Monday, June 30, 2008
Meet Clint - Our Next Teasurer
Meet Clint Zweifel, our next treasurer. Clint received the endorsement of the CCP. He's an extremely smart state representative, he comes from a Teamster family and is hard working. The answers to his CCP questionnaire can be found on our web site.
Koster Known by the Company He Keeps
The CCP has endorsed Rep. Jeff Harris in his bid for attorney general. He recently released this video about one of his primary opponents, Chris Koster. Rumors say look for a re-release of the TV ad that Koster did for John Ashcroft when Ashcroft lost to Carnahan.
Labels:
Jeff Harris,
Koster,
Missouri Attorney General
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Harris Takes on Greedy Oil Companies
The CCP has proudly endorsed Rep. Jeff Harris in his bid for Attorney General. As a life long Democrat, he has taken the lead on many Democratic issues. No apologies, no accident in voting for Medicaid cuts, no getting your picture with Dick Cheney, no slip ups endorsing John Ashcroft over Mel Carnahan. Just a life long, real-to-life Democrat. Here's the latest example:
Harris Pledges to Take on "Hot Fuel" As Attorney General, He will Use His Office to Protect Consumers at the Pump
Columbia - With Missourians preparing for the July 4th holiday, Representative Jeff Harris today unveiled his plan to combat the pricing discrepancy caused by "hot fuel" at gas stations. Harris pledged that as Missouri's next Attorney General he will use his office to aggressively protect consumers at the pump.
The Kansas City Star has reported extensively on the issue of hot fuel, estimating in 2006 that consumers were being overcharged $2.3 billion annually.1 That amount would now be significantly higher as the price of gas has soared over the past year.
The overcharging occurs because gasoline expands when the temperature goes up in summer months. This means that a 231-cubic-inch gallon sold in 90-degree weather produces less energy than a 231-cubic-inch gallon sold in 60 degree weather. With gas prices now at nearly $4 per gallon that difference can add up to nearly 7-cents per gallon. That adds up to more than $1 every time the average consumer fills up the tank.2
"Missouri consumers shouldn't be paying a dime more than they have to when Big Oil companies are making record profits," said Harris. "I will aggressively work to put an end to this hot fuel rip-off, whether that's at the bully pulpit, through legislative action, or in the court or law."
He emphasized that he wants to focus on solutions that will make Big Oil companies pay the costs to fix the problem that they have knowingly allowed to continue, rather than having family-owned gas stations and other small companies bear the burden. Harris noted that his plan to combat hot fuel will compliment the efforts that current Attorney General Jay Nixon has made in combating price gouging in gasoline sales.
"Jay Nixon has done a great job working for consumers," Harris said. "Despite that, every time you turn around, consumers are still taking it on the chin, and no where any worse than at the pump. I'm not about to guarantee that we'll win every battle, but I do want voters to know that when I'm Attorney General, I'll be standing in their corner fighting for them."
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Steelman Takes on Hulshof's Big Spending
Want to know what real Missouri conservatives hate about Congress - watch Sarah Steelman's latest attack on Congressman Hulshof.
Here's the deal, all this hurts Republicans in the race against Jay Nixon and hurts Congressman Graves in his losing race against Kay Barnes. Steelman and Graves have both hired Jeff Roe (who runs nasty and pretty effective Republican primary campaigns). Roe can't run an ad without mentioning San Francisco. Given the amount of wine he drinks at the Capital Grill, one has to wonder if he is drinking good American wine or the stuff from France (you know, that evil country that gave us Lady Liberty).
Here's my bold predictions - the attack campaign will get Steelman out of the primary, but she loses to Nixon by two points. 6th District voters are sick of Graves/Roe and Graves loses by 1.5 points.
Here's the deal, all this hurts Republicans in the race against Jay Nixon and hurts Congressman Graves in his losing race against Kay Barnes. Steelman and Graves have both hired Jeff Roe (who runs nasty and pretty effective Republican primary campaigns). Roe can't run an ad without mentioning San Francisco. Given the amount of wine he drinks at the Capital Grill, one has to wonder if he is drinking good American wine or the stuff from France (you know, that evil country that gave us Lady Liberty).
Here's my bold predictions - the attack campaign will get Steelman out of the primary, but she loses to Nixon by two points. 6th District voters are sick of Graves/Roe and Graves loses by 1.5 points.
Labels:
Hulshof,
Jeff Roe,
Kay Barnes,
Nixon,
Sam Graves,
Steelman
Monday, June 23, 2008
Harris Continues to Roll in the Democratic Endorsements
CCP endorsed candidate Rep. Jeff Harris, who is running for Attorney General, continues to get the endorsements of real Democrats.
Former Lt. Gov. Joe Maxwell is the latest life-long Democrat to show up supporting Rep. Jeff Harris. Keep in mind, this is a Democratic primary, not a general election. Democrats are electing a person that represents our values, not a person who has had to apologize for their prior votes.
Here is a bold predication - if you have ever endorsed John Ashcroft over the patron saint of the Democratic party, Mel Carnahan, you are not going to get the Democratic party's endorsement.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Steelman Attacks Hulsholf for being pro-Viagra
State Treasurer Sara Steelman (R) knows what it takes to be elected state-wide. So, I trust that she knows Republican primary voters, the kind that elect State Senator Matt Bartle in primary fights. Steelman obviously thinks attacking Hulsholf for being for Viagra and "pro-recreational sex" will work. The ad must be focused on some in the religious right community.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Republicans Attacking Republicans
This is Sara Steelman's ad attacking Kenny Hulshof for his wasteful spending in DC. According to Steve Kraske at the Star, Jeff Roe isn't running this ad in N.W. Missouri.
Here's a thought, Jeff Roe ain't making the decisions, Sara Steelman is. She may have determined what Kay Barnes has decided; that the voters in the 6th Congressional District ain't that conservative. She knows what Jeff Roe and Congressman Graves know, that the 6th voted for Claire McCaskill, Susan Montee and stem cell research. Steelman is spending her ad dollars where Republican primary voters live, and that ain't the 6th.
Wait until Hulshof gets attacked for being the only Republican Congressman or woman to vote to require Medicare to pay for Viagra.
Here's a thought, Jeff Roe ain't making the decisions, Sara Steelman is. She may have determined what Kay Barnes has decided; that the voters in the 6th Congressional District ain't that conservative. She knows what Jeff Roe and Congressman Graves know, that the 6th voted for Claire McCaskill, Susan Montee and stem cell research. Steelman is spending her ad dollars where Republican primary voters live, and that ain't the 6th.
Wait until Hulshof gets attacked for being the only Republican Congressman or woman to vote to require Medicare to pay for Viagra.
Labels:
Hulshof,
Jeff Roe,
Kay Barnes,
Nixon,
Sam Graves,
Steelman
Harris Goes "Sound of Music" on Koster
This is the latest from CCP Endorsed candidate Jeff Harris, life long Democratic candidate for attorney general.
Labels:
Jeff Harris,
Koster,
Missouri Attorney General
Clean Air in Missouri
Missourians of all political strips should be able to agree that cleaner air and new energy alternatives are needed. Some folks are doing something about it.
Missourians for Cleaner Cheaper Energy is starting a campaign and they need to enlist your support. Go to their web site, read more about what they are doing and sign up as a supporter. No money needed, just lend your name as a supporter.
These crazy environmentalists, first it is clean air. Next thing you know they are going to start talking about not putting 20,000 pigs next to our water supply.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Republicans traveling the high road? Yeah, right.
Hooray for Habeas!
The Supreme Court has decided that the Gitmo detainees have access to Habeas Corpus, thus affirming 800 years of English and American jurisprudence and the clear language of the Constitution. Naturally ScaliaThomasRobertsAlito dissented. Big Tony said it meant all the terrorists would be selling our children in the slave markets of Marrekesch -- or something to that effect -- if we let all those wild-eyed Al Qaida wannabes on the Federal bench get a chance to turn America's enemies loose. (Truly, he is a bright guy, which is why his intellectual dishonesty is sooooo embarrassing. Thomas carries around a room-temperature IQ and Roberts & Alito are just Bushie Bureaucrats. But Anton, alas, has a true spark of genius wasted in a bad cause. Like Robert E. Lee, only without the horse or the nobility.)
Fear strikes out -- but only by 5-4. The Constitution may not be able to take a 3rd Bush term. Hard work lies ahead.
Fear strikes out -- but only by 5-4. The Constitution may not be able to take a 3rd Bush term. Hard work lies ahead.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Official CCP Endorsements
The Committee for County Progress (CCP), Jackson County’s largest Democratic political club, is proud to make the following endorsements:
Attorney General: Jeff Harris
State Treasurer: Clint Zweifel
Lt. Governor: Sam Page
Jackson County Prosecutor: Jim Kanatzar
Jackson County Sheriff: John Bullard
44th State House: Amy Coffman
The CCP is committed to fair and open government and has been in existence since 1964. The candidates underwent a screening process and all their questionnaires are available on our website.
The over 150 members of the CCP will now work hard to see that our endorsed candidates are elected in the August 5th primary. Thank you to all the candidates who applied for our endorsement.
McCain Straight Talk = Double Speak
McBush has developed a reputation for straight talk - here's some good examples
Labels:
2008 Presidential Election,
Barack Obama,
McCain
How Obama Won
The Washington Post has an interesting article on how Obama won.
The result may have lacked the glamour of a sweep, but last night, with the delegates he picked up in Montana and South Dakota and a flood of superdelegate endorsements, Obama sealed one of the biggest upsets in U.S. political history and became the first Democrat since Jimmy Carter to wrest his party's nomination from the candidate of the party establishment. The surprise was how well his strategy held up -- and how little resistance it met.
"We kept waiting for the Clinton people to send people into the caucus states," marveled Jon Carson, one of Obama's top ground-game strategists.
"It's the big mystery of the campaign," said campaign manager David Plouffe, "because every delegate counts."
It may be a political nerdy article, but you are reading a political blog.
Monday, June 2, 2008
St. Joe Abandons Graves
Buchanan County / St. Joe - one of the 3 most populous counties in the 6th district -(the other two are Clay and Platte and all three voted for Sen. McCaskill, Auditor Montee and for stem cell research) is abandoning Congressman Graves.
The St. Joseph News ran a poll on Congressman Graves racist attacks on Mayor KAY (not Gay) Barnes. Here is the result:
Are Sam Graves' attack ads on Kay Barnes fair game? Response Percent
Yes. No one said politics was nice. 34%
No. The ads are shameless and misleading. 65%
The letters to the editor are also telling, like this one from the Rev. Chases Peoples:
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Graves should issue apology for imagery in attack ad
Sam Graves’ TV ad attacking Kay Barnes for “San Francisco values” may be off the air for the moment, but the racist and homophobic images used in it remain in our area’s consciousness. I have no objection to Graves attacking Barnes for having a fundraiser with Nancy Pelosi in San Francisco or for any other issue he may want to raise. I do, however, object strenuously to the way he went about it in this ad, which demeans people who are African-American and/or gay and lesbian.
The ad displays a picture of three people dancing and drinking — an African-American female, an African-American male and a Caucasian female — in what I guess is supposed to be stereotypical gay attire (although my gay friends rarely seem to wear mesh tank-top and cowboy hat combinations). While this image plays, the announcer mentions that “San Francisco values” include support for gay marriage and other stances. It seems fair to me for Graves to attack Barnes for her positions — whatever they may or may not be — but what I object to is the imagery.
Nothing that gets into political commercials is by accident, especially when it comes to people of minority ethnicity and/or sexual orientation. One needs only to think of the Willie Horton ad in 1988 or the ads run against Harold Ford Jr. in 2006 to realize that images of African-Americans in political ads are routinely used to arouse prejudice in white voters. The list of negative portrayals of gay and lesbian people in political ads is an even longer one. Graves’ ad falls right in line with this tradition of dehumanizing and stereotyping a minority to appeal to voters’ worst fears and biases.
I think it is fair to ask why the ad depicted not one, but two African-Americans in a manner that implies a hedonistic lifestyle. Why not an African-American, a Hispanic-American and a Caucasian-American? Why not three Caucasians? The inclusion of two African-Americans seems intended to provoke a certain kind of reaction in a majority white district. Furthermore, the evocation of the gay boogeyman also seems intended to incite prejudice in a district where most homosexuals by necessity must keep their orientations below the radar. It’s not a new tactic, but an old one: play to the majority’s fears about the minority. Unfortunately, we have too many examples of that kind of tactic not only helping win political races, but also reinforcing systemic prejudice.
I call upon Sam Graves to apologize for the imagery used in the ad, and I hope that people in Northwest Missouri of every political party will reject the dehumanization of minorities for political gain.
The Rev. Chase Peeples,
St. Joseph
People are sick of the Graves/Roe/Bush/Rove attack machine. They are sick of congressmen who take money from oil companies and then vote them tax breaks for exploring for oil. Graves' nastiness does not breed loyalty; just ask Sen. Kit Bond (R-Mo) who can't distance himself from Graves fast enough.
Labels:
Bush Administration,
Jeff Roe,
Kay Barnes,
Sam Graves
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