It appears that Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D) will be doing her part to keep the Overton Window right where it has been for the last eight years:

Senator Evan Bayh’s (D-Indiana) press release:

March 18, 2009

Moderate Senate Dems Launch New Group to Shape Public Policy

15 Democrats unite to pursue pragmatic solutions to nation’s problems

WASHINGTON – A diverse group of 15 Senate Democrats today announced the formation of a new moderate coalition that will meet regularly to shape public policy. The group’s goal is to work with the Senate leadership and the new administration to craft common-sense solutions to urgent national problems.

The Moderate Dems Working Group will meet every other Tuesday before the Democratic Caucus lunch to discuss legislative strategies and ideas. The Moderate Dems held their second meeting Tuesday to focus on the upcoming budget negotiations and the importance of passing a fiscally responsible spending plan in the Senate.

Leading the new group are Democratic Senators Evan Bayh of Indiana, Tom Carper of Delaware and Blanche Lincoln of Arkansas. Both Senators Bayh and Carper were successful governors before coming to the Senate. Senators Lincoln and Carper bring bicameral experience to the group as former members of the House of Representatives. All three leaders are honorary co-chairs of Third Way, a progressive Democratic policy group, and Senators Bayh and Carper have led the centrist Democratic Leadership Council.

At the working group meeting, Senator Bayh acknowledged that such a large group was unlikely to agree on all major issues before the Senate. Yet the Moderate Dems are joined by a shared commitment to pursue pragmatic, fiscally sustainable policies across a range of issues, such as deficit containment, health care reform, the housing crisis, educational reform, energy policy and climate change.

In addition to Senators Bayh, Carper and Lincoln, others joining the group are Senators Mark Udall and Michael Bennet of Colorado, Mark Begich of Alaska, Kay Hagan of North Carolina, Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Claire McCaskill of Missouri, Ben Nelson of Nebraska, Bill Nelson of Florida, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Mark Warner of Virginia.

“We have a wonderful opportunity to break gridlock in Washington and accomplish big things for the American people, but we also have a responsibility to pursue sensible solutions that will work,” Bayh said. “Our group seeks to work collaboratively with the Obama administration and Senate leadership to make sure legislation is crafted in a practical way that will solve people’s problems. It’s going to take all of us working together in the Senate to get the 60 votes necessary to deliver the change the American people deserve.”

“The number of moderate Democrats has grown substantially in the past two Congresses – and in America. We can play a constructive role in helping our leadership and the Obama administration get things done in this new Congress,” Senator Carper said. “Now, more than ever, the Senate needs to put ideology aside, to find common ground on legislation, and to deliver results for the American people.”

“Arkansans are pragmatic and expect results from their leaders in Congress,” Senator Lincoln said. “I’m proud to play a constructive role as we work with the administration and Senate leadership to help reach consensus on important issues and serve as a voice for fiscal responsibility.”

Of the working group’s formation, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, “If we are going to deliver the change Americans demanded and move our country forward, it will require the courage to get past our political differences and get to work. Established organizations like Third Way and new ventures like this group offer us a new opportunity to get things done, and I support every effort that puts real solutions above political posturing.”

###

Joe Lieberman? I remember reading about a subcommittee chair somewhere. That could explain a lot.

Mary Landrieu?:

Mary Landrieu, the stupidest Democrat in the Senate

by kos

Wed Mar 18, 2009 at 11:10:04 AM PDT

Exhibit A:

Landrieu, however, said Democrats should not assume the worst of Republicans. She argued Democrats should give the other side a chance to come to the table and work toward a bipartisan deal.

[emphasis in original]

Yep, let’s keep that “Overton Window” right where it’s been.

I voted FOR the casinos’ Prop A Amendment last fall, knowing I was about to get snookered. No matter what the casinos claimed, I knew that the additional tax money it raised would never go to education. Didn’t you? Because if you didn’t, you’re a fool. Look at the history: the casinos made the same promise in 1992, and then the legislature played a shell game with the money. I voted against it back then, and with history as my teacher, I … did an about face?

Yes, and it galled me to help them make a fool out of me, but I’d seen the forecasts of what was about to happen to Missouri state revenues. We were going to need every penny we could get from whatever source, especially since Republicans hold the purse strings.

In her latest newsletter, Representative Jeanne Kirkton–D-Webster Groves–confirmed my expectation about what would happen to the funds:

A shell game is being played with the Proposition A casino revenue approved by voters in November 2008. Once again, voters were promised the money would be additional revenue for public schools but instead it is being used to replace $108 million in general revenue for other, non-education purposes.  There is no new money for education or increased state funding for our schools from Prop A funds.

Oh well. Considering the fiscal lunacy of the current majority party, I can’t regret voting for that damned Prop A amendment. A hundred million is a hundred million, even if it’s going to pay to keep state agencies staffed, or whatever they’re using it for, instead of reducing class sizes.

The Republican lunacy I refer to includes bringing up again in the House a TABOR-like amendment–and this time passing it (82-78). Let us hope that cooler heads prevail in the Senate and that we are not forced to vote down this constitutional amendment in 2010, because it is a dangerous idea.  The amendment would limit future state spending to what it is now, plus inflation and population growth. How sane is it to try to limit all future spending to the level we suffer during a year of severe recession–perhaps one even headed toward a depression? At a time when our state revenues are being sucked into a pit of quicksand, the wingnuts would like to plant a heavy fist on the budget and push it deeper into the mire. I suppose it would be rude to use the word “crackpots” at this juncture, wouldn’t it?

To the Republican way of thinking, though, this is the ideal time to get such a constitutional amendment on the ballot . They relish–a la Grover Norquist and bathtubs–a chance to slash welfare for all those shiftless poor people. And keep it gone.

They have a bonny fine start on that goal: Regular readers of this site know they’re turning down an abso-freakin’-lutely free hundred million dollars for Medicaid.

And that bit of vengeance on people for the sin of being poor almost pales in the face of turning away hundreds of millions in stimulus money.  The $4.3 billion in federal recovery funds that Missouri is slated to get is divided into two categories: funds for new projects to rev up the economy and funds to prevent budget cuts, that is, to keep the state’s economy from spiraling downward. Republicans are fine with spending the first kind of funds for one time projects like highway improvements. They’re not fine with preventing state budget cuts.

They pretend that their revulsion with those funds is a principled stand against overspending. But their ethical code is selective. They’ll take the $500 million for education funding, thank you very much, but they’re thumbing their noses at federal dollars for senior services, mental health services, and children’s health care.

Mind you, I’m not complaining that Republicans took the education funds. We need them, so it’s fortunate that the right wingers are savvy enough to realize that cutting education spending would incense even the voters who don’t mind seeing poor children go without health care. All I’m saying is: stinginess and callousness do not a code of ethics make.  Especially when refusing to take those funds means that health care jobs get cut and that our already reeling state economy will take another hit as a result.

Anyway, the voters of Missouri got flim-flammed again into voting the way casinos wanted them to last fall. Thank goodness for small favors.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com…

Somewhat improbably, Roy Blunt has been put in charge of a Republican “working group on health care solutions.” I say somewhat improbably, because he doesn’t seem to have a profile in working on health care policy, nor does he offer any new ideas differentiating himself from the usual conservative blather about competion. Well, we are talking about the modern GOP – they sure do like to stay with the horse that brung ’em… to defeat after defeat.

By usual Republican blather, I mean the usual talk about free market competition while curiously leaving out any mention of his support for billions of dollars in subsidies to insurance and pharmaceutical companies. Oh, and he doesn’t mention that his opposition to expanding children’s health care coverage stems partly from his opposition to tobacco taxes that help to finance the expansion. Roy divorced his wife of 35 years to marry a tobacco lobbyist in 2003, and his son Andy is a registered lobbyist for Altria.

Looking at the working group’s “website” (which is really just a page on Blunt’s House website), he has a push poll up, narrowly tailored to exclude discussion of public options in healthcare reform.

But he does ask what you think about health care. So I advise you to take him up on his offer. Tell him what you think. Here’s what I wrote:

http://healthcareforamericanow…

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill (D) has started a blog. AIG gets to feel the brunt of the Senate’s wrath:

Beyond mad at AIG…time for action.

There will be a letter sent to the CEO of AIG from most, if not all, of the Democratic Senators momentarily.  This letter will demand that any bonuses be withheld or repaid immediately.  The letter goes on to explain that we will proceed to recover the bonuses through taxation if AIG fails to recover this money for taxpayers. We state the obvious in the letter, bonuses should not be given for failure.

Legislation wil be introduced in the next 48 hours or so that will tax these companies and the bonus recipients. The tax will be aimed at executives at companies that have recieved significant taxpayer assistance through the TARP funds and will recover almost all of these funds for taxpayers.  The Finance Committee is drafting the legislation with the assistance of a number of Senators.

I feel better. We are taking action. It’s time we right this wrong on behalf of hard working Americans everywhere.

I will post the letter and the legislation on my senate web site as soon as they are available.  www.mccaskill.senate.gov

Thank you for all of your comments and suggestions about this mess. Your input matters.

I’m fascinated by that part of the culture at AIG which made them believe they could get away with this. Amazing.