Senator Claire McCaskill (D) met for coffee early this morning in downtown Warrensburg with Johnson County Democrats (and anyone else who showed up). She spoke at length about the 2014 election, the Missouri General Assembly, Medicaid expansion, the Affordable Care Act, and also took questions.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) in Warrensburg – October 8, 2014.

[….]

Senator Claire McCaskill (D): ….I have watched, from afar, Jefferson City. And, you know, um, I’ve spent some time in Jefferson City. And it isn’t as if I don’t understand what this state is. I think you all know I get Missouri….I get that there are a lot of conservative people in this state. But if you step back from it and you look and you see that I have been elected and reelected statewide four times. [Governor] Jay Nixon has been elected and reelected state, in statewide office one, two, three, four, five, six times. [Secretary of State] Jason Kander was elected, [State Treasurer] Clint Zweifel was elected, [Attorney General] Chris Koster was elected. All of these are Democrats that are winning statewide. Now how do you reconcile that with the Missouri legislature, because the Missouri legislature is way, way, way to the right? It’s so far to the right you can hardly see it on the horizon. And the reason that’s happened is because of two things. One, they controlled redistricting, but, more importantly is because they have recruited candidates, funded candidates, and helped candidates run and win and….we behaved, well, you know, that Jeff City, it just is hopeless. You know, they’re in charge and there’s nothing we can do. Well, they cast votes that are completely out of step with most Missourians. I guarantee you they’re out of step with the people that would be in Gary [Grigsby]’s district [51st Legislative District]. Um, I could go through a list. I mean, how many Missourians want them to be spending time on Sharia law? Um, how many Missourians really think Agenda 21 is a problem? How many Missourians think it’s a good idea to tell the local sheriff and the local police department that if they’re gonna work on an interdisciplinary task force with Federal officers they could go to jail if they arrest somebody in that effort that has a gun that’s prohibited by the Federal government. They wanted to put local law enforcement in jail for cooperating in a Federal investigation that could involve guns. I mean, this is crazy time….

[….]

…You know what people of this state want from their state legislature? They want good roads and bridges, they want good public education, and they want to make sure that their money is being spent wisely. They don’t want rape victims to have to wait three days to terminate a pregnancy that their rapist caused. They don’t want that. Vast majority of Missourians do not want that….

[….]

Question: …You must fight, the Democrats must fight no matter what happens in November, it [the Affordable Care Act – “Obamacare”] must not be repealed.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D): Well, it won’t be repealed as long as, uh, Barrack Obama is President of the United States. Um, and I do, I will tell you that I think our, I’m traveling next week on behalf of my colleagues, I do think that, um, we are in pretty good shape. It’s gonna be close across the country. Um, but I will be surprised if we don’t hold on….

[….]

….The election that will determine the future of health care reform in this country, as to whether or not we continue down the path, will be, um, electing Hillary Clinton in, in twenty-sixteen. I will be back here and this place will be full, wall to wall, with people, I hope, working, um, on behalf of Hillary Clinton in twenty-sixteen.

Question: I think the one, the one issue that the state Republicans are the most opposite of their constituents is on Medicaid expansion. Because, a lot of my Republican friends, that is the one thing that they are really the most distressed about, is that we haven’t expanded Medicaid in the state and we didn’t accept the Federal money, because they have family members who should be Medicaid eligible and are not. And I see that’s just the most vulnerable issue for these, for, you know, at least our state representatives is that they didn’t support that.

Senator Claire McCaskill (D): There are, we have three hundred thousand Missourians, so you can speak to this when people that you, you talk to them, we have three hundred thousand Missourians who are working. You know, when people hear Medicaid I think they think of people that aren’t working. These are people that are working. They are working two and three jobs. They are making too little money to get on the [ACA] exchanges, but they make more money than they can do to get Medicaid. So, the, the weird thing is that, um, you know, we’ve got this gap. And that is all because they have turned down the Federal money that would, that would expand. [voice: “Our Federal money.”]  Our Federal money is going to other states for their health care. And it is really hurting rural Missouri, uh, because in many rural communities the number one employer is the hospital. And these hospitals are dying on the vine. I mean, they are desperate. And that’s the irony, is the reddest parts of the state are gonna suffer the most  ’cause that’s where a lot of the working poor are, people that are working two or three minimum wage jobs and don’t have insurance at work. And they can’t, they can’t get on the exchanges and they don’t qualify for Medicaid. Um, so it is really crazy. I mean, it would be, imagine if the Republicans said, you know, we’re not gonna take Federal Highway funding. They might cut it off some day so we better not take it. [laughter[ Let’s just not take Federal highway funding. We don’t want our money that we’ve paid, come back for our highways, because it’s the Federal government. And they might cut it off some day and then we’d be left holding the bag. And I’m like, well, I think you’re holding the bag now because, guess where all those people are going for health care? They’re going to hospitals who are treating them and then they’re passing on the bills to Missourians. It’s like a huge hidden tax increase. It’s craziness. And the only reason they won’t expand it is because they think it’s connected to Obamacare. So, it’s about the political messaging of Obamacare, it’s not about Missourians. It’s really unbelievable….

[….]

Senator Claire McCaskill (D) [center] with Gary Grigsby (D) [left], the Democratic Party candidate in the 51st Legislative District,

at an early morning coffee in downtown Warrensburg – October 8, 2014.

The past few days, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C031159 09/24/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Stueve Siegel Hanson LLP 460 Nichols Road Suite 200 Kansas City MO 64112 9/22/2014 $10,000.00

C031159 09/27/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER National Health Corporation PAC State #1093 100 Vine Street Murfreesboro TN 37130 9/25/2014 $10,000.00

C031159 09/28/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Branson Hills Rental Management, LLC 153 S. Payne Stewart Drive Branson MO 65616 9/26/2014 $10,000.00

C031159 09/28/2014 MISSOURIANS FOR KOSTER Operating Engineers Local 101 Political Action Committee 6601 Winchester Suite 280 Kansas City MO 64133 9/26/2014 $25,000.00

[emphasis added]

There will be a flurry of activity over the next two days.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: wachet auf (September 17, 2014)

Campaign Finance: wachet auf – part 2 (September 20, 2014)

Throw in a right wingnut Secretary of State, an out of touch right wingnut incumbent in the U.S. Senate race, a well funded independent challenger, a withdrawn Democratic Party candidate, and a state supreme court that knows crap when it sees it – the rest of us get weeks of entertainment:

Yael T. Abouhalkah ‏@YaelTAbouhalkah

Legal genius Kris Kobach, fresh from Supreme Court smackdown, orders Democrats to put someone on Senate ballot. Bet they get right on that. 7:17 PM – 18 Sep 2014

Yael Abouhalkah wins the Twitterverse.

Yesterday, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, for the republican candidate for St. Louis County Executive:

C061248 09/07/2014 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM John Danforth 911 Tirrill Farms Rd St Louis MO 63124 Attorney 9/6/2014 $10,000.00

C061248 09/07/2014 FRIENDS OF RICK STREAM Menlo Smith 14 Ballantrae Court St Louis MO 63131 Retired 9/6/2014 $12,000.00

[emphasis added]

It’s nice to have friends.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: they’re fixin’ to spend a lot of money (August 21, 2014)

Campaign Finance: the recharging continues (August 20, 2014)

The recount for Amendment 1, the so called “Right to Farm” constitutional amendment, has started. The Secretary of State has the Report of Findings available by county. At this point eleven counties have submitted their recount reports:

Amendment 1

Boone County

As certified 8/25/14: 8960 yes, 18471 no

Recount: 8963 yes, 18476 no

Difference: +3 yes, +5 no

DeKalb County

As certified 8/25/14: 1547 yes, 506 no

Recount: 1549 yes, 507 no

Difference: +2 yes, +1 no

Jasper County

As certified 8/25/14: 8936 yes, 5721 no

Recount: 8933 yes, 5721 no

Difference: -3 yes, +0 no

Laclede County

As certified 8/25/14: 5015 yes, 2103 no

Recount: 5016 yes, 2103 no

Difference: +1 yes, +0 no

Lewis County

As certified 8/25/14: 1185 yes, 609 no

Recount: 1190 yes, 608 no

Difference: +5 yes, -1 no

Moniteau County

As certified 8/25/14: 2471 yes, 868 no

Recount: 2472 yes, 869 no

Difference: +1 yes, +1 no

Nodaway County

As certified 8/25/14: 2704 yes, 1662 no

Recount: 2708 yes, 1664 no

Difference: +4 yes, +2 no

Ozark County

As certified 8/25/14: 1346 yes, 1187 no

Recount: 1347 yes, 1188 no

Difference: +1 yes, +1 no

Stoddard County

As certified 8/25/14: 2955 yes, 1907 no

Recount: 2955 yes, 1907 no

Difference: +0 yes, +0 no

Taney County

As certified 8/25/14: 4374 yes, 4294 no

Recount: 4380 yes, 4296 no

Difference: +6 yes, +2 no

Washington County

As certified 8/25/14: 2068 yes, 1114 no

Recount: 2073 yes, 1119 no

Difference: +5 yes, +5 no

[emphasis added]

“Yes” gained 25 votes, “No” gained 16 votes. There’s a long, long way to go before this is finished.

The Missouri Code of State Regulations [pdf] has a section, Title 15, Division 30, Chapter 9 – “Uniform Counting Standards” which illustrates the standards for counting votes which may not have registered on optical scanning equipment. As one looks at the examples you can understand why this could happen.

There is a tendency for the vote totals to go up when a hand recount takes place – a counting team (it’s a very rigorous process) can distinguish legally cast votes which an optical scanner won’t register (for instance, a circled candidate name or ballot issue response or a circled “bubble”). And let’s not be too hard on the voters who cast such ballots – they don’t vote every day, and ballot marking protocols have changed over time as election authorities have changed their county’s ballot formats.

What should give us pause is when the totals go down. Think about that for a minute.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: $110,000.00 for something they really care about (January 3, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Food fight! (May 28, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Because, across Missouri, family farms are being supplanted by… (June 24, 2014)

Campaign Finance: as if yard signs were actually a cash crop for actual farmers… (June 28, 2014)

Utilizing the First Amendment to challenge our oppressive corporate overlords… (July 2, 2014)

Joe Maxwell – “No” on Amendment No. 1 (July 8, 2014)

Campaign Finance: egg money (July 9, 2014)

Campaign Finance: opposing useless law (July 25, 2014)

Right to farm: read the small print and between the lines (July 25, 2014)

Pinch me, I must be dreaming – Cynthia Davis gets it right on Amendment 1 (July 30, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Big agriculture money keeps pouring in for Amendment 1 (July 31, 2014)

Baker Creek Seed Company – Vote “No” on Amendment 1 (August 3, 2014)

Senator Paul LeVota (D) on Amendment 1 (August 4, 2014)

After all that corporate money this is the best that they can do on Amendment 1? (August 6, 2014)

Amendment 1 – Recount (August 26, 2014)

If you’re a Democrat and you’re from Missouri, go north on September 14th to Indianola, Iowa for the 37th annual (and last) Harkin Steak Fry. You’ll meet lots of like minded folks (we’ll be there), you’ll partake of an excellent feed, and you’ll have an opportunity to see and hear Hillary and Bill Clinton. There’s the added benefit of watching a vast herd of national media stampeding all over the place in their desperation to confirm and contribute to the conventional wisdom. If that ain’t an excuse for a one day road trip I don’t know what else is.

Then Senator Hillary Clinton at the Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa – September 16, 2007 [file photo].

Ed Kilgore has a thing or two to say about the times:

The Irresistible Duopoly Of Iowa And New Hampshire

We are slipping up on another presidential election cycle, and once again, threats that Democrats and Republicans would come together to deny Iowa and New Hampshire their irrationally privileged position in the nominating process have come to naught. Aside from having long passed the window for national rules changes, with nothing happening that in any way endangered the duopoly, it’s now getting a bit late for potential candidates to make their initial pay-the-dues appearances in the town halls and potlucks of these two not-exactly-typical states….

….Meanwhile the Democratic contest moves into a full-fledged Invisible Caucus phase less than two weeks from now, when Hil and Bill Clinton headline the 37th (and final) Tom Harkin Steak Fry in – of course – Indianola, Iowa.

What’s most interesting this year, though, is the extent to which national political people have excuses for spending extra time and money in Iowa and New Hampshire….

Not to be denied. At the Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa – September 16, 2007 [file photo].

Previously:

Oh yeah, Hillary’s gonna run (August 18, 2014)

The Harkin Steak Fry 2013 – photos (September 15, 2013)

Yep, that’s about it (September 16, 2013)

‘Twas an epic roadtrip, that’s for sure (September 16, 2013)

Joe Biden at Harkin Steak Fry video by Jerry Schmidt (September 17, 2013)

Harkin Steak Fry 2012 – photos (September 16, 2012)

Harkin Steak Fry 2012 – Road Trip (September 16, 2012)

The 35th Annual Harkin Steak Fry: Getting a Jump on 2016 (September 17, 2012)

Harkin Steak Fry 2012 – press availability with Sen. Tom Harkin (D) and Gov. Martin O’Malley (D) (September 17, 2012)

Harkin Steak Fry 2012 Press Availability Video (September 20, 2012)

The 2011 Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa (September 18, 2011)

The 2011 Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa: Senator Bernie Sanders (I) (September 19, 2011)

The 2011 Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa: Paul Begala – part 1 (September 20, 2011)

The 2011 Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa: Paul Begala – part 2 (September 22, 2011)

The 2011 Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa: Paul Begala – part 3 (September 23, 2011)

Iowa Road Trip! – the 2010 Harkin Steak Fry (September 11, 2010)

Iowa Road Trip! – Interstate highway rest stops (September 12, 2010)

Iowa Road Trip! – on the way back (September 12, 2010)

The bumper stickers of Madison County (September 13, 2010)

Iowa Road Trip! – photos and press availability (September 13, 2010)

Senator Al Franken (D) at the 2009 Harkin Steak Fry – part 1

Senator Al Franken (D) at the 2009 Harkin Steak Fry – part 2

Senators Harkin (D) and Franken (D) in Indianola, Iowa – there will be a strong public option

The 2009 Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa – photos

Before anyone gets a shovel and digs a grave for the Public Option, read this

Road Trip! – The Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa – The speechifying (September 17, 2007)

Road Trip! – The Harkin Steak Fry in Indianola, Iowa – What? No mud? (September 17, 2007)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission, more serious money for the folks opposed to Amendment 3 – [which is designed to] punishing education professionals – on the November ballot:

C141258 08/29/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION Missouri State Teachers Assn Legislative Impact Committee PO Box 458 Columbia MO 65205 8/28/2014 $50,000.00

[emphasis added]

Over the years one learns well that standing on the sidelines is no longer an option.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: pawn to queen’s bishop $125,000.00 (August 27, 2014)

Understatement (July 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: even more in (July 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: all in (July 9, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Nope, the boat’s still not big enough. (June 4, 2014)

Campaign Finance: still need a much bigger boat (May 28, 2014)

Campaign Finance: schooling (May 19, 2014)

Today in the west central Missouri afternoon heat:

Gary Grigsby (D) (left) going door to door today in the 51st Legislative District.

This is how you win.

A candidate can raise more money, they can get more volunteers, the can buy more signs, they can send more mail – what they can’t buy or get is more time. The candidate one on one with the voter and campaign direct contact has to be in operation now.

Ah, Amendment 3, the ballot initiative on the November ballot promoted by someone with a lot of money who wants voters to screw public education across the State of Missouri. There are a lot of people opposed, though.

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C141258 08/27/2014 COMMITTEE IN SUPPORT OF PUBLIC EDUCATION American Federation of Teachers 555 New Jersey Ave NW Washington DC 20001 8/26/2014 $125,000.00

[emphasis added]

Not quite chess playing territory. But then again, they have a lot of pissed off teachers on their side.

C141258: Committee In Support Of Public Education

Po Box 458 Committee Type: Campaign

Columbia Mo 65205

[….] Established Date: 04/17/2014

Ballot Measures Election Date Subject Support/Oppose

Constitutional Amendment 3 11/04/2014 Shall The Missouri Constitution Be Amended To Require Teachers To Be Evaluated By A Standards Based Performance Evaluation System/Statewide Oppose

[….]

[emphasis added]

Next move.

Previously:

Understatement (July 20, 2014)

Campaign Finance: even more in (July 15, 2014)

Campaign Finance: all in (July 9, 2014)

Campaign Finance: Nope, the boat’s still not big enough. (June 4, 2014)

Campaign Finance: still need a much bigger boat (May 28, 2014)

Campaign Finance: schooling (May 19, 2014)

Today, at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C111150 08/27/2014 FRIENDS OF TOM SCHWEICH Barnett Helzberg Jr 4520 Main St Ste 1050 Kansas City MO 64111 Retired 8/26/2014 $5,500.00

[emphasis added]

Didn’t say it with diamonds, though.

Previously:

Campaign Finance: it’s not like 2014 is gonna be a rough campaign (June 16, 2014)