Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
In honor of the life lived, the sacrifices made, and the principles embodied by my friend John McCain, my campaign will suspend all activity today. #MOSen 6:24 AM – 1 Sep 2018
For others, not so much:
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
Report: There were no FISA hearings held over Spy documents.”It is astonishing that the FISA courts couldn’t hold hearings on Spy Warrants targeting Donald Trump. It isn’t about Carter Page, it’s about the Trump Campaign. You’ve got corruption at the DOJ & FBI. The leadership…. 7:26 AM – 1 Sep 2018
Senator Claire McCaskill (D) commented, via Twitter, on the death of Senator John McCain:
Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
I feel so fortunate that I had a chance to learn from him and laugh with him. He was a tremendous role model for our democracy and gave his life to the public good. My love to the McCain family.There’ll never be another like #JohnMcCain. 7:58 PM – 25 Aug 2018
Some of the responses:
Well said Claire. So much respect for his service and for putting his country first over his party.
How thoughtful, please share a story of #JohnMcCain Thanks in advance.
Beautifully stated. Thank you for being much like him.
There were also a couple of not so nice responses.
Senator Roy Blunt (r) commented, via Twitter, on the death of Senator John McCain:
Senator Roy Blunt @RoyBlunt
As I served with John McCain he became one of my heroes. We didn’t always agree but he was always motivated to do what he thought was the right thing. 9:16 PM – 25 Aug 2018
Some of the responses:
You could learn a lot from him, Senator.
Too bad that motivation did not rub off on you.
The public is notably sad at his passing because we don’t believe any of the remaining @GOP Senators have his strength of convictions for country over party. Including you, Roy.
You should try doing the right thing Roy. Why haven’t you marked up the bill to protect our upcoming election. Because the WH asked you to sit on it? Do what John would do, your own moral compass is broken.
Carry on his legacy. Do the right thing. Stand up for country over party.
You should be ashamed of yourself. McCain was a good man who did what was right, even if it wasn’t in his own best interest. You, sir, are no John McCain.
You are part of the reason term limits need to exist
The only time you see the right thing is over your shoulder as you run the opposite direction.
Honor him by emulating him.
Maybe you could quit being a spineless, corrupt member of the GOP and learn from him?
Then why aren’t you following in his footsteps?
John McCain was a man of honor and conviction. Americans are proud of his service and representation of “we the people”. His integrity, compassion and understanding of those he lived and loved among will be missed. Follow his lead. Preserve his legacy.
It’s a shame the president treated him with such disrespect.
You call him your hero but his integrity and ability to subjugate his personal agenda for a greater good have not seem to have rubbed off on you one bit.
John McCain will leave a legacy of service, honor, and integrity. @RoyBlunt will be a footnote under the asterisk next to Trump’s name as the only president to go directly from the Oval Office to prison. The footnote will just say “supporting cast of traitors”
hey Roy why don’t you strive to be more like him?
I assume y’all didn’t agree when it comes to protecting America. Johns thumbs down to stop you and your friends was heroic. But your a Trump partner in destroying America.
Yea that’s where you disagreed.
He was the only honorable remaining member of the #GOP. You can’t hold a candle to him.
Maybe you should give doing the right thing a try Roy! It’s ok your donors will understand….
Time to get right, Roy. Speak up against the lies, the racism, the hate mongering. Do it for Missouri.
I wish I could say the same of you. #MeanTweets
@clairecmc wrote a beautiful, loving tweet regarding her peer from the opposing Republican Party. Consider following her example.
God rest the brave soul of John McCain, a true American hero.
What are you motivated to do? Not the right thing, obviously.
So then why can’t you do the right thing, @RoyBlunt ??
Your disagreements were more about him following his patriotic sense of country and you following the biggest donor. You may be from the same party but history will remember you as being from different groups Patriots vs. Traitors
Your constituents are waiting for you to do the same. Please listen to them.
Yeah. We certainly can’t say the same for you.
Talk about faint praise. One man was a leader. One man is not.
You wish you were as patriotic is John McCain. He voted for what was right rather than what was best for his pocket unlike you.
I’m still waiting to see you do the right thing. Good thing I’m not planning on holding my breath.
If he is one of your heroes, you have long way to go to be anything like him. Actions speak louder than words , buster.
When I first read this, it bothered me for some reason, then I realized how disingenuous this comment truly is. Your like Mr. Trump, not genuine.
“what he thought was the right thing”? what kind of back-handed comment is that? are you even capable of commenting something positive about him? or are you not permitted?
We are waiting for you to emulate John McCain and do the right thing for the people of Missouri. Your loyality to Trump will be your downfall. You are #GOPCorrupt and #GOPComplicit.
One more thing Roy, You stood by and let Trump say some nasty things about John McCain and you said NOTHING!! If someone said something about my Hero, you can bet your ass I would be all over them. Save your BS for someone who gives a shit!
You do realize that YOUR president doesn’t agree with you, right?
I can’t imagine too many people agree with you. Your sole purpose is to line your pockets
Funny I did not see you stand up for your hero when tRump has been attacking him!
Most Americans, even conservative Americans whether or not they admit it, know that the big tax cut Christmas gift President Moron has promised will be delivered directly to the fat cats who support the GOP, while the gifts the GOP pretends to be giving most other Americans will metamorphose into gigantic lumps of coal either immediately or by 2027 when the crumbs tossed to the hoi polloi will vanish into the realm of Christmas past. The easy – and true – explanation is that the Republicans who preach fiscal responsibility were long ago purchased by the beneficiaries of a system that increases the growing inequality among Americans.
However, the extent to which some GOP pols are indulging in a little personal gift-giving on the side has been mostly ignored. As an article in The Intercept makes clear, some elected Republicans have used the tax cut baloney to enhance their or their families’ bottom lines – and one of the most notable examples is Missouri’s own always-on-the-take politician, Roy Blunt:
The tax plan before Congress, though sold as broad legislation to reduce rates and end favoritism in the tax code, contains targeted provisions designed to benefit special interest groups, many of which maintain close ties to senior Republican lawmakers.
Take the special tax cut for the alcohol industry hidden in the bill.
The tax cut legislation includes a provision that cuts taxes on beer, wine, and liquor produced or imported into the country, saving companies involved around $4.2 billion over 10 years. The provision mirrors language from the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act, or S. 236, introduced by Sen. Roy Blunt, a Republican from Missouri and a member of the Senate GOP leadership team. (While the legislation does benefit craft, or small breweries, it extends the cuts to larger companies and the industry as a whole.)
Key GOP lawmakers maintain close ties to individuals connected to the booze industry.
Sen. Blunt’s son Andy Blunt is a registered lobbyist for MillerCoors, a brewing company that has worked to build support on Capitol Hill for the exact same targeted brewer tax cuts now included in the tax bill. …
For the record, Arizona GOP Sen. John McCain, whose wife’s fortune comes from Hensley Brewing and Sen. Ron Portman, who has close ties to a lobbying firm that represents the industry, are also implicated as per The Intercept. Might go a long way to explaining why McCain, who objected to the procedure used to concoct and attempt to force passage of the ill-fated Republican healthcare demolition effort, was far more obliging this time around. It seems that procedure can be damned as long as the sweeteners are liberally bestowed.
Meanwhile, back at the working folks’ ranch, the Community Oncology Alliance warned Congress that the tax cut bill will mandate a huge cut in Medicare spending:
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has warned that “pay-as-you-go” rules require a 4% sequester cut to Medicare to offset the deficit increases triggered in the current tax bill. This would double the ongoing 2% sequester cut to Medicare payments implemented when Congress was unable to solve the nation’s budget deficit in 2011.
Policymakers in Washington should note that blunt budget cutting gimmicks like the sequester cut backfire. They have terrible unintended consequences and do more harm than good for patients and taxpayers. According to the 2016 Community Oncology Practice Impact Report, in the five years since the last Medicare sequester went into effect, 91 cancer treatment clinics have closed and 130 independent community cancer practices, typically comprised of multiple treatment sites, have been forced to merge into hospitals.
Community oncology practices are where the majority of Americans with cancer are treated. Closing them creates problems with access to cancer care and consolidation into more expensive hospital systems, driving up costs for seniors with limited mobility and fixed incomes, as well as all taxpayers who fund Medicare. The actuarial firm Milliman found that the consolidation of independent community cancer practices with hospitals cost Medicare and taxpayers $2 billion in 2014 alone. In addition, Medicare beneficiaries responsible for the 20% copayment saw their bills rise by $500 million in that same year.
As a person suffering from chronic cancer, I owe my survival over the past few years to Medicare and my excellent Medicare supplement. Now, however, since the barbarians have stormed the gates of Washington and the looting has started, I can’t helping wondering how long it can last – which is another way of asking how long I can last. I also know that I’m not in the worst position among my fellow-suffers – who won’t have to worry about what is going to happen because there’s only one answer: treatment will definitely soon be put out of reach for them if this bill in finally enacted. It’ll be a grim December for lots of us.
But hey, we can be sure that it’ll be a jolly Christmas in the Blunt family home. Sen. Blunt will have contributed to a “major victory for hardworking Missourians,” by his own account. And he may not be entirely dishonest. Andy Blunt is a Missourian and I’m sure that it’s possible that he’s truly a hard-working lobbyist. And there are probably a few more like him.
Read Tony Messenger’s St. Louis Post-Dispatcheditorial piece on the death today of State Auditor and gubernatorial candidate, Tom Schweich. It’s heartbreaking. If you don’t have the stomach for sad stories and righteous anger is more your thing, just read the excerpt that Michael Bersin posted below
Messenger makes it clear that he doesn’t know the nature of the desperation that led Schweich to do what he did. What he does know: the chair of the Missouri Republican Party, who claimed neutrality in the primary race between Schweich and Catherine Hanaway, was, according to Schweich, planning to undercut Schweich through a “whisper” campaign. Schweich’s grandfather was a Jew and that seems to be sufficient to do damage among Republicans.
The use of a race-baiting whisper campaign is old-hat for Republicans. The Nationdescribes one of the more notorious examples:
Eight years ago this month [i.e., Jan. 2008], John McCain took the New Hampshire primary and was favored to win in South Carolina. Had he succeeded, he would likely have thwarted the presidential aspirations of George W. Bush and become the Republican nominee. But Bush strategist Karl Rove came to the rescue with a vicious smear tactic.
Rove invented a uniquely injurious fiction for his operatives to circulate via a phony poll. Voters were asked, “Would you be more or less likely to vote for John McCain…if you knew he had fathered an illegitimate black child?” This was no random slur. McCain was at the time campaigning with his dark-skinned daughter, Bridget, adopted from Bangladesh.
In his editorial article Messenger hones in on racism in Missouri:
Missouri is the state that gave us Frazier Glenn Miller, the raging racist who last year killed three people at a Jewish community center in Kansas City. It’s the state in which on the day before Schweich died, the Anti-Defamation League reported on a rise of white supremacist prison gangs in the state.
Division over race and creed is real in Missouri Republican politics, particularly in some rural areas. Schweich knew it. It’s why all week long his anger burned.
True enough. But from what I’ve been seeing over the past six years, this roiling racist frenzy isn’t just a Missouri phenomena, but the new defining characteristic of the Republican Party itself. Since Richard Nixon, Republican politicians have been attempting to generate and exploit white racial resentment. But it’s taken the election of an African-American president to rouse the tribal hysteria that we’ve seen in recent years.
Republican politicians and their media counterparts on Fox television and rightwing radio routinely engage in the type of racist innuendos and slurs that would have been enough to have ruined careers a decade or so ago had anyone dared say out loud what is now par for the course. I could give examples, but there’s so many it’s hard to choose – and you already know what I mean. Take for instance, this list of the ten most racist moments at the last GOP convention. It’s even disturbed some Republicans. Charlie Christ left the GOP because “‘I couldn’t be consistent with myself and my core beliefs, and stay with a party that was so unfriendly toward the African-American president.” Hmmm, unfriendly. Politicians are politic, but the gist is clear.
As for anti-Semitism, remember Eric Cantor? You know, the Jewish guy who used to be House Majority Leader – and the only Republican Jewish member of the House of Representatives? Prior to his defeat, which many attributed to anti-Semitism, Cantor essentially admitted that racism and anti-Semitism was a problem in the House GOP caucus. And you all know about the history of anti-Semitism in the leadership of the American Family Association (AFA), the group that has given its heart, soul and financial support to the Republican Party – which reciprocates by regularly regularly sucking up in the AFA’s direction.
Of course rightwingers become apoplectic when they hear that other R word coupled with Republican, not to mention anti-Semitism. Not Islamophobic though – they seem to like that epithet. And it’s not just the denial; there’s all the projection too. Wingers are always on about how liberals are the real racists. Sadly, though their outrage is far too shrill and contrived; their red-faced conniption fits ultimately just make the rest of us laugh.
But I’m not laughing now. Folks who have a chance of adding control of the executive branch of our state to their legislative branch trophies, are accused of waging an anti-Semitic whispering campaign against a fellow party member. It’s going to be hard to escape the fall-out from this latest, local evidence of Republican moral rot. Or at least it ought to be.
McCain didn’t call out our own Senator Roy Blunt by name, but the implication is clear; the shoe is clearly measured to fit Blunt and he’ll just have to wear it. So how did Blunt who is usually very careful to try to appear reasonable when he’s in front of adults (his Republican base is another matter – witness the Obama “monkey” comments) earn the vituperation of the admittedly often vituperative McCain?
Remember back when Democrats who had had enough of GOP obstructionism changed the requirements for approval of presidential appointments to a straight-up majority vote rather than a super majority of 60 votes? The change only went so far; it didn’t apply to legislation or to appointments to the Supreme Court. And it took lots of provocation and unfilled positions before Harry Reid was moved to act:
It represented the culmination of years of frustration over what Democrats denounced as a Republican campaign to stall the machinery of Congress, stymie President Obama’s agenda and block his choices for cabinet posts and federal judgeships by insisting that virtually everything the Senate approves be done by a supermajority.
And do you remember what Republicans said at the time? I believe that there were accusations of “irreparably damaging” the Congress and disregarding “constitutional prerogatives” along with threats of a bad outcome for Democrats down the line. Our own Republican Senator Roy Blunt echoed Minority Leader Mitch McConnell’s sinister threats of bad times ahead for folks who dared stymie GOP obstructionism:
“The last time the Democrats decided they were going to do something all by themselves it was Obamacare,” said Senator Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican. “And I’m pretty sure they regret doing it that way and my guess is they’ll regret this at some point too.”
Now that it’s proving successful, I doubt that there are many Democrats who regret Obamacare, but Blunt, who apparently never forgets a grudge, thinks that he can insure that Democrats regret changing the filibuster rules. Along with fellow Republican Senators Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, and Mike Leeof Utah, Blunt is proposing a similar change to the approval process for Supreme Court nominees.
Oddly, though, as Politico notes, not all Democrats are as disturbed by the proposed expansion of the rule change:
“We’re witnessing a massive flip-flop in slow motion,” said Adam Jentleson, a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). “Democrats appreciate the vote of confidence from Republicans in the wisdom of our rules change.”
It seems that whether or not our pols approve of changing the rules that govern congressional approval of judicial nominees depends on how confident they are that their party will take the White House and Senate in 2016. And many Democrats aren’t necessarily sure that 2014 presages a GOP victory in a presidential election in which most of the Senate seats that are up for grabs will be, contrary to the last election, in less GOP-friendly states. And of course, they’re also watching with glee the gathering of rightwing clowns, ethically-challenged governors and GOP establishment retreads who are now declaring their presidential ambitions.
In fact, the most outspoken condemnations of the Blunt/Alexander initiative comes from a Republican:
Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) warned his colleagues about the “sheer hypocrisy” of such a move. “We said this was outrageous what they did,” McCain said. “Not only how they did it, but what they did, OK? Some of my Republican colleagues seem to have forgotten that. Some selective amnesia.”
Sheer hypocrisy! Hear that Roy Blunt? John McCain is shocked by your sheer hypocrisy. Of course, lots of us here in Missouri could have told him all about how Blunt rolls a long time ago. But it’s not a bad thing to have Blunt outed by one of his own party, even if it is coming a bit late. As Eric Posner observes in Slate:
… . When senators argue about the filibuster, they appeal to the public interest, but if their position on the rule always reflects their political interests, then they are, essentially, lying. It all seems like a game.
A game. Indeed. But, of course, it’s a game with potentially deadly consequences. It’s just too bad that nowadays the GOP can’t find any players that aren’t plain and simple liars and hypocrites. I know why Democrats had to change the initial rule; I also know why Republicans are proposing to expand the change. The reasons aren’t even remotely similar. I’m with John McCain on this one.
Narration: In two thousand and eight Mitt Romney gave John McCain over twenty years of tax records. After reviewing the records the McCain campaign decided Romney wasn’t right for the vice presidency. We don’t know what’s in those records. But something made John McCain think that this woman was more qualified.
Senators Plan to Offer Amendment at Earliest Opportunity
November 16, 2010
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK), Mark Udall (D-CO) and Claire McCaskill (D-MO) today announced their intention to force the U.S. Senate to hold a public vote on a binding earmark moratorium, which would go into effect immediately and last two years, at the earliest opportunity. A vote could happen as early as tomorrow.
“The time has come for Congress to put a stop to the corrupt practice of earmarking once and for all,” said Senator John McCain. “Every time Congress passes an earmark laden appropriations bill we are robbing future generations of their ability to attain the American dream. This is simply immoral. And it is, of course, unconscionable to waste money in these difficult times on pork barrel projects that have little purpose other than to improve the re-election prospects of their authors.”
“The greatest national security threat facing our nation today is our national debt and a Congress that refuses to acknowledge the depth of our challenges. Earmarks are not only wasteful but are terrible distraction for both parties. The sooner we get rid of earmarks the sooner we can go to work on the difficult task of getting our budget under control,” Dr. Coburn said.
“Out-of-control spending has caused us to rack up huge deficits, which now threaten our future economic prosperity and our national security. The American people want us to show them that we’re serious about taking action to solve this problem. The only way we can reform the status quo is if everyone takes responsibility for the problem. Not only will I not request earmarks, I’m going to work to end the process so that Congress can focus on what Americans want most – a secure economic future,” said Udall.
“I’ve been working to change the earmark culture in Washington since the day I was sworn in, but frankly it’s been a lonely fight for Senators like Dr. Coburn, Senator McCain and me until very recently,” McCaskill said. “It’s encouraging to see so many new faces join this effort over the last few days and I am excited to work with them in finally ending the flawed practice of earmarks. The truth is that earmarks are simply not a good way to spend tax dollars – I believe that funding should always be based on merit, not politics.”
The bi-partisan moratorium, which would apply to all bills in fiscal years 2011, 2012 and 2013, would create rule to allow members to raise points of order against any bill that includes an earmark. The definition of earmarks under the moratorium is:
“A provision or report language included primarily at the request of a Senator or Member of the House of Representatives providing, authorizing, or recommending a specific amount of discretionary budget authority, credit authority, or other spending authority for a contract, loan, loan guarantee, grant, loan authority, or other expenditure with or to an entity, or targeted to a specific State, locality or Congressional district, other than through a statutory or administrative formula-driven or competitive award process.”
###
Before anyone gets too excited about his seriousness read what he posted via Twitter a day earlier:
….When Mr. McCain’s presidential bid stalled last summer, many blamed his advocacy for the immigration reform bill in the Senate, which included a pathway to citizenship for the illegal immigrants already here in the country….
Arizona Sen. John McCain has a message for illegal residents of his state: Go back where you came from.
McCain, who has been veering right to try and win his Republican Senate primary against conservative former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, said on Tuesday that he supports immigration reform that would deport those living in the country illegally.
“No amnesty. Many of them need to be sent back,” McCain said…
….And here’s the statement McCain released on Oct. 3, 2008, after the House passed TARP: “I commend the House of Representatives for coming together to pass the economic rescue bill today. I’m glad I suspended my campaign to go back to Washington to help bring the House Republicans to the table. I believe that the taxpayer protections that have been added have improved the bill. This rescue bill is not perfect, and it is an outrage that it’s even necessary. But we must stop the damage to our economy done by corrupt and incompetent practices on Wall Street and in Washington….”
Under growing pressure from conservatives and “tea party” activists, Sen. John McCain of Arizona is having to defend his record of supporting the government’s massive bailout of the financial system.
In response to criticism from opponents seeking to defeat him in the Aug. 24 Republican primary, the four-term senator says he was misled by then-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. McCain said the pair assured him that the $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program would focus on what was seen as the cause of the financial crisis, the housing meltdown….
Wednesday, July 14, 2004 Posted: 4:29 PM EDT (2029 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) — Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona broke forcefully with President Bush and the Senate GOP leadership Tuesday evening over the issue of same-sex marriage, taking to the Senate floor to call a constitutional amendment that would effectively ban the practice unnecessary — and un-Republican….
Possible 2008 Presidential Contender Makes Inroads With GOP Base
By TEDDY DAVIS
March 28, 2006
….But McCain “reconfirmed” to Falwell that he would support a federal constitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman if a federal court were to strike down state constitutional bans on gay marriage….
….There are some areas where the statutes don’t apply, such as in the surveillance of overseas communications. Where they do apply, however, I think that presidents have the obligation to obey and enforce laws that are passed by Congress and signed into law by the president, no matter what the situation is….
WASHINGTON – A top adviser to Senator John McCain says Mr. McCain believes that President Bush’s program of wiretapping without warrants was lawful, a position that appears to bring him into closer alignment with the sweeping theories of executive authority pushed by the Bush administration legal team….
