Influence Ratings . . .

Those blogger influence ratings come out on Sundays, don't they? I wonder who is rated as the number 1 most influential political blogger in the state of Missouri?

My influence must be why Funkhouser is so popular, and Amy Coffman has done such a great job of updating her website, as her campaign said we could expect, after her campaign kick-off . . .

I Believe Bush this Time

Here's a little snippet about a random encounter between Bill Clinton and W:

The last time President Bush was in New York City to address the U.N., he ran into Bill Clinton in a corridor. As the book Dead Certain recalls, Bush’s aides speculated “uncharitably” about “another case of Clinton craving one more tanning session in the executive limelight.”

Bush was gracious and chatted for the cameras. But afterward he told an aide: “Six years from now, you’re not going to see me hanging around the lobby of the U.N.”

That's true on so many levels. It's certainly true that he doesn't have the intellectual or moral fiber to remain involved in world affairs. It's certainly true that nobody wants him around after his term is up. Finally, it's true that, even if they do try him for the war crimes of launching an unjustified war and condoning torture, that would be a harsh sentence and an unlikely place to carry it out.

Reason for Hope

This is how it can happen. A Republican looks into the face of those he's hurting, and buckles.

Why is Joe Serviss in My Funny Pages?

Why in the world would Hearne Christopher treat us to Joe Serviss' thoughts on Mark Funkhouser's administration? (No link because the Star's webmasters are probably making the editorial call that the FYI editors failed to make.) Serviss was one of Kay's closest cronies, and now he's chatting with Hearne about how he would improve on Funk's mayoral performance. I happen to know and greatly enjoy Joe Serviss - he's a KC original, and a true character - but his views on Funk are neither informed nor newsworthy - not even to the minimal standards of a Hearne Christopher column.

Making it even a little more creepy is the fact that he wrote about "fantasiz[ing] about what it might be like to party like a politician in former KC Councilman and Mayor Pro Tem Joe Serviss’ bachelor boudoir" on Sunday. This is getting unhealthy.

I've personally heard Joe say some outrageously foolish things about Funk, but never thought to report on them here, partially because I like the guy too much to embarrass him. I also see no need in encouraging the Barnes camp to continue its poorly thought-out campaign against Funkhouser when they are supposed to be running against Graves. (Yes, there are Funkhouser supporters who would much prefer that Barnes defeat Graves, but everytime Glorioso or Serviss opens their mouths about Funk, our enthusiasm wilts.)

Sunshine Law Resource

Jean Maneke is a lawyer here in Kansas City who is THE go-to person on all matters involving Missouri's Sunshine Law. She is also the blogger behind "Sunshine in Missouri", a blog devoted to discussion of open government.

Some of us spout off about things we think based on what we hear. Sunshine in Missouri is dedicated to helping people find the real facts and the actual documents that show us what our government is doing.

Evo Morales on the Daily Show

Evo Morales is the President of Bolivia. He grew up poor, and wound up President of his country in a land which has been controlled by wealthy foreign interests since the time of Spain.

Last night, he was on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. The interview, handled through an interpreter, was odd and fascinating. Stewart's quick humor doesn't really play all that well through an interpreter, but his sincere interest does.



At around 2:00, Evo responds to Stewart's claim (having apparently forgotten Bill "God I Wish He Were Still in Office" Clinton's biography) that the presidency in the United States is rigged to favor those born into the upper class. With unironic simpliciy, Evo says, "So if it's rigged, then something needs to be done to change that."

There's something about the way he says it that skewers me. Part of it is the lack of humor - he doesn't find it funny to joke about elections being rigged. If you don't like it, fix it. And part of it is the eloquent simplicity of the man. There's a world of difference between simplicity and simpleness, and Bolivia's president has the former . . .

Irony 501, Remedial Logic 101

Sr. Theresa Torres teaches in the Sociology Department at UMKC, and her column about Funkhouser and Semler manages to combine a graduate level of irony and a remedial level of logic. While decrying the harmful impact of inflammatory language, she violates Godwin's Law, and draws a comparison between those she presumes to lecture and the Nazis. Yes, indeed, she criticizes inflammatory language with a Nazi comparison. Wow. The nuns who taught me would have rapped my knuckles with a ruler for such a gaffe.

She then actually argues that Funkhouser should back down on his principles if they prove costly. Wow. The nuns who taught me would have sent me to Sr. Anita's office if I had made such an unprincipled, immoral argument.

I share her wish that Semler would resign, but I think that she should stick to sociology, and leave the logic to her superiors.

(Here's a link to the article as it appeared in the paper. The original link leads you to the Prime Buzz Blog, which is free again.)

Blogger Appreciation: Kansas City Daily Photo

Last week, I profiled one of my favorite bloggers, Hip Suburban White Guy, who was, I think, one of the first people I put onto my blogroll. This week, I'm highlighting Kansas City Daily Photo, who is one of the more recent additions.

KCDP (a/k/a Waldo Oiseau) is not a trained photographer, but she captures evocative, unique photos of the city I wander through daily. She sees stuff that I don't see - she notices patterns and colors and textures that surround us all, but somehow escape us.

Here is a recent example (Waldo, if you object to my brazen theft of your image, just email me and I'll substitute a link!):


This photo happens to come from "You Say Tomato", a charming restaurant/grocery I've visited several times, without ever noticing the beauty that was right under my nose.

I talked with KCDP once, and she started the blog as a way of forcing a little discipline on herself, to post photos regularly. Her work has expanded my view of our city - I keep an eye out for interesting patterns and scenic shots. She gets commenters from all over the country - I know she's doing her little bit to convince people that KC is not a squalid cowtown - and she's also making other people more visually alert.

KCDP has taken some amazing photos, and shared them with her blog. Go look at her photo from the Swizzle - no link because you ought to spend some time browsing around her site. She's doing great work and making me and others appreciate our world a little more. That's a pretty worthwhile and amazing accomplishment. Thanks, KCDP, for posting your blog - it means more to some of us than we might otherwise say.

What Can I Do With All This Influence? Wanna Buy Some?

This week's influence ratings are out, and Gone Mild has zoomed from #20 to #5 most influential political blog in the state of Missouri. Here are the rankings for the week:

Missouri's Most Influential Political blogs
Rank Blog
1 Branson Missouri
2 Fired Up! Missouri -
3 Politics Blog
4 The KC Blue Blog
5 Gone Mild
6 The Turner Report
7 Arch City Chronicle News
8 KY3 Political Notebook
9 CHATTER
10 The Source
11 Show Me Progress
12 Blog CCP
13 Missouri Political News Service
14 24thstate.com
15 BlogKC
16 Corner of the Sky
17 Tony's Kansas City
18 PUB DEF
19 In the Mailbox
20 Simple Thoughts of a Complex Mind

Now, truth be told, I don't believe this ranking any more than I believed my #20 ranking. But it's nice to be ranked above the local joke blog . . .

Undocumented Immigrants are OK When They're Working for Republicans

I got a tip from a trusted source that Matt Blunt's cronies are getting tax credits to help them employ undocumented immigrants.

On Friday, the Missouri Housing Development Commission held a meeting, and one of the issues on the agenda was whether to take tax credits away from corporations that have been employing undocumented immigrants. The four Democratic appointees voted to do so. Four republican appointees voted not to hold employers accountable. The deciding vote was in the hands of Ed "bunch of Mexicans" Martin, the racist representative of Matt Blunt, who was participating by phone.

What would he do?

Would he take a stand against employers who exploit undocumented immigrants?

Would he abandon his principles to support wealthy republicans?

What would he do?

. . .

He hung up.

That way, the vote tied at 4-4, the employer gets the tax credits, and he doesn't have to vote in favor of illegal immigration.

Republican hypocrisy and moral fortitude on display.

Boonville Overnight at the Hotel Frederick

Through a series of odd circumstances, I wound up visiting Boonville Friday evening, spending the night at the historic Hotel Frederick. The Hotel Frederick is right on the Katy Trail, and is the last Boonville building before you reach the river on Main Street.

Despite the historical nature of the place, the rooms had some contemporary flourishes. Like the flat screen TVs and walk-in showers, for instance. But the most remarkable feature of the place had to be the rooms' bathrooms, separated from the main part of the room only by glass walls. Yes, see-through, non-opaque glass panes.

Now, being as well-built as I am, I'm more than happy to show off my buff body in the shower, so that didn't throw me at all. But the toilet was in there, too. And while I don't mind being watched while I shower, I don't particularly enjoy being watched while I read a magazine, so to speak. And I can't think of anyone I'd want to watch, either.

So, there was that.

And there was also Hearne Christopher. In the lobby when we checked in, in the lobby bar when we dropped by, at the corner diner when we had breakfast, and at the movie set when we went there to watch Connie Stevens direct the upcoming movie "Saving Grace", starring Tatum O'Neal. He was everywhere.

Boonville is a sleepy little town on the banks of the Missouri River, and now it has a fancy historical hotel. I would highly recommend a visit, if only to have breakfast at the Riverside Diner, where I had a sandwich constructed of a thick slice of fried bologna, two eggs, and two slices of American cheese, on Texas Toast. Ain't that America?

Koster Reveals Election Plans - Gone Mild Exclusive

Chris Koster has been rumored to be planning a run for Missouri Attorney General since he switched parties on August 1. Gone Mild has discovered that Chris "Capricious" Koster has set his eyes on a far more ambitious electoral agenda, running for a full slate of offices across the globe, tossing his hat in the ring for dozens upon dozens of positions. "My willingness to serve resembles my ego - it is expansive and ever-growing," Koster gushed. "Whenever I see a name in the paper, I think it ought to be mine . . ."

Most political analysts attributed his rat-like behavior in abandoning the sinking Republican ship to a desire to run for the Democratic nomination for Missouri Attorney General. Indeed, Koster admits, that was his primary motivation. Koster explains, "Party labels don't matter as much as Chris Koster matters, so, sure, I was willing to play whatever game and say whatever needed saying to make it easier for me. But when I freed myself of my principles, I saw a whole world of opportunity waiting for me. Without principles, the world is my oyster."

Reflecting the type of original thinking that allows a man to believe he deserves a statewide nomination from a party he has not belonged to for even two full months, Koster has decided that if offices have slates of candidates, it's only fair that candidates should have slates of offices. "Makes sense to me," Koster quips.

Here is a partial list of the offices that Chris Koster has decided to run for (more are being added on a weekly basis):

Democratic Nomination for Missouri Attorney General
Class President, Sweet Springs High School (Mo) Sophomore class
Neighborhood Welcome Committee Chair, Rancho Mirage (Ca) Neighborhood Association
Hall Monitor, Miss Donnelly's Second Grade Class, Lincoln Elementary School, Wilmington, Delaware
Minister of Cultural Affairs, Guam
Chief Bikini Inspector, Juan's Cabana, Cancun, Mexico
Pep Club President, Hazelwood East High School, Hazelwood, Missouri
Social Committee Chair, Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Truman State University
Employee of the Month, Omaha, Nebraska Wal-Mart
President, Mug Club, 75th Street Brewery, Kansas City, Mo.
Mayor, Nagpur, India
County Legislator, Washington County, Illinois
Village Elder, Mtondia, Kenya
Captain, Springfield "Strikers" U-12 Soccer Team, Massachusetts

Not surprisingly, Koster's electoral ambitions have caught many by surprise, including the other candidates running for the offices. Tiffany Smith, the current front-runner for Pep Club President at Hazelwood East, protested that Chris Koster is not even a student at the school. "We are the Spartans, the mighty, mighty Spartans, and Chris Koster isn't a Spartan. Why should he be allowed to run for the most important Spartan booster in the school? It isn't right!", she said, tearing up and biting her lip.

"I'm not a Democrat, either," Koster responded, "but they're letting me run for Attorney General as one. At least I haven't spent the last 3 years working AGAINST the Spartans, like I have the Democrats . . ."

One of the leading village elders of Mtondia, Kenya, responded to Koster's candidacy with a curt "Chris Koster can atanonea my muta mkundu." He spoke on the condition of anonymity, though, because he heard that Koster has the support of several unions. "I don't want saruji viatu."

Here in Missouri, Koster's announcements have raised eyebrows, but some political analysts are congratulating him on a bold move. "I've looked at the bylaws and rules applying to each of the positions he's running for, and he's found a loophole, in that none of them actually require residence or membership in the respective group. They just assumed that anyone running would actually be a member. But, if Chris Koster can run as a Democrat after 3 years of attacking everything that Democrats stand for, why shouldn't he be able to run for Sophomore class President of Sweet Springs?", says UMKC Political Science Professor Mike Andrews. "Besides, if I say anything bad about the plan, he threatens to run against me for chair of the department."

Some suspect that this may be a scheme to hold onto big donations he has received that violate the reinstated caps. Koster has been rumored to be working to come up with ways to circumvent the law, perhaps through claiming some kind of bogus hardship.

"There are no campaign limitations in the bylaws of the 75th Street Brewery Mug Club," reports Koster, flashing his perfect pearly-white teeth. "If the unions and a few trial lawyers who have supported me so far want to donate to my Mug Club candidacy, then I can do massive media buys across the state talking about my good looks. It just so happens that my good looks are also my strongest qualification for Attorney General."

As mentioned above, Koster is still looking for more positions to contain his ambition. Gone Mild suggests that if Koster calls you and seeks your support, that you offer it to him in the form of another position he could run for. Like, maybe District 31 Senator. As a Democrat. Wouldn't that be nice?

Who Decides Who Gets On TV?

I don't stay home during the daytime, so I don't really understand what the deal is about "The View". Apparently, it's a televised gabfest with people who TV executives have decided we should listen to. I'm not really criticizing the concept of watching stupid TV - I get stuck on Channel 2, watching City Council meetings, so I'm not fit to judge anyone else.

But check this out - one of the cohosts, who doesn't believe in evolution (? - are there really such people still around?) gets stumped when Whoopi Goldberg asks her IF THE WORLD IS ROUND OR FLAT!


Think it can't get worse? It can. Here's another one of the hosts accepting her excuse, since, after all, BUSY MOTHERS CAN'T HELP BEING STUPID.

Sherri Shepherd Reponds to the World Is Flat
Uploaded by petulant

Now, I don't want my brush to be too broad here. I know that there are plenty of bright, informed, intelligent conservatives. I imagine that they are just as chagrined as I am that we have shows like "The View" weakening the standards of what passes for grown-up discussion.

We're All On the Same Page at last

This page has hosted plenty of internecine conflict among Dems lately, so, when the inimitable Rhonda Burnett sent me this invitation, I was happy to pimp out my blog in support of Sam Page for Lieutenant Governor.

See, we can all get along, can't we?

McCaskill - Tool of the Right Wing

I've written about Claire McCaskill's abandonment of the people who elected her when the important issues arise. I suppose that, in the context of her blind support of Bush's war, her vote today to support a Senate Resolution condemning MoveOn's "General Betray Us" advertisement is hardly worth mentioning.

But, dammit, what in the hell is she thinking?

I understand the the Republicans like to attack the patriotism and human worth of anyone who dares to question their precious war. I understand that Republicans are offended when someone points out that Bush has hand-picked the lords of this war based upon partisan loyalty and sycophantry (sycophantocity? sycophanthood?) instead of merit.

But why would Claire McCaskill join them in telling America to shut up? Why would she join the Republicans in stifling dissent?

Personally, I think the MoveOn ad was poor judgment and poor taste. Not as bad as a Democratic Senator joining the Republicans to criticize Americans speaking their minds, though.

Has anyone checked McCaskill's wrist for a WWJTD bracelet, in honor of her mentor, Jim Talent?

Eddie Haskell Under Oath?

Ken Osmond, the genius actor responsible for character Eddie Haskell on "Leave it to Beaver", has sued the Screen Actor's Guild for his share of foreign royalties.

Why would you choose him as your lead plaintiff in a case where multiple plaintiffs have an interest? Won't they be able to call his credibility into doubt by bringing up the time he convinced Beaver that Mr. Donaldson was going to kill him for accepting a kiss on the cheek from his wife? And what about the time that Eddy cheated in a game of chess with Wally?

Those of us who watched the show religiously could undermine his credibility easily enough.

Republican Email Scandal

Matt Blunt's gang in Jefferson City has been caught destroying public records in the form of emails that, by law, should be stored, while, at the same time, seeking Democratic emails. In a classic example of republican contempt for common citizens, "Blunt referred questions about any e-mail preservation to his staff, which refused to comment on the matter." Go ahead and read that sentence again - it's worth remembering.

I remember when I did some legal work for a governmental agency years ago, and my boss (a Republican I continue to admire) advised me to "assume everything you write will show up on the front page of the paper." His point was that, if you're working on the government's dime, the public has an interest in what you're doing.

The current crop of Republicans is more arrogant and a good deal less clever than the old-timers. They had better hope that they are more tech-savvy than the investigators, though. Deleted emails are not always deleted . . .

(Hat tip to Blog CCP for this link. Blog CCP has been outstanding lately, and should be on politico's must-read list.)

Kander Returns Excess Contributions

In a couple recent threads, commenters were wondering whether Jason Kander was going to return contributions he had received in excess of the recently reinstated caps. I agreed that was a good and legitimate question, and promised that I would ask the next time I spoke with Jason. Turns out I didn't have to wait that long.

One of the benefits of having a good website is that it eases communication on issues like this. I looked at Jason's website this morning, and it provides all the information I wanted. On his issues page, he sets out his position quite clearly: "I support the current limits on campaign contributions. I also support the decision of the Ethics Commission to make the limits retroactive." On his news page, there's a quotation from an AP article, including Diana Kander's statement, "We're excited about the limits being reinstated," said Diana Kander, the candidate's wife and campaign treasurer. "We think it's better for the campaign process."

It's great to have a candidate out there letting you know where he stands.

Being a fair-minded, equal-time kind of person, I went to Amy Coffman's website to see if she had any similar pronouncements declaring her support of the campaign process. She doesn't.

Meeting Margaret Donnelly & Sticking with Jeff Harris

Margaret Donnelly is running for Missouri Attorney General, and I had the opportunity to meet her yesterday evening. I went with an open mind, because my admiration for Jeff Harris pales in comparison to my desire to keep the Attorney General's Office in Democratic hands. If she proved to be a better candidate than Jeff Harris, I was prepared to get enthusiastic about her.

Suffice it to say, I'm more on board with Jeff Harris than I ever was.

Does anyone remember Geri Rothman-Serot, the St. Louisan who emerged from a 14-sided Democratic primary in 1992 only to lose a Senate race to Kit Bond? Margaret Donnelly is her political reincarnation.

One thing is perfectly clear - Margaret Donnelly is a St. Louisan. When asked how she plans to win the primary, she pointed out that it is a three way race right now, and that St. Louis provides 40% of the primary vote. She managed not to taunt us insignificant backwater hicks with "do the math, rednecks!", but she did say that "her geography" was one of the reasons she is confident she will win the primary. She also relied on quotations from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and held herself out as the "only player in the St. Louis region" on Medicaid issues.

Like Rothman-Serot, Donnelly has a severe case of 270 myopia. It's a disease that afflicts many St. Louisans, who wind up thinking that St. Charles is the West, Affton is the South, and Normandy is the dangerous North. These people can thrive in their narrow world, but they fail miserably when the rest of the state gets to vote on them.

When asked how she intends to appeal to outstate voters, Donnelly had no real answer. She claimed that her legislative record regarding Medicaid would somehow help her win voters, but was unable to articulate why she thought that would be a major issue for the Attorney General's race, against a candidate who will undoubtedly be smart enough to voice support for health care.

Worse, though, was her attempt to claim that she has adequate experience. She was a family lawyer who handled some juvenile cases. The Attorney General, of course, does not handle divorces. She also showed confusion about the Missouri Plan, pointing to a couple recent rulings by a judge not subject to the Missouri Plan as evidence that the attacks on it are already having a chilling effect. (If you're scratching your head and muttering, "huh?", join the crowd.) (Update: An anonymous commenter correctly points out that her discussion of Judge Callahan makes more sense in the context of the broader attack on the independent judiciary. To be fair, that is probably what she meant, though my question was about the Missouri Plan.)

Margaret Donnelly seems like a fantastically dedicated and fine Democrat. She is not, however, a particularly good candidate for Attorney General. She has no relevant experience, and she does not project the toughness and solidity Missourians want to see in their chief law enforcement officer. She seems to think that Clayton is mid-Missouri.

I've now met all the candidates for the Democratic nomination for Attorney General. They are all good people, but only one has the experience, the outstate appeal, and the Democratic credentials to become our next Attorney General. Jeff Harris is that candidate.

Blogger Appreciation: Hip Suburban White Guy

Tonight, I'm going to a visitation for a blogger I admired deeply, but silently. I'd bet you a Beam and Coke that he didn't care a rat's patootie what I thought, but I wish I'd taken a few minutes out of my oh-so-busy and oh-so-important life and let him know.

Can't change the past, but you can learn from it. So, this is the start of what I hope will be a not-too-occasional feature highlighting someone from my blogroll and talking about why I appreciate their work.

Hip Suburban White Guy describes himself as "a cranky, old, white guy spewing often ill-informed opinions about whatever the Hell he wants, just because he can." He is the same person who often shows up in the comments section of this and other blogs as "Xavier Onnasis", which it took me months and months to figure out is a clever version of "Save your own . . .".

If I had to choose a word to describe Hip Suburban White Guy (hereinafter HSWG), the word would be "honest". Sure, he goofs around and takes positions to an extreme to get rises out of people, but, when push comes to shove, he puts himself out there.

He has written about his daughter, his relationships, and even his finances with a directness that is both funny and personal. He tackles political topics, and justice topics, but doesn't do so in a preachy fashion whatsoever.

HSWG is not out to change the world. In one memorable post (inspired, in part, by my own involvement with politics), he wrote:

I don't ever want to be taken seriously. I don't give a rat's ass if what I say sways anyone's opinion about anything. In fact, I hope I NEVER do. Because most of the time I'm just venting and don't have any idea what I'm talking about. You'd be an idiot to take any "advice" I spew. Especially about relationships!!

Just like it says on the label, I'm just "a cranky, old, white guy spewing often ill-informed opinions about whatever the Hell he wants, just because he can. Deal with it, bitch."

If I start thinking that I'm anything more than that, kick me in the junk HARD just to get my attention, and then bitch-slap me.

That quotation is a pretty good example of what I like about XO. He's coarse, but not offensive. He's opinionated, but doesn't really care whether you agree or not. And he's funny.

I've met XO a couple times now, and, in person, he's not nearly the bad-ass his unsmiling portrait and edgy humor would lead you to believe. In fact, he's humble and friendly. But his humor remains as you would expect it - quick and edgy.

I don't know XO well as a person, but I know him pretty well as a blogger. His blog refuses to take itself seriously, but that doesn't mean there isn't something serious behind it. HSWG is unrestrained and entertaining. In a deeper sense, HSWG is about the validity of the individual. He's no more impressed with politicians than he is with someone who can make a great pizza (like at his beloved Dish). If it seems like he's trying to get a rise out of you, it's because he wants you to respond.

If you are a lover of subtlety and refinement, you might want to skip HSWG. If you enjoy a raucus good time with outrageous laughs, a full jigger of sarcasm, and the presence of someone you sense would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it, though, Hip Suburban White Guy might be your kind of blog.

Sorry for the Delay in posting

All the action is in the comments . . .

The Local Blog Community has Lost a Voice

When I started blogging, Greg Beck was the man. Through the years, he's remained the man - often profane, occasionally touching, usually funny, and always original.

Greg's body was found in his home today. He was a big, charismatic man with a heart that gave out on him way too soon.

It's funny how a guy you've only met once or twice, but have been reading about for years, can leave a void. I'll miss him.

I don't know how long the blog will stay up. If you love great writing leavened with outrageous humor, fresh expression and hilarious profanity, go enjoy his blog. Here's a piece his friend Michelle posted today on his blog, to give you a sense of what you'll find there:

"As a cat gets older we sometimes begin to think of death and living and how we want to be remembered. And I’ve decided that not only do I want to be cremated... but I want every chick at my funeral rocking the red dress. That’s right, a low-cut red dress with those come fuck me at midnight heels. Well, except for my mother cause I doubt she’ll be having any of that shit. So remember, if brain dead, pull the feeding tube, cremation, and red dresses."

Greg Beck, June 28th, 2005

Yeah, but can he do "Summer Lovin'"?

Astounding dog dancing . . .

Stumbling at the Starting Gate

I finally received my first invitation to an event for Amy Coffman, who is running against Jason Kander in the Democratic primary for the Missouri House's 44th District. As I've written here before, Jason is the best candidate for the position. He's incredibly smart, and his military background gives him a toughness that will enable him to stand toe-to-toe against anyone on the Republican side of the aisle. Simply stated, he's who we want representing us in Jefferson City.

For the past couple months, though, Amy Coffman has been rumored to be running for the position. While Kander has straightforwardly announced his candidacy and has been out there working for the honor of representing us, Amy has been quietly reacquainting herself with Kansas City politics after her sojourn in Alaskan politics. The suspense has been building - when she finally starts running in public, will this bright northern light dazzle?

Apparently not.

After at least two months of preparation, here is her website. Not exactly the kind of can-do, effective work that's going to carry a lot of weight in Jefferson City.

After at least two months of preparation for her campaign kick-off, she's kicking it off with a fundraiser sponsored by . . . a lobbyist for a health insurance company famous for denying coverage to dying cancer patients. Hmmm.

The 44th District is one of the most reliably democratic districts in the Show-Me State. Jason Kander will be a competent and highly effective progressive voice representing us. Already, the choice looks pretty clear.

Why I Haven't been Posting

10 days.

8 breweries.

4 crossings of the continental divide.

12 independent bookstores.

1 moose.

3 bears.

2 brown trout.

1 big rainbow trout.

0 chain restaurants.

Haven't totaled the bills, but it was worth it.

Did I miss anything??