You may remember that Sam Graves loyally voted last fall against the SCHIP program that would have expanded health insurance coverage for 10 million children. His votes were absolutely critical to upholding Bush’s veto. It’s not like this is a new occurence, either; Graves voted with Bush 95% of the time in 2006.

It looks like he’s going to be rewarded for his “good work.” Not only has Dick Cheney already headlined a fundraiser for Graves, but now Bush is headed to Parkville for a $1000 a head dinner for Graves. This will make Graves the only Republican candidate thus far to get a fundraising visit from from the Terrible Two this cycle. Either they are very confident in Bush and Cheney’s popularity in NW Missouri, or they are desparate for cash.

Graves’ Democratic opponent, Kay Barnes, has a nice slogan on her website. A Flash animation reveals that Bush and Graves both arrived in Washington in 2001. “They came to Washington together. On November 4th, let’s send them home together.”

Barnes is trying to raise $15,000 online by February 1st, the same day as George Bush’s little visit. I just put in $50 for Edwards this morning, and now I’m going to add $25 for Barnes. You can donate here.

The SCHIP veto override failed in the House 273-156 just a little while ago. Had it passed, the expansion of the SCHIP program would have provided thousands of middle class families who currently squeezed out of insurance with access to health care.

Sam Graves was one of the 156 who voted against the override. Kay Barnes is going to have a field day with that one.

Tomorrow at lunchtime, Vice-President Dick Cheney will be appearing in downtown Kansas City to raise money for US Rep. Sam Graves (R). The Kansas City Star asks “Is Cheney a boon or a bane to the Graves campaign?” If you actually read the article, it seems to be asking the question, “Is Cheney’s appearance merely good for Graves, or great?” After all, if it’s a question of how many hundreds of thousands Cheney can raise for the local incumbent, that’s got to be a net plus for Graves, right?

Of course, Cheney is a deeply unpopular figure, closely tied to the misadventure in Iraq. And majorities in virtually every congressional district in the country (check out the map at Open Left) favor troop withdrawals – Graves’ district is no exception.  Publicly embracing the unpopular Iraq War hardliner isn’t going to help Graves. Neither is the fact that the Bush-Cheney Administration is trying to cut children’s health insurance programs, while Democrats in Congress are trying to expand them.

The best way to make sure that Cheney’s visit gets noticed is to speak out! Missouri ProVote is organizing a Speak Out right across the street from Cheney’s appearance at the Marriott. Details below!

Date: Monday, September 17th.

Time: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Place: Meet at Barney Allis Plaza, across the street from the Kansas City Downtown Marriott. 200 W 12th Street, Kansas City, MO 64105. Click here for a map.

Let ProVote know if you are coming! Email them at kcprovote@sbcglobal.net.

UPDATE: Don’t forget to send Sam Graves’ challenger, former KC Kay Barnes, some cash.

( – promoted by Clark)

Alright, it’s time for the Missouri netroots to put up or shut up.  Kay Barnes, the former KC mayor who is running against Sam Graves in the Sixth Congressional District, is going to raise $50,000 online in the next 10 days. 

For those of you unfamiliar with Graves and his hatchet man Jeff Roe, they are about the dirtiest campaigners in the business.  Unfortunately, the have also been incredibly effective at turning NW Missouri red at the local level.  But Kay Barnes poses the first top-tier challenge Graves has had since winning his seat in 2000.

Dick Cheney is coming to KC to host a $10,000 a plate fundraiser for Graves, and the Ds need to respond.  Let’s spread the word and help out Kay Barnes on this one.

In 2006 Dr. Dean showed us how to win with brilliance and common-sense.  The 50 State Strategy was not only a stroke of genius, it was a return to our grass-roots and it was long over due.  In fact, I think we should co-opt it.  Call it a 114 County Strategy.

Ever since the Republicans took control of both chambers of the statehouse in the 2000 election, I have been constantly reminding people that Missouri is not reliably red, it is a swing state in the truest sense of the term.  We have elected seven presidents in my lifetime, three Democrats and four Republicans, and in every single one of those elections, Missouri has gone to the victor. 

And in this swing state, we have a true swing district…The Sixth. 

Since the post-civil war era drew to a close early in the 20th century and brought the curtain down on Democratic dominance, no party has dominated that district.  In fact, with the exception of the span of time from 1955 until the death of Jerry Litton, whose plane crashed hours after he won the Senate primary in August 1976, neither party has held the seat for 10 consecutive terms.  The Sixth historically tends to go back and forth every few years.  In fact, using history as an indicator, it is due to flip this election cycle.  Just in time, we have a real candidate who can beat Sam Graves and flip the federal representation to advantage Democrats.  (Right now, it is five-four to the Republicans, with one Senator from each party.)

The Sixth came into being in the first half of the 1850’s, which coincided with the rise of Kansas City and St. Joseph.  Since the district came into being, it has been represented by 27 different people, members of four different parties, and the average term of office has been just over five years.  Graves has been there seven, and the Sixth is due to flip.

Like I said, it’s a swing district in a swing state. 

I am backing Kay Barnes for Congress, and I am in this to win.  History and circumstance are on our side, but it is going to take more than that.  It is going to take organization.  It is going to take a presence.  A reintroduction, even.  We might start with “Hello, we are the Democrats.  Remember us?  We’re the people who brought you electricity and Medicare.”  In other words, the state organization needs to step up. 

The district takes in all or part of over 20% of the counties in the entire nine-district state.  Of those 26 counties, exactly one (Platte) has a Missouri Democratic Party affiliated organization, and it is part of the Kansas City metro area.  The Sixth is vast in area, and a whole lot of rural folks have been directly hurt by Republican policies, at both the state and federal level.  That isn’t just in the Sixth – that is the story in every rural county in the state. 

Here is what this daughter of the Sixth thinks the state party needs to do…

First, they need to get an office in every county in the state.  It can be as simple as a dedicated cell phone that a real person can answer or return calls from.  Someone who can pass out signs and answer questions and give out information. 

Second, start showing up everywhere – this goes for both the candidates and the state party.  Don’t just show up at the county fairs; show up at the town fairs as well.  Get the sports schedules and attend every homecoming  game in the district.  Show up for football games in Princeton and basketball games in Eagleville and softball tournaments in Gilman City.  Read the weekly papers and follow the fall church events.  Be at every Lord’s Acre Sale and Harvest Moon Bazaar that takes place between now and Election Day 2008. 

Concentrating on the metropolitan centers and ceding the rural areas to the Republican noise machine is not a winning strategy for Democrats, and it is frankly insulting to the people in those areas.  No, the population isn’t dense up there in the northern tier counties, but the people aren’t either.  Listen to their concerns and give them a fair hearing.  In other words, give them a reason to come back to their natural home in the Democratic Party, and I have confidence that they will.