Credibility gap

A commitment to intellectual integrity has never slowed the MOGOP from putting out hyperbolic press releases about the evils of Democratic officeholders everywhere, but this week's batch of hypocritical attacks is really something.

First, there's the hilarious web ad accusing Jay Nixon for "mortgaging our future" with a potential bond issue.  Complete with slow fades and dramatic music (which I think is supposed to be scary), the MOGOP video tries desperately to strike fiscal fear in the hearts of viewers. Conspicuously absent from the film are all of the other state leaders who also want to "mortgage our future" -- crazy libruls like Steve Tilley, Ron Richard (depends on the hour), Allen Icet, 58 other GOP Representatives and most of the State Senate. 

Second, there's this week's favorite distraction for GOP partisans -- the alleged "broken system" that is the new fee office bidding system. This "broken system" that some GOP partisans find so deficient happens to be the same system outlined in the new law sponsored by...Republican State Rep. Ryan Silvey of Kansas City. And celebrated yesterday in Springfield by GOP Representatives Bob Dixon and Charlie Denison. And passed with broad, bipartisan support. But why let the fact that almost everyone in the Republican Party supports the new bidding system get in the way of trashing it?

If there are real concerns about the way bids have been awarded, then critics would be looking at the actual scoring decisions by the Department of Revenue.  But the criticisms aren't about the actual process, of course.