Todd Aching

Sooooo.... the Show Me State.  We have become reliably red.  Formerly a swing state we now cannot be prouder of our conservative values and it is reflected in our politicians.  Our State House is cornered and controlled by rural conservatives who do not trust government, city people, democrats or really anything.  Public education.  Bad.  Public programs for the poor.  Bad.  Public lunch at school.  Bad.  Government programs for poor.  Bad.  Government support of farms... well, bad in theory.  There is nothing government can do to help.  Free enterprise is the answer to everything if government would just...get out of the way.

We elect people who are “right” on the issues of small government.  Right on the issues of “the Constitution”.  Right on the issues of the democrats being “wrong”.  Right about the man in the White House being “the wrong guy at the wrong time”.  By electing these people who are “right’ and who cannot even talk to people on the other side of the aisle because of their “wrongness” and cannot even here the word compromise because it it sacrifices their values we are forced to embrace and elect wholly dogmatic people who are extreme on alot of issues.  We forget that just because their “purity” allows them to see our way on key issues that these same flawed people bring their zeal to every issue, whether we agree with them on those are not, and they bring that zeal to these same issues and it leads to totally unacceptable results.

We saw that yesterday with Todd Akin.  he is a fine man.  A Christian man.  A family man.  other than being minorly corrupted by power my guess would be that his core values are admitable in almost every way.  Yet life has brought him to a place where he can believe that raped women excrete a certain chemical which prevents them from getting pregnant.  This allows his to be totally certain of his pro life in all circumstances, even in the cases of rape, because a legitimately raped woman could only become pregnant in extremely rare circumstances and if she did become pregnant, it probably was not rape anyway...right?  I understand how this happens because cognitive dissonance is not something this type of ideologue can countenance.  That there might even be a reasonable opposing view is not possible if you have the moral certainty of God in your back pocket.  That you might be wrong on what is so morally clear to you is inconcievable so you invent and/or embrace theories which justify your position rather than admit there is any possible nuance.

I admire Todd Akin and his values.  I would surmise that I hold a lot of similar values regarding life, faith, family and government but I would never kid myself that I “know” what is right for government.  I think I know what is best.  I would work for that but the idea that God was mandating my views of faith and Chrisitianity to be carried out in government seems...un Christian to me.  That type of faith leads to Taliban-like craziness and what we are seeing is that true believers, dogmatic, doctrinal people like Todd Akin lead us away from the very Constitutional values they want to espouse.  Away from a melting pot and towards a Christian theocracy based on their particular understanding of Christianity.  The Taliban is alive and well in our Country.  When we elect them pretending that they are “like us” or “share our values” while ignoring their words and their actions we move towards an intolerant, unforgiving and unintentionally, un-Christian country.

I don’t know what Todd will do tomorrow by 5:00 when he needs to make a decision to stay in the race but when you consider him, watch his whole interview.  He did not mis-speak.  he spoke from his heart and he revealed a lot and presented Missouri with a clear choice.  Sadly, I do not know whether we will remember and that we will make a right choice in November but Todd Akin is not the right choice for Senator.

The Missouri Primary! Really?

Soooooo.... the Missouri Legislature appears to go out of it’s way to look stupid and more importantly to open up our State for continued ridicule and derision. What other State in an election year, when State budgets are way past tight and needing to be cut, holds a primary election to do....(wait for it).... NOTHING?

Here is what KC Star said: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/03/3409159/steve-kraske-missouri-primary.html

Apparently the STL Post Dispatch does not have the resources to report on something like this. There is also a fun little web site called http://wasted8milliondollars.com/ that has a little to say. I guess that it happened like this. Missouri’s genius, term limited, angry Republican controlled legislature determined that they wanted a bigger voice like South Carolina and Florida to pick a President and so moved our primary date up. YAY! They did this despite Republican and Democratic national Committee rules which say a State that holds primaries prior to March 1 loses half it’s delegates. A few are approved to do so, New Hampshire, Iowa etc... I don’t know if South Carolina is and I know Florida is not. Florida did this 4 years ago by the way and the parties of course restored their delegates at the conventions. Tough love. Evidently the Missouri legislators got spooked and decided not to have any gumption and challenge the stranglehold a few backward, non representative States have on the process and decided to have the Republicans pick their delegates by caucus on March 17 by which time the Republican nomination should be locked up by someone not named Newt.

The Republican legislature did try to fix this by sending a bill to Jay Nixon to move the primary date but the bill of course also had other elements to it like limiting Nixon’s ability to pick a successor if the Attorney General resigns. They also had a chance to over ride the veto but some legislators elected not to show up to vote that day. Brilliant! Geniuses! I assume that every time the legislature gets together that they convene a MENSA meeting. Where do we find these people? WHy can’t we do the simplest things correctly? In a time of austerity how many millions will be wasted on a meaningless primary, and how many back door deals will be cut in the upcoming caucuses? These guys cannot shoot straight.

So what to do? I believe that it is an obligation and privilege to vote even when the system is bungled so badly as to make the system meaningless. How do I cast a protest vote? Should I write in Howard the Duck? The Silver Surfer? Either would be excellent choices but I am too lazy to go to the hassle of writing someone in because I like the computer voting. So perhaps I pull the trigger and vote for another mythical character, Herman Cain! I am ready for his comeback. As the tea party slowly starts to hold their nose and accept the chameleon Romney as their best way to get the socialist, communist, social activist black man out of office I am more than ready for a Cain Comeback! But here is a place where you can review the Sample Ballot so you can be prepared to cast your meaningless vote:
http://stlelections.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218-feb-2012-sample-ballot-democrat&catid=38-subpages
WHOA! Keith Drummond is on the Ballot! I believe I have changed my mind. Keith’s website (which tells you nothing) can be found at http://www.drummond2012.com/ . He is from Houston, seems angry and looks to be the right guy for the job. Where do I get my lawn sign?

Ooops...got this out a little late and at the last moment...Ron Paul got the vote! Who knew?

Election Update

A Few Thoughts as we approach election day.
1. Restoring Sanity Rally: I am cautiously optimistic that we might see some funny clips on. This is entertainment. If you get political guidance from Comedy Central you are not getting the joke. If their jokes offend you... don't watch.

2. Election is Tuesday and I do care and I will vote. They always throw all those Judicial Names at you to vote for retention. Our Missouri Vourt plan for how we select Judges is a model in the country which big money wants to buy. Lets keep the faith but lets also get rid of bad judges. Not because of their politics, but because they are bad Judges. I will not name names but the Missouri Bar, plaintiff, defendant, criminal and divorce lawyers rate these Judges and their ratings that i am familiar with track with my own thoughts. http://www.mobar.org/data/judges10/stlcounty.htm Go read this stuff. Be informed.

3. The ballot otherwise has two propositions and 3 Constitutional amendments. It is amazing about special interests and the things that rise to the level of Constituionally needed. Really?
Amendment 1 to make County Assessor an elected position. Really? We need another election in each County? the Counties cannot manage themselves? We need to put big money is a position to hire our assessor as well as our alderman, our supervisor, our mayor, our court clerk, our dog catcher...lets do a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT to elect the Mayors Secretary. That bitch has a lot of power (if it is a woman... in any case I guess I am sexist).
Amendment 2. Prisoners of war should not have to pay property taxes on their houses. I have no problem with this, who would? Still, a Constitutional Amendment? I do not mean to discount their suffering. I have never met a POW and I cannot imagine what they went through but if your going to do this then what about the surviving spouses of those who died? Once again, this is an inappropriate thing to amend the Constitution for.
Amendment 3 Attempts to make a law which will not allow theState, County or local governments to tax sales of real estate. There is no current sales tax on real estate in our State but we need to pass a CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO MAKE SURE THEY DONT! DON'T TREAD ON YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENTS LOBBY! Once again, totally inappropriate to put this kind of special interest bullshit in the State Constitution. Voting against all three.

4. On that same note how come the ORIGINAL INTENT people are never concerned about the original intent of the geniuses who wrote the Missouri Constitution?

5.. Propositions A&B. Lets all vote on how Kansas City and St. Louis fund themselves because they cannot take care of themselves. lets help them and make them change how they fund themselves. I am voting against this one. I do not live there or work there but I have. I paid my 1%. I enjoyed very little benefit but a dead, confused City does nothing for me downtown. It is NONE of my business how another jurisdiction taxes people. B is on puppy mill regulation. I love animals, especially dogs and have 2 rescue dogs. This is more regulation and more costs. If you do not want puppy mills, buy a mutt. Make animal abuse a serious crime. Oh...opur legislature could do that. Bottom line is that I am voting against both. Hey! I could jopin the party of no.

6. Glenn Becks brother Jerry, a true ditto head (oops wrong demagogue) is running for Senator against Blunt and Carnahan. Blunt of course is a family man and a Christian man who formerly carried water for Tom(The Hammer) delay who will go on trial next week and hopefully become Tom (The Felon) Delay. He is on his second wife and family and his wife is a high powered Lobbyist because Senators do not have enough money and power so why not double dip. Robin Carnahan? Really? this is the best we can do? My only comfort is that Blunt will be replacing the do nothing drunk Kit Bond.

7. Congressman for 3rd District... I cannot cheer or vote for Ed Nelson. He seems at best unstable and at worst dangerous. He was former strong man, bag man and enforcer from Matt (I don't want to be governor if people want my private emails) Blunt. He got the guy who blew the whistle on Blunt fired and cost the state several hundred thousand in legal fees. Russ carnahan is not as tough as Robin but I like his Liberal voting record so I will vote for him. He will lose.

8. County Supervisor: Dooley is going to lose. Bank on it. I am voting for Corrigan. I do not like his adds or his tactics but he is inevitable. I also think he might to a really good job. I do not think Dooley has done a bad job, I just think it is a bad year to be an incumbent and he has not established much of a legacy. I did like him giving my daughter a leadership award but...Corrigan is inevitable.

9. Republicans will win more then anyone expects. I am praying that they take control of the house and the Senate so they can shut up. I know they will start to whine regarding the President Veto but evidently the all powerful Democrats totally undermine the country in the two hears they had the majority with Bush having the Veto.

10. I am pleading with Liberals, Democrats and Progressives and everyone else, get out and vote, even if you vote for Republicans. But after you vote do not whine! You must not whine! If you do that you will start sounding like all those angry, white middle classed men who have been so oppressed by the government. No one wants that.

11. I am pleading with Republicans, conservatives, tea party people everywhere to GO VOTE! Then you can gloat but try and only do it for a month. Remember the Pelosi gloating about the new coalitions and the death of the Republican Party. The winds will blow the other way and it might happen sooner then you think. Enjoy your victory, in the case of the Tea Party I can actually say you have earned it. In the case of the Republican Party I can only say you bought it, but still, those are the rules.