Volume 24, Edition 1  •  February 1, 2008

VOTE TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Missouri Republicans are encouraged to cast their ballots on Tuesday, February 5, in our state’s Presidential Preference Primary. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. There are currently 12 Republican candidates for president on the ballot. Since there is no party registration in Missouri, Republican voters will have to ask for a Republican ballot at their local polling station. Missouri was awarded 58 delegates to the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis and all 58 are bound to support the Missouri Presidential Primary winner on the first ballot. Twenty-seven delegates and 27 alternates will be selected at Congressional District Conventions on April 19 with an additional 28 delegates and 28 alternates selected at the 2008 Missouri Republican State Convention on May 31 in Branson (www.mogop.org/convention). While some of the candidates have announced that they are no longer running (noted with an asterisk), the following names will appear on the ballot in this order: Ron Paul; Fred Thompson*; Mitt Romney; Rudy Guiliani*; John McCain; Mike Huckabee; Virgil L. Wiles; Tom Tancredo*; Duncan Hunter*; Hugh Court; Alan Keyes; Daniel Gilbert. There also is the “Uncommitted” option. If you need to locate your polling location for the primary, visit the polling location look-up tool on the Missouri Secretary of State’s website: http://mcvr.mo.gov/PollingPlaceLookup/.

Haley Barbour Featured Speaker at Lincoln Days Banquet

Two-term Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour will be the featured speaker at the Missouri Republican Party banquet at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 8 honoring Gov. Matt Blunt during the 109th Missouri Republican Lincoln Days at the University Plaza Hotel in Springfield. “In a year of great opportunities for Missouri Republicans, we are extremely pleased that Governor Barbour is coming to the Show Me State to honor Governor Blunt and share his many insights and experiences that will serve as an inspiration to Missouri Republicans,” said Doug Russell, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party. Elected to a second term in office with more than 58 percent of the vote, Barbour has been nationally recognized for taking the lead early on helping Mississippians rebuild and recover after Hurricane Katrina. Barbour created the Governor’s Commission on Recovery, Rebuilding, and Renewal to develop a broad vision for opportunities to help South Mississippi rebuild after Katrina. For his leadership after Katrina, Governor Barbour was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award, which is presented by the bipartisan American Legislative Exchange Council to a nationally recognized public sector leader who has an extraordinary record of successfully advancing Jeffersonian principles. Barbour was also named Governor of the Year by Washington, D.C.-based Governing magazine and awarded the Gulf Guardian Award by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for his work to rebuild and protect sensitive coastal ecosystems. This year’s Lincoln Days run from Feb. 8-10. For more information, please visit www.molincolndays.com.

Republican National Lawyers Association to Host Luncheon With Governor Blunt

The Republican National Lawyers Association will host a Regional Membership Luncheon on Friday, February 8, 2008 from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. The luncheon will be held at Millie's Cafe in Springfield, and will feature as a special guest Governor Matt Blunt. Interested members of the RNLA should contact Michael Grote at 573-424-5120 or mike@ga2.us for more information.

Governor Seeks to Prevent Tax on Rebate Checks

Gov. Matt Blunt is calling on members of the General Assembly to pass legislation to ensure Missourians will not have to pay state taxes on tax refund checks related to the federal economic stimulus package currently under debate in Washington. “Any economic stimulus package that generates rebate checks to Missouri taxpayers should go directly to Missouri’s hardworking families,” Governor Blunt said. “To protect Missourians’ well deserved tax rebates, I am calling on our elected representatives to send me a one-time bill exempting any one time federal income tax rebates from state taxes.” Under Missouri income tax law taxpayers are allowed to deduct federal taxes on their state returns, so a potential refund of those federal taxes would be seen as an increase in income and would be subject to state tax. Governor Blunt is calling for immediate action to ensure that any tax refunds distributed to Missouri taxpayers as part of the federal economic stimulus package are not subject to state tax. The governor has worked to turn Missouri’s economy around, pulling the state up from a $1.1 billion deficit without increasing taxes and while enacting three major tax cut measures. Last year the governor signed legislation ending the cut on Social Security for all Missouri seniors. The legislation also provides tax relief for teachers, firefighters, police officers, military personnel, federal employees and railroad workers. Governor Blunt also enacted a tax cut to protect manufacturing jobs in Missouri. In addition, the governor eased the tax burden on Missouri families by signing tax cuts to allow Missourians to deduct the cost of their health insurance premiums. Changes enacted under the governor’s leadership are working. Regulatory and lawsuit reform are encouraging job growth. Governor Blunt’s pro-jobs, pro-growth initiatives have helped facilitate the creation of nearly 90,000 jobs since January 2005. A wrecked budget is now in line with the priorities of Missouri taxpayers and balanced with three consecutive surpluses.

Legislature Lauded by Governor for Quick Action

Gov. Matt Blunt commended members of the Missouri Senate and Missouri House of Representatives for quickly acting on his call to fund important priorities including methamphetamine task forces and energy assistance to Missouri families. “The politicians in Washington, D.C. cut Missouri's anti-meth task forces just like the previous administration had cut Utilicare,” Governor Blunt said. “I applaud the General Assembly for answering my call to support anti-meth task forces across our state and to provide utility assistance to help Missouri families heat their homes. Their quick action to pass legislation to fight meth and help Missourians in need should be commended.” The Legislature gave final approval this week to supplemental funding bills including funding for Missouri Sheriff’s Methamphetamine Relief Team and Utilicare funding to help vulnerable Missourians heat their homes this winter. The governor called for more than $1.8 million in supplemental funding to support MoSMART in the state’s fight against meth. This funding will help pay for the shortfall caused by the U.S. Congress’ elimination of funding for critical anti-meth task forces and ensure that 48 sheriff’s officers and drug task force employees around Missouri will not be eliminated. Senator Kit Bond was able to secure $700,000 for the MoSMART program in spite of Claire McCaskill’s efforts to cut the funding. Governor Blunt also lauded lawmakers for again supporting his call to fully fund the program that helps low-income Missourians pay for their home heating costs. The $6.4 million supplemental appropriation bill ensures funding will be available this year to help Missourians with their winter heating bills. The Missouri Utilicare program was established in 1979 to help Missourians with winter utility costs but those funds were cut after 2001. Governor Blunt restored the cuts made by the previous administration andy fully funded the program three years in a row. The governor also applauded legislative action supporting $10 million from the Conservation Fund to support important construction and capital improvements projects for the Missouri Department of Conservation.

Governor Discusses Republican Successes for Missourians

During an address to the Cassville Chamber of Commerce, Governor Blunt reported that the changes enacted since January 2005 to improve the way the state does business are working for Missouri’s economy. “In 2004 Missourians demanded change. Missourians wanted their state government to put Missouri families, Missouri values, and Missouri taxpayers first. Over the last three years my administration has delivered change that is enhancing prosperity and opportunity for all Missourians,” the governor said. “When I came into office our state was losing jobs at an alarming rate, and we embarked on a mission to bring quality, family supporting jobs back to our state. And our pro-growth, pro-jobs initiatives have succeeded in helping Missourians create nearly 90,000 jobs over the last three years.” When Governor Blunt took office in January 2005, he inherited a $1.1 billion deficit. Missouri’s budget was in the red due to too many lawsuits, too much regulation, wrong priorities and a massive state government with bloated bureaucracies. Gov. Blunt spent three years reversing the bad economic policies of the past to place Missouri back on the road to prosperity. Today, change is working. Regulatory and lawsuit reform are encouraging job growth. Three major tax cuts are allowing Missouri families to keep more of their hard-earned money. A wrecked budget is now in line with the priorities of Missouri taxpayers and balanced with three consecutive surpluses. Governor Blunt’s proposed Fiscal Year 2009 budget is aimed at creating opportunity and reducing taxes. His budget includes increased investment to improve math and science education, expanded access to scholarships for students, funding for Insure Missouri to help working Missourians purchase their own personal health insurance, and a tax cut for Missouri veterans. In addition, Governor Blunt proposed legislation to protect Missourians from massive local property tax increases will help reduce the tax burden on families.

Governor Supports Anti-Drug Efforts

Governor Blunt recently praised graduates of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education class, thanking them for their commitment to educating Missouri children about the dangers of drugs and the importance of living drug free lives. Gov. Blunt was presented with D.A.R.E.’s special lion mascot for his leadership in helping protect Missouri children from the dangers of drugs. “Our children are our future and it is vital that parents and schools educate Missouri children about the dangers of drugs and benefits of living a drug free life,” Governor Blunt said at a graduation ceremony for D.A.R.E. officers. “I commend the excellent work of the D.A.R.E. program and the new graduates for their commitment to public service and helping to ensure that Missouri’s children understand the dangers of drugs.” D.A.R.E. is taught by police officers whose training and experience gives them the background needed to address students’ questions about drugs and crime. In order for officers to teach the D.A.R.E. program, they must complete 80 hours of specialized training in areas like child development, classroom management, teaching techniques, and communication skills. The governor has worked to reduce the impact of drugs in Missouri. His plan to save Missouri’s meth-fighting task forces and provide vital resources to sheriff’s departments throughout Missouri was recently approved by the House. The plan provides $1.8 million in supplemental funding to prevent the elimination of Missouri Sheriff’s Methamphetamine Relief Team. The funding will help pay for the shortfall caused by the U.S. Congress’ elimination of funding for critical anti-meth task forces and ensure that 48 sheriff’s offices and drug task force employees around Missouri will not be eliminated. In addition, Governor Blunt signed tough anti-meth legislation in June 2005 to limit access to the materials used to make meth. The law restricts the sales of products containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine and relocates them behind pharmacy counters. Individuals are also now required to show photo identification before purchasing products containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine and are limited to how much of the products they can purchase each month. Under the legislation pharmacies are required to maintain purchase logs and make them available for inspection to law enforcement officers. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that under Blunt’s leadership, meth incidents have declined by approximately 40 percent. Meth incidents include chemical, equipment and glassware seizures, and dumpsites that have been identified by the MSHP.

Nixon Obsession Reveals Bankruptcy of Ideas, Division

Jay Nixon’s three-year political obsession with Governor Blunt that has cost Democrat donors thousands of dollars in wasted contributions has also exposed Nixon’s lack of vision for moving Missouri forward and further revealed a candidate who may soon have a challenger from his own party. Nixon has wasted three years and thousands of dollars in Democrat contributions running against an unannounced candidate and in doing so has failed to make his campaign about ideas and issues which even now is costing him a significant political price with members of his own party who are considering running against him. Nixon did not want to tell Missourians he supports higher taxes, taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants and bigger government, so he based his campaign solely on Governor Blunt. Nixon’s political obsession was on display when he mentioned the Governor 10 times during his 10-minute response to the State of the State address financed by money from the Missouri Democrat Party. Meanwhile, at a news conference in the Capitol on Wednesday that was conducted on taxpayer time, Nixon said he would continue to run against the wrong person. A report by Springfield television station KY-3 made it clear that Nixon’s campaign event exposed his weakness as a candidate: “It had the sense of a post-campaign rally. But once the questioning began, the tone changed. When Nixon was asked about the state of the race, he had to pause. And think. Who really knows? Asked about specific candidates? A longer pause. A short stutter. Jay Nixon thought he knew what he was facing for three years. Now, it's almost back to square one.” Not only did Nixon wrongly target Blunt in numerous campaign press releases but even used official press releases to take political pot shots at Governor Blunt even though the governor was never a candidate for a second term. Now even the Washington Post has raised the specter that Nixon may soon be challenged by fellow Democrat Robin Carnahan because of his blunder. It is well-known that a rift has long existed between the Carnahan family and Jay Nixon, whose expensive and embarrassingly directionless campaign has not only hurt his credibility with Missourians but also with his many detractors within the Missouri Democrat Party.

Running Scared: Democrats in Panic Over GOP Candidates

With their party leader Jay Nixon in hiding and trying to figure out where he went wrong, the Democrat Party and their allies in cyberspace are running scared by launching numerous political attacks at Republican candidates for governor who already are providing details about their distinct visions for Missouri. The mind-numbing number of statements from the Democrat Party against Republican candidates smacks of fear and desperation and clearly illustrate that their candidate Jay Nixon is bankrupt of ideas designed to improve the lives of Missourians. The louder Democrats scream, the more desperate they seem. Nixon, meanwhile, is in his bunker trying to figure out how he managed to waste his money and Missourians’ time running against an unannounced candidate, and wondering which member of his party will challenge him in a primary.

Coleman Says Nixon Weak With African Americans, Dems

Despite attempts to unite behind Jay Nixon, a leading Democrat made it clear today that Nixon’s failures on behalf of the African American community is one reason why party loyalists are looking for an alternative on the November ballot. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch his week reported that “Nixon’s record on the St. Louis schools desegregation case is a sore spot in the African-American community,” and added this telling quote from African American Senate Minority Leader Maida Coleman: ‘“That’s, unfortunately, Jay’s legacy,’ Coleman said. She saw the split when she talked politics with seven St. Louis aldermen who were in the capital Wednesday to testify on local control of the police department.” Nixon broke a promise to the African American community for political purposes and that has not been forgotten as Senator Coleman’s statement clearly illustrates. It is little wonder why Democrats are so concerned that Nixon may not stand a chance this November. Missourians deserve a leader that unites Missourians, not divides them like Jay Nixon has for more than a decade. The source of Nixon’s weakness on desegregation is rooted in his 1992 campaign rhetoric. During that campaign, Nixon pledged to move away from a focus on litigation and instead would seek compromise and settlement. But by the close of Nixon’s first year in office, he had abandoned that pledge and created a wedge in the African American community that still exists today.The Kansas City Star put it this way in a 1998 editorial: “[S]omething happened to Jay Nixon as his insatiable political ambition pulled him toward the goal of higher office. He made the decision to play to rural and suburban prejudices and resentments against Kansas City’s schools.” And then-St. Louis Alderman Freeman Bosley, Sr., who sponsored a resolution that requested President Bill Clinton cancel a fundraising trip to St. Louis to support Nixon, told the Post-Dispatch in 1997: “‘He’s [Nixon] tearing this city and this state apart racially,’ Bosley said.”

Sam Page Asks Carnahan to Deny Missourians Health Care

In a cold-hearted political move, Democrat lieutenant governor candidate Sam Page is asking Robin Carnahan to deny Missourians access to affordable health care by blocking rules to allow for the implementation of the Insure Missouri initiative. It is clear that Page is seeking to derail this plan for political purposes at the expense of those Missouri families that need it most. Though Page seems intent on denying health care, one Democrat who initially signed the letter, Curt Dougherty of Independence, had his name removed and the Missouri Republican Party called on Page to do the same. So it appears that at least one Democrat would prefer to put people ahead of politics on this issue and we call on Sam Page to do the same. The political effort to block Insure Missouri is incomprehensible given that the program will help nearly 200,000 Missourians purchase their own personal health insurance. More than 54,000 Missourians will gain immediate access to affordable, high quality care starting next month. Those covered will have incomes below the federal poverty line. Co-payments will be no more than $3 per visit. This summer, access to coverage will move above the federal poverty level. Missourians will make contributions based on income.

Media Just Can’t Accept GOP Accomplishments

The liberal media across Missouri just can’t accept the fact that Governor Blunt has decided to leave the most powerful office in the state because he has accomplished all he set out to accomplish for Missourians. Instead, the media are spreading rumor and innuendo promoted on Democrat blogs to fuel their insatiable need to attack the governor for his very personal and courageous decision. From almost Day One of the governor’s administration, the liberal media have derived their reporting from Democrats and have refused to acknowledge the governor’s successes including turning a budget deficit into a surplus, providing record amounts of new funding for education and having the courage to reform a broken health care system. The liberal media – and the many elitists among them – prefer to praise career politicians like Jay Nixon even though they themselves understand his obsession with higher office. Perhaps one of the more astute observations about the governor’s successes and Democrat failures can be found in Michael Jensen’s editorial in the Sikeston Standard Democrat: “Following on the heels of the do-nothing Bob Holden, Blunt brought respect and success back to the state’s top office. He was vilified by many for his substantial cuts in Medicaid health care coverage but that bold move also brought a balanced budget without a tax increase. He recognized that health care costs take one-third of our state budget currently and at the accelerated pace of spending under Mel Carnahan and Bob Holden, we were headed for a train wreck. You wouldn’t know it from reading the urban media but as many people in the state applauded the Governor for those moves as criticized him.”

Thoughts and Prayers

The Missouri Republican Party encourages Republicans across the state to keep these individuals in your thoughts and prayers:

Paul Busiek, husband of Mavis Busiek. Paul’s health concerns continue.

Mike Keathley, Commissioner of Administration, who has cancer.

Rosemary Kochner, former 13th District State Committeewoman, who has continued health concerns.

State Rep. Scott Lipke and family, 157th House District, whose infant daughter is recovering from surgery to correct a faulty heart.

Mary Mallien, 14th District State Committeewoman, who has continued health concerns.

Bob Schwartz, 3rd District State Committeeman, who has cancer.

Dawn Sprick, daughter of 21st District State Committeeman Gary Harris, who has cancer.


Key Dates in 2008

February 5
Missouri Presidential Primary. Special Elections in 16th House District in St. Charles, 158th in Cape Girardeau and 65th District in St. Louis.

February 8-10
Republican State Lincoln Days, Springfield.

February 26
First day of candidate filing for 2008 state primaries.

March 15
Local county/city caucuses.

March 25
Candidate filing for state primaries ends.

April 19
Congressional district caucuses.

May 30-June 1
Missouri Republican State Convention, Branson.

July 9
Last day to register to vote for August 5 Missouri State Primary.

August 5
Missouri State Primary.

September 1-4
Republican National Convention, St. Paul, Minnesota.

October 8
Last day to register to vote in the November 4 General Election.

November 4
General Election.
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