• About
  • The Poetry of Protest

Show Me Progress

~ covering government and politics in Missouri – since 2007

Show Me Progress

Tag Archives: Ike Skelton

“It is said that the people are revolting.”

31 Thursday Oct 2013

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, facebook, Ike Skelton, missouri

King Louis XVI: You said it! They stink on ice!

A few of the responses to Representative Vicky Hartzler’s (r) Facebook post on the passing of former Representative Ike Skelton (D):

[….] And likewise you could learn a lot from Ms. Hartzler if you would only wake up and smell the coffee on liberals and the demonrat party!!!

[a response from a commenter to a previous comment]

And that same commenter later continued:

[….] He never once represented me! AND he voted yes on cloture after Ted Cruz’s marathon speech last month. All I ever asked of any elected official — Blunt, McCaskill, Hartzler, or Skelton — is that they vote no on cloture that one time, and Hartzler was the only one who did that.

Almost too stupid to remember to breathe. Ike Skelton (D) left office in January 2011 after 34 years in the House. He was defeated in the 2010 election and replaced by Vicky Hartzler (r). Members of the House do not vote on cloture in the U.S. Senate, since they are not members of the U.S. Senate. In case you were wondering.

Another commenter:

[…] I voted for Ike Skelton for years until he voted for ObamaCare. Sympathy for his family and friends.

As someone pointed out later:

[….]Ike was one of the few democrats who voted against Obamacare. It’s in the congressional record. [….]

Someone else added:

[….] it was a symbolic vote because Ike knew the bill would pass without him. Just politics. Overall, he went hard left when Obama came in office.

The Obamacare opponent added:

He was an Obama follower and that’s why he lost his seat.

Just the facts, right?

Ike Skelton (D) 1931-2013

29 Tuesday Oct 2013

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

4th Congressional District, Ike Skelton, missouri

Former Congressman Ike Skelton (D) in Marshall, Missouri in 2012.

Multiple news outlets are reporting that former Representative Ike Skelton (D), who represented Missouri’s 4th Congressional District from 1977 to 2011, died in Washington, D.C. this evening.

Representatives Ike Skelton (D) and Emanuel Cleaver (D) in Independence, Missouri

for then presidential candidate Barack Obama’s speech on patriotism – June 30, 2008.

With Jim Jackson and Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan (D) in Warrensburg, Missouri – 2008.

With Congressman Kenny Hulshof (r) at the Governor’s Ham Breakfast

at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia – 2008.

Then Representative Skelton’s last Twitter post as a member of Congress:

Ike Skelton ‏@IkeSkelton 2 Dec 10

Last night, I gave my final address to the House. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your many years of support. [….] 2:37 PM – 2 Dec 10

Vicky Hartzler (r): that was then, this is now

06 Saturday Oct 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

2010, 2012, 4th Congressional District, Debates, Ike Skelton, missouri, Teresa Hensley, Vicky Hartzler

From Vicky Hartzler’s 2010 campaign [August 25, 2010], via Facebook:

And, from Vicky Hartzler (r) on September 16, 2010:

….I am sorry to have to tell you that you and the rest of the voters of the 4th Congressional District are being denied your right to hear from all the individuals who are vying to represent you in Washington. I have proposed forums each Friday from now till the election so that voters can ask both of us questions and make an informed decision on who to support….

….Perhaps he doesn’t want to have to answer for his 95% voting record….

[emphasis added]

And September 28, 2010. In 2010, according to Vicky Hartzler (r), debates were very important and 95% wasn’t a good percentage. Evidently, times they are a changin’.

In yesterday’s Kansas City Star:

In Missouri’s 4th District, Hartzler-Hensley race reflects change

Hartzler-Hensley race for the Missouri seat reflects changing times and a redrawn district.

By DAVE HELLING

The Kansas City Star

….Hartzler hasn’t exactly been a boat-rocker in the House.

She has voted with the GOP 95 percent of the time….

….So Hensley has pushed Hartzler to debate. But the two candidates have yet to share a stage or microphone.

“I think voters deserve it,” Hensley said in a statement provided by the campaign.

Hartzler hasn’t budged, although she blames the lack of debates on logistics. “We’ll just have to see what opportunities are available,” she said….

[emphasis added]

I smell fear.

Saline County Democrats – Marshall, Missouri – August 31, 2012

02 Sunday Sep 2012

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Chris Koster, ElGene Ver Dught, Emanuel Cleaver, Gary Grigsby, Ike Skelton, missouri, Phyllis Domann, Ron Monnig, Teresa Hensley

Saline County Democrats held their first annual Ike Skelton Sevice Award dinner in Marshall, Missouri on Friday, August 31st. The recipient of the first award – for service to the people of Saline County – was Hazel Willet, a long time legislative assistant for Saline County legislators in the Missouri General Assembly. The award was a well kept secret until the announcement that evening and a complete surprise to the recipient who was in attendance.

Former Congressman Ike Skelton (D) at the annual Ike Skelton Service Award Dinner in Marshall, Missouri on August 31, 2012.

A number of Democratic office holders and candidates, statewide and local, attended the dinner. It was an opportunity to visit with Democratic Party voters and an opportunity for those voters to meet and interact with their various representatives and candidates. It’s retail politics at its best.

Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley (D) (center left) and former Congressman Ike Skelton (D) (center right). Teresa Hensley is the Democratic candidate in the 4th Congressional District which to 2010 had previously been Ike Skelton’s seat.

Yes, there’s always good food and patriotic table decorations at these events:

 

Cass County Prosecutor Teresa Hensley, the Democratic Party candidate in the 4th Congressional District.

Former State Representative Jim Seigfreid (D) (left) and Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D) (right).

Gary Grigsby, the Democratic Party candidate in the 51st Legislative District which includes portions of Marshall and Saline County.

Phyllis Domann (far left), the Democratic Party candidate in the 52nd Legislative District and Teresa Hensley. Elgene Ver Dught (right), the Democratic Party candidate in the 21st Senate District.

Office holders and candidates were given the opportunity to speak. In every instance they kept their remarks brief, in deference to the purpose of the evening – and also already having spent time meeting and greeting the dinner attendees before the start of the formal activities.

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D). His district will include Marshall and Saline County when redistricting takes effect.

Teresa Hensley (D) (left) and Attorney General Chris Koster (D) (right).

ElGene Ver Dught (D).

Phyllis Domann (D).

Gary Grigsby (D).

Former Congressman Ike Skelton (D) addressed the audience before the award was announced.

An excerpt from Ike Skelton’s remarks:

Ike Skelton (D): ….I, uh, can step back a little bit from the political fray and I, I feel somewhat heartbroken. America became great because of our positive attitude toward life. What we’ve had is the challenges, some pretty tough ones, but we always overcame them. It was a positive attitude of America.

Alexis de Tocqueville, in eighteen forty, visited America and he went back and wrote a book, Democracy in America, in his native France. And he wrote that America is great because America is good. And should America ever stop being good then America will stop being great.

And all you have to do is listen to the radio and the television and read the items in the newspapers and you will see an America that is bathed in negativism. This really, really bothers me. And if our country is to continue to be the bastion of freedom in this world we’re gonna have to change the tune of what we hear. We’re going to have to regain America is good attitude all across the board. And politicians ought to lead that effort and say what’s going to better our country and we can make it better. That’s the challenge that we ought to be accepting, rather than the challenge of tearing down another party or tearing down another candidate. It’s got to change. [applause]

Politics is not a dirty word. Politics is the art of government. It’s a good thing. I’ve enjoyed it all my life. My daddy was very involved with it, my mother was very involved with it. And I also became involved with it. And it was a good ride for me. I enjoyed it. Most of all I enjoyed the serious friendships that we made through the years. And memories are great. And that is the greatest pay I can, anyone in public office can receive.

[….]

You know, we have with us two previous prosecuting attorneys, Teresa Hensley, Chris Koster, and both of them are tied for a prize. Both of them win the prize for being the second best prosecuting attorney [laughter] in the State of Missouri. [applause] Being modest, I will not tell you who is the best one [laughter].

[….]

Attorney General Chris Koster (D) (right).

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D).

After the dinner and speeches the conversations continued.

Ike Skelton and Teresa Hensley. Photo by Jerry Schmidt.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D): a few questions

03 Sunday Apr 2011

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Democrats, Emanuel Cleaver, Ike Skelton, Johnson County, missouri, Warrensburg

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D).

Previously:

Johnson County Democrats honor Ike Skelton (D) (April 2, 2011)

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D): Johnson County, April 2, 2011 (April 3, 2011)

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was the keynote speaker at a dinner last night in Warrensburg honoring former Congressman Ike Skelton (D) for his years of public service. At the end of the event Congressman Cleaver took some time with us to answer a few questions:

Show Me Progress: So, congressman, in the negotiations for the, uh, continuation of the budget, um, we’ve been seeing reports that the, the Republicans are sort of, keep raising the bar and, and kind of renegotiating. Uh, what are the prospects of, of getting the, the budget situation settled in, in the fashion without getting, having things shut down?

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D): Well, I think we have a fifty fifty, uh, opportunity to, uh, succeed in getting a budget. It’s going to be extremely difficult because of the president will only, uh, accept us so deep a cut. But, uh, and the, uh, right wing of the, uh, Republican caucus in Congress is demanding, uh, extremely deep cuts. The president is not gonna accept it. And keep in mind Ben Bernanke, who’s hardly a, uh, liberal, uh, warned Congress on three separate occasions that to make severe cuts in the budget right now could, in fact, trigger, uh, some kind of, uh, second act, uh, to the great recession. And, uh, what he has said has been repeated by Goldman Sachs, uh, when they hired an independent analyst, uh, who, who came back and said, uh, if you make the cuts that, that you are planning to, to, uh, put forward it will cost the United States about seven hundred thousand jobs. And so, as people are out cheering for these deep, uh, and cavernous cuts I don’t think they realize that it could very well cause the much feared double dip [recession].  And, uh, I think that, that, you know, right now, we are in trouble because of the, the leadership of the Republican Party, I don’t think, uh, is, uh, going to, uh, have a great following with a, with one component of their party on the budget. Uh, when we had the first CR [continuing resolution] keep in mind three of the freshman voted, three of the freshman republicans voted against it because the cuts were not deep enough. And keep in mind that more of them now are saying that they’re going to vote against the budget unless it’s, uh, uh, much, much deeper. And it means that, that, uh, is, is at the same time calling on the president to, uh, uh, dip his veto pen in the ink…

…SMP: One of the things that we hear the, uh, Representative {Eric] Cantor [R], the rhetoric on Social Security, uh, they keep saying that Social Security contributes to the budget … [interruption]

…so that the, uh, so that the rhetoric in, in, they keep trying to tie in, uh, Social Security in, in to the budget deficit.

Representative Cleaver: Well, look, I,  every time I hear this discussion about Social Security and the deficit, uh, I would laugh but for the fact that it’s so serious. The reason Franklin Delano Roosevelt, uh, attached Social security to the payroll tax is because he said, they will never touch it because people won’t allow it ’cause they’re paying money into it. It, when we, when people receive their Social Security check that’s not a gift from the government. Uh, that, that represents a lifetime of paying six point two percent of payroll tax on every pay check. And, uh, people are simply getting back the money that they invested. So, uh, the, it is the only designated spending in the federal budget. So, I, I think when you start talking Social Security sometimes it is to, to create fear. But Social Security has nothing to do with the deficit. It, it, it’s not impactful on the deficit, on the deficit at all. It’s a, it’s a, it’s an entirely different issue.

SMP: Right, and, and, but the Republicans keep beating that, that it is something that contributes to the deficit.

Representative Cleaver: But, but Social Security contributes nothing to the deficit. I would challenge anybody, uh, I mean, I don’t care if they went to Harvard or Cambridge, it doesn’t matter, uh, on this issue of Social Security and how it, it’s, it somehow, uh, involved with the deficit.

SMP: So, how do we educate voters about this?

Representative Cleaver: Well, I, that’s the whole issue. Most voters don’t, don’t understand, you have people who get their Social Security, uh, checks, don’t have a good understanding of what, of the process and the system. Uh, they don’t realize that they pay six point two. Their employer pays, matches it with six point two every month. And it has been do, they’ve been doing that lo these many years. And, uh, that Social Security, even if it’s not repaired, uh, is probably going to be solvent for, uh, twenty or thirty more years. Not, not only that, but I think another part that we need to understand, unlike Medicare that is in a lot of trouble and will take some, uh, some, uh, severe work to, to repair that, uh, Social Security can easily be tweaked, uh, just as Tip O’Neill and Ronald Reagan did back in the eighties. Uh, you simply move the age up, uh, to, for recipients, uh, and that, uh, alone creates additional revenue or, or it keeps, it reverses the process that we’re gonna go into shortly where those paying, uh, into the system, uh, are outnumbered by those receiving.

SMP: But, it, also, another possibility is to basically raise the, the salary cap.

Representative Cleaver: Well, you could raise the salary cap from a hundred six thousand, uh, uh, to a hundred seventy-five thousand. Uh, that, uh, uh, but you only get paid on, uh, that which, which goes to a hundred seven thousand. Which means that everything above that, uh, goes back into the Social Security pie. And, uh, look, uh, we’ve all been blessed to live in this country. So, why would I, uh, uh, object to paying more money if I were making that kind of money? I mean, it was like, it, it’s like people who, who are, who are millionaires complaining, complaining, uh, about the estate tax. Gimme a million dollars, I’ll pay the estate tax every month. I, I don’t, I mean, I don’t understand it.

SMP: Yeah, and, and we, we’ve noticed in, in some of our coverage some interesting rhetoric from people that, when, when two hundred fifty thousand dollars, when they wanted to renew the Bush era, uh, tax cut, uh, two hundred fifty thousand dollars wasn’t a lot of money. But now we’re hearing rhetoric that teachers making fifty thousand dollars, that’s way too much money.

Representative Cleaver: Yes, that, that, it’s unbelievable. And the, the, uh, if you look at the, the disparity between the rich and the poor in this country it’s widening. And the people who are allowing that to happen are the people on the lower level of the, uh, economic, uh, realm. Which, which, in, in and of itself is confusing. Uh, but, teachers making fifty thousand dollars is a bargain. Teachers making a hundred thousand dollars is a bargain. And I don’t understand how people can go out and fight against the people educating their kids. And then, uh, cheering people, uh, uh, earning a million dollars a year. I don’t understand it.

When, when, uh, when the government approved the eight hundred fifty billion dollar tax cut just before Christmas, uh, for the two, the, the, for two percent, of the richest people in the country, uh, they
had no idea that what they did was earth shattering. Listen to this. All of the combined budgets of the fifty states equals six hundred fifty billion dollars. So the eight hundred fifty billion dollars tax cut that we gave, I voted against it, but that was given could have funded every state in the Union with money left over.

SMP: Thank you very much for your time, congressman.

Representative Cleaver: Thank you.

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D): Johnson County, April 2, 2011

03 Sunday Apr 2011

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Democrats, Emanuel Cleaver, Ike Skelton, Johnson County, missouri, Warrensburg

Previously: Johnson County Democrats honor Ike Skelton (D) (April 2, 2011)

“…And we are all at a point where many of the people who work with us are victims of the success of the Democratic Party. Labor unions created the middle class in the United States of America. And because of labor unions salaries rose and people began to buy homes and cars and send their children to school. And some of them became so enthusiastic in their middle classness that they began to abandon how they got there. One of the most amazing things in this country right now is how Republicans are successful in getting people to vote against their own best interests…”

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) in Warrensburg on Saturday evening, April 2, 2011.

Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D), Chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, was the keynote speaker at a dinner last night in Warrensburg honoring former Congressman Ike Skelton (D) for his years of public service. The transcript of Congressman Cleaver’s address:  

Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D): ….If I write a book the title of my book is going to be Cleaver’s Law. Cleaver’s Law. You’ve heard of Murphy’s Law. Make ready for Cleaver’s Law. Now the subtitle would be rather lengthy. This would be it. The amount of enthusiasm at the beginning of a task is disproportionate to the amount of enthusiasm remaining at the conclusion of a task. It’s called Cleaver’s Law. [laughter, applause] Cleaver’s Law.

I have seen it played out repeatedly. I’ve dealt with five hundred weddings… When the wedding begins it is almost artistic. The beautiful bride with her expensive dress stands at the other end of the center aisle. And in front of her are flower girls and florists and twenty-three bride’s maids and, uh, all kinds of best men and second best men and third best men. And you can’t imagine the ecstasy that these two young people are feeling. And, and the groom is looking google eyed in to the bride’s and I can’t wait with his eyes to call you my wife. And they leave the church, uh, under the, uh, clouds of beauty, the sun is setting gently in the western sky. And they go off to a honeymoon. Then I visit their home five years later. [laughter] And go in. She’s sitting on one side of the room, he’s sitting on the other side. They have, go in the bathroom, his and her towels. His and her children. [laughter] His and her , uh, cars. Everything. And so you wonder, well, what happened? Well, the amount of enthusiasm at the beginning of a task is disproportionate to the amount of enthusiasm remaining at the conclusion of a task. [laughter] It is called Cleaver’s Law…

…I’ve seen it happen with people who purchase cars. They buy their car, they’re, they’re in love with this, this inanimate object. They love it. They wash it daily. They guard it to make sure that flies don’t light on it. They miss church on Sunday to wash it and, and it is almost like they would marry this car. If they could. And then four years later after they’ve paid for it, the little children in their neighborhood write in the side of it with their fingers, wash me, please. [laughter] But, what happened? The amount of enthusiasm at the beginning of a task is disproportionate to the amount of enthusiasm remaining at the conclusion of a task.

I’ve seen it happen when little children come in to the world. The little baby is born and the father goes to the hospital and he’s giving away cigars and hamburgers [laughter] and anything else. He is so delighted. He’s standing in front of the window pointing out his little darling to anybody who walks by the maternity window. And, uh, they, they take the baby home. You visit the baby in the home and they will not allow you near that baby unless you put on a mask. [laughter] Sometimes gloves and boots. [laughter] Because they are just so enamored with this little critter that they brought into the world. And then twelve years later [laughter] they have no idea where the child is at midnight. [laughter] So, what happened? The amount of enthusiasm at the beginning of a task is disproportionate to the amount of enthusiasm remaining at the conclusion of a task. It is called Cleaver’s Law.

I’ve seen it happen when people get jobs. On the first day of work they show up two hours early. They stand out in front of the place of employment just to be there early. And they go in, they take no lunch, they take no breaks. They work and work and work and ask for more work. And then, two years later, they come at ten thirty, go to lunch at eleven thirty, [laughter] and then leave for the day at one thirty. [laughter] So, what happened? Well, the amount of enthusiasm at the beginning of a task is disproportionate to the amount of enthusiasm remaining at the conclusion of a task. It is called Cleaver’s Law.

I’ve seen it happen to political parties. I’ve seen people who became a part of a movement, a political party, and then they suffer the slings and arrows that inevitably takes place at the body politic. And they become disquieted. They become apprehensive. Well, this is not the time to become affected by Cleaver’s Law.

These are some of the most difficult times we have ever faced. Only one out of five individuals looking for a job can get a job. Which means four out of five people looking for a job can’t get it. Just under nine percent unemployment. I sit on the House Financial Services Committee, the banking committee. The experts before us are predicting one million foreclosures this year. One million foreclosures and the closing of about another one hundred banks. Everybody who, who loses a job usually goes into foreclosure. And when they go into foreclosure they people on their block suffer. Your house is five point two percent less today than it was this time thirty days ago.

And we are all at a point where many of the people who work with us are victims of the success of the Democratic Party. Labor unions created the middle class in the United States of America. [applause, cheers] And because of labor unions salaries rose and people began to buy homes and cars and send their children to school. And some of them became so enthusiastic in their middle classness that they began to abandon how they got there. One of the most amazing things in this country right now is how Republicans are successful in getting people to vote against their own best interests. [applause, cheers]

About four weeks ago my wife called me while I was in Washington and she was at a meeting of a lot of women, uh, at someplace and she said, well, that told me to call you and tell you to go in there and stop these people from killing Planned Parenthood. And I said, go back and ask how many of them voted for Republicans. She came back and she said, well, yeah, some of them voted. And I said, well, go back and tell them, she didn’t do it, but I said, go back and tell them how in the world can they vote for somebody then call me to stop the people that they voted for? [applause]

You have no idea how bad it is. You probably don’t even know that an amendment was introduced in my committee to deal with the deficit by eliminating teleprompters from the White House budget. There was an amendment introduced in my committee to deal with the budget to eliminate repairing the plumbing in the residential section of the White House. We are talking about, when you turn on the news, reducing the deficit of the United States, Congress, by dealing with twelve percent of the budget. Only the human services part of the budget. Now, even a M
ethodist minister can figure out you cannot [laughter] reduce the deficit by dealing with twelve percent of the budget. Now we need to reduce the deficit. We have a seventeen trillion dollar debt. And on the fifteenth of April our debt will surpass what Congress has so far allowed, which means we’ve got to raise the debt ceiling. We probably have enough people right now in the House to vote against raising the debt ceiling to throw the United States for the first time in its history in default of its debt. And there are people around the country cheering because they have no idea what that will do. It will mean that the Chinese and the Japanese and those in Europe who are lending us money are going to raise the interest rates on the United States. And when the interest rates are raised in the United States your interest rates are going to rise because we’ve got to pay for the debt.

We are living at a time when people have absolutely no idea about what’s going on. They cannot possibly be thinking while they do some of the things they’re doing. I think people are believing that the cuts are aimed at somebody else, maybe on another planet, because when you start thinking about what’s cut. Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City will lose millions and millions of dollars next year if these budget cuts are approved. There are hospitals, VA hospitals, that will be cut.

And we’re doing the cuts in a part of the budget that doesn’t matter.  Some, uh, five members of Congress said they were gonna give up their salary. In fact there are probably people who said, boy, that’s really good, we’ve gotta deal with this deficit. That doesn’t even measure up. I mean, it, it’s ridiculous. It is absolutely ridiculous. And so what we do, we start attacking public employees and unions. When I, the last time I checked teachers were the people we depended on to educate our children. And most people [applause] would say you know, what’s the most important thing in, to you with, with regard to your children? You’d say, their education. And so what do the teachers do? They get out of college, they are paid less than many other professions after going to school for four years,  with a tough job, my sister’s a principal of a school, Center School District, I have three sisters, all of them are in school districts, most in Texas. It’s a tough job. What is wrong with us? We are willing to pay our worst wide receiver more than we would pay our best teacher. [applause, cheers] And we don’t think anything about it. [applause] Something has gone wrong. The amount of enthusiasm at the beginning of a task is disproportionate to the amount of enthusiasm remaining at the conclusion of a task. It’s called Cleaver’s Law.

We’ve got to turn this around. Something is wrong. You don’t attack government workers who are paid less, who could go out in the private sector and make more money. When they are fired or they lose their jobs they get hurt, too. We’re, we’re right on the edge of a government shut down like we had in nineteen ninety-five, which lasted two weeks over the Christmas holidays.

Something is wrong. When two percent of the American public took home ninety percent of the economic growth last year.  Two percent. And there are people running around supporting them over folk who need help.

During the health care debate a guy, uh, out here in Lee’s Summit, uh, was screaming at me with no teeth about health care. I just wanted to pick him up and take him home, it’s something that this man needs help. I mean, I do have teeth, I think maybe I’m a Democrat and a Methodist priest, but I have teeth and, and I’m supporting health care. You need teeth. And you’re fighting health care.  [laughter, applause] This is confusing. [laughter]

Turn on TV and look at the debates. What we have now are fact free debates. [laughter, applause] If an issue’s before us , uh, uh, on Libya somebody will start talking about illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants. And, and how they can bring illegal immigrants into, uh, Libyan debate? And they can figure it out. They can figure out anything. I mean, let me show you how you, how this stuff works. You, you need to pay attention. Barack Obama is a Muslim [laughter] and spent twenty years in Reverend Wright’s church. [laughter] I mean, that’s, that’s what, that’s, that’s the direction we’re going. And do, and do not even see the, what they’re saying.

The, we don’t, we don’t need any government programs. No, we need the government to leave us alone. And you start messing with my Medicare I’m gonna vote against you and I’m gonna argue. [laughter] I don’t want you touching my Medicare. [laughter, applause] I mean, what, uh, uh, in my committee two weeks ago a woman started telling me, uh, telling me, telling everybody on the committee about something that wasn’t in the Constitution. Well, the Air Force is not in the Constitution. [laughter] And we have an Air Force. [laughter] I mean, you know, it, it has become ridiculous in Washington. And if the American public, the thoughtful American public, begins to look at what’s happening and listen to what people are saying they will become alarmed. Something will happen when the election comes up in two years.

Now, if we allow, there are eighty-seven new members of Congress.  Eight-seven new members of Congress. I think the number is, thirty of them are millionaires. And so, it’s easy, uh, for, for, for them to come in and talk about cutting things. It doesn’t impact them. But if we sit down on our hands or if we are not enthusiastic next year we are in trouble and our children are in trouble and will suffer. Now I still think that we can make it. I still have hope. You know why? Most of, most people don’t realize we only need twenty-five seats to win back the House. And if you listen to the news you would come to the conclusion, you know, there are about seventy or eighty seats we need. Twenty-five seats. And of those twenty-five seats that we’re targeting Barack Obama won fourteen of them. This is not hopeless. We can turn things around.

And when people begin to connect their votes with what’s happening to them every day like the people in Wisconsin, like the man I saw with the sign said, I used to be a Republican, we’re going to be able to turn this thing around. [applause] And if we really work [applause] that will be, what will be the statement we will hear all over this country, I used to be a Republican.

Look, it is true, I’m, I, I probably lean Democratic because my father and my mother and my grandmother and my grandfather leaned Democratic. But I wouldn’t have stayed Democratic if the Democratic Party was doing things to hurt me. I’m a Democrat and I’m not ashamed of being a Democrat [voice: “Yeah!”],  in fact, I’m proud of being a Democrat [applause] because Democrats are gonna stand up for the people who are vulnerable. They’re gonna stand up for working class people. They’re gonna stand up for children and education [applause] and teachers. I’m a Democrat because I believe [applause] that we have been right to help and protect people in the sunset of their years. I believe that we’ve got to give attention to children in the sunrise of their years. I’m a Democrat. I’m proud to be a Democrat because Democrats stand for what is right and they stand for people who are hurting and if we don’t stand for them nobody will stand for them. [applause] That’s why I’m a Democrat. [cheers] That’s why I will not ever change my party affiliation.  [applause] I am a Democrat. Will always be a Democrat. I will die a Democrat and if I come back I’ll be a Democrat. [applause, cheers]

Johnson County Democrats honor Ike Skelton (D)

03 Sunday Apr 2011

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Democrats, Emanuel Cleaver, Ike Skelton, Johnson County, missouri

On Saturday evening Johnson County Democrats honored former Fourth District Congressman Ike Skelton (D) for his distinguished public service career at their 4th Annual James C. Kirkpatrick Heritage Dinner in Warrensburg. Approximately 350 people from around the congressional district and beyond were in attendance.

Deputy Attorney General Joe Dandurand (D) was the master of ceremonies. Keynote speaker Representative Emanuel Cleaver (D) spoke of his close relationship with Ike Skelton, stating that he considered Ike his tall older brother. Ike Skelton spoke of his appreciation for all in attendance and for the opportunity he had to serve.

Former Fourth District Congressman Ike Skelton (D) was honored for his distinguished public service career

at the Johnson County Democrat’s 4th Annual James C. Kirkpatrick Heritage Dinner in Warrensburg on Saturday evening.

Ike Skelton and keynote speaker Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D).

The new normal?

03 Wednesday Nov 2010

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

2010, 4th Congressional District, election, Ike Skelton, missouri, Vicky Hartzler

Apparently every state in the union will eventually be required to have a Michele Bachmann. It’s sort of a cross between Marxism and teabaggery – share the wingnut wealth.

U.S. House/Missouri 04

[Vicky] Hartzler 105,386 50%

[Ike] Skelton 93,287 45%

94% of precincts reporting

Update:

U.S. Representative – District 4

Precincts Reporting 415 of 415

Skelton, Ike DEM 101,507 45.1%

Hartzler, Vicky REP 113,500 50.4%

Braun, Jason Michael LIB 6,122 2.7%

Cowan, Greg CST 3,910 1.7%

Total Votes 225,039

GOTV: Ike Skelton (D) in the 4th Congressional District

30 Saturday Oct 2010

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional, GOTV, Ike Skelton, missouri

In the last seventy-two hours before the polls open campaigns kick their get out the vote operations (GOTV) into high gear. Congressman Ike Skelton’s (D) operation has phone bankers and canvassers out in force today.

Phone banking is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. in shifts.

A packet of materials for door to door canvassers.

There are three more days of intense work to go.

Nice day for a parade…

23 Saturday Oct 2010

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

121st Legislative District, 4th Congressional District, Courtney Cole, Denny Hoskins, homecoming parade, Ike Skelton, missouri, UCM, Vicky Hartzler

The University of Central Missouri homecoming parade took place this morning in Warrensburg. As usual, during an election year, there were a significant number of candidates and their supporters in the parade.

Courtney Cole, the Democratic candidate in the 121st Legislative District at the early morning parade lineup.

Blunt (r-lobbyists) supporters at the parade lineup.

Two freight trains came through town on the parade route – slowing the progress of the parade down while everyone waited for them to pass.

Courtney Cole (D), working the parade crowd.

Denny Hoskins (r – noun, verb, CPA) waving to the crowd and getting a mixed response.

Congressman Ike Skelton (D).

Vicky Hartzler (r), the republican challenger in the 4th Congressional District. She said, “I hope I didn’t break your camera.” I kid you not.

The republican candidates didn’t work the crowd (shaking hands and talking to folks). Some of the Democratic candidates did, others just waved to the crowd.

← Older posts

Subscribe

  • Entries (RSS)
  • Comments (RSS)

Archives

  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007

Categories

  • campaign finance
  • Claire McCaskill
  • Democratic Party News
  • Healthcare
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Interview
  • Josh Hawley
  • media criticism
  • meta
  • Missouri General Assembly
  • Missouri Governor
  • Missouri House
  • Missouri Senate
  • Resist
  • Roy Blunt
  • social media
  • Standing Rock
  • Town Hall
  • Uncategorized
  • US Senate

Meta

  • Log in

Blogroll

  • Balloon Juice
  • Crooks and Liars
  • Digby
  • I Spy With My Little Eye
  • Lawyers, Guns, and Money
  • No More Mister Nice Blog
  • The Great Orange Satan
  • Washington Monthly
  • Yael Abouhalkah

Donate to Show Me Progress via PayPal

Your modest support helps keep the lights on. Click on the button:

Blog Stats

  • 620,853 hits

Powered by WordPress.com.

 

Loading Comments...