“Good news from heaven the angels bring, Glad tidings to the earth they sing: To us this day a child is given, To crown us with the joy of heaven.”—Martin Luther
Looking Ahead to the 2012 Legislative Session
With the 2012 legislative session just weeks away, members of the Missouri House and Senate have turned their attention to the fiscal year 2013 state operating budget and important public policy concerns. Thursday, December 1st was the first day legislators could begin submitting legislation for the 2012 session and dozens of measures have already been filed in the House and Senate.
This past weekend, the House Majority Caucus met in Jefferson City for our final meeting of the year wherein the Speaker and I unveiled our “Blueprint for Missouri” which includes our central priorities for the coming Session. For 2012, the House will be focused on improving our State and passing meaningful reform in and for the following four subject areas: Missouri Taxpayers, Missouri Jobs, Missouri Schools and Missouri Values. Over the coming few weeks, I will describe in greater detail the specific planks that make up the 2012 Legislative Platform.
Missouri House and Senate Redistricting
The results of the 2010 census have become reality as new boundaries have taken effect for Missouri’s 34 senators and 163 representatives. Now Missourians know more about who will be representing them in Jefferson City beginning in 2013.
The redistricting maps were drawn by a panel of six Appellate Court judges, and many, many districts have been dramatically altered. The dust is quickly settling over the Districts as current incumbents decide in which District they will run. For more information, the link to the website is the following: http://oa.mo.gov/bp/redistricting/new_state_legislative_districts.htm. On the left hand side of the page, you may select either the House or Senate district of interest.
Special Local Jobs Announcement
AT&T is now hiring Retail Sales Professionals in Eureka, Missouri. AT&T’s Retail Sales Professionals thrive in a fun, fast-paced environment where they work hands-on with customers to understand their communications needs and discover how AT&T products meet those needs. AT&T offers paid training, competitive wages and benefits that include medical, dental, paid vacation, employee discounts and much more! Learn more and apply online at: http://connect.att.jobs/search/eureka+MO.
Two Simple Stories that Remind Us of the Reason for the Season
Many of you are very familiar with two of my favorite Christmas Season literary pieces that I have published in this newsletter over the past few years so without further ado, I share them with you as my gift and present to you and yours!
From Linus to Charlie Brown
“And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill towards men.” (Luke 2: 8-14)“That’s what Christmas is all about Charlie Brown.” –Linus Van Pelt
And from the Editor of the New York Sun (1897) to Virginia
"DEAR EDITOR: I am 8 years old.
"Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus.
"Papa says, 'If you see it in THE SUN it's so.'
"Please tell me the truth; is there a Santa Claus?
"VIRGINIA O'HANLON.
"115 WEST NINETY-FIFTH STREET."
VIRGINIA, your little friends are wrong. They have been affected by the skepticism of a skeptical age. They do not believe except [what] they see. They think that nothing can be which is not comprehensible by their little minds. All minds, Virginia, whether they be men's or children's, are little. In this great universe of ours man is a mere insect, an ant, in his intellect, as compared with the boundless world about him, as measured by the intelligence capable of grasping the whole of truth and knowledge.
Yes, VIRGINIA, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus. It would be as dreary as if there were no VIRGINIAS. There would be no childlike faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.
Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies! You might get your papa to hire men to watch in all the chimneys on Christmas Eve to catch Santa Claus, but even if they did not see Santa Claus coming down, what would that prove? Nobody sees Santa Claus, but that is no sign that there is no Santa Claus. The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see. Did you ever see fairies dancing on the lawn? Of course not, but that's no proof that they are not there. Nobody can conceive or imagine all the wonders there are unseen and unseeable in the world.
You may tear apart the baby's rattle and see what makes the noise inside, but there is a veil covering the unseen world which not the strongest man, nor even the united strength of all the strongest men that ever lived, could tear apart. Only faith, fancy, poetry, love, romance, can push aside that curtain and view and picture the supernal beauty and glory beyond. Is it all real? Ah, VIRGINIA, in all this world there is nothing else real and abiding.
No Santa Claus! Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.
Tim on the Radio!
On a personal note, on Monday, December 26th, I will be honored to host the Jamie Allman Morning show from 6:00 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. on FM Newstalk 97.1 on your FM dial in the St. Louis region or you can live stream me on your computer anywhere in the world at the following link: http://www.971talk.com/Station/Streaming.aspx I am very much looking forward to hosting this widely listened to morning radio show. See you on the radio the day after Christmas!
Personal Notes
Thank you for reading this Interim Report. If you know anyone who would be interested in receiving this report, please click the “Capitol Report Signup” button on my member home page at www.house.mo.gov and enter the appropriate information. If you would like for me to speak to your group or community, please contact Jody at our office at 573.751.0562, and we will be happy to accommodate you. Finally, if we can ever be of any assistance to you at your State Capitol during the coming months, please do not hesitate to contact us at: 573.751.0562 or you can reach my primary assistant, Jody, at: jody{dot}williams{at}house{dot}mo{dot}gov. If you ever find yourself in or around Jefferson City at any time during the year, please feel free to visit the Majority Leader’s Office in Room 302 and Jody will be happy to meet and greet you!
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