Today in southern Missouri:
Infrastructure, baby!
Joe Biden (D) [2014 file photo].
You think Josh (r) and Eric (r) will show up at the ribbon cutting ceremonies? Just asking.
Thanks, Joe Biden (D)!
23 Sunday Jun 2024
Posted in Uncategorized
Tag Archives: infrastructure
Did you vote for that funding?
09 Thursday Dec 2021
Posted in social media
Tags
6th Congressional District, Amtrak, infrastructure, Joe Biden, missouri, right wingnut, Sam Graves, social media, Twitter
Today:
Rep. Sam Graves @RepSamGraves
Amtrak just got about $60 billion in new funding, but now President Biden’s vaccine mandates are spurring new worker shortages and service cuts, thwarting recovery from historic Amtrak losses last year. Taxpayers will be paying more money for less service.
3:01 PM · Dec 9, 2021
There was much hilarity in the responses:
Did you vote for that funding?
I’m sure Amtrak will find vaccinated workers to fill the loss of a handful of employees that are too self-centered to get the vaccine.
I think you meant to say that the vaccine mandate has protected consumers from having to interact with willing infection and mutation vectors.
Who the fuck wants to ride on a train with a bunch of unvaccinated people?
Maybe if you would encourage your constituents to get vaccinated instead of trying to score political points, your constituents would stop dying.
Again, Sam. Covid numbers are rising (again) in MO. Would you prefer that worker shortages are due to employee deaths than shortages? Why not encourage vaccines? Nope! Your alligience is to the Republican party. Not to MIssourians.
Have you driven MIssouri roads?
Heh.
If you don’t pay the piper, you can’t call the tune
23 Tuesday Nov 2021
Posted in Uncategorized
“…Graves added he felt Missouri was receiving ‘less than we should be getting.’…”
Think about that for just a second or two.
He didn’t vote for the bill.
Photo credit: Congressional web site
H R 3684 YEA-AND-NAY 5-Nov-2021 11:24 PM
QUESTION: On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment
BILL TITLE: INVEST in America Act—- YEAS 228 —
Cleaver
—- NAYS 206 —
Bush
Graves (MO)
Hartzler
Long
Luetkemeyer
Smith (MO)
Wagner
[….]
[emphasis added]
Planning for those ribbon cutting photo-ops in the district:
Officials review what infrastructure bill means for Northeast Missouri
[….]U.S. Rep. Sam Graves, R-Tarkio, said he didn’t support the bill because the positive aspects of the bill are overshadowed by not laying out how it will be paid for. He said he wished a bipartisan solution could have been reached, noting the legislation would fuel further inflation and supply chain issues.
“There’s some good things in the bill, but they didn’t come up with a real way to pay for it which is the real problem with this bill,” Graves said. “They slapped some budget gimmicks in there and called it a day.
“That’s going to fuel more inflation and contribute to the rising prices we’re already seeing under President Biden, which is only increasing the price to fill up your car or feed the extended family on Thanksgiving. We can’t afford that right now.”
Graves recommended constituents in his district reach out to local leaders as well as his office. He stressed his door is always open to hear comments and concerns.
“Much like the way they are accustomed to requesting federal money, folks will need to work through MoDOT and other state agencies, as well as the federal grant process. I didn’t support the bill because of the costs, but I’m going to fight to make sure Hannibal and the rest of North Missouri gets its fair share. If local leaders have a project in mind, my office is always available to answer any questions they might have. It’s been that way before this bill passed and it will always be that way.”
Graves added he felt Missouri was receiving “less than we should be getting.”
“Missouri is slated to get $8 billion out of $1.2 trillion. We make up 1.8% of the U.S. population. We got the short end of the stick,” he said.
[….]
“…We got the short end of the stick…”
Chutzpah.
Previously:
Finally: “Infrastructure Week – Part 1” (November 6, 2021)
Finally: “Infrastructure Week – Part 1”
06 Saturday Nov 2021
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
Ann Wagner, Billy Long, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Congress, infrastructure, Invest in America Act, Jason Smith, Joe Biden, Josh Hawley, missouri, Roy Blunt, Sam Graves, Vicky Hartlzer
The first bill, Invest in America Act, passed.
Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) [2020 file photo]
Finally, late last night, “Infrastructure Week – Part 1”:
FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 369
H R 3684 YEA-AND-NAY 5-Nov-2021 11:24 PM
QUESTION: On Motion to Concur in the Senate Amendment
BILL TITLE: INVEST in America Act—- YEAS 228 —
Cleaver
—- NAYS 206 —
Bush
Graves (MO)
Hartzler
Long
Luetkemeyer
Smith (MO)
Wagner[….]
[emphasis added]
Anyone thinking that all of the projects should go to Kansas City?
Roy Blunt (r) [2016 file photo].
In the Senate, August 10, 2021:
Roll Call Vote 117th Congress – 1st Session
Vote Summary
Question: On Passage of the Bill (H.R. 3684, As Amended)
Vote Number: 314
Vote Date: August 10, 2021, 11:17 AM
Required For Majority: 1/2
Vote Result: Bill Passed
Measure Number: H.R. 3684 (INVEST in America Act)
Measure Title: A bill to authorize funds for Federal-aid highways, highway safety programs, and transit programs, and for other purposes.
Vote Counts:YEAs 69
Blunt (R-MO)
NAYs 30
Hawley (R-MO)
Not Voting 1
[….]
[emphasis added]
Joe Biden (D) [2020 file photo].
From President Joe Biden:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2021Statement by President Joe Biden on the House Passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
Tonight, we took a monumental step forward as a nation.
The United States House of Representatives passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, a once-in-generation bipartisan infrastructure bill that will create millions of jobs, turn the climate crisis into an opportunity, and put us on a path to win the economic competition for the 21st Century.
It will create good-paying jobs that can’t be outsourced. Jobs that will transform our transportation system with the most significant investments in passenger and freight rail, roads, bridges, ports, airports, and public transit in generations.
This will make it easier for companies to get goods to market more quickly and reduce supply chain bottlenecks now and for decades to come. This will ease inflationary pressures and lower costs for working families.
The bill will create jobs replacing lead water pipes so every family can drink clean water.
It will make high-speed internet affordable and available everywhere in America.
This bill will make historic and significant strides that take on the climate crisis. It will build out the first-ever national network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country. We will get America off the sidelines on manufacturing solar panels, wind farms, batteries, and electric vehicles to grow these supply chains, reward companies for paying good wages and for sourcing their materials from here in the United States, and allow us to export these products and technologies to the world.
It will also make historic investments in environmental clean-up and remediation, and build up our resilience for the next superstorms, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes that cost us billions of dollars in damage each year.
I’m also proud that a rule was voted on that will allow for passage of my Build Back Better Act in the House of Representatives the week of November 15th.
The Build Back Better Act will be a once-in-a-generation investment in our people.
It will lower bills for healthcare, child care, elder care, prescription drugs, and preschool. And middle-class families get a tax cut.
This bill is also fiscally responsible, fully paid for, and doesn’t raise the deficit. It does so by making sure the wealthiest Americans and biggest corporations begin to pay their fair share and doesn’t raise taxes a single cent on anyone making less than $400,000 per year.
I look forward to signing both of these bills into law.
Generations from now, people will look back and know this is when America won the economic competition for the 21st Century.
###
And from the White House:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 6, 2021FACT SHEET:
The Bipartisan Infrastructure DealToday, Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act), a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness. For far too long, Washington policymakers have celebrated “infrastructure week” without ever agreeing to build infrastructure. The President promised to work across the aisle to deliver results and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure. After the President put forward his plan to do exactly that and then negotiated a deal with Members of Congress from both parties, this historic legislation is moving to his desk for signature.
This Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, expand access to clean drinking water, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, tackle the climate crisis, advance environmental justice, and invest in communities that have too often been left behind. The legislation will help ease inflationary pressures and strengthen supply chains by making long overdue improvements for our nation’s ports, airports, rail, and roads. It will drive the creation of good-paying union jobs and grow the economy sustainably and equitably so that everyone gets ahead for decades to come. Combined with the President’s Build Back Framework, it will add on average 1.5 million jobs per year for the next 10 years.
This historic legislation will:
Deliver clean water to all American families and eliminate the nation’s lead service lines. Currently, up to 10 million American households and 400,000 schools and child care centers lack safe drinking water. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will invest $55 billion to expand access to clean drinking water for households, businesses, schools, and child care centers all across the country. From rural towns to struggling cities, the legislation will invest in water infrastructure and eliminate lead service pipes, including in Tribal Nations and disadvantaged communities that need it most.
Ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet. Broadband internet is necessary for Americans to do their jobs, to participate equally in school learning, health care, and to stay connected. Yet, by one definition, more than 30 million Americans live in areas where there is no broadband infrastructure that provides minimally acceptable speeds – a particular problem in rural communities throughout the country. And, according to the latest OECD data, among 35 countries studied, the United States has the second highest broadband costs. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will deliver $65 billion to help ensure that every American has access to reliable high-speed internet through a historic investment in broadband infrastructure deployment. The legislation will also help lower prices for internet service and help close the digital divide, so that more Americans can afford internet access.
Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users. In the United States, 1 in 5 miles of highways and major roads, and 45,000 bridges, are in poor condition. The legislation will reauthorize surface transportation programs for five years and invest $110 billion in additional funding to repair our roads and bridges and support major, transformational projects. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal makes the single largest investment in repairing and reconstructing our nation’s bridges since the construction of the interstate highway system. It will rebuild the most economically significant bridges in the country as well as thousands of smaller bridges. The legislation also includes the first ever Safe Streets and Roads for All program to support projects to reduce traffic fatalities, which claimed more than 20,000 lives in the first half of 2021.
Improve transportation options for millions of Americans and reduce greenhouse emissions through the largest investment in public transit in U.S. history. America’s public transit infrastructure is inadequate – with a multibillion-dollar repair backlog, representing more than 24,000 buses, 5,000 rail cars, 200 stations, and thousands of miles of track, signals, and power systems in need of replacement. Communities of color are twice as likely to take public transportation and many of these communities lack sufficient public transit options. The transportation sector in the United States is now the largest single source of greenhouse gas emissions. The legislation includes $39 billion of new investment to modernize transit, in addition to continuing the existing transit programs for five years as part of surface transportation reauthorization. In total, the new investments and reauthorization in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal provide $89.9 billion in guaranteed funding for public transit over the next five years — the largest Federal investment in public transit in history. The legislation will expand public transit options across every state in the country, replace thousands of deficient transit vehicles, including buses, with clean, zero emission vehicles, and improve accessibility for the elderly and people with disabilities.
Upgrade our nation’s airports and ports to strengthen our supply chains and prevent disruptions that have caused inflation. This will improve U.S. competitiveness, create more and better jobs at these hubs, and reduce emissions. Decades of neglect and underinvestment in our infrastructure have left the links in our goods movement supply chains struggling to keep up with our strong economic recovery from the pandemic. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal will make the fundamental changes that are long overdue for our nation’s ports and airports so this will not happen again. The United States built modern aviation, but our airports lag far behind our competitors. According to some rankings, no U.S. airports rank in the top 25 of airports worldwide. Our ports and waterways need repair and reimagination too. The legislation invests $17 billion in port infrastructure and waterways and $25 billion in airports to address repair and maintenance backlogs, reduce congestion and emissions near ports and airports, and drive electrification and other low-carbon technologies. Modern, resilient, and sustainable port, airport, and freight infrastructure will strengthen our supply chains and support U.S. competitiveness by removing bottlenecks and expediting commerce and reduce the environmental impact on neighboring communities.
Make the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak. U.S. passenger rail lags behind the rest of the world in reliability, speed, and coverage. China already has 22,000 miles of high-speed rail, and is planning to double that by 2035. The legislation positions rail to play a central role in our transportation and economic future, investing $66 billion in additional rail funding to eliminate the Amtrak maintenance backlog, modernize the Northeast Corridor, and bring world-class rail service to areas outside the northeast and mid-Atlantic. This is the largest investment in passenger rail since Amtrak’s creation, 50 years ago and will create safe, efficient, and climate-friendly alternatives for moving people and freight.
Build a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers. U.S. market share of plug-in EV sales is only one-third the size of the Chinese EV market. That needs to change. The legislation will invest $7.5 billion to build out a national network of EV chargers in the United States. This is a critical step in the President’s strategy to fight the climate crisis and it will create good U.S. manufacturing jobs. The legislation will provide funding for deployment of EV chargers along highway corridors to facilitate long-distance travel and within communities to provide convenient charging where people live, work, and shop. This investment will support the President’s goal of building a nationwide network of 500,000 EV chargers to accelerate the adoption of EVs, reduce emissions, improve air quality, and create good-paying jobs across the country.
Upgrade our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy across the country and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future. According to the Department of Energy, power outages cost the U.S. economy up to $70 billion annually. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal’s more than $65 billion investment includes the largest investment in clean energy transmission and grid in American history. It will upgrade our power infrastructure, by building thousands of miles of new, resilient transmission lines to facilitate the expansion of renewables and clean energy, while lowering costs. And it will fund new programs to support the development, demonstration, and deployment of cutting-edge clean energy technologies to accelerate our transition to a zero-emission economy.
Make our infrastructure resilient against the impacts of climate change, cyber-attacks, and extreme weather events. Millions of Americans feel the effects of climate change each year when their roads wash out, power goes down, or schools get flooded. Last year alone, the United States faced 22 extreme weather and climate-related disaster events with losses exceeding $1 billion each – a cumulative price tag of nearly $100 billion. People of color are more likely to live in areas most vulnerable to flooding and other climate change-related weather events. The legislation makes our communities safer and our infrastructure more resilient to the impacts of climate change and cyber-attacks, with an investment of over $50 billion to protect against droughts, heat, floods and wildfires, in addition to a major investment in weatherization. The legislation is the largest investment in the resilience of physical and natural systems in American history.
Deliver the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history by cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping orphaned oil and gas wells. In thousands of rural and urban communities around the country, hundreds of thousands of former industrial and energy sites are now idle – sources of blight and pollution. Proximity to a Superfund site can lead to elevated levels of lead in children’s blood. The bill will invest $21 billion clean up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaim abandoned mine land and cap orphaned oil and gas wells. These projects will remediate environmental harms, address the legacy pollution that harms the public health of communities, create good-paying union jobs, and advance long overdue environmental justice This investment will benefit communities of color as, it has been found that 26% of Black Americans and 29% of Hispanic Americans live within 3 miles of a Superfund site, a higher percentage than for Americans overall.
###
[emphasis in original]
Anyone think they’ll name a bridge after Josh Hawley (r)?
$400,000.00 is a nice number
05 Monday Apr 2021
Posted in social media
Tags
4th Congressional District, gaslighting, infrastructure, missouri, revenue, social media, Twitter, Vicky Hartzler, worshipping the dessicated corpse of Ronald Reagan
The vast majority us will never see that amount in a year. Others, however…
Vicky Hartzler (r) [2016 file photo].
Today:
Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler
President Biden’s plan to hike taxes would inevitably hurt hardworking, middle-class Americans.Roughly one million small businesses could be affected by these increases, undeniably limiting their American Dream.
[….]
10:08 AM · Apr 5, 2021
“…inevitably…” As in “trickle down”? Yeah, no.
As always, there was much hilarity in the responses:
It’s not a tax increase except for the ones who r rich. Remember the tax decreases that u and the Republicans gave to the ones who didn’t need it?
Trickle down theory has never worked and never will
The corporations are still getting a tax cut. Biden’s increase doesn’t raise their tax rate to what is was before Trump’s tax cut.
Sedition also undeniably limits the American Dream.
Vicky, show us on your tax return where the bad president hurt you. Or better yet show us, your constituents, your tax returns for the last decade so we can make informed decisions about retaining your services as our rep. I bet you won’t.
I make a very good living, I’m middle class & live in your district.
These tax increases aren’t going to affect me at all.
Just you, welfare queen.
I wasn’t aware middle-class included those making $400,000+. Get real; either bring a legitimate complaint and or viable solutions the current leadership can implement. [….]
Since when is someone making $400,000 or more middle class?
You are incorrect and should probably make sure you know the facts of how legislation will actually affect your non-wealthy constituents.
Just as the Biden administration is pushing to raise taxes on corporations, a new study finds that at least 55 of America’s largest firms paid no taxes last year on billions of dollars in profits. … Many also received millions of dollars in tax rebates.
Your blatant dishonesty is something to behold. What you’re really concerned about is Biden hiking YOUR taxes after all of the government windfalls you’ve found yourself the beneficiary of.
Biden tax hike is for people making 400,000 and over. Stop lying. You should had listened when he spoke last week.
[….]
Wrong.
@RepHartzler, what is it with you and the continuous bullshit dog whistles? We all know the only reason you are complaining is because now your donors are gonna have to pay an equitable amount of taxes. Quit trying to gaslight your constituents.
You are embarrassing
But of course having their power grid collapse or water systems fail would be just fine. You really are #Clueless aren’t you.
Keep your bullshit to yourself, Vic.
Clapback
09 Tuesday Apr 2019
Posted in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House, social media
Representative Crystal Quade (D) – House Minority Leader [2019 file photo].
This afternoon from House Minority Leader Crystal Quade (D):
Crystal Quade @crystal_quade
As of today revenue is down $251 mil
HB 548 adds a $180 mil loss by 2023 by giving more tax cuts to the wealthiest
We still have tax cuts from SB 509 on the way- $450 mil in losses per year, or $630 mil fully phased in
Zero debate allowed on the underlying bill. Passed 78 to 72
4:30 PM – 9 Apr 2019
The Missouri GOP:
Missouri GOP @MissouriGOP
Taxpayers keeping more of their own money!
[….]
5:33 PM – 9 Apr 2019
Too many emojis there.
Heh. Big mistake. Big. Huge.
And:
Crystal Quade @crystal_quade
Replying to @MissouriGOP
Don’t clap too hard, Missouri bridges might collapse.
7:36 PM – 9 Apr 2019
Mic drop.
Campaign Finance: Because they don’t want us to all live in a Libertarian paradise?
10 Monday Feb 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
Previously:
Campaign Finance: trying to get a statewide road tax on the ballot for 2014 (November 6, 2013)
Why would such interests campaign for us to invest in public infrastructure? Just asking.
Since the beginning of the year, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:
C131133 01/02/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Burns and McDonnell 9400 Ward Parkway Kansas City MO 64114 1/2/2014 $25,000.00
C131133 01/02/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Crawford, Murphy, & Tilly, Inc. 2750 West Washington St. Springfield IL 62702 1/2/2014 $20,000.00
C131133 01/11/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Missouri Construction Industry Advancement Fund PO Box 94 Jefferson City MO 65102 1/10/2014 $22,464.99
C131133 01/11/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Pace Construction Company 1620 Woodson Road St Louis MO 63114 1/10/2014 $57,500.00
C131133 01/13/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Associated General Contractors of Missouri Inc. PO Box 94 Jefferson City MO 65102 1/11/2014 $10,266.66
C131133 01/22/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Industry Advancement Fund Heavy Constructors 3101 Broadway Suite 780 Kansas City MO 64111 1/21/2014 $10,266.67
C131133 01/22/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Emery Sapp & Sons Inc. 2602 N Stadium Blvd Columbia MO 65202 1/21/2014 $75,000.00
C131133 02/07/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Site Advancement Foundation (SAF) 2705 Dougherty Ferry Road Suite 203 St Louis MO 63122 2/7/2014 $7,093.34
C131133 02/07/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Kiewit Infrastructure Co 7926 S Platte Canyon Road Littleton CO 80128 2/7/2014 $50,000.00
C131133 02/10/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR SAFE TRANSPORTATION & NEW JOBS INC Missouri Construction Industry Advancement Fund PO Box 94 Jefferson City MO 65102 2/10/2014 $10,000.00
[emphasis added]
Alas, it looks like we’re doomed to subsist in a socialist hellhole where people pool their resources for the greater good toward construction of public projects which also allow large corporations to make money. We could just walk cross country and pay ferry tolls to intrepid pure capitalist entrepreneurs at private river crossings. Will we ever come to realize the gross inefficiencies of the state? Just asking.
Give Roy Blunt some credit where it’s due
21 Tuesday Jan 2014
Posted in Uncategorized
According to Ryan Cooper at WaPo’s Plum Line, one of the two key senators behind a new attempt to do something about our badly decaying national infrastructure is none other than our own Roy Blunt. Guess he’s getting a little tired of trotting out the same ol’, same ol’ Obamacare scare stories that GOP congress people are obligated to regurgitate at regular intervals, or figuring out how to give his big donors, such as Monsanto, for instance, another lucrative sign of his appreciation, so he’s finally decided to sign on to something important – and, make no mistake, for Congress to begin making bipartisan noises about addressing our dire infrastructure challenges in any fashion at all is a major biggie during this period of cockamaime, mostly GOP-imposed austerity. As Cooper notes “We’ve got ancient water mains, leaky gas pipes, crumbling roads and bridges,” and if we continue to do nothing, they’ll only get worse, fast.
No matter how anyone spins it, though, Senator Blunt, deserves some credit. He, together with Democratic Senator Michael Bennet of Colorado, is actually taking the lead in the Senate to introduce legislation complementary to that put forward in the House last year by Maryland’s Democratic Rep. John Delaney.
The legislation seeks to address infrastructure problems in the face of the near bankruptcy of the Highway Trust Fund which traditionally funds such projects, and which has been bankrolled by an increasingly inadequate gas-tax of 18.4 cents a gallon. That number hasn’t changed since 1993, and, given the make-up of the House of Representatives, it won’t increase anytime too soon. At the same time, the U.S. loses revenue from big corporations that stash their earnings overseas. The proposed legislation addresses both areas of revenue shortfall:
Delaney’s plan would create a $50 billion federal fund to bankroll loans and leverage private investment for transportation and other infrastructure. The money would come from bonds bought by companies who want a tax break if they bring cash earned abroad back to the United States.
Of course, this plan is not the end-all and be-all in terms of a solution to funding infrastructure maintenance. Think for a few minutes about the idea of a hefty tax break for corportions and you’ll begin to understand just why Senator “Big Bucks” Blunt might find this plan attractive. But it’s also true that, as Cooper notes, this sort of approach is perhaps the only way we’ll manage to get action to address a problem that can’t wait much longer:
Of course these corporations will pocket their tax break, and busily continue piling up their overseas Smaug-like hoards so they can start whining for another one (that’s what they did last time), but as a stopgap measure until we get a less-insane Congress, this is not totally horrible. I fear that right now, that’s as good as we’re going to get.
Maybe Blunt should get some points for bucking the do-nothing GOP plan of non-action. Of course, the best thing for the rest of us to do would be to get to work to get rid of a congress that, again in Cooper’s words, has created an environment in which “our national discussion is so captured by the austerian/anti-tax death grip, we have to come up with Rube Goldberg policy schemes to pretend like we’re not spending money.”
What’s wrong with Missouri? Could it be her politicians?
22 Tuesday Oct 2013
Posted in Uncategorized
In the past I’ve noted that Missouri hasn’t been doing so well when it comes to specific measures of qualilty of life. It has also seemed apparent to me that the state’s often low rankings in crucial areas have lots to do with the quality of government its citizens have selected – and here I’m talking – mostly – about the legacy of Republican Governor Matt Blunt as well as the antics of the GOP circus that has disabled Jefferson City over the past few years.
Consider these important rankings:
— The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) 2013 Report Card on American Infrastructure gave Missouri a grade of C-.
— Education Week ranked Missouri 41st in education.
— America’s Health Rankings put Misouri in 42nd place in their 2012 report. Its 2013 report on senior health outcomes put Missouri 33rd among the states.
— The U.S. Department of Agriculture ranks Missouri the 7th worst state in the nation when it comes to food insecurity.
Not very flattering to say the least. And now there are two more very sad rankings that can be added to the list above.
First, the Center for American Progress (CAP) recently put out a report on the state of women in America. The report measures issues surrounding economic security, health and leadership. Missouri ranked 31 overall in comparative terms and received a grade of D+; the particulars were economic factors: rank 39/grade D-; health factors: rank 35/grade D; leadership factors: rank 24/grade C.
Second, The Opportunity Index just put out its most recent report. The Index is predicated on the proposition that “if you work hard and play by the rules, your zip code shouldn’t determine the amount of opportunity available to you.” Its goal is to identify:
… the conditions present in different communities and [it] is designed to connect economic, academic, civic and other factors together to help identify concrete solutions to lagging conditions for opportunity and economic mobility. From preschool enrollment to income inequality, from volunteerism to access to healthy food, expanding opportunity depends on the intersection of multiple factors. Developed by Measure of America and Opportunity Nation, the Index gives policymakers and community leaders a powerful tool to advance opportunity-related issues and work, advocate for positive change and track progress over time. The Index measures 16 indicators, and scores all 50 states plus Washington DC on a scale of 0-100 each year. In addition, more than 3,000 counties are graded A-F, giving policymakers and leaders a useful tool to identify areas for improvement and to gauge progress over time.
And guess what? Once again Missouri, ranked 28th, falls into the bottom half of the fifty states. You can look at the details here.
The message from all these rankings is pretty clear. Missouri might not be one of the most attractive states in which to live. Who, given a choice, would want to relocate to Missouri? Or, given a choice, remain in the state?
But there is a further message; folks get the government and the concommitant policies that they deserve. Think of the last legislative session in Jefferson City. Bills were put forward to please the gun nuts (and I do mean nuts), conspiracy theorists, nullificationists, anti-abortion fanatics, corporate lobbyists and other influence peddlers. Nothing was done to address any of the issues addressed by the various reports discussed above – actually, by refusing to expand Medicaid, the legislature moved Missouri backwards. Yet it’s very likely that many of the same legislators who were braying loudest about utter nonsense will be returned after the next election. Draw your own conclusions.
Addendum: Upon reflection it strikes me that there’s a third message to be derived from this data. Remember when red-meat eating Texas Governor Rick Perry was touring the state trying to persuade all and sundry that he had the key to prosperity? Well Texas ranks at about the same or lower in all the measures discussed above – infrastructure: C+; education: 39th; food insecurity: 2nd worst in the U.S.; state of women: ranking 45/grade F; opportunity index: 38th. Goes to show that all that Texas has going for it is oil reserves and the related jobs, and, consequently, when it comes to government, the red state solution might not be what’s called for if Missouri wants to fix its problems.
Energy efficiency equals job creation and home improvement
04 Thursday Feb 2010
Posted in Uncategorized
Tags
economic stimulus, energy efficiency, infrastructure, job creation, MAAEP, Renew Missouri, stimulus funding
( – promoted by Clark)
All over America, the news is spreading that long-term investment in our national infrastructure, is — amazingly — a good idea. I guess people start to wake up when bridges start to fail, schools fall apart, etc; the writing’s on the crumbling wall, so-to-speak. Rebuilding America is a trillion dollar plus project. Levees, roads, bridges.
But while we’re in the infrastructure inventory mood, why not look at some upgrades? God knows, whenever my computer takes a dive and I’m forced to replace it, I always look to moving my specs up a notch or two, don’t you?
Current infrastructure upgrades include:
* the high-speed rail initiative catching up to technology already in wide use in other countries,
* smart grid technology creating two-way digital communication in the way we distribute energy and,
* replacing our automotive fleets and buildings with cleaner and greener options that make a real contribution toward our nation’s sustainability portfolio.
But another infrastructure upgrade, possibly the most obvious, is simply making our homes and offices more energy efficient. And this is a project that will stimulate the economy and create 2,000,000 jobs over 10-15 years. Like health care reform, infrastructure repair, energy efficiency upgrades are a trillion dollar project.
Yesterday, in Missouri, 150 concerned citizens lobbied state legislators with the common sense idea behind improving our homes to higher levels of efficiency. Politically practical approaches were laid out featuring game-changing economic initiatives to make all this improvement work and job-creation possible.
Renew Missouri and Missouri Coalition for the Environment brought together small business owners, activists, green energy experts and other stakeholders to sound these sensible arguments and deliver important information about the latest developments in energy efficiency:
Missourians Tell Legislators: Energy Efficiency Now!
New “Game-Changing” policies will save home owners money on utility bills and create thousands of in-state jobs…
Jefferson City, MO – Citizens from across Missouri convened at the State Capitol on Wednesday to urge legislators to update the state’s outdated energy efficiency policies. Participants carried signs calling for Energy Efficiency Now! while listening to state energy efficiency policy experts and Missouri home energy auditors speak of the benefits of efficiency and of legislative solutions for efficiency improvement.
PJ Wilson of Renew Missouri explained that Missouri currently ranks 41st in the country for energy efficiency, which costs Missourians millions of dollars on their electric bills each year. Missouri also has one of the nation’s fastest rising energy rates, only made worse in the struggling economy. “Energy efficiency addresses high electric bills and creates in-state jobs,” says Wilson.
PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) is one of four proposed solutions. PACE is proving to be successful in 14 states and is often consider a “game-changer” for energy efficiency and renewable energy. PACE is state-enabling legislation that allows cities to pursue bonds to pay for a revolving loan program that lends money to both commercial and residential property owners for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements. It alleviates the upfront cost of efficiency and renewable upgrades by allowing home or business owners to pay for over time through an additional charge on property tax.
PACE’s revenue neutral characteristics make it an easy win for legislators and municipalities; it is already receiving bipartisan support in Jefferson City. “PACE provides a longer-term financing scheme for energy efficiency upgrades, so home-owners will make improvements with very low up-front costs. By spreading out the payments over the course of 15-20 years, the energy savings gained each month on electric bills often make the upgrades net positive from day one,” says Marc Bluestone, of Missouri Association of Accredited Energy Professionals (MAAEP).
Beyond lower electric bills, pursuing energy efficiency also increases a home’s overall value. “Homes with efficiency sell faster, spend fewer days on the market, and sell for a higher percentage of the listing price. People are starting to figure out that efficiency pays while you live in a home — and when it’s time to sell a home,” said Bluestone.
Damien Flaherty, of EnergyAudits.com and MAAEP, described the overlap of economic and security benefits of efficiency. “Currently, Missouri imports 95% of its energy resources — coal, natural gas, oil — we can’t change that geological reality. But what we can improve are the 2 million homes already built in Missouri. We can make these buildings more efficient and therefore use less imported fuels. And updating our housing stock will undoubtedly create tens of thousands of in-state jobs that can’t be outsourced or sent overseas.”
After, the citizens met with legislators throughout the day encouraging action on efficiency. The Energy Efficiency Now! rally on the Capitol steps was a part of Conservation Lobby Day, an annual event sponsored by the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, Missouri Votes Conservation, and the Missouri Sierra Club.
Renew Missouri recommends a suite of four “best practice” priorities, and more information can be found at http://www.RenewMo.org. Renew Missouri is a project of the Missouri Coalition for the Environment, has successfully transformed renewable energy policy in Missouri with its work on the Easy Connection Act in 2007 and on Proposition C, a renewable electricity standard, in 2008.
The news of energy efficiency is spreading, and as I’ve said before, I predict that not only will every building in our country be audited and analyzed to diagnose what improvements can be made, but eventually, the idea of an energy efficiency audit and retrofit will be as commonplace as the safety and emissions test for your car — you heard it here first!