http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics/index.xml News, sports and entertainment from The Kansas City Star en-us Copyright 2012Kansas City Star Politics 60 Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:02:04 CST http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss McClatchy Interactive's PubSys 1.1.fi feedback@kansascity.com (Feedback) http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420152/governor-tolls-on-i-70-in-missori.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420152/governor-tolls-on-i-70-in-missori.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday that before any toll booths could open on Interstate 70, voters first should agree to the idea. The governor did not say whether he supports putting tolls on one of the state's most important highways. 1242746 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/27/3396400/steve-kraske-the-knives-come-out.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/27/3396400/steve-kraske-the-knives-come-out.html#storylink=rss Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:00 CST We learned in Iowa that Newt Gingrich can't take a punch. It only makes sense that he can't take a flurry of them either. 1242748 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420136/nixon-proposes-grants-for-fast.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420136/nixon-proposes-grants-for-fast.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | Gov. Jay Nixon likes a fledgling program at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg so much that he wants to offer it statewide. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420093/supporters-of-missouri-sales-tax.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420093/supporters-of-missouri-sales-tax.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | A group wanting to replace Missouri's income tax with a higher and broader sales tax said Thursday that it is committed to getting the initiative on the November ballot, but declined to say how many millions of dollars it is willing to spend to try to persuade voters to support it. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420047/missouri-to-get-161m-from-national.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420047/missouri-to-get-161m-from-national.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | Missouri will receive more than $196 million from a national settlement over home foreclosure abuses among most states, the federal government and mortgage lenders. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420041/kansas-public-employees-work-against.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420041/kansas-public-employees-work-against.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00 CST TOPEKA | Teachers, other school workers and public employee groups tried Thursday to build pressure on legislators to abandon a proposal to create a 401(k)-style pension plan for new school and government hires. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420023/online-teacher-rating-proposal.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420023/online-teacher-rating-proposal.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:00 CST TOPEKA | A proposal from Gov. Sam Brownback to post teacher evaluations on school district websites was removed Thursday from a House education bill after it sparked outrage. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/08/3417307/fire-officials-warn-cutbacks-could.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/08/3417307/fire-officials-warn-cutbacks-could.html#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00 CST City Manager Troy Schulte has recommended cutting 105 firefighters, saying that Kansas City has far fewer fires now and can save $7.5 million without compromising public safety. Such a reduction would force the Fire Department to change deployments and force reductions to its pumpers, Fire Chief Smokey Dyer said Wednesday. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/08/3417715/former-us-rep-dennis-moore-has.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/08/3417715/former-us-rep-dennis-moore-has.html#storylink=rss Wed, 08 Feb 2012 05:00 CST On Wednesday, former U.S. Rep. Dennis Moore, 66, revealed publicly that he was in the "early phases" of Alzheimer's disease following what he called a final diagnosis in June. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415862/santorum-easily-wins-missouris.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415862/santorum-easily-wins-missouris.html#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Rick Santorum was the only Republican presidential candidate to campaign in Missouri, and it paid off Tuesday as he swamped Mitt Romney in the state's primary. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415600/white-house-hinting-compromise.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415600/white-house-hinting-compromise.html#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:07 CST Hammered by Republicans and the Catholic Church, the White House hinted at compromise Tuesday as it struggled to calm an election-year uproar caused by its rule requiring religious schools and hospitals to provide employees with access to free birth control. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3416023/grain-valley-rejects-school-bond.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3416023/grain-valley-rejects-school-bond.html#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Voters in the Grain Valley School District on Tuesday rejected a $3 million bond issue for enhancements at Grain Valley North Middle School. The proposal won 65 percent of the vote, just short of the two-thirds majority required in a special election. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415766/nixon-adds-40-million-to-proposed.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3415766/nixon-adds-40-million-to-proposed.html#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced Tuesday that he has amended his proposed 2013 budget to add $40 million in funding for the state's public colleges and universities. The money would come from Missouri's share of an expected legal settlement by states' attorneys general with the nation's five largest mortgage banks stemming from a federal probe of "robo-signing." 1242747 http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/voter-id-bill-gets-initial-approval-missouri-house/ http://midwestdemocracy.com/articles/voter-id-bill-gets-initial-approval-missouri-house/#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00 CST Missouri Republicans took another step today toward advancing an idea that has been a legislative priority for several years: Mandating voters produce a government-issued photo ID to cast a ballot. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3414338/missouri-senator-files-proposal.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/07/3414338/missouri-senator-files-proposal.html#storylink=rss Tue, 07 Feb 2012 05:00 CST A central Missouri lawmaker has filed legislation that would allow Interstate 70 to be turned into a toll road. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414089/catholic-leaders-speak-out-against.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414089/catholic-leaders-speak-out-against.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Lawmakers and politicians scrambled Monday to respond to a growing furor over the Obama administration's decision to require no-cost contraceptive insurance coverage -- even in policies offered by religious employers. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414030/missouris-nonbinding-presidential.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414030/missouris-nonbinding-presidential.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Polls for Missouri's presidential primary are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. today. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414034/panel-endorses-kansas-house-redistricting.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414034/panel-endorses-kansas-house-redistricting.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00 CST TOPEKA A Kansas House committee took little time Monday in endorsing a proposal to redraw the chamber's 125 districts to reflect changes in the 2010 census. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3413995/kansas-gop-preparing-for-march.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3413995/kansas-gop-preparing-for-march.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Kansas Republicans will gather across the state on March 10 to have their say on who will carry their banner into battle against President Obama in the November election. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414025/differing-views-of-governors-proposed.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3414025/differing-views-of-governors-proposed.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 06:00 CST TOPEKA - The divisiveness of state tax policy should be even more pronounced in Topeka today. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3413924/state-senator-calls-for-changes.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3413924/state-senator-calls-for-changes.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00 CST JEFFERSON CITY | Missourians who take out payday loans could get more time to pay them off, under legislation put forth by a state senator. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3413355/kansas-lawmakers-issues-arose.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/06/3413355/kansas-lawmakers-issues-arose.html#storylink=rss Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:00 CST Gov. Sam Brownback raised issues such as tax cuts and water policy in private meetings with legislators at his official residence, several lawmakers said Monday, although their accounts differed about the details. 1242747 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420150/women-at-war-pentagon-is-easing.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420150/women-at-war-pentagon-is-easing.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:31 CST New orders from the Pentagon: The military on Thursday formally opened thousands of jobs to women in units that are closer to the front lines than ever before, reflecting what's already been going on as female American soldiers fight and die next to their male comrades. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420078/a-political-tip-sheet-for-the.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3420078/a-political-tip-sheet-for-the.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:41 CST A political tip sheet for the rest of us outside the Washington Beltway, Thursday, Feb. 9: 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419985/banks-to-pay-25-billion-to-settle.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419985/banks-to-pay-25-billion-to-settle.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:00 CST State and federal regulators on Thursday announced a settlement worth at least $25 billion with Bank of America and four other large banks, ending several years of litigation over alleged foreclosure abuses. The deal offers some help to struggling homeowners, but experts view it more as a moral victory with limited impact on the broader housing market. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419913/miss-lawmaker-gulf-of-america.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419913/miss-lawmaker-gulf-of-america.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:51 CST All the people outraged about the Mississippi bill to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America" have missed its satirical intent, the sponsor said Thursday. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419896/pentagon-to-open-more-combat-to.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419896/pentagon-to-open-more-combat-to.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 02:00 CST A decade after the United States launched two wars that put women at the front lines of unconventional fighting, the Pentagon crept closer Thursday to formally allowing them to serve in combat by announcing an additional 14,000 combat-related jobs for female service members. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419895/obama-raising-money-from-gay-lesbian.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419895/obama-raising-money-from-gay-lesbian.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:37 CST President Barack Obama told gay and lesbian supporters at a big-ticket fundraiser Thursday that there's more work to do to ensure fairness for all, but he said he "couldn't be prouder" of his track record for them. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419782/obama-birth-control-policy-divides.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419782/obama-birth-control-policy-divides.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:36 CST Democrats are deeply divided over President Barack Obama's new rule that religious schools and hospitals must provide insurance for free birth control to their employees amid fresh signs that the administration was scrambling for a way out. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419772/conservatives-romneys-ok-if-obama.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419772/conservatives-romneys-ok-if-obama.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 16:36 CST If Mitt Romney needs some good news in an otherwise lousy week, he might find it in an improbable place: the packed hallways of the Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419395/judge-slams-critics-of-texas-school.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419395/judge-slams-critics-of-texas-school.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:06 CST A federal judge who was vilified by Republican presidential hopefuls for banning prayer at a Texas high school graduation delivered a scathing and unusually personal response Thursday, saying those who used the case to further political goals "should be ashamed." 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419472/fbi-file-steve-jobs-was-considered.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419472/fbi-file-steve-jobs-was-considered.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:06 CST FBI background interviews of some people who knew Apple co-founder Steve Jobs reveal a man driven by power and alienating some of the people who worked with him. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419702/a-fourth-defeat-for-romney-lack.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419702/a-fourth-defeat-for-romney-lack.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:56 CST Mitt Romney is in danger of losing his fourth straight state in Saturday's caucuses in Maine, where he and his allies have been all but absent from TV. 1242753 http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419671/death-row-inmates-sue-to-stop.html http://www.kansascity.com/2012/02/09/3419671/death-row-inmates-sue-to-stop.html#storylink=rss Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:51 CST Death row inmates are suing to stop the importation of a drug used in executions. 1242753