House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota (D) was the featured speaker at the Thursday night meeting of the Johnson County Democratic Club in Warrensburg.
Representative Paul Levota (D) speaking at the Johnson County Democratic Club meeting in Warrensburg on Thursday night.
House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota (D): ....I'm here to give a little bit of background about what happened this, this session and the real need to, I'm going to try and tell you the facts that happened this session which will make you take that extra step for Courtney [Cole]...and for Zac [Maggi] and really try to win back some seats. Because what we saw this session in Jefferson City, we can do a heck of a lot better. And we're so close in getting these two people elected. So, I'm hoping to tell you a little bit about what happened and then maybe you'll be a little bit more motivated....
Last night House Minority Leader and Representative Paul LeVota (D-52) released a video on his assessment at the end of the legislative session:
...Representative Paul LeVota (D): Well, uh, we're calling this the non-binding legislative session. The Republican majority decided to spend most of the time on non-binding resolutions telling the federal government what to do, not really dealing with the issues that the state should be dealing with. The biggest issue that was not done this session was dealing with our ongoing budget. House Democrats have continually said that we need to have a balanced approach. Cuts are necessary, but we need to look at tax credit reform and also other ways to bring in revenue. And, that simply wasn't done, so next year we're gonna have an even tougher budget year and no forward thinking on behalf of the, um, House leadership, the majority party. That's a shame because all we did is kick down, kick down the road, uh, the issues that we have in our state.
Um, we're glad that there's an autism bill done. Hose Democrats worked very hard on that. Um, a, a little disappointed that ethics reform wasn't stronger, but we know without House Democrats that never would have happened in the first place. But the, maybe the, besides the budget, maybe the biggest disappointment is we didn't work enough on jobs for the people of Missouri. So, um, they're going to continue to have to struggle without any action from, uh, this General Assembly. And it is my hope that all these issues get out over the summer and in the fall, um, we elect a new legislature and next January, finally we have a little more focus, we deal with some of the issues that the people of Missouri, uh, need to deal with. I'm optimistic that will happen and, uh, I'll continue to believe in the people of Missouri.
It's that time of year again. Your intrepid bloggers are feeding the content beast (well, at least I am) and are busily schmoozing with the good Democrats of Jackson County at their annual Truman Days celebration here at the Hyatt Crown Center in Kansas City. It's an opportunity to see old Democratic Party friends and meet new ones.
The IBEW hospitality suite from the lobby mezzanine.
Blue Girl hard at work in the IBEW hospitality suite (Mr. Blue Girl is on the left).
40 days from today - on May 18 - we will see two HUGE primaries for U.S. Senate. Even though these races aren't in Missouri, they impact Democrats across the country and, well, the entire country as a whole.
In Pennsylvania, Democratic Congressman Joe Sestak will try to upset Republican-for-decades Arlen Specter.
In Arkansas, Democratic Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter will try to upset corporate lackey Blanche Lincoln.
These two races are tremendously important to defining who and what the Democratic Party is and what we will be fighting for.
If you can volunteer for these candidates (or encourage friends and family in Pennsylvania and Arkansas to do so), that would be amazing.
Of course, if you can help with a contribution to either or both via the Expand the Map! ActBlue page as soon as possible, it will make a big impact.
Polling shows that both Specter and Lincoln are at risk of - if not likely to - hand these Senate seats over to far-right-wing Republicans. (And, even if these two retain the seats, that's not much better on many key issues.)
Congressman Sestak and Lieutenant Governor Halter winning these primaries are critical to keeping these seats in truly Democratic hands. Your support can help make that happen! Please hop over to the Expand the Map! ActBlue page right away to make a contribution - an investment in the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party to pull out an old expression - and show your support.
Thanks SO much for any support you can provide. 40 Days.
The Fourth Congressional District Democratic Committee held a dinner this evening at the Warsaw Community Center to honor Congressman Ike Skelton (D). There were approximately 250 people in attendance.
Cass County Presiding Commissioner Gary Mallory (D) (left) with Congressman Ike Skelton
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) chats with folks before the start of dinner.
Unlike other events this week in Missouri with Democratic members of Congress there were no astroturf teabaggers trying to shout down the proceedings. The temperature was in the high nineties outside, with high humidity. Go figure.
There were two twenty-somethings hanging around outside one of the entrances. Someone mentioned that they were republican "trackers". I went outside to take a look. They were both sheepishly trying to look nonchalant, but appeared somewhat worse for the wear due to the heat and humidity. I didn't bother photographing them.
Johnson County Democrats at the German American Club in Belton, Missouri for the Cass County Democrats' Back to Blue Dinner - Tribute to Labor.
This year the annual Cass County Democrats fundraising dinner in Belton, Missouri (always a big event) is taking place among a sea of Democratic events across the state. The Missouri State Democratic Committee meeting also took place today in St. Louis - there will be various events tonight, too. Last night in Warrensburg Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) was honored and spoke at a dinner event sponsored by Johnson County Democrats. This recent density of Democratic activity is a good thing. And Vice President Joe Biden spent the last few days in Missouri, promoting the administration's good works and reminding the public at large why they voted for change.
It's good to be a Democratic. It's good to be busy. There's still a lot of work to be done.
I'm here at the dinner with a borrowed broadband card. I'll try to update and maybe post more photos as the evening progresses.
The Johnson County Democratic Central Committee gathered for its monthly meeting at the Johnson County Justice Center in downtown Warrensburg this evening. Yes, summer has started, but there's a primary and a general election on the horizon.
The committee met to ratify the choice for a downtown headquarters which it will occupy on July 1st. It's a useful space smack dab in the middle of the business district on Holden Street, with excellent visibility. In fact, it's the same location the local Democratic Party had for the 2004 election.
Other business included finalizing arrangements for a fundraising dinner at the Johnson County Fairgrounds on July 15th. The first annual Jimmy Kirkpatrick Heritage Celebration Dinner will honor former Governor Roger Wilson.
Congressman Ike Skelton's campaign will have a "barbecue and bluegrass rally" at the Johnson County Fairgrounds just west of Warrensburg on Highway 50 on Wednesday, August 6th.
The chair of the Central Committee asks for volunteers to help with the various logistics challenges of these events, and on occasion utilizes the power of his position to assign tasks. It's how the necessary business gets done.
Central Committee members and Kevin Stamps (right), representing the Missouri Democratic Party.
Keven Stamps, a state party field organizer assigned to our area reported on several programs already in place. He took a few minutes away from an ongoing phone bank just down the street to solicit additional volunteers and to introduce himself to the few people on the committee who had not yet met him. We're all going to get to know Kevin quite well through to the beginning of November.
There's been some bitter criticism on this site for Claire McCaskill's vote to censure MoveOn.
A contributor at the Change for Missouri yahoo discussion site tells us that she has found a way to let Democrats know that they screwed up when they voted to censure MoveOn for its Petraus/BetrayUs ad. She printed up stickers that she plans to attach to "gimme" letters and then stuff into the return envelopes. The stickers say:
"I regret to have to tell you that I am a member and contributor to MOVE-ON.ORG. Consider please your vote to censure that organization. In doing so, you censured me and everyone like me who is a member of what I
consider to be an organization which represents my philosophy and interests and which works to elect Congressional Members who reflect those interests.
So you see, my money is tainted and it would be wrong of you to accept it.
DC for Democracy, a DFA affiliate and PAC, has a great candidate questionnaire which they used to vet the Democratic candidates. Based on the studied responses of the candidates, they have endorsed a Presidential candidate. Check it out: http://www.dcfordemo...
No need for groups in Missouri to reinvent the wheel... the responses are all listed and the same tool can be easily reworded and sent to the candidates from your particular organization if you like.
Democracy for Missouri (DFA Columbia) has decided to remain neutral in the Primary, but I am personally pleased to see that Barack Obama received the DC for Democracy nod, garnering 69% of the vote in an IRV style election.
On Sunday, September 16th the 30th Harkin Steak Fry will take place at the balloon field in Indianola, Iowa. Democratic Presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama, and Governor Bill Richardson will be in attendance (and speak to the crowd).
I plan on attending this year.
On September 12th in 2003 I received a phone call from a friend the day before the Harkin Steak Fry. He asked me, "Do you want to go?" It'd been ages since I'd taken a road trip - I agreed to go. So, we drove the 4 1/2 hours to stand in a muddy balloon field and listen to Democratic presidential candidates. We had the time of our lives.
Johnson County Democratic Central Committee Chair Delbert Bodenhamer (right) and Secretary Oleta Cone (left).
Central Committee members and Kevin Stamps (right), representing the Missouri Democratic Party.
