Talking Politics

This week on Talking Politics: the latest on Jo Ann Emerson’s retirement and the rush to find a replacement in the US House. Plus, the so-called fiscal cliff, and what it would mean for the University of Missouri system.

The current human rights act in Missouri says, to discriminate against any person because of “race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, sex, disability, or familial status” is illegal, but it doesn’t cover gender identity and sexual orientation. It’s not just in Missouri, right now 29 states have no protections for sexual orientation and 34 have no discrimination protections for transgender individuals.

Aaron Malin is the co-founder of Missourians for Equality, an organization that is attempting to take the issue of employment and housing discrimination of LGBT members to a ballot in 2014. The proposal would be an amendment to the current legal definition of discrimination in Missouri.

Hello and welcome to Talking Politics, I’m Ryan Famuliner.

Less than a week, folks. That’s all the time you have to make sure you’re prepared for election day. KBIA’s been conducting in-depth interviews with political candidates for regional and statewide office in our studios, and we’re airing portions of those in these few days left leading up the election. We’re also posting the full length-interviews here on KBIA.org: we’re calling them “candidate conversations.”

This week on Talking Politics, Columbia College political scientist Terry Smith makes his predictions for November 6th. Plus, our “candidate conversation,” Democratic Lt. Governor candidate Susan Montee.

We hear again from Columbia College political scientist Terry Smith, who is a regular contributor to the show. In this commentary, he has his predictions for November 6th.

This week on the show: What to expect during Wednesday’s Presidential debate. Plus, we talk with Republican women in Boone County.

All eyes were on Columbia as the candidates for Governor and the US Senate squared off in the first debate of this election cycle on Friday. This week on the show we have more in-depth reporting on what happened at the debates.

This week, Harvest Public Media has a report from a surrogate debate, where each side tried to prove their candidate is best for agriculture. Plus, commentator Terry Smith talks about two political-types, one from each party, that could both have a major impact on the presidential race this year.

This week on the show, a report on what’s holding up the farm bill; and regular contributor Terry Smith weighs in on the Democratic National Convention.

This week on the show, commentator Terry Smith’s take on the Republican National Convention, and a conversation with a man who sat on the Missouri Supreme Court for two decades.

This week on the show: new laws go into effect in Missouri. Plus, a fascinating look at the history of the U.S. Senate seat Todd Akin and Claire McCaskill are running for this fall.

For KBIA’s Talking Politics, Ryan Famuliner sat down with Terry Smith, a regular contributor to the show, to talk about the fallout from Rep. Todd Akin’s comments regarding abortion and rape.

This week we sit down with Columbia Daily Tribune statehouse reporter Rudy Keller to discuss the big issues facing the General Assembly as the end of the legislative session approaches.

This week on Talking Politics we speak with Columbia state Senator Kurt Schaefer about the budget-making process.

This week on Talking Politics, we look into the indictment of former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson--a man many long-time statehouse figures held in high esteem.

This week on Talking Politics, KBIA and Harvest Public Media's Jessica Naudziunas reports on ongoing strife between hog farmers and animal rights activists--a battle which could be decided by state legislators.

This week on Talking Politics, we examine "wedge issues"--those hot-button topics lawmakers both nationally and state-wide continually bicker over.

This week on Talking Politics we investigate the claims and accusations made during a surprisingly contentious race for Columbia's sixth ward city council seat.

This week on Talking Politics: a MU political science professor explains to us Missouri's convoluted GOP caucus system.

A bust of controversial conservative talk-radio host Rush Limbaugh--who is from Cape Girardeau--might be placed in the Hall of Famous Missourians in the state capitol building.  This week we talk with Missouri House Speaker Steven Tilley, the man leading the charge to put the bust in the Hall.

This week on Talking Politics we sit down Columbia Rep. Chris Kelly, a longtime politico in Jefferson City, to discuss the implementation of a health care exchange in the Missouri.

This week on Talking Politics, we delve the controversy and complexity surrounding the debate over the redrawing of both state and federal representative districts.

This week on Talking Politics, a voter ID bill passes through the Missouri House of Representatives and we discuss Gov. Jay Nixon's curious relationship with both the press and legislators.

This week on Talking Politics we take a look back at the week that was in Jefferson City, where education policy and funding dominated much of the debate.

This week on Talking Politics two Jefferson City lawmakers (both from Columbia) delve into the future of higher education in the state of Missouri as potentially massive budget cuts in 2013 loom large.