Showing posts with label Roy Blunt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Roy Blunt. Show all posts
Sunday, March 7, 2021
Quote of the Day -- Republican Party Hypocrisy Edition
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Republicans, Ignoring Our Infrastructure
Dave Helling, at our own Kansas City Star, penned a terrific, maybe even important article in the paper yesterday about our government representatives and their seemingly complete ignoring of our infrastructure.
While Washington fiddles, Kansas City’s infrastructure crumbles
A little from the article:
Now those same voters are contemplating a $1 billion proposal to build a new airport terminal. Jackson County may soon consider a $300 million jail project. The Buck O’Neil Bridge may need a $150 million upgrade. Multibillion-dollar water and sewer repairs are underway.
It’s a familiar tale: Crumbling infrastructure, ignored for far too long, must be repaired or replaced at enormous cost.
Kansas City isn’t the only city facing these problems, of course. It’s almost a cliche: Harbors, the electric grid, highways, rail transit and water systems across the nation are falling apart more rapidly than ever.
In March, the American Society of Civil Engineers claimed the U.S. must spend $4.6 trillion by 2025 to make needed repairs to dams, highways, airports and other public facilities.
How did we get in this mess? The answer seems obvious: Repairs that should have been finished years ago were delayed or dismissed, the victim of anti-government, anti-tax fervor.
To govern is to choose, and some projects necessarily had to wait. Not everything can be built at once.
But costs never go down. Each year of delay means more expensive streets and sewers and jails and airports, as Kansas Citians know all too well.
As usual and ever, Mr. Helling is so right. Republicans in Congress, specifically, have been making sure all through the Obama years that little or no money was spent on infrastructure for fear that--gasp--the economy might improve under someone other than a Republican in the White House. Other than hating government spending of all kinds, they're no excuse to not spend on our infrastructure now.
CBS News and their "60 Minutes" program did a terrific segment on it. It was 3 years ago, in 2014.
Falling apart:
America's neglected infrastructure
What Mr. Helling didn't go into in the article, no doubt due to space limitations, was that it's also Republicans in our own Missouri statehouse in Jefferson City that are keeping us from repairing, improving and modernizing our infrastructure, specifically our highways and bridges.
And sure, very Republican, Right Wing, "tow the line" Senator Roy Blunt has given infrastructure spending some verbal support now and then but to date, nothing from him or Congress or his political party. The following is from 2015.
Senator Blunt Gives Lip Service to Our Infrastructure and the Work It Needs
The fact is, there is no finer or better example of needing infrastructure work and spending than right here in Missouri. Take this, for starters. It's from 2015.
MoDOT: 600 Missouri bridges
are in poor to serious condition
In the meantime, MoDoT hasn't been able to do much but "catch up" work, the barest of upkeep on our bridges because of Republicans lack of work in Jefferson City on this issue.
Then there is our statewide Interstate 70. It, too, is a perfect example but for both the state and nation.
Our I-70, running as it does all across the state, from the Illinois border on the East to the Kansas border on the West and right through Columbia, is old, outdated, neglected and literally dangerous.
It's so big a story and subject, it's even gone international
Chinese billionaire Jack Ma says
the US wasted trillions on warfare instead of
investing in infrastructure
Besides the fact that they are, we are, neglecting our infrastructure, making travel more dangerous and even difficult, to put off the repairs only costs us more, later, when we finally do fix the roads and bridges and highways and sewer systems, etc.
Then there's the fact that improved infrastructure helps business, helps commerce. It makes that business easier to conduct because we're more productive, we can travel easier and with less cost. It also naturally helps leisure travel, driving up business.
Then there's the fact that this kind of infrastructure spending reverberates through the economy, through the nation, creating jobs as well as generating new and more business.
Invest in Infrastructure to Boost Jobs
and the Economy
There have been studies on it, too, of course, on infrastructure spending.
Every $1 Of Infrastructure Spending
Boosts The Economy By $2
For our safety, for jobs, for growing business, for a growing economy, all, at the very least, there is every reason in the world to boost infrastructure spending both in Washington, at the Federal level, as well as in Jefferson City, on the state level.
Now I'm just hoping our local PBS station, KCPT, gets a bunch of middle-aged and older, Right Wing white men together on one of their weekly news programs to discuss it.
Links:
No urgency on I-70 from anywhere
Inaction from Jeff City
A desperate note to our representatives
in Washington and Jefferson City
Senator Blunt Said WHAT???
The Insanity of Not Funding Our Highways and Infrastructure
No expansion projects for the next five years, says MoDOT
Pressure Building for the Nation's Infrastructure--
and Maybe for the People
and a crumbling infrastructure
Austerity and why we need a jobs bill from Congress
What Will It Take to Get Congress to Give Us an Infrastructure Bill?
MoDOT: 600 Missouri bridges are in poor to serious condition
I-70 Westbound Lane Closed After Crews Find Crack In Bridge Beam
Why we need a jobs/infrastructure bill from this Congress
Friday, October 7, 2016
Springfield's News-Leader Gets Senator Blunt Just Right
Springfield Missouri's local newspaper, the News-Leader, printed an editorial opinion piece on Senator Roy Blunt and boy, did they get him just right.
Blunt cares about Blunt, Inc.
– not Missouri
The article, in its brief but important entirety:
When professors of political science teach a course on pressure groups, they describe the most powerful lobbying operation as one that includes one member sitting in either the House or the Senate. The Blunt family fiercely denies any connection between their lobbying work with one another. They would like you to believe that family talk is about sports, television, movies, travel and so on, but each one keeps secret from the others their own lobbying activities and never, under any circumstances, exchange any information that would be useful to the work of other family members.
An article on the front page of the June 18 News-Leader is an account of the strenuous (or one might say frenzied) fundraising activities of Sen. Blunt in defending his seat against Democratic challenger Jason Kander, Missouri’s current secretary of state. In the article, it mentioned his fundraising schedule in Washington last week that included a Tuesday evening fundraiser by the Beer Institute, a Wednesday morning fundraising breakfast for Missouri Republicans and two Thursday evening events hosted by major governmental contractors General Dynamics and Siemens. So, in the space of 48 hours he was raising money for the Missouri GOP, from which his campaign will benefit and from three organizations that have business before Congress.
It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.
Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.
His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.
And yes, it was from last July but it's important to keep in mind, right up to and including November 8, election day.
Another great thing about the article, besides that they got him so dead on and that they printed and distributed it, is that it also got picked up by USA Today so it went national. Another important thing to keep in mind is that it is from his home area and that home is decidedly Right Wing, Conservative and Republican. If ever there were a time and a person for getting the old, tired politician, in it for himself, it would be this Missouri Senator, Roy Blunt. And that time is now. If ever there were a person who fit the definition of a "career politician", it's Senator Blunt.
The conclusion, folks?
Saturday, September 24, 2016
"Vashington Been Beddy, Beddy Gud" for Senator Blunt
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
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.
Senator Blunt's been at this for some time.
And it's paid well.
Very, very well.
Vote Jason Kander
Monday, September 19, 2016
Serving Whom?
Now this ad, by comparison for Jason Kander for the US Senate and against Senator Roy Blunt. This ad says it for me.
Who's serving whom?
Vote Kander.
Vote Blue 2016.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Congress Actually Does Something
I see that, today, from an post on Senator Roy Blunt's Facebook page, he's congratulating himself and our other Senator Claire McCaskill, for getting something done in Congress this week.
Blunt-McCaskill Bill to Make Ste. Genevieve a National Park
Meanwhile, the Senators and all of Congress are about to go on a 7 week "recess."
Read: vacation.
But have they worked on the national budget we need?
I doubt it.
And one thing they absolutely HAVE NOT worked on, nor will, is an infrastructure/ jobs bill for the nation.
Sure, our nation's infrastructure--our roads, bridges and highways, at minimum--have been underfunded and neglected and ignored now for some years and they all need repairing and improving and updating but are the Republicans in Congress going to give America and Americans an infrastructure/jobs bill?
Oh, heck no.
Forget that we need all those repairs and updates. Forget that I-70 is an unrepaired, far-too-narrow dangerous threat of a main artery that cuts across our state. Forget that Americans need the jobs. Forget that the economy could use the boost. Forget that it would make Americans safer in our travel. Forget that it could make even business easier to make happen. Finally, forget that improved infrastructure actually makes the nation stronger, healthier while war spending, Defense spending is money down a rat hole that weakens us.
What's important is that the Republicans in Congress, in the Federal and state governments, too, across the nation, take care of themselves and their own offices and their own sources for campaign contributions first, and Americans and America, second, if even then.
It's Republican Party first, make no mistake.
But have they worked on the national budget we need?
I doubt it.
And one thing they absolutely HAVE NOT worked on, nor will, is an infrastructure/ jobs bill for the nation.
Sure, our nation's infrastructure--our roads, bridges and highways, at minimum--have been underfunded and neglected and ignored now for some years and they all need repairing and improving and updating but are the Republicans in Congress going to give America and Americans an infrastructure/jobs bill?
Oh, heck no.
Forget that we need all those repairs and updates. Forget that I-70 is an unrepaired, far-too-narrow dangerous threat of a main artery that cuts across our state. Forget that Americans need the jobs. Forget that the economy could use the boost. Forget that it would make Americans safer in our travel. Forget that it could make even business easier to make happen. Finally, forget that improved infrastructure actually makes the nation stronger, healthier while war spending, Defense spending is money down a rat hole that weakens us.
What's important is that the Republicans in Congress, in the Federal and state governments, too, across the nation, take care of themselves and their own offices and their own sources for campaign contributions first, and Americans and America, second, if even then.
It's Republican Party first, make no mistake.
I love how they call it "recess", too. Note they don't call it vacation. Can you imagine if you had a job where you had multiple times off work, that you created yourself, and one of them was seven---count 'em, 7---weeks long?
We should be so lucky.
And we Americans tolerate this nonsense.
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Roy Blunt: The Insider's Insider (reprise)
If Roy Blunt, Senator Roy Blunt, is anything, he is the ultimate insider. He is so deeply a Washington insider, it permeates him, his job, his work, his paycheck, heck, even his family.
Virtually the entire Blunt family is deeply entrenched in politics. And living off of it.
His wife is a government lobbyist, for God's sake.
His brother, Matt, screwed up Missouri and the governorship there, for a while. Fortunately, we got him out and he's stayed out of office since.
As further proof, just look at some of these headlines. They come from a range of dates as Senator Blunt and his family have been sucking at the teat of government, both state and Federal, for some time.
Missouri's Blunt embraces
his role as insider
At one point, American Veterans went after him for lying about draft deferments, to keep him more accountable. And hopefully, honest.
Even his own son is knee-deep in government:
Fortunately, there's this, more recently:
And this year he's all for America's Veterans. But last year? When he wasn't in a contest to hold his own Senate seat off in Washington. He was one of these guys, back in November, 2015:
41 Senators Block Benefits for Veterans
And again, once more, February 2014.
Fortunately, there's this truthful little gem from 2 days ago, from the Senator's own home area of Springfield:
This is a beauty of an article:
When professors of political science teach a course on pressure groups, they describe the most powerful lobbying operation as one that includes one member sitting in either the House or the Senate. The Blunt family fiercely denies any connection between their lobbying work with one another. They would like you to believe that family talk is about sports, television, movies, travel and so on, but each one keeps secret from the others their own lobbying activities and never, under any circumstances, exchange any information that would be useful to the work of other family members.
An article on the front page of the June 18 News-Leader is an account of the strenuous (or one might say frenzied) fundraising activities of Sen. Blunt in defending his seat against Democratic challenger Jason Kander, Missouri’s current secretary of state. In the article, it mentioned his fundraising schedule in Washington last week that included a Tuesday evening fundraiser by the Beer Institute, a Wednesday morning fundraising breakfast for Missouri Republicans and two Thursday evening events hosted by major governmental contractors General Dynamics and Siemens. So, in the space of 48 hours he was raising money for the Missouri GOP, from which his campaign will benefit and from three organizations that have business before Congress.
It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.
Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.
His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.
It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.
Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.
His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.
Fortunately, there's the ray of hope that is Jason Kander, what he stands for and even his fund-raising of late:
So heads up, fellow Missourians. There's a Senatorial seat up for grabs this Fall. This November, let's throw the government fatcat out of his seat and get someone in there who is for us, the people, and not just for his own seat in Congress and all he can wring out of it.
On this Fourth of July, let's pledge and plan to declare our independence yet again.
Our independence, this time, from Roy Blunt.
On this Fourth of July, let's pledge and plan to declare our independence yet again.
Our independence, this time, from Roy Blunt.
Monday, July 4, 2016
Roy Blunt, The Insider's Insider
If Roy Blunt, Senator Roy Blunt, is anything, he is the ultimate insider. He is so deeply a Washington insider, it permeates him, his job, his work, his paycheck, heck, even his family.
Virtually the entire Blunt family is deeply entrenched in politics. And living off of it.
His wife is a government lobbyist, for God's sake.
His brother, Matt, screwed up Missouri and the governorship there, for a while. Fortunately, we got him out and he's stayed out of office since.
As further proof, just look at some of these headlines. They come from a range of dates as Senator Blunt and his family have been sucking at the teat of government, both state and Federal, for some time.
Missouri's Blunt embraces
his role as insider
At one point, American Veterans went after him for lying about draft deferments, to keep him more accountable. And hopefully, honest.
Even his own son is knee-deep in government:
Fortunately, there's this, more recently:
And this year he's all for America's Veterans. But last year? When he wasn't in a contest to hold his own Senate seat off in Washington. He was one of these guys, back in November, 2015:
41 Senators Block Benefits for Veterans
And again, once more, February 2014.
Fortunately, there's this truthful little gem from 2 days ago, from the Senator's own home area of Springfield:
This is a beauty of an article:
When professors of political science teach a course on pressure groups, they describe the most powerful lobbying operation as one that includes one member sitting in either the House or the Senate. The Blunt family fiercely denies any connection between their lobbying work with one another. They would like you to believe that family talk is about sports, television, movies, travel and so on, but each one keeps secret from the others their own lobbying activities and never, under any circumstances, exchange any information that would be useful to the work of other family members.
An article on the front page of the June 18 News-Leader is an account of the strenuous (or one might say frenzied) fundraising activities of Sen. Blunt in defending his seat against Democratic challenger Jason Kander, Missouri’s current secretary of state. In the article, it mentioned his fundraising schedule in Washington last week that included a Tuesday evening fundraiser by the Beer Institute, a Wednesday morning fundraising breakfast for Missouri Republicans and two Thursday evening events hosted by major governmental contractors General Dynamics and Siemens. So, in the space of 48 hours he was raising money for the Missouri GOP, from which his campaign will benefit and from three organizations that have business before Congress.
It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.
Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.
His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.
It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.
Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.
His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.
Fortunately, there's the ray of hope that is Jason Kander, what he stands for and even his fund-raising of late:
So heads up, fellow Missourians. There's a Senatorial seat up for grabs this Fall. This November, let's throw the government fatcat out of his seat and get someone in there who is for us, the people, and not just for his own seat in Congress and all he can wring out of it.
On this Fourth of July, let's pledge and plan to declare our independence yet again.
Our independence, this time, from Roy Blunt.
On this Fourth of July, let's pledge and plan to declare our independence yet again.
Our independence, this time, from Roy Blunt.
Wednesday, June 15, 2016
Top Benefactor of the NRA?
Check this out from Missouri's own The St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
donation recipient in Congress
So no one, no one takes more money home from the NRA than our own very Republican Senator Roy "You Got Money for Me" Blunt.
Yeehaw.
If fewer innocent Americans are shot and/or killed any time in the near or far future, it doesn't look like any solution will be coming from this Senator, no surprise.
Monday, May 9, 2016
Very Republican Senator Roy Blunt Honors Very Democratic President Harry Truman?
I saw this yesterday, Sunday, on Senator Roy Blunt's Facebook page:
"Happy 132nd birthday to former president and fellow Missourian, President Harry Truman. Honored to be able to serve Missourians in the same office Truman used."
The trouble? The problem? The issue?
Here's, again, very Republican Senator Roy Blunt, honoring our very own, very Democratic, very Missourian and Democratic Party former President Harry S. Truman when this, the following, is what President Truman thought of and said about Republicans while he was here:
"I wonder how many times you have to be hit on the head before you find out who's hitting you? It's about time that the people of America realized what the Republicans have been doing to them."
"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a Republican. But I repeat myself."
All true then, about 70 years ago. All still sadly, pathetically true today.
So yeah, I loved that. Republican Roy "I Can Be Bought And Sold" Blunt, honoring Democrat and former President Harry S. Truman.
That's rich.
I don't know if he didn't get the irony or if he thought we wouldn't.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
