Government dissatisfaction runs deep at Lincoln Days

The annual Republican meeting called out Democratic policy.

By Will Guldin

Published Feb. 27, 2010, last updated 6:31 p.m., Nov. 13, 2010

Although a general discontent with the federal government prevailed at a town hall meeting during Lincoln Days, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder did not leave out Missouri’s executive branch when he criticized the job done by Gov. Jay Nixon.

He described Nixon’s administration as asleep at the switch.

“What we’ve all got to be concerned about is that Gov. Nixon does not manage the budget properly, and we’re heading for much worse in fiscal year 2012,” Kinder said.

Lincoln Days is an annual gathering of Republicans from around Missouri. The name comes from President Abraham Lincoln, the first Republican to hold the office. A weekend of activities, including banquets, political speeches and training sessions makes up the schedule, and it continues Saturday night with a keynote address from former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., who is running against Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, brought up the topic of health care during the town hall meeting. He said reconciliation, a way to approve legislation in the Senate with a simple majority, should be used for budget-related bills, such as the Bush-era tax cuts passed using the process.

“Tax policy is always up and down anyway,” he said. “That is much different than using that same tool to now change health care for a decade because if you change health care for a decade, you will never get it changed back.”

Also speaking about the federal government, Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., said he wanted to keep the phrase, “One nation under God,” from being taken up by the Supreme Court. He said this could be done if the House limited the court’s jurisdiction.

Akin said this is possible because under Article III, Section II of the Constitution, the legislature created the courts, so they have the authority to say what issues are taken up.

“We have that tool available, we put the court on notice that we don’t want them creating law over in the judiciary,” he said.

During a luncheon, Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., said the country’s liberty and freedom are melting away.

“We are so fearful for our children and grandchildren that this nation is going to cease to be what this nation has been,” she said.

Concerning issues at the state level, the subject of bond funding came up during the town hall. Rep. Chris Kelly, D-Columbia, has sponsored legislation allowing the state to sell bonds to finance improvements for higher education, such as a renovation of Lafferre Hall.

House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, said it was a bad idea to take these bonds out now. Without his support in the House, a bill makes little progress.

“I think going into debt at this particular time, buying bonds is just not what you’re doing to your life and your business, and I think we protect that cash flow, what little it is,” Richard said. “We may need it next year."

Rep. Steve Tilley, R-Perryville, co-sponsored Kelly’s bill. Tilley said Saturday he is working to convince Richard selling bonds is good for the state’s finances. He said the state could see many economic benefits from using bonds.

“That AAA bond rating allows us to borrow money at a very low interest rate,” he said. “Two, we’ve got the Build America Bonds which will pay a third of our interest. That really means we can borrow money at what is the equivalent of 2.5 percent and it can put people to work, completing projects across the state.”

— Wes Duplantier contributed to this report.