Matt Blunt drops out of Missouri governor's race

[PenforPrez]

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/FCA083049BDE7797862573D8007A9DC0?OpenDocument

MISSOURI IS SAVED!

[wordsmith]

Well, really, that'll depend on who takes his place.

But really, this is a good thing. I deal with fallout of his wonderful policies daily, working with the local poverty population.

[PenforPrez]

Well, really, that'll depend on who takes his place.

I don't see anybody beating Jay Nixon at this point; Nixon's favorability ratings have always been the highest of any statewide leader. The turmoil that this puts Missouri Republicans into should be enough. But it seems clear Matt Blunt knew he didn't have a prayer at reelection. Either that or he knows he's going to be indicted for all the laws he's broken. Or both.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch did a talk section on their website about this. There were 67 comments when I looked at it. Exactly two were supportive of Blunt. I mentioned Blunt's bizarre war on women in my post: "Can we finally have a governor who knows that contraception does not cause abortions?"

The question may come down to what happens to Matt Blunt's largely Christian conservative-funded war chest. Interesting speculation as to who may run:

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder
House Speaker Rod Jetton
Former Senator Jim Talent (who lost the 2000 governor's race)
U.S. Attorney Catherine Hanaway (who rejected a run for state office this year)
State Treasurer Sarah Steelman (who used to be my state Senator and accomplished nothing)

The important thing is that Missouri's long nightmare will soon be over. This disgraceful excuse for leadership is ridding itself of its own problem. Thank God!

I deal with fallout of his wonderful policies daily, working with the local poverty population.

I saw a bumper sticker the other day:

Just Say No to Mental Health and Medicaid Budget Cuts

Should have just said "Say No To Matt Blunt" and be done with it. :)

Paul

[PenforPrez]

Peter Kinder has jumped into the race, and more are expected to follow.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/politics/story/481555F1813FED76862573D90019253A?OpenDocument

God help us all if Peter Kinder gets elected. He's even worse than Matt Blunt. :(

Paul

[PenforPrez]

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch did a talk section on their website about this. There were 67 comments when I looked at it. Exactly two were supportive of Blunt. I mentioned Blunt's bizarre war on women in my post: "Can we finally have a governor who knows that contraception does not cause abortions?"

Apparently, the Post-Dispatch liked what I wrote. I received an email from them this afternoon saying they may print my comments in the newspaper. :eek:

Every time I turn around anymore, I'm getting published somewhere. :p

Paul

[PenforPrez]

This situation is getting murkier daily. Sarah Steelman has jumped in on the Republican side; she was planning to run against Matt Blunt originally. I worry about Steelman; she's more moderate than most of the Republicans in high leadership in Missouri. But Senator Kit Bond will likely have the last say, and he's not Matt Blunt.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan is considering challenging Jay Nixon for the Democratic nomination. :cry: I love Robin Carnahan (I donated to her campaign four years ago, I got to meet her, and she's a lovely woman); I'm from southern Missouri, and the Carnahan's (the closest thing to a political dynasty Missouri has, complete with their own compound near me) are gods to Democrats here.

But I wish she'd butt out. Jay Nixon deserves to be governor; nobody could do a better job cleaning up this mess. Robin Carnahan will make a fine governor. After Jay Nixon has served eight years and fixed everything Blunt has screwed up. :)

Paul

[PenforPrez]

The Republican field is down to two now: lieutenant governor Peter Kinder announced he is dropping out of the governor's race. The good news here is that we won't have a total nutcase as Missouri's next governor. Can't be worse than what we have now, anyway.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/81F08EC074C6BF60862573EB000CF369?OpenDocument

The Republicans have meeting in Springfield, MO for Lincoln Days (a huge open meeting of party leaders and activists). They seem to be uniting around Congressman Kenny Hulshof. He's my congressman, and I fail to see where he has accomplished anything of note.

What was disturbing was remarks made by Missouri House speaker Rod Jetton (who is as much of a fascist as Blunt and Kinder):

But while Hulshof exuded moderation, state House Speaker Rod Jetton provided the red-meat rhetoric that some party activists crave.

The crowd cheered when Jetton, R-Marble Hill, said Republican officeholders shouldn't apologize for their actions.

"There's a lot of people on Medicaid who don't need to be on Medicaid,'' Jetton declared. "We did the right thing'' in trimming the rolls.

Jetton ignited even more applause when he said illegal immigration was to some degree the public's fault.

"I hate to tell you, but there are a lot of lazy Missourians out there who don't want to work," Jetton said. "I'd like to trade some of our people for some of the Mexicans who work so hard."

Begging Mr. Jetton's pardon, but Missouri ranks as one of the worst states in job growth. The problem is not that so many Missourians don't want to work. The problem is that so many of us have lost our jobs and cannot find another fucking job!

The thing that upsets me the most about the Republicans who currently rule Missouri is the total lack of respect shown to Missourians. Some of these Republicans in top leadership in this state seem to think some of us are an unwashed caste. This is the clearest example of that yet. :mad:

Mister, we could use another governor like Warren Hearnes again! :)

Paul

[wordsmith]

"There's a lot of people on Medicaid who don't need to be on Medicaid,'' Jetton declared. "We did the right thing'' in trimming the rolls.

HAH! Good one. I work with this program, and I def. don't see evidence of that claim. Actually, as I see it, the absolute reverse is far mroe often true...people who DO need to be on get denied over really straw-graspy things, on the premise that most of the rejected, terminated, and denied probably don't have the knowhow and resources to appeal, as is their right.

But evidently, this dude is a nutbag, as evidenced by his other quotes.

[PenforPrez]

HAH! Good one. I work with this program, and I def. don't see evidence of that claim. Actually, as I see it, the absolute reverse is far mroe often true...people who DO need to be on get denied over really straw-graspy things, on the premise that most of the rejected, terminated, and denied probably don't have the knowhow and resources to appeal, as is their right.

My mother just lost her Medicaid. A brittle diabetic who takes about $2k a month worth of medicine. :mad: There's no rhyme or reason whatsoever to the social service cuts made by these people.

They just took a chainsaw to Medicaid and contraception and mental health and looked the truly needy people of Missouri straight in the eye and said: "Fuck you!"

But evidently, this dude is a nutbag, as evidenced by his other quotes.

Rod Jetton is from Marble Hill, which is the seat of Bollinger County. Bollinger County is just west of Cape Girardeau, which is the hometown of Peter Kinder and Rush Limbaugh (and his brother Steven, who is on the MO Supreme Court). That's all you need to know right there. ;)

Paul

[wordsmith]

My mother just lost her Medicaid. A brittle diabetic who takes about $2k a month worth of medicine.

Is she aware that she has a legal right to request a hearing to appeal the decision? Strict time limits on that, though.

[PenforPrez]

Is she aware that she has a legal right to request a hearing to appeal the decision? Strict time limits on that, though.

Mom refused to, thought it's curious that they would do it now. She's found private coverage at slightly more expense than she was already paying.

Paul

[wordsmith]

See your PMs.