Rep. Jason Smith (r): Puerto Rico is America!

17 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

Tags

8th Congressional District, Jason Smith, missouri, Republican, social media, Twitter

So, this happened today:

smoky eye @shewhopersists
Replying to @RepJasonSmith

Kyle Griffin @kylegriffin1
The Hill IDs the congressman who yelled “go back to Puerto Rico” at Rep. Tony Cardenas (who’s not from P.R.) as Republican Rep. Jason Smith.

Cardenas: “It’s sad that anything even remotely close to that would be said to me…

4:39 PM – 17 Jan 2019

Oh, my.

Jason Smith (r) represents the 8th Congressional District in Missouri.

“…Nobody knows in America
Puerto Rico’s in America!…” – West Side Story (1957)

There are a lot of responses on Jason Smith’s (r) Twitter account:

You do realize literally everyone in the world would rather go to Puerto Rico than Missouri right? Fodor’s actually ranked you between Myanmar and Honduras in awfulness.

Respectfully, where’s your decorum as a House of Representatives’ member?

Complete lapse of manners to yell “go back to Puerto Rico” while on the floor of our Congress.

You owe the citizens of this nation, and their representatives, an apology for your rudeness.

Shameful!

IOKIYAR*

* it’s okay if you’re a republican

I can’t believe I have to admit you are my rep. You are also a racist ass. Resign you don’t represent our state.

Talk about embarrassing, your behavior is inexcusable.

You really shouted “go back to Puerto Rico?” To a minority colleague on the floor of the house? Boo.

Putz

Your crazy is showing buddy, might wanna tuck that back in.

Didn’t you know Puerto Rico is a part of the United States? You should be ashamed of your behavior. It was not befitting a U.S. Representative.

Heh.

Reprehensible behavior on the House floor today. Extremely disappointed but sadly not shocked. #racism

Thanks for making sure none of us would mistake you for a good person.

Ouch, that one left a mark.

Actually have you been to Puerto Rico? Lately? Helped out much?

I truly hope everyone calls you out repeatedly for your bad behavior. I read people didn’t know who you were, I guess we do now. Congratulations, you’re “that guy that yelled go back to Puerto Rico”. Not that impressive.

Does this rep know Puerto Rico is part of the US? That the people there are US citizens? Would he have told a Congressman to “go back to Sioux Falls”?

I heard what you said on the House floor. It was unbecoming of your title to behave in this manner. #PuertoRico = Americans. You spoke in a negative manner about Americans. Apologize then resign.

The people you represent must be so embarrassed by you. Very sad for them.

Resign you racist! Have all of you lost your minds??

You need to be removed from Congress!!
#Racist f*ck
You don’t represent my #America

Oh, my.

So does being from Puerto Rico somehow diminish his ability to legislate, or his humanity? Does it make him any less an American in your view?

Did you yell “go back to Puerto Rico” at a fellow congressman?

Apparently he did.

Republican Congressman is offended at the decorum of a colleague, yet shouts a clearly racist remark at a MEXICAN descended colleague to go back to puerto rico. You can try to spin however you like, but you were clearly going for racism Mr Smith.

Life in the minority is tough.

You shouted “Go back to Puerto Rico” to @RepCardenas.
– Puerto Rico is part of the U.S.
– Mister Cardenas is not born in Puerto Rico.

Did you really yell “go back to Puerto Rico?” Because if you did, I think you should resign.

Ridiculous. You yell at a House Rep to “go back to Puerto Rico” and expect us to take you seriously? Apologize.

You and your behavior today has been identified. I’m guessing you’re cool with your racism considering how comfortable you were screaming “go back to Puerto Rico” at a Hispanic congressmen. Nice to see such great workplace behavior.

There are hundreds of responses.

CLEAN Missouri bar fight!

12 Saturday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance, Claire McCaskill, Missouri General Assembly, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#TrumpShutdown, campaign finance, campaign finance reform, CLEAN Missouri, Donald Trump, General Assembly, lobbying reform, missouri, redistricting reform, reform, Robert Cornejo, social media, Twitter

Someone doesn’t like CLEAN Missouri restrictions on lobbying expenditures:

Robert Cornejo @CornejoForMO
This great idea is banned here in Missouri #moleg thanks to the unconstitutional sham of Clean Missouri! People of all political stripes should get together over a drink and work towards common ground. Prost!

Harpoon Brewery @harpoonbrewery
Govt shutdowns impact all of us. As a brewery, we can’t get approvals needed to keep new beers headed your way. We’re asking our reps to share a beer (on us) with a colleague and help America’s brewers get back to doing what we do. So all of you…

12:36 PM – 12 Jan 2019

You want a brewer to buy you a beer?

Uh, at least use the correct spin. The beer purveyor’s post was about the #TrumpShutdown. You know, a federal issue. Own it, dude.

And, Claire McCaskill (D) lands a punch:

Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
Whooaaaa. There is nothing in CLEAN Missouri that stops YOU or any other legislator from buying a beer for your colleagues, no matter what their party. Says a lot that you think LOBBYISTS buying you booze is necessary for the work towards common ground.
[….]
12:55 PM – 12 Jan 2019

Bam!

Heh. That’s our Claire. This beer’s for you…

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

10 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Josh Hawley, social media, US Senate

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

#TrumpShutdown, Donald Trump, Josh Hawley, missouri, obstruction, social media, the wall, Twitter, U.S. Senate

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

#TrumpShutdown

Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
Voted AGAIN this afternoon to secure our ally Israel. Dems AGAIN blocked it as they continue their shutdown. Anti-Israel and anti-Semite groups celebrating. Dems: are you proud of this?
3:39 PM – 10 Jan 2019

What a yutz.

Some of the responses:

Why is this your #1 Concern during the UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT shutdown.

You have to admit, that’s a good point.

Dish it out but can’t take it, huh?

And the First Amendment won today, and you voted against federal law enforcement again the day after you said you appreciate law enforcement. Congrats I guess

GOP is all for freedom of speech, as long as it agrees with them.

Hey fellow MO citizens! Aren’t we proud of our newest Senator? He’s doing exactly what we said he’d do when those of us with a brain DIDN’T vote for him.

True that.

Rookie.

I wish you worried as much about your fellow Americans who are working with no pay or furloughed as you do Israel. The Russians are celebrating our government being shut down! Do your job, OPEN THE GOVERNMENT.

Constitutional lawyer in your bio. No 1st Amdt. concerns?

Until you kick Steve King out of your party, STFU about antisemitism.

Please vote to end shutdown so furloughees like myself can get back to work. I don’t give a shit about anything else right now. Thank You!

WOW! Way to go, dividing the nation. Remember that a great number of your constituents are democrats. You are sworn to represent all Missourians, even those of us who have Jewish heritage and are former republicans.

When everyone finds out that you are trying to criminalize free speech, how do you think it will go over?

Um. It’s Trump’s shutdown and getting the government open should be priority 1

Vote on appropriations bills to reopen the federal government. Everything else is secondary.

Why is this your #1 priority? Re-open the government.

When did Democrats get control of the Senate Josh?

Not a Democratic shutdown, but you already know that. Tell McConnell to release the hostages.

Have you voted to re-open the government?

Yes. Criticism of a foreign power – even an ally – should not restrict our own free speech here in the US. Quite a slippery slope. What other foreign nation’s policies should we not criticize? Russia? China? Turkey? Syria?

Hey Josh, you’re in the same party as Steve King. Have a great night!

Wow, you’re really not good at this at all.

Heh. Josh Hawley (r) needs to hire better political consultants to write his Tweets.

I think you should be focusing on a bi-partisan solution to the government shutdown instead of using non-priority legislation as an excuse to criticize the dems. Today Mitch McConnel prevented you from voting on a bill that was previously Senate approved. I am not proud of you.

Were we ever?

Lot of overlap in that Venn diagram..

Uh?

you proud of denying hard earned basic paychecks to Americans?

Dems are doing their job. You sound like you’re still campaigning.

He has this thing about ladders.

Just Yuck

@Twitter @nytimes Josh you fit perfectly in the Trump era: stoking anger, fear & resentment. You are conflating disagreeing with Israel’s hard right govt w being anti Semitic. As an American Jew I support the Ds and condemn your incendiary tweet.

Which flag do you pledge allegiance to?

319 U.S. 624 West Virginia State Board of Education v. Barnette (No. 591) [1943] – He doesn’t have to.

imagine being the type of rube that believes this hawley nonsense.

So you’re against the first amendment, then? Noted.

Why do you hate the First Amendment?

Because for right wingnut republicans there’s only one amendment that counts.

How do you not know Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is Jewish? The reason Trump calls him “Crying Chuck” is because Schumer became emotional when speaking about his great-grandmother, who was killed during the Holocaust.

Oopsie.

And hopefully, they will keep doing it. Actions have consequences and how dare you say one damn word after @senatemajldr refused to allow a vote. Screw the lot of you.

Alrighty then.

The Pro 1st Amendment Senators are anti semites?
Bad take, Josh.

*believes the purpose of Israel is to create the Temple and Armageddon so as to force God to take them up to Heaven and send all their enemies, especially as it turns out the Israelites and their progeny, to a particularly cruel and depraved Hell…while the people in Heaven get to watch and revel in their suffering*

*accuses literally anyone else ever of being anti-semitic*”.

oh honey, this ain’t it

That appears to be a variant of “bless your heart”.

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

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): sigh…

10 Thursday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

4th Congressional Ditrict, Donald Trump, missouri, shutdown, social media, the wall, Twitter, Vicky Hartzler

All in.

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

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

Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler
In wake of the partial government shutdown, today I requested that the House Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) withhold my Congressional pay “until an appropriation agreement to fund the entire government has taken effect.” The CAO has granted my request.
[….]
5:41 PM – 9 Jan 2019 from Washington, DC

Uh, what about the people that don’t have the assets that you have?

Some of the responses on Twitter:

You can now hold a garage sale or walk dogs if you need extra money.

Well thank goodness you are still receiving farm subsidies from the Feds or you might go broke, eh?

Maybe you should offer thoughts and prayers to fix the border. Isn’t that your solution to mass gun shootings?

Is your pay being diverted to less fortunate public servants who can’t voluntarily give up their income without health and security consequences for their families?

Not according to the letter.

Wow, how noble. /s
Honestly, it’s insulting you think this means anything. You have privilege of being ABLE to go without this paycheck. The 800,000 or so workers you’re holding hostage may not have that good fortune. This shutdown threatens to do more harm than any open border.

So brave

Wow, you are a true American hero. /s

Bless your heart

You think that last one was a southernism?

Are we supposed to applaud you for this? You volunteered to give up part of your income after you decided to hold other people’s income hostage on behalf of a terrible and ineffective campaign promise.

that any clinic performing abortions will NOT RECEIVE FED FUNDING! THAT HAS TO BE IN WRITING or PPH will circumvent the law and continue to receive Fed money for abortions. PLEASE make sure your bill contains this exception:
ABORTIONS=NO FED FUNDS.Looking forward to following you

Someone has obvious difficulty focusing. Bless their heart.

It’s a grandstanding empty gesture

must be nice to make that choice while others have none, what a showboat you are

You’re a fraud.
#DoYourJob

You are complicit.

Sure am glad you’re grandstanding instead of doing something useful.

The government is shut down because the guy you voted for and you support said Mexico was paying for the wall. Show me the pesos!! #fraudVicky#fraudTrump

Meanwhile, the House has been passing bills to send to the Senate to open government. Representative Hartzler (r) voted no:

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 23
H R 267 YEA-AND-NAY 10-Jan-2019 4:15 PM
QUESTION: On Passage
BILL TITLE: Making appropriations for the Department of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development, and related agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes

—- YEAS 244 — [including 12 Republicans]
Clay
Cleaver
—- NAYS 180 —
Graves (MO)
Hartzler
Long
Luetkemeyer
Smith (MO)
Wagner

And:

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 25
H R 265 YEA-AND-NAY 10-Jan-2019 4:32 PM
QUESTION: On Passage
BILL TITLE: Making appropriations for Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies programs for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2019, and for other purposes

— YEAS 243 — [including 10 Republicans]
Clay
Cleaver
—- NAYS 183 —
Graves (MO)
Hartzler
Long
Luetkemeyer
Smith (MO)
Wagner

All in.

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

Previously:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): all in on Donald Trump’s (r) wall (December 19, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): doubling down on Donald Trump’s wall (December 21, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): drinking the beverage marketed to children made with powdered artificially colored and flavored sugar (December 21, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Speech, speech! (January 8, 2019)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Clap louder! (January 9, 2019)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Clap louder!

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, social media

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

#resist, 4th Congressional District, Donald Trump, social media, the wall, Twitter, Vicky Hartzler

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r) [2018 file photo].

Yesterday, in conjunction with Donald Trump’s (r) campaign speech about the wall:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler
Privileged to hear from @vp about the humanitarian and border security crisis & why we need to address both ASAP. @POTUS is negotiating in good faith. It’s time for the democrats to do the same. #ProtectOurFamilies. #StopDrugs
5:25 PM – 8 Jan 2019

We understand that their speeches sounded better in the original Russian.

Some of the responses:

Wait. What has happened to make it an emergency in 2019 and not 2018 or 2017 (when Republicans controlled the House)?

Why was not an emergency until the majority in Congress changed? Can you comment on the revelations concerning Paul Manafort providing polling data to Russia?

There’s that.

Client state.

Continuing:

[Individual 1] wouldn’t recognize « good faith » if it knocked him down in the street and danced an Irish jig on his face.

History will not be kind to you

You and your party are on the wrong side of history.

There is no security crisis, and the humanitarian crisis is because of this afministration’s actions & your compliance. Reopen the government & fix the problem.

Why didn’t you vote for the package your colleagues in the Senate unanimously supported? That’s not good faith Vicky.

Vicky, you will go down as the worst Rep of #MO4 in the history

it’s a bogus lie and trump is cornered, stop being complicit, #NoWallNowNoWallEver #NoWallNoCompromise

*Democrats. Don’t be petty

Hey, we resemble that remark.

You were in the same room? Was his wife there to approve?

How’s it feel being in the minority now, Vickster? And you can stop telling the Democrats what to do. You never listened to them before

Everybody knows there are no crisis at the southern border and more than 800,000 govt workers are not getting their paychecks because of this nonsense stunt.
#WeThePeople will not pay for the stupid wall.
Shame on you Vicky!

You’re privileged to hear lies? How will POTUS ever staff his golf course clubs and hotels without illegal immigrants? #NoWall

Huh?
You guys had control for two years.
It’s what #Trump campaigned on.
It didn’t pass then, why is it now a crisis?
#DoYourJob

Ask him where the pesos are.

You think they’d accept payment in Bitcoin? Just asking.

Good faith? You are delusional. Stop supporting this dictator and start representing your constituents.

Like you care. If you cared about women and children, you wouldn’t have held children in cages. Or let the Domestic Violence Act expire. The wall is not fucking happening. You suck as people, not just representatives.

Previously:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): all in on Donald Trump’s (r) wall (December 19, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): doubling down on Donald Trump’s wall (December 21, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): drinking the beverage marketed to children made with powdered artificially colored and flavored sugar (December 21, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Speech, speech! (January 8, 2019)

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (r): the reviews are in (January 9, 2019)

Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (r): the reviews are in

09 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, social media

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

3rd Congressional District, Donald Trump, missouri, Resist, the wall

Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer (r) [2014 file photo].

Representative Blaine Luetkemeyer, in conjunction with Donald Trump’s (r) border wall speech, last night via Twitter:

Blaine Luetkemeyer @RepBlaine
President Trump’s mission to thwart illegal immigration, gang violence, crime, drugs & human trafficking is in the best interest of all Americans. I support @POTUS mission to secure our border & keep our citizens safe.

I hope my colleagues will keep our promise #SecureOurBorder
7:07 PM – 8 Jan 2019

Some of the responses:

We all know his wall (which he wants us to now pay for) is not the answer. Most drugs that come thru our southern border come thru ports of entry. Less crime is committed by immigrants. If you were that concerned about our safety you would pass common sense gun laws. Next!

Don’t you have banker meeting to ignore your constituents at?

We do not want the stupid wall which he said Mexico was paying for anyway!!! No wall. No shutdown. Open the government NOW. You are complicit. #TrumpShutdown

I support opening the government and border security. Let me know when the pesos arrive for the fence

You represent my state, it’s a waste of money! Read the statistics! Open the government and stop putting federal workers in the middle of your childish games!

Here comes Blaine with the copy and paste tweet straight from the @GOP handout.

Ouch.

Unfollow, even though you are my supposed representative.

Such an empty, copy and pasted response, Blaine. I expected something deeper, really driving home your xenophobic point. Then I realized that this isn’t about easing regulations on financial institutions, and I understood why.

I guess we can all take that to the bank.

Is this a great country, or what?

08 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Donald Trump, Сделать Америку великой Снова, Resist, social media, Stormy Daniels, the wall, Twitter

“Make America Great Again” – in Russian.

Emily Heil @emilyaheil
So Stormy Daniels is in fact folding laundry live on Instagram in her underwear — as Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” plays. What a country
8:07 PM – 8 Jan 2019

#resist

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): Speech, speech!

08 Tuesday Jan 2019

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

4th Congressional District, Donald Trump, immigration, missouri, social media, the wall, Twitter, Vicky Hartzler

Yep, all in.

Vicky Hartzler (r) [2018 file photo].

This morning, via Twitter:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler @RepHartzler
Glad @POTUS is going to address the American people tonight about the #BorderCrisis. It’s imperative we stop the drugs pouring into our communities which kill our kids. Plus we need to ensure immigration laws are followed & our families are kept safe. It’s time to #BuildTheWall.
10:31 AM – 8 Jan 2019

Gee, I’m so frightened.

Some of the responses:

Government own figures show most drugs enter the country through legal points of entry.

Let’s legalize pot & stop the fentanyl from getting in from #China.

Boom – drug problem SERIOUSLY reduced.

I hate, so much, about the things you choose to be.

Ouch.

Why are you parroting LIES from i1?

Heh. “Individual-1”.

Hard pass.

Frankly, The vast majority of folks in #MO04 want the government open and functioning.
Stop being such a sock puppet for @realDonaldTrump and start representing your district.
#MAGA is a #mentalillness and being in the #TeaParty exasperates it.

I’m old enough to remember when true conservative Republicans thought that border wall was fiscally irresponsible

The Vickster has gone full-throttle Trumpster

Wall solves none of those problems.

There’s no “crisis”. It’s just contrived BS to take the public’s eye off the fact that he will be going to jail soon and you will really look like more of a nitwit than you already are for having supported him.

Well, there is that.

Previously:

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): all in on Donald Trump’s (r) wall (December 19, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): doubling down on Donald Trump’s wall (December 21, 2018)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): drinking the beverage marketed to children made with powdered artificially colored and flavored sugar (December 21, 2018)