Missouri Senator Eric Greitens?

Eric Greitens wants to be our next Missouri US Senator?

--He sexually abused and tried to exploit and blackmail his hairdresser; --He stole from his Veterans' charity and from taxpayers; --He resigned hours after a judge ordered him to reveal his dark money donors. No. Heck no. Hell no.

A Question for Missouri's Senator Josh Hawley

I ran across this article yesterday on Missouri Senator Josh Hawley's page on Facebook.

Sen. Hawley lays down new antiabortion marker for Supreme Court nominees

How many more side-stepping issues--like the NBA, first, and now abortion and women's rights, etc.--are you going to take up to avoid doing anything at all about the worst, most killing national and international pandemic in the last more than 100 years?

He's been harping on the NBA alone for weeks.

Even though he's supposed to be representing us, the people of Missouri, someone apparently never informed him Missouri has no NBA team.

Now he wants to attack women's rights, women's reproductive rights.

Clearly he needs to be schooled that this was settled by the US Supreme Court back in 1973.

Senator?

That pandemic?

Please?

Thanks, Republicans!

On That Equifax Breach

Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) asks some fantastic, even important questions here recently of Equifax CEO Richard Smith. More of us need to hear and learn how they, Equifax, operate and operated. It has to do with the industry, certainly, but with our own information and security, too.



This should, once again, shatter any notion that we don't need government and that we don't need government rules and regulations and oversight of corporations.

Blunt Takes a Beating

Senator Roy Blunt takes a pretty good beating of late, with this ad from the End Citizens United organization.



It doesn't stop there. The articles in media about it tell yet more. The following are from the 2010 election.

It's Time to Kick Ass. "Roy Blunt, 

the Very Worst of Washington"

This ad was made about Senator Blunt 5 years ago. It was true then and it's still true today.

And this one from 7 years ago.

And it's not just Senator Blunt. His entire family realized money was the "gravy train" and they wanted on.

For Roy Blunt, politics is a family matter

Senator Blunt's been at this for some time.

And it's paid well. 

Very, very well.

Vote Jason Kander

Vote Blue 2016

Democratic Socialism and Being Consistent For Over 25 Years

Quote of the Day -- On America and Guns

Here's some of what Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy had to say on the Senate floor yesterday morning:

"These mass shootings have become as commonplace as rainstorms. Since 2011, the number of mass shootings in the United States has tripled – tripled! And after each one of these, the forces of the status quo – the defenders of the gun industry – tell us that we can’t talk about policy reform in the days after a shooting. One prominent commentator called those of us who dare talk about change in the wake of Charleston sick.

How convenient. How convenient that at the moment the world is watching, when the country is asking themselves what we can do to make sure that another mass slaughter doesn’t happen again, the rules say we can’t say a word. But think about how these rules would work. Because Charleston happens ten times over ever since day across this country. 86 people die on average every single day because of guns. If you can’t talk about antigun violence policy the day after a large number of Americans are shot, then you will never talk about antigun violence policy.

The U.S. gun homicide rate is 20 times higher than that of our 22 peer nations. 86 people die every day from guns. That’s four Sandy Hooks, 10 Charlestons – every day. Since Sandy Hook, there has been a school shooting, on average, every week. How on earth can we live with ourselves if we do nothing, or work, if we don’t even try?"

Senator Blunt Said WHAT???

Last evening, the following was typed onto Missouri Senator Roy Blunt's Facebook page:

Missouri is at the center of our nation’s highway, railway, and waterway transportation networks, which makes infrastructure an integral part of our state’s economy. Infrastructure creates jobs, connects people and communities, and enables us to compete globally. I’ll keep working to ensure that investing in our nation’s infrastructure remains a priority this week during ‪#‎InfrastructureWeek‬ and every week. ‪#‎RebuildRenew‬

I have to tell you, I was stunned.

Thrilled but stunned.

For all these years, no Republican member of Congress since at least 2008 has written or sponsored or proposed any infrastructure or jobs/infrastructure bill.

Not one.

Including, of course, Senator Roy Blunt.

So here, after all this time of we Americans needing jobs and our infrastructure needing work and updates and improvements and the economy---God knows--needing the boost, suddenly there's this statement, this recognition that we need some things done to our nation's highways, railways, waterway transportation networks, our bridges, all that?

Knock me down with a feather.

And call me skeptical, at the same time.

Sure, I hope Senator Blunt puts his legislative work where his mouth--or keyboard--is but I just find it difficult to believe he'll finally, finally do the right thing for the American people and for the nation and do just that---write, propose and at least try to get passed a jobs/infrastructure bill.

There can be no better example of a highway that needs updating and improving than Missouri's own stretch of Interstate 70 from Illinois and St. Louis to the East, through the middle of the state and Columbia, all the way to Kansas City and Kansas to the West. It's outdated, it's narrow, heck, it's even downright dangerous to the point of lethal, repeatedly.

However right and good it is for the nation and people, it seems the last thing Senator Blunt or his Republican Party wants to do is have more Americans working and America with a better economy while this person of the other political party is in the White House, nation be damned.

God, I'd love to be wrong.

So here's hoping. Here's hoping our own Missouri Senator Roy Blunt and all his Republican colleagues finally see the light, as it were, and do what's good and right and needed and necessary for the people and the economy and the infrastructure of the country.

I don't think they will but it could happen.

Again, here's hoping.

Nearly unbelievable stupidity or lies, from our own Senator Blunt

Like

SENATOR BLUNT FINALLY COMES THROUGH!!!

I could hardly believe my eyes. This was on the Senator Blunt's Facebook page yesterday:

Senators Blunt, Bennet Introduce Bill To Help Create Jobs, Improve Infrastructure

A Republican, our very own Missouri Senator Roy Blunt, at that, teamed up with Colorado's Senator Michael Bennett to----hold your breath----propose a JOBS/INFRASTRUCTURE BILL in this Congress.

I nearly fainted when I saw it.

I've been harping on this for months, both here and on Facebook, on his page and elsewhere, trying to get him--or someone, anyone--to write, propose and pass such a bill.

The Americans need the jobs and have for years now, at least since 2008 when the financial collapse nearly took place. The nation needs the infrastructure work, as evidenced by two, count them, two bridges collapsing in the last couple years and finally, the economy needs the boost.

It couldn't be more obvious what was needed. Yet all this time, no one proposed such a bill.

I say again, our own I-70, from Illinois and St. Louis on the East, all the way through Columbia and over to Kansas City and Kansas on the West, the whole thing needs updating, widening and improving.  The highway is downright dangerous to the point of, in too many places, dangerous and even lethal. Far too many people have been killed on that thoroughfare, all because it's outdated and highly traveled.

There's more good news, too:

The bill is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Kelly Ayotte (N.H.), Mark Begich (Alaska), Dan Coats (Ind.), Lindsay Graham (S.C.), John Hoeven (N.D.), Angus King (Maine), Mark Kirk (Ill.), Mary Landrieu (La.), and Mark Warner (Va.). U.S. Representative John Delaney (Md.) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives, which has been cosponsored by 25 Democrats and 25 Republicans.

It has, of course, bipartisan support, everything. This, very likely, has every reason to pass, it seems. Of course, it should, badly as it's needed and for all these reasons.

Another great thing about all this is that, with this, we'll finally get something productive out of this Congress. Last year, out of their very short scheduled work year, it was one of the least productive sessions of that government body ever. I think this may have arisen from the fact that, first, it was needed so badly, in so many ways, and the representatives in Congress knew they had to be productive this year after all. They know Americans want to, at long last, get something out of this body, what with all we pay them.

"Small government" Republicans?

Oh, sure they are.    Well, until it comes to bringing home the bacon for their own district.

I got this email last evening from none other than Kansas Senator Jerry Moran:

NBAF Funded in Omnibus Bill
Today, we received good news — the Omnibus appropriations bill includes $404 million for construction of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) in Manhattan. For those who have questioned whether NBAF will be built in Kansas, the passage of this funding bill will provide a clear answer: yes. This investment means Kansas will become a research epicenter, and the construction of this modern, world-class facility will ultimately create jobs for Kansans in the fields of engineering, science and technology. The talented young men and women who grow up here will have the opportunities they need to stay in Kansas.

As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I have worked to make certain NBAF remains a top priority for the Department of Homeland Security, the Administration and among Congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle. I am grateful to Governor Brownback, the Kansas legislature and Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz for their leadership and support as this process continues.

A January 2012 economic impact report found the NBAF will employ approximately 326 permanent employees and support some 757 construction jobs. The facility is expected to have a $3.5 billion economic impact on Kansas in the first 20 years alone. In addition to creating an economic boom for Kansas, NBAF will protect our national economy by researching foreign animal disease threats, which are very real with devastating impacts. The cost of an outbreak far outweighs the NBAF construction cost, not only in the loss of human life but also its damage to the animal and agricultural industry.

The state-of-the-art biosecurity lab is to be built adjacent to Kansas State University. The main laboratory will boast safety and security features recommended by the National Academies of Sciences. The state of Kansas showed its commitment to this project by contributing $202 million. A funding commitment was also made to provide infrastructure repairs at the Plum Island Animal Disease Center to guarantee a smooth transition of research from Plum Island, N.Y., to Manhattan, Kan.

And of course, that wasn't enough pork, oh, no. He's not done yet:

Basing Tanker at McConnell AFB Funded in Omnibus Bill
The Omnibus appropriations bill also includes $219 million in military construction funding for upgrades to McConnell Air Force Base (AFB) to accommodate the new KC-46A tankers. The KC-46A tanker fleet will begin arriving at McConnell in 2016, bringing more than 200 airmen to the base. The economic impact in Wichita and around the state will be felt before their arrival, as military construction of the infrastructure necessary to safeguard and house the new, larger tankers begins. 

The various McConnell facility projects include: installation of the weapon system trainers to be ready for the aircraft arrival in 2016; construction of fuel cell and corrosion control hangars; construction of a parking space and hydrant fuel system; and, construction of a squadron operations and aircraft maintenance unit building. This investment is great news for our state and the city of Wichita, which is and will remain the air capital of the world. The Omnibus appropriations bill is expected to be voted on in the U.S. House and Senate this week.

Oh, yeah, they're "small government" all right.   As long as it's the other government representative that isn't getting money in HIS or her district, sure, they are.

In the meantime, this is the political party that wants to cut your, our Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, folks.

Small spending, my eye.

He goes on to say, in his email about "Discussing the Best Ways to Create Jobs and Opportunity."

Never once in the following information did he say anything of, say, a jobs/infrastructure bill he or his fellow Republicans might propose.

So much for growth in our economy, eh?

Quote of the day--on fairness and morality in America

And plenty of us concur.

Senator Frank Lautenberg, 1924-2013, Rest in peace

It takes our Senator McCaskill from Missouri to set things straight in Washington

Perhaps you heard about this?

It seems certain executives in Washington would still be getting bonuses--large ones--even now, what with this sequestration in effect, supposedly cutting budgets of our federal government.

What the heck, right?

People are being laid off in all kinds of offices and work but another already-well-paid group gets bonuses?

Does that make any sense?

Naturally not.

So what one Senator rides in and proposes to right this wrong?

You got it, our very own Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill:

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) speaks during a press conference in May, 2011. McCaskill introduced a bill Friday that would eliminate bonuses for members of the Senior Executive Service during sequestration. (Photo: Geoff Holtzman / Talk Radio News Service)

Despite Sequester, High-Level Federal Executives Slated to Get Bonuses - Truthout

Washington - An elite group of federal employees is set to receive cash bonuses despite this year’s automatic budget cuts, according to a report that a Senate subcommittee issued Friday.

The report revealed that members of the government’s highly paid Senior Executive Service - who make up less than 1 percent of the federal workforce - had received more than $340 million in bonuses from 2008 through 2011. The bonuses came on top of annual salaries that ranged from $119,000 to $179,000.

In a process known as sequestration, $85 billion in across-the-board federal spending cuts took effect March 1, forcing the government to slash services and furlough workers. A month later, the Obama administration froze bonuses for the vast majority of federal workers.

But by law, agencies still must pay bonuses to Senior Executive Service employees who meet certain performance criteria, the report said.

Missouri Sen. Claire McCaskill, a Democrat, introduced a bill Friday that would eliminate bonuses for members of the Senior Executive Service during sequestration. McCaskill leads the Senate Subcommittee on Financial and Contracting Oversight, which produced the report.

“The idea that some of the highest-paid federal government employees could be getting bonuses while others are being furloughed is outrageous,” McCaskill said in a statement. “This legislation will ensure that doesn’t happen.”

Senator Claire McCaskill.

You go, girl.

(And who's that other Senator we're supposed to also have? What's his name?  And what's he do?)