Rep. Icet to run for state auditor

State Representative Allen Icet (R-84) has announced that he will be running for state auditor in 2010. Icet could not run for reelection due to term limited and had filed a finance committee to explore running for the 26th state Senate seat (which will be a hotly contested Republican primary). As the House Budget Chairman Icet certainly brings experience and credibility with his candidacy. The timing is certainly interesting, though. Clearly this is something that Icet has been considering for some time, but the events of last week may have dictated the timing of his annoucement. Last week Tom Schweich decided against running against Roy Blunt in the primary for the open U.S. Senate seat in Missouri and is now considering running for state auditor. By announcing now, Icet gets into the race before anyone else and can call for party unity (a theme of last week's Republican fundraiser) behind his candidacy. Also, the buzz about Schweich feeds the importance of the story and makes it a higher profile announcement.

OSTP - Civic participation

The Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President (EOP) is looking for input on civic participation and how it can be strengthened.

How You Can Help

As we seek to identify immediate policy changes that will promote greater civic participation, we need to know from you:

1. What is the appropriate and most effective role for the government to play in fostering greater civic participation? Should the government develop content, fund the work of organizations that teach civic education, establish platforms to connect communities to each other and to government?
2. Do you know of best practices, whether from local, state or foreign governments, or foundations that foster and support civic participation? What are the most effective tools to get people to participate?
3. What skills and subject areas are the most important for civic literacy today? How do we promote the kind of civic education necessary to enable people to make greater use of government data, like the information available on Data.gov, or participate in online commenting processes, like this one or regulations.gov?

Take a look at the OSTP blog and weigh in on the conversation.

Harriett's List formed in Missouri

Politics Magazine reports: "Today a new organization dedicated to electing progressive Democratic women to the state legislature and state-wide office was born." Harriett's List will be active in Missouri races in 2010, a cycle when we will see a large number of open races in the state House and Senate due to term limits. The Beacon Backroom also has a piece on the new group.