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Monthly Archives: July 2017

Whoops, there goes another special election…

31 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Governor, Missouri Senate

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

8th Senate District, Eric Greitens, missouri, special election, Will Kraus

From Governor Eric Greitens (r):

Governor Eric Greitens Appoints Leaders Across State and Local Government
July 31, 2017
[….]
State Tax Commission

Senator Will Kraus was appointed as a member of the State Tax Commission. Kraus will be the successor of Ryan McKenna.

Senator Kraus represents the Eighth District of Missouri and has been a leader in tax policy during his time in the Missouri State Senate. He served in the United States Army for 25 years. Kraus also previously served as a State Representative. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central Missouri State University.
[….]

There’ll be a special election in the 8th Senate District.

Campaign Finance: cleanliness

31 Monday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

campaign finance, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, reform

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the CLEAN initiative:

C161298 07/31/2017 CLEAN Missouri Langdon & Emison, LLC 911 Main St Lexington MO 64067 7/31/2017 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

The committee:

C161298: Clean Missouri
Committee Type: Campaign
510 East 115Th Terrace
Kansas City Mo 64131
Established Date: 07/20/2016
[….]
Ballot Measure History
Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

Constitutional Amendment To Article Iii, Relating To The General Assembly, Version 1-8, 2018-042 To 2018-049
11/06/2018
Shall The Missouri Constitution Be Amended To: •Change Process And Criteria For Redrawing State Legislative Districts During Reapportionment; •Change Limits On Campaign Contributions That Candidates For State Legislature Can Accept From Individuals Or Entities; •Establish A Limit On Gifts That State Legislators, And Their Employees, Can Accept From Paid Lobbyists; •Prohibit State Legislators, And Their Employees, From Serving As Paid Lobbyists For A Period Of Time; •Prohibit Political Fundraising By Candidates For Or Members Of The State Legislature On State Property; And •Require Legislative Records And Proceedings To Be Open To The Public?
Support

Here’s hoping.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): jumping on the Titanic’s bandwagon after the iceberg

30 Sunday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media, US Senate

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Donald Trump, filibuster, missouri, social media, Twitter, U.S. Senate, Vicky Hartzler

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) [2016 file photo].

Yesterday, via Twitter, from Representative Vicky Hartzler (r):

Rep. Vicky Hartzler‏ @RepHartzler
I agree with @realDonaldTrump. As long as 60-vote rule is in place the GOP Senate Majority cannot act like the majority. #changetherule
8:18 AM – 29 Jul 2017

How convenient. Where was Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) on this in January of 2011? [crickets]

Well, she could run for the U.S. Senate in 2018 to do something about that. Oh, wait.

But it’s a dry heat

29 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

#resist, Arizona, health care, Planned Parenthood, Trumpcare, Tucson

There were a number of “Our Lives on the Line” rallies supporting Medicaid, Medicare and the ACA across the country today. The rally in Tucson started at 10:00 a.m., in the July morning heat, with over thirty individuals attending.

OFA, Planned Parenthood, and LUCHA were among the sponsoring organizations.

“Our Lives On the Line” rally, Rudy Garcia Park, Tucson, Arizona, July 29, 2017.

There are thousands of health care stories:

Much like the Indivisible events in Kansas and Missouri, many attending these rallies tell their health care stories.

Previously:

Sen. Roy Blunt (r): there are thousands of health care stories (July 25, 2017)

Talking about health care at Sen. Roy Blunt’s (r) office in Kansas City – July 14, 2017 (July 14, 2017)

Roy Bunt tosses the ball to Obamacare nemesis Tom Price

29 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

ACA, Affordable Care Act, Obamacare, Repeal and Replace, Roy Blunt, Tom Price, Trumpcare

In centuries past alchemists sought to turn dross into gold. Today’s Republicans practice a type of reverse alchemy wherein they turn gold into what we will euphemistically term dross. Case in point: The Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as Obamacare.

It is now de rigueur for liberals and progressives – open minded creatures that we are – to open any discussion of Obamacare by noting that it isn’t perfect. Which is true. But there is real gold there, liberally distributed throughout all that silver and bronze. I personally am still alive – and not bankrupt – thanks to the preexisting conditions provisions in Obamacare, so I know what I’m talking about.

The past six months have seen a continuous effort on the part of the GOP to distill that gold – and the attendant silver and bronze — into the purest form of excremental dross via the congressional Obamacare dump (repeal) and dupe (replace) effort. Despite Republican efforts to relabel their stinky product as “freedom” or “access,” almost nobody was fooled. In the end, thanks to three brave Republicans who bucked the GOP Borg Collective and joined Democrats to save healthcare for Americans, we can breathe easier. For now, at least.

Unfortunately, Missouri GOP Senator Roy Blunt was not one of those brave Republicans who put our welfare above his party and its well-heeled patrons. And his response to the demise of Trumpcare does not bode well for those of us who depend on Obamacare:

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) hoped that Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price could use his authority to make beneficial changes to the law. Price has previously talked about some market stability measures and helping states apply for waivers for certain ObamaCare provisions.

“I think this ends this discussion for a little while and Tom Price is going to continue to look at all of the 1,400 places in the bill that his department is responsible for defining how this might work better,” Blunt said.

At the risk of running the alchemical metaphor into the ground, Blunt’s evocation of Price is the equivalent of calling on Doctor Alchemy, the evil alchemist of the DC Comics world, to keep the reverse transformation going.

And it just might work. Price, who ” has taken every turn possible to express his displeasure with the Affordable Care Act and has suggested he’ll do little to bolster its markets,” will be running the whole regulatory shebang:

As health chief, the former Roswell congressman has nearly unparalleled power to determine how health care gets delivered in America. Through special rule makings, guidance and regulatory tweaks at HHS, Price can make what are essentially unilateral changes to loosen the grip of the Affordable Care Act or tweak aspects of Medicare that could have a major impact on doctors and patients.

Sounds to me like Senator Blunt is giving a wink and a nod to cronies in the know, effectively telegraphing that there’s more than one way to win.

If Republicans can’t manage to legislate effectively and get their way on the up and up, it seems that they’ll resort to sabotage, the will of the majority imploring them to save and “fix” Obamacare be damned. Although President Orange Bully implicitly threatened sabotage when he declared that we should just “watch” as Obamcare implodes, he wasn’t as explicit as Blunt about how they were gonna rain on our victory parade. Blunt put a name on it, and that name is Tom Price.

Dubbed “Dr. Personal Enrichment” by David Leonharadt in a New York Times’ op-ed, Price’s well-publicized medical conflicts of interest have raised eyebrows almost stratospherically high – although not high enough evidently to inspire gotta-get–mine GOP Senators like Blunt to vote against his appointment. Add to personal corruption, Price’s willingness to lie to serve political ends – Media Matters outlines several of his worst recent whoppers on the topic of healthcare – and his “ardent hostility” toward any government role in healthcare, and it doesn’t look good for those of us who depend on Obamacare.

As to Senator Blunt’s smug reminder about who holds the cards in Washington – what to say? Seriously, what can we say about the members of a party that has, in the words of D. R. Tucker “declared war on every American not wealthy enough to afford his or her medical treatment?”

While I can’t answer this question, at least not here, on the  level it deserves, I can propose a micro-answer when it comes to the question of what to say right now – and who to say it to. We need to keep the pressure up on our Representatives and Senators – Roy Blunt and the GOP junior contingent in the House in this case – and let them know that we’re on to the sabotage dodge and we won’t stand for trading gold, sliver, or bronze for crap. Payback comes on election day.

Campaign Finance: there are a lot more working people

29 Saturday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

campaign finance, initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, organized labor, right to get paid less, Right to work

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission for the initiative campaign to repel “right to get paid less” in Missouri:

C171127 07/28/2017 We Are Missouri UFCW Local No. 88 Meat Cutters Union 5730 Elizabeth Ave St Louis MO 63110 7/27/2017 $25,000.00

C171127 07/28/2017 We Are Missouri Laborers International Union of North America Laborers Local No. 110 4532 S. Lindbergh Blvd Sunset Hills MO 63127 7/27/2017 $46,500.00

C171127 07/28/2017 We Are Missouri CHIPP Political Account 1401 Hampton Ave 3rd Floor St Louis MO 63130 7/27/2017 $190,264.00

C171127 07/28/2017 We Are Missouri International Union of Operating Engineers 1125 Seventeenth Street, NW Washington DC 20036 7/27/2017 $60,000.00

C171127 07/28/2017 We Are Missouri IBEW Local Union 257 209 Flora Drive Jefferson City MO 65101
7/27/2017 $9,000.00

C171127 07/28/2017 We Are Missouri UFCW Local 655 300 Weidman Rd Ballwin MO 63011 7/28/2017 $42,660.59

[emphasis added]

The committee:

C171127: We Are Missouri
Committee Type: Campaign
[….]

Ballot Measure History Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

Constitutional Amendment To Article I, Relating To Collective Bargaining, Version 1-10
11/06/2018
Shall The Missouri Constitution Be Amended To Prohibit Impairing, Restricting Or Limiting The Ability Of Employees To Negotiate, Enter Into And Enforce Certain Collectively Bargained Agreements With An Employer?
Support

Referendum For Senate Substitute 2 For Senate Bill 19, 2018-R002
11/06/2018
Do The People Of The State Of Missouri Want To Adopt Senate Bill 19 (“Right-To-Work”) As Passed By The General Assembly In 2017, Which Prohibits As A Condition Of Employment The Forced Membership In A Labor Organization (Union) Or Forced Payments Of Dues In Full Or Pro-Rata (Fair-Share); Make Any Activity Which Violates Employees’ Rights Illegal And Ineffective; Allow Legal Remedies For Anyone Injured As A Result Of Another Person Violating Or Threatening To Violate Employees’ Rights; And Which Shall Not Apply To Union Agreements Entered Into Before The Effective Date Of Senate Bill 19?
Oppose

[emphasis added]

There are a lot more working people than there are reactionary billionaires. It’s just that the reactionary billionaires have a lot more money and power.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: pull up a PAC, add more money, campaign against organized labor (July 28, 2017)

Campaign Finance: pull up a PAC, add more money, campaign against organized labor

28 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

Eric Greitens., initiative, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, PAC, right to get paid less, Right to work

Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C171080 07/27/2017 Liberty Alliance Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry P. O. Box 149 Jefferson City MO 65102 7/26/2017 $10,000.00

C171080 07/27/2017 Liberty Alliance Richard Uihlein 1396 N Waukegan Road Lake Forest IL 60045 ULINE Executive 7/26/2017 $100,000.00

[emphasis added]

$100,000.00?

On July 24th the preexisting PAC amended [pdf] its Statement of Committee Organization to indicate its opposition to working people’s initiatives to repeal “right to get paid less.”

That would explain the Chamber of Commerce contribution. Why would someone in Lake Forest, Illinois be interested in this?

Last year:

C151053 03/15/2016 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Richard Uihlein 1396 N. Waukegan Rd. Lake Forest IL 60045 Uline Inc. CEO 3/15/2016 $10,000.00

C151053 03/28/2016 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Richard Uihlein 1396 N. Waukegan Rd. 1396 N. Waukegan Rd. Lake Forest IL 60045 Uline Inc. CEO 3/28/2016 $25,000.00

C151132 03/29/2016 HAWLEY FOR MISSOURI Richard Uihlein 1396 N Waukegan Rd Lake Forest IL 60045 Uline Inc. CEO 3/28/2016 $10,000.00

C151053 07/27/2016 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Dick Uihlein 1396 N WAUKEGAN RD Lake Forest IL 60045 Uline Inc. CEO 7/27/2016 $40,000.00

C151053 10/20/2016 GREITENS FOR MISSOURI Richard Uihlein 1396 N Waukegan Road Lake Forest IL 60045 Uline CEO 10/20/2016 $250,000.00

[emphasis added]

Well, that explains it.

That’s our Claire – on the mysteries of “skinny bill” Trumpcare

28 Friday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Claire McCaskill, social media, US Senate

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Claire McCaskill, missouri, social media, Trumpcare, Twitter

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) [2017 file photo].

The republicans in the U.S. Senate held a late night/early morning vote to take away health care from millions of Americans.

Claire McCaskill‏ @clairecmc
So frustrating. No hearings. We were just given the bill. And now Senator Enzi is refusing to answer questions about it on the floor. #Sham
10:26 PM – 27 Jul 2017

Claire McCaskill‏ @clairecmc
Painfully obvious that no Rs besides the bill handler wants to speak since he is the only one taking time.They know this is a bad bill.
10:33 PM – 27 Jul 2017

Claire McCaskill‏ @clairecmc
We’re in legislative twilight zone.Some of my R colleagues are saying they’ll only vote for the bill if they’re promised it won’t become law
10:35 PM – 27 Jul 2017

Normal people vote against a bill with the intent it doesn’t became law. They are not normal. These are not normal times, are they?

Claire McCaskill‏ @clairecmc
Here we go….
12:24 AM – 28 Jul 2017

The vote:

Question: On the Amendment (McConnell Amdt. No. 667 )
Vote Number: 179
Vote Date: July 28, 2017, 01:24 AM
Required For Majority: 1/2
Vote Result: Amendment Rejected
Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 667 to S.Amdt. 267 to H.R. 1628 (American Health Care Act of 2017)
Statement of Purpose: Of a perfecting nature.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 49
NAYs 51
[….]
Blunt (R-MO), Yea
[….]
Collins (R-ME), Nay
[….]
McCain (R-AZ), Nay
McCaskill (D-MO), Nay
[….]
Murkowski (R-AK), Nay
[….]

The republican “skinny bill” version of Trumpcare failed by one vote in the U.S. Senate. Of course there were no surprises from Roy Blunt (r).

Roy Blunt could teach Trump a thing or two

27 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Alaska, corruption, Donald Trump, Llisa Murkowski, Roy Blunt, Ryan Zinke

Seems that the Trump apparatus, in the person of the Secretary of the Interior, Ran Zinke, decided that Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) needed to be reminded who calls the shots. -She was showing a little too much independence when she joined with Susan Collins (R-ME) as the only Republicans who refused to vote to advance the horrible, terrible Trumpcare bill to the floor of the Senate for debate.

Had opponents – Murkowski, Collins, and every Democratic Senator – prevailed we would have seen the end of the GOP efforts to take healthcare away from millions of Americans. This show of gumption got Trump and his minions all in a swivet because for some reason they think they have to keep their stupid propaganda promises to repeal that black man’s healthcare plan – although Trump, evidently, feels perfectly entitled to ignore the second part of his campaign promise – that it would be replaced with something “wonderful.”

Anyway, Trump sent his lackey Zinke to let the two Alaska Senators know that, thanks to Murkowski efforts to act like an independent agent accountable to her constituents rather than to his Orange Majesty, he’d be inclined to take it out on Alaska, which, because of its dependence on energy extraction, has close relations with the Department of the Interior. Didn’t do too much to scare Murkowski, though. She responded in a measured, but firm way – and, reportedly, thanks to her role on an important Appropriations subcommittee, put a hold on hearings for some of Zinke’s nominations for Interior Department posts.

What’s most amusing for those of us from Missouri, though, might be the reaction of our GOP Senator:

Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), a member of the Senate GOP leadership team, on Thursday chimed in to say that any threats from the administration likely won’t work.

“I’ve been doing this for a long time, and I’ve seldom seen threats be very effective,” he told reporters when asked about Zinke’s reported threat to the Alaska senators.

I’m sure he’s right. The fact that both Senators went public immediately about the threat itself indicates that they’re not quaking in their boots.

If, however, the administration weapon against the Senators were being wielded by wealthy campaign donors waving their checkbooks, Blunt, one-time House bagman for Tom Delay, might feel differently. This is the guy who “built a formidable political machine by transforming lobbying cash into industry-accomodating legislation.” Just ask Monsanto what has worked with Blunt, the carrot or the whip?

But then again, Trump probably isn’t smart enough or temperamentally inclined to deploy those carrots with the subtlety carrot deployment demands.

 

The people in the streets have been telling us it would get this bad and worse since November

27 Thursday Jul 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist

Kansas City, November 12, 2016.

#resist

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