BuzzChatter Friday: Nixon pounds away at General Assembly for pushing big tax cut
Going to be a fine weekend:
• “There are so many gaps in the economic logic of their argument it’s hard to figure out which exit ramp to get off on.” — Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon at a news conference Thursday afternoon explaining his veto of the GOP tax-cut measure.
Nixon’s veto was widely anticipated. Now the question is whether the General Assembly will override him. As he did last year, Nixon again is applying full-court pressure to avert an override.• “These numbers show concrete progress as our recent sweeping reforms continue to take root and more victims have the confidence in the system to come out of the shadows and report these crimes.” — Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill on new numbers from the military showing a 50 percent increase in sexual assault reports between fiscal 2012 and 2013.
McCaskill has championed this issue and won a hard-fought fight over how these cases should be prosecuted. She noted that the number of reports increased just 6 percent between fiscal years 2011 and 2012.• “
Outlandish. Unforgiveable. Gutless
.” — Missourinet reporter Bob Priddy on a call from state Rep. Joshua Peters, a St. Louis Democrat, to debate a key education bill in private. (link courtesy of johncombest.com).
Priddy, one of the most respected members of the press corps, couldn’t believe what he was reading when Democrats announced via news release that Peters wanted to go behind closed doors to debate an important issue. “This is a vitally important discussion that shouldn’t involve lobbyists or interest groups or any of the external influences that too often drive education discussions away from what really matters – the best interests of our young people,” Peters said in the release. Responded Priddy in a well-reasoned column: “Think of what this man is saying. His statement indicts himself and his fellow legislators as being so weak and so under the thumb of pressure groups and pressure individuals that they are incapable of honestly discussing a vitally important issue within the chamber of the Missouri House.”• “We have to man the watchtowers 24/7.” — U.S. Rep. Steve King, an Iowa Republican,
on concerns among GOP conservatives
that House leaders will try to sneak through immigration reform.
Conservatives are letting it be known that they will continue to oppose any move to pass immigration reform this year. They are keeping a close eye on House Speaker John Boehner.“This is a vitally important discussion that shouldn’t involve lobbyists or interest groups or any of the external influences that too often drive education discussions away from what really matters – the best interests of our young people. Instead, we need to sit down together as a legislative body and have an honest, thorough dialogue about what we can do to ensure every child in Missouri receives a quality education. What we have had in the past is lobbyists and even senators pressuring members of the House, in the halls and the very side galleries. It makes a mockery of having a serious, free and open debate. On such a serious issue as this I would prefer to see less meddling from special interests and more serious legislating.”Think of what this man is saying. His statement indicts himself and his fellow legislators as being so weak and so under the thumb of pressure groups and pressure individuals that they are incapable of honestly discussing a vitally important issue within the chamber of the Missouri House.This story was originally published May 2, 2014 at 7:00 AM with the headline "BuzzChatter Friday: Nixon pounds away at General Assembly for pushing big tax cut."