Political Rewind: Liberal luminary from the east coming to Missouri, Medicaid debate continues

By Jo Mannies, Beacon political reporter 

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has agreed to headline the Missouri Democratic Party's annual Jefferson-Jackson Dinner, to be held June 8 at the Renaissance Grand Hotel and generally the state party’s biggest event of the year. A party spokesman said that Gov. Jay Nixon had invited Patrick to be the keynote speaker for the event.

By Robert Joiner, Beacon staff 

One big surprise in the debate over whether Missouri should expand Medicaid is the number of business or chamber of commerce groups that embrace the idea. On spending issues, the groups usually side with the Legislature's GOP leadership. But not this time.

By Jo Mannies, Beacon political reporter 

Among their stated reasons for rejecting Medicare expansion is a lack of trust that the federal government will pay its share of the costs. However, the statement calls for Washington to continue the hospital subsidies that are slated to expire -- even if Missouri would not allow the program to cover more people.

By Jo Mannies, Beacon political reporter 

The Missouri Senate voted 24-10 on Thursday to give final approval to a bill that requires public-employee unions to obtain written permission from their members annually before collecting dues by payroll deduction. The bill exempts police and firefighters, and differs sharply from a House version that would apply to all unions, public or private, except for firefighters. The Senate vote was by a veto-proof majority; the House version fell 16 votes short.

By Robert Koenig, Beacon Washington correspondent 

4:52 pm on Thu, 03.14.13

Missouri GOP lawmakers said they were glad that President Barack Obama reached out to them in meetings on Capitol Hill this week but weren't sure if his "charm offensive" will produce tangible results. Immigration reform seemed to be a possible area for compromise.

By M.W. Guzy, special to the Beacon 

We normally shrug off idiotic broadcast misstatements as harmless bloopers. But the adage to the contrary notwithstanding, the things we don’t know actually can hurt us. This is especially true when our ignorance provides the foundation for public policy on such things as global warming.

By Robert Koenig, Beacon Washington correspondent 

As a Senate panel heard from victims of sexual assault in the military -- including a case involving Fort Leonard Wood -- U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill introduced a bill Wednesday that aims to curtail the power of commanders to reverse court-martial verdicts in such cases.