Missouri 2010 Election Guide and Ballot Measures

It seems as though it is nearly impossible to find out what is going to be on the ballot and who is running and what the ballot measures mean and how a like minded individual might want to vote.  I am very much in favor of secret ballots but I am also bold enough to tell everyone how I voted; or plan to vote.
In Short, here is my plan: Amendment 1 – Yes; Amendment 2 – Yes; Prop A – Yes; Prop B – NO.  Senate: Blunt; House- erg.  Billy long is a weasel and Eckersley is a Democrat.  Make up your own mind on that one. Auditor – Tom Schweich
Missouri has on senate seat open due to the retirement of Christopher “Kit” Bond.  The other one will not come up for grabs until 2012 at which time if there is any justice in the world Claire McCaskill will be voted out so loudly she will fear to come outside her big house ever again.  The choice this year is between Roy Blunt and Robin Carnahan.  Using my tried and true rule of thumbs 1A and 1B (1A- vote Republican if at all possible; 1B- Never vote with anyone attached to the names Carnahan or McCaskill) I will be voting for Roy Blunt. A Carnahan should not be elected to walk your dog.
My district’s house seat is CD7 and the race is between Billy Long and Scott Eckersley. Billy Long is a weasel.  I do not like the man’s personality, and I think he is of dubious character.  I think he tries to pull off the ‘aw shucks’ country boy persona, but I believe he is more of a Vegas high roller.  I know for a fact that he was being texted his answers at one of the candidate forums during the primary. We could have certainly done better by nominating virtually any other candidate in the republican primary.  Scott Eckersley talks a good game, he tries to sound conservative, but he is on the Democratic ticket.  I know a lot of Republicans plan to back Eckersley.  I am not sure I can do that, but I honestly may try.  I really believe Billy Long is Wrong for Missouri – I am just not sure Eckersley is right.
We also have a vote for State Auditor which is between Charles W. Baum,(L), Susan Montee (D) and Tom Schweich, (R). Rule 1A – Vote Republican.  I will vote for Tom Schweich.
Constitutional Amendment 1 – VOTE YES.  A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to require that assessors in charter counties be elected.  This proposal will affect St. Louis County and any country that adopts a charter form of government.  I am always for direct elections; that is the only method to assure any kind of accountability.
Constitutional Amendment 2 VOTE YES
A yes vote on this one will amend the constitution to exempt former POWs homes from being assessed Property Taxes.  POWs are one of the very few groups that I am fully in favor of giving entitlements to.
Constitutional Amendment 3 VOTE YES. 
A yes vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to prevent the state, counties, and other local political entities from imposing any new tax, including sales tax, on the sale or transfer of homes or real estate.
Preventing Governments from levying new taxes?- Hells Yes I am for that.
Prop A – Vote YES
Let the voters decide if cities in Missouri should be allowed to tax the earnings of people who work in certain cities but live outside those cities.  This is a city earnings tax.  The key here is if you pay city earnings taxes you get a deduction on your state taxes.  Eliminating the city earnings taxes would increase the amount of money flowing into state accounts.    Kind of a tricky issue.  People who work in KC but live in the ‘burbs may have to pay city earnings taxes now to fund things in the city.  This may come at the expense of state projects that would benefit their town.  I can see both sides of this a bit, but again, always in favor of letting voters decide.
Prop B VOTE NO
This is all dressed up as “end puppy mills”, which is a nebulous term at best.  But the meat of the language will do very little of what it intends, in fact in some way it will lessen the regulations.  This is purely an attempt to get animal rights legislation started and would be used as a springboard to go after other animal breeders and producers next, to the detriment of agribusiness and our state economy.  VOTE NO to this BS.

	Republican	Democrat
CD1	Robyn Hamilton	Lacy Clay*
CD2	Todd Akin*	Arthur Lieber
CD3	Ed Martin	Russ Carnahan*
CD4	Vicky Hartzler	Ike Skelton*
CD5	Jacob Turk	Emanuel Cleaver II*
CD6	Sam Graves*	Clint Hylton
CD7	Billy Long	Scott Eckersley
CD8	Jo Ann Emerson*	Tommy Sowers
CD9	Blaine Luetkemeyer

Not sure about CD4 or CD7 but everywhere else, Vote Republican.
*Incumbent

-KOOK