TheChat: Gov. Jay Nixon reflects on the defeat of SJR 39

Good morning.

▪ “This is an important moment. Today’s action – to reject discrimination – will stand as an enduring example of goodness and of growing beyond past prejudices.” — Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on the rejection of the controversial SJR 39, seen by many as an amendment that would have enshrined discrimination against gays in the state constitution.

Nixon was spot on. The amendment’s defeat was every bit a defining moment for Missouri.

▪ “The only thing she’s got going is the woman’s card.” — Donald Trump on Hillary Clinton.

With this remark, Trump has re-ignited the gender wars and infuriated legions of women. The guess here is that Trump has made Clinton more sympathetic with words like this, and that’s not a smart political play.

▪ “It’s time to slaughter some hogs.” — Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, vowing to take on prescription drug price-gouging.

The Senate Aging Committe, of which McCaskill is a member, is investigating drug pricing practices. (link via johncombest.com).

▪ “Missouri households are the hungriest they have been in decades.” — Sandy Rikoon, director of the MU Interdisciplinary Center for Food Insecurity and co-author of a new report on the issue.

The report concluded that nearly 17 percent of Missouri households were food insecure last year, compared with 14 percent nationwide. That made Missouri among the top 10 worst states.

This story was originally published April 29, 2016 at 1:34 AM.