Left In Missouri

With all the hand-wringing and calls for condemnation of Rev Wrights “race baiting” comments why hasn’t the Republican party distanced themselves from their own “hate” preachers? Here are a few stupid made by Pat Robertson:

“I would warn Orlando that you’re right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don’t think I’d be waving those flags in God’s face if I were you, This is not a message of hate — this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It’ll bring about terrorist bombs; it’ll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor.” –Pat Robertson, on “gay days” at Disneyworld

“(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” –Pat Robertson

Can’t Forget about Rev. Farwell:

“Well, I totally concur.” –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, “I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way — all of them who have tried to secularize America — I point the finger in their face and say: “You helped this happen.”

When Pat Robertson endorsed Rudy Guliani, there was no looping of Robertson comments on Faux News, nor did the pundits care. This is nothing more than a distraction to make people not notice the mess that the Republicans made here in Missouri and across this nation.

Sure, I read the news release stating that he has known Olivo for 15 years and he is a person he can trust. However what is bugging me is that the other Republican primary candidates have more legislative experience than Olivo, but the senator chooses a candidate that is a “recovering apathetic” who has never voted. This is not an election for Homecoming King. The MIZ-ZOU chants can go only so far. Maybe the powers to be feel they can control Olivo and set the agenda for him.

After the embarrassment of Olivo fumbling on answers to tough questions like “Why are you running”. I can’t believe that some Republicans are standing by him and they are trying to convince others that this is the person to represent the 9th Congressional district. Mr. Olivo needs to “carry the water” for his local constituents first and maybe vote one in a while. Maybe then he might have the experience to serve other than being a frequent attendee of a social studies class

It seems like the powers to be in the Democratic party are either needing to chill or have been told to chill. Senator Harkin is the latest in “chill” politics. A few days ago, James Carville called Governor Richardson a Judas, saying that he betrayed the Clintons. Unlike Judas, I don’t think Richardson was a disciple of Hillary. It also looks like Hillary’s funds are drying up, while Obama’s continue to rise. To be sure, large sums of money in politics have been seen as negative, but the way it has been raised has been unprecedented. Not big money donors, but millions of small individual donations.

Bill Clinton’s frustration is talking its toll on him. His red-faced presentation to CA superdelegates did not help Hillary. Chill out Bill, you risking your health and your wife’s delicate political situation.

Democracy For Missouri president Wayne Brekhus received the William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence on April 1st. This award is given out to 5 outstanding teachers each year at the University of Missouri. This honor also comes with a monetary reward of $10,000 and a visit from the university’s top brass. Many of us from Democracy For Missouri knew that Dr. Brekhus was someone special, what took the university do long

In an AP article that was in the Columbia Tribune it stated that Senator Claire McCaskill as well as Senator Klobuchar from Minnesota had spurned Emily’s List, an organization that supports pro-choice woman candidates. I have a problem with this type of reporting. There was no official statement from Emily’s list that I could find criticizing these 2 woman for their support of Barack Obama. Hillary Clinton has been Emily List candidate for quite a while now and no one could foresee the way the primary has been shaking out. It looks like the AP wants this to be an issue where no issue had exist. This is nothing more than trying to create news so one can report it. It looks like every single action from a candidate lately is being reported on and editorialized.

The above mentioned senators are a triumph for Emily’s list and they should be proud that these pro-choice woman sit in positions of great power. I hope they will not fall into the trap that the news starved media has set out for them

Just a small note on the Judy Baker’s fund raising dinner. She is running for U.S. Congress in 9th Congressional District in Missouri. It was well attended and half of the Democracy For Missouri steering committee was there including Wayne Brekus, president, Bill Monroe, Obama National Delegate, and myself. She gave a short speech and mentioned the 50 state strategy and how she was the epitome of it. It calls for fighting Republicans in all 50 states and not let a Republican seat go uncontested. Judy got into the race when Hulshof was still in office and she was ready to take the fight to him.

As April 8th approaches. an increasingly number of people have said to me that the school board has really lost touch with it’s constituents. Over the last year with the new math curriculum and the whole high school site fiasco, many parents and non-parents alike have started asking questions on how the district’s affairs are run. To add to this discontent, there is a 54 cent property tax levy to make up for some “shortfalls”

The general sense I get from the person “on the street” is that the tax levy is going to go down hard and Preis might not be re-elected. To his credit, he did invite Phylis Chase to one of our Democracy for Missouri meetings to hear a presentation from the Leave My Child Alone project. This project exposes a sneaky provision in the No Child Left Behind law that forces schools to give military recruiters personal information on students unless they opt-out. A few weeks later, we received a letter from Chase that these opt-out forms will be in student’s orientation packets and the beginning of the next school year.

Though it looks like Ines Segert is the front runner, the other two slots can come from any one of those candidates, save Arch Brooks.