Blunt keeps his word

During his campaign and in the run-up to his inauguration, Gov. Matt Blunt promised he was going to change state government dramatically after 12 years of Democratic administrations in the Missouri statehouse. It didn't take Blunt long to turn his words into actions.

He rescinded the collective-bargaining rights granted thousands of state workers by the previous administration, fired a number of top-level state employees and made cost-cutting changes in state policies.

Blunt dismissed eight employees at the Department of Natural Resources and nine more in the departments of economic development, labor, health, agriculture and the Office of Administration.

He closed the state's lobbying office in Washington.

He also, before actually taking office, hosted a summit for educators and legislators who will be trying to devise a new school funding formula for the state over the coming years. Blunt said raising taxes to fund education is the only idea not on the table as far as he is concerned.

How these actions play out is still to be seen. At the least, Blunt appears to be a leader intent on following through on what he says he will do.