• About
  • The Poetry of Protest

Show Me Progress

~ covering government and politics in Missouri – since 2007

Show Me Progress

Monthly Archives: October 2023

Maybe you should elect a Speaker at some point?

12 Thursday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, clown, clown show, former newsreader, Mark Alford, missouri, right wingnut

Yesterday, from Mark Alford (r):

Mark Alford @RepMarkAlford
Israel is under attack.

22 Americans are dead.

Our southern border is wide-open.

Russia and Ukraine are at war.

CCP aggression towards Taiwan is escalating.

The world is destabilizing under Joe Biden’s weakness. We need a resolute leader in the White House before it’s too late.
5:08 PM · Oct 11, 2023

You know, so maybe something, anything gets addressed?

Mark Alford (r) [2023 file photo].

You’d think.

Curse the darkness

11 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Israel, Terrorism

Light candles.

Virginia dumbass

10 Tuesday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Josh Hawley, US Senate

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Fascist pig, Hamas, insurrectionist, Israel, Josh Hawley, Putin stooge, right wingnut, Russia, seditionist, U.S. Senate, Ukraine, Virginia

“Make America Great Again” – in Russian.

Christian, constitutional lawyer, [….] U.S. Senator for Missouri Virginia.

Josh Hawley (r) left out “Putin stooge” and “Useful idiot”.

Yesterday:

Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
Israel is facing existential threat. Any funding for Ukraine should be redirected to Israel immediately
2:35 PM · Oct 9, 2023

As if Ukraine hasn’t been facing an existential threat?

Dumbass.

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

Campaign Finance: What else is new?

09 Monday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, PAC, Rex Sinquefield, right wingnut

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C211685 10/09/2023 Southern Drawl PAC Rex Sinquefield 244 Bent Walnut Lane Westphalia MO 65085 Retired 10/9/2023 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

Drawl?

Previously:

Campaign Finance: that would be the equivalent of about $41.73 if you’re talkin’ median household wealth in the United States (September 28, 2023)

Campaign Finance: for mere mortals that would be the equivalent of $4.17 (September 28, 2023)

Campaign Finance: follow the money (September 30, 2023)

Campaign Finance: a billionaire and a dog (September 30, 2023)

Campaign Finance: it all depends on your perspective (October 2, 2023)

Campaign Finance: again, take out that checkbook (October 2, 2023)

Campaign Finance: trickling in (October 3, 2023)

The conversation

08 Sunday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

cult, Democrats, Donald Trump, Jess Piper, MAGA, missouri, social media, voting

Jess Piper (D) [2023 file photo].

Yesterday:

Piper For Missouri
[October 7, 2023]
How we can “flip” Trump voters? I remember so many of them wearing shirts that said “I’d rather be Russian than a Democrat” and “Grab them by the 🐱”
I don’t waste my breath. We have to register new voters, engage apathetic voters, and get them all to the polls.

Some of the responses:

Once a person joins a cult it’s hard to get them out

The right is very good at creating outrage and misleading people. They are excellent at that. People love that rage diet, you’d think it would be exhausting but they eat it up. One of my friends is a literature teacher and brought up banned books (she was speaking against banning) and one of her friends piped up about books that needed to be banned in 1-5 grade that showed “sexual positions” and other immoral subject matter. I asked her to provide the titles of those books. She told me to Google that it was “all over the news and that her friends took her kids out of public school because of it” I told her I did Google and could not find these sexually explicit books being taught in 1-5th grade, could she please tell me which books because I have elementary aged kids and I agree 1-5 graders should not be taught “sexual positions and sexually explicit content”. She responded to me but blocked me before I could read her response.

utterly ridiculous people just spewing straight up BS.

Ask them what evidence would change their mind.
IMO, the problem is the 20-year-old “get a trade, not an education” campaign. Critical thinking skills, bias, and logical fallacy are all taught in college. Not public school, not trade school. [….]

…Completely missing from the dialogue is the fact that education being available to people who weren’t born into the “upper classes” is a fairly recent development and was something for which people fought hard. This whole idea of “you won’t need it so why learn it” is exactly how they justified not teaching peasants how to read. Scary to me that people would even be willing to flirt with going back to that. But I’m a first generation college student, so I have never taken for granted how lucky I am to have gone to college, and I can see exactly what advantages it has given me over my parents.

I have asked the “what evidence would it take?” question hundreds of times. Literally, not one citing.
They’re choosing the Rule of One over the Rule of Law.
I thought We settled that 250 years ago.
I appreciate your perspective. I think we should learn our whole life. But I think empathy and consideration of the Rights of others can be taught at any (every) level. School or job site.
I’ve barely a high school education, retired from const/maint sector. Trying to see the world through another’s eyes has taught me, wherever I have ventured.
Please, don’t get me wrong. These attacks on higher education are appalling and clear as to their intent. I have and will fight for free and equal education always.
Because my education was majored in empathy.

I’m not saying [higher education] is the only way; it’s just the current accessible way. College is Bloom’s Taxonomy, a reading list, and rhetorical modes. People who are curious enough can access these and self-teach. I have much more respect for the people who did the work autonomously. They are my favorite thinkers. My famous people to learn from and be in a room with. However, we kill curiosity in this country with shaming. It starts in elementary school with smart shaming and dumb shaming. We put so much value on diplomas that people stop learning after achieving that goal. There is a great book called I Don’t Know: In Praise of Admitting Ignorance (Except When You Shouldn’t) by Leah Hager Cohen. She talks about this. It is the answer to Carl Sagan’s question, what happens to students between kindergarten and sixth grade. Reading is a great teacher of empathy but it must start at home. Travel is a great education.

the greatest freedom I ever found was realizing how little I know. The greatest peace, being OK with it.
It allows me to still learn and grow, but helps to beat back my hubris. And judging of others. Because of how much I just don’t know. I still do judge, no doubt. I’m not going to be blind, but it tempers it some.
After “playing outside hard” for 60 years, I’m too broken down to travel very far. All the more reason to be thankful that my parents had a subscription to National Geographic. Empathy 101.

The cult members are a lost cause. They’re brainwashed and can’t be convinced of anything. Need to go after new voters, never voted, undecided folks.

Fifteen years ago, on undecided voters.:

What. He. Said. (October 22, 2008)

Because we ourselves don’t realize the magnitude of what we’re fighting for. If we did, we’d be a lot louder. Magnitudes louder.
We’re deciding whether All have Equal Unalienable Rights or not.
How many of Us fall into “All”?
Republicans have proven they will take Unalienable Rights from Women, POC, and the LGBTQ Community. Attempting to violently take it from Voters.
The very Core of our Country, Equal and Unalienable means nothing to them. If everybody thinks they’ve got nothing to worry about, ask Women, ask POC, ask the LGBTQ Community.
Declare to all what we have at risk.
All with Equal Unalienable Rights.

I’ve also surrendered. Back in 2016 I worked in a pretty Trumpy department. There was wild support for that wall that Mexico was going to pay for. Then, Trump said something about keeping families together and allowing families with little kids into the country. And suddenly the MAGA folks were wildly in favor of that. He clarified after a couple days that he didn’t actually support families coming here, and everyone flipped back. That was where i threw up my hands. If your only “ideology” is supporting whatever Trump said most recently, there truly isn’t any point in engaging.

They will never cast a vote for anyone not named Donald Trump. They didn’t vote before 2016. They won’t vote in 2024 if TFFG isn’t on the ballot. They don’t matter.

You can not flip a Trump voter, but there are some republicans that will not vote for either candidate. So it will be blank and not count. We need to get people to the polls and to register. I also know people who think because we are such a red state now that there vote in the blue pockets, like STL do not matter. We need to scream yes they do matter.

We out number them just vote

Otherwise, why would republicans make it more difficult to vote?

100%. We can’t afford to waste our time on minds we can never sway or educate. We have to spend every minute wisely

The Trump Cult is alive. Can’t do anything about it.

It is impossible to speak on logical subjects with totally illogical people. A person who still supports trump isn’t dealing with a full deck.

because it is a cult. It is emotional. Logic has nothing to do with it.

Yep.

Campaign Finance: in $10,000.00 increments

07 Saturday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

campaign finance, Liberty and Justice PAC, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission, PAC

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C222296 10/07/2023 Liberty and Justice PAC GJ Grewe Inc 639 Gravois Bluffs Blvd Suite D St Louis MO 63026 10/7/2023 $10,000.00

[emphasis added]

Must be nice.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: Minneapolis and other distant places (April 1, 2022)

Campaign Finance: a PAC here, a PAC there… (September 27, 2023)

Campaign Finance: another instant campaign

06 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance, Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

55th Legislative District, campaign finance, General Assembly, missouri, Missouri Ethics Commission

Just add money.

Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C232584 10/06/2023 Irwin for Missouri William Irwin 5020 SW Raintree Circle Lees Summit MO 64082 Retired Retired 9/4/2023 $30,000.00

[emphasis added]

Irwin for Missouri – Active
MECID: C232584
PO Box 646
Raymore, MO 64083
[….]
Committee Type: Candidate

Candidate
William ‘Bill’ Irwin
PO Box 646
Raymore, MO 64083
[….]
Republican

Hot off the presses:

Must be nice.

You voted for the rule, schmuck

06 Friday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Jason Smith

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

8th Congressional District, insurrectionist, Jason Smith, Kevin McCarthy, missouri, right wingnut, seditionist, Speaker, vacate

Restoration of the Motion to Vacate the Chair
The House may remove its Speaker via a motion to vacate the Chair, which is agreed to by a simple majority vote. Throughout most of the history of the House, any Member could force a vote on the Speakership since the question was privileged, meaning it takes precedence over other business. (However, the House has never removed a Speaker.) Under the previous Democratic majority, the House changed rules to afford the motion privilege only if a party caucus or conference voted for its leader to offer it. The rules package for the 118th Congress removed the provision conferring status on the motion only if offered by party leadership, meaning any Member may now offer a privileged motion to vacate the Chair.

‘…However, the House has never removed a Speaker…” Until Tuesday.

Jason Smith (r) [2022 file photo].

A whining press release from Jason Smith (r):

Smith: This action will stall and set back the conservative agenda and impede oversight of the Biden Administration
OCTOBER 3, 2023 — PRESS RELEASES
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement after a motion to vacate the Office of the Speaker was adopted in the House of Representatives:

“Today, House Democrats, in collusion with eight Republicans, pushed to oust a Republican Speaker of the House who won a conference election to be the Republican nominee for speaker and has overwhelming support among his Republican colleagues and a record of delivering for the American people. This decision is particularly abhorrent given the conservative victories that have been achieved this year under Speaker McCarthy – including the largest spending cut in the history of our nation alongside the biggest reforms to America’s welfare system in two decades signed into law.

“Make no mistake: this needless and selfish action will stall and setback efforts to hold President Biden accountable for his involvement in his family’s business dealings, to cut spending, or to deliver for working class Americans. In fact, today’s actions actually empower those who want to increase spending and those who want to give a blank check to Ukraine.

“It is irrational that any House Republican would vote to push out Speaker McCarthy, who has done more than any Speaker of the House – Republican or Democrat – to give each and every member a voice at the table. Speaker McCarthy has led the House in achieving critical victories on behalf of the American people by empowering committees to do the legislative and oversight work that is needed, and by listening to all members about their concerns and priorities.”

“I never thought leopards would eat my face, whines the member of the Leopards Eating People’s Faces Party.”

You did it to yourself. Has a Democratic Party member of the House ever voted for a republican Speaker?

Ukraine. Pay now, or really pay later.

Joe Biden (D) lives rent free inside their heads.

Joe Biden (D) [2020 file photo].

Previously:

Elect republican clowns to Congress, expect a clown show (October 3, 2023)

This. Exactly. This. (October 4, 2023)

When all you ever do is feed the beast it will never be enough (October 5, 2023)

When all you ever do is feed the beast it will never be enough

05 Thursday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, Mark Alford

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, former newsreader, Kevin McCarthy, Mark Alford, missouri, no hat, right wingnut, Speaker, vacate the Speaker

Yesterday:

Mark Alford
[October 4, 2023]
[….]
Congressman Mark Alford

We have got to get on with the business of making America great again, rebuilding our military, cutting spending, and getting back to the business of doing business in America.

Some of the responses:

Your actions speak louder than the empty words regarding our out of control national debt posted on your website. You voted to CONTINUE wasteful, unaccountable spending and did nothing “in your power” to stop the cycle of continuing resolutions and bloated omnibus bills. I could tell from your campaign speak, it was nothing but talking points with little substance and zero authenticity. Time to represent the people, not the donors.

Mark Alford [….] you’re wrong

I’m sorry, so you didn’t vote for a CR?? Maybe I missed seeing your name, if so, I apologize. Please let me know if you supported the CR. Thx.

Were you a no vote to table the motion to vacate or a YES to vacate a chair that works on behalf of the donors class and against the working class (you’re supposed to represent) that’s drowning in debt/inflation??
I didn’t think so.

I hope you’re standing behind Matt Gaetz and the ousting of Kevin McCarthy. The nerve to make a back door deal with Biden over funding for Ukraine is the most disgusting, despicable act and he needs to be removed permanently. He sold American down the toilet. He should be censured and removed from office.

Keep electing clowns, expect a circus.

he voted no to keep Mccarthy

Hopefully the compromising Republican lawmakers learned a lesson yesterday. We are darn sick and tired of y’all constantly giving in to the liberals. Playing nice with the Democrats gets us nowhere, hasn’t for decades. Wake up! We need and want a Conservative Nanny Pelosi.

Not a possibility when you keep electing clowns.

Let’s see all the comments!

Why have my comments disappeared?

I hope you get on board with the Matt Gaetz Patriots.

he won’t, he thinks if he says nice things about Trump enough we won’t notice that he always votes with the establishment GOP.

It’s a cult.

Bad combover. Check. Too long red tie. Check. Orange spray tan. Check. Tiny hands. Check. Cluelessness. Check. Arraignment. Check.

I had really high hopes for Mark, but so far not so much good things.

Me too, wished I had listened to the naysayers in the primaries.

we need to work hard primary him next elections. His vote was to keep lobbyist and PAC money. Not to back americans

Republicans can’t even keep a Speaker in place, let alone pass any legislation.

not when he goes behind closed doors and makes a deal with Biden. Time he’s been called out

The number of people who would rather see chaos than you doing your job and working with peers to resolve issues and move forward is terrifying.

Obviously not in the base.

Not true. It’s simple! Quit constantly giving in to the Democrats!!! Enough is enough. Playing nice and compromising with Democrats ALWAYS means they win, we lose!

Thank goodness he is gone!! He should have never been there in the first place. Status quo isn’t working. Going along to get along has gotten us 33 trillion dollars in debt and on the verge of war with Russia. What is even more shameful than the continuing resolution, is the fact that those J6 tapes have not been released or at least provided to the defense attorneys of every J6 political prisoner.

That’s quite a base you’ve got there, Mark.

Mark Alford (r) [2023 file photo].

Previously:

Elect republican clowns to Congress, expect a clown show (October 3, 2023)

This. Exactly. This. (October 4, 2023)

This. Exactly. This.

04 Wednesday Oct 2023

Posted by Michael Bersin in Congress, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Congress, Kevin McCarthy, social media, Speaker

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) [2023 file photo].

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @AOC

Contrary to how McCarthy’s defenders are behaving, men failing up is not a Constitutionally protected right.

The man made risky decisions and faced the natural consequences of them. I am not his mom, and my job is not to put pool noodles around hard corners for Republicans.
11:51 AM · Oct 4, 2023

Politics ain’t beanbag.

← Older posts
Newer posts →

Recent Posts

  • Campaign Finance: all that right wingnut money, just to vilify a tiny minority
  • Campaign Finance: shifting into high gear
  • Bribery
  • Campaign Finance: they’re not @&^%$* around
  • Campaign Finance: keep it coming in

Recent Comments

Campaign Finance: al… on Campaign Finance: Next
Campaign Finance: sh… on Campaign Finance: off to the r…
Campaign Finance: th… on Campaign Finance: off to the r…
Campaign Finance: ke… on Campaign Finance: Next
We Get Mail –… on Stupid is as stupid does

Archives

  • October 2026
  • September 2026
  • August 2026
  • July 2026
  • June 2026
  • May 2026
  • April 2026
  • March 2026
  • February 2026
  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007

Categories

  • campaign finance
  • Claire McCaskill
  • Congress
  • Democratic Party News
  • Eric Schmitt
  • Healthcare
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Interview
  • Jason Smith
  • Josh Hawley
  • Mark Alford
  • media criticism
  • meta
  • Missouri General Assembly
  • Missouri Governor
  • Missouri House
  • Missouri Senate
  • Resist
  • Roy Blunt
  • social media
  • Standing Rock
  • Town Hall
  • Uncategorized
  • US Senate

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Blogroll

  • Balloon Juice
  • Crooks and Liars
  • Digby
  • I Spy With My Little Eye
  • Lawyers, Guns, and Money
  • No More Mister Nice Blog
  • The Great Orange Satan
  • Washington Monthly
  • Yael Abouhalkah

Donate to Show Me Progress via PayPal

Your modest support helps keep the lights on. Click on the button:

Blog Stats

  • 1,092,088 hits

Powered by WordPress.com.

Loading Comments...