I flew to Jefferson City Wednesday morning amidst 38-knot gusty winds and visited the state Capitol.

I spent brief periods sitting or standing in the galleries and watching the Missouri House and Senate debate (generally not discuss) legislation, along with interviewing numerous people.

Although the House had not named its budget conference members when I arrived about 11 a.m., they did so shortly in time for a 12:30 p.m. conference meeting (five House and five Senate members).

I attended part of the conference meeting (all open to the public) and was impressed with the discussion and willingness to negotiate on the differences of the education bill. It was a good committee.

Higher education received $20 million more than the initial Senate position. The new state revenue numbers helped.

The differences are not major between the House and Senate bills, and the conference committee should quickly reach agreement (possibly by the time this column is printed) on all of the bills within the statutory time frame.

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Politics, political interpreting and the tensions of lobbyists shepherding their bills during the remaining two weeks of this session were creating some short tempers in the Capitol hallways.

Term limits will reach a moment of truth next year after the remaining experienced members are term limited out this year.

This includes Sens. Peter Kinder, Jim Mathewson, Wayne Goode (who was honored for his 42 years of legislative service at a picnic Wednesday evening -- the primary reason I went to Jefferson City), John Russell (who also has served 42 years and was so acknowledged by Goode at his picnic), Ken Jacobs, Harold Caskey, Ed Quick, Anita Yeckel, Mary Bland, Doyle Childers and Bill Foster (who's retiring).

All of these senators have been leaders in their parties or the Senate and are respected for their legislative knowledge and abilities.

They will be missed, and next year's Senate membership performance will determine the benefit or liability of term limits.

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I'm disappointed that Gov. Bob Holden and the legislature have not come to some agreement on tort reform. The information and need is there to limit the excessive rewards (and attorneys' fees collected by a small group of trial attorneys who specialize in these activities). This increases the costs for all Missouri citizens who ultimately pay the price for the cost of doing business.

Reasonable changes from last year's bill (vetoed by the governor) were a step in the right direction.

I've heard or read the debates. I know the arguments. It's time to address the increased costs to many created by (in many instances) excessive payments to a few. Statewide competitive economic expansion requires it. This should be doable.

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No one wants to predict the primary race between Holden and Claire McCaskill for the Democratic nomination for governor, but the sitting governor, Holden, is the consensus favorite at this time. However, major campaigning will increase after the legislative session ends May 14, and it should be most interesting.

Ken Jacobs and Bekki Cook, both seeking the nomination for lieutenant governor in the Democratic primary race, are considered a toss-up with the money edge going to Cook and the hard work and charisma edge going to Jacobs.

Peter Kinder (lieutenant governor) and Matt Blunt (governor) are considered favorites on the Republican side at this time.

However, most feel that no matter who gets nominated for these races in Missouri, the final outcome will probably depend on the outcome of the Missouri vote on the presidential race of George Bush versus John Kerry and how much of the ticket they take with them -- if anyone.

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Getting worked up: In April the U.S. Chamber of Commerce released an intriguing report: "Jobs, Trade, Sourcing and the Future of the American Workforce," which overwrought politicians and pundits should read. So should the rest of us. The national blood pressure would take a healthy drop.. This whole jobs issue is put in needed perspective.

Among the report's findings: Despite the economic slowdown of 2000-02, Sept. 11 and the ongoing war on terrorism, more Americans are working today than ever before. The number of jobs sourced overseas is but a small fraction of our nation's work force. "More white-collar office work is shipped from other countries to the U.S. than our country ships overseas." The unemployment rate for Americans who have four-year college degrees is a low 2.9 percent. Most astonishing, given demographic trends, the U.S. will face a real jobs crisis within the next decade: too few workers for too many jobs.

Trying to legislate against job inflows and outflows is futilely self-destructive. Europe has reams of laws to protect jobs -- and the unemployment rate there is nearly twice ours, and the percentage of the European population in the work force is far lower. -- Steve Forbes

--Gary Rust

Chairman of Rust communications