Standing Firm Against Medicaid Expansion

Yesterday, both 24thState.com and Hennessy's View reported that the Missouri GOP seems to be flirting with the Medicaid expansion.

I just listened to St. Louis Public Radio's Politically Speaking Podcast.  They had some surprising comments. Around the 22:30 mark in the NPR audio at that link, Chris McDaniel, Jo Mannies, and Jason Rosenbaum speculate that Republican Speaker of the Missouri House, Tim Jones, may be moving toward compromise with Liberal Gov. Jay Nixon on Medicaid expansion.

At last weekend's state-wide Lincoln Days, Jones was crystal clear on the Medicaid expansion. At 24:45 in the video below, he's asked about Gov. Nixon's effort to implement Medicaid expansion. Jones takes a hard line against it, which is exactly what the conservative grassroots expects.

Related articles

• State Of The State Address: Simply Irresponsible To Propose Medicaid Expansion (showmedaily.org)
• The Medicaid Expansion Issue, Bullet-Pointed (showmedaily.org)
• As Nixon prepares to layout case for expansion, Kinder blasts Medicaid proposal (missouri-news.org)
• Jones: Business groups "uncomfortable" supporting Medicaid expansion (politicmo.com)

Country Club Republicans and the Country Class

Angelo Codevilla has a great article in Forbes: As Country Club Republicans Link Up With The Democratic Ruling Class, Millions Of Voters Are Orphaned:

The ever-growing U.S. government has an edgy social, ethical, and political character. It is distasteful to a majority of persons who vote Republican and to independent voters, as well as to perhaps one fifth of those who vote Democrat. The Republican leadership’s kinship with the socio-political class that runs modern government is deep. Country class Americans have but to glance at the Media to hear themselves insulted from on high as greedy, racist, violent, ignorant extremists. Yet far has it been from the Republican leadership to defend them. Whenever possible, the Republican Establishment has chosen candidates for office – especially the Presidency – who have ignored, soft-pedaled or given mere lip service to their voters’ identities and concerns.

Read the whole thing--it's quite good.

#IL02: Paul McKinley has the Chicago Machine Panicking

Paul McKinley is the Republican running to replace Jesse Jackson Jr. Earlier this month, Jackson plead guilty to misusing campaign funds. In fighting among the Democrat candidates may create an opportunity for McKinley to pick up this traditionally Democrat seat.

Related articles

• "Machine-Buster" Republican Paul McKinley for Congress Releases New Ad (Video) (thegatewaypundit.com)
• OUTSTANDING! Republican Paul McKinley Slams Chicago Machine at Rev. Wright's Church (Video) (thegatewaypundit.com)
• Republican Paul McKinley: "The Chicago Machine is panicking" (legalinsurrection.com)
• McKinley says Jackson Jr. is just the tip of the corruption iceberg (illinoisreview.typepad.com)

#MO8: Interview with Jason Smith

Jason Smith was recently chosen to represent the Republican Party in the special election to fill the vacancy in Congress created by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's departure. I had an opportunity to catch up with Smith at the Missouri GOP's Lincoln Days in St. Louis. I asked him about his background, what he hopes to accomplish in DC, and what he's doing to win the June 4th special election. You can learn more about Jason Smith, donate to his campaign, or volunteer to help him in the special election at his website: ElectJasonSmith.com.

Related articles

• #MO8: Jason Smith Promises to take Missouri Experience to Washington, DC (rebootcongress.net)
• Mo. Democrats choose Steve Hodges to seek Emerson seat (stltoday.com)

Photos: 2013 Lincoln Days in St. Louis

The Missouri Republican Party held their annual state-wide Lincoln Days gathering in St. Louis in this weekend. These are the photos I got at the event.

Related articles

• #MO8: Jason Smith Promises to take Missouri Experience to Washington, DC (rebootcongress.net)
• Jindal urges focus on education, economy during Missouri stop (politicmo.com)
• Video: 2013 Missouri Lincoln Days with John Barrasso (R-WY) (rebootcongress.net)
• Schwiech lays out case for new future of Missouri Republican Party (politicmo.com)

Video: 2013 Missouri Lincoln Days with John Barrasso (R-WY)

The Missouri Republican Party held their state-wide 2013 Lincoln Days gathering in St. Louis this weekend. The Friday night dinner saw speeches from party Chairman Ed Martin, Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder, State Rep. Tim Jones, State Senator Tom Dempsey, 2012 GOP gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence, GOP candidate for Missouri's 8th Congressional District, Jason Smith, Auditor Tom Schweich, Rep. Ann Wagner, Senator Roy Blunt, and keynote speaker Senator John Barrasso (R-WY).

Related articles

• Schwiech lays out case for new future of Missouri Republican Party (politicmo.com)
• Barrasso: Obama has 'addiction' to spending (thehill.com)
• U.S. Senators DeMint and Barrasso Introduce Bill to Remove Regulatory Burdens and Grow Businesses (kauffman.org)
• Sen. Barrasso: Obama sees a 'political victory' in going over the cliff (thehill.com)
• Sen. Barrasso: Senate Vote on Obama's Gun Control Measures Unlikely (thegatewaypundit.com)

#MO8: Jason Smith Promises to take Missouri Experience to Washington, DC

Ed Martin, Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party, introduces Jason Smith at the 2013 Lincoln Days in St. Louis. Smith was recently chosen to represent the Republican Party in the special election to fill the vacancy in Congress created by Rep. Jo Ann Emerson's departure. Smith has served in the Missouri General Assembly as a State Representative since January of 2006.

Related articles

• Republican Jason Smith gets GOP Nominiation in #MO8 (rebootcongress.net)
• Schwiech lays out case for new future of Missouri Republican Party (politicmo.com)

Republican Jason Smith gets GOP Nominiation in #MO8

The video above is of Republican State Representative Jason Smith at the Cape Girardeau candidate forum last month. The Kansas City Star just reportsed that Smith has won the Republican nomination in Missouri's 8th Congressional District:

State Rep. Jason Smith prevailed after six rounds of voting by an 84-person committee of local Republican leaders, and immediately becomes the favorite in a June 4 special election in the GOP-leaning 8th District.

Smith is the favorite to win this conservative district in the June 4th special election.

Related articles

• Jason Smith wins Republican nomination for Eighth District special election (missouri-news.org)
• Jason Smith: Nixon supports special election bill (politicmo.com)
• MO 8th District Vacancy Candidates: Parker, Kinder, Steelman, L. Smith, J. Smith, Richardson (ruthcarlson.blogspot.com)

#MO8 Republican Candidate Forum

Twelve of the Republican candidates candidates who are vying to replace Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) in Missouri's 8th Congressional District made their case in Cape Girardeau last Thursday. Each candidate answered a series of questions from moderator Faune Riggin at this candidate forum.

Related articles

• Did Lloyd Smith and Jo Ann Emerson Plan This All Along? (hennessysview.com)
• U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., to resign next week (kansascity.com)
• 13 GOP hopefuls jockey for positions in race to succeed Emerson (stltoday.com)

Video: Ed Martin on his new job as MOGOP Chairman

Ed Martin was recently elected to replace David Cole as the Chairman of the Missouri Republican Party (MOGOP). In this interview I ask Martin about the Chairman job and what his plans are for the position.

Related articles

• GOP congressional delegation backs David Cole for reelection as MOGOP chairman (politicmo.com)
• Ed Martin for Chairman of the MOGOP (fivehundredwords.com)
• Ed Martin ousts David Cole as Missouri GOP chairman (politicmo.com)
• Ed Martin Elected Chairman of Missouri Republican Party; Will Anything Change? (mopns.com)
• Ed Martin's Grit Overwhelms Establishment's Power (hennessysview.com)