Koster Defies Kansas City Priorities

One of the interesting sidelights to the controversy over Festival Licenses has been Senator Chris Koster's abandonment of Kansas City.

In a quick recap, Kansas City listed as one of its priorities in Jefferson City the increased flexibility in making "Festival Liquor Licensing" available for districts in Kansas City. It's a great idea - a few more festivals with adult beverages available would make our city a better tourist attraction.

Believe it or not, Chris Koster actually voted against this common-sense, pro-Kansas City proposal when it came up in committee. Fortunately, a bipartisan majority, led by Senator Jolie Justus, outvoted Koster's anti-Kansas City sneak attack.

Republican Hardball - Will of the People?

My Senator, Jolie Justus, has distinguished herself with energy and hard work during her first term in the Senatorial Chamber. I could not be more pleased that she is representing this district, and I'm proud that I supported her.

It seems that even Jolie's enthusiasm, determination and good ideas can run into the occasional brick wall of Republican hypocrisy, though. When she introduced a resolution disapproving of the President's escalation strategy in Iraq, she ruffled a few feathers, even though polls show that the vast majority of Americans reject the Bush administration's ill-thought-out plan.

Senator Vogel of Jefferson City, however, has seen fit not only to disagree with the electorate of Missouri, he is abusing his chairmanship of the Senate Ways and Means Committee to punish both Jolie Justus AND the poor people of Missouri. He has admitted that he is bottling up legislation which would help Missouri's working poor and homeless, as political revenge for Justus' introduction of the resolution against the Iraq war escalation.

It says something profound about Republican values that they would punish the poor and defend war. WWJD, indeed.

Jolie Justus - Let's Keep in Touch

After they get elected, political candidates tend to become like former workmates. When you leave, you promise to stay in touch, and then you get busy, and then a few months go by, and you realize you haven't talked to your old buddy in accounting for a year. Then you run into him at the grocery store, and have a warm and enthusiastic exchange of greetings, and swear you're going to have lunch soon. And you mean it. But then, 6 months later, you see each other at the grocery store again . . .

It's worse with political candidates, because they come around every few years, wanting to re-win our votes, and even, perhaps, a campaign contribution. I used to hold an association office that required running every four years, and I always felt sheepish calling and writing to people I hadn't spoken to since I last needed their vote . . .

It's good to see a local politician do a bit better than that.

Not surprisingly, Jolie Justus is a creative leader in this area of public service. Her blog, Fresh Meat is as fresh, comfortable, and direct as the Senator herself. Through it, she keeps us informed about what she's doing and working on. It's not some PR site run by a focus-group-obsessed consultant - she says what she thinks and serves her self up like, well, fresh meat. You have to appreciate Senator Justus asking for our luck before her first meeting with Blunt, or expressing her admiration for Matt Bartle's filibuster. It's a great read, and a way for Jolie to stay in touch with those of us who appreciate her (and those who don't) while she's not running for office.