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>>> PRODUCTION UNDERWRITING FOR RUCKUS HAS BEEN MADE POSSIBLE IN PART BY THE GENEROUS
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FRED AND LOU HARTWIG AND FROM VIEWERS LIKE YOU.
THANK YOU.
>>> WELCOME TO RUCKUS, OUR WEEKLY FOOD FOR THOUGHT FIGHT OVER OF THE NEWS OF THE DAY AND
TRENDS OF THE TIME. THE RUCKUS PANEL HAS ASSEMBLED. ***, YAEL ABOUHALKAH, AND GWEN
GRANT. I'M MIKE SHANIN. BI-STATE BI-LINES.
IN MISSOURI THE ISSUE IS MEDICAID AND JAY NIXON'S RESOLVE FOR FIGHT FOR ITS EXPANSION.
MEDICAID EXPANSION IS PART OF OBAMA CARE, BUT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT RULED THAT STATES DON'T
HAVE TO PARTICIPATE. NIXON THEORETICALLY A DEMOCRAT, IS FACING DETERMINED OPPOSITION
FROM THE G.O.P. CONTROLLED STATE LEGISLATURE. THE BULK OF THE FUNDING FOR
EXPANSION COMES AT LEAST INITIALLY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO GWEN, DOES GOVERNOR NIXON HAVE ANY CHANCE OF EXPANDING HIS SUPPORT IN THE LEGISLATURE AND
GETTING EXPANDED MEDICAID? >> I THINK IT'S A PRETTY LONG SHOT THAT HE'LL BE ABLE TO DO
THAT. I THINK THAT THE REPUBLICAN DOMINATED LEGISLATURE HAS SUCH
DISDAIN FOR OBAMA CARE THAT IT WOULD ACTUALLY SACRIFICE WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF QUALITY
HEALTH CARE FOR A LARGE NUMBER OF MISSOURIANS JUST TO PROVE THE POINT THAT THEY HATE OBAMA CARE.
AND IT'S UNFORTUNATE FOR THE STATE, BECAUSE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ACTUALLY COVER
THE COST OF MEDICAID EXPANSION FOR SEVERAL YEARS. I THINK UP UNTIL AROUND 2017 OR
20 --. >> 5%, I HAVE STATES PAY 5% STARTING IN 2017 AND 10% BY
2020. >> RIGHT. SO YOU HAVE ALL THESE YEARS OF
FEDERAL INVESTMENT TO INSURE THAT MORE PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE.
>> ASSUMING THAT THE LAW STAYS THE SAME. >> WELL, I DON'T THINK THE LAW
IS GOING TO CHANGE THAT DRASTICALLY HERE. OBAMA WAS REELECTED.
THE SUPREME COURT DID GIVE THE STATES THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE TO OPT OUT, BUT I THINK THAT IF YOU
LOOK AT THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF IT, IT MAKES DARN GOOD SENSE TO PROVIDE -- TO DO MEDICAID
EXPANSION RATHER THAN BEING SHOWING UP GETTING BASIC MEDICAL CARE IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM.
>> THERE MUST BE SOME REASON, OTHER THAN HATING POOR PEOPLE, THAT REPUBLICANS WOULD HAVE FOR
OPPOSING THIS, BECAUSE REPUBLICANS DON'T HATE POOR PEOPLE.
WHAT IS IT? >> PRIMARILY THEY HATE PRESIDENT OBAMA, BUT WE HAD AN ELECTION,
AND THAT SHOULD GO AWAY. I MEAN, THIS IS A SERIOUS QUESTION THAT WILL AFFECT HOW
MANY THOUSANDS? >> 250,000. >> 200 TO 300,000 IS WHAT I'VE
READ. >> IT HAS A SERIOUS ECONOMIC IMPACT AS POINTED OUT BY THE
KANSAS CITY STAR'S EDITORIAL ON THE SUBJECT. YOU MADE A LITTLE JOKE HERE WITH
THE GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEGMENT. >> I SAID THEORETICALLY.
>> HE IS VERY MUCH THE MODERATE DEMOCRAT WHO SEES THAT THE MONEY THAT USED TO COME FROM THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO LITTLE HOSPITALS IN MISSOURI AND BIG ONES TO TAKE CARE OF PEOPLE THAT
DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE AND THEY WALKED IN THE DOOR AND GET EMERGENCY CARE, THAT MONEY IS
GOING TO GO AWAY, AND THOSE HOSPITALS UNDERSTAND THAT, AND WHAT'S GOING TO REPLACE IT OR
SHOULD IS THIS NEW FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR MEDICAID. WITH ALL OF THIS PREVENTIVE CARE
PREVENTIONS, WHICH ARE PRETTY SUBSTANTIAL, SO JAY NIXON, GOOD FOR YOU.
>> JOHN RISSO SAYS IF MEDICAID IS NOT EXPANDED IN MISSOURI, WE'RE GOING TO SEE HOSPITALS
AROUND THE STATE STARTING TO CLOSE. >> I DEFINITELY WANT TO SEE WHAT
*** IS GOING TO SAY HERE, BUT I WILL PREDICT, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT REALLY MEANS -- I'M
A LITTLE MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN GWEN AND MAYBE MARY ARE IN THAT I THINK THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PROMOTING THIS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO PROMOTE THE POSSIBLE COST SAVINGS.
WE HAVE HAD SOME INFORMATION ON THAT. BUT AT THIS POINT IT'S
THEORETICAL. CERTAINLY WHAT NIXON IS TALKING ABOUT, TALKING ABOUT THE SAVINGS
YOU WILL GET LONG-TERM EVEN THOUGH, YES, IT'S A COSTLY PROGRAM, THERE ARE SOME SAVINGS
LONG-TERM. I THINK THAT'S GOING TO NEED TO BE PROVEN MORE THAN THEY HAVE SO
FAR, BUT I ALSO THINK THIS WHOLE HOSPITAL ISSUE GETS INTO THE RURAL THING, AND IT WILL BE
TOUGH FOR SOME OF THE G.O.P. LEGISLATORS TO BE TELLING PEOPLE IN THEIR DISTRICT AND CERTAINLY
HOSPITALS AND EXECUTIVES IN THE DISTRICT, HEY, YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME FINANCIAL PROBLEMS
HERE, AND WE COULD ALLEVIATE THAT. >> ***, WEIGH IN IF YOU COULD.
MISSOURI IS NOT THE ONLY STATE THAT IS UNLIKELY TO TAKE THE MEDICAID EXPANSION.
>> LOOK, MISSOURI HAS GOOD RONS. REASONS. THE PEOPLE VOTED OVERWHELMINGLY
AGAINST THE MANDATE. WHILE VOTING HEAVILY AGAINST RE-ELECTING PRESIDENT OBAMA IN
MISSOURI, THEY ALSO VOTED THAT THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH COULD NOT ENACT SOME KIND OF AN EXCHANGE
WITHOUT GOING THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE, AND THEN THEY PROCEEDED TO ELECT AN
OVERWHELMINGLY VETO PROOF REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE. SOMEWHERE IN THERE, THERE'S A
MESSAGE, I THINK, IF YOU DIG REAL HARD, AND IT IS THAT MISSOURIANS, NOT JUST
CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICANS, ARE NOT CRAZY ABOUT THIS. A FEW YEARS AGO, AT THAT TIME
REPUBLICAN SENATOR CHRIS KOSTER, NOW ATTORNEY GENERAL, APPEARED IN FRONT OF THE LEGISLATIVE
COMMITTEE OF THE GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAMBER AND HELD UP A CHART TO SHOW THEM THAT IN 12 YEARS IF
THEY DIDN'T CUT MEDICAID DRASTICALLY, IT WAS GOING TO BE THE ENTIRE BUDGET OF MISSOURI.
THAT WASN'T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN, EXCEPT WARREN HEARNS PREDICTED IT WHEN MEDICAID WAS ENACTED.
WE'RE GOING RIGHT BACK IN THE SAME BOX. TELL ME THE FEDS ARE GOING TO
PAY FOR IT, SO IT'S ALL FREE MONEY, AND WE'VE BEEN DOWN THAT ROAD BEFORE.
>> SO THE CONCERN IS --. >> A DOLLAR OF STATE REVENUE FOR ABOUT 19 TO $20 OF FEDERAL
REVENUE. >> BUT YOU CAN STILL GO BROKE. >> NO BENEFIT TO BE GAINED.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WITH HEALTH CARE. >> NO BENEFIT TO BE GAINED GOING
BANKRUPT, AND WE WENT TO THE VERGE OF IT BEFORE. THEY HAVE EVERY REASON FOR NOT
BELIEVING, AS YAEL SAYS, THE PROJECTION. >> WHAT HAPPENS IS, THOSE PEOPLE
WHO HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE CARRY THAT BURDEN. THERE IS THAT HIDDEN TAX FOR
THOSE WHO ARE INSURED TO CARRY THE BURDEN OF THE UNINSURED. >> DO YOU THINK IT WAS DAVE
HELLING THAT WROTE ONE OF THE REASONS NIXON IS LESS RELUCTANT TO COME OUT IN SUPPORT OF THIS
IS BECAUSE THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY THAT SOMEBODY, SOMEWHERE IS EYEING IN 2016 A
HILLARY CLINTON-NIXON VP RACE? >> I DON'T KNOW ABOUT THAT. >> HE CALLS FOR TOO PARTIES, AND
YET HE DOESN'T MAKE ANYBODY MAD, BECAUSE IT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO HAPPEN.
>> MISSOURI IS THE PLACE PEOPLE LOOK FOR FOR VICE PRESIDENTS. WE'VE HAD A FEW.
I FORGET THAT CLAIRE MCCASKILL AND GOVERNOR NIX -- I PREDICT THAT CLAIRE MCCASKILL AND
GOVERNOR NIXON WILL BE LOOKED AT. >> A SECOND VICE PRESIDENT
NIXON. WE ALREADY HAD ONE. >> THAT WENT REALLY WELL.
>> IN KANSAS, GOVERNOR BROWNBACK IS ALMOST ALWAYS MAKING NEWS, AND ALMOST ALWAYS ABOUT TAXES.
THE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNOR IS NOW SAYING THAT LEGISLATORS SHOULD CONSIDER FINDING DOLLARS TO PAY
FOR SIGNIFICANT TAX CUTS HE SUPPORTED AND SIGNED INTO LAW EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THE REVENUE REDUCTION TO THE STATE IS ESTIMATED AT AROUND $700 MILLION.
BROWNBACK ASSESS ONE WAY TO MAKE UP THE MONEY -- SAYS ONE WAY TO MAKE UP THE MONEY MIGHT BE A PAY
FOR. >> NOBODY ELSE CAN FIGURE IT OUT.
I'M SUPPOSED TO FIGURE IT OUT. THANKS FOR THE CONFIDENCE YOU HAVE IN ME.
WELL, GOVERNOR BROWNBACK HAS DONE SOMETHING SO EXTRAORDINARILY RADICAL BY LYING
TO THE MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATURE. IN TRICKERY, HE GOT A MASSIVE
TAX CUT THROUGH THAT WILL END UP, ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PEOPLE, COSTING -- RUNNING THE STATE
INTO A TWO AND A HALF BILLION DOLLAR DEFICIT OVER SIX YEARS, AND SO NOW HE'S OUT PEDALING
AROUND SAYING, OH, WELL, WE NEED TO PAY FOR ALL OF THESE TAX BREAKS FOR THE KOCH BROTHERS WHO
WILL POCKET MILLIONS EVERY YEAR BECAUSE IT GOES -- MANY OF THEIR LITTLE SUBSIDIARIES ARE THE
KINDS OF CORPORATIONS THAT WILL BENEFIT MOST, AND ALL THE FARMERS AND RANCHERS WILL.
SO HOW DO YOU PAY FOR ALL OF THIS? WELL, HE SUGGESTS CONTINUING THE
SALES TAX. WE HAD A ONE CENT SALES TAX PUT ON IN KANSAS BY PARKINSON AND
CARRIED THROUGH BY BROWNBACK TO PAY FOR THE DOWNTURN IN THE ECONOMY, THE RECESSION, SO THAT
SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL SERVICES WOULDN'T BE HURT TOO BADLY. HE SAID LET'S DON'T END IN JULY.
LET'S CARRY IT THROUGH. >> THE PAY FOR'S WOULD BE THE ELIMINATION OF CERTAIN LOOPHOLES
IN THE TAX CODE AND POSSIBLY CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHARITY, SOME THINGS TALKED ABOUT AT THE
FEDERAL LEVEL. >> HERE IS THE AMAZING THING. I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'LL GET AWAY
WITH IT, BUT I HAVE EVERY REASON TO BELIEVE HE WILL. HE ACTUALLY HAS SAID THROUGH HIS
BUDGET GUY THE OTHER DAY THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THE SALES TAX AND DO A FEW OTHER THINGS, LIKE
TAKE PEOPLE'S MORTGAGE INTEREST CREDIT AWAY FROM THEM BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO PAY FOR THE TAX
BREAKS FOR THE UPPER CRUST. >> NOW, NONE OF THIS IS RESOLVED, IF I UNDERSTAND
CORRECTLY. THESE ARE JUST SUGGESTION, THOUGHTS, LOOKING AT A WAY TO
MAKE THE LOSS IN REVENUE LESS SEVERE THAN IT WILL BE, BUT I SUSPECT THAT'S A PURPOSEFUL
THING ON THE PART OF BROWNBACK OO WHO SAYS, WITH LESS MONEY, WE WILL HAVE TO RESTRUCTURE AND
LEARN TO LIVE WITHIN THAT STRUCTURE. >> AND I'VE SAID IT BEFORE AND
I'LL SAY IT AGAIN. IF YOU THINK THIS WON'T WORK, YOU'RE THINKING KANSAS IS GOING
TO BE IN A WHOLE HELL OF A LOT OF TROUBLE IN THE NEXT TWO OR THREE YEARS.
NOW, IF BROWNBACK IS RIGHT AND THEY HAVE PEOPLE GO FROM MISSOURI TO KANSAS, TO OPEN
SHOPS, A LOT MORE ATTRACTION THERE, THAT INCOME GAP THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT, MARY, GOES AWAY OR
REDUCED. THEORETICALLY, IT COULD HAPPEN. PRACTICALLY, THAT'S ANOTHER
ISSUE. ON THE SALES TAX ISSUE, FRANKLY, I THINK BROWNBACK IS RIGHT.
I THINK HE'S RIGHT TO SAY, WE NEED MONEY, AND I'M GOING TO GO AHEAD AND TELL ALL YOU
REPUBLICANS THAT I'M GOING TO PROBABLY COME TO YOU FOR KEEPING THIS TAX, AND A LOT OF THE
REPUBLICANS ARE ALREADY PUSHING BACK SAYING, OH, NO, IT'S A TAX INCREASE.
>> TALKING ABOUT THE SALES TAX, IT IS SCHEDULED TO DROP FROM 6.3% TO 5.7% IN JULY, AND WHAT
HE'S SAYING IS LEAVE IT AT 6.3% FOR A WHILE. >> HERE IS WHAT IS WRONG.
WE TAX FOOD IN KANSAS. HE HAS NEVER SUGGESTED, THE GOVERNOR, THAT WE LIGHTEN THE
LOAD ON THE PEOPLE WHO WORK FOR A LIVING. WE TAX FOOD AT ITS HIGHEST
POSSIBILITY. >> DID I SAY SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T?
>> I WANT TO SAY SOMETHING HERE. THE MUCH MALIGNED KAN CARE PROGRAM THAT THE GOVERNOR
OUTLINED, TRANSFERRING STATE MEDICAID TO PRIVATELY OPERATED COMPANIES, MANAGED CARE, ***,
THAT'S NOW BEEN APPROVED BY THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND WILL TAKE PLACE IN KANSAS AT THE
FIRST OF THE YEAR. >> WELL, SOUNDS LIKE A CENTRIST IDEA TO ME.
ANYBODY WHO DOESN'T WANT TO DO SOME EXPERIMENTING IN THIS AREA, AND THIS IS ONE EXPERIMENT, AND
IF YOU WANT TO TRY THIS, WHY IS THIS A CRIME? I KEEP COMING BACK TO THIS, THE
REAL GUT VISCERAL ROOT OF THE OBJECTION TO EVERYTHING BROWNBACK IS DOING IS WE JUST
DON'T WANT TO ROCK THE BOAT. THIS IS KANSAS. DON'T ROCK THE BOAT.
NO, IT IS. I'M SORRY. THEY DON'T ROCK THE BOAT OVER
THERE. PAST FIVE GOVERNORS, THEY DON'T DO IT.
AND HE STEPPED IN AND SAID, I'M GOING TO ROCK THIS BOAT, AND IT SHAKES THOSE PEOPLE UP OVER
THERE. >> HE SUBSCRIBES TO THIS IDEA, AND I THINK IT'S ONE THAT IS
CONSERVATIVE AND REPUBLICAN, BUT MAY BE DEMOCRATIC AND LIBERAL, AS WELL.
STATES ARE THE LABORATORIES OF DEMOCRACY. YOU TRY THINGS THERE, SEE WHAT
WORKS. SUCCESSFUL THINGS EVOLVE. >> THE STATE IS LOSING
POPULATION. >> YOU'VE GOT TO DO SOMETHING. >> THESE ARE REAL PEOPLE, POOR
PEOPLE. >> CALLING ON A KANSAS CITY JAZZ IMAGE, MAYOR SLY COMPARED IT TO
A JAM SEE -- SESSION. THE MEETING AT THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER ALLOWED THEM TO
SHARE THOUGHTS. ONE KEY TAKEAWAY IS THIS. KANSAS CITY IS COMPETING WITH
CITIES AROUND THE NATION AND WORLD TO ATTRACT SHARP MINDS AND INVESTMENT DOLLARS.
I THOUGHT THAT HAD ALWAYS BEEN THE CASE. THE STAR ALSO OUTLINED HIGH
PRIORITY AREAS FOR KANSAS CITY TO CONSIDER. WHAT ARE SOME OF THEM, YAEL?
>> WELL, TO SUM IT UP, IT'S TO MAKE KANSAS CITY COOL, COMMA, AGAIN.
I MEAN, SOME OF THE ARTS PROGRAMS THAT WE HAVE REALLY EMPHASIZE THAT, EMPHASIZE THE
ABILITY TO HAVE THE GOOGLE FIBER. I MEAN, THAT IS REALLY A QUIVER
IN OUR LITTLE ARROW THAT WE CAN SEND OUT THERE. ONE OF THE THINGS I CAME AWAY
FROM --. >> I WENT TO --. >> I WENT TO MOST OF IT,
ALTHOUGH THE MAYOR BLASTED ME IN WALKING OUT IN A TEN MINUTE SESSION.
THE BEAUTY OF TWITTER. IT WAS KIND OF A COCOON THERE. ALL OF THESE NATIONAL EXPERTS
TALKING ABOUT CITY STUFF, WALKABILITY, BIKES AND TRANSIT. ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT, BUT AS
I WROTE IN THE COLUMN THIS MORNING, I MEAN, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T LIVE THAT WAY.
I MEAN, THEY LIVE IN THE SUBURBS AND THEY LIVE WHERE WE NEED THE 600 MILLION-DOLLAR JOHNSON
COUNTY GATEWAY TO EXPAND ROADS SO MORE PEOPLE WON'T HAVE FIVE MINUTE DIVERSIONS FROM THEIR
DAILY TRAFFIC. BUT THE THING I TOOK AWAY FROM THE CONFERENCE IS THERE REALLY
ARE A LOT OF GOOD PEOPLE THINKING ABOUT THESE KIND OF THINGS NOW.
YEAH, DENSITY IS BETTER. OKAY. SO WE KNOW THAT.
THAT MEANS MORE LIVING STRUCTURES DOWNTOWN. THAT MEANS TRYING TO BRING
UMKC'S ARTS THING DOWNTOWN MAKES GOOD SENSE. IT MEANS A LOT OF INVESTMENTS
THAT ACTUALLY HAVE BEEN MADE DOWNTOWN OR IN THE URBAN CORE FROM THE PLAZA DOWN TO THE URBAN
RIVER HAVE KIND OF GOTTEN US TO WHERE KANSAS CITY IS MAYBE READY TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP, WHERE THE
STREETCAR COMES IN, THAT KIND OF THING. I THINK WE'VE GOT A LOT OF
PIECES IN PLAY, THE NEXT STEP IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF IT. >> LOOKING AT SOME OF THE AREAS
DISCUSSED, THEY'RE ALL FINE, BUT THEY'RE NOT NEW, ARE THEY? BICYCLE FRIENDLY DOWNTOWN
NEIGHBORHOODS, PEDESTRIAN FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS. THAT'S NOT NEW.
SUBSUBSIDIZING RECONSTRUCTION. >> IT'S NEW TO THIS EXTENT TO THINGS WE USED TO HAVE, WHICH
WERE MORE TRANSIT FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOODS. WE'VE KIND OF GOT AWAY FROM -- A
FANTASTIC STATISTIC OF HOW MUCH DOWNTOWN HAS GIVEN OVER TO PARKING GARAGES.
IT'S MORE THAN 50% OF DOWNTOWN. >> SO THIS IS BACK TO THE FUTURE?
>> IN A WAY IT IS. ALSO ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO FOCUS ON IS INFRASTRUCTURE.
THAT IS OLD RETRO GRADE TYPE OF STUFF. PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO LIVE WHERE,
YEAH, THERE ARE UNSAFE SCHOOLS AND STREETS. GET THAT.
WE KNOW THAT'S A PRIORITY. THEY ALSO DON'T WANT TO LIVE WHERE THERE ARE -- THEIR WATER
MAINS BREAK AND ALL OF THAT STUFF. >> PROBABLY NOT DIFFICULT TO
PREDICT. THE VOTE WAS FAVORABLE FOR THE TWO-MILE STARTER STREETCAR LINE
DOWNTOWN, RIVER MARKET TO UNION STATION. MARY, ARE YOU PLEASED WITH THE
RESULT? >> COULD BE THE ONLY VOTE THEY'VE HAD IN KANSAS CITY,
MISSOURI FOR A LONG TIME. WHAT A SUCCESS. AND NOW, THERE WILL BE,
APPARENTLY, SINCE ALL THE LITTLE -- YOU CALL THEM MILLNEIAL POLE WERE HAPPY ABOUT
THIS. GOOD FOR YOU. I LIKED THAT KIND OF ACTIVISM.
I HATED THE WAY IT CAME ABOUT, BUT IT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. EVERYBODY, WAY TO GO.
I WOULDN'T TRADE PLACES. I READ ALL THE ARTICLES YOU WROTE AND THE PEOPLE YOU WERE
THERE TO HEAR ABOUT. I WOULDN'T TRADE PLACES WITH ANY OF THOSE PEOPLE FROM OTHER
PLACES IN TERMS OF WHERE KANSAS CITY IS RIGHT NOW. WITH THE KAUFFMAN CENTER, WITH
GOOGLE FAST START-UP, WITH THE CHANGES WE'VE MADE, THIS CITY IS A LIVE, AND PEOPLE ARE MOVING
DOWNTOWN. >> WE HEAR THAT THIS STREETCAR STARTER SYSTEM IS GOING TO CAUSE
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. ***, HOW SOON DO YOU THINK WE'LL SEE THAT?
>> LOOK, I BELIEVE THAT. I THINK WHEN YOU BUILD ONE OF THESE THINGS THERE IS A NATURAL
REASON --. >> THAT'S ONE OF THE KEY REASONS TO HAVE IT.
>> AS A MATTER OF FACT, IN CITIES WITH MORE ADVANCED THINKING THAN OURS, THE CITY
TAKES A PIECE OF THAT GROWTH. WE SUDDENLY RAISED VALUE IN YOUR PROPERTY, SO WE'RE GOING TO GET
A PIECE OF THAT, AND WE'RE -- THEY DO THAT IN HONG KONG, FOR EXAMPLE.
I THINK THIS IS A GREAT IDEA. I THINK IT WILL BRING IN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
I WOULD LIKE TO SEE AN ELECTION OVER IT. BACK IN 1965, WILLIAM BUCKLEY
RAN FOR MAYOR OF NEW YORK. HE PROPOSED BIKEWAYS, FOR WHICH HE WAS BLASTED AS SOME KIND OF A
NUT CASE. THIS IS NOT CONSERVE ATIVE OR LIBERAL OR ANYTHING TO THINK
ABOUT USING BICYCLES TO GET AROUND, AND IT'S AN IDEA THAT'S BEEN AROUND FOR A WHILE, AND IT
DIDN'T START WITH THE PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW TOUTING IT. >> I HAVE TO MOVE ON.
SOME ARE SAYING HIS DECISION IS DEMENTED. WHO IN HIS RIGHT MIND NOT FACING
ANY SORT OF SCANDAL THAT WE KNOW OF WOULD VOLUNTARILY RESIGN FROM THE SENATE?
SOUTH CAROLINA SENATOR JIM DEMINT. HE'S RESIGNING.
NOW HE'S HEADING THE THINK-TANK THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION, WHERE DEMINT SAYS HE WILL HAVE GREATER
INFLUENCE THAN IN THE U.S. SENATE. >> AFTER THIS LAST ELECTION,
IT'S APPARENT THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE AS CONSERVATIVES TO CONVINCE AMERICANS THAT OUR
IDEAS AND POLICIES ARE GOING TO MAKE THEIR LIVES BETTER. THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION IS THE
PREMIER THINK-TANK, RESEARCH ORGANIZATION, THE PREMIER IDEA GROUP FOR THE CONSERVATIVE
MOVEMENT. >> ONE ANALYST SAYS THIS MOVE WILL MAKE JIM DEMINT THE CEO OF
CONSERVATISM. ***, LET ME ASK YOU, ARE WE SEEING NOW A MERGER OF THE TEA
PARTY AND THE THINK-TANK? >> WELL, PERHAPS, I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING TO THAT,
BECAUSE DEMINT IS VERY MUCH A POPULIST CONSERVATIVE FROM THE POPULIST WING OF THE PARTY AND
OF THE MOVEMENT. I DON'T THINK IT'S LUDICROUS TO LEAVE THE SENATE TO GO DO
SOMETHING LIKE THIS, AND TO SAY YOU'RE DOING IT IN TERMS OF INFLUENCE.
YOU BELIEVE THAT IDEAS MATTER OVER THE LONG HAUL, THAT THEY'RE WHAT REALLY TRANSFORMS SOCIETY.
AND GOING AND WORKING IN THE REALM OF IDEAS RATHER THAN LOG ROLLING OVER A ROAD OR A DAM IN
YOUR DISTRICT AND GIVING AWAY YOUR VOTE ON SOME ISSUE OF PHILOSOPHY TO GET THAT MIGHT
ACTUALLY BE LESS INFLUENTIAL. JOANNE EMERSON IS NOT GOING TO RUN AGAIN, AND THERE ARE A BUNCH
OF PEOPLE DOWN THERE IN SOUTHEAST MISSOURI TALKING ABOUT RUNNING, AND MY FIRST QUESTION
TO ALL OF THEM IS, YOU REALLY WANT TO BE A MEMBER OF CONGRESS? SERIOUSLY.
ASK YOURSELF IF YOU WANT TO DO THAT. HOW IMPORTANT ARE YOU?
HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE DO YOU REALLY THINK YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE?
>> AND ONE POINT, AND I'M SURE IT'S NOT THE ONLY POINT THAT CAUSED DEMINT TO LOOK SERIOUSLY
AT THIS NEW JOB, BUT THE SALARY IS ESTIMATED TO BE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF A MILLION
DOLLARS A YEAR. >> THAT WILL HAVE A REAL IMPACT. >> QUICKLY, MARY, JUST QUICKLY,
DESCRIBE WHAT A THINK-TANK IS IN CASE PEOPLE AREN'T FAMILIAR WITH THAT CONCEPT.
>> IT DEPENDS ON WHO IS FUNDING IT. >> WELL, WHAT DOES A THINK-TANK
DO, GENERATES IDEAS? >> PUTS A LOT OF MONEY TOGETHER, HIRE SMART PEOPLE TO PUT OUT
REPORTS THAT BACK UP YOUR POLITICAL POLICY SO YOU CAN TRAIN POLITICIANS TO GO OUT AND
CAMPAIGN ON THOSE IDEAS. LET ME MAKE A COMMENT ABOUT JIM DEMINT.
THE IDEA THAT HIS LEAVING WILL HAVE MUCH I IMPACT ON ANYTHING S REALLY STRETCHING IT.
COME ON. THESE ARE THE DEFEATED PEOPLE. THE PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE
IMPACT ARE, IF WE CAN FIND SOME REPUBLICAN MODERATES, AND THE NEW DEMOCRATS, AND ALL THE WOMEN
THAT WERE ELECTED TO THE UNITED STATES SENATE, INCLUDING OUR VERY OWN, WAY TO GO, CLAIRE
MCCASKILL. THIS IS THE GUY WHO SUPPORTED TODD AKIN.
I MEAN, THESE PEOPLE WERE DEFEATED. *** ARMY, THE HEAD OF FREEDOM
WORKS, JUST BAILED OUT OF FREEDOM WORKS. >> BEFORE WE GET OUT OF TIME
HERE --. >> SO THEY'RE LEAVING FOR GOOD REASON.
>> I WANT TO GET OFF TO SOMETHING ELSE. MICHIGAN IS NOW THE 24th STATE
IN OUR UNION TO HAVE A RIGHT TO WORK LAW. YOU DON'T HAVE TO JOIN A UNION,
OR IF YOU'RE IN IT, YOU DON'T HAVE TO PAY DUES TO WORK IN A BUSINESS.
SO WHAT DOES THAT TELL US ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT, GWEN?
>> WELL, I THINK IT WAS A SAD DAY FOR THE LABOR MOVEMENT, AND I'M HOPING THAT THE LABOR
MOVEMENT WILL BE MUCH MORE AGGRESSIVE IN EDUCATING PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPACT, THE IMPORTANT
IMPACT THAT THE LABOR MOVEMENT HAS ON BUILDING THE MIDDLE CLASS, AND THIS SO-CALLED RIGHT
TO WORK LAW IS TOTALLY RIDICULOUS TO SAY -- TO COIN IT AS THE RIGHT TO WORK, AS IF
HAVING A BARGAINING UNIT TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHT TO WORK WOULD SOMEHOW IMPEDE YOUR ABILITY.
>> YOU CAN STILL HAVE THE BARGAINING UNIT. >> YOU CAN STILL HAVE A
BARGAINING UNIT. MOST PEOPLE HAVE THE OPTION TO JOIN ANYWAY.
>> ANY MOVEMENT TOWARD THIS AND KANSAS IS ALREADY A RIGHT TO WORK STATE.
ANYTHING IN MISSOURI? >> NO. WE HAD A SHORT STORY IN THE STAR
SAYING, IT WASN'T SOMETHING THEY WANTED TO TACKLE, THE CONSERVATIVES IN THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY. I THINK THAT MIGHT CHANGE. MICHIGAN WASN'T GOING TO TACKLE
IT. >> IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, THIS WAS ON A BALLOT AT ONE TIME IN
MISSOURI, WASN'T IT? >> 1978. >> GEE, TIMES MIGHT HAVE CHANGED
SINCE THEN. >> THEY MIGHT HAVE CHANGED JUST A LITTLE.
>> ALL RIGHT. IT'S TIME NOW FOR ROASTS AND TOASTS, WHERE EACH RUCKETTE HAS
THE SOAPBOX FOR 30 SECONDS. WE BEGIN TONIGHT WITH ***. >> AND I WOULD LIKE TO TOAST THE
LEGISLATURE OF MICHIGAN FOR PASSING THAT RIGHT TO WORK LAW. RIGHT TO WORK STATES ORIGINALLY
WERE MOSTLY CONCENTRATED IN THE SOUTH, AND HISTORICALLY WERE POORER STATES, AND SO THE
AVERAGE INCOME WAS, IN FACT, LOWER IN RIGHT TO WORK STATES. BUT GUESS WHAT?
THAT HAS CHANGED, BECAUSE THOSE ARE THE VERY STATES THAT HAVE BEEN GROWING THE MOST IN THIS
COUNTRY. ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THAT, I BELIEVE, ONE OF THE
ATTRACTIONS TO BUSINESS IS HAVING A RIGHT TO WORK LAW IF FOR NO OTHER REASON IT SAYS THE
POWER OF ORGANIZED LABOR IN POLITICS IN THIS STATE IS LIMITED, AND THAT'S AN
ATTRACTION TO BUSINESS. MISSOURI SHOULD TAKE A LOOK AT A RIGHT TO WORK LAW.
>> WELL, THIS IS A BLAST FROM THE PAST TOAST FOR FORMER MAYOR KAY BARNES.
I'M WORKING ON A COUPLE OF PIECES THAT SHOULD APPEAR, HOPEFULLY, FRIDAY AND SATURDAY
ABOUT DOWNTOWN, HOW FAR IT'S COME, AND WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO. YOU LOOK AT HOW FAR IT'S COME,
AND KAY BARNES' FINGERPRINTS ARE ALL OVER MOST OF THE CONCRETE THINGS THAT WERE DONE TO IMPROVE
DOWNTOWN. SHE WAS AMAZING FIGURE IN DOWNTOWN'S RENOVATION.
>> WELL, BECAUSE WE'RE SO CLOSE TO THE HOLIDAYS HERE TODAY, I WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO TOASTING
ALL THE SENATORS FROM MISSOURI AND KANSAS WHO SUPPORTED THE UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTION OR
TREATY ON PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES. A MAGNIFICENT OPPORTUNITY FOR
THE UNITED STATES TO SIGN THE TREATY WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD, 124 OTHER NATIONS, TO
PROMOTE ALL ACROSS THE WORLD THE KIND OF LAWS AND HELP OF THE CHANGES IN SOCIETY SO THAT
PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES ARE FULL MEMBERS OF OUR SOCIETY. GUESS WHO VOTED NOW?
BOB DOLE BEING ONE OF THE PEOPLE THAT PUSHED THIS THROUGH THE SENATE 20 YEARS AGO.
GEORGE H. W. BUSH, TED KENNEDY, ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE. GUESS WHO VOTED NO?
JERRY MORAN, PAT ROBERTS, WITH BOB DOLE RIGHT THERE LOOKING AT THEM ON THE FLOOR OF THE U.S.
SENATE. A SHAMEFUL REALLY DISGRACEFUL MOMENT IN THE HISTORY OF THE
STATE. >> DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON, I'D LIKE TO TOAST THE AFRICAN
AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS THAT HAVE COME TOGETHER TO HELP MAKE A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS FOR MANY
DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN KANSAS CITY'S URBAN CORE. THE LEAD ORGANIZATION, RUBIES,
HAS BROUGHT TOGETHER A NUMBER OF ORGANIZATIONS TO PURCHASE GIFTS AND HATS AND GLOVES FOR NEEDY
CHILDREN TO BE PRESENTED ON THIS COMING SATURDAY AT THE SOUTHEAST NEIGHBORHOOD AND COMMUNITY
CENTER. SO HERE IS A TOAST TO RUBIES, 100 BLACK MEN, AWESOME AMBITIONS
AND THE GREATER KANSAS CITY CHAPTER OF LINKS FOR A JOB WELL DONE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON.
>>> IF YOU'RE INTERESTED KNOWING MORE ABOUT THE NEW AMERICAN CITY MEETING YAEL IS BEING TALKED,
ABOUT THAT'S BEING FEATURED ON THE LOCAL SHOW RIGHT AFTER RUCKUS.
>>> FINALLY TWO FAREWELLS TO TWO FAVORITES OF MINE. JAZZ GREAT TATE BREW BACK DRIED
RECENTLY, ONE DAY SHORT OF HIS 92nd BIRTHDAY. HIS CONTRIBUTIONS TO JAZZ WOULD
TAKE NINE OR MORE HOURS TO COUNT. ALSO, GOODBYE TO OUR CAT, MISS
PIGGY. SHE WAS PETITE, SWEET AND SMART, SMART ENOUGH TO PICK DEVOTED
HUMAN COMPANIONS. THAT'S RUCKUS FOR THIS WEEK. BE SURE TO JOIN NICK HAINES FOR
KANSAS CITY WEEK IN REVIEW. NOW, ON BEHALF OF THE RUCKETTES AND RUCKUS CREW, I'M MIKE
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