Author Archives: Michael Bersin

Gerrymander – illustrated

17 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

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Prompted by a Twitter post, we took a look at the statewide vote for the Missouri House of Representatives as currently reported via the Missouri Secretary of State.

We fired up the spreadsheet software and entered the vote by party for all 163 legislative districts.

The distribution of votes (statewide) by party for the Missouri House of Representatives – November 2018

The statewide vote totals:

Republican – 1,272,938
Democratic – 999,426
Independent – 757
Libertarian – 15,750
Green – 2,733
Constitution – 406
Write-in – 171

Libertarians, you gave it the good old college try. Greens, really? There are that many people on the left in Missouri when faced with an obvious binary difference who decide, instead, to choose purity? Independents? Given old media memes you probably thought there were a lot more of you than you are. Democrats, keep chasing those “Independent” unicorns. Constitution Party, bless your hearts.

The distribution of seats by party in the Missouri House of Representatives – 2019 Session

So, the Republicans go into the 2018 legislative session with 116 seats in the House, Democrats with 47. We will all see the results of that distribution when bills for the 2019 session are prefiled in December.

Right to get paid less, anyone? Anyone?

Previously:

Gerrymander (November 16, 2018)

About those political consultants running the Attorney General’s office…

17 Saturday Nov 2018

Posted by in Josh Hawley, US Senate

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Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

A press release from the American Democracy Legal Fund:

ADLF Files Legal Complaint Against Hawley
For Misuse of Public Funds

The American Democracy Legal Fund has filed a legal complaint against Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley for his misuse of taxpayer resources to further his political career.

The complaint asks the Missouri Secretary of State to investigate Hawley’s alleged outsourcing of Attorney General business to two partisan political consultants, who directed taxpayer-funded Attorney General staff to conduct the office in a manner that would benefit Hawley’s political career.

“Hawley suggested nobody is above the law. And, as Missouri’s chief law enforcement officer and advisor, neither is he,” writes ADLF President Brad Woodhouse. “Hawley’s conduct violates the trust that Missourians gave him to serve the public interest and enforce this state’s laws honorably. And most of all, Hawley’s conduct appears to demonstrate a misuse of public funds.”

The pdf of the complaint letter is here. [pdf]

And in January he’s in the U.S. Senate.

Previously:

Josh Hawley (r): Who did you say was in charge at the Attorney General’s office? (October 31, 2018)

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): Who was in charge at the Attorney General’s office? (November 1, 2018)

Senator Claire McCaskill (D): Who was in charge at the Attorney General’s office? – Press Q and A – November 1, 2018 (November 1, 2018)

Josh Hawley (r): Ask me no more questions, I’ll tell you no more lies… (November 4, 2018)

Josh Hawley (r): afraid of playing softball with Chuck Todd (November 4, 2018)

You think maybe he’s just waiting for the subpoena? (November 5, 2018)

Gerrymander

16 Friday Nov 2018

Posted by in Missouri House, social media

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The intended results, in Ohio:

Alec MacGillis @AlecMacGillis
Stunning new stat out of Ohio:

We already knew that Republicans got 12 of OH’s 16 US House seats despite winning only 52% of total congressional vote.

But get this: Republicans also managed to hold supermajorities in the Ohio legislature despite LOSING the total state leg vote.
12:24 PM – 15 Nov 2018

In Missouri:

Gunnar Johanson @GunnarJohanson
A thread with some #MOleg facts:

Democratic candidates for the state’s House of Representatives received 44% of the popular vote in 2018 but only received 29% of the seats.
9:01 AM – 15 Nov 2018

The thread continued:

This is an increase of 10% of the electorate from 2016, yet only yielded one net seat gain from 2016 to 2018.

Meanwhile, the GOP lost 8% of the state house electorate but only lost one seat. One seat is .6% of the chamber.

Clear evidence that the system is rigged against 44% of the state house electorate in Missouri. Here’s to hoping @CleanMissouri is implemented and ends gerrymandering

That’s the practical impact.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): your tax dollars, religiously, at work

15 Thursday Nov 2018

Posted by in social media

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Yesterday, via Twitter:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler
So excited that Trinity Lutheran Church is opening its new playground with the federal grant money it rightly deserved. I was proud to write an amicus brief in the church’s support when this case went before SCOTUS.
[….]
7:31 AM – 14 Nov 2018 from Washington, DC

Some of the responses:

LOL … you didn’t write the amicus brief. You added your name to its cover. Hint: you don’t have a law degree … which also explains your difficulty in understanding the concept of the separation of church and state. Maybe you should build THAT wall

So depressed you’re still around

How does it feel to be the minority party and to be an obstructionist. By the way do you support POTUS California tweets?

Nothing like separation of church and state. Hypocrite.

Is this what Nationalism is?

Golly Gee Whiz, Vicky.
Everyone hates you.
Bless your lil pea-picking heart.

Previously:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r), in the House minority, will now be able to totally refocus her legislative agenda on naming post offices (November 7, 2018)

Campaign Finance: Is that coal in your stocking?

14 Wednesday Nov 2018

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Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C180544 11/14/2018 Missourians for Responsible Energy Ameren Missouri PO Box 66892 St Louis MO 63166 11/13/2018 $5,484.25

[emphasis added]

And:

180544: Missourians For Responsible Energy
Committee Type: Political Action
312 E. Capitol Ave.
Jefferson City Mo 65101
Established Date: 07/18/2018
[….]
Information Reported On: 2018 – October Quarterly Report
Beginning Money on Hand $0.00
Monetary Receipts + $0.00
Monetary Expenditures – $0.00
Contributions Made – $0.00
Other Disbursements – $0.00
Subtotal $0.00
Ending Money On Hand $0.00

Information Reported On: 2018 – October Quarterly Report
Beginning Indebtedness $0.00
Loans Received + $0.00
Expenditures Incurred (Credit Card, etc) + $10,968.50
Payments made on Loans and Credit Cards – $0.00
Debt Forgiven – $0.00
Payments made on Previously Incurred Debt – $0.00
Subtotal $10,968.50
Ending Indebtedness $10,968.50

That’s not a particularly good start or balance sheet.

It ain’t rocket surgery…

14 Wednesday Nov 2018

Posted by in media criticism, social media

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On obvious predictions:

Michael Bersin @MBersin
And for the win (February 22, 2017)…

Dave Weigel @daveweigel
Honestly the funniest 2018 result would be: Dems win the majority based on suburbs after reporters spend two years canvassing rural diners

7:06 AM – 14 Nov 2018

The diner interviews will continue unabated for the next two decades, though the red “MAGA” hats will fade with time.

The Vichy pimple opines for The Faux News Channel

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Resist, US Senate

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Chutzpah.

Leader McConnell @senatemajldr
My latest Op-Ed: Will Dems work with us, or simply put partisan politics ahead of the country?
[….]
3:43 PM – 13 Nov 2018

Some of the responses:

My latest Op-Ed: F*** off, Treason Turtle.

Paid for by the ShutYoLyingAssUp Super PAC.

Care to comment on Merrick Garland? Or the bipartisan legislation to protect Mueller?

Incredble. You’ve been obstructing and devisive for years, putting party over country and allowing this travesty of a president run amok. Resign, you cretin.#impeachtrump

My latest op-ed: Will the Democrats be the adults in the room, per usual, and work with Republicans—or will they do the exact same thing the hypocrite GOP “leader” McConnell did for 8 years? #GOPhypocrites

Wait, what? hahaha — oh senator, this is rich…… Remember “we’ll make Obama a one term president?” Remember, “we’ll just say no to everything” meeting? Remember Merrick Garland?

LOL. Did you work with President Obama? There’s your answer, you Vichy pimple.

Okay, we’re stealing that.

More notable than Merrick Garland, which speaks to the irony of this article, is that he wrote it for Fox News rather than an outlet that caters to Democrats, betraying his true intentions.

You haven’t worked with Dems for 10 yrs. Now you’re the aggreived party? Most of this country is sick of your crap. I hope it all catches up with you. I hope you have to pay for what you have done to this country and your own party. Jerk.

“One of my proudest moments was when I looked Barack Obama in the eye and I said, ‘Mr. President, you will not fill the Supreme Court vacancy.’ ” – Mitch McConnell

You’ve done more personally to tear down our faith in institutions than any single individual alive. I can’t wait until you’re gone but until then, have a seat.

How about we make Trump a “One Term President”?

See how I just used your thing against you?

Lolololol, I’m hilarious.

“The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” – Mitch McConnell (Oct. 23, 2010)

I cannot imagine a hell of nearly enough torment to suit the treason and fuckery you have Inflicted upon people to destroy this nation in favor of the rich. God damn McConnell to motherfucking hell

Hey Yurtle, you mean like how you proudly obstructed Pres. Obama for 8 years you corrupt, calcified, hypocrite

Oh please explain partinship to us when you wouldn’t allow the FBI to issue a statement about RU election interference and you wouldn’t allow Merrick Garland to have a hearing for almost a year. Your the definition of a political hack & I’m praying you have criminal liability.

I suspect you will reap what you’ve sown.

And I think you know that.

Merrick Garland

You’re a terrible human being.

The guy who said his number one legislative priority is making Obama a one-term President and invented excuses to keep a Supreme Court seat open for over a year wants Democrats to put country over politics and work with the other side.

ratio’ed, bitch

You got some nerve, you bag of shit.

I’ll give you one thing:

You do hypocrisy like no other person alive.

By opposing the Trump/McConnell agenda as vigorously as possible, the Democrats would be putting country over partisan politics.

Bingo.

Nobody will work with you. Take it personally. #merrickgarland

Will Dems work on the agenda the Americans people elected them to enact, or simply put doomed efforts to reach out to recalcitrant Repubs who will never reciprocate ahead of the country?

Really mitch. How about Garland? And everything Obama had proposed we wont forget what you did to our country during Obama years or during this administration. You sold our democracy to Russia.

You shameless sack of shit

Pressed for time, quick answer: fuck you.

Merrick Garland says what?

The gall is astronomical here

Coming from you… this is the most ironic thing I’ve seen all year. Congratulations.

Did you say Merrick Garland?

Because Merrick Garland.

This is like the pot calling the kettle the most cynical partisan leader of my lifetime

Dude you are hilarious, will you work with us since we seem to have the majority of solutions.

Remember your response when asked about working across the aisle with Dems under Obama? “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.” Yeah…that’s how YOU “put country ahead of partisan politics”, hypocrite.

We elected them TO GET DJT out of the WH.. so you figure it out

Oh Turtle when did you become funny?

eat shit

You have no moral standing to advocate for bipartisanship. You and the President have done more than anyone to destroy statesmanship in our time.

fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

Don’t worry, McConnell, we’ve been taking notes and studying the #GOP to learn how to cooperate.

#McConnell #gop #partisanpolitics

Mitch McConnell, 2010: “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.”

Mitch McConnell, 2018: Democrats probably won’t work with us because I personally reforged Congress into a partisan machine. And it’s all their fault.

Oh will history savage you. The worst of the cynical wretches. You are a bad person, sir.

I’m sure they’re going to work with you just as much as you’ve worked with Democrats over the last ten years.

No. Senate Dems will not work with you unless it’s to pass legislation passed in the House. But we know you have no plans to work with the Dems.

This is the onion right ?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha GO FUK YOURSELF ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

We will do the same thing you have done. Winter is here.

Mitch is to bipartisanship as Trump is to honesty.

Heh.

My suggestion; hold your breath until you find out in January.

Is this like a DDoS attack where you try to take down twitter’s servers with a massive surge of irony?

You never worked with them. Why should they work with you?

I’m going with the third choice of “we’re going to do what republicans didn’t have the patriotism or courage to do because they’re partisan hacks” Good chat Yurtle!

You schedule that Merrick Garland confirmation hearing yet?

The same way you put partisan politics ahead of human rights, lives, and any consideration of others who aren’t in the 1% white old men’s club?

Oh that’s rich…..

And with that, self awareness died.

This is a parody account right?

Probably not.

Really, it’s not about abortion

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Uncategorized

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“Of all the Democratic candidates who flipped House seats and gubernatorial offices last week, not a single one ran on a pro-life [anti-choice] platform…” – Fixed it for them.

Really, it’s not about abortion. It’s about controlling others.

That little dustup about the anti-choice boilerplate language inserted into and then removed from the Missouri Democratic Party platform this past Summer? As if that made any difference in the 2018 election here in Missouri?

Show Me.

Pre 1973 medical instruments.

The impact nationally of the anti-choice movement on the Democratic Party wave in Tuesday’s election was exactly…

The Pro-Life Democratic Politician Is Going Extinct
By Sarah Jones

…Of all the Democratic candidates who flipped House seats and gubernatorial offices last week, not a single one ran on a pro-life platform.

As Shellnutt notes in her piece, it’s true that one in five people who support the repeal of Roe v. Wade identify as Democrats. But that’s a small fraction of an already-small demographic, and it doesn’t necessarily follow that the sort of pro-life voter who favors Democrats prioritizes abortion above, say, health care or the economy. There’s still widespread support for Roe. A July Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that 71 percent of Americans want to keep Roe; in fact, most Republicans say they oppose repeal. There just doesn’t appear to be a constituency for pro-life Democrats, an observation borne out by electoral results in addition to issue-specific polls. America’s abortion debate isn’t over, and the pro-life Democrat isn’t extinct. Intraparty debates over the exact place pro-life Democrats should or should not occupy will likely continue, but the evidence increasingly favors one conclusion: The party doesn’t need pro-life candidates to win. Democrats achieved a blue wave mostly without them. There’s no reason to think this will change in 2020, or afterward, as the party plots its post-Trump future.

…next to nothing, if at all.

Previously:

The elephant in the room (July 3, 2018)

Against abortion? Don’t have one. (July 6, 2018)

Getting played (July 8, 2018)

And they fixed it (August 11, 2018)

And we shall know them by their whiny, poorly written, rhetorically deficient, bullshit press releases (August 13, 2018)

He couldn’t do a worse job, could he?

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

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Missouri will have a new Attorney General, since Josh Hawley (r) will be in the U.S. Senate in January.

Via Twitter:

Governor Mike Parson @GovParsonMO
I am proud and pleased today to announce that Eric Schmitt will be Missouri’s next Attorney General. Eric is someone who I highly respect, personally trust, and have full confidence in to serve as Missouri’s chief law enforcement officer.
[….]
9:57 AM – 13 Nov 2018

Gee, who’ll be State Treasurer then?

And, from Eric Schmitt (r):

Eric Schmitt @Eric_Schmitt
I’m grateful to @GovParsonMO for the opportunity to serve Missourians as their attorney general and chief law enforcement official.
[….]
10:58 AM – 13 Nov 2018

He continued:

It is an incredible honor to be named the lawyer for 6 million Missourians and I promise to fight each and every day so the next generation of Missourians have the same opportunities I’ve enjoyed in the greatest country on earth.

I believe everyone is granted the right to be treated equally under the law. No matter who you are, what race or religion you are, your background, your creed – every single person is entitled to equality of opportunity and a fair shake under the law.

Translation: “I’m going to continue the lawsuit to remove pre-existing medical conditions protections from Missourians.”

We probably answered our own question.

Previously:

Josh Hawley (r): Who did you say was in charge at the Attorney General’s office? (October 31, 2017)