Kander: 3 New Lessons Learned

Ok, here are 3 new lessons learned:

1. Never give up.

I'm often asked why, in the face of such strong opposition and long odds, I still believe that Missouri will eventually pass comprehensive ethics reform.

I had intended to answer with a long synopsis of the journey I undertook to author and pass the ethics bill this year.

But this past Wednesday, The Pitch wrote an article that chronicles it in great detail. If you're interested in how we got to where we are now (it is a pretty interesting story), you should read David Martin's telling of the tale. Or you can read an article from the following day, when the Governor signed the bill [SB844] into law.

But even my long-winded retelling wouldn't fully answer the question of why, despite everything, I remain so optimistic. The only way to really explain it is to tell you a story . . . [Read More]

2. You can change your mind.

The state of Missouri, unlike the federal government, is not allowed to print its own money and run a deficit. As mandated by our state's constitution, we must pass a balanced budget.

The experience of serving on the budget committee during the worst economic downturn since the great depression has been eye opening. Members of the budget committee see the numbers every day during the session. We prize revenue more than other legislators because we know just how scarce it is in tough times.

One proposed way for the state to close its substantial budget shortfall this year was to freeze K-12 education spending at last year's level.

Politically, this doesn't seem to play well in any district in the state. The simple fact is that even the reddest, most fiscally conservative pockets of this state are full of voters whose children attend public school. As a result, most politicians never want to freeze education spending.

Because of House procedure, this proposal came before the body for a vote on two occasions . . . [Read More]

3. The older I get, the more I value home.

Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready for work, I finished shaving and went to put my razor back in my travel kit when I realized something: I'm home for the next three weeks. Believe it or not, that's a rather big deal for me. I've been on the road so much lately that I've taken up the habit of just repacking my shaving kit every morning.

Session took place in Jefferson City from January through May (where I didn't always manage to keep up new year's resolution number four). Of course, I made it home nearly every weekend that I didn't have Army duty at Fort Leonard Wood, but weekends in Kansas City just aren't long enough.

Then in June I spent three weeks away with the Army training officer candidates as a platoon trainer. Spotty cell signal, long hours and hot days – all the makings of a pretty great time actually. But as I get older I've started to realize that nothing beats home for me. Not even great training and motivated soldiers.

When I was younger . . . [Read More]

So those are a few of the lessons I've learned halfway through 2010.