Who knew?

Apparently Peter Kinder and Ron Richard have long histories of supporting bond issues, and their opposition to the current bond proposal may not be rooted in actual policy concerns. Henry J. Waters III of The Daily Tribune explains: 

It’s hard to avoid the conclusion that House Speaker Ron Richard, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder and several of their Republican colleagues in Jefferson City are making a crass political calculation concerning Chris Kelly’s bond issue based mainly on the posture of Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat.

As Kelly notes in his column on the facing page, Kinder was for it before he was against it. In the recent legislative session, the bond issue resolution passed overwhelmingly with Richard’s support. At that time Gov. Nixon had remained silent on the issue. Recently, after Nixon came out in strong support, suddenly Richard and other Republicans are changing their tune. The coincidental flip-flop is obvious.

Kelly says this is a political gift from the GOP because it puts them in direct conflict with almost every public university and college in the state.

All this political sparring notwithstanding, the most disappointing implication is to the future of the projects the bonds would finance. As Kelly explains, now is the perfect time to issue bonds. Economic circumstances are ideal, buildings are needed and their construction would provide important economic stimulus. A previous state bond issue is being retired, relieving its revenue flow for a new issue.

"Crass political calculation?" What's next?  Press conferences in which state officials just discuss unfounded rumors of extortion?