Tomorrow is the start of Missouri's 2012 legislative session - hold on to your rights!

In a scathing editorial in today's Post-Dispatch, this:

Don't expect much out of 2012 Missouri Legislature

The so-called "Blueprint for Missouri," the agenda of the Republicans who lead the House with an overwhelming majority, is underwhelming to say the least. Were the actual goal to build a better state, it would be a blueprint for collapse.

But building a better state is not the goal. Indeed, the anti-worker, anti-public-school, anti-government agenda is intended to help those Republican lawmakers produce campaign advertisements that tout so-called conservative credentials.

So lawmakers will waste time debating and passing resolutions criticizing the federal government. When much of the nation's growth depends on immigrants, they'll debate making English the state's official language. They'll decry abortions, then do nothing to actually reduce the incidence of unintended pregnancies. They'll talk of being pro-business, then ignore actual business leaders who say what they need is a stronger workforce and better education system.

Very little will get done toward making the state a better place to live, work and do business.

The drama is building as candidates criss cross Iowa dropping into pizza, ice cream, and chocolate shops looking for votes. Newt wants to run a positive campaign.That's why he called Romney a wimp. He says he's can't deal with "modern campaigning" - too mean. That's really saying something, since he always ran the nastiest campaigns during his heyday.

Perry's suing Virginia for not letting him on the ballot. Meanwhile, the Texas tax payer is footing the bill for Governor Good Hair's campaign security (1mil to date). But he's "always representing Texas," don't ya know. Not sure if they paid for a haircut in Iowa.

Even thought Suits Santorum is finely catching fire, the fire is doomed to die. He has a new career waiting. He believes getting married keeps one out of poverty. Look for Suits to open wedding chapels all across the country. Sign up early for a franchise, and get your reverend's credentials by mail.

Cranky Ron Paul is slipping, but still in the race. His "peace" stance rather than his racist newsletters might cost him the Iowa win. Michele Bachmann's staff is racing away, and she is now placing herself in the race for VP on the Gingrich ticket. She might have to duel Sarah Palin for that spot. Now here's a picture Miss Liberty would like to see: Callista and Sarah, toe to toe. My bet's on the Tiffany gal. 

It will be a sad let down if flip flopper Romney carries the day next Tuesday. It'll be all over. No more entertaining panelette gatherings. Folks will simply be forced to tune late night teevee for entertainment.

In today's KC Star, this regarding Rex Sinquefield's Everything Tax ballot initiative:

At its worse, the state’s petition process is misused as a tool by those who seek to use Missouri as a laboratory for unproven and potentially dangerous ideas and theories.

That is certainly the case with St. Louis multimillionaire Rex Sinquefield, who is financing an effort to jettison the state’s income tax and replace it with a higher sales tax on a greater range of goods and services.

Such a proposal would relieve wealthy Missourians, like Sinquefield, from having to pay taxes on their incomes. But it would shift the burden onto middle- and low-income citizens, who would not gain enough in income tax savings to recoup the amount they would have to pay in extra sales taxes. Plus, even with higher sales taxes, loss of income tax revenues would lead to severe cuts in already strained state services.

It’s simply a terrible idea. Fortunately, polling shows that the more people learn about it, the less they like it. A broad coalition of education, civic and business groups and unions is trying to head off an expensive statewide vote. Sinquefield would do the state a favor by backing off.

Emphasis added.

Got that Rex? BACK OFF.

Peter Kinder comes in second in The National Journal's 'Biggest Twitter Losers of 2011' list:

Kinder never seemed to learn from his social media missteps, tweeting on multiple occasions about questionable things. In November, he re-tweeted a message about free wings at Hooters on Veterans Day while he was still considering a run to challenge Missouri Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon. It was far from the first time Kinder's tweets were scrutinized. He had previously urged his followers to 'vote for [a] hot wife in the Top 25 Political Mom blogs' a day after Missouri was hit by the deadliest tornado in nearly 60 years and tweeted about 'hostage situation' in a government building in 2009 only to later discover the incident never occurred.

Even after failing to receive a second for his original proposal earlier this month at the Missouri Housing and Development Commission hearing, Peter Kinder is again announcing support for his failed policy of eliminating or suspending the prevailing wage in areas deemed a natural disaster.  This time around, Kinder backed the legislation pre-filed by State Reps. Lant, Flanigan and Reiboldt which is similar to the legislation already pre-filed by other radical Missouri republicans from Joplin and other southwest Missouri communities.

Kinder went on to say that an elimination of the prevailing wage is "what the people want" but fails to note that by slashing construction laborers' paychecks by two-thirds, one can definitely assume, would NOT be what the people want.  By slashing the paychecks of those rebuilding their community, the local economy would take yet another hit in the form of workers being unable to assist in stimulating the economy and helping it get back on its feet, not to mention assisting the workers and their families get back on solid financial footing following the historic F5 tornado earlier this year.

Absentee ballots are now available for Missouri's February 7th presidential primary election. But, there are three very important things you should know about the Show-Me-State's primary next year. 

1) Newt Gingrich will not be on the ballot

2) "Show Me the Pizza" Man Herman Cain will be on the ballot, along with Gary Johnson, although the latter is about to switch to the Libertarians and the former is no longer running for President

3) Oh yeah - the primary won't matter at all, so you can write-in the banana from "It's Peanut Butter Jelly Time!!!"  if you want, and it really wouldn't make much difference. 

From the GOP's Washington Times: "A handful of Republicans are running against first-term Sen. Robert P. Casey Jr. in Pennsylvania, but there are no real standouts, Mr. Stuart Rothenberg said. The same can be said of Missouri, where a number of GOP candidates are vying for a chance to take out a weakened freshman Sen. Claire McCaskill."

via @PoliticMo 

What’s Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler been doing up in Washington?  Well, besides complaining about having to show up at work at her tax-payer funded job, her latest crusade is for us taxpayers to pay for her Christmas cards.  No, really.

For someone who has received hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars in farm subsidies, you’d think Congressman Hartzler would be able to pop for a few of her own Christmas cards.

Bah humbug.

Okay boys and girls, we are in the home stretch. Just a few days left before the Iowa caucuses and a blessed winnowing of the panelette. Of course, if Cranky Dr. Paul wins, all bets are off and the group surges to New Hampshire intact.

As you meet with family and friends over the next week or so, try and stay civil with Uncle Otis and his railing against the war on Christmas. Tell Cousin Mabel that, yes, that Michele Bachmann sure is cute. The Obama haters in your family will be in full throat, but in the spirit of the holidays, smile and say yes, we do need change. No need to be specific. They’ll be talking about “activist” judges who need to be run out of town on a rail and how gays are ruining the military and the country. It won’t be easy. Miss Liberty’s brother thinks she is unpatriotic, which is pretty hard for someone named Liberty Belle to understand.

You might throw out a few questions of your own, politely, of course. Does Newt believe his own bombast? Has Governor Good Hair Perry really read the Constitution or just the Cliff notes? Flip Flooper Romney was on David Letterman with a list of revelations – is it really a hair piece? Suits Santorum is rising in the polls. Are Iowans catching fire as he hopes? Governor/Ambassador Huntsman is just a footnote, but is he really a republican? Have you heard of Gary Johnson? Do you want The Donald orJeb Bush to jump in and save the country? Try a multiple choice quiz on the candidates’ positions. It could be fun. Or it could spawn a brawl.

Perhaps GOP Senate wannabe John Brunner's feeling a little frozen out of the campaign for the nomination of his party to run against Sen. Claire McCaskill, or maybe he just wants to prove himself a man of the people by taking a good ol' family vacation, because according to the P-D, Brunner will be heading out to the warmer climes of the Cayman Islands for Christmas.

To his personal vacation home.

Because, you know, don't we all decide to pack up the entire family and head off to our own vacation homes on a tropical island 1500 miles from home?  I know I do!

If you, too, want to head to a tropical paradise for Christmas and New Year's, you can get a bargain basement round trip ticket from St. Louis to Grand Cayman for just over $1,000 leaving tomorrow and returning just after the New Year; and if you don't own your own home on the islands like Brunner, well, you can dole out an average of $250 a night for a hotel or guest cottage.

If that's still too much for your average Missouri household making $45,000, Brunner's campaign would like to let you know that you don't have to "be out in the cold." For $25 they're more than happy to send you pair of earmuffs.  No word on whether they're embroidered with palm trees or not.

PoliticMo: "The second pillar is called 'Missouri Jobs'...The caucus will support major parts of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce’s legislative agenda, including reform of workers compensation, a fix to the state’s second injury fund, changes to employment law, and tort reform."

As Christmas time approaches, it appears many in Congress may indeed receive that well-deserved lump of coal. Whether it’s protecting millionaires from having to pay taxes or cutting the unemployment lifeline for jobless workers, those like Rep. Todd Akin must truly be into the taking rather than the giving spirit of Christmas.

Unfortunately our dear friend Todd Akin has not given Missouri families an opportunity to sing this holiday season with his many questionable and regretful decisions this past year.

With no further delay, I present the “12 Days of Akin” holiday carol, sure to warm the hearts of the many without a payroll tax cut or at risk of losing their jobless benefits this year.

“The 12 Days of Akin” …

KCTV sums it up:

HOUSE DECISION WOULD RAISE YOUR TAXES

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -The U.S. House of Representatives failed to take action Tuesday to extend the payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits for millions.

The House rejected a two-month extension to 160 million Americans on their payroll taxes. This means if you made $50,000 annually then you'll pay about $1,000 more in taxes in 2012.

The Senate-approved bill would have allowed millions of unemployed Americans to continue receiving jobless benefits.