Columbia City Council endorsements:
6th Ward
It should come as no surprise that Barbara Hoppe gets my nod for re-election to the 6th ward council seat. Over the last three years, she has worked tirelessly (no hyperbole) for her ward, listening to constituents and rendering decisions based on the [...]
Nancy Harter has been a Columbia activist for years and has fought for the citizens of this city and against the established power brokers. There was an article that appear to be slanted against the incumbent. This was preceded by a bizarre “endorsement” from Hank Waters, the owner of the [...]
From myDD
Post-Stimulus, Obama Is Losing The Right, Consolidating The Middle and Left
by Todd Beeton, Mon Feb 23, 2009 at 02:47:23 PM EST
During the stimulus debate, Republicans waged all out war on the president’s plan, blanketing the airwaves with born again deficit hawks and, at one [...]
In the fuzzy land of Missouri politics. The Missouri Republicans, who not only take credit for a bill that they voted against, they also voted against the biggest tax cut in U.S. history, according to a Washington monthly article. The article states that [...]
Yes folks, Blaine is at it again. For a man who railed against the stimulus package the way he did only to now take credit for it sounds like the same old politics that Luetkemeyer promised he would clean up. We shouldn’t be surprised of this hypocrisy. [...]
This evening I attended a lecture sponsored by the Peace Studies Department at the University of Missouri. Chris Hedges, best selling author and former New York Times reporter, spoke to a capacity crowd in Gannet auditorium on the decline of the American empire. [...]
According to a blog post by the Irregular Times, Luetkemeyer has the Dubious distinction of not having sponsored one piece of legislation. He shares this with 149 other honorable members in Congress. It seems like the 9th got duped into thinking that this man was going [...]
Over 80 people crowed the Perlow-Stevens Gallery in Downtown Columbia to help Hoppe launch her re-election bid as 6th Ward city councilperson. Notable people that were present at the event was former state representatives Judy Baker and Vicky Wilson, former mayor Clyde Wilson, former 5th ward councilperson [...]
As the budget swings precariously over the university, the Athletic department seems to have flown in style spending more than a million dollars going to the Alamo Bowl. At a budget strapped university with a Republican legislature hostile to an educated populace, it is a public relation nightmare. You have [...]
Diabetes is a growing epidemic in our country. It is becoming more and more prevalent in our population and the onset of Type 2 Diabetes is occuring younger than it has ever before. Some are still teenagers when this occurs. The pics above are [...]
While I was getting my haircut, The Rush Limbaugh Show was running on a taped repeat. He “complained” that Biden was telling the world not to have too high of expectation, while that was the “campaign” theme. Also, one of the candidates for RNC chair, which I [...]
No man over the age of 40 should have bangs. period. Not only is this man probably one of the most brazen of corrupt politicians, he looks like a doof. If you are going to be a slimeball, at least don’t look like your 19 years old. [...]
In their quest in bringing down the first African American president, the ring wing media has put its future credibility on the line gambling that this scandal with Gov. Rod Blagojevich will bleed over into the Obama camp. The campaign of innuendo and suspicion has begun. Apparently to the right [...]
Let me say that it seems like everyday there is a new theme with this blog. I have been trying to find a clean template that doesn’t look cheesy and it’s free. :) This one will do for now
[...]It seems like our current economic crisis has taken another toll. This time it is the American automobile industry that is coming to Congress, cap in hand, asking for a handout. Of course while crying poverty, they take their corporate jets to D.C. This has lead to my initial reaction [...]
For the next 50 days or so, every 24/7 news outlet will analyze every move Barack Obama et. al. will make. They will follow motorcades and speculate why a certain individuals saw this particular person. They will talk about Bush’s legacy (or the lack of it). what is a political [...]
The Coffee Ground, a mom and pop coffee shop recently closed its doors. One of the reasons was the a Starbucks had opened the next block over. I don’t drink coffee, but love the atmosphere. So I leave it to you, fair readers, what is the best [...]
I have been discussing this with a few friends about this scenario. Rumor has it that McCaskill might be offered the DNC chair. McCaskill was Obama’s most vocal surrogate and one would think that the spoils system will reap Claire some benefit. Instead of being appointed to the DNC chair, [...]
I am torn. I am extremely happy the Barack Obama was elected President. How ever it saddens me that Judy Baker did not win. she did everything that a candidate should do. However, the 9th Congressional District is very Republican and she came with 2% of her opponent. I just [...]
It comes as no surprise to readers of this blog that Left in Missouri wholeheartedly supports Judy Baker for Congress. Over the last couple of weeks Judy’s Baker’s opponent Blaine Luetkemeyer has put in nearly a million dollars of his own personal fortune for the Missouri 9th [...]
While Judy Baker has been raising money from a wide base of small donors, Blaine Luetkemeyer continues to try to buy his way to representing the 9th District. Yesterday Luetkemeyer dropped another 340K into the race to continue to fund his negative ad addiction.
The right wingers are out in force, spreading more lies and falsehoods. Devoid of any substantive stands on the issues, they are using Chuck’s DWI as a political tool. Now Chuck has said the DWI is fair game politically. However making up crap as you are [...]
Blaine Luetkemeyer recently loaned himself another 285,000 dollars bringing his self-fiancing in this race to $920,000. This is an extraordinary amount of money. You may be wondering why someone spend nearly 1 million dollars to win a congressional seat representing a generally poor rural district. That [...]
Over the last few weeks, the race for the Mo. 24th state representative has gotten ugly. This is the worst example of a smear campaign I have seen for a local race since I moved to Missouri 25 years ago. Not only is the Missouri Republican House [...]
Just a quick note on this phony website funded by the Gibbons campaign. This election we have a choice between a former Republican with union support and a current Republican running for Attorney General. No matter how icky it makes me feel, I do not want [...]
As you may recall, Ed and I have been dogging pundits bad predictions all along. When all of the pundits said that Judy Baker couldn’t win the primary, we said she would. When all of the pundits said a liberal Democrat couldn’t compete in the 9th [...]
Over the past few days, many blogs and news outlets will be showing you McCain rallies of people who are calling Obama a terrorist, Arab, or someone to be feared. The idiom “the chickens coming home to roost” will be the buzzword of the week. In [...]
A recent DCCC commercial stated that Blaine Luetkemeyer’s privatization scheme for social security was going to put seniors on a roller coaster ride with their retirement. Blaine’s campaign countered by stating in a press release that the MU student newspaper “the Maneater” misrepresented the facts and [...]
When you thought that this AIG bailout couldn’t get any worse. we hear that AIG execs through a $440,000 party where spa services were conducted. This arrogance is not going unnoticed. Blaine Luetkemyer who has ties to the insurance industry says 3 weeks that nothing needs to [...]
During this last month, We are going to hear from John McCain’s campaign about how Obama is a terrorist lover or repeat his middle name a million times, implying he is a Islamic extremist, or run those Jeremiah sermons and imply he is a race baiter. [...]
Lately, Sarah Palin has been giving material to every left leaning blogger and comedian in the country. Just read this Huffington post article and I just shook my head. The Flintstones is a cartoon, not an historical documentary. The only thing I have every learned [...]
On a official government website, Matt Blunt posted a statement that is reminiscent of those who believe the government buzzes around in black helicopters or wears tinfoil hats to prevent mind manipulation. He states that the Obama’s Truth Squads in Missouri, some who are prosecutors [...]
During the primaries local political pundit Marvin Overby made a big deal out of Steve Gaw’s advantage over Judy Baker because he had “rural roots” and Baker was a “Columbia liberal” who wouldn’t sell outside Boone County. Overby was proven wrong when Baker (who, like Gaw and Luetkemeyer, also lives in [...]
Reading the Sunday Columbia Tribune, I came across an article about the race Between Baker and Luetkemeyer. Once again, when this paper seeks out an informed analysis from an expert, why does it go to the same punditry that has not been right about the race from the beginning. [...]
On Wednesday night NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) sponsored a candidate forum for local House and Senate candidates. Five Democrats: Kelly Schultz (21st HD), Steven Webber (23rd HD), Chris Kelly (24th HD), Mary Still (25th HD) and Chuck Graham (19th SD) and Two Republicans: Theresa Sanders (22nd HD) and Kurt [...]
In the atmosphere of a financial crisis that he helped to create, McCain is now “suspenfing” his campaign in order to focus on this crisis. If this isn’t a ploy to dodge the debates, i don’t know what is. Obama reminded him that a leader needs to be able to [...]
It seems like this bailout is going to cost a pretty penny to taxpayers. Barney Frank, in a speech in front of a AARP group told the audience that assets will be held by the Feds so we can recoup some of the loss. I say that is not enough. [...]
Once again, a republican is trying ro skirt accountability to her citizens. The Governor has now stated that she will not talk to investigators because it has been “tainted” by politics. She says this despite a bipartisan committee of 2 Democrats and 3 Republicans. This abuse of power and total [...]
Every four years, you see a reawakening of political fervor. People are excited of the possibility of political change nationwide. But I also hear and see a disturbing pattern when it comes to volunteers. Volunteers are the lifeblood of any political campaign. Their tireless hours canvassing, phone banking, etc is [...]
Today Chuck Graham, state senator of the Mo 19th, announced he was going to challenge the veto that Gov. Matt Blunt had put onto the bill. Blunt states it was riddled with problems. The curators voted 7-1 to oppose giving the student curator the vote. It had passed the state [...]
Edit: Well I should of researched this better. Ty for the comments. This is what has been reported
http://www.snopes.com/politics/palin/bannedbooks.asp.
Anchorage Daily News: Palin put the question to Wasilla librarian: “What would you say if I asked you to remove some books from the collection”
Though what is below may be a [...]
A recent Survey USA poll of the Missouri 9th District showed Blaine Luetkemeyer with a lead over Judy Baker.
There are two good reasons not to put much stock in this new poll:
1. AUTOMATED POLLING. The first reason is that Survey USA is an automated poll that does not screen for [...]
You all know the feeling. You’re in bed and then someone’s recorded voice posing as a candidate asked for your vote. No “Paid for by” tag line, nothing. To the culprit of this dastardly deed, an attempt to get you to believe that their opponent had called you 2 in [...]
Three years after the horror of Katrina, I come across this Missourian article about Missouri Task Force 1 going to the Republican National Convention. Hurricane Gustav is threatening the Gulf region. It is unbelievable that the RNC and FEMA would think that their convention has higher priority than the [...]
Well, you saw this coming. McCain spent most of the summer complaining about Obama’s inexperience in foreign policy. So it is the height of hypocrisy that he would pick the Alaskan governor who has only 2 years of gubernatorial experience and was chairwoman of the state’s oil and gas regulatory [...]
In a blatant attempt to appease the health care insurance industry, Kenny Hulshof, Republican candidate for governor, revealed his health care plan for Missourians, HealthMAX. It states that it will provide competitive insurance plans to all Missourians regardless of pre-existing conditions. This will be done presumably by spreading the [...]
Ed has already commented on this, but the terrible record of the punditocracy in assessing the MO-09 Congressional race is pretty mind-boggling. Pundits have consistently relied on outdated stereotypes and simplistic labels to assess the state of the race rather than using actual data.
The latest in pundit absurdity comes from [...]
In the August 24th edition of the Columbia Tribune, an article about the Missouri 9th Congressional district being on the national radar caught my attention. It has the opinions of both the DCCC and it’s Republican counterpart NRCC. However, what really caught my eye was the analysis of 9th [...]
With the suspense of the Democratic VP pick. Many are accusing Barack of being the master of stagecraft, all fluff, no substance. This is coming from predictable sources like National Review to more neutral sources like CNN .
My response to this is simple. This type of campaign is [...]
Hmm, McSame, he is one of us. I as well lose track of how many houses I own. But hey since I have a net worth of only 4 million dollars, I’m not rich enough to keep track of them. Just kidding 
This has given Obama [...]
The first poll out of the gates in the general election matchup between Judy Baker and Blaine Luetkemeyer has Judy Baker with a 41% to 39% lead.
Baker has a 30% favorability to 8% unfavorabilty rating and has higher favorability than unfavorability even among Republican voters (especially Republican women).
Luetkemeyer’s favorability is [...]
The pundit consensus is that Obama should choose Biden because of his foreign policy expertise and because he shores up Obama’s perceived weaknesses in experience and foreign policy.
I am going to make a counterargument that Obama should not balance his perceived weaknesses but rather he should enhance his strengths and [...]
Just a week out of the election, the Blaine Luetkemeyer campaign has already used the Rovian playbook and has started to distort Judy Baker’s positions and record. Trolls have hit the blogs, spewing the typical Guns, God, and Gays garbage. This is the best chance in over a decade for [...]
Hi Left in Missouri Readers,
Ed Ricciotti has asked me to join on as a second blogger on his site here and I am glad to do so. By way of introduction, I grew up as a Republican but increasingly I could not square my fiscally responsible, socially progressive values with [...]
At the Saddleback church, McCain was asked what his definition of rich was, he threw out 5 million dollars as a number, then anticipating the criticism predicted that his comment was going to be distorted. This tactic is being used by the right wing . Jerome Corsi on Larry King [...]
Being a rather progressive and enlightened individual, I like to debate others about the virtues of having universal health care or at least a safety net program like SCHIP. Apparently some conservatives I do talk to always ask me the same question: How ya gonna pay for it. Last year [...]
Let me know what’s on your mind
[...]According to various media sources, Jerome Corsi’s book “The Obama Nation” is full of inaccuracies and downright lies. However, in the world of politics, fear is a great motivator. Luetkemeyer has already fired off his cliche driven rant, accusing Judy Baker essentially that she is a east coast liberal, who [...]
Well McCain has a headquarters in Columbia. He essentially is sharing the Hulshof headquarters on Vandiver Dr. Unlike Obama who has a HQ downtown moments from campus, the “maverick” senator decides to open one in the northern part of town in a strip mall that has two payday loan businesses, [...]
A benchmark where a desperate campaign jumps the shark so to speak is when they go negative first. Usually this happens during the end of the campaign. However the Luetkemeyer campaign has already reached into the Rovian bag of Republican cliches, using the tired divisive social issues ( Guns, God, [...]
Vladimir Putin, in a Huffington post article, likens the leaders of Georgia to that of Saddam Hussein and justifies it’s invasion by stating it was to liberate and protect the people of South Ossetia. Bush’s foreign policy has made us look impotent diplomatically and the mistrust and ill-will we [...]
Singer/songwriter Issac Hayes died today. He was 65. he is best known for his Academy award winning theme to “Shaft” and more recently was the voice of “Chef” on South park for many seasons
[...]Over the past few years, I have heard this word being used in all sort of context, political, organization, etc. It seems however that there is a tendency to overuse this word, not really knowing what grassroots really mean. Sure you can canvass and do phone calls like any good [...]
I quick note on this. He is no longer a candidate nor on the short list for VP, why is this going to hurt Barack. With Republicans playing bathroom footsie in an airport, hitting on underage male pages, or e-mailing porn to thirteen old girls here in Missouri, I think [...]
Given a chance to distance himself from the diplomacy challenged Bush administration. McCain decides to pick a side in the current Russia-Georgia conflict. Except calling for a cease-fire and joining the EU in trying to find a peaceful solution, like Barack Obama has stated, he risks bringing us back to [...]
I was reading today in the Columbia tribune an article titled “Rural Appeal Falls Short” and I had to shake my head and wonder if the press just keeps going to the same pundits for the same flawed opinion:. Marvin Overby, a political science professor at the University of [...]
What was supposed to be, according to the pundits, a tight race between rural vs. urban, turned out to be a resounding victory for Judy Baker. She beat Steve Gaw 44.1% to 31.1%. The myth that she couldn’t win rural counties was also shattered. With wins in Callaway, Franklin, and [...]
The Steve Gaw campaign seems to believe they can troll their way to victory on the blogs. good thing about Wordpress is that I get the IP addresses of those who comment. I had 3 comments from the same domain and IP address. I ask you to comment appropriately and [...]
Over the last few days, the number of negative Robocalls many of my friends have been receiving is getting ridiculous. Robo-calls in the world of political campaigning is the least effective method of getting your point across, but their cheap price makes many campaigns buy tons of this political snake [...]
Mike Martin, local Columbia blogger and government watchdog, brought to many in various listserv a list of prime real estate owned by Stan Kronke and the Lauries being assessed way below their value. Now Martin has made his disdain known for current assessor Tom Schauwecker and supports Barbara Bishop to [...]
Here are the rest of the endorsements”
Attorney General: Jeff Harris
Donnelly is a good progressive, but Jeff has been in a leadership postion in the Missouri which gives him the edge. Koster is a republican rat that jumped off a sinking ship. If Koster was a moderate Republican at odds with [...]
Living in Columbia, there is no shortage of Democrats, so with further ado, here are my August 5th endorsements. Note that I will be endorsing contested primaries.
State Representative: 20th Legislative District - Don Salcedo
Even though David Moen soothed anxieties of many progressive during the July 30th Fulton debate. Don is [...]
With rising energy prices, a faltering economy, bank failures, and a health care system that favors the healthy and wealthy, this is MSNBC breaking news:
[...]On Friday July 11th, the Boone County Muleskinners had a forum for the candidates of the Missouri 9th Congressional District. Judy Baker, as well as Steve Gaw, Ken Jacobs, and Lyndon Bode, attended. What many had thought would be an opportunity for candidates to inform the public of their vision [...]
Every couple of years, there is usually a very small number of people who run third party campaigns. One of their mantras is there isn’t any difference between the two major parties. I usually dismiss this as windmill tilting rantings and don’t give it much thought. There are plenty differences [...]
This is totally off topic, but there has been a large amount of rain here in Columbia. I wonder if this has any influence on political campaigns.? Think of it, if a lot of rain can change a strategy of a candidate a tiny bit, could it be a tipping [...]
We are getting to the point of these presidential campaigns where VP candidate start to take themselves out of the running just like Jack Webb has done. You see this happen when a high profile school looks for another athletic coach. So I am going to help the Obama candidacy [...]
It looks like everyone who is running for an office in Missouri wants to really show how country they are. Republicans and even some Democrats have this notion that you can’t win without the “rural” vote. I know Bode, Luetkemeyer and Gaw are stressing their rural roots. So is Hulshof. [...]
Looks like the Obama campaign continues to push their voter registration drive. On the 4th, they were in Fulton and Columbia registering voters before the cities’ firework displays. not only are they registering, but they plan to follow up with a GOTV (Get Out The Vote) initiative come November.
Most candidates [...]
Looks like McCain is going to have a tougher time in Missouri. Along with the 3 established parties in Missouri, the Constitution Party will have access this November according to a post in the Columbia Tribunes political blog. If a more liberal party or candidate does not make it [...]
Finally got away from Blogger and decided to host my blog itself. I will be expermenting with it for the weekend and the DNS proliferation will take another day or 2 to work itself out. So Leftinmissouri.com will work one second and down the next. I’m using wordpress and seem [...]
