Rep. Jason Smith (r): talk, talk, talk

24 Monday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in Healthcare, social media

Tags

8th Congressional District, ACA, chutzpah, gaslighting, health care, Hypocrisy, Jason Smith, missouri, Obamacare, social media, Twitter

Chutzpah, too.

Rep. Jason Smith @RepJasonSmith
For our community, access to care isn’t just a talking point – it’s a matter of life or death. Last week, I continued my fight for rural healthcare and met with Director Carroll of the @ONDCP and @GovParsonMO for a roundtable in Cape Girardeau.
[….]
9:49 AM · Feb 24, 2020

Hypocrisy, they think it’s a good look.

The replies, as always, are priceless:

You have devoted your entire career, both in the Missouri General Assembly and in the Congress, to blocking healthcare for working people in your District. Besides the health effects, your actions have resulted in closed hospitals in your District.

you’ve been active in preventing access.

You want to protect folks with pre-existing conditions — but at a higher price for them. Currently the ACA which you oppose makes it illegal to consider pre-existing conditions in pricing. So you want to repeal the ACA to change that? Why? Keep your filthy hands off the ACA.

How about helping Missouri expand Medicaid to save rural hospitals. It was Gingrich’s and Heritage’s plan. Time to stop being stupid because of Obama. He’s done. You can try thinking with you own brain now. 36 states accept our federal expanded Medicaid dollars. And Gov. Pence.

You voted to kill my insurance.
#shuttheFupyouliar

Yes Jason, it can be life or death, but your voting record tells a different story than this talking point.

Oh please. You voted to take away healthcare from Missourians

Um… @RepJasonSmith voted against ACA – the exact opposite of which you are telling people today. What’s up with that?

Medicaid expansion would automatically cover 200,000 more Missouri residents and save us $100 million! The feds cover 90% of the cost. [….]

At this point you’re just punking us.

Getting scared, bro? Remember when you celebrated voting to repeal the ACA with no replacement? Yeah, I do. Y’all brought beer in to celebrate. You’ve been fighting to TAKE AWAY healthcare, you lying PoS.

Three down. Fifty-four or so to go.

23 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in media criticism, meta, social media

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Tags

blogging, facebook, media criticism, meta, president, primaries and caucuses, social media, Twitter

Primaries and caucuses that is.

Over the years on the social media platforms I use I restrict who and what I follow to the point that I know the vast majority of people who I encounter (read) to a few degrees of separation and/or I am fairly certain they’re real people.

And, I post on Show Me Progress. When someone comments here it is held until I approve it. Since I hold the keys to the shop I see all of the background information not available to the casual user, which includes the posting IP address and the commenter’s e-mail address. Again, I can ascertain if a comment comes from a real person with a fair degree of certainty.

In 2016 (see below) I wrote about the disaster that was the Missouri State Democratic Convention. That drew interactions and comments from Bernie Sanders supporters that ranged from polite condescension to outright hostility. Nothing, really, about party unity.

Now in 2020, at this point in the presidential nominee selection process after the Nevada debate and the question about having a plurality of delegates, not a majority, posed by NBC’s Chuck Todd (I know, he’s useless), I started seeing posted material from Bernie Sanders supporters, contrary to the DNC 2020 rules which all the candidates and their campaigns know, that the candidate with a plurality (if no one has a majority on the first ballot) should feel entitled to the nomination on the second ballot.

The last multiple ballot nomination at a Democratic convention took place in 1952.

Back to 2020. In my comments on various discussions about the issue I have pointed out that if no candidate achieve 50% + 1 on the first ballot, that’s what the subsequent ballots are for (and those ballots include “uncommitted” PLEO delegates).

Nothing has changed from 2016. In these various venues I have encountered self-identified Bernie Sanders supporters who have responded with comments, again, that range from polite condescension to outright hostility. One accused me of possessing a “broken centrist brain.” Heh.

There was one prominent exception. One. This person wrote, after I invited them to read my 2016 account and the subsequent comments on Show Me Progress: “…thanks to the link to your report on the state convention in 2016. I don’t dispute anything in it. You did a good job of reporting. I will say that I have put considerable effort into figuring out what to do with the ‘car we caught’ that day…”

So, here we are, four years later, in two caucuses and one primary out of 57, and very few people have learned any lessons from 2016.

I have no confidence that enough people will do so in time so that we can save ourselves.

Senator Kamala Harris (D) [2019 file photo].

Vice President Joe Biden (D) [2013 file photo].

Former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper (D) [2019 file photo].

Former HUD Secretary Julián Castro (D) [2013 file photo].

Former Congressman John Delaney (D) [2019 file photo].

Mayor Pete Buttigieg (D) [2019 file photo].

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D) [2019 file photo].

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D) [2019 file photo].

Marianne Williamson (D) [2019 file photo].

Congressman Seth Moulton (D) [2019 file photo].

Senator Bernie Sanders [2016 file photo].

Congressman Tim Ryan (D) [2019 file photo].

Senator Cory Booker (D) [2019 file photo]

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) [2019 file photo].

Three down. Fifty-four or so to go. Still.

Old media is ready to wrap up the Democratic Party presidential nomination.

I suppose in the 2020 November General Election I could attempt to write in “Jill Stein,” just for the irony of it.

Previously:

Your $27.00 won’t get you into heaven anymore (June 19, 2016)

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

A text from Bernie 2020 (December 18, 2019)

Nevertheless, she persisted (February 20, 2020)

You know, your candidate is kind of okay, but too many of his true believers are real assholes (February 20, 2020)

Erasure

19 Wednesday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in media criticism, Resist, social media

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Tags

#resist, Chuck Todd, Claire McCaskill, debate, Elizabeth Warren, erasure, media criticism, MSNBC, NBC, Nevada, nomination, president, social media, thumb on the scale, Twitter

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

This morning, after their polling and reporting yesterday evening erased Elizabeth Warren (D):

Claire McCaskill @clairecmc
This is going to be interesting. Bloomberg on the debate stage tonight. Tune in and join us for pre debate and post debate analysis. @msnbc @BWilliams @NicolleDWallace
6:46 AM · Feb 19, 2020

I just had to respond:

Michael Bersin
So, is the pre debate analysis going to erase @ewarren? Is the debate coverage going to pixelate her face and mute any of her responses? Just curious.
6:50 AM · Feb 19, 2020

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) [2019 file photo].

Even more meta – Lindsey Simmons (D) on Mike Bloomberg

18 Tuesday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in campaign finance, media criticism, meta, social media

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campaign finance, Lindsey Simmons, media criticism, meta, Mike Bloomberg, social media, Twitter

“…Mike Bloomberg’s campaign is the only presidential campaign to reach out to ours–and they’ve done it multiple times–to help amplify our message…But appearing at Bloomberg events. Speaking at Bloomberg events. Encouraging my supporters to attend Bloomberg events gives the appearance that I support Mike Bloomberg…And I do not…”

Lindsey Simmons (D) [2020 file photo].

Late last night:

Lindsey Simmons @LynzforCongress
I will not vote for Donald Trump in 2020. Full stop.

And I have no real interest in voting for Mike Bloomberg, either. That’s why it’s my job to advocate on behalf of the candidates I think would make a wonderful President.

A THREAD
1/
11:20 PM · Feb 17, 2020

I’m running for Congress in #MO04. We aren’t taking a dime of corporate PAC money and are 100% people funded.

Mike Bloomberg’s campaign is the only presidential campaign to reach out to ours–and they’ve done it multiple times–to help amplify our message.

2/

In some ways, this could be seen as a positive–additional exposure can be helpful.

But appearing at Bloomberg events. Speaking at Bloomberg events. Encouraging my supporters to attend Bloomberg events gives the appearance that I support Mike Bloomberg.

And I do not.

3/

Some staffers have pointed out that Bloomberg has offered to hire field staff and other full-time organizers salaries north of $5,000/month.

I cannot compete with that. Few campaigns can.

And it results in a buying up of talent in this rural area, where the bench is thin.

4/

Mike Bloomberg is not a Democrat. He is an authoritarian. And my single-issue in 2020 is preserving our Constitution.

That cannot be achieved by electing someone who systematically imposed racist policies against communities of color.

5/

It cannot be achieved by electing someone who buys name recognition and, in turn, votes during the primary.

It cannot be achieved by electing someone who boasts that he hasn’t taken in any donations from supporters–b/c that translates to not having real people behind him.

6/

It cannot be achieved by electing someone who refuses to answer questions during interviews and who has yet to appear on a debate stage.

It cannot be achieved by electing someone who dismisses families like mine–rural farmers who he sees as beneath him.

7/

It cannot be achieved by electing someone who refuses to invest in and support unions.

It cannot be achieved by electing someone who makes derogatory, disparaging remarks about women and then holds their voice prisoner with non-disclosure agreements.

8/

Around here, there’s a sense that if you are wealthy and if you are successful that you must have worked hard to get there.

And, hard workers are noble people.

Thus, there’s this implied notion that Bloomberg is a noble, admirable person–based solely upon his wealth.

9/

But selling financial products is not the same as working the fields from dusk til dawn.

As a farm girl turned Wall Street lawyer, I’m here to warn you–don’t be fooled. Don’t be distracted by the billions. Don’t give up your values in the blind pursuit of defeating Trump.

10/

We should not trade one New York (pseudo) billionaire who wishes to dominate the world for another New York (actual) billionaire who wishes to dominate the world.

There are better choices. There are more qualified choices. There are more honorable choices.

11/

Defeating Trump at all costs cannot be the goal.

Defeating Trump is not worth shredding the Constitution.
Defeating Trump is not worth embracing a misogynist.
Defeating Trump is not worth abandoning our morals.
Defeating Trump is not worth embracing an authoritarian.

12/

I realize the temptation.

I’m running for Congress against the most anti-woman + anti-LGBTQ+ member of Congress. She won a freaking award from a hate group last week.

We need money to beat her.

So I get the temptation. I understand.

13/

We are afraid. Afraid because we know how dangerous the President is. How dangerous a DOJ abdicating its responsibility is. How dangerous a Senate ignoring the separation of powers is.

But we mustn’t be so afraid that we forget who we are and what we stand for.

14/

We must be brave enough to believe that we can elect a new President.

Brave enough to believe we can retain our principles in the process.

Brave enough to believe we can defeat the divisiveness in our communities.

Brave enough to believe we deserve better.

15/

These tensions that exist between family members, friends and neighbors over whether they support the red or blue team–those tensions have led us to a Cold Civil War.

To get out of it–we must do more than win at any cost.

16/

Because the real victory isn’t in Trump’s defeat–it’s in the defeat of the anger, the depression, the disenfranchisement, the demonization that pervades our country.

17/

Real victory is families not fighting during the holidays.
Real victory is friends not blocking each other on Facebook.
Real victory is your neighbor not fearing what might happen to her property if she identifies as a Democrat in a red area, or a Republican in a blue one.

18/

A real, honest to God, victory means we all care less about which party the President belongs to and more about that person’s actions, beliefs, and policies.

Because until that’s the case–we’ll continue to back figures like Trump and Bloomberg.

And we can do better.

19/

Lindsey Simmons (D).

Lindsey Simmons (D) [2020 file photo].

Previously:

Lindsey Simmons (D): on a mission in the 4th Congressional District (November 26, 2019)

Lindsey Simmons (D) – in the 4th Congressional District – Sedalia, Missouri – January 25, 2020 (January 26, 2020)

Lindsey Simmons (D): campaigning in the 4th Congressional District (February 8, 2020)

Fascist kakistocracy came to America

12 Wednesday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

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Tags

Donald Trump, Fascist, gaslighting, Justice Department, Roger Stone, social media, Tuesday night massacre, Twitter, William Barr

Too late, it’s here.

Donald Trump’s campaign operation has never been a bastion of moral rectitude.

Barr takes control of legal matters of interest to Trump, including Stone sentencing
Attorney General William Barr’s intervention in Roger Stone’s case wasn’t the first time senior political appointees reached into a case involving an ex-Trump aide, officials say.
Feb. 11, 2020, 6:55 PM CST
By Carol E. Lee, Ken Dilanian and Peter Alexander

…the case against Trump associate Roger Stone. On Tuesday, all four line prosecutors withdrew from the case — and one quit the Justice Department altogether — after Barr and his top aides intervened to reverse a stiff sentencing recommendation of up to nine years in prison that the line prosecutors had filed with the court Monday…

They don’t even have to bother to try and hide it anymore.

This morning:

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
Congratulations to Attorney General Bill Barr for taking charge of a case that was totally out of control and perhaps should not have even been brought. Evidence now clearly shows that the Mueller Scam was improperly brought & tainted. Even Bob Mueller lied to Congress!
5:53 AM · Feb 12, 2020

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

See you in the labor camps.

Sen. Josh Hawley (r): projection doesn’t just happen at the movies

09 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in Josh Hawley, social media

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Tags

Attorney General, audit, chutzpah, Josh Hawley, ladder climber, missouri, Nocole Galloway, orojection, social media, State Auditor, Twitter, whining

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D) is living rent free in Senator and former Attorney General Josh Hawley’s (r) head.

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

Josh Hawley (r) is publicly whining about an audit released on Thursday about a portion of Hawley’s (r) short tenure as Missouri Attorney General.

From the audit [pdf]:

…In a December 31, 2019, letter (Appendix I, page 435) in response to seeing a draft copy of this report, the AGO formally objected to the inclusion of interview transcripts in this report, and stated the inclusion of these transcripts would be a disclosure of audit working papers, and therefore, a felony violation of Chapter 29, RSMo. The SAO disagrees with this conclusion. Objections to the inclusion of interview transcripts and audit communications citing Chapter 29, RSMo, are without merit. The confidentiality provisions of Chapter 29 are intended to protect the SAO’s working papers from public disclosure. The interpretation that those confidentiality provisions are intended to keep the SAO from disclosing information obtained during the course of the audit is at odds with Chapter 29, RSMo, and Yellow Book requirements, which both require a report of information obtained during an audit be made public. In addition, the statement that the inclusion of working papers as appendices to a public report is unprecedented is not accurate. Including information obtained during an audit as appendices is very common and not unique to this administration. Appendices have been part of audit reports issued by the SAO for decades…

This evening Josh Hawley (r) again took to Twitter:

Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
Don’t think @nicolergalloway attacks on me & other Republicans are 100% political? Now she’s fundraising off of audits! Is it too much to ask that she just do her job – and quit using her office to campaign? #mogov #moleg
[….]
4:46 PM · Feb 9, 2020

Let’s see: projection, chutzpah, entitlement, lack of self awareness, ladder climbing… That’s a lot to pack into one Tweet.

What a maroon.

Of course, there is much hilarity in the responses:

I guess you shouldn’t have given her the ammo now, shouldn’t you? The only one you have to blame is yourself. Stand up and take it like a man.

Projecting. Like Trump.

One word, projection!

These ppl weaponize everything against Republicans..the IRS, the FBI, the FISA Courts. They are truly totalitarian

What a friend they have in Putin.

“Россия” (Russia) – a variant of the Russian presidential flag.

Didn’t you do THE SAME DAMN THING??…Oh wait yes you did and her audit showed it

You’re the worst, Josh

She must be getting close to the target to have so many tweets from you. Also don’t use any of your ‘achievements’ when you attempt to run for office again.

Golden coming from you #senatorflatbed

The Ivy League vision of a flatbed truck.

You didn’t do your job…..you swore to uphold the Constitution and yet you voted to acquit the most corrupt, immoral President in the history of the US.
We will not forget.

You used your office and staff to campaign. Get off your high horse, little Josh. It’s tiring.

‘do her job and quit using her office to campaign’???? That is rich coming from you.

Why Senator!
You seem worried.
#iStandByFBI

Why don’t you worry about serving the people of the state you really don’t represent well?

You have lost all of your credibility and any respect that I may have had for you. It sounds like it isn’t just me either.

You did

VP of trump water carriers. Speaking of doing your job, did you forget your office? When are you gonna come back and face your constituents? You’re a joke.

Lol, you outsourced the AG job while you campaigned for Senate! You are perfect for Trumpian times, a shameless liar and hypocrite. You still don’t want us to have healthcare, even as you lied about it. Weasel.

No one want to listen to your BS anymore. We have no respect for you. We would actually prefer you resign.

You seem like the type that has gotten into a heated argument over FaceTime, only to find out your selfie cam was on. You’re a hypocrite. Resign.

You must be kidding. You never really did your job in MO. Went to the gym and then started campaigning for senate. At least she can point to actual completed tasks

Ouch. That one left a mark.

Dude..you are a political hack extraordinaire. Very recently out took an oath to God and trashed it. You lustily cheered the medaling of a racist and said nothing when a war hero was jackbooted out of the White House! I think the natives call this “speaking with a forked tongue”.

Let’s see… how did Josh get elected Senator? He fundraised off his BS record as AG.

You belong with Trump. You’re both full of shit.

Lol you have to be kidding….what the heck did you do even after you said you weren’t interested in a senatorial position you are such a liar wow

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D).

Rent free.

Previously:

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): Former Attorney General Josh Hawley (r) and all of those campaign consultants… (February 6, 2020)

Attorney General Eric Schmitt (r): projection (February 7, 2020)

Sen. and former Attorney General Josh Hawley (r): Perp Tweet (February 7, 2020)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): schooling Attorney General Eric Schmitt (r) (December 8, 2020)

Sen. Josh Hawley (r): Would you like some whine with your audit? (February 9, 2020)

Sen. Josh Hawley (r): Would you like some whine with your audit?

09 Sunday Feb 2020

Posted by Michael Bersin in Josh Hawley, social media

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Attorney General, Josh Hawley, ladder climber, missouri, Nicole Galloway, social media, State Auditor, Twitter

Current Senator and former-Attorney General Josh Hawley (r) is publicly whining about an audit released on Thursday about a portion of Hawley’s (r) short tenure as Missouri Attorney General.

From the audit [pdf]:

…In a December 31, 2019, letter (Appendix I, page 435) in response to seeing a draft copy of this report, the AGO formally objected to the inclusion of interview transcripts in this report, and stated the inclusion of these transcripts would be a disclosure of audit working papers, and therefore, a felony violation of Chapter 29, RSMo. The SAO disagrees with this conclusion. Objections to the inclusion of interview transcripts and audit communications citing Chapter 29, RSMo, are without merit. The confidentiality provisions of Chapter 29 are intended to protect the SAO’s working papers from public disclosure. The interpretation that those confidentiality provisions are intended to keep the SAO from disclosing information obtained during the course of the audit is at odds with Chapter 29, RSMo, and Yellow Book requirements, which both require a report of information obtained during an audit be made public. In addition, the statement that the inclusion of working papers as appendices to a public report is unprecedented is not accurate. Including information obtained during an audit as appendices is very common and not unique to this administration. Appendices have been part of audit reports issued by the SAO for decades…

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

Yesterday afternoon, from Josh Hawley (r):

Josh Hawley @HawleyMO
Hey liberal dark money group, you forgot to mention @clairecmc is on your board! But thx for reminding everyone that this attack was Democrat sleaze from Day 1. Now disproven TWICE by two separate reviews. But your Dem auditor is now under investigation for a FELONY. Good luck
[….]
1:34 PM · Feb 8, 2020

Nervous?

You know, all-caps on the Internet is the equivalent of hysterical shouting or the wit and wisdom of someone in junior high school. So, which is it?

The Ivy League vision of a flatbed truck.

Claire McCaskill still makes you nervous, eh. She did say, “…Now I know he went to Yale, I think, or Harvard, one of those, one of those fancy ones…” Maybe you should ask for your tuition money back.

There was much hilarity in the responses:

Dark money is terrible. Josh, where’s your bill to end it?

Senator Hawley, Missourians would appreciate your support in ending dark money.

Will you sign the petition to support House Bill 1981, the End Dark Money Act?

Psst…he won’t.

So now fighting for Ethical behavior is “Dark” to Republicans?!?
Good to put that out in the Open there Josh!

Evan McMullin is also on the board of CREW (Center for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington). He served as a policy for the House Republican Conference in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was Republican right up until the point the Republican Party lost their minds.

What the hell happened to “Ending the cycle of bitterness” you were talking about earlier this week?

Uh, that was just talk, until he got nervous? Just spitballing here.

The alleged felony is that the auditor went ahead and released the report on Hawley’s malfeasance, even though Hawley’s equally corrupt successor as AG claimed it was somehow privileged or confidential. Two things Republicans excel at are committing crimes and covering them up.

Have fun, but know this: Republicans are united and EMPOWERED. We’re fighting back and exposing the corruption, and the slander used to cover it up.
It used to be so easy, didn’t it?
Not anymore. Enjoy the next 12 years with a Republican President.

Well, okay?

Funny how ethics is also a bad thing for Republicans. You didn’t want witnesses or documents in a trial and now you really want no oversight or ethics?

Way to take the “Show Me” out of our state motto.

We want leadership for Missouri not lawless servitude. #resign

After distracting from Trump’s illegal impounding and election interference with calls for irrelevant witnesses, the “Constitutional Conservative” proceeds to distract from his ethical issues with fallacious ad hominem attacks.

No respect for law, Constitution, or logic.

Actually, he calls himself a “constitutional lawyer” or something like that. “…Now I know he went to Yale, I think, or Harvard, one of those, one of those fancy ones…”

Dark money, you say? Well, pray tell where was your dark money concerns when you were AG and Greitens and of his dark money shenanigans were in charge? You’re a disgrace.

I read the article and it said it’s hard to tell what you did because you used a private email server. What do we know about people who use private email servers?

The great thing about audits is that they are not partisan. Numbers don’t lie like republicans do.

Facts matter, tho’. You used out of state political consultants to raise your profile in MO. You and your staff used private email and messaging. You used state resources for political purposes. You’re just mad you got called out and caught using GOP dirty tricks, sir.

And on and on…

State Auditor Nicole Galloway – [2017 file photo]

Previously:

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): Former Attorney General Josh Hawley (r) and all of those campaign consultants… (February 6, 2020)

Attorney General Eric Schmitt (r): projection (February 7, 2020)

Sen. and former Attorney General Josh Hawley (r): Perp Tweet (February 7, 2020)

State Auditor Nicole Galloway (D): schooling Attorney General Eric Schmitt (r) (December 8, 2020)

Show Me Progress

~ covering government and politics in Missouri – since 2007

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