Friends,

Before I get into the lessons themselves, I want to cover two short items. First, visit the new and improved JasonKander.com for up-to-date information and an all new look (just in time for next year’s re-election effort).

Second, this newsletter is slightly different than those in the past because I’m not overloading you with text in the email itself. If you like one of the lessons and want to keep reading, just click on the “READ MORE” link at the end of each excerpt or on the lesson’s headline.

If you want to view this email in a separate web page, click here.

OK, here are a few new lessons:

IT’S IMPORTANT TO GET OUT OF JEFFERSON CITY AND RECONNECT WITH A LESS PARTISAN MINDSET.

It’s amazing just how partisan things can become in the state capitol. You have to really focus on not allowing yourself to fall into the trap of team-based, hyper-partisan thinking during the legislative session. All of us, myself included, have been guilty of it at some point in the past.

Politics, in some ways, is a team sport I suppose. That said, as time outside of Jeff City accumulates, the less apt you are to consider the partisan political angles to decisions. This is usually a good thing.

The big reasons for this are obvious. Republicans are in power in the House and Senate, so they control the chamber itself as well as every chairmanship. This profoundly shapes the legislation that makes its way out of the House. That is evident to any observer.

But there are also little things . . .[CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS LESSON]

AGILE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TOOLS ARE THE KEY TO JOB CREATION IN MISSOURI.

When it comes to job creation and economic development, we have to do two things at once.First, we have to make sure we preserve existing Missouri companies and help them expand. Second, we have to lure start-ups and out-of-state companies here to Missouri – particularly technology companies.

While Missouri does well among other states in our investment in research and development, we trail most Midwestern states in our ability to “commercialize” the result of that research.

Lately, I have spent a lot of time visiting with entrepreneurs across the state. Our infrastructure and foundation is strong, but our follow through is weak. It’s not the fault of anyone in power now – we must give those in office today the tools necessary for success.

Currently, we can nurture an idea and bring it into the world, even raise it through adolescence. But just when it’s ready to go out and really set the world on fire, another state comes in with the tools to lure that business away from us. As the Governor has pointed out frequently, there is no limit to what Missouri can do if we have the right tools.

To me, this comes down to a focus on the principle of “agility.”

This may be best understood by . . . [CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS LESSON]

I NEED TO STAY ON TOP OF THESE NEWSLETTERS.

A few days ago, I was in line at the grocery store and, as often happens, a constituent recognized me and we started talking. He was very nice and he said, “I read every word of your email updates.” I started to feel guilty right then because I don’t think I’ve written a substantive update in months. I’ve just become so busy that it’s been tough to really sit down, slow down, and put in the time.

Plus, since the legislative session ended in May, I haven’t had the constant flow of interesting Jefferson City stories to relay to you.

So after this trip to the grocery store, it seemed like everywhere I went someone would stop me and ask me when I was going to do another update. By the end of this past week, I had decided that I was going to get a substantive update done no matter what.

I still feel like at least half of my job as a State Representative is . . . [CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF THIS LESSON]

I’ll have some more lessons again soon. Thanks very much for reading!

Sincerely,

Jason

P.S. If you missed the recent re-election fundraiser at Screenland (or even if you didn’t), it’s not too late to help out with a contribution.