GOP Extremism

The Post-Dispatch challenges Rep. Todd Akin today for his prayers for God to stop "this fatal step pushing our nation into socialized medicine” (i.e., the compromise health care reform legislation). Check it out. 

Let's assume for a moment that there is actually a strategy guiding Peter Kinder's crazy Twitter behavior.

Very few of his tweets have anything to do with Missouri government. Instead, our  Lieutenant Governor spends a great deal of time sharing his profound thoughts on decidedly federal issues. Looking at his hysterical tweets in recent days, Kinder has:

Not ridiculous in any way:

Some Missouri legislators disagree. Representative Todd Akin, of Town and Country, called the health care bill "a threat from within and a danger from Washington D.C."

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder agreed. "This is Pelosi versus the people," he stated, "and we stand with the people." Kinder went on to say that he believed democratic measures [sic] for health care would turn the country "into something that is unrecognizable" from the country he and members of the assembled crowd grew up with.

What, exactly, does Kinder think he'll be unable to recognize?  The all-American joy of being uninsured?  Budget-busting insurance rate increases?

Todd Akin sure is confident that God is on Todd Akin's team. This morning:

[Todd Akin] credited divine intervention with the January election of Scott Brown, R-Mass., which deprived Democrats of the 60-seat majority needed to block fillibusters [sic]. Akin said he hoped God would intervene again in blocking the bill.

Blaine Luetkemeyer, speaking in Kahoka:

President Obama is neither a Democrat or Republican...I truly believe he’s a socialist, in the traditional sense of the word.  He believes in the goodness and greatness of government.  He truly believes in this way of life.

Barry Soetoro is neither a Democrat or Republican. Please update your files. 

Todd Akin makes us proud at the 5:50 mark.

UPDATE: Jason Rosenbaum correctly points out that the RNC document does not list any open seats currently held by Republicans. I feel silly.

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The same Republican National Committee presentation that outlines a fundraising plan to capitalize on fear and the promise to save America from Barack Obama's alleged socialism makes no mention of the U.S. Senate race in Missouri in its list of key targets.  Check out slide 21 of the RNC Finance Leadership Meeting presentation:

Perhaps the RNC is simply following through on Michael Steele's promise to flush bad candidates down "the crapper."

Politico's Ben Smith:

The Republican National Committee plans to raise money this election cycle through an aggressive campaign capitalizing on "fear" of President Barack Obama and a promise to "save the country from trending toward socialism."

The strategy was detailed in a confidential party fundraising presentation, obtained by POLITICO, which also outlines how “ego-driven” wealthy donors can be tapped with offers of access and "tchochkes."

The fringe and the mainstream have become one.

Check out the full presentation here.

It's hard to be surprised by anything Ed Martin does these days. But a couple of the photos posted on Martin's official campaign website from yesterday's 'Tea Party Rally' are downright incredible. 

The signs below are probably not shocking by normal tea party standards -- but is this the 'new normal' for Republican candidates?  One might think this extreme rhetoric would be rejected by a "mainstream" GOP Congressional candidate. (For the purposes of this post, I'll assume that there is a difference between the "mainstream GOP" and the radical fringe.) But instead, these signs are held up and celebrated by Martin. 

Missourinet and the AP report that Senate President Charlie Shields (R-St. Joseph) and Speaker Ron Richard (R-Joplin) are both cool to the replace the state income tax with much higher sales taxes.  Missourinet's Bob Priddy:

Senate leader Charlie Shields does not think the bill will pass but he expects a robust debate. In the event it does clear the Senate, the proposal goes to the House, which passed the bill last year. But this year, Speaker Ron Richard sees problems. “I just want to make sure there’s not any uncertainty about where we’re moving, about schools formula, about libraries, about fire districts...And I can see the amendments on the floors now, everybody getting exempted out to kill the bill...I don’t think St. Louis can take 11 or 12 or 13 percent sales tax on their retail. I don’t think that would work and I don’t think that’s proper,” he says.

This morning before the House Children and Families Committee, Rep. Bryan Pratt (R-Blue Springs) presented his new informed consent/coercion bill (HB2000) which would, among other things, require providers to notify prosecuting attorneys about any abortions provided to women under the age of 17.

Current law requires providers to notify authorities of any pregnancies/abortions for girls under the age of 14. 

That, however, did not stop Pratt from telling the committee that his law could have helped prevent some of the abuse allegedly committed by five men arrested in Lafayette County in November for sex crimes against children.  The alleged abuse by the men in the Mohler family is incredibly disturbing (you can read more here); among other things, a key witness in the case says she had an abortion at age 11 1/2. 

Pratt told the committee his bill could prevent similar abuse in the future. 

"For those of you that don't know, I have the great honor and privilege of serving as the House Majority Whip. And part of what that means is it's my job to go to weak-kneed, squeamish, you know, RINOs from time to time and help them to understand that its a good idea to vote for good conservative legislation."

Rep. Brian Nieves, explaining his role as House Majority Whip on Friday to listeners of Washington's AM1350 The Mouth. He did not specify which colleagues he found to be 'Republicans In Name Only.' 

"The people are not able to come to the people right now with anything halfway controversial."

Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee's Summit) in a Senate Financial & Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee hearing this afternoon.  Bartle was lamenting the apparent lack of controversial legislation in the Missouri General Assembly in a debate about SB796, intended to limit abuse of the initiative petition process

Listen:

Former state senate candidate and KTRS "political analyist" Gina Loudon blogged about her trip to the "Tea Party Leadership Conference" earlier this week, and had very kind words for Joe Basel.  Basel is facing a felony charge for breaking into Sen. Mary Landrieu's (D-LA) office, was apparently out on bond when he rant into Loudon. 

The weekend was filled with heroes, and none of them were politicians or party bosses. They were people like Joe Basel, who was arrested with James O’Keefe for his phone prank on Senator Mary Landrieu when she refused to speak with constituents who PAY for those phones, and the office she uses every day!

Bill Hennessy, Gateway Pundit Jim Hoft*
and Ed Martin at the April '09 St. Louis Tea Party

St. Louis Tea Party leader Bill Hennessy linked to a rather troubling YouTube video last night that dubbed some of the tired attacks against Russ Carnahan and Robin Carnahan over a pivotal scene from the movie, Der Untergang (The Downfall).  In the clip, Adolf Hitler is not yelling at his generals about the end of WWII, but lamenting how their criminal conspiracy was unable to secure a U.S. Senate seat for Robin Carnahan.  Hitler says  he 'risked jail time' to get her elected, and complains about how the Congressman "tells his goons to beat up a diabetic."

It's worth noting that the rarely-shamed Hennessy expressed reservations about posting the video.  "I probably shouldn’t, but someone took the time to send me this link," he wrote.  If you've read any of Hennessy's ideas, his reluctance to post anything is a significant detail.