Marilyn Ruestman

A few weeks ago, Rep. Marilyn Ruestman (R-Joplin) complained to her constituents about how Gov. Jay Nixon "irresponsibly used one-time stimulus funds to balance our budget despite our warnings." 

Confronted with the hypocrisy and inaccuracy of this argument, Ruestman has changed her tune. She is now telling her constituents that using the Recovery Act money in the state budget was the only responsible course of action.

I'm concerned some lawmakers and leaders in the Capitol may have spent too much time debating nonbinding resolutions about federal policies, and forgotten that the General Assembly has actual responsibilities regarding appropriating money in Missouri.

Consider, for example, the following passage from Sen. Kevin Engler's most recent constituent newsletter (h/t The Turner Report):

Also this week, we continued to hear about some of the troubling news of budget withholdings and shortfalls that will affect people’s lives and safety. On top of over a $42 million dollar shortfall of this year’s budget for public education, the governor announced a $24 million withhold of the state’s investment in rural broadband and another $29 million that was supposed to go for interoperability of public safety communications systems. While I understand times are tough for the state. Much of these painful, unexpected cuts could have been avoided if a balanced budget were presented by the governor to the general assembly over the past two years.  (emphasis mine).

What, exactly, is Kevin Engler talking about?

Rep. Marilyn Ruestman (R-Joplin) must have been asleep for the entirety of March, April and May 2009.  How else to explain this allegation of fiscal mismanagement by the Nixon Administration in her latest column?

He [Jay Nixon] boasts of strong fiscal policy, but irresponsibly used one-time stimulus funds to balance our budget despite our warnings.

I do remember warnings from Republican leaders early in the year about using one-time federal funds to balance the state budget, even though the federal stimulus package was designed to balance state budgets. 

I also distinctly remember Republican leaders executing a dramatic about-face and using more federal money than the allegedly irresponsible Governor recommended in their budgets.  I also remember House Budget Chair Allen Icet admitting that despite his vows and promises and statements to the contrary, he'd actually written a budget that relied on federal money to pay for ongoing expenses. In fact, as I recall, last year's budget -- drafted and passed by Republican majorities -- relied on "$1.3 billion in federal stimulus money for projects and programs normally funded by state tax dollars."

Despite the best efforts of "the liberal media and the far left," Rep. Marilyn Ruestman (R-Joplin) still has the "freedom of speech" to say "Merry Christmas!" and the freedom "to celebrate its true meaning."

It's a good thing The Turner Report brought this to our attention -- Ruestman's freedoms must be squashed!

Today, Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-Other Universe) introduced HJR 49, a constitutional amendment very similar to the Missouri Roundtable for Life's latest ballot initiative (their 30th in 22 months) that would, in supporters' words, "stop taxpayer funding of abortion, human cloning, and embryonic stem cell research because they all destroy human life."  

Though it's not entirely clear at this point, the Roundtable's endorsement of this new approach may indicate that they're not able or interested in collecting the signatures to put anything on the ballot this year.

Just like the Roundtable ballot initiative it replaces, the language in Davis' proposal would allow lawmakers to withhold public funds to Missouri universities and hospitals to block lawful stem cell research, and could even prevent grants and private foundations from going to institutions like the University of Missouri. 

Earlier this year, many in the General Assembly focused on pedestrian matters like health care, economic development or education. Others, however, fought to protect Missourians from greater threats, like fluoridation and the coercive "subcutaneous implantation of electronic tracking devices."  One of the Representatives taking on the Big Issues was Jim Guest (R-King City).

Late last year, James Walbert went to court, to stop his former business associate from blasting him with mind-altering electromagnetic radiation. Walbert told the Sedgwick County, Kansas panel that Jeremiah Redford threatened him with “jolts of radiation” after a disagreement over a business deal. Later, Walbert, said, he began feeling electric shock sensations, hearing electronically generated tones, and getting popping and ringing sounds in his ears. On December 30th, the court decided in Walbert’s favor, and issued a first-of-its-kind order of protection, banning Redford from using “electronic means” to further harass Walbert. No, seriously...

Walbert’s cause is supported by Jim Guest, a Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives. He's working on proposed legislation to addresses electronic harassment, including a bill against the forced implantation of RFID chips.