In looking forward to the coming legislative session, State Rep. Jake Zimmerman, D-Olivette, acknowledged that he will be working with a number of unhinged members of the Missouri House. He waved Cynthia Davis aside as by no means the most wackadoodle of them and called to the attention of the audience at West County Dems two Republicans who have outdone even Cynthia.

Jim Guest, R-Pluto (pictured at right), believes that the government has been implanting electromagnetic chips in citizens’ brains in order to control them and torture them. Blink. This assertion was striking enough to get Guest a mention in a New York Times article about a British psychologist who tracks the crazies on the internet. Unfazed by the notoriety of one of its members, the House leadership, as Fired Up! points out, has granted Guest tacit support by appointing him chair of the Real ID and Privacy Committee.

Ed Emery, R-Lamar, is out there too. In 2006, he inserted language into a special committee report claiming that abortion causes illegal immigration. Seriously. (We’ve killed so many of our babies that now we have to have Mexican workers come here to fill the gap.) Democrats on the committee refused to sign the report, but nine Republicans signed it.

Zimmerman’s reaction?

“It makes complete sense if you’re insane. … These are our colleagues. But that’s okay. Such has ever been the way with state legislatures. It wasn’t so long ago that an Arizona legislator introduced a bill to change Pi from 3.14159 to 3.10 so that it would be easier for math students.

So anytime Zimmerman is tempted to get impressed with himself, he says:

“I look in the mirror and I remind myself that I make the same salary and have precisely the same job as Jim Guest and Cynthia Davis.

The upside of all their nuttiness is that it’s so easy for Democrats to point all that out in campaigns. And besides:

“There are serious and substantive Republicans. That creature exists, but that creature has been drowned out and dominated by the folks who are in charge of the current team.”

In fact, Zimmerman thought he had found one of those serious, substantive types last year. He and Brian Yates, R-Lee’s Summit, co-sponsored some ethics legislation that included such ideas as forbidding ex-legislators to become lobbyists for a year after the end of their term–you know, the sorts of ideas that are already in place in Illinois for god’s sake. And Zimmerman looked forward to pressing that legislation again this year. Until he found out that Yates–after blasting Republicans for their corruption–had resigned. To work for a PayDay company. As Fired Up! points out: “H’ray usury!”

In any case, Zimmerman predicts that the House Republican caucus won’t listen to the anonymous Republican rep who wrote the caucus a letter accusing Jetton and the new House Majority Leader, Steve Tilley, of interconnected corruption and urging Republicans to clean house. Not gonna happen. Here’s what will happen:

“And so while this session will be filled with sturm und drang–we will fight about the budget; it will be ugly. But remember that at the end of the day the only ballgame they’re gonna be playing is to leave the difficult decisions in Jay Nixon’s lap. When all the budget fight is boiled down,that’s what they’re going to be about. And there’ll be sturm und drang over women’s reproductive rights as there always is. (cell phone ringing) There will be meaningless fights picked over immigration (cell phone ringing) as there always is. (cell phone ringing) It’s for me, Ken. (Laughter)”

Democrats will continue to spit into the wind talking about ethics reform, campaign finance reform, early voting and green jobs. They won’t be heard, but then again, neither will the Republicans in a way. Their tired memes about abortion and immigration are losing their appeal and, more important, Republicans are fighting among themselves.

That’s what you want to see when you’re a member of the minority party.

On December 18th SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of adults taken in Missouri from December 11th through the 13th which shows an improvement in the approval numbers for Missouri Governor Jay Nixon (D) when compared to November 2009 (there was no October release from SurveyUSA). The margin of error is 4.1%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Jay Nixon is doing as Governor?

All

49% – approve

42% – disapprove

9% – not sure

Democrats [36% of sample]

63% – approve

30% – disapprove

8% – not sure

republicans [29% of sample]

43% – approve

51% – disapprove

12% – not sure

Independents [28% of sample]

39% – approve

50% – disapprove

11% – not sure

There has been continued erosion among “Independents”, and improvement (!) among republicans and Democrats. There is significant disapproval (30%) among Democrats.

Regionally there is net positive approval for Jay Nixon in St. Louis, Southeast and Southwest (!) Missouri. There is net disapproval in the Northern region (3%) of the state and Kansas City (4%).

There is no gender gap:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Jay Nixon is doing as Governor?

Gender

Male [48% of sample]

51% – approve

42% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Female [52% of sample]

48% – approve

42% – disapprove

10% – not sure

A few weeks ago I wrote:

…Given the generally dismal political polling fortunes of almost everyone else in Missouri and the country, these numbers [don’t] exactly portend disaster for Governor Nixon. We’ll keep an eye on future releases to see if this particular poll is an outlier or a trend…

That November poll may have been an outlier and it definitely wasn’t an indication of a trend.

On December 18th  SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of adults taken in Missouri from December 11th through the 13th showing the approval numbers for Senators Claire McCaskill (D) and Kit Bond (r). The margin of error is 4.1%.

The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

All

48% – approve

45% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Democrats [36% of sample]

70% – approve

24% – disapprove

7% – not sure

republicans [29% of sample]

32% – approve

61% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Independents [28% of sample]

38% – approve

56% – disapprove

6% – not sure

Keeping the months long trend and looking at the November numbers, Claire McCaskill’s overall approval, when compared to President Obama, remain stable.

Senator McCaskill’s disapproval numbers among Democrats remain high (at 24%), though slightly better when compared to the November numbers.

The percentage of self-identified liberals who are not happy when it comes to approving of the job Claire McCaskill is doing remains significant (yet stable), though there has been some improvement among Conservatives. There is slippage among Moderates. You think Claire might be pulling that Overton Window a little too far to the right for them, too?:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Claire McCaskill is doing as United States Senator?

Ideology

Conservative [39% of sample]

28% – approve

66% – disapprove

6% – not sure

Moderate [35% of sample]

58% – approve

38% – disapprove

4% – not sure

Liberal [14% of sample]

69% – approve

24% – disapprove

7% – not sure

The samples for Conservatives, Moderates, and Liberals are similar to the November poll.

The December numbers for Kit Bond aren’t particularly stellar, but are a small net positive:

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Kit Bond is doing as United States Senator?

All

49% – approve

42% – disapprove

10% – not sure

Democrats [36% of sample]

40% – approve

51% – disapprove

9% – not sure

republicans [29% of sample]

64% – approve

28% – disapprove

8% – not sure

Independents [28% of sample]

50% – approve

43% – disapprove

7% – not sure

Kit Bond’s approval numbers among republicans have declined since the November survey. His numbers among “Independents” and Democrats have improved. Evidently, for 40% of Democrats bringing home the bacon trumps obstructing health care reform. Any guesses on that 28% of disapproving republicans?  

SurveyUSA released a 600 sample poll of “adults” on December 18th taken in Missouri from December 11th through the 13th. The margin of error is 4.1%. The poll was sponsored by KCTV in Kansas City.

President Obama’s overall approval numbers have improved when compared to the November survey (there was no October release from SurveyUSA). And the December numbers are similar, though slightly better than, the September survey.

Do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as President?

All

45% – approve

52% – disapprove

3% – not sure

Democrats [36% of sample]

75% – approve

22% – disapprove

3% – not sure

republicans [29% of sample]

11% – approve

86% – disapprove

3% – not sure

Independents [28% of sample]

46% – approve

52% – disapprove

3% – not sure

The numbers among Democrats (generally very good) and republicans have remained relatively unchanged. The percentage of self-identified Democrats in this sample (36%) is significantly higher than the percentage (30%) in the November poll. There has been a significant improvement in approval among “Independents” and, as a result, there is a corresponding improvement in President Obama’s overall numbers. It is possible that the November poll numbers were an outlier.

Via Think Progress:

Chris Matthews: …but I’m telling you he is very popular among Democrats.

John Heilemann: Chris, have, has the, have the last two days made you think that? And when you hear, when you hear the Democratic left trashing the health care bill and attacking the President [crosstalk]…

Chris Matthews: Well, I don’t consider them Democrats, I consider [laughter] them netroots and they’re different.

John Heilemann: Ah.

Chris Matthews: And if I see that, if I see that they vote in every election or most elections I’ll be worried. But I’m not sure they’re regular grown up Democrats. I think a lot of those people are troublemakers who love to sit in the back seat and complain. They’re not interested in governing this country. They never ran for office, they’re not interested in working for somebody in public office. They get their give, giggles out of sitting in the back seat and bitching, excuse me…

As opposed to what, getting your giggles being an inside the beltway cocktail weenie circuit corporate whore? Must be nice work if you can get it.

Digby, FireDogLake, MediaMatters and OpenLeft are just a tad bit more diplomatic.

Fascinating piece on Larry Kissell in today’s Washington Post:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/…

He was the darling of we here in Left Blogistan.  Sound familiar?

His vote on the House health care bill has resulted in:

…the euphoria has given way to second thoughts at best and outright rebellion at worst. Kissell is siding with Republicans on Obama’s top domestic priority, fixing the nation’s health insurance system, and his no vote has enraged fellow Democrats.

Insert “FISA” and a host of other core Democratic items and who does it remind you of?

The Post, as usual, screws up it’s characterization saying that Kissell is “vulnerable” despite the fact he won his district by 11 points.  That meme permeates Villager reporting.  Who slavishly adheres to Villager memes about so-called candidate vulnerability?

How about this voter:

“People want change, and when someone puts their foot in the door to kill the whole thing, that’s what has them riled up,” said Michael Lawson, an African American leader of the state Democratic Party and one of Kissell’s constituents. “It’s almost like ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,’ but Mr. Smith turned out to be somebody that wasn’t Mr. Smith.”

Claire McCaskill is certainly no Mr (or Mrs) Smith.

Here’s the money quote after Kissel justified his no vote based on a campaign promise to never cut Medicare spending:

What Kissell considers a principled stand over Medicare, some of his constituents view as a classic Washington betrayal. And his vote threatens to fray the coalition that propelled him to victory. Many Democrats here gave him money and knocked on doors for him because they saw in him a break with the partisanship of Robin Hayes, his Republican predecessor….

“They feel betrayed,” said June Mabry, the state Democratic Party’s 8th District chairman. “They’re not expecting him to be an absolute puppet, but this is a watershed vote for the Untied States.”

Hmmmm, sound familiar?

Or this:

“Why would he jump the Democratic ship and vote against his party’s signature, number-one issue when there’s a very compelling case for health-care reform in this district?” asked Nancy Shakir, head of the Cumberland County Progressives.

Why indeed, Madame Senator.  Take out the name Kissell and insert McCaskill and we’re talking about the exact same thing here in Missouri.  Okay, not as it pertains to health care, thank goodness Claire seems to have discovered her Democratic roots in that regard, but everything else?

Should Larry Kissell lose his bid for reelection next year, does anybody here thing the junior Senator from Missouri will understand the true implications of that?  Or will she think, like the Villagers will portray, that she wasn’t centrist enough?

Look to Larry Kissell’s experience Madame Senator and remember and maybe you’ll learn something.  Or not but hope springs eternal out here amongst Missouri’s rurl Democrats.