Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE MEMBERS OF THE
NINE NETWORK.
HEY, THANKS TO JOINING US FOR
ANOTHER EDITION OF DONNYBROOK.
GOOD TO HAVE YOU ABOARD.
THANKS TO OUR FRIENDS AT THE
GATESWORTH FOR MAKING THIS
PROGRAM POSSIBLE AS YOU DO WEEK
IN AND WEEK OUT AND LET'S SAY
HELLO TO THOSE ASSEMBLED AROUND
THE TABLE FOR THIS EDITION ARE
STARTING WITH THE MEDIA VETERAN
HERSELF, WENDY WIESE OF KTRS AND
BEYOND.
MR. BILL McCLELLAN FROM THE
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH.
ONE OF OUR FOUNDERS, HE'S RAY
HARTMANN.
AND FROM STLMAG.COM AND THE
ST. LOUIS AMERICAN AND BEYOND,
ALVIN REID, AND BEFORE WE BEGIN
THE DISCUSSION TONIGHT, LET'S
REMIND OR MAYBE INFORM OUR
VIEWERS THAT TOMORROW NIGHT,
BETWEEN 5:00 AND 7:00 AT THE
SCHNUCKS RICHMOND HEIGHTS, WE'LL
BE RINGING THE BELLS FOR THE
SALVATION ARMY AND WE HOPE AS
MANY OF YOU AS POSSIBLE CAN COME
BY.
WE REACH OUT TO YOU.
PLEASE COME OUT AND SAY HELLO
AND RAISE SOME MONEY FOR A
WONDERFUL CAUSE.
GIVE ALL THE CHILDREN A MERRY
CHRISTMAS.
ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S TOMORROW, 5:00 TO 7:00,
SCHNUCKS, RICHMOND HEIGHTS.
ALVIN REID, RAN INTO YOU TODAY
ALONG WITH CONGRESSMAN LACY
CLAY.
THE TWO OF YOU IN DOWNTOWN
ST. LOUIS FOR DIFFERENT THINGS,
SO IT'S COULD IT'S DAYTONA TAL
THAT WE RAN -- COINCIDENTAL THAT
WE RAN INTO EACH, BUT
CONGRESSMAN CLAY WAS DOWNTOWN
BECAUSE THIS WAS THE DAY THAT
THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
TRANSFERRED THE LAND TO THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FOR I GUESS
THE TRANSFER OF THE NATIONAL
GEOSPATIAL AGENCY FROM SOUTH
ST. LOUIS TO NORTH ST. LOUIS.
TODAY THE LAND THAT WILL BE THE
NEW SITE FOR THIS FACILITY IS
OFFICIALLY FEDERAL PROPERTY.
AND I THOUGHT I WAS INTERESTING
BECAUSE IT'S BEEN POINTED OUT
THAT THE CITY ACTUALLY HAS SPENT
AT LEAST $120 MILLION, WHICH IT
WILL RECAPTURE THROUGH THE
EARNINGS TAX, TO PREPARE THE
LAND FOR THIS SITE.
$120 MILLION.
MEANWHILE, APPLE ANNOUNCED THAT
IT'S MOVING TO AUSTIN, TEXAS,
GOING TO HAVE A BILLION-DOLLAR
FACILITY AND 5,000 JOBS AND
AUSTIN IS GIVING ZERO DOLLARS,
TAX INCENTIVES TO APPLE.
YOU THINK TIMES WE'RE GIVING
AWAIT CANDY STORE?
WELL, BEFORE WE GO INTO THAT,
I HAVE TO POINT OUT THAT
CONGRESSMAN CLAY WAS THERE TO
SEE CAROL DANIEL AND I WAS ON
DAVE LOVE'S SHOW AND CHARLIE PUT
US BOTH TO WORK FOR HIM A TRUE
STORY.
YOU WEREN'T FORCED.
NO, ALWAYS A PLEASURE.
BUT I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH
IT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT WAS IN
ST. LOUIS AND WE WERE COMPETING
NOT WITH A NATIONAL ENTITY, BUT
OTHER SIGHTS AROUND THE
REGION -- SITES AROUND THE
REGION, SO JUST CLEARING THIS
LAND, ESPECIALLY LAND ON THE
NORTH SIDE OF ST. LOUIS,
$120 MILLION, TO ME THAT'S NOT
THE SAME AS GIVING AWAY THE
CANDY STORE.
THAT'S A SOUND INVESTMENT ON A
GOVERNMENTAL FACILITY WHICH IS
NOT GOING ANYWHERE, WHICH IS NOT
GOING TO CLOSE, AND WHICH IN
THESE DAYS AND TIMES I WOULD
IMAGINE IS ONLY GOING TO GET
BIGGER.
I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THIS
ONE.
IT'S THE SAME STORY,
DIFFERENT DAY.
I MEAN, WE'RE NOT AUSTIN.
I MEAN --
EXACTLY.
AND AUSTIN, I BELIEVE, IS ONE
OF THE METROPOLITAN AREAS WAY
SMALLER THAN OURS THAT IF YOU
PROJECT OUT MAYBE A DECADE OR
TWO WILL BE AS LARGE AS
ST. LOUIS.
IT'S GROWING THAT QUICKLY.
AND THE FACT IS, WE ALL AGREE
THAT CORPORATE WELFARE IS NOT A
GREAT THING AND THAT UNTIL
THERE'S SOME NATIONAL --
THIS IS GOVERNMENT WELFARE.
WELL, I UNDERSTAND THAT AND I
DON'T DISAGREE WITH YOU.
THE TROUBLE IS, THIS IS A CITY
TRYING TO AVOID BANKRUPTCY.
IT'S TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING IT
CAN TO STAY ALIVE, AND IT'S JUST
NOT -- IT'S APPLES AND ORANGES
TO COMPARE IT TO AUSTIN.
BUT WE ARE A BIGGER CITY THAN
AUSTIN.
WE HAVE A BIGGER WORKFORCE.
WE JUST GIVE ANYBODY WHO ASKS
FOR IT, WHETHER IT'S THE ARCH
DOWNTOWN OR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT -- I DON'T KNOW OTHER
CITIES THAT ARE SPENDING TAX
DOLLARS FOR THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT!
WELL, ON THIS AUSTIN THING,
CHARLIE, FIRST OF ALL, THE STATE
OF TEXAS HAS GIVEN A BUNCH OF
MONEY --
NO, NO, NOT A BUNCH, JUST
25 MILLION, WHICH IS A THIRD
THAT CLAYTON IS GIVING CENTENE.
I DON'T THINK PEOPLE IN
AUSTIN ARE THRILLED WITH THIS.
I HAVE A BROTHER-IN-LAW AND
SISTER-IN-LAW WHO LIVE IN AUSTIN
AND THEY'RE ALWAYS COMPLAINING
ABOUT HOW THE TECH PEOPLE HAVE
DRIVEN UP ALL THE PRICES AND
AUSTIN IS NO LONGER WEIRD.
ED WEIRDNESS IS DRIVEN DOWN TO
SAN MARCOS WHERE MY SON LIVES.
BUT AUSTIN IS CONGESTED AND A
LOT OF PEOPLE ARE NOT HAPPY
ABOUT THIS.
WE'D BE THRILLED, BUT THE RIP
GET RICHER.
THAT'S THE WAY IT IS.
AND DEIDRE O'BRIEN WHO MADE
THE ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY IN AUSTIN
SPOKE OF THE EXISTING
RELATIONSHIP THAT APPLE HAS IN
TEXAS AND IN THAT AREA, AND I
THINK -- I MEAN, WE CAN'T -- I
DON'T THINK WE CAN UNDERESTIMATE
THE IMPORTANCE OF THAT EITHER.
THAT WE'RE NOT KNOWN AS A TECH
HUB YET.
I MEAN, MAYBE WE WILL, MAYBE WE
WILL BE --
BUT I THINK IT'S PRETTY
STRONG, AT LEAST IN THE RANKINGS
BY NATIONAL PUBLICATIONS.
I JUST FEEL OUR LEADERS, WHO
HAVE GIVEN AWAY PROBABLY
$7 BILLION IN THE LAST 20 YEARS,
THEY GIVE IT TO ANYBODY AND
MEANWHILE, WHY LOOK AT OTHER
CITIES.
WHY DON'T WE LEARN FROM THEIR
EXAMPLE?
SAY NO.
IN APRIL 2017, THE VOTERS IN THE
CITY OF ST. LOUIS SAID NO TO MLS
AND MLS CAME BACK.
BUT WE'VE DARN NEAR LOST NGA
TO ST. CLAIR COUNTY AND I
THOUGHT WE WOULD AND THE FACT
THAT WE SOMEHOW MANAGED TO
RETAIN THE NGA WAS A BIG
VICTORY.
RIGHT, AND I THINK EVERYONE
ONE OF THOSE --
BUT PUT NGA --
I WAS GOING TO SAY, WE WERE
ALL AGAINST THAT VOTE.
F NGA IS A GOVERNMENT
FACILITY AND COMPARE THAT TO --
YOU CAN'T DO IT.
THAT'S MY DISTINCTION.
LET'S PUT IT THIS WAY.
IF WE COULD HAVE GOT NECESSARILY
HERE FOR $120 MILLION, WE'D BE
ALL OVER THAT.
IF WE CAN KEEP NGA HERE FOR
$120 MILLION, THAT'S A GOOD
DEAL.
PERHAPS YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT I
DON'T KNOW OF OTHER STATES THAT
SUBSIDIZE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
OR CITIES, AND WE'RE DOING IT
TWICE.
I THINK IF YOU'RE TALKING
ABOUT POLITICIANS, THEY BELIEVE
THAT MORE JOBS EQUAL
RE-ELECTION, AND I THINK ONE OF
THE THINGS THAT CLAIRE WAS
ROUNDLY CRITICIZED FOR WITHIN
THE PROGRESSIVE ARM OF YOUR
PARTY WAS NOT BEING AGGRESSIVE
ENOUGH.
YOU KNOW, WHEN IT CAME TO
BRINGING JOBS OR KEEPING JOBS --
CLAIRE?
YEAH, CLAIRE WAS.
I NEVER HEARD THAT.
TO HAVE JUST -- I DON'T CONFLATE
THE FACADE OF SPORTS FRANCHISES,
WHICH IS MOSTLY MONEY JUST
CHIPPING AROUND, BUT WHAT ALVIN
IS TALKING ABOUT IS PERMANENT,
SOLID, TAX-PRODUCING JOBS AND IF
WE HAD JUST, WERE WILLING AND
COURAGEOUS ENOUGH TO JUST SAY NO
TO NGA, WE WOULD HAVE JUST SAID
GOODBYE.
RAY, RAY, WE GAVE UP THE
EARNINGS TAX, RIGHT?
SO WHAT DO WE GET OUT OF IT IF
IT --
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
IF ST. CLAIR COUNTY HAD GOTTEN
IT, WHAT WOULD BE THE DIFFERENCE
FOR OUR AREA?
CHARLIE, HALF OF THE EARNINGS
TAX.
HALF OF THE EARNINGS TAX.
NOT ALL OF IT.
BUT NOW WE HAVE A BIG HOLE IN
SOUTH ST. LOUIS.
OKAY, I'M SURE THERE WILL BE
SOME PHONE CALLS ON THAT ON YOUR
TURN AS WE MOVE TO YOU, WENDY.
THIS IS AN INTERESTING STORY
BECAUSE OUR REPUBLICAN SECRETARY
OF STATE, JAY ASHCROFT, IS NOW
INVESTIGATING THE NEXT U.S.
SENATOR FROM MISSOURI, JOSH
HAWLEY.
THE KANSAS CITY STAR AND OTHERS
HAVE REPORTED THAT IN THE EARLY
DAYS OF HAWLEY'S TENURE AS
ATTORNEY GENERAL, HE HAD HIS
POLITICAL OPERATIVES RUNNING THE
SHOW INSIDE THE OFFICES IN JEFF
CITY, SO JAY ASHCROFT IS
INVESTIGATING IT, AND PICKED ONE
CHRISTINE HEISINGER WHO HAS
GIVEN FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO
HAWLEY'S MOST RECENT OPPONENT
SENATOR CLAIRE McCASKILL.
JUST FOR APPEARANCES SAKE, DON'T
YOU THINK THIS IS A POOR CHOICE?
I DO, AND I'LL GET BACK TO
THAT IN A MOMENT.
JOSH HAWLEY, IF THIS IS PROVEN
TO BE TRUE, I WILL BE STUNNED
BECAUSE JOSH HAWLEY TO ME IS THE
ANTI-GREITENS.
GREITENS, BOTH OF THEM HAVE
LOOKED FOR A SUCCESSFUL
POLITICAL CAREER, APPARENTLY
SINCE THEY WERE IN, YOU KNOW,
SHORT PANTS.
IT LOOKS LIKE A LIFELONG
AMBITION.
GREITENS WAS OBVIOUSLY KIND OF
COMPULSIVE AND HAD A WISH THAT.
TO ME, HAWLEY LOOKS LIKE THE
KIND OF GUY THAT HASN'T HAD A
SINGLE MISSTEP, SO I WILL BE
STUNNED IF THIS IS BORN OUT.
BUT IN TERMS OF CHRISTINE
HEISINGER, WE'VE ENTERED THE ERA
WHERE WE DON'T LIKE THE RESULTS
OF AN ELECTION, WE FIND A WAY TO
OVERTURN THE RESULTS OF THAT
ELECTION.
WE'RE SEEING IT IN WASHINGTON
AND I DON'T -- I MEAN, I AM
SORRY TO SEE THAT HAPPENING.
I THINK THAT IN LIGHT OF THAT
AND THE CURRENT CLIMATE, A
DEMOCRAT WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED
GENEROUSLY TO CLAIRE
McCASKILL -- SEE, I CAME BACK --
A DEMOCRAT WHO HAS CONTRIBUTED
GENEROUSLY TO CLAIRE McCASKILL'S
CAMPAIGN IS NOT SOMEBODY I WOULD
WANT INVESTIGATING SENATOR-ELECT
HAWLEY.
BUT IT WORKS FOR JAY
ASHCROFT.
FIRST OF ALL, WE ALWAYS TALK
ABOUT BIPARTISANSHIP AND TO
CORRECT YOU, BY THE WAY, WHAT'S
GOING ON IN WASHINGTON IS THE
CRIMINAL PROSECUTION OF
SOMEONE --
LET'S STAY HERE.
LET'S NOT LET THAT PASS.
BUT THE POINT IS THIS IS JAY
ASHCRO
ASHCROFT, TO HIS CREDIT -- AND
I'M NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF
PRAISING ASHCROFT OVER THE
YEARS.
TO HIS CREDIT AND THE
ASTONISHMENT OF REPUBLICAN
FRIENDS OF MINE, IS HAVING THE
INDEPENDENCE AND --
IT'S NOT ASHCROFT.
IT'S HEISINGER WHO WORKS FOR
HIM.
SHE'S SUPPOSED TO LEAVE THE
PLANET?
THE OTHER THING HE'S DOING VERY
POSITIVE IS HE BROUGHT IN NICOLE
GALLAWAY WITH HER SUBPOENA
POWER, WHICH WOULD DISPROVE ANY
CONSPIRACY THEORY.
SHE'S A STATE OFFICIAL,
BUT --
THIS LOOKS LIKE A REAL
INVESTIGATION.
I THINK, FIRST OF ALL, I
DON'T SEE HAWLEY AS THE OPPOSITE
OF GREITENS.
I SEE HAWLEY AS --
IN THE SAME VEIN.
GREITENS WITHOUT A MILITARY
RESUME.
I THINK THAT YOU'RE WRONG, RAY,
ON THE IDEA THAT THERE'S NOTHING
WONG WITH SOMEBODY WHO GIVES TO
DEMOCRATS INVESTIGATING A
REPUBLICAN.
IF IT WERE VICE VERSA, WE'D BE
UPSET.
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
I THOUGHT IT WAS COMPLETELY
BIZARRE THAT ASHCROFT ANNOUNCED
HE WAS GOING TO GET THE AUDITOR
INVOLVED BECAUSE SHE HAS
SUBPOENA POWERS.
IF I'M A REPUBLICAN, I SAY WE
JUST LOST OUR GOVERNOR AND NOW
YOU'RE GOING TO GET A DEMOCRAT
START SUBPOENAING ON OUR
SENATORS?
WHY IS THAT A BAD THING?
I WOULD RATHER SEE SOMEBODY
INVESTIGATING WHO HADN'T GIVE
HAVEN'T MONEY TO EITHER OF THEM.
WHAT DIFFERENCE --
IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
THE APPEARANCE OF
IMPROPRIETY.
HOW MANY MEMBERS OF THE BAR ARE
THERE IN MISSOURI?
DID YOU HAVE TO FIND ONE TO
INVESTIGATE WHO GAVE $24,000 TO
DEMOCRATS, INCLUDING CLAIRE
McCASKILL?
ARE YOU SAYING THAT ANYONE
WHO GAVE MONEY TO A CANDIDATE
SHOULD BE DISQUALIFIED FOR BEING
AN ATTORNEY --
NO, WHAT HE'S SAYING OR I'M
SAYING --
-- FOR THE GOVERNMENT?
IT'S THE APPEARANCE.
LET ALVIN TALK A MINUTE.
IN ALL HONESTY, IF WE FLIPPED
THE PARTY HERE, YOU WOULDN'T
HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT?
NOT IF IT'S A DEMOCRAT --
EXCUSE ME A DEMOCRAT HIRED A
REPUBLICAN TO INVESTIGATE
ANOTHER DEMOCRAT?
NO, I -- THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE
SHOULD WANT IS TO NOT HAVE PARTY
LINES AND SEE IT AS SOME SCANDAL
THAT SHE GAVE MONEY --
IF YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE AN
INVESTIGATION SUCCEED, YOU DON'T
WANT THE INVESTIGATOR TO BE A
KNOWN ENEMY, GIVING MONEY TO THE
OPPONENT OF THE GUY YOU'RE
INVESTIGATING.
BUT THE REPUBLICANS --
[ ALL SPEAKING AT ONCE ]
WE KNOW ABOUT, YOU KNOW,
TRYING TO OVERTURN ELECTIONS.
I THINK ONE THING I WOULD HAVE
DONE IF I WAS ASHCROFT, SAY
THERE WAS GOING TO BE AN
INVESTIGATION INTO THIS, BUT BAY
THE WAY, HE'S STILL -- BY THE
WAY, HE'S STILL GOING TO BE THE
SENATOR.
THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENS TO
ME IS HE GETS A FINE.
ANYBODY WHO'S LICKING THEIR
CHOPS, THAT'S OVER.
I'M NOT GOING TO APPOINT A
DEMOCRAT TO INVESTIGATE HIM, BUT
NOTHING IS GOING TO HAPPEN
EXCEPT HIM GETTING SWORN IN IN
JANUARY.
CHARLIE, THE REAL INTRIGUE,
AND I KNOW IT'S MORE FOR
POLITICAL JUNKIES IS THE WHOLE
DYNAMIC BETWEEN ASHCROFT AND
ERIC SCHMIDT AND WHAT WAS
BELIEVED TO BE A RIVALRY FOR THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL SPOT IF HAWLEY
WAS TO WIN THE ELECTION.
THERE'S A LOT OF POLITICAL
INTRIGUE AND THE PEOPLE -- I'M
JUST SHOCKED THAT EVERYBODY IS
LIKE, WE TALK ABOUT
BIPARTISANSHIP AND IT BOTHERS
YOU THAT A REPUBLICAN PICKS
SOMEBODY WHO GAVE TO A DEMOCRAT
TO INVESTIGATE SOMEBODY.
I DON'T THINK THAT'S WRONG AT
ALL.
IF SOMEBODY WAS --
IF IT WAS IN REVERSE, IT
WOULD BE FINE.
OH, COME ON, RAY.
IT WOULD.
IF SOMEBODY WHO GAVE MONEY TO
THE REPUBLICANS WERE
INVESTIGATING OUR NEWLY ELECTED
DEMOCRATIC SENATOR, YOU'D SAY
THAT'S FINE.
I WOULD.
LET'S MOVE ON, BILL.
I WANT TO ASK YOU, SPEAKING OF
GETTING HOT UNDER THE COLLAR, I
WAS THIS WEEK WHEN I SAW ONE OF
YOUR COLLEAGUES IN A PAGE A-2
STORY TAKE A LOOK AT A LADUE
KID, A STUDENT AT LADUE HIGH
SCHOOL, WHO WAS FLASHING THE
OKAY SIGN.
I THINK IT WAS PART OF A RALLY
FOR THE FOOTBALL TEAM.
AS WE KNOW, THE LADUE RAMS
PLAYED IN THE STATE
CHAMPIONSHIP.
AND THE RAMS WON.
THE RAMS WON, YEAH.
IT WAS THE RAMS AGAINST THE
RAMS.
HERE'S THE DEAL.
THE OKAY SIGN AS UBIQUITOUS
SIGN, BUT THE STORY SEEMED TO
INDICATE THAT IT WAS ASSOCIATED
WITH WHITE NATIONALISM, EVEN
THOUGH WE WEREN'T THROUGH THIS
DURING THE KAVANAUGH HEARINGS
WHEN THERE WAS AN ATTORNEY
BEHIND JUDGE KAVANAUGH WHO HAD
SOMETHING SIMILAR, THE OKAY
SIGN, AND THE ANTIDEFAMATION
LEAGUE SAID NO, UNLESS YOU SEE
OTHER OVERT SIGNS OF WHITE
NATIONALISM, THAT OKAY SIGN,
WHICH HAS BEEN USED BY BILL
CLINTON AND HILLARY CLINTON AND
BARACK OBAMA, IS NOT A SIGN OF
WHITE NATIONALISM.
DON'T YOU THINK THIS IS A SMEAR
OF THE LADUE HIGH SCHOOL
STUDENT?
NO, I DON'T, AND I SHOULD SAY
ABOUT THESE SIGNS, THE ONLY --
THE VICTORY SIGN, PEACE SIGN IS
ALL -- THE ONLY ONE I GO, BUT I
HAVE HEARD THAT, YOU KNOW, WHITE
NATIONALISTS HAVE BEEN TRYING TO
USURP THE OKAY SIGN AND I KNEW
NOTHING ABOUT IT BEFOREHAND, BUT
WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE PAPER WAS
SOMEBODY CALLED THE REPORTER,
DAVID HUNT, AND SAID THERE'S A
KID ON THE LADUE WEBSITE
FLASHING THE -- WHAT WHITE
NATIONALISTS ARE USING AS A
SIGN, AND SO HUNDRED HUNT SAID
OKAY AND HE LOOKED UNDER THE
WEBSITE AND IT WAS GONE.
SO HE CALLED AND THE LADUE
PEOPLE SAID WE TOOK THAT DOWN
BECAUSE WE HEARD FROM SOMEBODY
ELSE IN THE MEDIA THAT THIS IS A
WHITE POWER SIGN.
SO IT WASN'T LIKE THE PAPER
GEMMED THIS UP AND NOW THE WAY
IS SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN RUN.
CERTAINLY YOU'RE NOT IDENTIFYING
THE LADUE KID AND IN FACT, HE
WAS NOT IDENTIFIED IN THE
PICTURE.
I'M TOLD HE WASN'T SMILING LIKE,
HEY, EVERYTHING IS OKAY.
HE WAS KIND OF SOMBER AND
FLASHING THAT SIGN.
I HAD NEVER HEAR THAT THE OKAY
SIGN WAS A WHITE SYMBOLISM SIGN,
BUT, YOU KNOW, IN THE KAVANAUGH
HEARING, THERE'S THAT PERSON
LIKE THIS AND MAYBE THEY'RE
TROLLING LIBERALS, I DON'T KNOW
WHAT THEY'RE DOING.
BUT SOMETHING IS GOING ON.
WITH THE TIKI TORCHES TO THOSE
KIDS IN WISCONSIN WITH THE
SIGHEIL.
PEOPLE WHO HAVE SEEN THE MOVIE
CABARET AND THINK SOMETHING IS
GOING ON, MAYBE IT SHOULD BE
REPORTED, I DON'T KNOW.
I THINK ON THE HEELS OF THE
COMPLAINT IN 2016 ON THE SCHOOL
BUS, YOU KNOW, THE KID WHO SAID
THAT SHE WAS BEING VICTIMIZED BY
RACIST -- RACIAL, RACIST
COMMENTS, AND I THINK THAT --
YOU KNOW, THAT'S RECENT HISTORY.
I'M SURE THERE'S A GREAT DEAL OF
SENSITIVITY HERE.
THERE'S A BACK STORY TO THIS
AND I DON'T KNOW WHO CALLED THE
POST-DISPATCH.
HOWEVER, JUST A MONTH AGO,
MICBS'S FOOTBALL PLAYERS WERE
ACCUSED BY PARKWAY NORTH OF
UNLEASHING A LOT OF N-BOMBS TO
THEM DURING A FOOTBALL GAME.
IT WAS A REALLY BAD SCENE OVER
THERE.
THIS COMES IN THE WAKE OF THAT.
WHO IS LADUE PLAYING BUT MIBCS.
PEOPLE ON BOTH SIDES WERE
COMPLAINING ON THAT ONE.
I KNOW THAT, BUT I'M
SAYING --
WHEN XENA BASH, I THINK
THAT'S HER NAME, THE ATTORNEY
WHO DID THIS DURING THE
KAVANAUGH HEARINGS, IT WAS
INVESTIGATED WIDELY BY THE
WASHINGTON POST AND OTHERS AND
THEY FOUND OUT THAT IT IS TRUE,
THERE WERE A GROUP OF TROLLS WHO
PERSONALLY TRIED ERRONEOUSLY TO
FAKE OUT THE LIBERAL MEDIA BY
FLASHING OKAY SIGNS AND
ASSOCIATING IT WITH WHITE
NATIONALISM WHICH TURNED OUT TO
BE A HOAX.
IT WHAT AS JOKE.
NOW -- IT WAS A JOKE.
NOW, THERE'S SOME WHITE
NATIONALISTS WHO ARE TOO DUMB TO
REALIZE IT WAS A HOAX AND THEY
MIGHTITE, BUT IN THIS PARTICULAR
CASE AS IN SO MANY OTHERS, IT
COULD ALSO JUST BE OKAY, WHICH A
UBIQUITOUS SYMBOL.
NOBODY IS SAYING THEY KNOW
WHAT WAS IN THE MIND THEREFORE
STUDENT FROM LADUE AND HIS PURR
WAS BLACKED OUT, BUT IF -- HIS
PICTURE WAS BLACKED OUT, BUT IF
YOU THINK THAT SOMETHING IS
GOING ON IN THE COUNTRY,
SOMETHING A LITTLE WEIRD --
I REALIZE THAT THIS IS OFF
THE BEATEN PATH OF DONNYBROOK,
BUT BEYONCE AND JAY Z HAVE BEEN
ACCUSED REPEATEDLY OF BEING
MEMBERS OF THE OF THE
ILLUMINATI, SO AFTER THE WHILE,
THEY STARTED MAKING THE SIGN
EVERY TIME A PHOTOGRAPHER TOOK
THEIR PICTURE JUST TO KIND OF,
YOU KNOW, BAIT THE PRESS --
THAT DID HAPPEN.
RIGHT.
I'M A LIBERAL -- I'M SORRY.
GO AHEAD.
GO AHEAD.
I'M A LIBERAL WHO'S TIRED OF
THESE ISSUES AND TIRED OF THE
JUST -- YOU KNOW, AS A CIVIL
LIBERTARIAN, I'M JUST TIRED OF
THESE ISSUES, FRANKLY, BUT IF
YOU WORK FOR A NEWSPAPER AND
YOU'RE A REPORTER AND YOU GET A
LEAD AND THEN YOU FIND SOMETHING
THAT WAS TAKEN DOWN, IT'S START
OF NOT -- IT'S NOT THE SORT OF
THING YOU JUST DROP.
BUT FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH --
THAT'S A GOOD POINT.
I DO DISAGREE WITH BILL.
I THINK THE KID CAN BE
IDENTIFIED EVEN THOUGH HIS FACE
WAS BLOCKED OUT, LIKE BY HIS
FRIENDS WHERE I'M SURE IN THE
LADUE AREA, HE IS LIKE, OKAY, WE
KNOW WHO THIS IS AND HE'S BEEN
ASSOCIATED WITH WHITE
NATIONALISM, EVEN THOUGH HE'S
GIVING A UBIQUITOUS SIGN AND I
THINK THE MEDIA IN GENERAL
SHOULD RETHINK ITS INVESTIGATION
OF KIDS AT SCHOOL.
THERE WAS A TIME WHEN THE
NEWSPAPERS WERE NOT CONCENTRATED
ON THESE STORIES, BY AND LARGE,
AND NOW I THINK THAT KIDS SHOULD
HAVE A CERTAIN PROTECTION WHEN
THEY'RE DOING SOMETHING WITHIN
THE CONFINES OF A SCHOOL.
THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT
AND YOU MIGHT RIGHT, BUT WHAT
GOOD THAT RECENT CASE IN
WISCONSIN.
DID YOU SEE THAT PICTURE ALL THE
KIDS ARE GIVING THE SIG HEIL
BEFORE THE PROM?
IT NOT A LOT OF PUBLICITY AND
THOSE KIDS' FACES WERE CLEARLY
IDENTIFIED AND YOU LOOK AT IT
AND YOU GO, GEE, THIS IS REALLY
STRANGE.
I WILL AGREE WITH YOU.
I THOUGHT THE KID WASN'T
IDENTIFIABLE.
IF HE WASN'T, THAT'S A DIFFERENT
STORY.
I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD HAVE
BEEN.
WELL, THAT'S KIND OF LIKE --
YOU'RE SAYING IF HE WAS
IDENTIFIABLE -- THERE'S NO WAY
HE SHOULD BE.
IT COULD BE THOSE CLOSEST TO
YOU THAT KNOW YOU WERE THE
PERSON THEY'RE TALKING ABOUTS IT
DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THE GREATER
GOOD.
I THINK THE STORY COVER
SERVED ITS READERS WELL BY
NOTING THAT THE ANTI-DEFAMATION
LEAGUE OF ALL ORGANIZATIONS --
I THOUGHT IT DID.
NO, IT DID.
IT LOOKED TO THE SOUTHERN
POVERTY LAW CENTER THAT SAID IT
WAS A HOAX, BUT THE ADL SAID
THIS IS NOT A SIGN OF WHITE
NATIONALISM.
ANYWAY, OKAY, LET'S GO ON TO
YOU, RAY.
I WANT TO ASK YOU ABOUT A ST.
CHARLES LAWMAKER WHO WANTS TO
END THE EARNINGS TAX IN THE CITY
OF ST. LOUIS.
WHAT'S OLD IS NEW AGAIN.
ACTUALLY, THE VOTERS IN THE CITY
OF ST. LOUIS DO VOTE ON THE
EARNINGS TAX EVERY FIVE YEARS BY
STATE LAW.
EXACTLY.
OKAY.
I DON'T THINK THE EARNINGS TAX
IS ACTUALLY ATTRACTING PEOPLE.
WHEN I GOT HERE IN 1988, WE HAD,
WHAT, 400,000 PEOPLE IN THE CITY
OF ST. LOUIS AND NOW WE'RE DOWN
TO 300,000.
WHATEVER IT'S DOING, NOT
ATTRACTING PEOPLE AND JOBS, BUT
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
WHAT I THINK IS THAT THE
VOTERS OF THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS
AND THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY
VOTED ON THIS TOPIC AND IT'S A
LOT MORE IMPORTANT WHAT THEY
THINK THAN WHAT ANY OF US THINK,
AND THAT GOES FOR WHETHER WE
LIVE IN THE CITY OR NOT.
THEY VOTED BY 80% MARGINS IN
CITY, ROUGHLY IN ST. LOUIS AND
KANSAS CITY, AND LAID THIS ISSUE
TO REST.
IT WAS BROUGHT UPON US, A
HORRIBLE THING AND BROUGHT POP
US BY REX SINQUEFIELD WHO
PERHAPS IS GOING TO FIND A WAY
TO SUPPORT THIS FINE STATE
SENATOR IN ST. CHARLES.
THE BIGGER -- THIS IS PART OF A
BIGGER TREND THAT CONCERNS ME
AND IN 2020, THERE'S GOING TO BE
A MOVEMENT AFOOT FOR A STATEWIDE
VOTE ON A CITY-COUNTY MERGER OF
SOME SORT TO FORCE A MERGER OR
UNI-GOV OR SOMETHING ON THE CITY
AND COUNTY USING THE RURAL VOTE
AGAINST THE CITY AND COUNTY'S
INTEREST.
THE LARGER ISSUE HERE IS
SELF-DETERMINATION.
THE WORST THING ABOUT WHAT REX
SINQUEFIELD DID TO US WITH THE
CITY EARNINGS TAX IS CITIES LIKE
COLUMBIA, SPRINGFIELD, CAPE
GIRARDEAU, HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO
AN EARNINGS TAX NOW BECAUSE OF
THE REST OF THE STATE.
THAT'S CRAZY.
ONE WOULD THINK THAT A
REPUBLICAN LEGISLATURE, WHEN THE
REPUBLICANS TRADITIONALLY WERE
ALL ABOUT LOCAL AUTONOMY, WOULD
BE LOATHE TO COME UP WITH AN
IDEA OF THE STATE WILL TELL
LOCALS WHAT TO DO.
EXACTLY.
I MEAN, LIKE YOU SAY, RAY, IF
ST. LOUIS AND KANSAS CITY SAY WE
NEED AN EARNINGS TAX, AND WE
WANT ONE, THAT'S ENOUGH.
BACKING UP WHAT RAY SAID, ON
THE PROGRAM I WAS ON TODAY,
RODNEY BOYD WAS ON WITH ME
TODAY, KIND OF LIKE POLITICAL
INSIDE YES, MODERATE
REPUBLICAN -- NIDEER,
MODERATE -- INSIDER, MODERATE
REPUBLICAN, HE HINTED THAT THE
STORY GOING INTO 19 AND HEADING
INTO 2020 IS GOING TO BE EXACTLY
LIKE YOU SAID.
THERE IS GOING TO BE A MOVE TO
FORCE A VOTE ON THE COUNTY AND
THE CITY.
AND I THINK DEMOCRATS AND
REPUBLICANS WILL LIKE IT, OR AT
LEAST THE REX SINQUEFIELD CROWD
LIKES THAT BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE
IN YOU CHANGE THE CHARTER FOR
THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, WHICH
WOULD CHANGE IF WE HAD THE
MERGER, THE EARNINGS TAX WILL BE
NULL.
BUT THAT'S --
BUT AGAIN, WE'RE --
PEOPLE ARE UNDERESTIMATING
WHAT PEOPLE IN MY NECK OF THE
WOODS THINK OF THIS.
BUT AGAIN, AREN'T WE
OVERTURNING OR IGNORING THE WILL
OF THE PEOPLE --
ABSOLUTELY.
-- AND THIS CONTINUES TO
HAPPEN REPEATLY.
I THINK THE REASON IS THERE
ARE LAWMAKERS LIKE THIS GUY IN
ST. CHARLES WHO THINK THAT THE
EARNINGS TAX THE HURTING THE
CITY AND THE CITY IS INCREDIBLY
IMPORTANT FOR THE REGION, AND WE
WERE TALKING ABOUT AUSTIN.
THE STATE HAS NO --
BUT THIS IS --
-- INCOME TAX AND NO EARNINGS
TAX AND THERE'S SOMETHING TO
THAT.
PEOPLE MOVE OUT OF THE CITY
BECAUSE OF THAT EARNINGS TAX.
BUT HOPEFULLY THE COUNTRY --
BUT PEOPLE TELL ME ALMOST
DAILY THAT THEY COULD CARE LESS
ABOUT THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS, SO
WHY ALL OF AN ALL OF A SUDDEN --
YOU REALLY BELIEVE PEOPLE
MOVE OUT OF CITY OF ST. LOUIS
SOLELY BECAUSE THE EARNINGS TAX.
I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WHO DID.
TOM JACOBSON, HE WASSED HET OF
U.S. BANK -- HE THE HEAD OF U.S.
BANK AT THE TIME, HE MOVED.
LET'S NOT SAY WE'RE ALL LIKE
THE BANK PRESIDENTS.
ONE OF THE OLDEST PRINCIPLES
OF THE COUNTRY IS TO BE
CONCERNED ABOUT TAXATION WITHOUT
REPRESENTATION AND IT WORKS IN
REVERSE TOO.
BUT A WORKER IN THE CITY IS
TAXED.
WELL, AND THE STATE --
THEY CAN'T VOTE ON IT.
THE POINT OF THAT, WHICH HAS
PERFECT LOGIC TO IT -- AND I
WISH WE COULD GET AWAY WITH THIS
WE IN THE CITY AND THEY IN ST.
CHARLES.
WE TALK ABOUT ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
IT'S ONE REGION.
BUT THE CITY HAS A RIGHT TO --
LET ME FOCUS ON -- WE HAVE
LESS THAN TWO MINUTES TO GO.
THANKS.
I KNOW THERE ARE GOING TO BE A
LOT OF CALLS ON THIS AND OTHER
ISSUES.
ALVIN, THE RIVERFRONT TIMES HAD
A FRONT PAGE STORY SAYING THERE
ARE RESTAURANTS IN ELLISVILLE
AND ELSEWHERE THAT CAN'T FIND
WORKERS AND THEY SAY IT'S
PROBABLY A TRANSPORTATION
PROBLEM GETTING PEOPLE FROM THE
CITY OUT THERE.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S THE REAL
REASON?
THAT MIGHT BE PART OF THE
PROBLEM.
YOU KNOW, CERTAINLY IF WE HAD A
REAL MASS TRANSIT SYSTEM, THAT
WOULD HELP, BUT QUITE FRANKLY,
AT NO TIME WHEN I WAS GROWING
UP, I'M 58 NOW, A GENERATION
BEHIND ME OR WHATEVER, AT NO
TIME WERE THERE A NEED FOR
PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN THE CITY TO
COME OUT AND WORK AT RESTAURANTS
IN THE COUNTY.
YOUNGER PEOPLE HUSTLED, GOT A
JOB, GOT BUSY.
THAT'S MISSING RIGHT NOW.
AND THAT IDEA OF WORKING IN A
RESTAURANT AND I'M LIKE 17, 18
YEARS OLD, IT'S NOT THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT GOES BACK TO
THAT WORK ETHIC OR THIS
MILLENNIALS OR WHATEVER, BUT
QUITE FRANKLY, THE PEOPLE ARE
THERE THAT CAN FILL THE JOBS AND
GET PAID.
THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO DO IT.
ONE OF THE REASONS IS YOU
HAVE TO DO COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR
YOUR COLLEGE RESUME OR I DON'T
KNOW WHAT.
HOW DOES THAT SONG GO?
WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KIDS
TODAY?
WHY CAN'T THEY BE LIKE WE WERE
YESTERDAY.
I FOUND LIKE MY GRANDFATHER.
THERE WAS A RESTAURATEUR
WHO'S CLOSING A RESTAURANT,
TALKING TO ST. LOUIS MAGAZINE,
ABOUT THIS VERY POINT AND THAT
PERSON PROBABLY HAS A PRETTY
GOOD IDEA, SAYING -- REGARDLESS
OF WHETHER IT AFFECTED THEIR
RESTAURANT, THAT IDEA THAT THEY
CAN'T FIND PEOPLE IN THEIR AREA
TO WORK WAS PRETTY -- SHE OUGHT
ON KNOW.
YEAH, CLOSING FOR THAT
REASON.
DON'T FORGET, EVERYBODY,
TOMORROW NIGHT WE'RE AT THE
SCHNUCKS IN RICHMOND HEIGHTS
BETWEEN 5:00 AND 7:00 RINGING
BELLS FOR THE SALVATION ARMY AND
WE WELCOME YOU TO JOIN US.
YOU CAN COMMENT ON THE PROGRAM,
SEND A LETTER TO KETC, 3655
OLIVE STREET, ST. LOUIS,
MISSOURI 63108.
HOW ABOUT THE EMAILS,
LETTERS@KETC.ORG AND THE TWEETS,
#DONNYBROOKSTL.
WE WELCOME THOSE BECAUSE RAY AND
WENDY WILL BE READING THOSE AND
TAKING YOUR PHONE CALLS IN JUST
A MOMENT ON YOUR TURN.
DON'T GO AWAY, AND SEE YOU
TOMORROW NIGHT AT THE SCHNUCKS,
RICHMOND HEIGHTS.
Announcer: DONNYBROOK IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE MEMBERS OF THE
NINE NETWORK.
*
WELCOME BACK TO DONNYBROOK
YOUR TURN.
IT IS YOUR TURN.
I AM SITTING HERE WITH OUR
FOUNDER AND THE STAR OF OUR
PROGRAM, MR. RAY HARTMANN.
I WILL BE HIS COPILOT AND WE'LL
BE FLYING AT A ALTITUDE OF
35,000 FEET.
WHO'S UP FIRST?
ELISE FROM HEALTH SPRINGS.
THANKS FOR CALLING AND WELCOME
TO YOUR TURN.
Caller: HI.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR TAKING
MY CALL.
THE REASON I'M CALLING IS
BECAUSE I HAVE TO AGREE WITH
SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID, WENDY,
ON THE SHOW MULTIPLE TIMES.
YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE TAXES
AND THE ST. LOUIS CITY AND
KANSAS CITY, AND WHY ARE WE
TRYING TO OVERTURN THE WILL OF
THE PEOPLE.
AND I AGREE WITH YOU, AND NOT
ONLY ARE THEY TRYING TO DO THAT,
BUT THERE ARE TWO OTHER ISSUES
THAT THE VOTERS RECENTLY VOTED
ON, WHICH IS RIGHT TO WORK AND
THEN I BELIEVE IT WAS PROP ONE,
WHICH WAS TRANSPARENCY --
CLEAN MISSOURI, CLEAN
MISSOURI, RIGHT.
Caller: RIGHT.
AND THEY'RE TRYING TO OVERTURN
THAT NOW, TOO, AND I DON'T
UNDERSTAND WHY LAWMAKERS JUST
CAN'T TAKE WHAT THE PEOPLE OF
THE STATE HAVE VOTED ON AND
ACCEPT THAT.
IT'S VERY DISHEARTENING AND IT
MAKES -- WELL, I VOTE ALL THE
TIME AND I WILL CONTINUE TO DO
SO, BUT I'M SURE THAT IT MAKES A
LOT OF OTHER VOTERS VERY
FRUSTRATED AND FEEL LIKE WHY
VOTE IF THE LAWMAKERS AREN'T
GOING TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION
WHAT WE IN FACT VOTE FOR.
AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
ELISE, HEAR HEAR.
THEY DO IT BECAUSE THEY CAN AND
IT REALLY IS AMAZING.
I MEAN, IN MISSOURI, THE NUMBER
OF TIMES THAT THAT'S HAPPENED.
BUT DON'T YOU THINK IT'S A
RECENT -- IT'S A FAIRLY RECENT
PHENOMENON THAT WE'RE SEEING AND
IT'S --
YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT'S ACTUALLY KIND OF OMINOUS
IN MY OPINION, BUT THAUN, ELISE.
AND THE IDEA THAT POLITICIANS
ARE GOING TO ROLL OVER AND CLEAN
UP LOBBYING, GOOD LUCK WITH
THAT.
LET'S GO TO RON FROM SOULARD.
YOU'RE ON DONNYBROOK, YOUR TURN.
Caller: THANK YOU FOR TAKING
MY CALL AND THE LADY, I WAS
GOING TO SAY THE SAME THING.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING I WANT
TO SAY IS ABOUT EARNINGS TAX.
THE CITY OF ST. LOUIS WILL BE
BANKRUPT WITHOUT THE CITY
EARNINGS TAX.
YOU WANT THE CITY TO FIGHT
CRIME, YOU WANT IT TO BUILD A
STADIUM THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE
VOTED AGAINST, YOU WANT THEM TO
DO A LOT OF THINGS IN THE CITY,
BUT WE CAN'T TAX PEOPLE WHO USE
THE SERVICES, COMING INTO THE
CITY, THROW THEIR TRASH DOWN,
DOUBLE PARK.
WE CHARGING EVERYBODY FOR LIVING
IN THE CITY AND YOU JUST PAY
YOUR SHARE FOR THE CITY TO BE A
BETTER PLACE TO LIVE, IF YOU
WANT TO COME TO A BETTER PLACE.
THANK YOU, RON.
WELL STATED AND WE HEAR FROM
PEOPLE, OH, WE'RE NOT LIVING IN
THE CITY.
WE'RE GOING TO YOU FROM THE CITY
OF ST. LOUIS, BEAUTIFUL CHANNEL
9 AND GREAT --
GRAND CENTER, YEAH.
GRAND CENTER AREA, AND IT'S
REALLY -- I MEAN, I HAPPEN TO BE
VERY STRONGLY THINK THAT THERE'S
A PERFECT LOGIC TO THE CITY
EARNINGS TAX AS SOMEONE WHO'S
PAID IT AND PAYS IT, AND THAT IS
THAT PEOPLE WHO COME FOR THE DAY
AND USE THE POLICE AND THE FIRE
AND THE STREETS AND THE OTHER
SERVICES, YOU KNOW, IT'S THEIR
WAY OF CONTRIBUTING AND MANY,
MANY PEOPLE COME TO DOWNTOWN.
NOT AS MANY AS USED TO, BUT --
SO THERE'S SOME LOGIC TO IT.
BUT THE BIGGER POINT IS THAT THE
FOLKS VOTED 80% TO KEEP IT.
THAT'S RIGHT, THAT'S RIGHT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT U.S.
BANK THINKS.
I MEAN --
NO.
AND RON, WE THANK YOU BECAUSE
YOU CERTAINLY ARE SPEAKING FOR A
LOT OF PEOPLE.
LET'S GO TO KATHY FROM
ST. LOUIS COUNTY.
HELLO, KATHY.
Caller: OH HI, WENDY, AND HI,
RAY.
NICE TALKING TO YOU.
ON THE JOSH HAWLEY
INVESTIGATION, I DON'T THINK A
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THE STATE
OF MISSOURI REALIZE HE LOST
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR PEOPLE
IN THIS STATE BECAUSE HE
COULDN'T RUN THAT OFFICE.
THEY HAD TO SUB OUT BECAUSE HE
COULDN'T LITIGATE THE CASES.
THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECTIFIED
A VERY LONG TIME AGO BECAUSE I
DON'T THINK ANY OF US, IF WE GO
INTO A JOB AND WE'RE NOT RUNNING
IT PROPERLY FOR THE FIRST COUPLE
WEEKS, THAT WE'RE GOING TO STAY
THERE.
AND I WONDER, ARE THEY GOING TO
BE ABLE TO GET ALL OF THE
INFORMATION FROM THAT OFFICE?
AND IS THE SENATE GOING TO SIT
HIM IF HE'S UNDER INVESTIGATION?
THAT'S AN INTERESTING
QUESTION.
THE ANSWER, I THINK, IS YES TO
THAT BECAUSE OF WHO THE SENATE
IS CONTROLLED BY.
I DON'T THINK THE HOUSE WOULD.
BECAUSE THE DEMOCRATS CONTROL
THE HOUSE.
BUT THAT'S AN INTERESTING POINT.
AND AS I SAY, I WAS ALONE ON
THIS ISSUE.
I THINK THIS IS ACTUALLY TO THE
CREDIT OF JAY ASHCROFT -- I
CAN'T BELIEVE I'M SAYING THAT.
I CAN'T EITHER.
YOU KNOW, HIS FATHER WAS
SOMEBODY THAT I JUST DISAGREED
WITH SO MUCH FOR SO LONG
ALTHOUGH --
BUT YOU HAVE RESPECT FOR HIM.
I ALWAYS RESPECTED HIS
INTEGRITY AND MAYBE JAY ASHCROFT
IS TRYING TO BRAND HIMSELF --
BUT WHAT CAN HE DO IF HE A
QUESTION HAS BEEN RAISED ABOUT
SENATOR-ELECT HAWLEY, HE HAS TO
FOLLOW --
WELL, TO HIS CREDIT AND I'LL
STICK TO MY GUNS, THE FACT THAT
HE HAS A DREADED APPOINTEE
WORKING FOR HIM WHO HAPPENS TO
GIVE MONEY FOR A DEMOCRAT, AS IF
THAT WAS A CRIME, AND THE FACT
THAT HE'S BROUGHT IN THE
DEMOCRATIC AUDITOR WITH SUBPOENA
POWER, IT IS THE BEST EXAMPLE OF
BIPARTISANSHIP OUT THERE.
I CAN'T BELIEVE EVERYBODY IS NOT
EMBRACING AND GIVING JAY
ASHCROFT CREDIT FOR WHAT APPEARS
TO BE AN INDEPENDENT
INVESTIGATION OF SOMEBODY IN HIS
OWN PARTY.
I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THERE ARE
REPUBLICANS VERY UPSET ABOUT IT.
THERE ARE REPUBLICANS WHO ARE
VERY UPSET ABOUT IT, BUT I THINK
IN TERMS OF THE DEMOCRAT WHO
HAS -- HEISINGER, I MEAN NO
DISRESPECT, I JUST CAN'T
REMEMBER HER NAME AT THIS
MOMENT, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT
SHE WORKS FOR MR. ASHCROFT, BUT
I JUST THINK IN TERMS OF OPTICS,
WE HAVE TO --
I THINK IT'S GREAT OPTICS!
THAT A REPUBLICAN PICKS A
DEMOCRAT TO RUN -- TO
INVESTIGATE A FELLOW REPUBLICAN.
I THINK THAT'S PERFECT AND IF IT
WERE FLIPPED, I THINK IT WAS
PERFECT.
I THINK IT IS PERFECT THAT --
SEVERAL OF OUS THE PANEL
DISAGREE WITH YOU TONIGHT, RAY.
I KNOW YOU DO.
ALL FOUR OF YOU.
AND IF THE SITUATION WAS
REVERSED, BUT KATHY, WE THANK
YOU.
LET'S GO TO BILL, FIRST-TIME
CALLER FROM ROCK HILL.
WHO?
BILL, YOU'RE ON DONNYBROOK
YOU'RE TURN.
BILL FROM ROCK HILL.
Caller: RAY, THIS IS OUR
TURN, NOT YOUR TURN.
NOW THAT WE GOT THAT STRAIGHT,
I'D LIKE TO COMMENT ON THE
SITUATION ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPH
OF THE FOOTBALL WITH THE HIGH
SIGN.
HAVE YOU NOTICED THERE SOMES
TUBE KIND OF A SUB CULTURE THAT
HAS DEVELOPED THAT SPENDS ALL
THEIR TIME TRYING TO FIND STUFF
TO GET OFFENDED BY?
IT'S GOT TO BE RIDICULOUS.
THIS PAST WEEK THERE WAS
SOMEBODY WHO HAD A BIG
CONNIPTION BECAUSE THEY CLAIMED
THAT RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED
REINDEER WAS BULLYING AND NOW
THEY'RE ALL UPSET ABOUT IT AND
THIS THING WITH THE HIGH SIGN.
FOLKS, FIRST OF ALL, GET A LIFE.
SECOND OF ALL, LAWYERS STOP
TAKING CASES FOR THESE PEOPLE.
AND THIRD OF ALL, THE
CONSTITUTION -- YOU SHOULD KNOW
THIS, RAY, AS BEING A MEMBER OF
THE ACLU, CONTROVERSIAL SPEECH
IS PROTECTED SPEECH.
THERE'S NOTHING IN THE
CONSTITUTION THAT SAYS YOU HAVE
A RIGHT NOT TO BE OFFENDED.
AMEN.
Caller: AND ALL THE PEOPLE
TRYING TO FIND THESE SAFE SPEECH
ZONES ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES AND
TRYING TO -- YOU KNOW, THEY'RE
TRYING -- THERE'S NO RIGHT TO BE
NOT OFFENDED IN THE
CONSTITUTION.
IT DOESN'T EXIST.
WE AGREE.
WE AGREE, AND I I HAVE -- I'M
GUILTY OF A LOT OF THINGS, BUT
STICKING UP FOR, YOU KNOW --
DEFENDING --
YOU ALWAYS DEFEND FREE
SPEECH.
I AGREE WITH YOU.
THANKS, BILL, THANKS FOR
CALLING.
LET'S GO TO THE TWITTERVERSE.
@CRAIG, MY BUDDY.
THE REPUBLICAN SECRETARY OF
STATE APPOINTED THE LAWYER WHO
WILL INVESTIGATE WHAT MAY OR MAY
NOT HAVE HAPPENED IN JOSH
HAWLEY'S CAMPAIGN.
HAS ANYONE QUESTIONED HIM
DIRECTLY WHY HE CHOSE HER?
THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION, CRAIG.
I THINK THAT'S BECAUSE HE
WANTS TO APPEAR BIPARTISAN.
SISTER VAUR 23, WHEN IT COMES TO
THE OKAY SIGN, I THINK IT'S
ABOUT EDUCATING YOURSELF.
MANY PEOPLE FIND SIGNS WE FIND
HARMLESS AS INSULTING.
BE RESPECTFUL AND THINK OF THE
CONTEXT IT IS USED.
THANK YOU.
@STEVE JACOBOWSKI, I WOULD
RATHER WE DEVELOP THE PERSONAL
PROPERTY TAX INSTEAD OF THE
EARNINGS TAX.
IT'S PART OF THE REASON I BOUGHT
A 2005 CAR.
THANK YOU.
KEEP TWEETING US AT THE
#DONNYBROOKSTL.
AND WE'LL GO TO BRENDA IN
COLLINSVILLE.
HELLO, BRENDA.
HI, BRENDA.
Caller: HI.
I'M CALLING ABOUT THE OKAY SIGN.
I WAS IN THE ARMY AND WHEN WE
WENT TO GERMANY IN 1979, WE WERE
TOLD NOT TO USE THAT SIGN TO THE
GERMANS BECAUSE IT MEANT
MY GOODNESS.
OKAY.
WELL, WE THANK YOU AND WE'RE
HOPING OUR DELAY IS WORKING THIS
EVENING.
IT MAY OR MAY NOT.
THANK YOU, BRENDA.
THAT ONE -- WELL, I THOUGHT WHEN
SHE SAID THEY WERE IN GERMANY,
THAT IF THIS WAS A QUESTION OF A
WHITE -- WOW.
OKAY, BRENDA, THANK YOU SO MUCH
FOR PHONING IN.
I DID NOT SEE THAT ONE
COMING.
I DID NOT EITHER.
LET'S GO TO RON IN AUGUSTA,
MISSOURI.
HI, RON.
WATCH YOUR TONGUE.
Caller: YEAH, BRENDA, GO,
GIRL.
IT'S OKAY WITH ME.
Caller: FIRST OFF, MERRY
CHRISTMAS TO YOU GUYS.
THANK YOU.
SAME TO YOU, BY THE WAY.
Caller: AS FAR AS THIS
ASHCROFT THING, IF I'M GOING TO
BE INVESTIGATED, THE I WANT THE
PERSON THAT'S GOING TO DIG UP
THE WORST STUFF ON ME.
IF HE'S NOT GUILTY, HE'S NOT
GUILTY.
IF HE'S GUILTY, HE'S GUILTY.
I SUPPORTED JOSH, I THINK HE'S A
GOOD GUY, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO
INVESTIGATE HIM, LET'S DO IT.
I COULDN'T CARE LESS WHO IT DID.
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT'S TWG ON.
I AGREE.
Caller: AND AS FAR AS THIS
SILLY OKAY THING, I'M A KID OF
THE '70s IN HIGH SCHOOL, SO I
HAD TO WATCH MY BLACK FRIENDS
AND I PROBABLY WOULD ADMIT I
MAYBE EVEN IN A WEAK MOMENT
JOINED IN WITH THE CLENCHED FIST
FOR BLACK POWER.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE WHITE POWER,
WE HAVE BLACK POWER.
WE SHOULDN'T HAVE THAT STUFF.
OKAY.
Caller: WE DON'T LIKE EITHER
ONE.
ALL RIGHT.
Caller: WE'RE JUST ONE
COUNTRY.
OKAY.
APPRECIATE THAT.
THANK YOU, RON.
WE APPRECIATE YOU CALLING.
LET'S GO TO JOHN FROM MAPLE
WOOD.
HI, JOHN.
Caller: HI.
HOW ARE YOU GUYS?
WE'RE GOOD.
Caller: DON'T FIND MYSELF IN
A POSITION TO CONTRADICT ALVIN
TO MANY OCCASIONS, BUT TONIGHT
YOU SAID SOMETHING THAT YOU --
MY OWN TWO BOYS WHO ARE UNDER 16
ARE BOTH WORKING, ONE OF THEM IS
WORKING IN A RESTAURANT IN
MAPLEWOOD AND THE OTHER ONE IS
CUTTING GRASS AND, YOU KNOW,
HUSTLING TRYING TO MAKE MONEY
ANY WAY HE CAN, AND I THINK THE
SCHOOL DISTRICT REALLY
ENCOURAGES KIDS, YOU KNOW, TO
GET ALL KINDS OF EXPERIENCE, YOU
KNOW.
RIGHT.
Caller: THEY'VE DONE A GREAT
JOB.
THE COMMUNITY HERE HAS DONE A
GREAT JOB EMBRACING THESE KIDS
AND GIVING THEM THAT EXPERIENCE,
AND I THINK IT'S REALLY A SCHOOL
DISTRICT ON THE RISE AND A
COMMUNITY ON THE RISE.
OKAY.
Caller: SO ALVIN IS WRONG.
I'D LIKE TO STICK UP FOR
ALVIN.
I THINK HE WAS MAKING THE POINT
THAT IN CERTAIN PARTS OF
ST. LOUIS N THIS CASE IT WAS --
WAS IT ELLISVILLE?
IT WAS CHESTERFIELD.
CHESTERFIELD.
THAT THERE ARE CERTAIN PARTS OF
MORE AFFLUENT WEST COUNTY THAT I
THINK HE WAS VERY TACTFULLY AND
PROPERLY MAKING THE POINT THAT A
LOT OF PEOPLE WEREN'T INTERESTED
IN DOING THEIR JOBS.
I DON'T THINK HE WAS TALKING
ABOUT MAPLE WOOD AT ALL, SO I
THINK A WOULD -- THAT WOULD BE
MY GUESS OF WHAT HE WAS SAYING.
WE APPRECIATE THE CALL.
YES, AS A PARENT, WE -- OR AS
PARENTS, I SHOULD SAY, MY
HUSBAND AND I THOUGHT IT WAS
VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE HE AND I
HAD BOTH WORKED IN HIGH SCHOOL
AND I KNOW YOU WORKED IN HIGH
SCHOOL AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL
AND WE WORKED IN JUNIOR HIGH
SCHOOL.
I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEND A CHILD
INTO A COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY
EXPERIENCE WITHOUT HAVING A
LITTLE MORE LIFE EXPERIENCE.
AND YOU CAN'T FIND A BETTER
PLACE TO ACQUIRE THAT LIFE
EXPERIENCE THAN ON THE JOB.
YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU'RE A
TEENAGER.
SO I THINK PARENTS ARE DOING
THEIR CHILDREN A GREAT
DISSERVICE WHEN -- THAT'S JUST
MY OWN PERSONAL OPINION -- WHEN
THEY DON'T ENCOURAGE THEM TO GET
A JOB.
MAYBE THEY'RE IN LIKE FLINT IN
COLLEGE AND THEY DON'T NEED TO
HAVE A JOB, BUT THANKS, JOHN,
FOR ALLOWING ME TO EVENT.
GOOD FOR YOU AND BECAUSE OF
THAT, I GOT TO WORK FOR THE
GREAT MARTIN DUGGAN.
AND THAT DIDN'T WORK OUT FOR
YOU.
IT NEVER SEEMED TO --
OH, HE WAS SO PROUD OF YOU.
BILL FROM BONNE TERRE.
HOW ARE YOU DOING, BILL?
Caller: WENDY, I ABSOLUTELY
LOVE YOU, BUT I DON'T LIKE WHAT
YOU SAID ABOUT PEOPLE WHO DON'T
LIKE THE RESULTS OF ELECTION
TRYING TOOVER -- TOOVER TURN IT
THROUGH INVESTIGATION.
INVESTIGATION ONLY GET PEOPLE'S
WHO HAVE COMMITTED CRIMES.
IF YOU DON'T CREDIT COMMIT A
CRIME, DON'T BE CONCERNED ABOUT
AN INVESTIGATION.
I THINK ANYBODY IN PUBLIC OFFICE
SHOULD FEAR BEING INVESTIGATED
TO DEATH BECAUSE THAT'S HOW
WE'RE GOING TO KEEP CROOKS OUT
OF PUBLIC OFFICE AND THE
RIDICULOUS NOTION THAT PEOPLE
WERE PUSHING ABOUT A PERJURY
TRAP, YOU KNOW WHAT?
PERJURY TRAPS CATCH LIARS.
YOU DON'T LIE, YOU DON'T GET
CAUGHT.
YEAH.
I AGREE THAT'S TRUE.
AND IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE,
I'D LIKE TO EMPHASIZE, THERE IS
THE REAL APPEARANCE -- I DON'T
KNOW CRIMINAL, WE DON'T KNOW
WHERE IT'S GOING TO GO.
RIGHT.
BUT THE APPEARANCE OF THESE
OUTSIDE POLITICAL CONSULTANTS,
YOU KNOW, HAVING ENGAGED, YOU
KNOW, MEMBERS OF THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S PUBLICLY PAID STAFF,
IT'S REALLY A TROUBLING THING.
AND I THINK, AGAIN, I'LL
CONGRATULATE JAY ASHCROFT FOR
TAKING IT SERIOUSLY.
I DO THINK IT'S GOOD THAT IT'S
BIPARTISAN IN HOW IT'S BEING
APPROACHED, AND I'LL STICK TO
THAT.
I CAN TELL YOU KIT BOND, THERE
WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY
INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THERE WAS
A VERY -- AND I GET CRITICIZED
FOR POINTING OUT ALL THE TIME,
BUT THERE WAS A VERY FIRM LINE
THAT WASN'T CROSSED IN THE
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE IN -- WHEN KIT
BOND WAS GOVERNOR.
AND BILL, I THANK YOU FOR THE
LOVE.
I'M JUST SAYING THAT IN THESE
PARTISAN, I MEAN IN THESE HIGHLY
CHARGED TIMES, FOR CHRISTINE
HEISINGER TO HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO
CLAIRE McCASKILL -- IF SHE WERE
JUST A DEMOCRAT, I WOULD SAY THE
OPTICS DON'T MATTER, BUT DOWN
THE ROAD, YOU DON'T WANT
ANYTHING TO JEOPARDIZE OR
DISCREDIT OR CALL INTO QUESTION
THE RESULTS OF WHAT SHE
UNEARTHS.
IT WON'T BE.
SHE REPORTS TO HER BOSS, THE
REPUBLICAN.
THAT'S THE WHOLE POINT.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL THAT BOTH PARTIES
ARE INVOLVED TOGETHER IN THIS
INVESTIGATION.
THAT'S WHAT WE NEED.
SHE REPORTS TO JAY ASHCROFT.
ALL RIGHT, I GIVE UP, I CAN'T
WIN THE ARGUMENT.
WHO'S NEXT?
I GIVE UP.
LARRY IN SOUTH COUNTY.
HI, LARRY, WELCOME TO DONNYBROOK
YOUR TURN.
Caller: HI, GUYS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS TO BOTH OF YOU.
ON THIS CITY EARNINGS TAX THING,
YEARS AGO WE MOVED FROM THE CITY
TO THE COUNTY AND IT HAD MORE TO
DO WITH THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE THOUGHT THAT THE SCHOOLS WERE
BECOMING SUBPAR AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE WILL MOVE FOR THAT, BUT
THE CITY EARNINGS TAX WAS PART
OF IT, TOO.
WE MOVED TO SHREWSBURY AND, OF
COURSE, WE DIDN'T HAVE A CITY
EARNINGS TAX THERE.
RIGHT.
RIGHT.
I THINK THAT'S A FAIR POINT.
I THINK THERE'S DEFINITELY PROS
AND CONS.
YOU AGREE, LARRY, THAT THE FOLKS
IN THE CITY AT LEAST, VOTED
FAIRLY OVERWHELMINGLY IN FAVOR
OF IT AND YOU MAY HAVE VOTED
WITH YOUR FEET, I GET THAT, BUT
I'M JUST SAYING -- WHICH YOU
HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO, BUT IT WAS
A PRETTY CLEAR-CUT VOTE IN THE
CITY AND IN KANSAS CITY.
AND WE'VE BEEN DEBATING THIS
ISSUE FOR DECADES, HAVEN'T WE?
AND THIS WHOLE QUESTION COULDN'T
COME, I THINK, AT A WORST TIME
FOR THE CITY BECAUSE THE GAP
THAT WOULD BE LEFT IF WE HAD
THAT VACUUM WOULD BE -- WE'D BE
IN REAL TROUBLE.
LARRY, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU FOR THE CALL.
LET'S GO TO TOM IN JEFFERSON
COUNTY.
HI, TOM, YOU'RE ON DONNYBROOK,
YOUR TURN.
ARE YOU THERE, TOM?
SPEAK INTO THE PHONE AND NOT
THE --
Caller: GOOD EVENING AND
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
YEAH, I'M HERE.
GOOD EVENING AND MERRY
CHRISTMAS.
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND?
Caller: I'D LIKE TO CLARIFY
SOMETHING ON THE EARNINGS TAX.
GO AHEAD.
OKAY.
Caller: YOU DON'T HAVE TO --
I DIDN'T LIVE IN THE CITY AND
WHEN I WORKED ON CONSTRUCTION OR
FOR AN OFFICE IN ST. LOUIS, WE
HAD TO PAY THE EARNINGS TAX AND
THERE'S NO WAY TO FILE TO GET
THAT MONEY BACK.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY GOING TO THE
CITY.
THAT WAS THE IDEA, THAT WHILE
YOU WERE WORKING IN CONSTRUCTION
IN THE CITY, IF YOU NEEDED A
POLICEMAN OR A --
OR A FIREFIGHTER.
OR A FIREFIGHTER OR A MEDIC
OR YOU NEEDED THE STREETS TO NOT
HAVE POTHOLES, YOU WERE -- THE
CITY WAS COVERING THAT COST FOR
YOU AS THEY DO FOR US WHEN WE
COME TO THE COUNTY TO CHANNEL 9.
THAT'S THE THEORY AT LEAST.
THAT MAKE SENSE?
Caller: HOW MUCH -- I DON'T
KNOW.
I'M ASKING A QUESTION.
HOW MUCH REVENUE DOES THAT BRING
INTO THE CITY EACH YEAR?
I SHOULD KNOW THAT AND I
DON'T REMEMBER THAT.
100 -- IT'S AT LEAST --
IT'S A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER.
IT'S 100-PLUS MILLION.
100-PLUS MILLION DOLLARS.
A SIGNIFICANT SOURCE OF
REVENUE FOR THE CITY.
I THINK IT'S A THIRD OF THE
OPERATING -- 30%, I APOLOGIZE, I
THINK IT'S ROUGHLY 30% OF THE
OPERATING BUDGET.
AND IT FOLLOWS CITY RESIDENTS
IF THEY WORK IN THE COUNTY AND
THAT'S THE -- IN A PERFECT
WORLD, MAYBE EVERYBODY WOULD
HAVE THE EARNINGS TACT AND IT
WOULDN'T IMPEDIMENT TO THE CITY,
BUT WE HAD AN ELECTION AND THE
POINT IS EVERY FIVE YEARS,
UNFORTUNATELY, THE VOTERS HAVE
TO REDECIDE THIS POINT AND FOR A
STATE SENATOR FROM ANYWHERE
OUTSIDE OF THE CITY TO BE TRYING
TO FOIST THIS ON PEOPLE IS JUST
AWFUL.
WE'VE ALREADY HAD THE VOTE.
TO ALVIN'S SUGGESTION THAT
THIS HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A
BETTER TOGETHER TYPE OF SCENARIO
AND THE CONSOLIDATION OF THE
CITY AND THE COUNTY, THAT'S
GOING TO BE REALLY INTERESTING
TO WATCH.
THE CONCEPT IS VERY
TROUBLESOME.
YES, TOM, THANK YOU.
LET'S GO TO CAROLYN FROM
BELLEVILLE.
HI, CAROLYN.
Caller: HI.
HOW ARE YOU?
Caller: I'M FINE, THANK YOU.
I'M CALLING REGARDING THE LADUE
STUDENT MAKING THE SIGN.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS IN HIS
HEART.
MAYBE IT WAS HARMLESS OR MAYBE
IT'S A PART OF A SUBCULTURE
THAT'S A RESULT OF THE PRESIDENT
THAT WE HAVE.
THE PRESIDENT CALLED HIMSELF A
NATIONALIST.
HE'S A WHITE NATIONALIST.
AS AN AFRICAN AMERICAN, WHEN I
HEAR WHITE NATIONALIST, I THINK
OF KKK AND NEO NAZI.
I THINK THE CLIMATE HAS BECOME
UNHEALTHY, ESPECIALLY SINCE HE
BECAME PRESIDENT.
I THINK THAT PRESIDENT TRUMP
APPEALS TO PEOPLE'S FEAR AND
IGNORANCE, AND I THINK THAT'S
WHAT'S GOING ON.
THAT'S THE WAY I FEEL ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU.
OKAY.
THANK YOU.
IT IS REALLY HARD FOR ME TO
BELIEVE, BECAUSE THIS PRESIDENT
LITERALLY SHOOTS HIMSELF IN THE
FOOT ON AN HOURLY BASIS, IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT FOR ME TO BELIEVE
THAT WHEN HE SAID THAT HE WAS --
WHEN HE CALLED HIMSELF A
NATIONALIST, THAT HE UNDERSTOOD
THE IMPLICATIONS OF THAT ANY
MORE THAN HE UNDERSTANDS THE
IMPLICATIONS OF 10 OUT OF 20 OF
HIS TWEETS DURING THE DAY.
BUT I -- AND I RESPECT WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING, CAROLYN, AND --
WE'LL KEEP IT LOW CUT.
I DO AGREE WITH CAROLYN, BUT I
WILL SAY IN THE CASE OF THIS,
I'M NOT CONVINCED THAT THIS
PARTICULAR INSTANCE IN LADUE WAS
A CASE OF THE KID DOING A
NATIONALIST SIGN.
I DON'T KNOW.
AND AS I SAY, I -- IT WAS AN
INTERESTING CONVERSATION WITH
BILL AND CHARLIE ABOUT HOW IT
SHOULD BE COVERED AND THAT'S
REALLY WHAT WE TALKED ABOUT, BUT
I AGREE WITH CAROLYN IN GENERAL
ABOUT THE SENTIMENT ABOUT THE
PRESIDENT, BUT I DON'T KNOW THAT
IT'S FAIR TO NECESSARILY -- I
JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED AT
LADUE, IF ANYTHING.
WE'LL SEE.
THANK YOU FOR CALLING,
CAROLYN.
THANK YOU FOR THE CALL.
LET'S GO TO TERRY FROM O'FALLON,
ILLINOIS.
HI, TERRY.
Caller: HELLO.
YOU'RE ON THE AIR.
Caller: GOOD.
I HAVE TWO THINGS THAT I'D LIKE
TO DISCUSS A LITTLE BIT TONIGHT.
THE FIRST ONE IS THE GSA SITE, I
BELIEVE, YOU KNOW, THE
GEOSPATIAL -- I THINK THAT'S
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST WASTE OF
TAXPAYER MONEY THAT THE
ST. LOUIS REGION HAS SEEN SINCE
PRUITT IGO.
THEY COULD HAVE BUILT THAT ON
THE SITE FREE OF CHARGE FOR THE
LAND AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN
RIGHT THERE WHERE A VAST
MAJORITY OF THEIR WORK CAME FROM
WITHOUT HAVING TO RUN NEW
COMMUNICATIONS LINES ACROSS THE
RIVER.
OKAY, RIGHT.
Caller: THAT'S ABOUT ALL I
WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE.
HOWEVER, ON THE KID WITH THE
OKAY SIGN SUPPOSEDLY, MAYBE A
LITTLE HUMOR HERE.
IF YOU'RE FAMILIAR WITH THE SHOW
SEINFELD, THERE WAS AN EPISODE
WHERE KRAMER GOT MIXED UP WITH
THE VAN BUREN GANG AND THEY HAD
A SIGN VERY SIMILAR TO THAT.
MAYBE THAT'S WHAT HE WAS GIVING.
I DON'T KNOW.
KRAMER HAD HIS OWN PROBLEMS.
I GET YOUR POINT.
YOU'RE IN ST. CLAIR COUNTY,
CORRECT?
Caller: CORRECT.
AND LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
IF YOU'RE OUT OF TOWN AND
SOMEBODY SAYS WHERE ARE YOU
FROM, WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER?
Caller: I'M FROM O'FALLON?
YOU DON'T SAY ST. LOUIS?
THAT WAS THE POINT I WAS
MAKING.
I THINK THE CITY WAS
PERFECTLY --
WITHIN ITS RIGHTS.
DID THE RIGHT THING TO KEEP
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE
LARGE OPERATION HERE, AND HAVING
SAID THAT, I ALSO TRY TO MAKE
THE POINT THAT I THINK YOU'RE AS
MUCH A PART OF ST. LOUIS AS
ST. LOUIS IS, BUT APPARENTLY YOU
DON'T REALLY LOOK AT -- YOU LOOK
AT YOURSELF AS NOT FROM
ST. LOUIS, IS THAT CORRECT?
Caller: WELL, I HAVE FAMILY
ON BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER AND
WE'VE HAD FAMILY ON BOTH SIDES
OF THE RIVER FOR MANY YEARS.
BUT IF THE CARDINALS --
IN THE CARDINALS WERE IN THE
WORLD SERIES, WHERE ARE YOU
FROM?
ST. LOUIS!
Caller: OH, I'M MORE OR LESS
A RACING ENTHUSIAST.
HOWEVER, I PAY ATTENTION TO THE
CARDINALS IN THE PLAYOFFS.
OF COURSE, YOU DO.
THAT'S FINE, WE'RE ALL ONE
COMMUNITY HERE, BUT THANKS FOR
THE CALL, TERRY.
THANK YOU, TERRY.
THANKS TO ALL OUR VIEWERS ON
BOTH SIDES OF THE RIVER.
LET'S GO TO BRIAN WHO'S IN SOUTH
COUNTY, WHICH I THINK IS PART OF
ST. LOUIS.
I THINK IT IS, UNLESS THERE'S
BEEN AN EARTHQUAKE.
HI, BRIAN.
Caller: IT IS A PART OF
ST. LOUIS AND AS A COUNTY
RESIDENT, THERE'S A LOT OF
REASONS WHY I DON'T LIVE IN THE
CITY, BUT I SUPPORT THE CITY
100% AND YOU -- I'M FOR THE
EARNINGS TAX.
I WORK TWO PART-TIME JOBS IN THE
CITY AND I'M SURPRISED NO ONE
HAS USED THIS TERM.
IT'S A NECESSARY EVIL.
IT'S A THIRD OF THE CITY'S
BUDGET AND IF YOU SLASH A THIRD
OF THE CITY'S BUDGET, THE CITY
IS GOING TO GO DOWN THE TUBES
AND WHAT'S GOOD FOR THE CITY IS
GOOD FOR THE REGION AS A WHOLE.
THANK YOU.
Caller: I LIVE IN SOUTH
COUNTY AND IT'S NOT EXACTLY
THRIVING.
IF THE CITY WERE THRIVING MORE,
THE REGION WOULD BE THRIVING
MORE.
THE CITY IS THE HEART OF THE
REGION WHETHER YOU WANT TO
ACKNOWLEDGE IT OR NOT AND THE
ONE PERCENT EARNINGS TAX, WHILE
I DON'T LIKE IT COMING OUT OF MY
PAYCHECK, IT IS A NECESSARY
EVIL.
WELL SAID.
WELL SAID, BRIAN.
DO WE HAVE TIME FOR ONE MORE
CALLER?
WE HAVE TO BE REALLY QUICK, BOB
FROM ST. LOUIS.
YOU HAVE ABOUT 15 SECONDS.
Caller: HEY, THIS IS BOB.
HOW YOU GUYS DOING?
YOU LOOK UP THERE.
I NECESSITY WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
TSH NOTICE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
THE TAX.
REALLY QUICK, BOB.
WE'RE ABOUT OUT OF TIME.
Caller: MY THING WAS, OKAY,
IF YOU'RE GOING TO TAX, FINE.
YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT
POTHOLES AND EVERYTHING.
I HAVEN'T LIVED HERE THIS LORNG,
BUT I NOTICE WHEN IT RAINS, YOU
CAN'T SEE THE ROADS.
MAYBE THEY COULD THROW SOME OF
THAT INTO PAINT.
YOU CAN'T SEE LINES AND THEN THE
POTHOLES ARE THERE.
WE'RE OUT OF TIME.
WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU
ACROSS OUR REGION FOR SUPPORTING
CHANNEL 9 AND WATCHING US AND
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT
THURSDAY NIGHT.
YES, WE WILL.
HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND.