Posted at Show Me Progress.

[Missouri] SB 389 [pdf] has an interesting little clause which prompts the title: "The Term Limited Politician Lowering the Bar for Public Higher Education Employment Shameless Self Interest Act."

173.475. Notwithstanding any provision of law or policy of a public institution of higher education to the contrary, no public college or university, as defined in section 173.355, shall reject an applicant for a faculty position based solely on the applicant having not earned a graduate degree, provided that the applicant has earned an undergraduate baccalaureate degree and has served for at least eight years in the general assembly.

A compilation from three diaries at Show Me Progress - here, here, and here.

Well, after a day's total of nine hours of driving we just got back [last night] from the Harkin Steak Fry. As a surreal experience it certainly exceeded expectations.

When we arrived into town at Highway 92 - heading east toward the balloon field - we encountered one of the slowest moving traffic jams I have ever experienced. It took us 45 minutes to get the three miles from a highway junction to the balloon field.

Posted at Show Me Progress and MyDD.

Early tomorrow morning a small group of us from Warrensburg will pile into two vehicles for the 4 1/2 hour drive to that muddy (probably) balloon field near Indianola, Iowa for the 30th Harkin Steak Fry. This to hear Democratic presidential candidates  Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Chris Dodd, John Edwards, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson speak.

I wrote about some of my experiences at the event four years ago here.

Posted at Show Me Progress.

Nancy A. Youssef of McClatchy Newspapers has an article on American military casualties in Iraq on the front page of today's Kansas City Star. The Star headline (front page, above the fold) in this morning's  printed "Kansas City Edition"?

American casualties plunge in Iraq

[This headline is not available on the Star web site.]

The headline on McClatchy Newspapers national website?

Combat deaths in Iraq decline; reasons aren't clear

On Sunday, September 16th the 30th Harkin Steak Fry will take place at the balloon field in Indianola, Iowa. Democratic Presidential candidates Senator Joe Biden, Senator Hillary Clinton, Senator Chris Dodd, Senator John Edwards, Senator Barack Obama, and Governor Bill Richardson will be in attendance (and speak to the crowd).

I plan on attending this year.

On September 12th in 2003 I received a phone call from a friend the day before the Harkin Steak Fry. He asked me, "Do you want to go?" It'd been ages since I'd taken a road trip - I agreed to go. So, we drove the 4 1/2 hours to stand in a muddy balloon field and listen to Democratic presidential candidates. We had the time of our lives.

Today's Kansas City Star is reporting that Missouri state senator Chris Koster, a candidate for Attorney General in 2008, is switching to the Democratic Party.

United States v. I. Lewis Libby

Scooter has lots of friends.

Heh. The judge is not a happy camper.

United States District Judge Reggie Walton's footnote to his order granting motion for leave to file amicus brief:

This evening I was interrupted in my usual routine by a solicitation phone call from NARAL. I listened politely as the nice person on the other end of the phone explained that things were dire indeed in Missouri (they are) and that because of the current U.S. Supreme Court we were now going to have to fight those important pro-choice battles in the states.

I think I've been waiting for this call for a while. I was pleasant and polite.

Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo 4) is chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and has represented his district for 30 years. His record when it comes to "supporting the troops" is unquestionable.

Ike Skelton attended our local Democratic Party event in Warrensburg, Missouri Saturday evening. He took the opportunity to speak on the war in Iraq.

I find that I may be reintroducing myself to an old habit. Again, yesterday, I drove to the park with the J.C. Nichols fountain at the entrance to the Plaza for the weekly protest vigil in Kansas City.

I previously wrote about last week's vigil - one which I participated in after a long absence.

Election recount.

I first wrote about this here.

For over two years I've been working on the campaign of Monica Penrose for Prosecuting Attorney of Johnson County, Missouri.

The unofficial results released at approximately 1:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 9th had Monica Penrose down 45 votes out of almost 15,000 cast. The incumbent Democratic County Auditor, Kay Dolan, was down 3 votes to her challenger. Both margins are well within the 1% margin for a recount. We were not provided the totals for Warrensburg Southeast 1 and Pittsville precincts at that time. The precinct by precinct totals to that point were taken off the county website some time in the morning on November 9th....

There will be recounts for both contests....

It's been eight months since I last attended the weekly vigil in the park next to the J.C. Nichols fountain at 47th and Main in Kansas City. Working on elections to change the world sometimes takes precedence.

The bad news in the world today and the poor manner in which it's covered put me in a surly mood.

It's been a little over 1500 days (yeah, I keep track) since I first started doing this. I decide I'm going to drive the hour into the city and stand at the entrance of the Plaza with my signs. And so, I find myself again standing in the same place holding my "one nation, under surveillance" sign.

Since 2002 I have served as an elected member of the Missouri State Democratic Committee. Every two years, as required by statute and state party by-laws, the elected members of the state committee who represent state senate districts must stand for election (or re-election) by the members of their state senate committee.

As chair of my four county state senate district party committee I am charged with calling the meeting. Each party county chair and vice chair and each state legislative district chair and vice-chair have a vote. For our district this means a total maximum of 14 votes.

As is required, and my custom, over these three years I notify the Director of Public Safety on campus at least 24 hours in advance of every vigil. He usually replies with a "Thank you."

March 25, 2006

...read your email about yesterday's vigil.  You were officially assaulted; a class C misdemeanor [in Missouri] punishable by up to 15 days in the county jail and I believe a $300 fine...

Today's vigil started out quietly enough. When I arrived a few minutes before 1:00 p.m. my colleague had already been standing at the flag pole next to the First Amendment plaque on the Quad for a half hour. I asked him our now routine question, "Any action?" He shook his head. He told me that a few supportive friends and colleagues had stopped by to chat. One even asking him if there had indeed been any action.

Three years ago as the war started we attended a vigil in the park at 47th and Main in Kansas City. And marched on the Plaza. Two years ago I stood in the same place. One year ago I stood in the same place. Today I stood in the same place.