GUEST EDITORIAL - Blunt Punt

Regular readers have probably noticed some sharp exchanges between "Whistleblower" and me. We both have strong opinions about judicial selection, and those opinions differ on the merits of the Missouri Plan.

The first principal for both of us, though, is that we want a great judiciary, and that's why I'm thrilled that he sent the following editorial to me for publication. Read, react, and call Governor Blunt and tell him to do his job.

Without further adieu, here is Jim Byrne, a/k/a "Whistleblower":

The Blunt Punt

On Friday, December 14th 2007, Governor Blunt appointed Judge Joseph Dandurand to the Western District Court of Appeals. Judge Dandurand left an already overburdened docket in Missouri’s 17th Circuit. However, in the nearly ninety days since, the Governor has failed to appoint a successor. The word on the street is that the Governor does not intend to appoint a replacement, at least not within a reasonable period of time. (If waiting until after an election, even a primary, was an acceptable delay, that is what the voters would have mandated.)

The caseload in Johnson and Cass Counties continues to increase. (The 17th is a two county circuit.) Court dates are set at almost six months in the future.

The Governor’s Office has interviewed a number of qualified applicants for appointment, however, prior to the interviews; the Governor never indicated that he would delay appointment.

Governor Blunt has put the lives of the litigants, and of those with a desire to fill the seat left by Judge Dandurand, on hold. While efforts in the courts are aimed at decreasing the time to complete cases, the Governor seems to be promoting the opposite. The qualified candidates that interviewed with the Governor’s Office have also been forced to place their lives on hold. A lawyer does not want to acquire new clients with the intent of not representing them.

In Missouri, we have just enough judges to get the job done. When a position becomes available, the Governor has a duty, and a responsibility to his constituents, to fill that position in a timely manner. The citizens of Missouri granted the Governor the authority to make these appointments, rather than wait for elections, because of the need for timely replacements to an empty seat on the bench. It’s time to turn up the heat. As e-mails to constituent services are notoriously ignored, I recommend a phone call to the Governor’s Office at (573) 751-3222.

Remind the Governor that even though he has decided that he has “achieved virtually everything that [he] set out to accomplish and more”, and therefore, decided not to run for a second term, he should continue to do his job in the interest of the citizens of Missouri, or resign, and let someone that is willing to do the job take his place. As governor of our state, he is charged with protecting and acting in the best interests of the citizens of Missouri. Clearly, it is not in the best interests of our state when the governor ignores his duty.

If you had claimed that I would be favorably publishing a post by Whistleblower, I would have thought you were anticipating an April Fool's joke, but what's right is right, and Whistleblower is absolutely right about this.

Killing Kids and the Politics of Desperation

Matt Blunt is getting desperate, as he sees his once-bright political career ending as a single-term Governor who couldn't even thrive with an insanely partisan Republican legislature.

Going to the Republican playbook, he flipped to the Chapter entitled "Talk Tough On Crime - But Not White Collar Crime". Because he's been doing so badly in the public's eye, he decided to try to contrast his form of corruption with the lowest of the low - sex criminals. Even better - sex criminals who rape children!

Perfect! You cannot offend anyone by being tough on child rapists! It's foolproof!

On Thursday, Matt Blunt issued a call for the death penalty for child rapists.

Then he sat back waiting for the adulation that ought to come for a strong response to one of the most despicable crimes imaginable. True, some might complain that he's been in office for more than three years, and he's kind of late to realize that child rape is bad, but he could explain the delay away by claiming he accidentally deleted the emails about it. True, some people might view it as a little pathetic that our boy governor needs to reach so low to find someone with less popularity than him, but these are tough times.

So, in the deafening silence that resulted from his bold, politically courageous stand against child rape, who can blame him for the blank, confused expression that took over his face. Who can blame him for being shocked that instead of hearty applause and enthusiastic slaps on the back, people averted their eyes, or rolled them?

Finally, somebody leaned over and whispered in his ear. "Umm, Governor, they'll just kill the kids."

"What?!"

"If you give the death penalty for child rape, the rapists will have an extra incentive to kill the kids. Why leave a witness - often the only one?"

"You mean that my attempt to score cheap political points could mean that kids could get killed?"

"Exactly, Governor."

"Too bad. I need to look tough, so people will stop talking about how I lied about emails and fired Eckersley. If a few kids have to die, so be it. It's all about the polls . . ."

Such is the state of Governor Blunt these days. Let's hope he can't do too much more harm before Governor Jay Nixon takes over.

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.

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.)

Blunt Unilaterally Imposes Racial Profiling Slippery Slope on Missouri

I try not to be shocked by the anti-American depravity of Matt Blunt, but I did not foresee this one: "Citing an “unnatural influx” of illegal immigrants, Gov. Matt Blunt on Monday ordered state troopers to start checking the immigration status of every person they arrest." Emboldened by the Governor's anti-immigrant stance, the Highway Patrol has decided to go even further and run computer checks on anyone they want - “If we think they’re illegal, then we would be checking them,” said Lt. John Hotz, a spokesman for the patrol.

What, exactly, do you think it will take to trigger a suspicion that "they're illegal"? Tan skin will suffice. A latino last name will suffice. A plastic statue of the Virgin Mary will suffice.

What has happened to the Republican party? Didn't they used to be the small-government party? Has their love of white supremacy overridden their love of liberty?

Today, they are coming after the Hispanic population - running their names through government databases at any opportunity. Do you honestly believe that they'll stop there? On a dark night at a traffic stop, a Jew might look swarthy and Arabic, so let's run them through the database, too. And why should we limit ourselves to immigration issues? Why don't we look for a broader group of crimes? Why don't we look for anyone on the no-fly list?

And why should we endure the risk of the nonwhite criminal class avoiding occasional traffic stops? Why don't we go ahead and set up a few checkpoints at key locations?

Is it really hysterical of me to ask if anybody remembers when saw the Soviet Union as an enemy instead of a model? We already have our secret prisons . . .

If You Can't Say Something Nice, Don't Say Anything at All

As longtime readers know, I'm not a huge fan of Jay Nixon. Indeed, the titles of my prior writings on him do a pretty good job of conveying my feelings on the subject. But, like it or not, he's the guy running against Matt Blunt to be Missouri's governor, and it is absolutely beyond dispute that he would be a better governor than Matt Blunt.

This is the part of politics I don't like - being faced with a candidate I don't like running against a candidate I despise. It's the flipside of how I felt about the recent KC Mayor's race - I had a strong favorite running against a man I admire.

But, I'm a 95% loyal Democrat, and I definitely want Nixon in the Governor's Mansion. But I still have trouble saying nice things about him without taking a shower soon after.

That's why this news is so gratifying. Nixon is whipping up on the incumbent by a margin of 57-38, winning every part of the state. Even the Ozarks region is supporting Nixon by an astonishing 9 point margin.

This is good news for me. Not only are we likely to get Blunt evicted from the Governor's Mansion, but it looks like it won't even be much of a race. I'll be able to remain silent about it, and not feel obligated to write much about Nixon. Since I have trouble saying anything nice about him, it will be nice not to say anything at all.

Quandary

I just got an invitation to a fundraiser for Jay Nixon at Boulevard Brewery. Hmmm. The state's least appealing democrat at the state's most appealing brewery.

I've stated my feelings about Nixon here, here and here.

I think I'll stay home and drink my homebrew.

Idiotic Democrat

Lest anyone accuse me of having a liberal bias, or not being fair and balanced, let me be among the first to point out that State Senator Tim Green, from the east coast of Missouri, is a goofball for proposing legislation firing principals who don't send all their 9th graders to prison for a day.

How confused must you be to think this is worth proposing? How badly must he have been shaken as a baby?

On the other hand, maybe it is a nice plan to encourage people to visit Governor Blunt and the rest of the his corrupt republican cronies after they are imprisoned for their misdeeds.