Word is that U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner (R-2) may be planning to challenge Democratic Senator Claire McCaskill in next year’s midterm election. She’s also taking lots of heat for refusing to hold real, in-person town halls – and, no, hyper-managed tele-town halls don’t count. This fact explains her defensive response to Senator McCaskill’s recent jibe indirectly referencing Wagner’s now-notorious fear of being confronted by less than tame constituents in an environment that she cannot control. McCaskill – who spent the recent congressional recess on a listening tour of the state has plenty of standing on this issue. She’s held numerous Town Halls and listening sessions, even during the most virulent Tea Party period, which means that she’s earned the right to assert that folks who haven’t got what it takes stand up before angry constituents in an open forum and take responsibility for their actions aren’t fit to hold office.
The nettled Wagner promptly attempted to deflect McCaskill’s very palpable hit. She rushed to attack, peevishly declaring that, “I believe what makes you unfit for office is when you don’t represent Missouri values; and Sen. McCaskill’s vote against [Supreme Court] Justice Gorsuch last week told millions of Missourians that she simply doesn’t share their values.”
So what are these “Missouri values” of which Wagner speaks? Based on her performance over just the last few months, I’m willing to make an educated guess that Wagner’s own special Missouri values include the following:
— Shafting Missouri consumers, especially senior citizens: Wagner’s untiring efforts over the past few years to repeal the Obama era fiduciary rules and to weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) speak for themselves.
— Standing up for her big political donors: See the above point and then consider the piles of dollars that Wagner has raked in from the likes of Edward Jones and other big hitters in the financial services industry.
— Going along to get along, decency be dammed: During the campaign, Wagner made it clear that the stench of Donald Trump made her gag – until she realized that the red-meat folks she had to rely on to get elected thought he smelled like chateaubriand. Now she’s all smiles and compliance.
— Talking feminism while shafting women: Wagner makes a big deal about her efforts to fight sexual assault, rape and sex trafficking. But she voted against the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) – because it was too comprehensive. And issued a public statement that made it sound like she hadn’t. Hypocrites, we shall know ye by your words.
And then there’s Wagner’s vote for Neil Gorsuch a corporatist in originalist clothing– who is straight-out bad news for women and a disaster for working and middle class Missourians. If that vote represents Missouri values, it’s only because a lot of poor fools have been sold a bill of goods.
No wonder Country Club Ann is scared to face the rowdy hoi polloi in an unconstrained environment. She clearly knows nothing about our values.
