24thState.com Endorses Sarah Steelman

I love that title.  24thstate doesn't endorse anyone - I do.  So I guess I'm endorsing Sarah Steelman for Republican candidate for governor.  I wouldn't have guessed it when Hulshof started his run.  My take on it was an easy win over Nixon. Hulshof was a known quantity, had access to cash, and his entrance pushed out other candidates.

The more I watch the battle between Steelman and Hulshof, the more I like Steelman.  Hulshof's campaign is a bit smarmy.  You can tell he's been in Washington too long.  He's probably great friends with Kit Bond and Roy Blunt, our powerful, pork-happy senator and congressman. Well, I say enough.  Steelman may not be most polished pol out there, but I like her in the latest commercials. I don't like it when someone calls my money taxpayers money. We have a giant surplus, and the only one I trust not to spend it is Steelman.

Check out her tax and spending platform

• Increase personal exemption deduction for Missouri taxpayers from $2,100 per person / $4,200 per married couple to $2,625 per person / $5,250 per married couple.
• Increase the dependent exemption deduction from $1,200 to $2,100 per dependent.
• Enact comprehensive property tax reform and relief to require tax rates to be rolled back when assessments increase; increase the property tax credit for seniors; and require assessment notices to be mailed in April, not November.
• Form the Missouri Tax Code Review Commission to examine Missouri’s entire system of taxation. Recommendations will be made to the Governor on how to reform the tax system to provide more relief to families and businesses, and stimulate the economy.
• Enact a constitutional amendment to prohibit judges from raising taxes from the bench.
• Eliminate the job-killing earnings tax levied by the City of St. Louis and the City of Kansas City.
• Use the line item veto to prevent Washington style pork-barrel spending.

Hey, that's pretty much what I'm looking for.  Hulshof, on the other hand, was one of the Republican legislators who refused to sign the House pledge to uphold a veto of earmark-laden spending.  The comment at the time was that Hulshof wanted to think each vote through, and not sign a pledge ahead of time.

Add in the fact that the Post-Dispatch weighed in for Hulshof, and it's a done deal.  Now, I'm well aware that Hulshof has the best chance to keep Nixon from winning, but there's something about Sarah that I like.  She reminds me of what I liked about Claire McCaskill (who I still haven't voted for, but may in the future).

So there you have it.