First question. Do you have oil?

Second question. If not, does a lot of oil from other places flow through pipelines in your country?

Third question. Is someone considering building a pipeline in your country so that a lot of oil from other countries will flow through it?

A recent White House petition on Ukraine (among several):

We petition the Obama Administration to:

Enter military intervention to Ukraine.

We, people of Ukraine, because of becoming more frequent and systematic violations of democracy and freedom of speech by public and police agents, and looking on the bloody acceleration of actions of protest in support European integration, taking into account the decision role of the United States of America in a worldwide policy and reputation of the USA, as a defender of democratic rights and freedoms in the whole world, we ask you, as a commander-in-chief by the armed forces of the USA, to enter military intervention to Ukraine.

The Ukrainian people wish to live in democratic European community and appeals to your help for the construction of base principles of democracy in our country.

Created: Nov 30, 2013

Issues: Defense, Firearms, Foreign Policy

Signatures needed by December 30, 2013 to reach goal of 100,000 96,600

Total signatures on this petition 3,400

Someone wants the American public to learn more geography.

From the U.S. Energy Information Administration:

   Ukraine was the seventh-largest energy consumer in Europe and Eurasia in 2010. More than half of the country’s primary energy supply comes from its uranium and coal resources, although natural gas also plays an important role in its energy mix.

   In 2010, Ukraine generated a total of 176 billion kilowatthours (BkWh) of electricity and consumed approximately 150 BkWh. The country is heavily dependent on nuclear energy-its fifteen reactors generate roughly half of the total electric power supply. The remainder of the electric power is generated with conventional thermal sources (45 percent), hydropower (7 percent), with marginal volumes contributed by wind generation.

   Ukraine consumed approximately 2.3 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of natural gas in 2011, with domestic production accounting for approximately 30 percent of the total at 700 billion cubic feet (Bcf). The remainder of supply is made up by Russian natural gas, imported through the Bratstvo (Brotherhood) and Soyuz pipelines.

   Its geographic position and proximity to Russia explain Ukraine’s importance as a natural gas transit country, through which volumes flow to Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Turkey. In the past, disputes between Russia and Ukraine over natural gas supplies, prices, and debts have resulted in interruptions to Russia’s natural gas exports through Ukraine, with the latest one occurring in 2009.

   Recent discoveries of shale gas deposits in Ukraine provide the country with a possible means to diversify its gas supplies away from Russia. In January 2013, Shell agreed to explore an area which the government estimates holds about 4 Tcf of shale natural gas in reserves. Current plans include development of shale gas resources for domestic consumption and exports to Western Europe by 2020.

   Only a relatively small portion of the country’s total consumption is accounted for by petroleum and other liquid fuels. In 2011, Ukraine consumed 300,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) of liquid fuels, but produced only 82,000 bbl/d. The remainder was imported mostly from Russia, with smaller volumes originating in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan.

[emphasis added]

Maybe one or two out of three?

Previously:

Boeing Boeing (November 27, 2013)

There’s going to be a legislative special session starting on Monday. Adding to Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, except it’s gonna be the Missouri General Assembly giving the store away.

A press release from Governor Jay Nixon:

November 29, 2013

By adding capacity to existing programs, proposed legislation will ensure fiscal responsibility and protect taxpayers

Gov. Nixon calls special session of General Assembly to help bring next-generation commercial aerospace production to Missouri

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon today called a special session of the General Assembly to pass legislation to help the state win production of Boeing’s next-generation commercial aircraft, the 777X. The 2013 Special Session will convene at 4 p.m. on Monday, December 2.  State responses to Boeing’s Request for Proposal, received last week, are due by December 10 and legislative action is necessary in order for Missouri to put forward a competitive proposal.

“Building this next-generation commercial aircraft in Missouri would create thousands of jobs across our state and secure our position as a hub for advanced aerospace manufacturing – and that’s why I am committed to competing for and winning this project,” said Gov. Nixon. “In order to put forward a competitive proposal on this very aggressive timeline, decisive legislative action is required to add capacity to four of Missouri’s existing economic development programs, which already include strict job creation and investment requirements, so that they can accommodate an aerospace project on this scale.”

While the administration continues to work closely with its local partners on a final response to Boeing’s RFP, the State’s proposal will seek to address the company’s critical needs in worker training, infrastructure development and job creation incentives.  To put forward a competitive proposal in all these areas, the Governor has asked the General Assembly to pass legislation adding additional capacity of up to $150 million annually for large-scale aerospace projects under four of Missouri’s existing economic development programs: Missouri Works, Missouri Works Training, Missouri BUILD, and the Real Property Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act.

“It’s important to note that these are the same targeted, fiscally responsible programs that are available to any company creating significant numbers of high-paying, family-supporting jobs,” said Gov. Nixon. “This legislation will simply give us added capacity to compete for this type of massive aerospace project, while maintaining existing accountability measures and ensuring a positive return for taxpayers. Aerospace companies like Boeing, will have to invest and create jobs in order to earn these benefits.”

To meet the company’s workforce needs, Gov. Nixon’s administration is also engaging a consortium of area community colleges to train and certify thousands of additional graduates in aerospace and advanced manufacturing areas to grow a pipeline of highly-skilled workers for this project and others in this sector.

“Boeing has been very clear that the availability of a large, highly-skilled workforce is one of the key factors the company will use to determine where to produce its next generation of commercial aircraft,” said Gov. Nixon. “Especially in technology-intensive industries like aerospace, we’re seeing once again that our human capital is the best economic development tool we have.”

“It’s a real testament to Missouri’s significant competitive advantages that we can put forward a competitive bid for this project without undertaking risky experiments or veering off into uncharted waters,” Gov. Nixon said. “I look forward to working with the General Assembly to make sure the tools we have in place are ready to bring this game-changing project and thousands of jobs to the Show-Me State.”

[….]

Somebody’s looking for a huge payout. And a lot of people are gonna pay for it.

High hopes?:

Tom Riley ‏@ThomasKRiley

[….] Can we call it the Don Quixote session? [….] 2:00 PM – 29 Nov 13

And pure motives?:

Yael T. Abouhalkah ‏@YaelTAbouhalkah

Giving huge tax break to @boeing, wealthy potential contributor? What’s not to like? [….] 4:22 PM – 29 Nov 13

Just asking:

….So, when they do bluff who ends up paying the bill for the Missouri General Assembly special session?….

Representative Chris Kelly (D) in the House chamber in Jefferson City. [file photo]

Submitted by Representative Chris Kelly (D):

Transforming Healthcare Will Support Rural Hospitals and Missouri’s Economy

The most important issue facing the 2014 Missouri Legislature is whether to expand state health care coverage to working people who earn up to 138% of the federal poverty level.  I say “working people” because the vast majority of the 226,525 uninsured Missourians who fall between 19% of the federal poverty level–the current limit for Medicaid coverage in Missouri–and 138% are employed at low wage jobs.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) provides that, if states extend Medicaid coverage to include those uninsured in this population, the federal government will pay 100% of the Medicaid cost through 2016, then gradually decrease to 90% in 2020 and beyond.  

Originally the ACA made Medicaid expansion mandatory.   The additional money that would have come to states to cover uninsured people would also have replaced current federal payments to hospitals, primarily subsidized payments for uncompensated care.   The United States Supreme Court ruled that the ACA itself (with its individual mandate) is constitutional but Congress could not force states to expand Medicaid eligibility.  The negative financial consequence of this decision was negligible in states that chose to expand Medicaid to cover the working poor, but devastating to hospitals in states like Missouri, which, thus far, have refused to accept federal money.  Missouri’s hospitals will lose federal uncompensated care subsidies and, without state Medicaid expansion, will see no increase in Medicaid reimbursement.  

This revenue shortfall will have a tragic economic effect on rural hospitals throughout Missouri.  These institutions are often the economic anchors of their communities.  In my own community of Columbia, the failure of the state legislature to act will cost Columbia’s hospitals about $30 million.  Our hospitals will be hurt, but will survive.  The same cannot be said for many smaller, rural institutions.  Our state legislature must do everything in its power to strengthen rather than weaken Missouri’s rural hospitals.

A series of objective evaluations made by various corporations and organizations have reached substantially the same conclusions:

   1. The cost to our hospitals and ultimately to our economy of not expanding Missouri health care coverage will be $3.5 billion by 2019.

   2. Expansion would have a direct positive effect on the state General Revenue budget of at least $40 million per year, not including any positive effect resulting from increased secondary economic activity.

   3. The St. Louis Regional Chamber of Commerce (RCGA) forecasts that the ten-year impact of not expanding coverage will be equivalent to eliminating more than 5,000 jobs.

   4. Expanding Medicaid in Missouri will result in an additional 20,000 jobs and increase employment income by more than $5 billion. (RCGA)  Many of these new jobs will be in south and southeastern Missouri, an area of our state where poverty is greater and hospitals are most threatened.

   5. Without Medicaid expansion, the payment for uncompensated care will be reduced by about $11 billion by 2019, resulting in substantial cost shifts in the business community. (RCGA)

Many politicians who oppose health care expansion are fond of saying that the government should behave more like a business.  I agree with them.  For that reason it is worthwhile to evaluate the judgment of Missouri’s business community.  The two largest business groups, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Associated Industries of Missouri both support expansion as do a growing list of local chambers in Albany, Blue Springs, Bolivar, Branson, California, Camdenton, Cape Girardeau, Carrollton, Chillicothe, Clinton, Columbia, Eldon, Grandview, Hannibal, Hermann, Independence, Kansas City, Kirksville, Lake of the Ozarks, Lee’s Summit, Marshall, Maryland Heights, Mount Vernon, Nevada, New Madrid, Phelps County, Platte County, Raymore, Ripley County, Sedalia, Springfield, St. Charles, Ste. Genevieve, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Troy, Washington, Warrensburg and West Plains.  The question that the St. Louis Regional Chamber asks the Legislature is: “The Missouri business community is united in support of Medicaid transformation.  Are you with us?”

Although opponents have never presented any objective analysis to rebut that of the business community, many suggest that somehow expansion will cost our General Revenue money and ultimately erode support for education.  I have the privilege of serving on the House Interim Committee on Medicaid Transformation.  One of the things we have learned is that if one objectively evaluates all the costs and benefits of expansion, the inescapable conclusion is that expansion actually saves money in the General Revenue Budget.  For example, today the state pays 100% of the medical cost of prisoners.  If we were to expand coverage, the federal government would pay 100% of the cost for prisoners who are admitted to hospitals. That number averages about 150 hospital nights per month. Many similar efficiencies exist.  The bottom line is that expansion makes more, not less, General Revenue available for education.  If opponents disagree they have an obligation to present the facts to support their supposition.

I have not addressed any of the human issues: Is it better for working people and their children to have health care? Is it better to treat with preventative care rather than emergency room care?

Even if one’s analysis is completely economic and ignores all of the human issues, healthcare transformation is vital for the well being of our state.  I encourage you to speak with your state legislator about this issue.

Chris Kelly

State Representative

45th District – Columbia

Today:

Nixon eyeing special session for big Boeing tax breaks, sources say

CHESTERFIELD • Gov. Jay Nixon is poised to call lawmakers back to Jefferson City next week to pass special incentives to help lure Boeing Co.’s 777X assembly plant to north St. Louis County.

Official word is expected Friday, but several sources in the administration and legislature have confirmed that Nixon intends to call a special session, perhaps to start as soon as Monday….

Interesting game.

The view from Seattle, Washington:

Courageous Boeing Workers Say No to Corporate Extortion

Posted: 11/18/2013 12:42 pm

In a remarkable act of courage and solidarity with the next generation, last week Boeing workers in Seattle soundly rejected corporate extortion, by voting down a contract which traded job guarantees for concessions that would severely erode the pay and benefits of younger workers. In doing so, the members of the Machinists are risking their jobs to save an America built on the middle class….

….Early this month, Boeing tried to blackmail both its union members and Washington state. Declaring that it would consider moving assembly of a new line of 777X planes out of state, the corporation asked for mammoth tax incentives and huge concessions on wages and benefits. The governor and State Legislature caved immediately, passing the largest development tax break for a company in American history, $8.7 billion over 16 years, in a special weekend session. The leadership of Machinists Local 751 also wavered, agreeing to put the contract up for a membership vote, over the objections of most of the union’s management council.

But then a remarkable thing happened, in an age in which Americans, scared that they will lose what they have left, seem resigned to shrinking pay and disappearing benefits.  A grassroots swell of membership opposition to the contract rose up, leading to 67% of the member rejecting the contract. The members did so with their eyes wide open, understanding that Boeing might not be bluffing….

Interesting game. Just add Thelma Ritter. Same plot. And if they do the same to Missouri?

So, when they do bluff who ends up paying the bill for the Missouri General Assembly special session? Just asking.

So many victims.

Today, Representative Vicky Hartzler (r), via Twitter:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler ‏@RepHartzler

RT @PrayerCaucus: @RepHartzler leads Members in special order hour on #militaryfreedom, [….]10:32 AM – 26 Nov 13

There’s a “prayer caucus”? Really?

And two replies (from the same person), the first within three minutes:

KCLiveMusicBlog ‏@KCLiveMusicBlog

@RepHartzler could you please stop wasting your time on being a zealot and focus on putting people back to work? 10:35 AM – 26 Nov 13

KCLiveMusicBlog ‏@KCLiveMusicBlog

@RepHartzler where does your religion figure into cutting food assistance for the needy? What’s the bible have to say about that? 10:36 AM – 26 Nov 13

Is there a “jobs caucus”? Just asking.

Previously:

Oh, for the love of… (September 24, 2012)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r) v. Mikey Weinstein (R) (July 11, 2013)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): freedom of religion only means you can impose your views on everyone else (October 7, 2013)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): making certain we can all celebrate “Talk Like A Pirate Day” (November 15, 2013)

More message sending in the St. Louis County Executive campaign finance race? The past two days at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C071362 11/25/2013 CITIZENS FOR STEVE STENGER I.U.O.E. Local 513 Political & Educational Fund 3449 Hollenberg Dr. Bridgeton MO 63044 11/25/2013 $5,001.00

C071362 11/26/2013 CITIZENS FOR STEVE STENGER Craig Concannon 1047 Simmons Ave. St Louis MO 63122 Attorney 11/26/2013 $5,001.00

The figure figures, don’t it?

Previously:

Campaign Finance: making your mark (November 13, 2013)

Campaign Finance: $5,001.00 (November 20, 2013)

Campaign Finance: variations on a theme (November 22, 2013)

We’ve noted of late that Obamacare/healthcare.gov commercials are running on our TV set:

Man on bicycle: Now I’m covered.

Announcer: Now, for the first time you can be covered with a quality health plan from the new Health Insurance Marketplace, part of the health care law. It’s where brand name companies offer plans you can compare side by side. And it’s the only place to get lower monthly payments.

Woman at coffee shop: I’m covered.

Announcer: So if you have an accident, get sick, or just need a check up…

Man in leg cast: I’m covered.

Woman holding child: We’re covered.

Woman with family: Now we’re covered.

Announcer: Enroll now at the Health Insurance Marketplace, at healthcare dot gov.

“…you can be covered with a quality health plan…”

That’s the whole point, right there.

When it comes to Medicaid, Missouri’s GOP is animated by two forces: spite and the sort of rigid ideological simplicity that we commonly label stupidity. What this means for Missourians is that many are going to be royally shafted.

The spite has been evident for all to see for a long time, most notably when our GOP lawmakers refused the federal funds provided by Obamacare to extend Medicaid eligibility. Who denies his or her state its share of the federal pie, especially when that pie is going to help hundreds of thousands of poor Missourians obtain essential health care for the first time? Could it be bitter, hyper-partaisan losers who are determined to defy the will of the electorate and destroy the legacy of a president who actually had the temerity to keep his campaign promises and reform a badly broken health care delivery system?

But it could also be the kind of mean-minded ideologues who think that if you extend a helping hand to those who need it, you’re just enabling worthless social parasites – and God forbid that it should be government (by and for the people, incidentally) that extends that helping hand. Unfortunately, it’s GOPers of this persuasion who claim that they have to “reform” the system in Missouri before they can heed the pleas from all and sundry to just take the Obamacare Medicaid expansion funds.

The nature of the reforms envisioned by our Missouri Republicans aren’t, however, likely to meet the requirements for federal funds which stipulate that access be expanded – some past proposals have actually narrowed eligibility requirements. And it is at this juncture where “the stupid” enters the picture. Just how stupid? Take a look at Kansas where “reforms” of the Medicaid system mirror some of those hinted at by our Missouri Republicans.

As you might expect, given the conservative antipathy to letting government work for anyone other than the 1%, most of the reforms proposed by our state GOP pols involve privatizing Medicaid. Which is just what Kansas has done to a greater extent than any other state, having, as Steve Vockrodt of the Pitch News reports, “cannonballed into the deep end by shifting all of its Medicaid management to three private companies.” So what’s the goal?:

Gov. Sam Brownback has said the wholesale privatization of Medicaid under KanCare was meant to save $1 billion over five years. He also promised that the move wouldn’t sacrifice Kansans’ level of care, and the number of people on Medicaid’s waiting list would be reduced.

But the only way for the three managed-care organizations to realize cost savings on clients with permanent physical disabilities [ . . .] is by cutting Medicaid services. …

Sounds like the goal is savings and qualilty care be dammed. It’s early days yet for the Kansas experiment, but, it’s not looking too good – over 5,000 people on a developmental-disabilities waiting list and a logjam of cases contesting denial of services. Nor is it even clear that crippling state services in this way will result in any real savings.

Interestingly, other states have already backed away from privatized Medicaid. Vockrodt cites the case of Connecticut:

In 2012, Connecticut dumped the insurance companies that were managing its Medicaid program to the tune of more than $800 million a year. A USA Today report said those insurance companies were “erecting barriers to care” while plowing the state’s Medicaid money into administrative salaries and profits.

“Erecting barriers to care” sounds a lot like what Vockrodt describes in Kansas. It’s possible that some combination of managed care and traditional Medicaid could deliver savings without compromising quality of care, but I’m not sure I’m willing to trust folks who don’t think government has a role to play in shaping health care delivery – that is to say, our Missouri Republicans – to come up with the right mix.

When I think about how our state-level Republicans have tried to sabotage Obamacare, I get furious. When I hear them talk about Medicaid reform, however, I just get very frightened. A major precept of medicine is “first do no harm.” I’d suggest that it would be a good proviso for politicians also except that I’ve seen too many lately who are too blinded by either ideological rigidity or just general intellectual incapacity to be able to evaluate the real world in a way that would allow them to make the right choices. There’s a reason, after all, that red states aren’t doing so well right now.

This past week, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 11/20/2013 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH David Humphreys PO Box 4050 Joplin MO 64803 Tamko Building Products Executive 11/20/2013 $20,000.00

C111150 11/25/2013 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Steven Trulaske Sr 7700 Forsyth Blvd Ste 1220 St Louis MO 63105 True Manufacturing Manufacturing 11/25/2013 $20,000.00

[emphasis added]

Well, at least large round numbers.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: in case anyone forgot about 2014 and 2016 (October 30, 2013)

$20,000.00 must be the new $10,000.00.

Campaign Finance: one of these things is not like the other (September 27, 2013)

Campaign Finance: hoist a few brews (September 24, 2013)

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C091068 11/24/2013 HOUSE REPUBLICAN CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE, INC August Busch 1 Mid Rivers Mall Drive Suite 210 St Peters MO 63376 Retired 11/22/2013 $15,000.00

[emphasis added]

You know, stuff like this.