The Treasury Department said on Wednesday it would give $3.8 billion more to GMAC Financial Services and become the majority owner of the auto lender. This is the third round of government bailouts for GMAC bringing the total amount of taxpayer money given to GMAC to $16.3 billion.

This is happening while other lenders rescued by the Treasury have begun to repay their taxpayer bailouts. GMAC appointed Michael A. Carpenter as chief executive just over a month ago. Carpenter is a former Citigroup executive and current director. Good to know that he has experience running failed companies.

MCV-PAC wonders why the government feels the need to attempt to take over failed businesses with taxpayer money instead of allowing taxpayers to keep their money and letting failed businesses fail.

Until last year GMAC was an auto and home lender, last year it was converted to a bank holding company in order to qualify for bailout financing. GMAC is the only bank of the 19 that were subjected to stress tests that were unable to raise sufficient capital from private investors.

MCV-PAC sees this as yet another example of the Obama administration picking the winners and losers instead of giving everyone equal opportunity and letting the market decide who wins and loses.

Barack Obama needs to realize that he is not a hedge fund manager, his job is not to try and find which companies to use taxpayers money to take over, instead he should be working to protect taxpayers money.

MCV PAC has learned that Jason Brown, current State Representative (Dist 30), and presumed Republican Senate primary contender against Rob Schaaf will be announcing his withdrawal from the Senate race. MCV PAC will keep a watch on this major development in the brewing Republican primary battle to replace Senator Charlie Shields as the Senator for Platte and Buchanan Counties.

*** background ***

“Despite the fact neither is talking publicly about their intentions, multiple sources–and I do mean multiple–in a position to know are saying this: Jason Brown, term limited out as a 30th District state representative, won’t run for state senate for the seat being vacated by term limited Charlie Shields. Instead, Brown will run for presiding county commissioner. And Betty Knight, first elected in 1994, will not seek reelection to what would be a fifth term as presiding county commissioner.” as reported by Platte County Landmark

*** UPDATE ***

Jason Brown WILL NOT run for the 34th Senate District Republican nomination in 2010, instead running for the open Presiding Commissioner position, as reported in the Dec 16 edition of the Platte County Landmark. Check back with MCV PAC for upcoming information of new contenders for the Republican nomination in the 34th Senate District.

*** UPDATE UPDATE ***

Stepping in to fill the void by Jason Brown’s exit is former Platte County assistant prosecutor Rob Willard, a Kansas City attorney and resident from southern Platte County. His recruitment by Senator Shields sets up an August GOP primary match-up with current State Representative Rob Schaaf. MCV PAC will continue to watch the developments in this GOP tussle, and attempt to learn more about this newcomer to state politics and his values.

U. S. Representative Ike Skelton from Missouri’s 4th Congressional District has had the luxury of being an unopposed politician for most of his time as a public servant. Mr. Skelton has ran as a moderate Democrat since going to Congress in 1981, but some things have changed over the years.

Skelton who Represents a conservative rural area of Missouri has had to campaign as a moderate Democrat, and for awhile he was a moderate. In 1995 when Republicans had control of Congress he voted with Democrats only 65% of the time. As one of the most moderate Democrats in the house he became a pillar for other moderates to model themselves after.

But since the Democrats regained power of the House, Mr. Skelton voted with his party 95% of the time and Speaker Pelosi 99.6% of the time. As Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, Mr. Skelton is one of the most influential and notable moderate Democrats in the House. He is someone that Speaker Pelosi can point to on votes from cap-and-trade to bailouts and industry crippling health care legislation.

But as Skelton now faces several valid opponents in the upcoming election he has begun to try and hide his allegiance with the Party and Speaker Pelosi. Mr. Skelton’s voting record with his party is dropping faster than the temperatures here in Missouri. Since state Sen. Bill Stouffer and former state Rep. Vicky Hartzler announced their campaigns Mr. Skelton has started returning to his moderate roots. Once hailed as a voice of his district, Mr. Skelton is once again proving to be nothing more than a career politician, appeasing whomever to get re-elected or gain influence in Washington.

Saint Joseph’s own mayor Kenny Shearin was on FOX news yesterday defending St. Joseph’s use of stimulus money on a Brazilian Steakhouse and a Martini Bar.

Here is the link http://video.foxnews.com/#/12391042/money-well-spent/?category_id=c985e69916535a2170b2b18ab0ab7eb60401f9bb

True to form, Mayor Kenny is always a good source of entertainment. MCV-PAC generally prefers his comedic antics when it is not aired on national television making Saint Joseph the butt of national jokes. Kenny started by bashing the stimulus program and went on to say that the money was given to the selected establishments with the goal of bringing life into a dying downtown area. In one memorable moment, he asked FOX news anchor, Gretchen Carlson, what she was smoking. Are you kidding me Kenny? Why would you talk down to a news anchor when she is asking for an explanation of the use of our tax dollars? The American people have a right to be irate about the way their tax dollars are being spent on the so-called “shovel-ready” projects that Mr. Obama was touting back in February when he was marketing this scam of the century.

The citizens of Saint Joseph should be mad as hell too when the city believes that an appropriate use of stimulus dollars is on a martini bar and a restaurant while at the same time, our school district was forced to shut down two elementary schools due to lack of funding and the city is facing a multi-million dollar sewer problem.

In another twist of irony, local tea party organizers Maggie Siegmund and Virginia Weigum openly supported and campaigned for Mayor Kenny. Mayor Kenny is obviously a tax and SPEND liberal, and Siegmund and company are obviously confused about their political identity. How could a tea party organizer who claims to be against the stimulus campaign for a Mayor who openly advocated spending it on wasteful projects?

It seems to MCV-PAC that Siegmund’s political views are becoming clearer.

Chad Livengood from the Springfield News Leader has reported that 10 motor vehicle license offices are to be reopened for bidding after a Springfield based non profit, Alternative Opportunities failed to disclose its financial ties to an Arizona corporation.

As MCVPAC has already pointed out, Nixon’s bid process for license offices is awarded on a ‘best political supporter’ type system… And now this! MCVPAC is glad the media is finally picking up on the slanted system.

Chad Livengood’s story can be found here.

The St. Joseph News-Press reported today that the St. Joseph Public Library will seek a 20 cent increase to their levy on March 2nd. Currently, the levy is 42 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. If passed, the new levy would be set at 62 cents per assessed valuation.

In typical pleading fashion, Brian Cronk, St. Joseph Public Library Board President, cries that the funds are needed to continue services and restore previously cut services.

Like the bus system, no one ever asks how the library system can adapt in the modern era to save costs based on the current use parameters by the public. Like the bus system, it’s just easier to say, “We need it, so give us your tax dollars and we’ll keep spending them the way we always have.” It’s not popular to ask the more pertinent questions. It’s not popular to suggest that something may not be needed or could be revamped in a way to be more efficient.

Every household in St. Joseph is having to do more with less. Shouldn’t we ask the same of our public entities?

Candidate for St. Joseph City Council and outspoken liberal Sarah Hochchwender doesn’t think so. She blogged today on the topic today:

“the libraries do need the increase for Operating expenses. i hope very much that the community which is now so in need of the services provided by the libraries will support this levy.”

Ms. Hochchwender makes this comment without providing any statistics to show how, or even if, usage of the library system has increased. In omitting any fact based argument, she omits to display facts on what areas of the system are being utilized. In typical liberal fashion, she jumps to the conclusion of ‘Throw money at the problem” without presenting any facts to back up her argument.

Ms. Hochchwender sounds like a liberal who has yet to find a tax increase she doesn’t like or doesn’t think we need. We hope this isn’t the type of leadership she hopes to display if elected to the City Council.

Local tea party organizer and self proclaimed conservative Maggie Siegmund donated $2,809.00 to Ross Perot’s Presidential campaign in 1992 according to watchdog.net.
Her donation to Perot, viewed by political scientists as a “liberal in sheep’s clothing”, helped deliver 8 years of Bill Clinton. Let us not forget that Perot was pro abortion, in favor of gun control, and supported more government regulation of businesses. This is hardly the type of candidate one would think a tea party organizer would support.
This would not be the last liberal Siegmund would openly support. In the coming days, MCV-PAC will demonstrate further that Siegmund appears to be confused as to what her political identity is.