Blunt Proposes "Removing Politics" from MHDC the Same Way He "Severed Connection" with Developer Hamra

There's a classic episode of Seinfeld in which George Costanza --forever on the brink of permanent loserhood, unemployment and sexlessness-- turns his life around by making every decision by figuring out what he would ordinarily do and then doing the precise opposite. 

In a funny yet disturbing parallel, there's something shockingly analogous to Costanza's gambit going on right now in the office of Governor Matt Blunt regarding the Missouri Housing Development Commission (MHDC).  Over and over, Blunt has made public pronouncements about specific reforms in the way he does business with MHDC...and then proceeded to take actions that do entirely the opposite.

In a letter to MHDC Chairman Richard Baalmann, Governor Blunt encouraged commission members to support his call to change the housing agency makeup to remove any appearance that politics have an impact on MHDC's decisions.

"Removing elected officials from the commission will help burnish MHDC's reputation as one of the best run housing commissions in the country, allow the board to focus on its mission of providing affordable housing to Missourians, and remove any appearance that politics may play a part in MHDC's decisions," Gov. Blunt wrote.

The elected officials who sit on the MHDC include the Governor himself, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General and Treasurer.  They join six commissioners who are gubernatorial appointees.  Blunt, with his proposal, is suggesting that the elected officials be removed from the panel, leaving the commission to be constituted of only commissioners whom the Governor appoints. 

So, when Blunt says that he wants to change the MHDC to "remove any appearance that politics have an impact" on the Commission, his proposal would actually fix it so that the Governor's politics dominate the body.  Neat trick!

And this "doing the opposite" kick is becoming quite the trend for Blunt.  Just earlier today, in fact, FiredUp pointed to another example of Governor Blunt demonstrating the Costanza Principle.  We reported on the fact that the Governor had cleverly managed to tell the whole world and the Columbia Daily Tribune that he had "severed political connection" to developer Sam Hamra, only to accept a $5,000 contribution from Hamra after the relationship had been severed. 

To recap, Matt Blunt severs political connections from developers by accepting big checks from them­ and similarly removes politics from the MHDC by changing it so that his political appointees alone make all of its decisions.  Quite an accomplishment.  I can't help but think that George himself would be impressed.