C071384 ECONOMIC GROWTH COUNCIL — QC Holdings 07/28/2008 $12,500.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C041584 0011TH SENATORIAL LEADERSHIP COMM — QC Holdings Inc. 10/16/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041050 COMMITTEE TO ELECT KENNY JONES — QC Holdings Inc. 10/20/2008 $400.00
Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C010293 MISSOURIANS FOR GOODMAN — QC Holdings 10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C071320 SCHMITT FOR SENATE — QC Holdings Inc 10/17/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C001285 COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOAN BARRY — QC Holdings Inc   10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C061646 STAN COX FOR STATE REPRESENTATIVE — QC Holdings, Inc 10/20/2008 $400.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C071094 MAJORITY FUND INC — QC Holdings, Inc.   10/21/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C031110 MISSOURIANS FOR CROWELL — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC 10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041628 ENGLER 08 — QC Holdings Inc –   10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/15/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C051320 COMMITTEE FOR EL-AMIN 57TH Yes QC Holdings, INC 10/10/2008 $400.00 Yes — 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/28/2008 $500.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C081082 CITIZENS TO ELECT GRAY Yes QC FINANCIAL/QC HOLDINGS, INC. 10/23/2008 $400.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C001285 COMMITTEE TO ELECT JOAN BARRY — QC Holdings Inc 10/20/2008 $675.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C041628 ENGLER 08 — QC Holdings Inc – 10/10/2008 $675.00 Yes — AMENDED – 8 DAY BEFORE GENERAL ELECTION

C000223 CUNNINGHAM CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/28/2008 $500.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc.   10/27/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000960 MO DEMOCRATIC STATE COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $5,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C051108 CITIZENS FOR RIDGEWAY — QC Holdings INC QC Holdings INC   10/24/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C000801 MO SENATE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings, Inc. 7/11/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 2/26/2008 $1,000.00 Yes — AMENDED – APRIL – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000656 MO HOUSE DEMOCRATIC CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE — QC Holdings 10/27/2008 $2,650.00 Yes — AMENDED – 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

C071384 ECONOMIC GROWTH COUNCIL — QC Holdings 07/28/2008 $12,500.00 Yes — AMENDED – OCTOBER – COMMITTEE QUARTERLY REPORT

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 01/11/2008 $18,000.00 Yes — AMENDED 30 DAY AFTER SPECIAL ELECTION

C000953 MO REPUBLICAN PARTY — QC Holdings, Inc. 10/27/2008 $10,000.00 Yes — AMENDED 30 DAY AFTER GENERAL ELECTION

[emphasis added]

There are a number of relatively small contributions and, of course, we also note contributions to candidates and committees of both major political parties.

What’s interesting is that old media fails to point out the irony of a critic of the system and the culture of the previous Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives quitting the House and going to work for an entity that made a significant amount of political contributions.

Ultimately the voters get the campaign finance world they deserve. If they want to change it for the better individual voters can get of their duffs, decide on the individual candidates they want to support, and send them each a check for ten dollars. If enough people get it and start doing such there wouldn’t be a culture that exploits the need for large contributions from other entities.