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TOP 10: January 2017 Missouri Times Magazine Quotes

Next week, the first edition of The Missouri Times Magazine will hit the Capital, and before it comes out, we would like to preview some of the best excerpts of content within that magazine. Some stories range from the future of ridesharing legislation to Gov.-elect Eric Greitens commitment to Missouri law enforcement to State Auditor Nicole Galloway’s cybersecurity initiatives and more. Below are some of those excerpts, and we can’t wait to share the whole publication with you.


“Change can be tough for everyone. Missouri doesn’t have a mandate, or anything that requires a retailer to carry biodiesel, so it’s up to the free market.” – Christine Tew on soybean biodiesel

Renewable resources, especially biodiesel and ethanol, have made strange bedfellows of the agricultural and environmental movements, two groups that do not always see eye to eye. Tew, of the Missouri Soybean Association, talks about the prominence of soy-based biodiesel in Missouri and how it helps farms, businesses and the environmentally-conscious.

 

“[Justices] found a right in the U.S. Constitution that no one had ever seen there before – the right of same-sex couples to marry.” – Sen. Bob Onder on filing SJR 39

Last year, no legislation in Missouri generated more headlines than SJR 39, the controversial measure authored by Sen. Bob Onder. The Senator talks about the bill months after it was defeated in a House committee and the response he saw from groups supporting and opposing the resolution.

 

Willard PHOTOS/BEN PETERS-THE MISSOURI TIMES
Aaron Willard (Ben Peters/THE MISSOURI TIMES)

“In college, when I was going through and writing a paper for a class in economics, it just kind of hit me: Oh my God, I’m a Republican.” – Aaron Willard on his political awakening

Willard shares his story from being a student, disinterested in all things political, to becoming Donald Trump’s campaign chair in the Show Me State. Willard became one of the most important people in Missouri politics in the last few months with Trump’s monumental 19-point win, and the magazine’s article sheds light on how he achieved that prominence.

 

“You might create more jobs, but at what cost? I’m not going to roll over.” – Sen. Gina Walsh on right-to-work

Walsh has fought against anti-union measures for her entire legislative career as both a senator and as a state representative. Now as one of the most powerful Democrats holding office in Jefferson City, labor reform is on the brink of passage. She reflects on the Nov. 8 election and how Democrats can get back to a place of prominence.

 

“The biggest problem is not academic, it’s the unnecessarily byzantine process of getting into college.” – Scott Baier on College Bound

Scott Baier, the executive director of College Bound, values his organization that helps students of need get into and through college. However, budget shortfalls and withholds mean that College Bound cannot grow as rapidly and help more people realize their dreams.

 

“Missouri has two of the largest markets in the country that don’t have traditional ridesharing, including Lyft. We would love for that to change this year and will work as hard as possible to ensure it does.” – Aaron Durbin of Lyft on ridesharing’s commitment to Missouri

Lyft and Uber will be two big names in the legislature this year as ridesharing companies will make new efforts to get favorable a comprehensive bill passed. The two companies have been popular, but they’ve faced significant legislative hurdles the past two years. They aim to make this next year a success.

 

Gov. Jay Nixon (Travis Zimpfer/THE MISSOURI TIMES)
Gov. Jay Nixon (Travis Zimpfer/THE MISSOURI TIMES)

“When you’re in this job, the campaigns seem stunningly simplistic. The message field you deal with and responsibilities you deal with are much broader than clips and sound bites.” – Gov. Jay Nixon on looking at the election from the outside in.

Nixon visited the set of This Week in Missouri Politics and the magazine has a full transcription of his discussion with Scott Faughn on the 2016 election, his triumphs in office, what he would have liked to do differently during his stay at the Governor’s Mansion and his thoughts on campaign contribution limits coming back to Missouri.

 

“We can talk about cybersecurity, we can implement policies, we can do all of these things, but how do we make sure those policies are followed? How do we reevaluate to make sure that we are addressing the correct risks when it comes to cybersecurity?” – State Auditor Nicole Galloway on her role combatting cybersecurity threats

Strong cybersecurity has become a cornerstone of any business, organization or government as hacking and online threats have become increasingly commonplace. Galloway talks about the work she and her office has undertaken to ensure the state and its citizens will have their information protected.

 

“As big as our challenges are, we have the capacity and the people to solve them.” – House Speaker Todd Richardson

In an editorial essay special to The Missouri Times Magazine, Richardson lays out his legislative priorities and what his hopes for the Republican majority are in the 2017 legislative session. His primary focus is on what the state can do to improve economic development, but he also touches on ethics reform, embracing new technology, and ensuring quality education for students at all levels.

 

“Kinder’s exit is the symbol of a sad transition from statewide candidates defined by their longevity and familiarity to those most notable for their novelty, ambition, and access to money.” – Jeff Mazur on Peter Kinder

Mazur discusses the brand of politics Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder represented, the old school and un-moneyed, dirt-under-his-fingernails networker who built connections and knew the issues front to back while offering an indictment of the “outsider” candidates who were so ultimately successful this year. Even though he writes from a place of political opposition to Kinder, there’s a fondness he has for what Kinder represents.