Posted on 01/11/2005 10:39:23 AM PST by ZGuy
Gov. Matt Blunt began making good on campaign pledges during his first full day in office Tuesday, rescinding the collective bargaining rights of thousands of state workers and ordering agencies to make several cost-cutting policy changes.
Blunt halted the purchase or lease of new cell phones, office space and non-emergency vehicles. He also closed the state's office in Washington, D.C.
Those were among the first pledges Blunt made when he began campaigning for governor nearly a year ago. The 34-year-old Republican was sworn in at noon Monday — becoming the nation's youngest serving governor and the first Republican governor to take office with a GOP Legislature in Missouri in 84 years.
As secretary of state, Blunt had criticized former Democratic Gov. Bob Holden's June 2001 executive order granting collective bargaining rights to thousands of state employees and allowing unions to charge bargaining fees to employees who aren't union members.
Blunt fought an administrative rule change allowing the fees, but lost a court battle with the unions when a judge said the secretary of state's office must publish the rule, allowing it to take effect. It was to finally go into effect at the end of this month.
But on Tuesday, Blunt rescinded the executive order and withdrew the new rule. Several state employee bargaining units already have the fees included in contracts negotiated by unions. But Blunt said those provisions will have no effect — an interpretation unions may challenge.
Missouri has a trifecta--Governor, House, and Senate--all Republican. The Lt. Gov. is a childhood friend of Rush's from Cape, so the Gov can leave the state to recruit business without fear of legislative reversal in his absence. But legislative movement will have to happen quickly as the Secretary of State, whose specialty is insuring voter fraud, is Robin Carnahan, daughter of the late Gov. and elected-from-the-grave-Senator Carnahan.
Watch for Blunt to (1)rein in state payroll expenses; (2)institute a better formula for distribution of education dollars that will not cater to the NEA; (3)improve the highways, as mandated by Amendment 3; (4)get tort reform and keep MO doctors in the state; and, (5)bring business and jobs back to the state to try to make up the 135,000 jobs that the Dems' policies forced out.
If he can make these things happen, he will set a precedent for other Republican governors as well as establish a can-do record for a Presidential run someday.
I don't remember the same radio station referring to the "granting" of collective bargining rights (shilling to Union Thugs) as "nickel and dime spending" or any other insulting remarks by our vaunted media.
lol
Read article yesterday that Gov. "Holdup" was actually down 14K jobs from day he was sworn in. No comparisions to Hoover being made...
I think we got a winner here! Gee, a Gov. that actually keeps his word! I can't wait until Cousin Earl gets off work tonight. I have left excerpts of this article on his answering machine! HAHA! A big union man, he. I plan to unplug my phone @ approx. 4:58PM!
It is a good feeling to know my vote wasn't wasted.
Just imagine tomorrows Kansas City Red Star and the St Louis Post-Disgrace editorials. Doom, gloom, agony on me...
How on earth did Robin Carnahan get elected in the MO Republican sweep ?
Done.
It's funny, I searched the web for a good definition of what a right to work state is. One of the hits was an AFL-CIO page, entitled Right to Work' States Are Really Restricted Rights States. The sidebar graphs basically can be summed up with "Women and Minorities Hit the Hardest". Same old tired arguments, from the same cast of characters.
Her brother also got elected to Gabby Gephardt's old seat...
The Globe-Disgrace has to be in shock.
Hanaway made herself "the heavy" via her commercials in the last election, thats for sure.
"Off to a great beginning!"
Thanks for the ping. I heard a short summary of this on the radio this morning. Looks like Matt has hit the ground running.
Thanks for the ping! I had planned to go to the inauguration but the flu had other ideas.
becoming the nation's youngest serving governor
just a note: former Mo. Gov. Kit Bond(?) was 33. He beat Matt by 3 or 4 months per Missouri's local news.
" I was at the inauguration yesterday and just the fact that Holden and his philandering wife (yes, with her security guard in the family quarters of the mansion, no less!) "
LOL sounds like Bill n Hil clinton Lite.
Oh it wasn't a sweep, a near sweep perhaps, but not a sweep by a longshot. My US congressman (MO-3rd) is Russ Carnahan, awarded kudos from the Gays and Lesbians for his support, as pro-death as they come and completely out of touch with much of his constituency before he even starts.
Until people start voting based on character and what they support instead of whether they're a DEM or GOP member, this will continue to happen in MO-3rd. I'm hacked about it. The GOP has written off the seat as unwinnable.
Robin Carnahan, Russ' sister, has no business being Dog Catcher much less Secretary of State. Its all about name recognition, and the apparent eternal re-election of the late Mel Carnahan vis-a-vis his children.
Sad, sad, sad...
Blunt won this last election, in large part, due to the support of State Workers.
PeeWee Holden was always a Clinton wannabe. He had the words, as Mark Twain might say, but he didn't have the music.
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