Jackson County Democratic Committee

On 45^th Anniversary of Medicare, Coats, Vitter, Johnson, Boozman, Blunt, Norton, Buck, Angle, Paul All Want To End Medicare For Seniors In Their States

As Americans across the country celebrate the 45^th anniversary of Medicare being signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee is attacking nine Republican Senate candidates who want to take Medicare away from their would-be constituents.  Medicare, which provides quality health insurance to those 65 and over, has been one of the most successful and popular government programs in American history.  While Democrats will fight to preserve Medicare, these nine Republicans candidates will fight tooth and nail to abolish it should they win this November.

“On the 45^th anniversary of Medicare, Republican Senate candidates are running to take it away,” said DSCC National Press Secretary Deirdre Murphy. ”Fortunately, voters will have a choice this fall, between Democrats who will fight to preserve Medicare, and Republicans who will fight to abolish it.”

NINE REPUBLICAN SENATE CANDIDATES WHO WANT TO END MEDICARE AS WE KNOW IT

SHARRON ANGLE WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 348,168 NEVADANS

• Angle On Medicare: “We Need To Phase It Out.” In October 2009, the Review-Journal reported, “As for Medicare, she (Angle) said the entitlement program popular with seniors will eventually grow too costly to maintain… ‘We need to phase it out,’ she said.” [Las Vegas Review-Journal, 10/21/2009]

RAND PAUL WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 752,776 KENTUCKIANS

• Paul: Medicare Is Soviet Union Socialism. A Courier-Journal review of Paul’s prior statements found he had compared Medicare to Soviet socialism. “Advancing his belief that health care prices should be set by the marketplace, Paul also has attacked having government set Medicare reimbursements for doctors,” the Courier-Journal said. “The fundamental reason why Medicare is failing is why the Soviet Union failed — socialism doesn’t work,” Paul said on Kentucky Tonight on June 16, 1998. “You have … no price fluctuation.” [Courier-Journal, 6/21/2010; Kentucky Tonight 1998 archives]

DAN COATS WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 996,966 HOOSIERS

• Coats: I Want To Work With Rep. Ryan On His Ideas for Entitlement Reform. In July 2010, Coats praised Rep. Paul Ryan’s ideas for entitlement reform and vowed to work with him on passing them if elected. He said, “Paul Ryan has come up with some very sensible ideas, I have talked personal with Paul I have read his materials and there are many many things in there that I agree with and want to work with him on. UUhh it basically says we are out of money and we are deeply in debt. And if we are going to have a future in this country for our children and our grandchildren and going to have jobs available and be the country of opportunity and be the country that can lead the world and the economy we have to come up with some reforms. And Paul has come up with some very constructive ideas and so have other republicans.” [Greg Garrison Show, 7/12/10]

o   Ryan Plan would Eliminate Traditional Medicare. “The Ryan plan would eliminate traditional Medicare, most of Medicaid, and all of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), converting these health programs largely to vouchers that low-income households, seniors, and people with disabilities could use to help buy insurance in the private health insurance market.” [Center for Budget and Policy Priorities, 7/07/10]

DAVID VITTER WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 677,880 LOUISIANANS

• Vitter Endorsed Plan to Privatize Medicare. In September 2009, Vitter endorsed a report from the conservative Pelican Institute that promoted ending the employer-based health insurance system. According to the Times-Picayune, “U.S. Sen. David Vitter has endorsed a new study from a conservative think tank that calls for scrapping the nation’s employer-based health insurance system in favor of individually owned policies and converting the Medicaid program into vouchers for private insurance.” Vitter called the report “an important contribution to the debate.” [Times-Picayune, 9/15/09]

RON JOHNSON WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 900,715 WISCONSINITES

• Johnson: Rep. Ryan Has Laid Out “Common Sense Approaches” on Entitlement Reform In May 2010, Johnson praised Rep. Paul Ryan’s privatization plan. He said, “You know, in his “Roadmap for America,” [Paul Ryan] starts laying out some possibilities, I think some common-sense approaches, on you know, recognizing the fact that, I mean, when these programs were implemented, life expectancy was far shorter. You know, so, life expectancy has gone on. So I mean, you have to recognize that reality and start making adjustments to the program to figure out how you can keep these things sustainable so they’re around for people.” [Johnson Wisconsin Eye Campaign 2010 Interview, 5/26/2010]

JOHN BOOZMAN WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 527,051 ARKANSANS

• Boozman Voted to Replace Medicare With a Private Program. In April 2009, Boozman voted for a GOP alternative budget by Rep. Paul ryan that called for “replacing the traditional Medicare program with subsidies to help retirees enroll in private health care plans.” [Star Tribune, 4/03/09; Vote 191, 4/02/09]

ROY BLUNT WANTS TO END MEDICARE FOR 992,968 MISSOURIANS

• Blunt Voted to Replace Medicare With a Private Program. In April 2009, Blunt voted for a GOP alternative budget by Rep. Paul ryan that called for “replacing the traditional Medicare program with subsidies to help retirees enroll in private health care plans.” [Star Tribune, 4/03/09; Vote 191, 4/02/09]

• Blunt: Government Should Never Have Gotten In The Health Care Business. During a radio appearance on The Eagle 93.9, Blunt suggested that government should never have gotten in the health care business, citing Medicare and Medicaid as examples of government intervening in the health care business “in a big way.” HOST MIKE FERGUSON: What is the proper role of government, and what are the potential impacts of the direction that we’re going right now? BLUNT: Well, you could certainly argue that government should have never have gotten in the health care business, and that might have been the best argument of all, to figure out how people could have had more access to a competitive marketplace. Government did get into the health care business in a big way in 1965 with Medicare, and later with Medicaid, and government already distorts the marketplace.” [The Eagle 93.9, 7/10/09; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 7/10/09]

·         Blunt: “Medicare Has Never Done Anything To Make People More Healthy.” During a July 2009 campaign event in Hannibal, Blunt said Medicare had never done anything to make people healthier. BLUNT: “We’ve had Medicare since 1965, and Medicare has never done anything to make people more healthy. If there’s any opportunity for more healthy activity, it’s going to be, again, a private, competitive industry…” [Becky Thatcher's, Hannibal MO, 7/25/10; Missouri Democratic Party; Fired Up Missouri, 7/29/09]

JANE NORTON AND KEN BUCK WANT TO END MEDICARE FOR 606,009 COLORADANS

• Norton: Government Shouldn’t Be In Health Care Business. In January 2010, Norton called on supporters to sign an online petition “if you agree that the government shouldn’t be in the health care business.” “Health care needs real, common-sense reforms. A government mandated, and government controlled, health care system is not the solution… If you agree that the government shouldn’t be in the health care business, show your opposition by signing this petition today.” [www.janenorton.com, Accessed 1/5/10]

• Buck Questioned Federal Government’s Role in Running Health Care Programs. As reported by Politico, “At a March forum, Buck said. ‘The idea that the federal government should be running health care or retirement or any of those programs is fundamentally against what I believe. And that is that the private sector runs programs like that far better.’” [Politico, 6/28/10]

Medicare state statistics found at http://www.statehealthfacts.org/index.jsp

 1999 Roll Call article details Washington insider partnership of Karl Rove and Congressman Roy Blunt

Report Gives Context to Congressman Blunt’s Bringing His Friend and Ultimate Washington Insider Karl Rove to Raise More Special Interest Cash

Jefferson City, Mo. - According to news reports, Congressman Roy Blunt is bringing his close political confidant and Washington insider, Karl Rove, to Missouri to help him raise campaign cash.  Rove owes Congressman Blunt for all the work he did in Washington to help elect President George W. Bush and then shepherd his failed economic agenda through Congress for eight years.  

In May 1999, Roll Call’s Jim VandeHei highlighted how Congressman Blunt and disgraced former Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s were essential for Bush’s political success.  VandeHei noted that Blunt was a member of George W. Bush’s presidential Exploratory Committee, and played an especially integral role: “Blunt is often the only GOP leader directly involved in the day-to- day (Bush campaign) discussions…”

“It will be just like old times when Congressman Blunt’s close friend and fellow Washington insider Karl Rove comes to Missouri to help him rake in more special interest campaign cash,” said Missouri Democratic Party Spokesman Ryan Hobart. “They spent more than eight years together in Washington pushing an agenda that put corporate special interests ahead of Missourians and turned a $128 billion surplus into a $1.2 trillion deficit. Missourians can’t afford to return to the Bush and Blunt years of waste, corruption and sticking it to the middle class.”

More about the Blunt-Rove Brain Trust:

“While Blunt is often the only GOP leader directly involved in the day-to- day discussions, Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and House Majority Whip Tom DeLay (R-Texas) are on board, three sources confirmed.”

The agenda discussions have included Bush; Blunt; Bush’s political director, Maria Cino; Bush’s top consultant, Karl Rove; and GOP strategists Bill Paxon and Haley Barbour, among others…the Texas governor has stacked his political team with so many Washington insiders with close connections to Republican leaders.

Every person involved in the talks is close to DeLay, but it’s Blunt, Paxon and Cino who are doing most of the work.

Blunt talks with Bush, Rove or Cino at least three times each week and has been instrumental in helping to lock up endorsements inside the House GOP Conference.

Rove, Bush’s top consultant, is closely involved in the talks and is the campaign point man in coordinating with Blunt. Rove, a Texas-based operative, is also close to DeLay and his political operation.

Learn more about Congressman Blunt’s close, personal relationship with Karl Rove here: http://theveryworstofwashington.com/episodes/view/you_know_youre_an_insider_when

You can revisit other Friday Flashbacks (All the News Congressman Blunt Hopes you Forget) at: http://www.missouridems.org/friday_flashbacks

Congressman Blunt has drawn 8 opponents, including Tea Party favorite State Senator Chuck Purgason, in the Missouri primary for U.S. Senate.

For more information about the Missouri Democratic Party visit www.MissouriDems.org and follow us on Twitter www.Twitter.com/MoDemParty

CONGRESSMAN BLUNT FINALLY BREAKS SILENCE - REFUSES TO CRITICIZE COLLEAGUE AND CAMPAIGN DONOR JOE BARTON OVER HIS APOLOGY TO BP

GOP Congressman Barton Apologized To BP CEO Tony Hayward For The “Political Pressure” His Company Is Facing, Calls $20 Billion Commitment “Shakedown”

KC Star: Blunt “Gives Barton A Pass”…AFTER Accepting $7,000 In Campaign Contributions From Him

Four day after the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee called on Congressman Roy Blunt to denounce Rep. Joe Barton’s out of touch apology to British Petroleum, Blunt refused to do so and according to the Kansas City Star gave “Barton a pass.”  Instead of denouncing Barton’s apology to British Petroleum, Congressman Blunt said “he didn’t have a reaction.”  Congressman Barton contributed $7,000 to Congressman Blunt’s Senate campaign last year.   

“Congressman Roy Blunt made a career out of sticking it to the middle class and standing-up for Big Oil,” said DSCC Communications Director Eric Schultz. “Instead of denouncing Congressman Barton’s apology to British Petroleum as out of touch and out of line, Congressman Blunt gave his campaign donor’s comments a free pass.  Each passing day brings more proof that Congressman Blunt represents the very worst of Washington.”

Last Thursday a key Republican Congressman and a donor to Congressman Roy Blunt’s Senate campaign apologized to British Petroleum C.E.O. Tony Hayward during a congressional hearing over the insistence that the Big Oil company create a fund to pay for all of the economic damages to residents of the Gulf coast resulting from the catastrophic oil spill.  Congressman Joe Barton of Texas called the fund a “$20 billion shakedown” and said he was “ashamed” of the White House’s actions and offered his sincere apology to BP and it’s CEO Tony Hayward. 

After Saying $75 Million Cap Was Enough, Blunt Introduced Legislation That Would Keep A Cap on Oil Spill Liability.   In May 2010, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that Blunt asserted that the present liability cap ($75 million) would be the extent of BP’s exposure “unless there’s some criminal activity that no one is aware of.” Blunt then introduced legislation that would increase, but keep a cap, on oil spill liability.  The Post-Dispatch noted “Blunt’s legislation, available just minutes ago, would cap liability of offshore facilities at clean-up costs plus $150 million or, as an alternative, tie liability to profits in a way that could saddle a big company with billions in costs.”  [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/20/10]

More Than $1 Million from Big Oil & Energy Interests: Blunt has taken $1.2 million from energy industry interests over the course of his career — over three-quarters of a million dollars specifically from oil and gas interests. [OpenSecrets.org, 5/21/10]

• Blunt Received $1,000 From Halliburton Since Oil Spill. As reported by the Politico, “In the House Reps. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), who serves on the Energy and Commerce Committee … received $1,000 from the oil giant.” [Politico, 6/2/10]

Blunt Has Accepted $7,000 in Campaign Contributions from Barton. Blunt has accepted $7,000 for his Senate run from Barton - $2,000 from his campaign and $5,000 from his leadership PAC. [Federal Elections Commision, 3/13/09, 3/13/09]

DC DOUBLESPEAK:

Under Pressure, Big Spender Blunt ‘Embarrassed’ About Record of Wasteful Government Spending

 
Congressman Blunt again uses DC Doublespeak to try and hide his 14-year Washington record of wasteful spending

 
Jefferson City, MO - As Congressman Roy Blunt continues to draw fire from both sides of the aisle his reckless government spending, he recently tried a new talking point: concern about his own record of spending in Washington.

Once labeled the “prodigious pork-meister” for his pork-barrel spending and a key architect of the $700 billion bailout, Congressman Blunt was part of the Congressional leadership team that turned our $128 billion surplus into a $1.2 trillion deficit. [CNN, 1/28/09; New York Times, 8/25/09; Providence Journal, 2/6/06; St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/23/08]

But now that 65% of Missourians think Congressman Blunt is part of the problem when it comes to wasteful government spending, he’s decided he’s got some explaining to do. “I think we have a chance to stop some of the spending because I think finally, for the first time ever, people are getting embarrassed about it,” Blunt said at an event in Springfield. [PPP, 11/18/09; Springfield News Leader, 6/9/10]

“Congressman Blunt has spent 14 years in Washington spending our money like a drunken sailor and now that it is campaign season he expects Missourians to buy his DC Doublespeak on wasteful spending,” said Ryan Hobart, Communications Director for the Missouri Democratic Party. “Congressman Blunt’s Washington record is clear. Whether it is being at the helm for the $700 billion bailout or turning our nation’s surplus into a $1.2 trillion deficit, Congressman Blunt can’t hide from his record.” 
 
In recent weeks, Congressman Blunt’s primary opponent State Senator Chuck Purgason has been taking Blunt to task for his record of wasteful spending. In addition, Purgason recently told Resistnet Radio, “What people didn’t expect was Republicans to go up, spend money like they did … [they] became part of the problem rather than be part of the solution. That’s one of the frustrating things about Congressman Blunt. He was in leadership at a time when we failed.” 

Adding salt to the wound, Purgason has even featured a new “Purgason vs Blunt” side-by-side on his website where he attacks Congressman Blunt for failing to balance the budget and get the United States out of debt.

CONGRESSMAN BLUNT: A RECORD OF WASTEFUL SPENDING

 
Exploding Deficits - Blunt Turned $128 Billion Surplus into $1.2 Trillion Deficit: The Bush-Blunt team inherited a budget surplus of $128 billion in 2001 but proceeded to post deficits every single year after that. In fact, the Blunt-led Republican majority never once balanced its annual budgets. As a result, by the time Bush left office in 2009, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated a deficit of $1.2 trillion. [CNN, 1/28/09; New York Times, 8/25/09]

Skyrocketing Debt - Blunt Oversaw Doubling of the National Debt: During the time Blunt was in the Republican leadership, the national debt nearly doubled from $5.7 trillion in 1999 to more than $10 trillion eight years later - an over $4 trillion increase. [TreasuryDirect.gov] 
 
The number of pork barrel spending projects has increased seven-fold during Congressman Blunt’s tenure in Washington — from just 1,596 earmarks when he went to Congress in 1997 to nearly 12,000 in 2008.  These earmarks cost taxpayers over $228 billion. [Citizens Against Government Waste, Annual Pig Book]  

Springfield News-Leader editorial, said Blunt “allowed earmarks to get out of control during an era of no accountability.”  [Springfield News-Leader, Editorial, 6/16/07] 

Providence Journal labeled Blunt a “prodigious pork-meister.” [Providence Journal, 2/6/06]

KC Star: Blunt Must Overcome Grass-Roots Anger Over Deficits: Blunt “must overcome grass-roots anger over soaring deficits, stimulus packages and bank bailouts. … Blunt was elected to the House in 1996 and has been a prominent member of the chamber’s Republican leadership.  Blunt also faces a primary challenge from Missouri Sen. Chuck Purgason, a Caulfield Republican who has sharply criticized both parties for out-of-control spending.  “There’s a need for new leadership from people who know that two plus two equals four, and when you spend five you’re losing one,” Purgason said. “When Representative Blunt was in the leadership the deficit grew almost $1.5 trillion. Republicans have proved they can’t balance the budget either.“ [Kansas City Star, 12/27/09]

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To catch you up on what’s happening:

SwingStateProject (5/28) - Where’s the New York Times when you need them? Rep. Jo Ann Emerson just lied big-time about her Dem opponent Tommy Sowers’ military record, saying that her opposition to DADT repeal was based on talking to actual commanders, as opposed to Sowers, who “never commanded anybody.” Um, yeah… except for that platoon of combat engineers that Sowers led in Kosovo.

So, I penned an open letter to Congresswoman Emerson that I’d like you to sign and help gather signatures for. Please forgive the fact that it’s short — I wrote it quickly while at a stop halfway through a 100-Mile Road March through the district we’re doing to honor veterans this Memorial Day Weekend.

Please read below and click here to automatically sign the letter.

Best,
Tommy

__________________

Dear Congresswoman Emerson,

This Memorial Day weekend, you chose to question my ability to comment on military matters because I had “never commanded anybody.” Later you claimed that you “didn’t have Sowers’ biography in front of you” when you made that statement.

You don’t need a biography to know that an 11-year Special Forces officer has commanded soldiers, and plenty of them.

It not only insults me, but insults every veteran in this district, the state, and the country. Our service is not to be used as a throwaway line for political gain.

You owe me and everyone in the military an apology for your Memorial Day smear.

Your opponent,
Tommy Sowers

In an article in yesterday’s SE Missourian, Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson stated that Tommy Sowers “never commanded anybody” during his 11 year-army career.

Sowers is on Day 3 of his “100 Mile Road March” over Memorial Day weekend, along the route of the “100 Mile Yard Sale” on Highway 25. He began at the Veterans Memorial Wall in Jackson on Thursday morning and will finish walking Highway 25 at the Veterans Memorial in Kennett on Sunday night. 

After completing a previously scheduled chat Friday afternoon with 20 veterans at the Stars and Stripes Museum in Bloomfield, Sowers held a press conference, where he made the following statement:

“In this morning’s edition of the SE Missourian, Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson stated that during my time in Army I ‘never commanded anybody’.

I served 11 years active duty in the Army, served as a Combat Engineer, Ranger, and Green Beret. I deployed once to Kosovo where I served as a platoon leader, and twice to Iraq where I served as the detachment commander of a Special Forces Operational Detachment Alpha “A Team”. I was in command of enlisted men and women for years during my time as an officer. For anyone to say otherwise is either a purposeful misrepresentation of the facts, or a complete disregard for accuracy in public statements by an elected official.

Now this is a district of 70,000 veterans. Every time I meet new groups of people, including the 20 people I just spoke with, I ask them: “How many of you have served or have a family member that has?” and nearly everyone raises their hand, like they just did here in Bloomfield. Places like Southeastern Missouri are where the military comes from.

Congresswoman Emerson chose to disparage my military service with lies.  As we begin a weekend of honoring those who sacrificed everything for our country, it not only insults me, but insults every veteran in this district, the state, and the country.  Our service is not to be used as a throwaway line for political gain.  Congresswoman Emerson owes me and everyone else in the military an apology for her Memorial Day lies.”

–
___________________________
Jonathan Feifs
Tommy Sowers For Congress
www.sowersforcongress.com
PO Box 1396, Rolla, MO 65402
jonathan.feifs@sowersforcongress.com
Mobile: 573.578.6520

Friday Flashback

Lexington Herald-Leader Editorial:  
Uncaring Congress; Poor getting cold shoulder from Capitol Hill

Incumbent Congressman Blunt Votes 12 Times to Raise His Pay So He Can Keep Washington Lifestyle of Two Homes and Fancy Parties;

Meanwhile Opposed Minimum Wage Increase for Middle Class Families 

Jefferson City, Mo. — In October 2005, the Lexington Herald-Leader wrote an article in response to Congressman Blunt’s claim that Members of Congress need yearly pay increases to help pay for multiple residences like his lavish Georgetown Mansion. That’s why he voted 12 times to raise his own pay - complaining that he needed the extra cash to maintain his Washington lifestyle of two homes and fancy parties (where he recently attended a VIP Gala right around the corner from what he calls home). All the while, Congressman Blunt also repeatedly opposed efforts to increase the minimum wage for middle class families.   

Here are some excerpts from the article: 

House Republican Leader Roy Blunt, arguing for a congressional pay raise, said most members of Congress probably have more debt after a few years of service than they had before. 
 
And that’s on a salary of $162,100, with plenty of perks.  You’d think that would make them much more sympathetic to working people struggling to survive. 
 
Apparently not. Otherwise, how could they dither so much on issues like increasing the minimum wage (frozen since 1997 at $5.15 an hour, which earns a person working 40 hours a week every week of the year a grand total of $10,712) and an emergency appropriation to help people heat their homes. Congress has already made it harder and more expensive for people losing their struggle with debt to get access to bankruptcy court. 
 
The irony in Blunt’s remark about members going deeper into debt during their time in public life is the idea of sacrifice behind it. 
 
Sacrifice is something familiar to many of their constituents. The Bureau of Economic Analysis figures per capita personal income in 2004 at $33,041. At that rate, something usually does get sacrificed in the effort to pay for decent housing, adequate and healthful food, enough clothing, health care, education and transportation. 
 
Parents sacrifice to feed and clothe their kids. Seniors sacrifice medicine to eat. Some people get second or third jobs in an effort to make it all work, and then struggle to pay for the gasoline it takes to get from one to the other. 
 
Even the CEO of Wal-Mart is pushing Congress to raise the minimum wage because, he said Monday, “we can see firsthand … how many of our customers are struggling to get by.” 
 
All that and a 30 percent to 50 percent increase in heating bills this winter. 
 
While pushing the congressional pay raise, Blunt pointed out that it’s expensive to keep residences in two places. 
 
He and his colleagues might do well to remember that for their constituents, it’s expensive to keep a residence in just one place.

You can revisit other Friday Flashbacks (All the News Congressman Blunt Hopes you Forget) at: http://www.missouridems.org/friday_flashbacks

Long time Washington incumbent Congressman Blunt has 8 opponents, including Tea Party favorite State Senator Chuck Purgason, in the Missouri primary for U.S. Senate. 

For more information about the Missouri Democratic Party visit www.MissouriDems.org  and follow us on Twitter www.Twitter.com/MoDemParty. 

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Congressman Blunt Complains About Burdensome Regulations and Still Refuses to Say “No Bailout for Big Oil”

Washington, DC - Today Robin Carnahan’s campaign released a new video detailing the first twenty-eight days after the oil spill in the Gulf Coast and Congressman Blunt’s continued defense of Big Oil.

WATCH THE VIDEO HERE

After being outed by the Kansas City Star for supporting a taxpayer bailout for Big Oil, Congressman Blunt tried to gain political cover (a month after the spill began) by announcing that he would introduce legislation to increase the amount Big Oil would have to pay for the mess - but still no guarantee that taxpayers would not be on the hook. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported, “The legislation suggests concern by Blunt’s campaign about political liability given Carnahan’s new offensive, his receipt of oil industry contributions and recent comments stressing that the Gulf spill was an accident.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/20/10; Kansas City Star 5/18/10]

For weeks, Congressman Blunt dodged the question of who should be on the hook to pay for the cleanup. When he finally spoke up, he “cautioned against overreacting” or raising penalties for companies that spill oil and refused to rule out a taxpayer funded bailout for the clean-up. Then, as oil continued to seep into the Gulf, Congressman Blunt complained about the burdensome regulations on Big Oil. During his 14 years in Washington, Congressman Blunt has taken more than $1 million from Big Oil and energy interests. [Blunt Remarks at RCGA, 5/17/10, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 5/18/10, Center for Responsive Politics]

Just last week, Robin Carnahan’s campaign launched an online video and petition to fight Congressman Blunt’s $12.5 billion Big Oil bailout that would cost Missouri families $268 million alone. Robin has been an outspoken opponent of any taxpayer bailout for big oil and her campaign launched the online petition because she believes Big Oil should have to pay the full cleanup costs.

Robin is running for the U.S. Senate Seat currently held by U.S. Senator Kit Bond (R-MO) who is retiring. She is currently in her second term as Missouri Secretary of State where she has worked across party lines to protect consumers by standing up to big institutions and getting more than $10 billion returned to wronged investors, and to cut red tape for small businesses so they can save resources and create more jobs. A breast cancer survivor with a background in business and law, Robin also still oversees her family’s cattle farm in Rolla, MO. For more information on Robin’s background and values, visit: www.RobinCarnahan.com