MPNblog.com | Missouri Political News

NY Times: Methamphetamine use has metastasized in the Ozarks

2011-05-01T15:02:00.001-05:00

Missouri's unfortunate status as one of the leading states for the production of methamphetamine is no secret. What is less well known, though, is the trouble law enforcement can create for themselves by violating the very laws they are sworn to protect.

The New York Times features a story today about former Carter County, Missouri Sheriff Tommy Adams (R) and the circumstances around his resignation after he was discovered using and distributing methamphetamine:

Growing up in the rugged foothills of the Ozarks, Tommy Adams always dreamed of carrying a badge. He realized his wish through grim happenstance: the incumbent sheriff, dogged by rumors of corruption, killed himself weeks before votes were cast, and Mr. Adams slipped past him by a single vote.

For two troubled years, Mr. Adams was sheriff of Carter County, until his arrest last month on charges of distributing methamphetamine, the home-brewed drug that has poisoned much of this poor, sparsely populated stretch of timber country. Mr. Adams was accused of regularly snorting it as well. ...

Read the full article here.

Missouri innovation capacity continues to lag country

2011-04-25T19:53:00.000-05:00

Economic innovation in Missouri continues to occur at a level below the national average, according to a recent analysis from the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University.

The 2011 Innovation Index, which combines multiple factors to provide a single indication of states' ability to transform economic conditions and capacity for innovation, provides updates from a version we published back in 2009.

Currently Missouri's index score is 87.5, up 2 points from 2009 when the state scored 85.6. Among adjacent states' scores, all below the national average, Missouri is in the middle. The highest scoring adjacent state is Illinois at 96.3 and the lowest is Arkansas at 80.9.

Three states in the region saw their Innovation Index decrease, Illinois (-3.3) , Kentucky (-2.5), and Tennessee (-1.4).

Missouri's position in the Innovation Index mirrors recent results from the Kauffman Foundation's New Economy report, which ranks Missouri's economy 33rd among states in 2010.

The statewide results show clear, even though slow, improvements in conditions in the state. But there's still a long way to go before Missouri is average in terms of innovation and even further to go before the state can be a national leader.

County level information from the Innovation Index is available here. Learn more about what the index means and how to use it here.

Missouri unemployment rate dips to 9.1 percent in March

2011-04-23T10:02:00.006-05:00

Finally a small sign of relief for Missouri's economic recovery -- new data released last week from the U.S. Department of Labor showed a three-tenths of a point drop in Missouri's statewide unemployment rate as the state added 24,300 jobs in March.

Preliminary estimates show Missouri's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dipped to 9.1 percent in March, down from 9.4 percent in February and a recession peak in late 2009 of 9.7 percent.

Missouri's unemployment rate remains relatively high compared to the national average of 8.8 percent, and among adjacent states the rate is only exceeded by Kentucky (10.2%) and Tennessee (9.5%). In contrast, one of the Show-Me-State's northerly neighbors, Nebraska, has an unemployment rate of just 4.2 percent, the second lowest in the country.

Even with recent job gains, Missouri's overall employment situation continues to sustain an overall deficit after losing 114,000 jobs during the official national recession and 151,000 between January 2008 and February 2010. As of March 2011, 138,000 jobs shed during the recession have not returned.

And as the monthly employment change chart shows, job growth still isn't steady in Missouri which suggests low employer confidence. With strong growth reported in March though, that seems to be finally turning around.

Republican House bills advance with 2-to-1 margin over Democrat legislation

2011-04-22T21:15:00.013-05:00

Republicans currently control an overwhelming majority of the seats in the Missouri House of Representatives. With Republicans in 105 of the 163 seats comes complete control of the legislative calendar. We rarely stop to examine how the magnitude of this control impacts how legislation advances in the chamber, in particular whether discussion ever even begins on some proposals.

To date during the 2011 legislative session, 1,144 legislative proposals have been filed with 51 percent of those proposals getting some level of activity from a committee hearing or beyond. At this point in the session---with just 3 weeks left---the other 49 percent will not likely see the light of day.

A total of 79 percent of the proposals that received some legislative action were primarily sponsored by Republicans. In other words, even though Republicans control fewer than two-thirds of the House seat, their members' legislation advances at a disproportionately faster rate. Just one-third of Democrats' 360 proposals have received any action compared to 58 percent of Republican proposals.

Controlling the agenda is, however, at the mercy of the majority and some may say that the mere fact some Democrats' proposals advanced at all is a sign of good will from Republicans.

Of course the other advantage Republicans have in this comparison over Democrats is a responsibility to govern that comes with control. That is, because Republicans chair the body's committees, those members often file major legislation or omnibus proposals. For example, Rep. Ryan Silvey, chairman of the House Budget Committee, files the state's 15 budget bills.

Our analysis of legislative activity turned up another interesting fact: second-term representatives on average see their proposals advance more than their third or even fourth term counterparts.

Based on a descriptive statistical model controlling for political party, term, type of bill (HB v HJR, HCR, etc.), and appropriations bills, a House Bill filed by a second term representative was 1.2 times more likely to see action than a third or fourth term colleagues. In fact, third and fourth term representatives had a statistically significant negative impact on the probability of advancement of a bill (p<.05). Not surprisingly, the most important factor in determining advancement of a proposal was whether a proposal was sponsored by a Republican (p<.001). A second term Republican is twice as likely to see bills advance as a Democrat with the same level of seniority. For more senior Democrats, however, the probability of success is even lower with Republican proposals being almost six times as likely to advance for fourth-term representatives.

Admittedly one of the items not controlled for in the descriptive discussion or the model above is whether substantially similar proposals were offered by multiple representatives. For example, a quick search for the term "citizenship" in the House search engine returns two similar bills add citizenship status to the state's sex offender registry (HBs 62 and 731).

The negative effects for proposals advocated by more senior members of both parties may be explained by several other factors. For instance, perhaps while those members served in previous terms their top priorities were successfully legislated leaving lower priority bills for their final term. It's also plausible that party leadership advance proposals from more junior members to improve the probability of re-election, since successfully passing a bill provides a strong campaign talking point demonstrating an individual's effectiveness as a legislator.

Whatever the reason, the central point here is still that Republican proposals are intuitively and statistically more likely to advance even to the stage of receiving a public hearing. Then again, it would be logistically infeasible for a part-time legislator told hold 1,000 hearings in the short five month legislative session. The way the legislature functions sometimes, it's a wonder action was taken on even half the proposals filed.

Then again the whole concept of representative democracy hinges on a separation of powers and functions making it difficult to modify laws unless publicus demands change.

Hartzler pulls in $262k for re-election in first quarter of 2011

2011-04-17T09:01:00.001-05:00

First term Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler's (R) campaign fundraising in the first quarter of 2011 was well above average among first term Republicans in the U.S. House.

In total, Hartzler raised $262,099 between Jan. 1 and Mar. 31, according to finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission last week. An analysis by The Washington Post shows that freshman Republicans in the House raised an average of just $176,000 over the same period, indicating that Hartzler is firmly positioning herself to overcome a Democratic challenge in 2012 and a potential Republican primary.

Hartlzer's total receipts included $19,700 in transfers from other campaign committees, $113,900 from political action committees, and $126,900 from individuals.

Notable contributors include ACRE ($6k) Boeing PAC ($6k), Every Republican is Crucial PAC ($5k), Exxon PAC ($5k), Honeywell PAC ($5.5k), National Auto Dealers PAC ($5k), Rolls-Royce PAC ($2.5k), Terry Dunn, CEO of JE Dunn ($2.5k), Rudy Farber ($2.5k), Joan Langenberg, Author for the Missouri Eagle Forum ($2.5k), Glenn & Cindy Larson of the Larson Group ($19.2k), William Moore of Continental Coal ($2.5k), Edwin & Phoebe Rice of Ozark Coca-Cola ($9.6k), Craig Schnucks, President of Shnucks Market ($2.5k), and Deborah and Thomas Ward of Russell Stover ($20k).

Hartzler expended $90,000 during the period including the following major expenses:

$20k - Thompson Communications for ad buys
$20k - Nathan Adams of Nixa, MO for contingency fee
$15k - Signature Advantage for fundraising/consulting
$12k - Steve Walsh of Jefferson City, MO for contingency fee
$7.5k - The Bespoke Group for FEC compliance
$4.2k - Aristotle Campaign Manager software license
$2.5k - Samantha Hill of Holden, MO for campaign operations and consulting

Hartzler's full report is available from the FEC here.

C-SPAN Interview with Vicky Hartzler on the Federal budget

2011-04-14T19:21:00.022-05:00

C-SPAN's Steve Scully interviews first term Congresswoman Vicky Hartlzer (R) to discuss the Federal budget and spending issues, and take calls from around the country.

"Did the Bush tax cuts...produce the economic growth you and others expected," Scully asked in the first few minutes of the broadcast.

"It did create, it did create jobs and it did create economic growth and that's what our country needs now," Hartzler said. "To balance the budget, you know I used to teach home economics and teach personal family finance to my high school students and there's two ways how we'd talk about how to balance a budget. You can either increase the revenue or decrease your spending. And that's what we need to apply here in Washington D.C. as far as I see."

Here's the full broadcast:

Pitfalls in predicting voter turnout, 64% turnout rate projected for 2012

2011-04-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

Readers who followed our pre-election series last spring may recall MPNblog.com projected that 2010 voter turnout in Missouri would likely set a midterm record. We now know that didn't happen, and by a long-shot.

Only 47 percent of registered voters cast ballots in Missouri's U.S. Senate race, or about 43 percent of the state's voting-age population. The only worse election for turnout in the last decade was the 1998 midterm which was dominated with morality attacks against former President Bill Clinton, Sen. Kit Bond's (R) re-election, and resulted in no major power shifts in Congress.

So what was wrong with our model published last March? Why were our predictions so far off from reality? It turns out there are several reasons for the discrepancy.

Problem 1: Assumptions
Our model made assumptions eight months before the election. Coefficients used for model forecasts are based on history and are only as good as the data that feeds them. Projections of future data to feed into the model are really just best guesses. Back in March 2010, we couldn't have fully predicted this election would be a structural realignment for Congress that it turned out to be. In fact, few would have guessed last March that Democratic defeats would have been so numerous. We made assumptions about the unemployment rate and registered voters, both of which were generous assumptions.

Specifically, we assumed the statewide unemployment rate would be 9 percent in Nov. 2010, it turned out to be 9.6 percent. We assumed the voting age population of the state would be 4.51 million, off by about 25,000. More importantly though, we assumed turnout would not be driven by other exogenous factors, which results in the next problem: the 2010 was clearly an atypical election.

Problem 2: Exogenous Factors
Aside from the results, we know 2010's results were atypical for Missouri because in the last 30 years it's the only election to fall outside the 95 percent confidence interval established in our turnout model. In other words, using the actual results from 2010 our model last year projected turnout at 2.5 million (+/- 230,000). The only election to come close to this level of error was in 1994, which still fell within the confidence interval. In 1994, the model was off by 195,000 votes, but in that case projecting lower turnout than really occurred.

Problem 3: Imputation of Voting Age Population
One of the questions I've received in multiple emails about our model is why we used voting age population instead of registered voters. The reality is that both measures are valuable, yet historically voter registrations were misaligned with actual voting patterns as rolls became outdated due to deceased or migrant voters. Further, voting age population provides a smoother baseline for which to compare trended data, thus allowing at a theoretical level a better comparison point for overall voting trends.

To highlight this point, see the chart below which captures total voting age population and total registered voters. Note that the voting age population is substantially more smooth. The bars signify the differential between the two lines (voting population and registered voters). Of particular note is the incredibly small differential in 2004 when the total registrations were just 80,000 below the voting age population; this year has been the subject of considerable discussion regarding irregularities in the voter registration database.

However, the issue here rests with the fact that population between Census counts is provided as only an estimate. Our model takes the Census estimate which is a best guess of state population over 18 years of age and adjusts it to reflect an estimate at the time of the election. In other words, an imputation built on an estimate built on an estimate.

Revised Model

These three problems, though, are realities of modeling and forecasting. When we update the model to include real estimates from 2010 then re-project turnout one major, yet interesting, factor comes in to play: the significance of several regression terms falls off substantially. In particular, the unemployment rate and the dummy variable for a Senate race are no longer significant. The most significant driver of the model results becomes whether there was a Presidential race in the election cycle. In other words, most of the statistically significant drivers of variability in the projection are minimized and result in a voter turnout rate 5 percent higher than that realized in the 2010 election, mostly a result of the problems noted above.

So what does this revised model show for 2012? Assuming a 9 percent unemployment rate and a voting age population in line with the Census Bureau's current 2012 estimates, the model currently projects 2.9 million voters in the 2012 election cycle and a turnout rate of 64 percent. The rate is much higher than 2010, but then again, it will be a presidential election cycle.

How accurate will this projection be? We'll let you know after the election, after all, forecasts are just best estimates. We can be certain of one thing, it will be an interesting election cycle for Missouri with an incumbent President and Senator both vying for reelection.

Biden slapped with $219k fine from FEC

2010-07-17T16:43:00.000-05:00

At a time when Democrats need to minimize negative press to avoid substantial losses this fall, the Federal Elections Commission announced this week that Vice President Joe Biden (D) violated federal campaign finance law during the 2008 election.

The finding that Biden for President accepted over-limit contributions and a discounted flight on a privately-owned jet was only compounded by what has been characterized as sloppy campaign accounting.

The flight was found to have been undervalued by nearly $27,000, according to an audit completed by the FEC since the campaign was partially funded by public funds. The audit also identified more than $100,000 in over-limit contributions that Biden's campaign did not seek to quickly address.

For the violations, the FEC fined Biden's campaign $219,000.

Biden's campaign team is downplaying the findings, stating that they attempted to contact the over-limit contributors.

Related Links:
FEC Audit Report (PDF via Politico)

White House seeks ideas for increased efficiencies, savings in federal government

2010-07-17T16:31:00.000-05:00

The White House is seeking ideas from federal employees on how to improve government efficiency and save money. The process -- called the SAVE award -- started in 2009 with federal employees submitting more than 40,000 ideas.

Officials in the White House Office of Management and Budget ranked each proposal. In the end, four of the top ideas were included in the budget. The highest ranked idea, submitted by Nancy Fichtner of the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, led to a policy change at the VA where employees are allowed to save prescriptions medications when discharged from hospitals.

To date for the 2010 competition, more than 7,000 ideas have been submitted by federal employees. One major change for this year is that employees can also rate the ideas.

The proposer of the winning idea will personally pitch the proposal to the President and likely see it implemented in the Fiscal Year 2012 budget proposal to be released by the White House in Feb. 2011.

View all submitted ideas here: saveaward2010.ideascale.com.

Watch President Barack Obama's announcement of the competition below:

Unemployment dips in Missouri, employment conditions improve slowly

2010-07-17T16:22:00.000-05:00

Missouri's labor market continues to see modest improvements each month. According to new data released last week by the Missouri Dept. of Economic Development, the state's unemployment rate fell two-tenths of a point, from 9.3 percent in May to 9.1 percent in May.

Nationally the unemployment rate is 9.5 percent, down from 9.7 percent in May.

The lower unemployment rate in Missouri likely signifies two effects that may seem unlikely to be concurrent. First, some individuals are finding employment, evidenced by the gains of 3,600 jobs month-over-month. Second, a number of individuals receiving unemployment benefits for more than six months stopped looking for jobs.

While the effects of each of these two points are difficult to isolate with the sparse data provided by DED, we suspect individuals being dropped from the unemployment rolls played a more significant role over the last month in the substantial drop in unemployment.

Here are the latest trends according to DED:

Missouri’s labor market conditions continued to improve in June, according to data released today by the Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED). Missouri’s nonfarm payroll employment increased by 3,600 jobs during the month, on a seasonally-adjusted basis, marking the fifth consecutive month of positive job growth in the state. Missouri’s net job growth since January 2010 now stands at 26,600, an average of 5,300 new jobs created each month.

The state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate stood at 9.1 percent in June, the lowest rate in more than a year, down from 9.3 in May. The state’s not-seasonally adjusted rate increased by half a percentage point to 9.2, a standard practice in June each year as summer jobseekers enter the labor force. In comparison, the U.S. rates for June 2010 were 9.5 seasonally-adjusted and 9.6 not-seasonally-adjusted.

The private sector added 6,000 new jobs in June, with noteworthy growth occurring in construction (+1,100); durable goods manufacturing (+2,300, spread through a number of industries); and transportation, warehousing and utilities (+2,200). Increases came in spite of the loss of 3,300 federal government jobs in June, mostly temporary Census workers.

Most other industry groups saw comparatively small changes. The leisure and hospitality industry as a whole saw little change from May as its two major sectors went in opposite directions. Arts, entertainment and recreation saw an employment gain of 1,900, while accommodation and food services employment was down by 2,200.

Payroll employment in the state’s metropolitan areas decreased in some areas and increased in others. The reduction of temporary census workers played a substantial role in many areas, particularly in St. Louis (-2,600) and Kansas City (-2,600). On the plus side, Joplin (+1,000) led the way in gains, while most others were relatively unchanged.

Modest job recovery apparent in Missouri

2010-07-12T20:58:00.000-05:00

The signs are weak, but clear: jobs are beginning to return to the Show-Me state.

According to data from the U.S. Labor Department, Missouri has gained jobs steadily over the past four months, 25,800 in all.

Of course, that alone doesn't mean the recession is over and things are back to normal, because in the three preceding months Missouri lost as many jobs. In other words, net employment is back to Oct. 2009 levels.

Nonetheless, over the four month time period Missouri's employment growth is about one percent.

Ezra Klein: 'It's always the economy, stupid'

2010-07-11T16:41:00.001-05:00

Ezra Klein of The Washington Post teams up with George Washington University Professor John Sides in a column today to explain that the economy will be closely linked to electoral outcomes this fall:

...The job of governing is different than the job of getting reelected. What do you do when good politics and good governance point you in the opposite directions?

But maybe we don't have to choose. For decades now, political scientists have been building election models that attempt to predict who will win in November without making any reference to candidates or campaigns. They can generally get within two percentage points of the final vote, and they don't need to know anything about the ads, the gaffes or the ground games to do it. All they really need to know about is the economy.

While predicting Congressional elections is indeed very difficult, MPN's own model to project voter turnout in 2010 is similarly based largely on economic conditions. One of the key variables -- the state unemployment rate -- accounts for a sizable and statistically significant share of the explanatory power in the model. Here are the results from our analysis.

Graves: It is Important to Remember Who We Memorialize this Day

2010-05-31T16:08:00.000-05:00

From Congressman Sam Graves (R):

In the fall of 1777, Thomas Paine wrote of the then two and a half year long War for American Independence, “Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigues of supporting it.”

Since the Minutemen of Lexington and Concord first took up arms against their British colonial masters, millions of Americans have risen to that challenge. From the Siege of Yorktown to the fields of Antietam, from the muddy trenches of the Meuse-Argonne to the frozen forests of Bastogne, from Pork Chop Hill to Khe Sanh, and from the streets of Fallujah to the caves of Tora Bora, Americans have fought to ensure the survival of our great nation and the ideals we represent.

Right now American soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines – like those who came before them – stand ready to defend the United States from those who would do us harm. They are living proof that America is, and remains, the home of the free because of the brave.

This Memorial Day I hope you will take a moment to reflect on those who have sacrificed so much for this country. You will find these heroes not only in Arlington, but in every cemetery in every town in America.

Throughout our proud history, men and women from every walk of life have rallied to the call of freedom. Many gave their lives so that we might continue on in peace. We are forever in their debt.

Ed Martin on Memorial Day: 'God bless veterans'

2010-05-29T18:32:00.000-05:00

From Congressional candidate Ed Martin (R):

In the early days of this campaign, I was invited to meet with members of the Jefferson Barracks Heritage Foundation. These good people are working to preserve the installation and document its history. In the modest office within the Red Cross Building, these men enthusiastically detailed the history of Jefferson Barracks and the roles it served during American military mobilizations.

They pointed to maps, then pointed out the window then back to the map, or a photo. I followed the narrative that began in 1826 when it was established as an infantry school to compliment training at West Point. As America expanded westward the Army provided law to the new territories, “…not only to protect the settlers from the Indians, but also to protect the Indians from the settlers and from each other.” In time Jefferson Barracks became the staging area from which the Army would project troops to the west. In a few years, it was the largest post in America.

Joe Frank, a wounded Vietnam veteran shared with me stories of the “citizen soldiers” who passed through Jefferson Barracks. Great Generals – Grant, Lee, Eisenhower and others have served and trained in Missouri. Tens of thousands more flowed through Jefferson Barracks, officers and enlisted noted less by history but known to their families as brothers, sisters, sons and daughters to serve as champions of our nation.

The American military is unique in its composition. There is no more refined meritocracy than among America’s armed forces. The British raised regiments and fleets as nobles invested in the men, material and training, receiving payment from the crown or by confiscating property from conquered lands or ships. Other societies populated the ranks of their commissioned officers – such as they are – based on loyalty to party or by selecting closely related kin. In these militaries enlisted members are typically poorly trained, poorly outfitted and poorly cared-for conscripts upon whom the burden of being a soldier falls like a boot on the neck. Pressed into service, these men will oppress as they are oppressed.

In contrast, American officers and enlisted come from all walks of life, all economic strata. Dirt farmers and accountants flooded the beaches of Anzio and Okinawa. Bankers and ranch hands stood in ranks at Appomattox. Physicists and roofers work together on the tarmacs of Diego Garcia and the decks of frigates, destroyers and carriers all over the globe. Their motives vary – being a serviceman is a better gig now than it was in Valley Forge, but every uniformed man and woman knows that it may come upon them to fight. American servicemen are well regarded by their fellow citizens. We see them as our friends and families. We idealize them as protectors of liberty.

My brother is a Marine, and I am very proud of him. I have a Kevlar “pot” of his, and it reeks of the sweat from those hot theaters where he and his comrades close with the enemy. He is smart and driven. He would be a success in anything he chose to do, but he chose the life of low pay and grinding sacrifice in his beloved Corps for his beloved Country. To him and the vets I have had the privilege to meet, service is a privilege and an honor.

Jefferson Barracks is home to a unit of the Missouri National Guard. It is also the final resting place of Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen and Merchant Mariners. Many of them came home after America’s wars and the flag that draped their casket honored an old man or elderly woman whose end came long after their particular conflict ended. Other flags envelop a hero lost in battle, a life cut short when they were the protective wall made flesh when harm threatened their people.

Others still are like Joe, and left part of their life in a distant mud hole. Where his place in Jefferson Barracks will be is not yet known – and may it be unknown for many years - but still he has already given much for his home, and he continues to give.

The gravestones of Jefferson Barracks are so white that on a day with any sun the sheen will hurt your eyes. This is fitting in a sense, that this orderly stone garden where our protectors are laid would by its nature induce an American look for a moment, then look away in honor and reverence.

The Savior taught us that greater love has no man than that he lay down his life for his friends. Memorial day is the day where we ought to commemorate not just the sacrifice, but the greater love of these men and women who carried arms and tended wounds in our service . I find inspiration in the love they had for their comrades and their liberty. My brother loves his men, Joe loved his fellow soldiers and continues to look out for their well-being to this day. Both love their country in a way not many of us experience. I am grateful for them because they have studied war so that my children can live in peace and freedom. My Memorial Day prayer is that I can match their devotion to our country.

God bless you, Veterans. God rest the fallen.
Ed

Cleaver: Memorial Day a 'time to remember'

2010-05-29T16:59:00.000-05:00

From Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D):

Each year on Memorial Day, Americans come together to remember those who have sacrificed their lives on behalf of our country in the name of freedom and democracy. The debt owed to them is immeasurable. Their sacrifices and those of their military families are freedom’s foundation. Without the brave efforts of all the soldiers, sailors, airmen and women, Marines and Coast Guardsmen and women and their families, our country would not live so freely.

In Missouri's Fifth District, we gather at the Liberty Memorial, a monument built as a reminder of those who were loved and lost in what was supposed to be the "war to end all wars". Hundreds of thousands gathered at its dedication, some with wounds still fresh from the fields of Europe. They prayed that war would never again envelop the globe. Sadly, in less than a generation, their children would be called to once again defend freedom against tyranny.

Monday, we will honor all those who have answered the call to service, and all who have died in the cause of liberty. Last summer, I held a special event to honor those who served in the jungles and waters of Vietnam, marking the 50th Anniversary of that conflict. This summer, General David Petraeus will join us to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of the Korean War. Compared to the sacrifices of our veterans, these tributes seem small, but I know they mean a great deal to the men and women who served. Our forefathers built the Liberty Memorial so that the nation would never forget the cost of war. I know, here in our community, we know and remember that lesson well.

America continues to be engaged in hostilities in Iraq and Afghanistan, and young men and women we knew and who grew up here in our cities and towns have paid the ultimate price while wearing the uniform of our nation. This Monday, let us honor the memory of the 4,400 Americans who have died in Iraq and more than 1,000 who have died in Afghanistan. We also honor the sacrifices of our wounded: nearly 32,000 U.S. troops in Iraq and 5,700 in Afghanistan.

As we remember their patriotic sacrifices, we renew our commitment to keep our promises to the nation’s 3 million troops and reservists, their families, and 23 million veterans.

Our nation has a duty to do far more than remember our veterans with parades and salutes. Our commitment to care for them is a sacred covenant. To honor those promises, Congress has enacted critical measures to expand educational opportunity and economic relief for our veterans. The new Post 9-11 GI Bill, which took effect last August, restores the promise of a full, four-year college education, allowing up to 2 million warriors of the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts to be part of a new American economic recovery, just like after World War II. We have also extended those crucial college benefits to all children of fallen service members since 9-11-01.

Recognizing that veterans coming home are facing double digit unemployment, we have enacted incentives for businesses to hire unemployed veterans. As part of the Recovery Act, Congress provided nearly 2 million disabled veterans a $250 payment to help make ends meet.

Many of our troops have served multiple tours of duty, with great strain on their families and substantial cost to their financial futures. In response, Congress provided special $500 payments for every month the 185,000 service members and veterans were forced to serve under stop-loss orders since 2001. We have also taken steps to reduce the backlog and wait for veterans trying to access their earned benefits.

This year, we increased military pay 3.4 percent and expanded TRICARE health benefits. We are building more military child care centers and better barracks and military family housing. With over one hundred thousand service members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan today, the recognition of the sacrifice that military families make every day has never been more important.

For wounded veterans, Congress just enacted landmark legislation to provide help to family members and other caregivers of disabled, ill or injured veterans, such as training, counseling, and respite care, and to eliminate copayments for catastrophically disabled veterans. Congress also provided family leave benefits for families of our wounded warriors. Further, we in the House have just passed this week legislation taking a significant step toward ending the Disabled Veterans Tax for all medically retired service members. This tax unjustly forces disabled military retirees to give up one dollar of their pension for every dollar of disability pay. These veterans were so severely injured during their service that they had to retire and deserve full retirement and disability benefits.

With the strong support of veterans organizations, we have made an unprecedented commitment to veterans’ health care. The veterans budget, hailed as a “cause for celebration,” provides the largest funding increase for health care and other services ever requested by a President – even more than veterans organizations requested.

Through FY 2010, we have increased the investment in veterans’ health care and services by 60 percent since January 2007 -- including the largest single increase in the 78-year history of the VA. This funding has strengthened health care for more than 5 million veterans, resulting in 17,000 new doctors and nurses, and greater access for veterans in rural areas. It has been critical for the 382,000 veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan in need of care this year -- with expanded mental health screening and treatment -- to treat the signature injuries of the war, PTSD and Traumatic Brain Injury. Working with the President, Congress ended the ban on enrolling modest-income veterans for VA health care.

For the 1.8 million women who have bravely served, we have just enacted legislation expanding and improving VA health care services for women veterans, providing care of newborn children of women veterans for the first time in history, and enhancing treatment for PTSD and sexual trauma.

On the battlefield, the military pledges to leave no soldier behind. As a nation, let it be our pledge that when they return home, we leave no veteran behind. This Memorial Day and every day, let us continue to honor their service with actions that fulfill our commitment to our troops, their families, and our veterans – and that are worthy of our grateful nation.

I invite you to take a moment to stop and remember the members of our community who have been lost while wearing the uniform of our nation. For those who are able, please join me Monday at the Liberty Memorial for the Memorial Day observance. The event begins at 9:30am with a color guard parade and includes performances by the American Legion Band. After the event is over, I always join our Vietnam Veterans at their memorial wall, just north of the Plaza on Broadway at 43rd Street. Please take a moment to join me to thank those veterans for their service and remember friends and family lost in Vietnam.

Have a very safe holiday weekend, and I hope to see you Monday.

Memorial Day message from Todd Akin

2010-05-29T16:57:00.002-05:00

From Congressman Todd Akin (R):

The men and women of our Nation’s Armed Forces serve with distinction every day. Some have paid the ultimate price. Their families have lost loved ones, parents, children and siblings. We have all gained - and lost - true heroes.

As the father of three sons in the military, my respect for the members of our nation's armed forces has only grown. Ordinary men and women perform extraordinarily in times of crisis. They go where they are sent. They use the equipment they are given and they do what they are told. They use their skills and judgment to perfom some of the most difficult tasks ever set before human beings - and they usually succeed.

The first priority of our government must be the defense of its people. That means defending those who defend us is among our highest responsibilities. Last week, my committee worked hard on the annual defense authorization bill, expecting that it would be brought to the floor before Memorial Day. This week, it came to the floor, but with an amendment that forced me to vote against a bill I had supported in committee, just days before. Sadly, some Congressional leaders demonstrated that they would rather use our service members in a social experiment. When they added language forcing a repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy - against the wishes of the generals and admirals who lead our military - I could not support the final legislation.

However, I am pleased to report that the legislation that passed contained many of the provisions I had fought for, including additional funding for F/A-18s.
As we remember the men and women of our armed forces this weekend, and especially those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, may we be humbled and grateful. And may we renew our determination to preserve liberty for future generations.

Sincerely,
W. Todd Akin

Roy Blunt's Memorial Day message

2010-05-29T16:54:00.001-05:00

From Congressman Roy Blunt (R):

Missouri Republican Party: 'thank the veterans who bravely served our nation'

2010-05-29T16:52:00.002-05:00

From David Cole, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party:

Our great nation has been blessed so richly—but much is required in return.

Often, this means that our citizens are called to take up arms in defense of freedom around the globe—bec ause, as President Dwight Eisenhower noted in his first inaugural address, “history does not long entrust the care of freedom to the weak or the timid.”

Instead, history has entrusted the care of American freedom to the strong and brave men and women of our armed forces.

So many Americans have made the ultimate sacrifice for their beloved country—and this is what we honor on the final Monday in May each year. The parades and barbeques we enjoy this weekend are made possible by the men and women who risked, and sometimes lost, their lives to preserve the ideals of freedom and democracy.
We commemorate this day by visiting cemeteries and placing thousands of flags at the final resting places of the fallen—a small tribute to the enormous sacrifices made by so many.

And each year, more flags are required. Every day, an estimated 1,000 World War II veterans die—taking the collective memory of the Greatest Generation with them. That’s why the work of the Honor Flight Network is so important.

Sixty-eight veterans recently returned to Missouri after traveling to Washington, DC, to visit our nation’s war memorials. These trips serve as a token of appreciation to veterans from a grateful nation. For more information about how you can get involved with this worthwhile organization, visit www.honorflight.org.

This Memorial Day, we remember the sacrifices so many Americans have made—and continue to make—to protect freedom at home and abroad.

I urge you to participate in one of the many Memorial Day activities that are being held by community groups and veterans organizations across the state. Thank the veterans who bravely served our nation—and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.

David Cole
Chairman
Missouri Republican Party

Skelton Weekly Column: Skelton Supports Troops, Their Families, and America’s Safety but Opposes “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” Repeal

2010-05-29T16:50:00.002-05:00

From Congressman Ike Skelton (D):

I consider myself blessed to serve as Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, the most bipartisan committee in Congress. Missouri’s Fourth District has played a vital role in defending our nation for generations, and those who live here should be proud of the national influence we have when it comes to matters of national security. The committee’s 62 members come from every corner of the country and reflect diverse political philosophies, but together we find common purpose in our efforts to do our very best to provide the necessary resources to keep Americans safe and protect U.S. national security interests.

Each year, the House Armed Services Committee fulfills its Constitutional role by preparing a defense authorization bill. For Missouri, this year’s bill authorizes substantial military construction at Whiteman Air Force Base and Fort Leonard Wood and additional support for the National Guard. In order to improve the quality of life for our forces and their families, the bill would provide a 1.9 percent pay raise for all service members, increase the hostile fire and imminent danger pay – for the first time since 2004 – for those serving in harm’s way, and boost the family separation allowance for personnel deployed away from their loved ones.

Recognizing the evolving nature of 21st Century threats, the 2011 defense bill would greatly expand the military’s counterinsurgency and counterterrorism capabilities. For example, substantial funds for Special Forces training and operations, cybersecurity efforts, and counter-ideology initiatives have all been allocated in this legislation. Since the threats to our troops overseas and our nation are constantly changing, the bill also would establish a Rapid Innovation Program to get the cutting edge technologies our troops need to the front lines as fast as possible.

Unfortunately, hundreds of the great provisions in this bill have been overshadowed by a secondary issue: the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.” While I opposed the so-called Murphy Amendment that would repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” I did support final passage of the defense bill. Thus I stood by our military – our troops and their families – during this time of war. I helped craft the original “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” law in 1993 and continue to support it, but my most solemn duty under the Constitution, as a Member of the Congress of the United States, is to provide for the common defense. Our Armed Forces and the American people are counting on us to work together to provide the critical funding needed to strengthen counterterrorism efforts, strengthen military readiness, and strengthen our service members and their families.

As Congress continues its effort to produce the best possible defense bill for our military and our nation, I will continue working with Republicans and Democrats to demonstrate our nation’s gratitude for the sacrifices made by our men and women in uniform and their families to keep our country free.

Google contributes $643 million to Missouri economy annually

2010-05-26T22:49:00.002-05:00

The largest search engine in the United States is estimated to contribute $643 million to Missouri's economy annually, a new study from Google says.

The study released by Google Wednesday pegs the company's total economic impact nationally at $54 billion.

"Many people also know Google as a set of tools they use to make a living," Google's Vice President for Online Sales Claire Hughes Johnson said. "Through our search and advertising programs, businesses find customers, publishers earn money from their content, and non-profits solicit donations and volunteers. These tools are how Google makes money, and they’re how hundreds of thousands of other businesses do, too."

While Missouri accounts for just a fraction of the search giant's national impact, Google estimates an impact for some 22,200 businesses and advertisers in Missouri.

Google also claims to have contributed almost $800,000 to 50 non-profits in Missouri in 2009.

The full economic impact analysis is here.

Skelton Weekly Column: Memorial Day honors those who paid for our freedom

2010-05-25T19:49:00.000-05:00

From Congressman Ike Skelton (D):

On Memorial Day, millions of people across the nation will take time to remember and pay their respects to loved ones and fellow Americans who have lost their lives while serving our country. This year, as America fights wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, more names have been added to our nation=s roll of honor. Each name represents the loss of a life full of promise, but behind every name can be found a family, a circle of friends, and a community that will never be the same.

After World War I, a poet taking inspiration from an ancient epitaph wrote the following verse: "When you go home; Tell them of us, and say; For their tomorrow; We gave our today." The sentiment of this poem aptly reminds us of the debt we owe to our service members for their sacrifices, but also implores us to remember and share their stories so that this nation never forgets the prices paid by those who protect our freedoms.

All of us can take tremendous pride in the performance of our service men and women, past and present. But military operations carry a heavy cost, and every time someone is hurt or gives his or her life in the service of our country, I am reminded that freedom is not free. That is why our country has an obligation to express our gratitude to the troops in meaningful ways.

So, to publicly recognize and honor those fighting for our freedoms, Congress designated the month of May as “National Military Appreciation Month.” Culminating with Memorial Day on May 31 of this year, Military Appreciation Month provides the American people with a time to remember our warriors and their families – both past and present - and show our support for these faithful public servants.

Over the past weeks, I have met with several veterans groups to thank them for their years of service and to ask how the government can better care for our returning warriors. I found the conversations enlightening and productive. In Jefferson City, for example, members of the local Disabled American Veterans (DAV) chapter spoke with me for the better part of an hour about the challenges of providing mental healthcare to young veterans returning from service in the Middle East.

Also in honor of Military Appreciation Month, I introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the sacrifices of all military personnel who have served since WWI and thanking our warfighters and veterans for all that they do. My friend and Republican colleague from the House Armed Services Committee, Buck McKeon, joined me in sponsoring this resolution.

I hope you join me this Memorial Day in thanking our troops and veterans for all they have given and sacrificed for our country. You can send a package, write a letter of encouragement, or offer a simple “thank you” to a service member, National Guardsman, or veteran in your community. Or, for a list of national organizations that accept donations, letters, or volunteers, go to http://www.ourmilitary.mil/help.shtml. No gesture is too small, as I have seen first-hand how much a few words of appreciation can mean. Missouri has always been a welcome home for the U.S. military; let’s keep that tradition strong this Memorial Day.

Schweich campaign highlights Icet's $10,000 payment for endorsement

2010-05-21T06:30:00.001-05:00

When House Budget Chairman Allen Icet (R) announced last month that Joe "the Plumber" Wurzelbacher had endorsed his state auditor candidacy, one minor fact was omitted -- Icet paid Wurzelbacher for the support.

According to the campaign staff of his opponent in the Republican primary, former ambassador Tom Schweich, Icet paid more than $10,000 for Wurzelbacher's endorsement. That estimate was supposedly confirmed by individuals with knowledge of the financial arrangement.

To date though, there's no documentation to support the assertion. That documentation will not be available until the next round of campaign finance reports are released by the Missouri Ethics Commission on July 15th.

"I would call on Representative Icet to provide a copy of their signed contract with Joe the Plumber, which will confirm what he paid for the endorsement," Matt Beckman from Schweich's campaign said in a statement to MPN.

Wurzelbacher is currently in Missouri stumping for Icet in a six city tour, but he says the money has nothing to do with his endorsement.

Wurzelbacher says he endorsed Icet, because of his character.

“You know I’d much whether take somebody who knows nothing about politics, but has honor and integrity and character. I know they will go up there and do the right thing because they’ll work," Wurzelbacher said Thurs. "It’s called work ethic. It’s something America has always had and there are a lot of us that still out there that have it.”

Republicans tout successes of 2010 legislative session

2010-05-20T21:51:00.000-05:00

From Lt. Governor Peter Kinder

Early this year, Republican legislators made a promise to Missouri taxpayers: we WOULD NOT raise taxes on Missouri families. And even after slumping revenues, and the governor's failure to lead on the state budget, we made good on our promise and still made lasting accomplishments for Missouri.

This year, we have expanded health care coverage for many Missouri families while ensuring that the choice of a medical provider is left up to private citizens. We have ensured that in August, Missouri voters will decide if they really want the stipulations of Obamacare to dictate the future of their health care. I believe that question will be met with a resounding "NO!"

We worked this year to ensure that Missouri business can continue to succeed in our state. That means not raising taxes on businesses and helping to make sure employers have the tools they need to put people back to work.

I am proud of the work that the General Assembly did to pass a responsible budget, and I believe that Missouri families and businesses will be better off because of the legislation we passed.

From House Speaker Ron Richard:

This month, the 2010 Legislative Session of the 95th General Assembly came to a close. I am extremely proud of my colleagues in the Republican Majority for working diligently to secure passage of several key bills, including difficult budget cuts, provisions that seek to protect the sanctity of life and blocking efforts to increase taxes on Missouri citizens.

In an impossible economy, while states around us are quickly sinking, we balanced our state’s budget without raising taxes. We made the tough decision necessary to ensure a bright future for our children and grandchildren, and not one that burdens them with our debt.

This session, Missourians sent us a clear message that they were tired of big government mandates sent to us from President Obama and Congress. We heard their cry and stood with them. This session, the House passed several strong resolutions aimed at sending a clear message from the Missouri House to Washington DC politicians as we opposed Cap and Trade legislation, Obamacare and the attempt of Washington DC to overreach state sovereignty freedoms as stated in the 10th Amendment of the United States Constitution. Both the House and Senate passed the Health Care Freedom Act, giving individuals and businesses the opportunity to opt out of federal health care mandates. This goes to a vote of the people and your voice can be heard on the August 2010 ballot.

Both Chambers passed SB793, seeking to protect the lives of the unborn. This act modifies the informed consent requirements for an abortion by adding new requirements to be obtained at least twenty-four hours prior to an abortion including the following: pregnant women seeking an abortion must be informed 24 hours in advance of informative materials regarding the procedure, the doctor or professional performing the operation must allow the pregnant woman to hear the heartbeat of the unborn child and see an ultrasound 24 hours prior to the procedure, and the abortion cannot be performed until the woman certifies in writing on a checklist form that she has been presented all the required information. Up to this point, Governor Nixon has been silent on this issue. The bill is headed to his office and we are strongly urging him to sign it in to law.

When Missouri citizens elect us to office, they trust us to work with integrity and moral behavior. I announced my support for an ethics reform bill on the first day of session this year and this week both Chambers truly agreed to and finally passed a compromised version of the House bill. Although the Senate version of the bill wasn’t nearly as strong as ours, a handful of our provisions were kept in the final version.

For a complete list of House and Senate accomplishments, please visit our website at www.house.mo.gov.

During this time, Missouri families have counted on our leadership to carry them through one of the most devastating economies in decades. I am 100% confident that Republican Representatives in the Missouri House have made significantly positive differences in our state’s history during this very difficult time.

From Senate Majority Leader Kevin Engler (R):

The legislative session ended at 6 p.m. on Friday, May 14th. It was a tough year, with budget concerns and declining revenue guiding a lot of our work. We worked to decrease the size of state government while also passing legislation to improve the lives of Missourians. The 2010 legislative session included both wins and losses, but ultimately, I am pleased with the work we were able to complete.

Autism Insurance Reform
The General Assembly passed House Bill 1311, guaranteeing health carriers will provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders. Out of the top 10 childhood neurobiological disorders, autism is the only one that is not covered by health insurance in our state. This means that families are paying for health insurance while still having to pay out-of-pocket for autism therapies.

The bill requires most health carriers that issue or renew health benefit plans to provide coverage for the diagnosis and treatment of individuals with autism. It would restrict health carriers from refusing to issue or renew coverage based solely on the fact of an autism diagnosis. The insurance coverage includes a physician or psychiatrist’s referral of ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy — up to $40,000 per year for individuals younger than 19. A cost-of-living adjustment has been included to adjust the cap for therapy services in coming years.

Ethics Reform
The Legislature also approved Senate Bill 844, a bill focused on setting higher ethics standards in Missouri politics. The bill gives flexibility and teeth to the Missouri Ethics Commission by allowing it to investigate ethics violations without an outside complaint first being filed, and makes it a crime to obstruct an ethics investigation. In order to end even the appearance of “pay-to-play” politics, the bill requires contributions of more than $500 to incumbent officials and their challengers during the legislative session to be electronically reported within 48 hours. The bill also makes clear that no statewide elected official or lawmaker can offer someone a job in exchange for his or her official vote and limits the transferring of contributions among most campaign committees. The legislation brings a new level of accountability and transparency to the political process so that Missourians will have confidence in the motives of their elected officials.

Rebooting Government
This year, the Senate leader launched an initiative to reduce the size of state government. Ideas were collected from the public, and my fellow senators and I met in working groups to talk about ways to cut costs and streamline government. Several of these ideas resulted in legislation that passed this session, including:

• Senate Bill 1007, reins in $20 million in Medicaid costs.
• House Bill 1965, eliminates the printing of state manuals (Blue Books) and State Statute books for a cost-savings of $1.7 million dollars in printing and postage.
• House Bill 1868, merges the highway patrol and water patrol for nearly $1 million in savings.

Even in the final hours of session, we pushed to approve additional priority legislation, but the final gavel fell without the passage of some of these bills. We had hoped to pass a jobs bill this session to encourage economic growth while also reducing the cost of state incentives. We also worked on ways to make the state’s pension system more efficient and cost-effective. These bills did not succeed, and I am concerned that, without these cost-cutting measures, the state will need to make even more serious spending cuts in the coming year.

Most of the bills passed during this legislative session will go into effect on August 28th. The governor has until July 14 to veto legislation or else it goes into effect.

Survey offers support for Graves' assertion on drilling

2010-05-19T19:20:00.004-05:00

In the last couple days MPNblog.com received a surprising amount of traffic on a column we posted from Congressman Sam Graves (R).

In that column, Graves asserts that the Deepwater Horizon oil platform explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, and the ensuing spill, suggest a new direction for U.S. energy policy: more on-shore drilling.

The "special take" on the "root cause" of the oil spill led ClimateProgress.org to simply say Graves "jumped to an alternate reality".

But before everyone completely dismisses Graves' assertion, take a look at the results of a recent poll conducted by Public Policy Polling.

In a perfectly reasonable and balanced question, a surprising 21 percent of respondents indicated they thought the BP oil spill in the Gulf made offshore drilling more likely.

As Nate Silver at Five Thirty Eight points out, there are problems with the question and polling methodology that may result in a higher than expected result for "more likely", but let's assume for a moment that it is accurate. Those who responded "more likely" would also likely have a greater propensity to support drilling regardless of what happened and may have also concluded that environmentalists caused the accident, as 9% of the respondents indicated.

The interesting bit comes from the crosstabs on this question which indicate of those saying more likely, there were 16% Democrats, 28% Republican and 20% other. The even more interesting point, which supports points Silver made in his analysis, is that included in those who indicated drilling was more likely, was 28% of the respondents over the age of 65. What did you say?

Is is Graves' assertion all that absurd? Perhaps there's a point in his column, although as a general point major catastrophe may not be the best forum to drive this one home.

In the end PPP found that 55% of Americans still support drilling for oil, a realization that drilling isn't going away any time soon.

PPP surveyed 707 registered American voters between May 7 and 9. The poll has a MOE of +/- 3.7%.

Skelton Weekly Column: Missouri’s Bipartisan Congressional Delegation Urges Census Participation

2010-05-19T06:25:00.001-05:00

From Congressman Ike Skelton (D):

Every ten years, the U.S. Constitution requires the federal government to perform a census, a nation-wide count of the population. Starting a few months ago, every household in America received a short form of ten questions, some of which have been asked since 1790. So far, about 73 percent of Missouri homes have returned their completed forms to the Census Bureau. While this is a good start, it is especially important for our state to achieve complete participation this year.

Census data is used for a variety of purposes by the federal government. In fact, over $400 billion in federal assistance funds for our state and local governments – used to support our roads, schools, and hospitals - are allocated according to census data. And, the size of each state’s delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives is determined by these population counts.

While there are currently nine representatives from the Show-Me State in the U.S. House, Missouri could lose a seat if census participation continues to lag. According to some reports, Missouri is projected to retain all nine of its current seats by the slimmest of margins – roughly 9,000 of the state’s 6 million people, or less than 1 percent of the total population. With only an estimated 73 percent of the state’s population accounted for today, losing a Congressional seat to another state is certainly possible.

The effects of losing a seat in Congress would be numerous. Primarily, it would mean that other states, such as Texas or Utah, could gain influence and more forcefully push their state’s agenda in Washington. In addition, it would weaken Missouri’s clout in presidential elections, as the number of our state’s electors in the Electoral College would be reduced from 11 to 10. In essence, Missouri would have a weaker voice at the federal level. That is why Missouri Republicans and Democrats alike are working together to urge full and active participation by our citizens in the 2010 Census. It is critical that every Missourian be counted.

Moving forward, census workers will be placing phone calls and going to the residences of citizens who have not yet returned their forms; please do your best to provide them with any pertinent information. Under Title 13 of the United States Code, all of the information you provide is strictly confidential and the Census Bureau may not sell or give away your address to people who may want to send you mail. However, if you are concerned about the credentials of anyone claiming to be a census worker, you may call 1-800-923-8282 or your local census office in Kansas City (816-977-2100), Odessa (816-565-4031), Columbia (573-818-3310), or Springfield (417-520-2510).

Losing a seat at the federal table would be bad for all Missourians. Please join me in urging your neighbors and friends to help make sure this does not come to pass.