I am sure that I am not the only person who is puzzled by Tea Partier Liz Lauber's primary challenge against Todd Akin, who is, after all, ranked by the National Journal as the 11th most conservative member of the House of Representatives. Makes you wonder what Lauber is really all about.
Well wonder no more. According to an article in the rightwing rag, The Washington Times, Lauber decided to run for Congress after her representative voted for the TARP bailout. Of course, she is either confused or her representative at the time was someone other than Akin, since he was one of the Republicans to vote against the bailout. Hasn't stopped her from giving him a primary challenge though.
Lauber is, it seems, anxious that nobody regard her candidacy as simply an exercise in anti-government bile. She is at pains to show that she wants "not just to stand against government, but to stand for something." To that end she and fellow Tea Partier, Phil Troyer, who is running for office in Indiana, have decided to copy Newt Gringrich and present voters with a Tea Party flavored Compact with America, the principles of which are about what one would expect:
-Passing real tax reform, such as a flat tax or fair tax.
-Requiring a vote of Congress to approve each federal agency regulation.
.-Banning earmark recipients from making campaign donations
-Prohibiting federal ownership interests in private companies.
-Requiring bills to be posted online five days in advance of a vote.
-Performing a federalism and constitutionality analysis of all bills.
-Voting for appropriations bills that reduce spending by at least 5 percent.
-Prohibiting federal funding of abortion.
-Offering a constitutional amendment for term limits.
All Mostly questionable provisions that should be very popular with Tea Party zealots - and nothing that Todd Akin would have a problem signing onto, with the exception of the term limits requirement. So the question remains, why would fringers in the 2nd district vote for Liz Lauber? Anti-government bile?
Update - having 2nd thoughts: As I look at the "compact" again, it strikes me that the third provision above - banning earmark recipients from making campaign donations - might be the source of difference between Lauber and Akin. Could it be that a group, initiated by astroturfers to fight health care reform and rational energy policy, has actually taken on its own life - apart from serving as an outlet for every variety of right-wing battiness, that is? In spite of their silly rhetoric and "constitutional" craziness, do they actually get it when it comes to corruption? If so, it could be really bad news for the Republicans who hope to march to victory in the Tea Party parade.
Okay, it's late and I am admittedly fit for nothing serious, but when I came across this TPM review of the new Michele Bachmann comic, a crudely drawn electric bulb lit up in the psychic balloon that is always floating above my head just in case I get an idea. The latest issue of the Bachmann comic series is filled with actual statements about gays made by Bachmann, the current Queen of Crazy Republicanland - and, while tragic, they're also a scream. Earlier issues emphasize her other pseudo-political preoccupations to equal effect.
Starting from the premise that ridicule is the best way to neutralize folks who are both obscene and absurd, wouldn't it be just loverly if somebody put out a series of comic books about some of our Missouri crazies? Wouldn't you buy titles like, say, Calamity Jane Cunningham Hunts the Disappearing Constitution, Cynthia Davis at the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, Todd Akin's Fantastic American History,The Godfather Blunt, or Strange Climate Science with Blaine Luetkemeyer? There are almost unlimited possibilities.
Alternatively, following the example of baseball cards, one could just print the most outrageous statements made by our fringewing celebs on collectible cards - or maybe put together a flash card game where one would have to guess who said what. So much of what these folks say manages to be so appalling and yet so amusingly fantastical at the same time that I can't understand why some enterprising soul hasn't already done something along these lines - perhaps, as a handy campaign aid?
They complain, they say they're a'gin it, they show up on the Faux News Channel to mouth unintelligible random health care obstruction talking points, but when it comes down to it, Missouri republicans, in all their hypocrisy, will still take the check. Senator Claire McCaskill (D) called their bluff:
Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill sent a letter today to leaders in the Missouri State Capitol asking for their input on whether the federal government should rescind previously passed but as of yet unspent aid for state governments that was part of the federal stimulus bill. In the letter, she also asks whether additional aid from the federal government for state governments should be provided during these difficult economic times.
As the state begins to determine budget priorities for Fiscal Year 2011, McCaskill is asking leaders in Jefferson City for more information on how federal aid is being used in this year's state budget, as well as what programs and services the state would cancel in next year's budget if the federal government chooses not to extend any additional aid.
"Washington doesn't know best," McCaskill wrote in an open letter to state elected officials. "That's why three-fourths of the [stimulus] money has gone to the states, tax cuts, and unemployment and COBRA benefits. If you want us to rescind the remaining money that you will spend this year and next, please let me know how Missourians will be hurt, so I can make an informed decision."
McCaskill, who has fought against bad spending habits in Washington over the last three years, has heard from many state legislators that they are unhappy that the federal government provided financial aid to states last year as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. However, since the state government is required to balance their budget, they used approximately $1.5 billion of this federal aid in their Fiscal Year 2010 budget and are set to use $858 million in the Fiscal Year 2011 budget. McCaskill also asked for clarity on what areas of state budget would have been cut last year had the lawmakers not had available the $1.5 billion in federal aid...
...Although McCaskill sent the request as an open to letter to all state legislators, she also sent individual copies to the leadership of both the Missouri Senate and House of Representatives.
Okay, that's a start. It would have been nice if our Democratic members of Congress had acted like, you know, Democrats nine months ago.
And, as for those republicans in control of everything in Jefferson City, are they willing to play chicken with Missouri's economy and the quality of life for everyone in the state?
Missouri's Republican pols have been vociferous in condemning the stimulus package enacted last spring. From quibbling about the numbers of jobs saved, to viciously attacking the program because all our problems have not gone away a few scant months after our economy nearly bottomed out, their rhetoric has been uniformly shrill and accusing. For instance, according to Todd Akin, the stimulus was a "tragic waste of taxpayer money," a sentiment echoed by Blaine Luetkemeyer who declared the "so-called stimulus package" to be a "catastrophic failure." For Roy Blunt, the stimulus was an "absolute outrage."
You get the idea - I could produce dozens of such quotes - pick your Republican and I can promise he or she put some ugly words out there about the stimulus - although, it does bear noting that Blunt and Lutekemeyer did manage to hold their tongues when they were hustling to take credit for stimulus awards to their districts - but that's another matter altogether.
It is, however, just this excess of partisan bile that made it all the sweeter when we learned today, that the U.S. economy grew during the last quarter at the highest rate in six years, a result that many are attributing directly or indirectly to the stimulus effects:
This broad-based rise in GDP was surely fueled in part by the tax cuts and investment spending in the Recovery Act and other rescue actions, but some appears to be the result of private sector demand returning
According to Mark Zandi, a former economic advisor to John McCain, the "stimulus was key to the 4th quarter."
Hard times are not gone yet - but things are definitely looking up. As the President observed after noting that the economy had contracted 6.4% in the first three months of last year:
You've seen a 12 percent reversal in the course of (last) year. This turnaround is the biggest in three decades, and it didn't happen by accident
So when do you expect that we will hear the likes of Akin, Luetkemeyer and Blunt admit that they were wrong? And, even more to the point, when will Missourians tell them and the rest of their gang that trash talk and tantrums just won't do it anymore - we need them to get on the bandwagon instead of trying to overturn it.
President Obama participated in a lengthy give and take with House republicans at their obstructionism planning session "issues conference" in Baltimore, Maryland today. The republicans made the mistake of agreeing to broadcast the event. Absolutely brilliant miscalculation on their part.
It's nice to actually have a President who can think. Then again, the environmental contrast was stark.
"...But if you were to listen to the debate and, frankly, how some of you went after this bill, you'd think that this thing was some Bolshevik plot. No, I mean, that's how you guys -- (applause) -- that's how you guys presented it...."
For a second there I forgot Marsha Blackburn was an idiot, then she wouldn't stop editorializing. :( #cspanObama/GOP q & a about 1 hour ago from UberTwitter
We all know that the members of the greed-is-good club, otherwise known as Missouri GOP legislators, have done nothing but stamp their little feet and scream "nooooo" when it comes to federal health care reform. As it seems more and more likely that there will be some type of reform package despite their obstructionist tactics, some of the junior members in the State legislature have even promised to bring to bear the mythical powers putatively adhering to the tenth amendment of the U.S. Constitution in order to zap the federal legislation - although, as Hotflash has noted, there is little constitutional meat in their proposed magical exercises.
Apart from all the ideological wailing and gnashing of teeth, fantasies about an imminent socialist takeover and evocations of an imaginary constitution, the real issue always seems to come down to defending Missourians, particularly wealthy Missourians, from taxes. In general, this stance is characterized as being fiscally conservative - which, in spite of common usage, is not really the same thing as being fiscally responsible.
While these folks are seriously exercised over the financial burden that they think Missourians will bear come the health care apocalypse, none of them, to my knowledge have referenced the relative costs and benefits to the particular states. Not to worry though, in the Health Affairs Blog, Claudia Schur and Marc Berk have done some (admittedly quick and dirty) analysis to show the relative winners and losers.
Turns out that once again, those in red states who agitate the loudest about those socialists who want to redistribute their precious income to lazy, no-account lumpen stand to realize greater benefits than those in blue states who, as usual, will foot the bill. And guess what? In at least one scenario, that in which premium insurance packages are taxed, Missouri is likely to be one of the top winners in terms of taxes spent vs. benefits realized.
While this consideration need not dictate policy decisions for responsible legislators, I agree with the Schur and Berk that:
... legislators should at least be cognizant of the relative advantages and disadvantages to their state under alternative financing scenarios. The press has legitimately noted the deals demanded by Lieberman, Nelson, and Landrieu for their support. It is more surprising, however, that most legislators have decided their position on reform without any consideration of the relative costs and benefits to their states.
We expect restraint and wisdom from our leaders, right? We expect them to be thoughtful and honest in their utterances. We certainly don't expect good leaders to demagogue - do we? This question inspired me to take a look at how our Missouri Republicans in congress have handled themselves as they have adjusted to their new minority status.
A good way to do this seemed to be to look at their rhetoric over the past year, since they have almost no actual collective achievements to speak of. So I visited the Webpages of Todd Akin, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Roy Blunt, Sam Graves, Jo Ann Emerson and Kit Bond in order to take a look at their news releases and public statements.
And what did I find? A certain repetitive quality that, distilled, amounts to the following set phrases that, in one or another form, are used to describe every Democratic policy initiative:
...tremendous tax hikes and job losses ... government take over ... government controlled ... socialization [i.e. socialism] ... liberal plan being shoved down our throats ... job-killing new taxes on the middle class. ... ever deeper control by a huge new government bureaucracy ... left-wing agenda ... bloated government ... unnecessary complexity ... [fill in the blank] pages .... czar ... czars
... yada, yada, yada. And of course, when it comes to foreign policy initiatives or efforts to clean up the Bush mess we get some variation on "Americans will be killed" or "Americans are sooooooo humiliated."
Not a surprise, but thoughtful? Are you kidding? This stuff was stale 60 years ago.
Sincere? Just consider the fact that the screeds filled with breathless dismay about Democrats raising taxes were almost always sandwiched in between press releases bragging about the fresh pork our Republican guys and gals delivered.
Honest? Perhaps the partisan consultants who focus group the ideas and the words used to express them are putting in an honest days work, but otherwise the distortions and misstatements are palpable.
Resonant? Sure ... to those who like their ideas simple and their paranoia raw.
In short, it looks like Republicans are sticking with the revealed truth according to the Bush/Cheney political apparatus gospel. Scare folks and lie yourself silly and hope that the dimmest of the angry masses who got the shaft during the Bush years will continue to gang up to support the pols with the most truculent rhetoric. This little video says it all:
...And we are doing well! My administration's accomplishments speak for themselves. We work tirelessly for Alaskans...
...With this announcement that I am not seeking re-election... I've determined it's best to transfer the authority of governor to Lieutenant Governor Parnell; and I am willing to do so, so that this administration - with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future - can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success...
..."The habit of politicians is to remain in office, and the desire to prove oneself in the next election is strong," Blunt said. "After a great deal of thought and prayer, and with the knowledge that we have achieved virtually everything I set out to accomplish, and more, I will not seek a second term in the upcoming election," he said.
"Because I feel we have changed what I wanted to change in the first term, there is not the same sense of mission for a second..."
And their administration could include South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford (r) as Secretary of State. After all, it's the international experience that counts.
"Birthers" are individuals who fervently believe that President Obama was not actually born in the United States and is therefore not eligible to hold his current office. Two rallies were schedule in Missouri today - one in St. Charles County and one in Jefferson City.
Oh brother, you know it had to have been a pathetic event (at the Jefferson City rally) when a newspaper reporter, Tony Messenger of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, writes via a Twitter post:
I am familiar with your SMEAR Journalism (sic). You are not welcome at either events (sic). If you do show up, we will be forced to call security.
That's really sad. As much as we admire our friends at Fired Up they can't even get properly booted from a right wingnut event anymore. Sad, so sad. I digress.
Posted 3:30 p.m. Wed., July 1 ...At Wednesday's meeting, she held up a large reproduction of Obama's birth certificate and challenged various items on it. "This is a scandal of the highest proportions," Taitz said.
She also laid out other related allegations against the president.
Democrats dismiss such accusations...
[emphasis added]
Uh, I've got news for you Jo Mannies, it's not Democrats vs. republicans on this, nor is it liberal vs. conservative, it's sane vs. insane. And while we're at it, sometimes not all opposing ideas are equal. Sometimes crazy ideas just need to be treated as what they actually are, you know, crazy:
...Michael Medved referred to the Birthers as "crazy, nutburger, demagogue, money-hungry, exploitative, irresponsible, filthy conservative imposters" who are "the worst enemy of the conservative movement." He added, "It makes us look weird. It makes us look crazy. It makes us look demented. It makes us look sick, troubled, and not suitable for civilized company..."
Last time anyone checked Michael Medved was neither a Democrat nor a liberal.
Missouri State Senator Jeff Smith (D) succinctly summed up the republican presidential field for 2012 in a Twitter post:
Potential Republican 2012 presidential field: Vitter, Ensign, Sanford, Gingrich and Palin. Who says they're not the party of family values? 29 minutes ago from txt
I wish I had thought that one up.
Today:
...In a strange and meandering press conference, South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) explained this afternoon that he'd been "unfaithful" to his wife, after developing a "relationship" with a woman in Argentina...
Recently:
Sen. John Ensign today acknowledged an extramarital affair with a member of his campaign staff...
In the not so distant past:
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.) apologized last night after his telephone number appeared in the phone records of the woman dubbed the "D.C. Madam," making him the first member of Congress to become ensnared in the high-profile case...
Setting the stage for his entry into the presidential race, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., gave a radio interview to be broadcast today with Focus on the Family's James Dobson, in which Gingrich for the first time publicly acknowledged cheating on his first and second wives...
...Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee urged Christians to get involved in politics to preserve the presence of religion in American life.
"I think this is one of the most critical moments in American history," Gingrich said. "We are living in a period where we are surrounded by paganism..."
Yes, yes, let's preserve Mike Huckabee's and Newt Gingrich's view of what life in America should be like:
...After four months of work on an extremely important issue that affects just about every person in America, Blunt has only been able to come up with...."a five-page briefing document..."
But, but, but we had such high hopes. Roy Blunt (r-lobbyists) via Twitter:
Are those "five pages" double spaced, with wide margins? Just asking. That's what usually happens when you play video games instead of doing your homework.
...or is all republican spin intentionally plagiarized from rejected Monty Python scripts?
...State Republican Party Chairman Doyle Webb of Benton said he doesn't comment on statements by candidates, "but Sen. Hendren certainly does not speak on the behalf of the Republican Party of Arkansas..."
Associated Press Writer
Posted: 02/19/2009 06:37:07 AM MST
BATON ROUGE, La. » A handful of Republican governors are considering turning down some money from the federal stimulus package, a move opponents say puts conservative ideology ahead of the needs of constituents struggling with record foreclosures and soaring unemployment....
Yep, if Jay Nixon (D) wasn't governor at this point we'd be in a world of hurt because, you know, like many other right wingnuts Missouri House Speaker Ron Richard (r) has a problem with the stimulus:
...House Speaker Ron Richard, R-Joplin, suggested Missouri reject any federal bailout money and "just send it on back" to Washington.
"We could do that," Richard told about 225 Republicans at the annual event at the University Plaza Hotel...
But you won't, will you? Because we're lucky enough to have a Democrat in the governor's mansion who isn't an idiot, much unlike that hypocritical republican queen of federal largess and earmarks in Alaska or those right wingnut republican base pandering fools in Idaho, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Texas.
White House Releases State by State Numbers; American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Save or Create 3.5 Million Jobs
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The White House today released state-specific details on the local impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a nationwide effort to create jobs, jumpstart growth and transform our economy to compete in the 21st century. The compromise package of $789 billion will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years. Jobs created will be in a range of industries from clean energy to health care, with over 90% in the private sector...
And here's what that means for Missouri:
...The table [pdf] below outlines the impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act compromise package on employment by state. The estimates are derived from an analysis of the overall employment impact of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act conducted by Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, and Jared Bernstein, Chief Economist for the Vice President, and detailed estimates of the working age population, employment, and industrial composition of each state...
...Missouri 69,000...
[emphasis added]
And here's what this means for Missouri by congressional district:
A proclamation in the name of dubya was issued from the White House yesterday. They are consistent in their cluelessness and obsessive in serving their base:
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 15, 2009
All human life is a gift from our Creator that is sacred, unique, and worthy of protection. On National Sanctity of Human Life Day, our country recognizes that each person, including every person waiting to be born, has a special place and purpose in this world. We also underscore our dedication to heeding this message of conscience by speaking up for the weak and voiceless among us.
The most basic duty of government is to protect the life of the innocent. My Administration has been committed to building a culture of life by vigorously promoting adoption and parental notification laws, opposing Federal funding for abortions overseas, encouraging teen abstinence, and funding crisis pregnancy programs. In 2002, I was honored to sign into law the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which extends legal protection to children who survive an abortion attempt. I signed legislation in 2003 to ban the cruel practice of partial-birth abortion, and that law represents our commitment to building a culture of life in America. Also, I was proud to sign the Unborn Victims of Violence Act of 2004, which allows authorities to charge a person who causes death or injury to a child in the womb with a separate offense in addition to any charges relating to the mother...
[emphasis added]
Timeout: Could someone explain how teen abstinence is part of "promoting a culture of life" and yet there's no mention of the horrors of war?
I came across this little item from the Kansas City Star's Prime Buzz"BlogWatch":
And then noted the original post (If you want to go see the original, go the Kansas City Star site above. I'm not going to directly link to that republican crap):
It's the Democratic Party. The Kansas City Star understands that. Heh.
All us anonymous (and not so anonymous) Democratic bloggers need to grow up. How amusing. Until the republicans overcome their severe irony impairment (among a host of other weaknesses) they will continue to be a regional political party. Heh.
Oh. You may have noticed the editorial convention of the smalll "r". I've been using that since I wrote for the Dean for America Forum starting in 2003. When a republican troll complained at the time I answered, "They'll get their capital "R" from me when they earn it."
As for anonymity, republicans seem to think that in their fantasy rose colored world only those who can afford to not worry about losing their livelihood because they expressed a political opinion or those who can afford the extra security needed when psychotic right wingnut stalkers are afoot should be allowed freedom of speech.
We all know that the members of the greed-is-good club, otherwise known as Missouri GOP legislators, have done nothing but stamp their little feet and scream "nooooo" when it comes to federal health care reform. As it seems more and more likely that there will be some type of reform package despite their obstructionist tactics, some of the junior members in the State legislature have even promised to bring to bear the mythical powers putatively adhering to the tenth amendment of the U.S. Constitution in order to zap the federal legislation - although, as Hotflash 
