Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Who is the most Republican of them All?

A great political news site, Missouri Political News, has completed an analysis of 2007 and 2008 votes in the Missouri General Assembly, with more to come on 2009.

One interesting item for local news: Of all state senators, Bill Stouffer leads on both items researched.

As MPN reports, of all 34 state senators, Bill Stouffer misses the fewest votes and votes with his party, fellow conservatives, the most.

For those elected officials looking for a consistent, hard-working public servant to follow - look to Bill Stouffer.

More on Potential Skelton-Pelosi Retirement

On November 25, 2009, we reported the unexpected retirement Rep. Dennis Moore, D-Kansas had made National Democrats "Moore" nervous about the potential retirement of Ike Skelton.

Skelton, with his 95% vote record with Nancy Pelosi, is in the toughest battle of his modern political career.

This week, Hotline reported John Tanner, D-Tennessee, a leading blue dog Dem has also announced his retirement.

Unfortunately for Democrats, Tanner was a bellwether for a potential wave of retirements for Skelton-like Democrats who used to vote with their district, but are now casting their first and most votes for Nancy Pelosi's leadership.

Skelton, Pelosi & US House Votes to Raise Death Tax

BREAKING from Mahoney:

Stouffer Rips Ike on ‘Death Tax’

Republican Congressional candidate Bill Stouffer ripped into his Democratic opponent, Rep. Ike Skelton’s vote on changing the estate tax. Or, as it’s better known in republican circles, ‘The Death Tax’.

In 2010, the current 45% tax on estates is expected to temporarily end. But it returns in 2011 at a higher rate of 55%.

Stouffer attacked Skelton saying he is not surprised Skelton voted with the Democratic leadership.

“What is surprising, however, is that Ike would thumb his nose at so many farmers, small businessmen and families in rural Missouri by refusing to allow the tax to die in 2010 and voting to permanently extend the tax at a punishing rate of 45%. Ike, today, voted once again for liberal Nancy Pelosi values and against the good folks of rural Missouri.”

The House passed bill exempts the first $3.5 million from the tax, and $7 million for married couples. It’s prospects in the Senate are far from certain.

Experts say the estate tax affects about 1% of all estates in the US.

Posted December 4th, 2009 at 10.30am at Heritage.org.

The U.S. House of Representatives voted to permanently extend the death tax at its current 45 percent rate and $3.5 million exemption. This is a significant tax hike since the death tax was supposed to expire on January 1, 2010.

The increase of the death tax is a major blow to the badly weakened economy since the tax is a huge drag on economic activity. It is also a major disappointment for countless family-owned businesses slammed hard by this unfair tax.

Despite passage in the House, the death tax increase is not yet law since the Senate has not acted. Earlier this year it passed a resolution to extend the death tax permanently as well, but at a lower rate and higher exemption level (35 percent and $5 million).

The Senate version would be better for the economy and family-owned businesses, but full repeal would be best. It would put 1.5 million unemployed Americans back to work and lift a heavy burden from families all across the country.

As the debate moves to the Senate, you can continue to find all of the Heritage Foundation’s work on the death tax – including new videos detailing the struggles the death tax imposes on family-owned businesses – at www.heritage.org/deathtax.

Do you fit? Conservatives Propose "Purity Test" for Candidates

Members of the Republican National Committee have proposed the following "Purity Test" for candidates:

(1) We support smaller government, smaller national debt, lower deficits and lower taxes by opposing bills like Obama’s “stimulus” bill;

(2) We support market-based health care reform and oppose Obama-style government run healthcare;

(3) We support market-based energy reforms by opposing cap and trade legislation;

(4) We support workers’ right to secret ballot by opposing card check;

(5) We support legal immigration and assimilation into American society by opposing amnesty for illegal immigrants;

(6) We support victory in Iraq and Afghanistan by supporting military-recommended troop surges;

(7) We support containment of Iran and North Korea, particularly effective action to eliminate their nuclear weapons threat;

(8) We support retention of the Defense of Marriage Act;

(9) We support protecting the lives of vulnerable persons by opposing health care rationing, denial of health care and government funding of abortion; and

(10) We support the right to keep and bear arms by opposing government restrictions on gun ownership.

Democrats "Moore" Nervous about Ike & Retirement

Hotline writer Reid Wilson writes the following in his most recent post at Hotline:

"It's been mentioned by a few people, myself included, but it bears repeating: Dems know that if they experience a wave of retirements this year, they're in trouble. In '94, Dems lost 21 seats in which the incumbent decided against seeking another term."

"That's why DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen has put so much emphasis on keeping incumbents in their races. And he's been largely successful; to date, only Rep. Dennis Moore (D-KS, pictured right) has announced he will retire without seeking another office."

"Thanksgiving and the ensuing winter holiday break are when members go home, sit down with their families and decide their political future. Each year, retirements seem to surge in Dec. and Jan."

"A top Dem aide plugged in to the party's efforts to keep their majority says things will only look bad if as many as 20 members retire. That number is higher than anyone expects, but there may be as many as a dozen who do decide against stepping down."

"Moore's departure caused a few Dems to panic a bit, and to get a little defensive. If Reps. Ike Skelton (D-MO), Leonard Boswell (D-IA) or other entrenched incumbents in GOP-leaning seats start looking for new lines of work, maybe they'll have a real reason to panic."

As the rumor mill continues to grind in Lafayette Co., Skelton's retirement is not out of the realm of possibilities. Skelton is much more vulnerable than Dennis Moore, the Democrat who announced his retirement on Monday for the following reasons:

1) John McCain won Skelton's district with 60% of the vote, while President Obama narrowly carried Moore's Kansas district with 51%.

2) Skelton represents a district far more sympathetic to Republicans and is more conservative than the district represented by Moore.

3) Analysts list Skeltons seat as “Leans” Democrat, while Moore had a less vulnerable rating of “Likely” Democrat before he stepped aside.

4) According to Cook's David Wasserman, “Of all Democrats who voted for both the Obama stimulus and Democrats cap and trade energy bill, Skelton represents the most heavily GOP seat.” (David Wasserman, “House: Time to Rethink Who the Vulnerable Democrats Are,” Cook Political Report, 11/19/09)

5) Both Skelton and Moore supported the failed stimulus package, but Skelton has more to answer for back home as Missouris unemployment rate of 9.3% is higher than that of Kansas (6.8%).