Saturday, January 22, 2011

Missouri's lieutenant governor delivers a stinging response to the governor's State of the State.

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder leveled a series of charges against Gov. Jay Nixon in the formal GOP response to Nixon's State of the State address Wednesday night.

While the governor described an economy in recovery, Kinder said, "Our state's unemployment rate is higher than the national average, too many Missourians can't find work and the state is facing yet another round of severe budget cuts and reductions in basic services."

Kinder accused the governor of failing to take a leadership role in bringing jobs to the Missouri -- and of spending his time instead on traveling around the state.

"Enough of the silence. Enough of the unnecessary trips on the state plane. Enough of the showboating and grandstanding. It's time to roll up your sleeves and get to work," Kinder said.

In his formal State of the State address, Nixon proclaimed Missouri's economy had begun to turn around.

"There are already signs that our hard work and fiscal discipline are paying off. The number of Missourians filing new unemployment claims is down 17 percent, year over year. Personal income grew last year, and is expected to keep on growing this year. November and December revenues were up, indicating that people are cautiously beginning to spend," Nixon said to a joint session of the legislature.

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