Kobach wants to make Kansas redistricting a federal case
Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach is asking the federal courts to take over the Kansas redistricting process.
He’s right. (I know, it’s that once-in-a-blue-moon moment when I actually think that.) But the Kansas Legislature is at war over the redistricting issue, and the prospects for a truce and … Read More »
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Harry Stone murder an act of evil
Another random killing in the Kansas City area and we truck out the usual inadequate words to describe how we feel about it.
An outrage. Preposterous. An utter, complete waste.
What possessed a person, described by police as “a gunman in a passing sedan,” to lean out of the passenger-side … Read More »
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Notes from the final days of the GST Steel plant
Kansas City’s GST Steel plant closing is back in the news, thanks to an Obama campaign ad featuring the role of Mitt Romney and his company, Bain Capital, in the plant’s demise. (Romney had left the company when the plant closed, but was with Bain during the acquisition of … Read More »
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Four legacies of Missouri House Speaker Steve Tilley
Steve Tilley won’t go into the books as one of the great speakers of the Missouri House. After two years in that post, he’ll be remembered for:
1) Getting Rush Limbaugh added to the Hall of Famous Missourians. Tilley slipped the controversial “Rush Bust” into a locked chamber on Monday, … Read More »
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The bullying that Mitt Romney forgot
I happen to believe that people over 30 should not be judged by what they were like, or what they did, in high school. People change. Some get religion. Others lose religion. Nerds become cool. Cool kids become losers. Nobody stays the same.
Mitt Romney’s involvement in prep school bullying … Read More »
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Steve Tilley’s low bar for judging accomplishments
Critics of Missouri’s judiciary have finally secured a statewide vote aimed at changing the way judges are selected.
The House and Senate have both passed a constitutional amendment that would alter the makeup of a commission which screens candidates for the state appeals courts and Missouri Supreme Court and recommends … Read More »
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Everyday heroes in the gay marriage fight
One day, voters in North Carolina enshrine in their constitution that gay men and lesbian women shall not enjoy the same privileges as heterosexual couples.
The next day, the president of the United States says he has come around to believing that same-sex couples should be able to legally marry.
… Read More »1
How about a clean fix for Kansas City schools?
Can the Missouri legislature ever just get something done?
Apparently not, judging from what’s happening with a bill that would allow the state to immediately intervene in the Kansas City Public Schools.
It’s a good idea to give education Commissioner Chris Nicastro that flexibility as she tries to figure out … Read More »
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President Obama’s announcement: A great day for equality
Barack Obama has obviously broken through a number of barriers in his political career and presidency. Today he crashed through another, becoming the first president to declare that same-sex couples should have the right to legally be married in America.
It has taken Obama a long while to come around … Read More »
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Sam Brownback’s D.C. training coming through
Sam Brownback has relocated to Topeka, but he is a creature of Washington, where he spent 16 years in Congress, 14 of those as a U.S. senator.
For evidence, look at the Republican governor’s take-no-prisoners stance on the income tax reduction plan that he sees as his centerpiece legislation.
In … Read More »
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Another “fricking embarrassment” for Missouri legislature?
Academics always wonder if someone outside of their circle will comprehend concepts such as academic freedom.
New University of Missouri System President Tim Wolfe, who hails from the business sector, put at least some of those questions to rest today, when he colorfully described the Missouri legislature’s attempt to kill … Read More »
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Your totally messed up Missouri legislature
Missouri legislative update:
(See below for update of update.)
As of this morning, the Senate is paralyzed. Republican Jason Crowell is bringing all action on bills to a halt until he gets his way on some extraneous matters, like killing a $2 million funding increase for Southeast Missouri State … Read More »
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Payday loan reform, cigarette tax increase among initiative efforts still alive
And then there were four.
Of 143 initiative petitions filed with the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, only four groups of backers collected enough signatures to have a chance of qualifying for the November 2012 statewide ballot.
Gone are the multiple versions of a law to get rid of Missouri’s … Read More »
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Defenders of high payday loan rates resort to intimidation
Someone broke into a car in Springfield last week and stole 5,500 signatures that volunteers had gathered for initiative petitions to cap payday loan rates and raise Missouri’s minimum wage. The organizer whose car was broken into told others on his team he had thought he was being tailed.
Besides … Read More »
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What are Kansas lawmakers smoking?
Budget? What budget?
The Kansas House is supposed to get around to passing a budget any time now. But first, apparently, some members want to discuss rolling back the state’s smoking ban.
House Bill 2690, which is on the docket to be discussed Friday, would allow smoking in bars … Read More »