Tag Archives: Bob Onder

Rick Brattin (r) slept through his civics class

25 Friday Sep 2026

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“…The Eighth Circuit’s application of Purcell was incorrect…” – People Not Politicians v. Onder, U.S. Supreme Court, September 25, 2026

Rick Brattin (r) [2013 file photo].

This evening:

Rick Brattin for Congress
[September 25, 2026]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 25, 2026
Statement from Rick Brattin on U.S. Supreme Court Ruling

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – State Senator Rick Brattin has released the following statement about today’s ruling:

“I am grateful to the Eighth Circuit for squarely addressing the merits of this case and stating plainly what common sense and the Constitution require: voters should not choose their nominees under one congressional map and then be forced into entirely different districts for the general election.

Today’s Supreme Court decision is a travesty for Missouri voters and for the integrity of our elections. Missouri will now conduct a congressional primary under one map and a general election under another. Voters who lawfully participated in the August primary will be moved into districts where they had no voice in choosing the nominees who will appear on their ballot in November. This is the most unprecedented form of voter disenfranchisement in American history, and Missouri voters deserve far better.

The responsibility for this chaos rests first and foremost with the Missouri Supreme Court. With the stroke of a pen, it overturned a congressional map passed by the people’s elected legislature and signed by the Governor after that map had already been used to conduct the primary election. The Eighth Circuit recognized the serious constitutional problem that decision created. Missouri voters are now being forced to live with the consequences.

This is part of a dangerous pattern of courts asserting power that belongs to the people and their elected representatives. Judges are not kings, and courts are not legislatures. Our system of government depends upon each branch respecting the constitutional authority of the others. The Missouri Supreme Court abandoned that principle in this case, usurped the authority of Missouri’s duly elected legislative and executive branches, and left Missouri voters paying the price.”

Some of the responses:

Bye Felicia, I mean Rick.

You left this part out where SCOTUS made clear this was Hoskin’s fault.

Our prayers have been answered. It must be God’s will.

We see what you did there.

The MO Constitution allows citizens to challenge through referendum any bills passed by the legislature. Hoskins tried to weasel around this constitutional provision by ignoring the MO Supreme Court. If you are unhappy about what has happened, blame falls on Hoskins.

The supreme court effed us.

Please explain how a U.S. Supreme Court with a 6-3 right wingnut majority which includes three Trump appointees is so totally biased against your interpretation of the Constitution.

Responsibility for this chaos solely rests on Denny “the clown” Hoskins and crew. Glad the Supreme Court did the correct thing.

Rick Brattin for Congress maybe follow the Constitution for once and stop forcing things on the people.
You think this is bad wait till we all organize and get to the breaking point.

I’ll summarize this for everyone: I’m butthurt because we politicians can’t pick our voters instead of them picking us.

That’s it.

Just update your resume playa. It’s fine

If this is really how you interpret this whole process, you shouldn’t be anywhere near the halls of Congress.

You can’t even cheat your way to DC.

Where is your statement responding to the GOP asking for a redo on a candidate cause they want to ditch you?

Solely on Denny Hoskins!

This right wingnut overreach fail has many cooks.

Senator Brattin’s statement gets the facts backwards. The chaos Missouri voters are now facing traces directly to the actions of Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, not the Missouri Supreme Court.
When opponents of the 2025 GOP-drawn map gathered enough signatures to force a referendum, Hoskins waited until the legal deadline to act, then rejected the referendum outright, arguing that redistricting plans aren’t subject to the referendum process at all, a position Missouri courts ultimately did not accept. The Missouri Supreme Court had already ruled in May that qualifying the referendum would suspend the 2025 map, yet the court found Hoskins proceeded with the GOP map in the August primaries anyway, even though it hadn’t been approved by voters.
That’s not a court “overturning” a legislative map with “the stroke of a pen.” It’s a Secretary of State ignoring the plain terms of Article III, Section 52 of the Missouri Constitution, which reserves to the people the power to approve or reject laws passed by the General Assembly through referendum. Hoskins’ office made the call that this constitutional referendum right didn’t apply to redistricting, and the courts said otherwise.
The consequences of that decision escalated further: the Missouri Supreme Court held Hoskins in contempt for failing to comply with its ruling that the 2025 map had to be put on hold while the referendum took place, and he was found in contempt a second time in September for directing local election authorities to use the new map after a court order barred it. Two separate contempt findings against a sitting Secretary of State for defying the state’s highest court is not “judicial overreach.” It’s a public official refusing to follow the law as written in Missouri’s own Constitution.
If Missouri voters are now facing a primary under one map and a general election under another, that is the direct result of Hoskins’s office gambling that it could run out the clock on a valid referendum rather than following the Missouri Constitution’s requirements. The responsibility for this “unprecedented” situation belongs with the Secretary of State who created it, not the court that repeatedly told him to follow the law.

So Rick doesn’t want to have to follow the law. What a pathetic loser.

The people should sue the mo supreme court

Slept through the same civics class with Rick.

A Travesty? Sorry pretty boy. This was a mostly conservative court who voted unanimously. The Travesty is Missouris SS @ AG Trying to go against the will of the people. Come November it will won’t happen again.

Cry more. You guys brought this on yourselves.

Time to update that Indeed.com Resume Rick. You’re gonna have to get a real job like the rest of us 🤷‍♂️

Hey cry baby, play by the rules. The Missouri Supreme Court said you couldn’t use the map until it was voted on by the people of Missouri, but you did it anyway. Now suffer the consequences for your action.

No Rick this only a travesty for all you maga cult followers. You know can’t win now.

Here’s one for you Rick, the legislature listens to the people of Missouri. Period. If you can’t read the constitution you have no business serving in the legislature. You and your party started this mess and lost by your own doing. Thank God for the Missouri Supreme Court and the US Supreme Court. These little side courts need to go back to school.

The redistributed map should have never been done in the first place.

It’s over Rick. You lose.

Wrong. It’s Denny Hoskins fault.
I used to respect you and Hoskins but both of you are an embarassment to our state. Maybe look at this at what can be learned rather than try to shift blame.

Hoskins, Hannaway, and Kehoe purposely created this chaos and ignored the constitution. They tried to disenfranchise voters, wasted tax dollars, and forced an illegal map for political gain at the request of the POTUS. Every single elected official who participated in this stunt needs to be removed from office.

Glad your illegal gerrymandering was defeated.

“travesty” of your own making. 🙄 spare me

And you aren’t the dictator! Now get out and pick up the campaign signs in areas where they do not belong and take a seat in the back of the bus. You and your cronies are no longer driving.

You’ve got this wrong. Responsibility for this debacle rests squarely on governor Kehoe.

Rick, you are as sick as the rest that caused this mess.

What is wrong with you?

Moron, none of this would have been necessary if you and your moron buddies in Jeff City had just done your jobs in the first place. Moron.

Maybe we should have gotten to vote on your map you are so proud of..instead of you and your buddies deciding what we needed

LMAO.
Such a sad story, Trumper. Maybe you should have tried “conservative.” Good luck. Wish I could vote in your district!

cheaters always cheat ricky

The responsibility for this chaos rests first and foremost with SoS Hoskins who ignored the Missouri Constitution and tried unsuccessfully to impost his partisan views into the voting process. His job was NEVER to interpret the Missouri Constitution but to perform his job of certifying the signatures presented to him.
I do so hope you lose because you clearly do not understand the law.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Rick Brattin is a loser.
[….]

Trying to rig an election is wrong, and un-American!

Previously:

HB 1: Gerrymander this (September 9, 2025)

Can play with AI, can’t be bothered to certify petition signatures (June 7, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) is a pre-eminent legal scholar and final arbiter of the Missouri Constitution, said no one ever… (August 4, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Favorite whine (September 3, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) thinks we’re all ignorant and stupid (September 3, 2026)

What the Missouri Supreme Court said (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court slaps down Denny Hoskins (r)….again (September 4, 2026)

Tears in the rain (September 4, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r): “…unclean hands…” (September 7, 2026)

Justice Brett Kavanaugh – SCOTUS: “Yeah, no.” (September 8, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court order to Denny Hoskins (r): “…show cause…” (September 9, 2026)

Missed it by that much (September 9, 2026)

Salus populi suprema lex esto (September 10, 2026)

Stupid is as stupid does (September 10, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (September 10, 2026)

So sad (September 10, 2026)

Judicial contempt has a way of making one focus (September 11, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and friends whiff at the U.S. Supreme Court (September 25, 2026)

A paragraph for Missouri history (September 25, 2026)

A paragraph for Missouri history

25 Friday Sep 2026

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Cutting it a little close, and well past the time it should have been settled, we will use the 2022 Congressional District map in Missouri for the 2026 general election.

“…The Eighth Circuit’s application of Purcell was incorrect. Even though “federal courts should not impose changes close to an election, States are free to decide for themselves whether last-minute changes to an election are in their best imposed by federal law. [….] Moreover, in this case, the Missouri Supreme Court was not responsible for the late-breaking changes. On the contrary, in an opinion back in May 2026, well before the primary election, the Missouri Supreme Court stated that the 2025 map would not take effect until approved by the voters in an intervening referendum, at least if the referendum petition was legally sufficient. [….] So in the several-month period before the August primary election, the Missouri Secretary of State was well aware that conducting the August primary election with the 2025 map carried significant risks. The Secretary nonetheless chose to proceed with the 2025 map for the primary…” – People Not Politicians v. Onder, U.S. Supreme Court, September 25, 2026

Denny Hoskins (r) [2023 file photo]

We likes this so much, let’s highlight the detail again.

“…So in the several-month period before the August primary election, the Missouri Secretary of State was well aware that conducting the August primary election with the 2025 map carried significant risks. The Secretary nonetheless chose to proceed with the 2025 map for the primary…”

Denny Hoskins (r) [2022 file photo].

Somebody did swing a bat today. It wasn’t Denny Hoskins (r).

It gets better.

…In short, as a matter of state law, the 2022 map—not the 2025 map—must be used in the 2026 congressional election…

…In the wake of that recent Missouri Supreme Court decision, a group of voters and candidates (collectively, plaintiffs) sued in federal court. They contended that the U. S. Constitution requires Missouri to use the 2025 map in the 2026 election—even though the 2025 map cannot take effect under Missouri law unless and until it is approved by Missouri voters in the 2026 election.

In two orders in the last few weeks, this Court has denied such relief. In the first, the Missouri Secretary of State asked this Court to stay the September 3 decision of the Missouri Supreme Court that had prohibited use of the 2025 map in the general election. On September 8, JUSTICE KAVANAUGH, in his capacity as Circuit Justice for the Eighth Circuit, denied that request, thereby leaving the 2022 map in effect for the 2026 general election…

Denny Hoskins (r) is famous notorious!

…The Purcell principle applies with even greater force here. The election is not merely upcoming; it has already started. Ballots using the 2022 map have been printed and mailed. Absentee voting has already begun, as has military and overseas voting. According to local election officials in Missouri: “At this point, it is practically impossible to revert to the” 2025 “map.” Brief for Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities as Amicus Curiae in No. 26–2797 (CA8), p. 12.

At this late date, ordering reversion to the 2025 map in the midst of an ongoing election would usher in electoral chaos. Purcell protects against such disorder. The Eighth Circuit panel dealt with Purcell by casting blame on the Missouri Supreme Court for its September 3 decision reasoned, destabilized the election with its “last-minute decisio[n]” that could “potentially . . . decide the outcome of . . . party control of Congress.” ___ F. 4th, at ___, App. to
Emergency Motion 29a.

The Eighth Circuit’s application of Purcell was incorrect. Even though “federal courts should not impose changes close to an election, States are free to decide for themselves whether last-minute changes to an election are in their best interests”—subject, of course, to certain limited constraints imposed by federal law. Allen, 608 U. S., at 514 (citation omitted). Moreover, in this case, the Missouri Supreme Court was not responsible for the late-breaking changes. On the contrary, in an opinion back in May 2026, well before the primary election, the Missouri Supreme Court stated that the 2025 map would not take effect until approved by the voters in an intervening referendum, at least if the referendum petition was legally sufficient. Maggard v. State, 733 S. W. 3d 411, 419–420 (Mo. 2026); see also Healey v. State, 732 S. W. 3d 827, 836, n. 1 (Mo. 2026); NAACP Mo. State Conference v. Kehoe, 734 S. W. 3d 338, 341, n. 4 (Mo. 2026). So in the several-month period before the August primary election, the Missouri Secretary of State was well aware that conducting the August primary election with the 2025 map carried significant risks. The Secretary nonetheless chose to proceed with the 2025 map for the primary.

For those reasons, the application for stay presented to JUSTICE KAVANAUGH and by him referred to the Court is granted. The September 21, 2026, mandate and September 22, 2026, order entered by the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in No. 26–2797, and the September 21, 2026, and September 22, 2026, injunctions entered by the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, No. 4:26–cv–01424, ECF Docs. 57 and 60, are stayed absent any further order of this Court lifting such stays. The prior stay entered by this Court on September 10, 2026, likewise lifting that stay. The District Court and Court of Appeals should not enjoin or otherwise prohibit the use of the 2022 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri. And the District Court and Court of Appeals should not order or otherwise require Missouri to use the 2025 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri.

It is so ordered.

Dayam.

Catharine Hanaway (r) has a sad, too.

Catherine Hanaway (r) [2014 file photo].

Previously:

HB 1: Gerrymander this (September 9, 2025)

Can play with AI, can’t be bothered to certify petition signatures (June 7, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) is a pre-eminent legal scholar and final arbiter of the Missouri Constitution, said no one ever… (August 4, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Favorite whine (September 3, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) thinks we’re all ignorant and stupid (September 3, 2026)

What the Missouri Supreme Court said (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court slaps down Denny Hoskins (r)….again (September 4, 2026)

Tears in the rain (September 4, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r): “…unclean hands…” (September 7, 2026)

Justice Brett Kavanaugh – SCOTUS: “Yeah, no.” (September 8, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court order to Denny Hoskins (r): “…show cause…” (September 9, 2026)

Missed it by that much (September 9, 2026)

Salus populi suprema lex esto (September 10, 2026)

Stupid is as stupid does (September 10, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (September 10, 2026)

So sad (September 10, 2026)

Judicial contempt has a way of making one focus (September 11, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and friends whiff at the U.S. Supreme Court (September 25, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and friends whiff at the U.S. Supreme Court

25 Friday Sep 2026

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And, you’re out.

“…The District Court and Court of Appeals should not enjoin or otherwise prohibit the use of the 2022 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri. And the District Court and Court of Appeals should not order or otherwise require Missouri to use the 2025 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri. Opinion per curiam…”

Today:

No. 26A388

Title: People Not Politicians, et al., Applicants
v.
Robert Onder, et al.
Docketed: September 22, 2026
Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Case Numbers: (26-2797)

[….]

Sep 25 2026 Application (26A388) for stay presented to Justice Kavanaugh and by him referred to the Court is granted. The September 21, 2026, mandate and September 22, 2026, order entered by the U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in No. 26–2797, and the September 21, 2026, and September 22, 2026, injunctions entered by the U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri, No. 4:26–cv–01424, ECF Docs. 57 and 60, are stayed absent any further order of this Court lifting such stays. The prior stay entered by this Court on September 10, 2026, likewise remains in effect pending any further order of this Court lifting that stay. The District Court and Court of Appeals should not enjoin or otherwise prohibit the use of the 2022 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri. And the District Court and Court of Appeals should not order or otherwise require Missouri to use the 2025 map in the 2026 congressional election in Missouri. Opinion per curiam. (Detached Opinion)

Cry louder, Denny (r):

Denny Hoskins (r) [2022 file photo].

Previously:

HB 1: Gerrymander this (September 9, 2025)

Can play with AI, can’t be bothered to certify petition signatures (June 7, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) is a pre-eminent legal scholar and final arbiter of the Missouri Constitution, said no one ever… (August 4, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court: “HB 1 congressional redistricting, yeah, no.” (September 3, 2026)

Favorite whine (September 3, 2026)

Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) thinks we’re all ignorant and stupid (September 3, 2026)

What the Missouri Supreme Court said (September 3, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court slaps down Denny Hoskins (r)….again (September 4, 2026)

Tears in the rain (September 4, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r): “…unclean hands…” (September 7, 2026)

Justice Brett Kavanaugh – SCOTUS: “Yeah, no.” (September 8, 2026)

Missouri Supreme Court order to Denny Hoskins (r): “…show cause…” (September 9, 2026)

Missed it by that much (September 9, 2026)

Salus populi suprema lex esto (September 10, 2026)

Stupid is as stupid does (September 10, 2026)

Denny Hoskins (r) and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (September 10, 2026)

So sad (September 10, 2026)

Judicial contempt has a way of making one focus (September 11, 2026)

Strange Priority

22 Friday Aug 2025

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Bob Onder (r) [2025 file photo].

Congressman Bob Onder
[August 22, 2025]
COMING SOON: The TRUMP Center for Performing Arts?! 🎥
[….]

Some of the responses:

I wonder if Bobby ever sees our comments? Imma guess not.

Town hall?

Quit lickin the boots of this dude!

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

I love this for you- You will be remebered for being loyal to this POS

Congrats. Idiot. This doesn’t count as an accomplishment. Have you met with constituents in the form of a town hall, yet?

You’re such a pathetic kiss ass, Bob.

Those stupid hats!

Grift.

Campaign Finance: business must be good

25 Wednesday Oct 2023

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Yesterday at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131072 10/24/2023 Onder For Missouri Robert Onder 4015 S. Highway 94 Augusta MO 63332 Self Physician 10/24/2023 $500,000.00

[emphasis added]

Onder For Missouri – Active
MECID: C131072
2090 Key Harbour Drive
Lake St Louis, MO 63367
[….]
Committee Type: Candidate
[….]
Election History
Election Outcome Political Office
8/2/2022 Primary Election County Executive St. Charles County

Must be nice.

Math is hard, proportional representation is evil, Missouri voters are stupid

04 Friday Feb 2022

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Republican Dogma.

A right wingnut rally, in celebration:

[graphic edited for space]

Missouri Senate Conservative Caucus @SenateCaucus
Join the 7R-1D congressional map rally at the Missouri Capitol on Monday, February 7 starting at 10 a.m.! Let’s make sure Pelosi isn’t Speaker of the House in 2023! #moleg
[….]
9:19 PM · Feb 3, 2022

10:00 a.m. on a Monday? Anyone think they’ll book an extra bus or two for actual working people?

2020 election math:

Election Results
Unofficial Election Returns
State of Missouri – 11/03/2020 2020 General Election, Tuesday, November 03, 2020

President & Vice President (3692 of 3692 Precincts Reported)
Donald J. Trump, Michael R. Pence Republican 1,718,736 56.8%
Joseph R. Biden, Kamala D. Harris Democratic 1,253,014 41.4%

Governor (3692 of 3692 Precincts Reported)
Mike Parson Republican 1,720,202 57.1%
Nicole Galloway Democratic 1,225,771 40.7%

The 2020 Congressional vote:

Election Results
Unofficial Election Returns
State of Missouri – 11/03/2020 2020 General Election, Tuesday, November 03, 2020

U.S. Representative – District 1 (729 of 729 Precincts Reported)
Anthony Rogers Republican 59,940 19.0%
Cori Bush Democratic 249,087 78.8%

U.S. Representative – District 2 (798 of 798 Precincts Reported)
Ann Wagner Republican 233,157 51.9%
Jill Schupp Democratic 204,540 45.5%

U.S. Representative – District 3 (327 of 327 Precincts Reported)
Blaine Luetkemeyer Republican 282,866 69.4%
Megan Rezabek Democratic 116,095 28.5%

U.S. Representative – District 4 (384 of 384 Precincts Reported)
Vicky Hartzler Republican 245,247 67.6%
Lindsey Simmons Democratic 107,635 29.7%

U.S. Representative – District 5 (257 of 257 Precincts Reported)
Ryan Derks Republican 135,934 38.6%
Emanuel Cleaver II Democratic 207,180 58.8%

U.S. Representative – District 6 (475 of 475 Precincts Reported)
Sam Graves Republican 258,709 67.1%
Gena L. Ross Democratic 118,926 30.8%

U.S. Representative – District 7 (303 of 303 Precincts Reported)
Billy Long Republican 254,318 68.9%
Teresa Montseny Democratic 98,111 26.6%

U.S. Representative – District 8 (449 of 449 Precincts Reported)
Jason Smith Republican 253,811 76.9%
Kathy Ellis Democratic 70,561 21.4%

The total Congressional vote for either Democrats or Republicans in Missouri in 2020 was 2,896,117. The total Congressional vote for Republican candidates in 2020 was 1,723,982 (59.53%). The total Congressional vote for Democratic candidates was 1,172,135 (40.47%).

7 (87.5%) “Republican” districts – 1 (12.5%) “Democratic” districts in Congress from Missouri? Seriously? More like 5 (62.5%) – 3 (37.5%).

Math is hard.

Jay Ashcroft (r) [2019 file photo].

Mike Moon (2019 file photo).

Campaign Finance: you get what you pay for

25 Monday Oct 2021

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Today at the Missouri Ethics Commission:

C131072 10/25/2021 Onder For Missouri Doug Mueller 11 Big Country Circle OFallon MO 63368 Mueller Prost Accountant 10/23/2021 $5,001.00

C131072 10/25/2021 Onder For Missouri John OBrien 420 Charlemagne Lake Saint Louis MO 63367 Retired 10/23/2021 $10,000.00

C131072 10/25/2021 Onder For Missouri Matthew Conoyer 74 Castle Bluff St Charles MO 63304 Midwest ENT Physician 10/23/2021 $5,001.00

[emphasis added

For what?:

Dr. Bob Onder @BobOnderMO
This Indian slum contained COVID-19 with hydroxychloroquine plus vitamin D& zinc. Very encouraging. Comes on heels of ⁦@HenryFordNews ⁩ study on HCQ plus Zpack. #moleg
[….]
6:29 AM · Jul 23, 2020

From the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

November 24, 2020
Hydroxychloroquine doesn’t benefit hospitalized COVID-19 patients

[….] Larger, well-designed studies were needed to determine if hydroxychloroquine was a safe and effective treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection. In April, NIH launched a clinical trial at 34 hospitals nationwide to test the medication. The study was funded by NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).

By June, the study was stopped because interim results showed the drug neither caused harm nor improved patient outcomes. The trial had enrolled 479 of the expected 510 patients. Earlier in the month, the FDA had revoked its emergency use authorization for hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine. It cited a lack of benefit as well as risks, such as serious heart rhythm problems. [….]

The scientists also found no differences in any of 12 additional outcomes, which included mortality 28 days after assignment to a treatment group or time to recovery. Based on the data, they concluded that hydroxychloroquine was not an effective treatment. [….]

Studies in the United Kingdom and Brazil had similar results. [….]

Dr. Bob Onder @BobOnderMO
In fact, they averaged 2.6 “comorbitities.” Although every death is a tragedy, many, many people died WITH #COVID19 , not OF #COVID19. The survival rate overall is 99.8% (CDC data) heavily weighted toward older, sicker individuals.
[….]
2:08 PM · Aug 30, 2020

From the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), in the United States to date:

TOTAL CASES 45,316,210
+77,933 New Cases
CASES IN LAST 7 DAYS 491,071
TOTAL DEATHS 733,834
+1,834 New Deaths
CDC | Data as of: October 24, 2021 5:23 PM ET. Posted: October 24, 2021 5:53 PM ET

From the World Health Organization (WHO):

Estimating mortality from COVID-19
Scientific Brief
4 August 2020

[….]
Case fatality ratio (CFR) is the proportion of individuals diagnosed with a disease who die from that disease and is therefore a measure of severity among detected cases:

Reliable CFRs that can be used to assess the deadliness of an outbreak and evaluate any implemented public health measures are generally obtained at the end of an outbreak, after all cases have been resolved (affected individuals either died or recovered).
[….]
Calculating CFR during an ongoing epidemic
CFR calculated using the above formula during ongoing epidemics provides a conditional, estimate of CFR and is influenced by lags in report dates for cases and deaths [13]. This leads to a wide variation in CFR estimates over the course of an epidemic, which tends toward a stable, final estimate of CFR as active cases are resolved.

One simple solution to mitigating the bias due to delays to case resolution during an ongoing outbreak is to restrict the analysis to resolved cases [….]

In the United States – to date:

Case Fatality Ratio (CFR) [%] = (733,834 [total deaths]/45,316,210 [total cases} x 100

CFR = 1.62%

Dr. Bob Onder @BobOnderMO
In #HB271 we also banned #COVIDPassports! No Missourian should be subject to restrictions on their movement or personal liberties for declining to participate in an intrusive COVID passport scheme. #moleg ⁦@Koenig4MO @jmmurphy8⁦ @BenBrownTweets #Freedom
[….]
8:13 PM · May 12, 2021

Sure, that sounds like a really good idea in a pandemic – just stick our heads in the sand and hope it all goes away.

Roy Blunt cranks up the election year looney tunes

08 Friday Apr 2016

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Remember that when asked if he would meet with President Obama’s Supreme Court nominee, Merrick Garland, GOP Senator Roy Blunt replied that he was too busy to do so? I can imagine that particular excuse didn’t go over too well with many Missourians since very few of us have the luxury of refusing to do our jobs because we’re “too busy” doing something else like attending fundraisers. I bet he’s heard plenty from constituents about that particular gaffe. Now, however, Blunt thinks he can turn the tables and make the “too busy” meme work for his reelection effort.

State Jason Kander is running for Blunt’s senate seat. Recently, Blunt has found a way to pander to rampant anti-immigration sentiment by attacking “sanctuary cities,” that is, cities that shelter and protect undocumented immigrants. For some reason he thinks that he can score points by calling on Kander to take a position on urban sanctuaries although there are no sanctuary cities in Missouri. Kander’s spokesperson, quite reasonably, responded that Kander “is focused on his job and hasn’t had an opportunity to review the legislation being debated in Washington.”

A Blunt proxy, the red-meat regurgitating state Sen. Bob Onder, stepped forward to do Blunt’s dirty work and immediately set up a Web page soliciting those frightened souls who are worried about sanctuary cities to put the heat on Kander:

Jason Kander’s campaign recently claimed he was too busy to take a position on the efforts to defund Sanctuary Cities, which protect thousands of violent illegal immigrants from deportation. There are too many American lives at risk to allow Jason Kander to hide from this issue. Tell Jason Kander to take a position on Sanctuary Cities today.  Sign the petition

Of course the “too busy” situations are not exactly equivalent. Reviewing proposed federal anti-immigrant legislation isn’t actually Kander’s job while vetting Supreme Court nominees is one of the most important parts of Senator Blunt’s job.

Nor is Kander evading the issue of immigration. He has indicated that he supports some parts of the President’s executive order although he objects to the use of an executive order to counter GOP inaction on the immigration issue. It’s highly likely that he has not, as his spokesperson indicated, reviewed the legislation that Blunt wants him to comment on – nor is it his job to do so – yet, at least. I’m not worried that he’s incapable of coming to an informed position and acting on it when he takes Blunt’s place in the Senate.

Nor, yet again, can one be blamed for wondering just what, besides fundraisers, has been keeping Senator Blunt so busy that he can’t do his constitutionally mandated job? One telling example: Blunt recently voiced his intention to fight new fiduciary rules that reqire investment advisors to put the interests of their clients before their own desire for lucrative commissions.

On the subject of raising funds, Could Blunt’s position on this issue have anything to do with the fact that during the period 2011-2016, he received a little over $970,000 dollars from PACs representing financial industries – and well over a million more dollars if contributions from individuals working in these industries were to be added in to the total. Seems pretty clear whose business keeps Senator Blunt’s calendar so full that he can’t do the part of his job that involves serving “the people.” It seems like it’s all just one big fundraiser for Blunt.

And what about Onder’s fear-mongering in Blunt’s name about “thousands of violent illegal immigrants” and “American lives at risk”? A recent article in USAtoday examined the various efforts to determine the risk of violence from undocumented immigrants and concluded that, “using the data we have, it seems impossible to responsibly claim that those immigrants are more likely to commit crimes than their American-born neighbors.” Evidence to the contrary almost always seems to be anecdotal

Blunt has learned Donald Trump’s lesson well. Immigration scares poorly informed white Americans who are more than willing to generalize from isolated incidents of immigrant criminal behavior. What this means, of course, is now that the election game is finally on, and Kander is proving to be more formidable than anyone thought he would be when he first declared, we should be prepared for more of the same type of inept looney tunes from the Blunt camp.

Onder didn’t really mean what he said about Illinois

04 Monday Apr 2016

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Last Friday’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch printed a correction explaining what Sen. Bob Onder (R-2) really meant when he seemed to blame  Illinois’ budgetary problems on LGBT friendly laws in that state. Of course, such an argument does not stand up to scrutiny – I wrote about some of the problems it raises in a post last Thursday, “What’s Bob Onder Got Against Illinois.”

Here’s the direct quote from the original Post-Dispatch article:

“We look at states that have a lot of aggressive gay rights laws — Illinois comes to mind, Chicago — and they are some of our economic basket cases,” Onder said. “I really think that these businesses should leave well enough alone and let Missouri voters decide whether to protect religious freedom.

What do you think Onder is trying to suggest?

Somebody – Onder perhaps – believed that clarification of this statement was necessary so this correction appeared in the Post-Dispatch (Friday, April 1, p. 2):

Missouri Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake Saint Louis, said that he believes a proposed constitutional amendment giving businesses the right to refuse to serve same-sex couples would be good for business, and he asserted that Illinois is a state with aggressive gay-rights laws as well as economic problems. A headline and article in the A section Thursday incorrectly reported that Onder had suggested that Illinois’ gay-rights laws were hurting the state’s economy.

What does this noise have to do with the price of cigars?

Why would Onder think it’s a big deal that there are states whose economic problems have nothing to do with their inclusive approach to LGBT issues?

Do you think he’d also like to remark on the fact that YouTube videos have nothing to do with Illinois economic woes?

The real point, the one that the Chamber of Commerce is trying to make and that Onder doesn’t get, is that the world has changed. LGBT folks are not going to take exclusion meekly, and business leaders have learned that discrimination isn’t good for the bottom line. Some corporate types are even opposed to bigotry for moral reasons. These businesses are now aware of the problems posed by freedom-to-discriminate laws, and many are more than willing to use their economic clout to make themselves heard, as they have done in Indiana, Georgia and in North Carolina – and in Missouri, one expects, if SJR39, Onder’s freedom-to-discriminate bill, becomes state law. Then we’ll all pay the price for his economic vagaries.

What’s Bob Onder got against Illinois?

31 Thursday Mar 2016

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State Senator Bob Onder (R-2) is really, really worried that Missouri will go the way of Illinois, which is not experiencing good fiscal times.  Onder, under the guise of “religious freedom,”  is proposing a Constitutional amendment that would permit folks  who don’t like LGBT folks to discriminate against them in the business sphere. Faced with the rather clear evidence provided by Indiana and Georgia, states that have backed away from faux religious freedom-to-discriminate legislation in the face of potential economic blowback, as well as the brewing economic disaster in North Carolina which just passed one of these ugly  laws, Onder seems to be more than a little desperate to defend his earlier statement that no one has proved to him that such a bill could hurt the Missouri economy. How to do that? Find a state that has an anti-discrimination culture that is reflected in legislation that protects LGBT individuals and that, like Illinois, is also having a rough time economically.

Onder may be overusing the example  of Illinois’ financial status though. It seems to be his all-purpose scapegoat. Earlier he blamed Illinois’ financial problems on the fact that it extended Medicaid according to the provisions of Obamacare.  One cannot be faulted for wondering just what it is it that is driving Illinois so close to the edge? Addressing bigotry  or providing healthcare for the working poor?

Of course, it’s always possible that Illinois’ problems have an entirely different source. Indeed, Illinois Democratic State Senator Heather Steans noted in response to Onder’s claims that, “if Illinois’ tax rates were as high as Missouri’s, we wouldn’t be struggling with the budget problems we have today.”

There’s lots of evidence to support Steans’ statement. After Republican Governor Bruce Rauner came into office in Illinois he rolled back  the temporary tax increases implemented by former Governor Quinn – although financial experts agreed that, no matter how severely the budget was cut, if Illinois was to emerge from its financial crisis, the higher tax rates should be extended.   As a consequence of this action, combined with the open war between he hide-bound Republican Rauner and the Democratic legislature, the picture for Illinois is truly bleak.

If you want more evidence for Steans’ contention, I have one word for you: Kansas. Kansas enacted great big ol’ tax cuts for business and the wealthy and the place is a disaster area, huge deficits, degraded public services and, get this, it’s losing jobs. And none of the blame can be attributed to LGBT friendly laws or Medicaid extension. Of course, as a Missouri Republican who has touted tax cuts as the yellow brick road leading to  unimaginable trickle-down rivers of wealth, I don’t imagine Onder will be any more interested in exploring the Kansas example than he is in acknowledging the impact of the anti-LGBT legislation in Indiana, Georgia or North Carolina.

Better yet, look at the roster of prospering cities with a strong anti-discrimination culture. As one commentator notes, it “is no coincidence. San Francisco and Austin are arguably the most gay-friendly cities in the country, and they check in at #1 and #2 respectively on the Milken Institute’s 2014 List of Best-Performing Cities.” Of course, as Steans response to Onder implies, there are probably lots of other factors that affect prosperity – certainly the oil industry might be key to the relative prosperity in Texas and Oklahoma,  rather than the bigoted LGBT policies that Onder cites.

But one thing is sure. Lots of businesses don’t want to be associated with states that enshrine discrimination in their laws. The evidence is undeniable that there is a growing economic backlash against freedom-to-discriminate bills, no matter how pandering politicians attempt to disguise them under the high-minded rubric of ensuring “freedom of religion.” We all know nobody’s religious freedom is under threat.  I know that the GOP has come to stand for retrograde ideological purity over any practical consideration, including fiscal responsibility,  but is Onder really ready to take the blame for what his follow-the-ugly-leader legislation could cost the state?