State of our State

We might all have a little more respect for politicians if they would simply accept reality occasionally, instead of rejecting it and replacing it with their own. We are all tired of reflexive disagreement. If a Republican stands in front of an audience and says, “I am wearing a red tie.” The Democrats will respond, “It troubles me that Mr. Republican would consider his tie red when so many Americans are without healthcare. Our children are not wearing red ties…”

Gov Blunt gave his SOTS address last night, and he emphasized a few key points: education funding, unemployment rates, job creation, and the state budget vis a vis a modest surplus due to intelligent and targeted cuts in spending and increases in revenues.

Of course the Democrat response was perfectly unhinged—and the rhetoric doesn’t match reality, and most Missourians are capable of distinguishing between the two---and most Missourians don’t appreciate being lied to.

Example: If unemployment rates were at “historic lows” during a Democratic administration (Carnahan/Holden), and then they fall further still, how can they now be “lagging behind the national rate” as the Democrat response claims? If Missouri’s unemployment rate is lower than the national average, how can it be “lagging behind the national rate”? The Democrats claim that there has been no jobs created since May of last year….seriously, that’s what they claim, and then they blame Blunt.

It’s classic playground tactics, “tearing down” your opponent in order to make yourself feel better….and it looks silly.

Why not try to take a little credit for working together in the legislature, admit that the economy is doing well but there is always room for improvement, and either agree with the proposals that the Governor introduced in the SOTS, or substantively disagree and offer an alternative, instead of offering the intellectual equivalent of name-calling or sticking your fingers in your ears and saying “na na na na I can’t hear you.”