World Politics

Ask a Mexican: What's up with Mexicans changing their names on a whim?

St. Charles GOP Caucus Goes Big for Ron Paul

Well, that was comparatively easy. On the day Rick Santorum suspended his presidential campaign, the St. Charles County Republicans picked Ron Paul as their man at the party's do-over shot at a caucus. There were no arrests, no embarrassment and no cries of unfair tactics.But Paul's victory last nig ... More >>

John Ashcroft Endorses Mitt Romney

We know you're all on the edge of your seats on this Super Tuesday morning waiting to see who former Missouri Governor and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft decides to support in the Republican primaries. If you believed that Ashcroft, an evangelical Christian who reportedly doesn't drink, dance ... More >>

The Ten Biggest Presidential Endorsements by Musicians in the 2012 Campaign

Megadeth rocker Dave Mustaine raised a few collective eyebrows this week when he endorsed former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum's bourgeoning presidential bid. The former Pennsylvania senator has been gaining steam as of late after prevailing in a trio of February contests, including Missouri's non-bindin ... More >>

Daily RFT Reader on U.S. Constitution: Don't Forget the States!

http://www.mofreedom.org​Our post yesterday questioning whether the U.S. Constitution is perhaps too old for its own good -- based on a new Wash U. study showing that foreign countries no longer emulate it the way they once did in the past -- prompted a call from attorney Dave Roland of the Fr ... More >>

Is the U.S. Constitution Too Old for its Own Good?

Question: What do the following provisions have in common? Women's rights; Right to work; Right to education; Presumption of innocence; Right to unionize or strike. Answer: None of them is mentioned in the U.S. Constitution. Could it be the case that the original legal document of our country is g ... More >>

What People Are Saying About Santorum's Missouri Win

​Last night Rick Santorum swept the primaries in Missouri, Minnesota, and Colorado. As expected, his most decisive victory was in Missouri, where he took all 114 county for a 55 percent runaway, more than doubling Mitt Romney's 25 percent. In many ways, it's a hollow success. It didn't count towa ... More >>

Missouri's 2012 Primary Election Would Be Very Telling If It Weren't Officially Meaningless

​A couple of weeks ago, Huffington Post blogger Will Bower wrote, "This February 7th, 2012, I'll be paying closer attention to Missouri's primary results and asking myself 'What if Missourians had been able to go first this time 'round?'" Bower, an outspoken crusader for election reform, proposed ... More >>

Peter Kinder Second to Anthony Weiner in Embarrassing Tweets of 2011

​Peter Kinder didn't need the Riverfront Times to embarrass him last year by exposing his bizarre relationship with a former stripper and Penthouse centerfold. It turns out Missouri's lieutenant governor is plenty skilled at embarrassing himself -- via Twitter. Last week the NationalJournal named ... More >>

Dana Loesch Departs St. Louis Tea Party

Dana Loesch riles up the crowd during one of the Tea Party's first rallies in February 2009 under the Gateway Arch.​The co-founder of the St. Louis Tea Party has officially left the organization.  In a tweet this morning Dana Loesch writes: "Yes, I am finished with the St. Louis Tea Party. N ... More >>

The Unconventional Campaign of Mike Carter, Lieutenant Governor Candidate

​In 2008, Mike Carter ran in the Democratic primary for Missouri lieutenant governor and voted in the Republican primary for president. He likes the idea of government being run as a business but doesn't like the idea of privatizing certain government duties. He thinks there are "serious problems" ... More >>

Peter Kinder Will Not Be Running for Governor

Peter Kinder's had a rough year.​Today Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder announced that he will not run for governor. Instead he will seek a third term at his current seat. On one hand this is mildly surprising considering that he's been considered the GOP front-runner to challenge Governor Jay Ni ... More >>

What's Worse than a Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Who Frequented Strip Clubs? How About One Who Supports TARP?

Image viaRepublican leaders hope personal care packaging mogul Dave Spence can be a more attractive gubernatorial candidate than Lt. Governor Peter Kinder.​Big news yesterday on the Missouri gubernatorial election front. Dave Spence, a businessman from St. Louis, has jumped into the race. Spence ... More >>

Steve Tilley Drops Out of Race for Lieutenant Governor

Tilley, the 2012 lieutenant governor frontrunner dropped out of the race yesterday.​It's been a rough few weeks for Missouri Speaker of the House Steve Tilley. In mid-October he disclosed that he and his wife of eighteen years, Kellie, were divorcing. Then in early November, with the proceedings ... More >>

Bill Randles: Unknown Polls Almost as Well as Peter Kinder Against Governor Nixon

The whole "pantless party" thing is not helping Peter Kinder with McCain voters, Public Policy Polling finds.​Governor Jay Nixon would basically stomp the crap out of his likely Republican challenger, Lt. Governor Peter Kinder, if the 2012 gubernatorial election had been held this week.In fact, ac ... More >>

Jack Danforth for Governor Facebook Page Illustrates Waning Support for Peter Kinder

243 Facebook users have found their Kinder alternative: former U.S. Sentor John "Jack" Danforth​The search for the Peter Kinder Alternative has unofficially begun. Last Thursday, a "Draft Jack- Danforth for Governor 2012" Facebook page popped up. John "Jack" Danforth, of course, is the moderate ... More >>

GOP consultant David Barklage owes the Feds big bucks

243 Facebook users have found their Kinder alternative: former U.S. Sentor John "Jack" Danforth​The search for the Peter Kinder Alternative has unofficially begun. Last Thursday, a "Draft Jack- Danforth for Governor 2012" Facebook page popped up. John "Jack" Danforth, of course, is the moderate ... More >>

Top Missouri GOP Consultant Hasn't Paid His Taxes

courtesy of Fired Up! MissouriDavid Barklage (right) with Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder​As the main political consultant to Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder -- and a key strategist for the Missouri Republican Party -- David Barklage preaches the gospel of financial responsibility and ac ... More >>

Norway Massacre Has Dana Loesch Claiming Right is Left

Right or Left? Depends on which way the hot air blows.​St. Louis Tea Party co-founder and political pundit Dana Loesch thinks hard-line conservatives such as herself are being smeared by media accounts referring to Norway's Anders Behring Breivik as a "right-wing extremist." As you surely know, Br ... More >>

Rex Sinquefield Donates $82,000 to Peter Kinder's Campaign

Peter Kinder has 82,000-plus reasons to smile today.​Missouri's political puppet master Rex Sinquefield yesterday made two contributions to Lt. Governor Peter Kinder's campaign coffers, totaling $82,191. Kinder is expected to soon announce that he'll run for governor against incumbent Jay Nixon in ... More >>

Lawsuit Filed Against Missouri's "Religious Freedom" Amendment

Don't drink the Kool-Aid, warn plaintiffs.​In November 2012, Missouri voters will be asked to approve an amendment to the state constitution, titled Religious Freedom in Public Places. According to the sponsor of the resolution, Republican Mike McGhee of the western Missouri town of Odessa, the am ... More >>

It's Already 2012 for Claire McCaskill: Attack ads circulating online and on the radio

Don't drink the Kool-Aid, warn plaintiffs.​In November 2012, Missouri voters will be asked to approve an amendment to the state constitution, titled Religious Freedom in Public Places. According to the sponsor of the resolution, Republican Mike McGhee of the western Missouri town of Odessa, the am ... More >>

Group Cleared for Petition Drive to Strengthen Will of Missouri Voters

protectvoters.com​At first they considered calling it the "Voter Protection Act." Then it was to be called "Will of the People Act." And now, finally, the "Your Vote Counts Act." But in every one of the eight filings Your Vote Counts has made in recent weeks with the Missouri Secretary of State's ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Is Mexico a Tea Party paradise?

protectvoters.com​At first they considered calling it the "Voter Protection Act." Then it was to be called "Will of the People Act." And now, finally, the "Your Vote Counts Act." But in every one of the eight filings Your Vote Counts has made in recent weeks with the Missouri Secretary of State's ... More >>

Peter Kinder's Car Stolen, Torched

Not the actual car stolen from Missouri's lieutenant governor​It seems like one disgruntled Missourian has reeeeally taken offense to Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder's recent use of taxpayer's money. Either that, or the politician simply drives the type of car that's attractive to thieves. Both scenario ... More >>

Missouri Democratic Party Calls on Peter Kinder to Reimburse Tax Payers for Lavish Hotel Stays

Peter Kinder appearing in a 2010 interview about his lawsuit to stop "Obamacare."​If you didn't see yesterday's article on Missouri Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder, stop what your doing and give it a read. Post-Dispatch reporter Jake Wagman provides a text-book example on how to nail a double-tal ... More >>

Effort Underway to Shrink Missouri House From 163 Reps to 103

Missouri voters would be asked to trim the fat. ​If you work in the private sector in Missouri, chances are pretty good that your business experienced some downsizing (a.k.a. layoffs) over the last few years. That's not the case, though, for those public sector employees who happen to work on the ... More >>

Missouri Senator Trying to Ban Red-Light Cameras Unconcerned About His Own Ticket

Lembke says "idiots" have tried to spin the story as they see fit.​State senator Jim Lembke tells Daily RFT this morning that he's not worried about being found guilty in municipal court last week in St. Louis for a red-light camera ticket. In December Lembke (R - South St. Louis County) filed a b ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Can a gabacho become president of Mexico?

Lembke says "idiots" have tried to spin the story as they see fit.​State senator Jim Lembke tells Daily RFT this morning that he's not worried about being found guilty in municipal court last week in St. Louis for a red-light camera ticket. In December Lembke (R - South St. Louis County) filed a b ... More >>

Prepare Ye: The Launch of Tea Party Review is Nigh

image via​In case you haven't noticed, the Tea Party isn't particularly pleased with the way it's being portrayed in the mainstream media. Or as Katrina Pierson, a founding member of the Dallas Tea Party, puts it: People are weary of the distorted version of the Tea Party movement that we see ... More >>

Leaf It Alone: What can be done to stop the thievery of agave leaves?

image via​In case you haven't noticed, the Tea Party isn't particularly pleased with the way it's being portrayed in the mainstream media. Or as Katrina Pierson, a founding member of the Dallas Tea Party, puts it: People are weary of the distorted version of the Tea Party movement that we see ... More >>

New Dem Party Chair Susan Montee: "We're Down About as Far as We Can Go"

Can she bring her party out of the doldrums?​One month after Missouri's Democratic candidates suffered a series of bruising defeats in the midterm elections, the party swiftly moved to make a change at the helm. Out as party chairman is Craig Hosmer, who held the post for two years. In his p ... More >>

Food Safety Bill Passes Senate

Image via​Legislation to overhaul the nation's oversight of food safety passed the Senate this morning by a vote of 73 to 25. The bill greatly increases the FDA's authority over food producers.Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D) voted in favor of the bill; retiring Senator Kit Bond (R) abstained ... More >>

Kevin Jackson wrote the book on how to win (white) friends and influence (black) people

Image via​Legislation to overhaul the nation's oversight of food safety passed the Senate this morning by a vote of 73 to 25. The bill greatly increases the FDA's authority over food producers.Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D) voted in favor of the bill; retiring Senator Kit Bond (R) abstained ... More >>

Grinding Justice: Operation Streamline costs millions, tramples the Constitution and doesn't work

Image via​Legislation to overhaul the nation's oversight of food safety passed the Senate this morning by a vote of 73 to 25. The bill greatly increases the FDA's authority over food producers.Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D) voted in favor of the bill; retiring Senator Kit Bond (R) abstained ... More >>

Shocking: Ed Martin Picks Up Tea Party Endorsement

Calling him an "original Tea Partier" and someone who will do the "patriotic thing" in Congress, the St. Louis Tea Party has officially thrown its support to Ed Martin.In the video below, St. Louis Tea Party founder Bill Hennessy adds that he'll even contribute $52 dollars to Martin's campaign -- on ... More >>

Carnahan to Make Statement on Last Week's Firebombing

Damage from last week's firebombing.​Update: Carnahan addresses allegations that suspect worked for campaign. Initial post follows...Finally some context! We here at Daily RFT have been inundated all day with emails and comments regarding last week's story on the firebombing of Russ Carnahan's cam ... More >>

Tea Party Groups to Protest Roy Blunt Tomorrow in St. Louis

​A coalition of Tea Party groups plan to picket tomorrow in Sunset Hills near the Republican Party's St. Louis headquarters. The groups say they're protesting Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann's decision to come to Missouri to stump for Senate candidate Roy Blunt. Bachmann is seen as somet ... More >>

Tea Party Groups Do NOT Endorse Roy Blunt; Say He's Part of Problem

Mo. Tea Parties put it Blunt-ly.​Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann, a darling of the Tea Party movement, is headed to Missouri this week to lend her support to Republican candidate for Senate, Roy Blunt. And that has some 28 Tea Party groups in Missouri calling foul. In a letter posted onl ... More >>

Kinder Finally Files that Lawsuit vs. Health Care Reform

Peter Kinder​He's been huffing and puffing about it since April. But will the lawsuit Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder filed yesterday be enough to blow health care reform down? Probably not. But, hey, it makes for good political theater. In his federal lawsuit filed yesterday in Cape Girardeau, Kinder argue ... More >>

Tony La Russa: Embraces Tea Party, Bitch Slaps Diamondbacks, Wetbacks

​So, as we've reported earlier, Tuesday night was Tea Party night at Busch Stadium. The Cardinals were playing the Arizona Diamondbacks that night and the St. Louis Tea Party was there in force for a "buycott" in support of Arizona and its recent law to crack down on illegal immigrants. As St. Tea ... More >>

Illinois Medical Marijuana Bill Goes Up In Smoke

Image sourceRIP Compassionate Use of Medicinal Cannabis Pilot Program Act​"Illinois House lawmakers will likely not pass the dutchie until next legislative session."That's lede from an NBC Chicago story today on medical marijuana in the Land of Lincoln about the imminent demise of the Compassionat ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Special Potpourri Edition

Image sourceRIP Compassionate Use of Medicinal Cannabis Pilot Program Act​"Illinois House lawmakers will likely not pass the dutchie until next legislative session."That's lede from an NBC Chicago story today on medical marijuana in the Land of Lincoln about the imminent demise of the Compassionat ... More >>

PAC Behind St. Louis Tea Party Leads to Name Calling, Bruised Right-Wing Egos

Jamie Allman: Hungry for a fight and smells bacon.​I don't make it a habit of listening to the conservative talk station 97.1 FM (home to everyone's favorite local Tea Party babe, Dana Loesch), but a show this week did provide some quality entertainment and follow-up fireworks. It all began on Wed ... More >>

No Justice: We've bailed out the banks. When do we go after the crooks behind our financial collapse?

Jamie Allman: Hungry for a fight and smells bacon.​I don't make it a habit of listening to the conservative talk station 97.1 FM (home to everyone's favorite local Tea Party babe, Dana Loesch), but a show this week did provide some quality entertainment and follow-up fireworks. It all began on Wed ... More >>

Could Australian Answering Machine Hold Answers for St. Louis Public Schools?

Unreal stumbled across the following answering machine message purported to be in use by a school district in Australia. And while we're not sure about the validity of that claim, Unreal is pretty convinced that some of the admonishments in the message might indeed benefit the beleaguered St. Louis ... More >>

Spend an Afternoon in a Gitmo Detention Cell ... at the Airport Hilton

Unreal stumbled across the following answering machine message purported to be in use by a school district in Australia. And while we're not sure about the validity of that claim, Unreal is pretty convinced that some of the admonishments in the message might indeed benefit the beleaguered St. Louis ... More >>

Does the Mexican have an opinion of Mexican politics?

Week of July 27, 2006

Series/Festivals

Week of November 26, 2003