You may have thought the controversy surrounding last year's "Modern Militia" report from the state highway patrol had died down, seeing how it wasn't nearly as evil as Peter Kinder and GOP state legislators were alleging.  If so, you'd be wrong.

Today, Media Matters catches the ridiculous Fox Nation website cribbing an article from World Net Daily, and alleging that Jay Nixon "links Christians with violence." 

If this absurd attack sounds familiar, it's because Kinder tried it (unsuccessfully) last March.  The report in question actually talked about the radical Christian Identity sect, not "Christians." And, much to the Republicans chagrin, the report was actually developed when Matt Blunt was governor. 

It seems so. 

You may have found Cynthia Davis' interview about health care reform with FOX Business confusing and unintelligible; fear not. I have been hard at work translating her words into something more digestible for the masses.  Her language is shown in italics below -- it's too hot to handle otherwise.

Fatigued by Villicators

“Well, first of all, I'm a little bit fatigued with all the people vilifying the people with no insurance. There are plenty of good people in Missouri who don't have insurance and they do pay their bills. So I would appreciate it if those in Washington would stop all that rhetoric about people with no insurance are the ones who are bankrupting our health care system.

And, secondly, I don't appreciate them vilifying all insurance companies, especially since they're trying to use those to force everybody to buy insurance.

Gov. Nixon named Maj. Ronald K. Replogle as the new superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Republicans aren't excited about President Obama’s invitation to discuss health care in a bipartisan, televised setting later this month, part of the White House effort to revive the stalled legislation.

The St. Louis Police Officers Association will endorse Rep. Allen Icet’s bid for Missouri state auditor.

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson is telling DC donors about the threat from Democratic challenger Tommy Sowers in invitations for an upcoming event at a downtown DC steakhouse. 

Tommy Sowers – my Democratic opponent – spent 11 years in the U.S. Army, including an assignment as a Special Forces officer in Iraq. He returned to the states and taught at the U.S. Military Academy before recently retiring from the Army. I honor his service to our country.

He appears to be an aggressive campaigner and fundraiser. I am ready for the challenge. Let the superior candidate with the better agenda win.

Read More »

The Missourian had a really interesting story yesterday about the Missouri NAACP's calls for AmerenUE's wealthy industrial customers to pay the same rates as residential customers.  And despite the current disparity, the company is asking the state Public Service Commission for approval to raise residential rates and lower industrial rates further. 

According to Harold Crumpton, an NAACP board member, residential customers currently pay about 7.7 cents per kilowatt hour, and industrial, large transmission customers pay roughly 3.3 cents.

I bet most folks bundled up in their homes don't know they are paying more than double the rates of AmerenUE's wealthiest customers. I know I didn't.

This pretty much tells you everything you need to know about the awesomeness of the FOX Business channel. Posted in three parts to YouTube, via CynthiaDavis.net.

Yesterday on Meet the Press, White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan said that Kit Bond and three other GOP leaders were personally briefed on Christmas night about the arrest of accused underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, and that none of them raised objections. CQ Politics' Political Wire summarizes:

White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan revealed on Meet the Press that he briefed four Republican congressional leaders [Bond, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner and Peter Hoekstra] on Christmas night about the arrest of the "underwear bomber" and the handling of the case.

"I got an application in to drive a garbage truck, and I got turned down to sell appliances..I've got no reputation. I have no money. I've got nothing."

~ Former Speaker Rod Jetton, speaking with the Post-Dispatch's Tony Messenger about life after politics

A snapshot from our Washington Bureau: