Category Archives: Roy Blunt

The Emperor strikes out

25 Friday Jan 2019

Posted by in Josh Hawley, Roy Blunt, US Senate

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

#TrumpShutdown

Thirty-five days into the government shutdown, with escalating financial tress on approximately 800,000 federal workers, an increasing drag on the economy, and an air traffic control system breaking, Donald Trump (r), blinks.

The republican controlled Senate and most republican senators, as Trumpian sycophants, have placed themselves in the position of voting against opening the government the day before and, now, voting to open the government – with no funding for Donald Trump’s wall – his unnecessary and narcissistic monument to himself.

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

Of course, Josh Hawley (r) can’t help himself:

Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
After President’s announcement, Democrats now have chance to demonstrate that they are truly serious about securing the border. Democrat members of Congress have said over & over that they support border security. Now it’s time to prove it
12:39 PM – 25 Jan 2019

You first.

There was much hilarity in some of the responses:

I’m still trying to figure out how you aren’t in jail yet.

Hopefully in time.

Right, that political consultants in the Attorney General’s office thing.

How do you explain the past two years? The President couldn’t get a wall built with a majority. How is that winning again?

We get it Mr. Hawley, you are a WH rubber stamp.

Thursday: A CR with no wall funding is unacceptable, doesn’t address the border

Friday: President Trump is right, a CR with no wall funding is a sensible way forward.

Meanwhile people are 2 paychecks in the hole. Thanks.

So you want to spend $5-7billion for a wall that can be breached by a ahh… ladder? Not my tax money!

Well, Josh Hawley (r) certainly knows a thing or two about climbing ladders.

Your party could have done this in the two years y’all had control of the Exec. and Legislative branches. Why put this on the Democrats?

GOP is so serious about border security that they stop paying the people providing it.

and YOU need to figure out if you stand for something besides political opportunism.

Convenient you don’t mention who shut down the government in the first place. We could have been here 35 days ago.

Border security does not mean a wall.

This is also an opportunity for you to prove that you can be reasonable about securing the border, rather than simply parroting partisan doublespeak.

Too late.

Pretty soon you will have to prove you didn’t violate campaign finance laws while you were busy ladder climbing. Rs had 2 years to do this. Own your own party’s failure and stop scapegoating.

Ooh, ladders again.

Provided you’re ready to focus on solutions rooted in the 21st century, not the 4th.

Well, almost every other policy he supports is Medieval. he’s somewhat consistent.

You’re a clown. And the fact that you support Trump proves me right.

Stop wasting our time with a wall and address real issues.

At least they are willing to stand up to a bully and do something and not cower as you have

No wall

Just proving you’re a #TrumpToady. We get it you are trying to save face, but I’m from Missouri – you’re going to have to #ShowMe more than this.

It would be nice also if YOU and @RoyBlunt prove that you give a flying fig about WORKING PEOPLE (like the approx 4,600 decent Missourians at the IRS in KC). Remember most illegals come thru the airports & a wall won’t help. But you guys know that. You think we are all stupid.

You are lying. Dems want border security, just know the wall is pointless, as you do. You threaten the lifes of thousands, with your disregard and loyalty to Trump.

Yeah, @SenSchumer and @SpeakerPelosi are taking a victory lap on TV now, no wall, no wall $$.

Border security. Not a wall. How’s that coordination between your campaign and the NRA going? Scared yet?

Aren’t you under investigation Josh?

Looking forward to casting my vote to make you a one term Senator next election. You’re a crook just like @senatemajldr and @realDonaldTrump .

Previously:

Whereupon Josh Hawley (r) suddenly discovers that he has over 6,000,000 constituents (January 10, 2019)

Two of a kind

24 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by in Josh Hawley, Roy Blunt, US Senate

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Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

Roy Blunt (r) [2016 file photo].

The vote today in the U.S. Senate on the republican poison pill bill (cloture), negotiated among republicans, which would appropriate money for Donald Trump’s (r) wall in exchange for temporary immigration policy changes (on DACA and Temporary Protective Status, hence the “poison pill”) and temporarily punting the partial government shutdown:

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion Invoke Cloture on the Shelby Amdt. No. 5)
Vote Number: 9
Vote Date: January 24, 2019, 02:42 PM

Required For Majority: 3/5
Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected

Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 5 to H.R. 268 (Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019)
Statement of Purpose: Of a perfecting nature.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 50
NAYs 47
Not Voting 3

Missouri: Blunt (R-MO), Yea Hawley (R-MO), Yea

Joe Manchin of West Virginia was the only Democrat to vote for this bill (cloture). Two republicans voted against it (Cotton of Arkansas and Lee of Utah). Two republicans didn’t vote (Paul of Kentucky and Risch of Idaho). 60 votes were needed for cloture, to advance the bill.

Is anyone surprised?

The “clean” version of the bill, which the previous republican controlled Senate approved before the Trump shutdown was also brought up for a vote. It, too, failed get the 60 votes for cloture, to advance the bill:

Question: On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on the Schumer Amdt. No. 6 )
Vote Number: 10
Vote Date: January 24, 2019, 03:18 PM

Required For Majority: 3/5
Vote Result: Cloture Motion Rejected

Amendment Number: S.Amdt. 6 to H.R. 268 (Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2019)
Statement of Purpose: Of a perfecting nature.
Vote Counts:
YEAs 52
NAYs 44
Not Voting 4

Missouri: Blunt (R-MO), Nay Hawley (R-MO), Nay

Two of a kind. Is anyone surprised?

Six republicans voted for the bill (Alexander of Tennessee – retiring in 2020, Collins of Maine – seeking reelection in 2020, Gardner of Colorado – seeking reelection in 2020, Isakson of Georgia, Murkowski of Alaska, Romney of Utah). No Democrats voted against the bill. Three republicans did not vote (Burr of North Carolina, Paul of Kentucky, Risch of Idaho).

The #TrumpShutdown continues.

republican Investigation: a play in one act

04 Thursday Oct 2018

Posted by in Claire McCaskill, media criticism, Resist, Roy Blunt, US Senate

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Witness: “This happened.

republicans: “Where’s your corroboration?”

Witness: “Here, here, here, here…”

republicans: “We’re not going to ask them.”

Witness: “?”

Republicans: “See, there’s no corroboration.”

Old Media: “Both sides…”

More than one

23 Sunday Sep 2018

Posted by in Claire McCaskill, Roy Blunt, US Senate

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We’re not surprised. At all.

This evening, in The New Yorker:

Senate Democrats Investigate a New Allegation of Sexual Misconduct, from Brett Kavanaugh’s College Years
By Ronan Farrow and Jane Mayer 7:49 P.M.

As Senate Republicans press for a swift vote to confirm Brett Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Senate Democrats are investigating a new allegation of sexual misconduct against Kavanaugh. The claim dates to the 1983-84 academic school year, when Kavanaugh was a freshman at Yale University. The offices of at least four Democratic senators have received information about the allegation, and at least two have begun investigating it. Senior Republican staffers also learned of the allegation last week and, in conversations with The New Yorker, expressed concern about its potential impact on Kavanaugh’s nomination. Soon after, Senate Republicans issued renewed calls to accelerate the timing of a committee vote. The Democratic Senate offices reviewing the allegations believe that they merit further investigation….

They thought they could get away with it. They may still do so. The republicans deserve to lose in November just for their arrogant incompetence.

Previously:

It’s time (September 8, 2018)

Claire McCaskill (D) has got to be the luckiest politician on the planet (September 17, 2018)

And….Boom! (September 19, 2018)

Clueless (September 21, 2018)

A sinking land yacht (September 21, 2018)

Tantrum (September 21, 2018)

The GOP plan for universal access to affordable health care: if you ever get sick, just die already

11 Tuesday Sep 2018

Posted by in Claire McCaskill, Roy Blunt, social media, US Senate

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As it’s always been.

This evening:

Micheal Mahoney @KCMikeMahoney
Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt on GOP Senate pre-existing conditions bill, “That bill is not going anywhere. I am not supportive of it.” #RoyBlunt #MOSEN #JoshHawley #ClaireMcCaskill #kmbc
[….]
5:35 PM – 11 Sep 2018 from Kansas City, MO

Somebody forgot to tell Josh Hawley (r).

A comment:

@Meirabb Meira Bernstein
.@HawleyMO, call your office. #mosen
[….]
5:53 PM – 11 Sep 2018

Meira Bernstein wins the Internets today.

Sen. Roy Blunt (r): ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

18 Wednesday Jul 2018

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Ignoring the elephant in the room.

Roy Blunt (r) [2016 file photo].

This morning, via Twitter, from Senator Roy Blunt (r):

Senator Roy Blunt @RoyBlunt
The economy is strong
Americans are keeping more of their hard-earned paycheck
Unemployment is at an 18 year low
#Smallbiz confidence is at record high
10:58 AM – 18 Jul 2018

Oh, and we are a Russian client state.

Some of the responses to Roy Blunt (r):

Only one #Missouri senator holds a town hall, and it isn’t you.
Only one #MO Senator accepts $47,000.00 from the NRA, and it sure isn’t @clairecmc !
What did #Russia get for its money from you, @RoyBluntMO ? What will you do to protect this state’s free and fair #2018elections?

“Across the Heartland, #farmers, factory workers and business leaders are speaking out against the disastrous #TrumpTariffs that are costing American #jobs.”

Yet real wages are falling. Missourians are concerned about lgbt rights, separation of immigration families, the environment, climate change, govt corruption, pls hold a town hall your constituents would like to talk with you

Only @clairecmc does that. Roy is lucky to remember what state he (mis)represents.

i get an extra $6.20 a month. SO MUCH MONEY!!

Don’t waste it now, you know, on things like increased health care and food prices!!

Adjusted for inflation, wage growth is flat or falling. US debt setting records. Corps using tax cuts for stock buybacks. Opioid addiction in MO is high – and most now cannot afford health care. Hottest year on record. Gobal alliances are weakened.

Read the papers, Senator.

They’re a cult of complicit money whores, bought & paid for.

The few who aren’t have apparently bought stock in Kool Aid.

You are a United States Senator. One of my Senators. Stop using emojis. Running the government does not require elementary school graphics.

It was probably a staffer. That tells you a lot, too.

Hold the president accountable for his actions

and Republicans keep on committing treason

The treason is strong too.

Yeah that extra $1.50 is really helping my family. Plus it really helped my college educated friends with their minimum wage job!

So who cares if the president is in bed with Russia?

What we want to hear from you is that you stand for America and not Russia. That you are appalled at the Russian interference in our election and pledge to take EVERY possible action to stop it and prevent it. #TreasonSummit

Deficit at record high

All republicans consider that a feature, not a bug.

The forgotten people are still forgotten. Only the rich benefited from what you said.

Oh yeah, treason much?

You forgot to mention our reputation and influence is getting to an all time low around the world….

And ol’ Cash & Carry Blunt keeps collecting dollars from the NRA and other corporate sponsors. Makin’ out like a bandit, Roy.

And the president you blindly support is selling the US to Russia. Makes me wonder what Putin has on you, Roy…

Those paychecks are smaller and are not keeping pace with inflation. Meanwhile, the richest grow richer. #GOPTaxScam.

And our debt has increased a trillion dollars with this administration. Your failure to stand up to Trump is endangerong our country.

You need to rein In Trump

Yeah, average American is just seeing so much more. Whatever.

In what world is small business confidence high? And I’d gladly pay more taxes to have guaranteed healthcare and roads that don’t blow out tires and suspension. Those cost money too.

Emoji day is over, Roy. Americans’ wages are stagnant, despite massive corporate subsidies you gave away in January. Wealth & income inequality gaps have never been larger. Our President has proven over & over that he’s a puppet of an adverse foreign power. But you. Do. Nothing.

I still don’t want Vladimir Putin engineering and hijacking my vote and the election!

Meanwhile, my healthcare costs have gone up (& will skyrocket during next plan year with the destabilization of healthcare markets & drug costs) increased gas costs, higher interest rates, tariff wars. Any Tax savings are offset by a major rise in expenditures. Get back to work!

Gas is at an 8 year high, health insurance premiums have increased 40%, medication costs are up 20-100%, rural hospitals are closing, tariffs are costing farmers over 20% in losses and cutting Missouri companies to close. You cannot spin this. People KNOW they are worse off.

You know, Senator, administration figures show hourly pay stagnating or dropping slightly. I hope you and your donors aren’t suffering too much these days. The cost of living is going up. Will you all be OK?

Oh good grief. Surely you know that unemployment has been low for a long time and in fact should NOT go lower or else it will trigger inflation. UNDER employment is still rampant and not helped by the #GOP one whit.

Our “hard-earned” paychecks are smaller (real wages are down), insurance costs are rising due to your sabotage, and the deficit will hit $1 trillion.

If you try to distract from your complicity in treason, at least have the honesty not to cherry-pick your economic stats.

I’m not keeping more of my paycheck and my health insurance premium went up. Btw, why is Trump so chummy with Putin and when are the children of immigrants going to be reunited?

Wages are flat. Your tax policies don’t justify your support for a President that sided with Putin over America.

Some people are currently doing well, the voters you care about. Other Missourians are not faring so well under Trump. Also, OUR VERY DEMOCRACY IS IN DANGER because our president is beholden to Putin and nobody in your party sees fit to do anything.

Our president is committing treason ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Liar

Where are wages? Have you checked the data? And when are you going to get rid of @realDonaldTrump that Liar-in-Chief?

Wages are down and president is a traitor – recession likely on the way – thanks gop!!!

Goods are costing more due to tariffs and the monies in our accounts are less because of #TrumpTariffs. This is not an overall advancement of the people of America.

If the economy is so strong why are wages stagnant?

Treasonous acts at an all time high

And if you support Trump, you’re no better than he is.

And our president puts Putin first and you blindly go along with it

I get an extra $250 per month! Of course, that’s because I now pay for all of my own medical bills out of pocket, so…. Yeah. That’s not better at all.

You’re delusional and laughably out of touch, Blunt. I can’t wait to vote against you!

We have a Russian stooge in the White House. Step up – #Historyhasalongmemory

What will your legacy be? Will the history books reflect that YOU stood & defended our country from this petulant president…, Or YOU defended & stood with him?

Any little bit middle class got being eaten up by higher gas prices and rising prices because of trump and GOP tariffs. Pharmacy industry and rich people like you got the biggest share. Quit saying you are for middle class Americans

You can say this bullshit every day, but most working people live with the reality and stress of the current labor market.

Besides you’re a senator not a freaking hype man. There is a #tradewar and #traitor that you should be dealing with.

Farmers are hurting.
The rich keep getting richer.
The poor keep getting poorer.
POTUS just brown nosed the heck out of PUTIN.
But you keep feeding us those emojis, Blunt.

Our president is a traitor! Do something!!!

45 just handed our democracy to Putin. You need to get on the #rightsideofhistory and IMPEACH. #Treasonsummit #TrumpPutinSummit #HelsinkiSummit2018

…and our @POTUS is a traitor.

Touting the economy right now is a distraction from your man Trump making traitorous remarks overseas. Better keep up Roy, everyone else is paying attention.

Trump is a traitor. When are you going to defend democracy! That’s what you swore to do. #GOPComplicit

None of that would change if we get rid of the elephant in the room.
Once the elephant is gone we can all be confident in the future.

Shame on you Senator. The Traitor just committed a public act of Treason against the American People and you are carrying on like business as usual. You have a duty: protect the Republic. End this Presidency now.

Russia
Do something
Russia

You lie for a traitor.

And you’re fucking silent as our President sells us out to Russia.

Meanwhile, our pussy-grabbing President colludes with a murderous dictator. Tweet about that.

The president is a traitor
Americans are tired of your complacency
You are a puppet to the rich
#youdontworkforMO
#25thAmendmentNow

They seem to be a little upset.

52% of Americans want U.S. Supreme Court nominee to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate

04 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Claire McCaskill, Roy Blunt, US Senate

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Oh, wait, that was for Merrick Garland, President Obama’s nominee for the vacancy on the court. The republicans obstructed his nomination for 293 days, never giving his nomination a hearing or a vote.

Senator Roy Blunt (r) didn’t seem to suffer any consequences for obstructing the will of the people, did he?

Are you listening, Claire?

Senator Roy Blunt (r): suffer the little children

20 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by in Roy Blunt, US Senate

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A mom got so fed up with Donald Trump’s decision to separate children from their families at the border that she took to social media to see if fifteen or so friends would join her in front of Senator Roy Blunt’s (r) office at Tenth and Walnut in Kansas City to express their concerns. That was on Monday. By this morning over four hundred individuals expressed their support and over one hundred people joined Wendy Baird in front of the building entrance at 10:00 a.m.

“[multiple voices]…We don’t have time for legislation. There’s over twenty-three hundred children, taken away from their parents. That’s a statement? You’re saying that’s untrue? The children taken away, that’s not a true number, is that what you’re saying? Okay. So you guys agree that they’re taking the children away and all he has to do is pick up the phone, but he’s refusing to pick up the phone. This is not a law and you guys know that. And so everybody here knows it. It’s not a law, it’s a policy. [crosstalk] Twenty-three hundred children who are crying for their parents. This is abuse. This is child abuse. I’m a mandated reporter. You’re a mandated reporter. We should call the hotline. Every one of us should call the hotline, we’re mandated reporters. It’s not ridiculous. Completely, no, they’re children. My children [crosstalk], what would she do? It’s an outrage. I know. Do you have children? This has got to hit here, right? Breastfeeding babies…”

“…[multiple voices] This [bill] needs to include an act to reunite these families, to get these children back to their parents, not just to stop it in the future. To reunite the six thousand, the eleven thousand children that are being detained. Right now. They need to be home with their families immediately. And right now there is no plan. There is no plan. There is no plan. These children, we’re basically creating orphans. Investigate the facilities. [cross talk][inaudible] A Texas non-profit got a half a billion dollars to take care of these children this week. They do not plan on reuniting them. That is sick. And they’re opening more facilities and they’re calling them tender age facilities. George Orwell talked about this kind of talk where you make words that don’t make sense and sound better than what they are. Tender age facilities are places for babies to be housed like jail…”

“…[multiple voices] What is your opinion. I would like to know as a fellow citizen what your opinion on this is. I’m here to take notes. I would like to know what your opinion is…”

Wendy Baird, speaking to Senator Roy Blunt’s (r) staff.

“[multiple voices]…That is a lie. It is not mandated. [crosstalk] It’s separation of families. Jeff Sessions said we’re gonna start this [crosstalk][inaudible]. He could do something. All he has to do is pick up the phone. Introduce it, legislation. I’ll pass it on to him. I, I would like him to take another look at Feinstein’s bill because I feel like this is not doing enough. Why do we have to have a new bill? [crosstalk] It’s clean and it doesn’t have anything to do with the wall and o they’re not going to have anything to do with it. Because they wanted to have the wall.[crosstalk] Are we creating state sponsored orphans…”

“[multiple voices]…When are we going to have a town hall meeting with Senator Blunt? There you go. Town hall meeting. [crosstalk]…”

“[chant]…Reunite the families. Reunite the families. Reunite the families…”

“[chant]…Hey, hey, ho, ho, this policy has got to go. Hey, hey, ho, ho, this policy has got to go. Hey, hey, ho, ho, this policy has got to go…”

Senator Roy Blunt’s (r) staff.

Previously:

Wendy Baird, a mom, age “thirty-something”, from Independence, Missouri and Senator Roy Blunt (r) (June 20, 2018)

Wendy Baird, a mom, age “thirty-something”, from Independence, Missouri and Senator Roy Blunt (r)

20 Wednesday Jun 2018

Posted by in Roy Blunt, social media, US Senate

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My money’s on Wendy Baird.

A mom got so fed up with Donald Trump’s decision to separate children from their families at the border that she took to social media to see if fifteen or so friends would join her in front of Senator Roy Blunt’s (r) office at Tenth and Walnut in Kansas City to express their concerns. That was on Monday. By this morning over four hundred individuals expressed their support and over one hundred people joined Wendy Baird in front of the building entrance at 10:00 a.m.

Wendy Baird.

Show Me Progress: …Why did you come here today?

Wendy Baird: We are here to ask, uh, Senator Roy Blunt to encourage President Trump to make one phone call to Home, to the Department of Homeland Security. It’s his cabinet member, he can ask her to stop this at any time. And that’s what we want him to do.

Show Me Progress: Uh, again, why you?

Wendy Baird: I’m just a thirty something stay at home mom. I had to do something. it broke my heart to hear about these poor kids. We know it’s traumatic for children to be in any kind of situation like that. It’s not good for them. it’s not good for their hearts, it’s not good for their brains, and there’s no reason for it. Um, no other administration would touch this with a ten foot pole. Um, but we’re doing it and apparently we’re all in. And we need to stop.

Show Me Progress: So, what was the reaction of people who you know as you started to organize this?

Wendy Baird: Um, they were fully behind it. Not everybody could come today. I understand, it’s ten o’clock on a weekday morning. Um, but we’re still gonna have a really good group I think. And those who couldn’t be here, they’re calling, they’re emailing, they’re contacting Senator Blunt and that’s, that’s all we can do.

Show Me Progress: How would you characterize, those, they people you know, as you’ve communicated with, their reaction to this?

Wendy Baird: It’s wrong.

Show Me Progress: It’s pretty universal?

Wendy Baird: I, I think so. I think it is pretty universal. Um, like two thirds of the country are against separating families. I don’t think it matters if you’re a Democrat or a Republican, it’s not who we are. We can do better. We don’t need to separate children from their families.

Building security and Police inside the building entrance.

Prompted by one hundred or so moms and their kids (and a few grandparents, too, probably)?

Since they couldn’t go up to Senator Blunt’s (r) office they spoke to two of his staff members who came down to listen to them. People were insistent, refused to accept bland assurances, and didn’t back down.

Speaking to Senator Roy Blunt’s (r) staff outside his office.

In Missouri we’re used to plain speaking people from Independence. You’d think Roy Blunt (r) would get that.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): And…

18 Monday Jun 2018

Posted by in Claire McCaskill, Roy Blunt, US Senate

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Where’s Roy?

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) [2018 file photo].

This morning, from Senator Claire McCaskill

Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
What she said.

Laura Bush @laurawbush
I live in a border state. I appreciate the need to enforce and protect our international boundaries, but this zero-tolerance policy is cruel. It is immoral. And it breaks my heart.

10:31 AM – 18 Jun 2018

Previously:

At this point even a Truth and Reconciliation Commission can’t save the American experiment (June 17, 2018)

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D): Keep those calls coming… (June 17, 2018)

The price of all our souls was a tax cut for billionaires (June 17, 2018)