Politics & Issues

Amid a toxic atmosphere of attack ads, biting websites and accusations of corruption and incompetence, perhaps it's hardly surprising that the campaigns for many area candidates on the Nov. 2 ballot are still debating over whether to debate.

Likely because of the sniping, this fall's negotiations over debates are particularly tense, said Linda McDaniel, co-president of the St. Louis League of Women Voters, which has been tapped to organize or moderate many of them.

A picture might be worth a thousand words, but the sound of a voice can sometimes tell you even more.

Two recent Beacon slideshows included audio of conversations with longtime small-town residents recalling the history of their communities. In both cases, the unhomogenized twang of the speakers transported me instantly to a different place and time, conveying as much about the subject at hand as the words and images.

Only a handful of opponents of Proposition B, the Nov. 2 ballot measure to regulate dog breeding in Missouri, showed up Tuesday night for a protest outside the Humane Society offices on Macklind Avenue in St. Louis.

Inside, supporters of the measure -- Proposition B -- heard from national and state leaders of animal-rights groups, who said passage of the ballot measure would have national repercussions. Jill Buckley of the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals noted Missouri's reputation as "the puppy mill capital of the United States."

When Missouri's legislators gather Wednesday in Jefferson City, expect to hear a lot of talk about a film festival last weekend in Warrensburg, Mo., that was funded with $100,000 in federal stimulus funds.

State House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, cites the festival as a poor use of federal money -- and an example of why the state Legislature should have a stronger say in how federal stimulus money is spent.

Former Missouri Gov. Warren E. Hearnes, a Democrat who died in August 2009, will be inducted Wednesday into the state Capitol's Hall of Famous Missourians, where his bronze bust will be displayed.

A ceremony will be held at 9 a.m. Wednesday in the chamber of the state House of Representatives.

Attorney General Chris Koster has just announced that an agreement has been reached with Premier Exhibitions Inc., sponsor of "Bodies … The Exhibition," which he called "a cadaver exhibit" and which is slated to open in October at the St. Louis Galleria.

As part of the agreement, Premier will post a detailed disclosure with the exhibit that acknowledges that it's unclear where the bodies -- encased in plastic, with the skin removed -- were acquired in China, and that some may be deceased Chinese prisoners.

Nearly a month ago, a clear message was sent to Washington, D.C., when 71 percent of Missouri voters supported Proposition C and rejected "Obamacare."

As a progressive Democrat, I have a very different view of health-care reform than that of conservative Republicans. The dividing point is this: Do we, as a people, care enough about providing effective, affordable health care for everyone to put citizens' needs ahead of the financial interests of the health care industry?

Missouri appears to be well on its way to recovery from the recession. By working hard, investing in infrastructure and having a strong food produce manufacturing sector, the state has been able to lower its unemployment rate nearly a percentage point below the national average. Local elected officials have encouraged a business-friendly atmosphere and, despite budget shortfalls, avoided the urge to raise taxes. Unfortunately, proposals being considered by the federal government could trip up the Show Me State’s progress.

On Labor Day, President Barack Obama unveiled a $50 billion plan that he said would create more jobs and energize a lackluster economy. It will do neither.

Franklin County Prosecuting Attorney Robert E. Parks announced today that he will not be filing criminal charges against state Rep. Brian Nieves, R-Washington, who is accused of assaulting the campaign manager of a rival Republican in this summer's nasty contest for the 26th District state Senate seat.

The altercation allegedly took place in Nieves' campaign office on Aug. 4, the day after he won the nomination. Nieves currently is the heavy favorite to win the Senate seat in the Nov. 2 election.

Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Robin Carnahan is breaking with the White House on another issue, by opposing President Barack Obama's proposal to spend $50 billion on infrastructure projects.

She also launched Friday another negative ad against her Republican rival, U.S. Rep. Roy Blunt, who spent the day traveling around rural parts of the state with Missouri Farm Bureau President Charlie Kruse.

Beware bloggers. The copyright trolls are on the loose, and apparently they’re gaining support. Last week, a Las Vegas-based company, Righthaven LLC, gained a second client in its campaign to sue bloggers for reposting clips of published, online news content.

U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., today condemned the plans of a Florida pastor, Terry Jones, to burn copies of the Quran on Saturday, the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. McCaskill made her remarks in response to a question at a news conference today on local veterans’ issues.

"I don't know how anybody in the name of God would want to endanger the lives of American soldiers," the senator said, referring to the outcry already underway among some Muslims abroad.

St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley and Republican rival Bill Corrigan sharpened their attacks today during their second public forum, held over lunch before members of the Northwest Chamber of Commerce.

Dooley, a Democrat in office since 2003, accused Corrigan of "having something to hide'' because the latter has declined to release his personal income tax returns, as the county executive did last week.

Corrigan, in turn, accused Dooley of improperly spending county money on "$150,000-a-year consultants'' and opinion polls.

We’re doubly excited about the Beacon’s recently announced plan to add a Washington correspondent.

The reporter will add breadth and depth to the Beacon’s already strong coverage of issues and politics that affect our region. And he or she will appear as well on St. Louis Public Radio in a new partnership. The Beacon’s goal is to reach people where they are in ways they find most useful and convenient, and this arrangement will help us deliver.