Last night at the primary watch party, Congressman Cleaver reminded everyone that while primaries can leave people within the party bruised, bloodied, and irritated that we needed to “de-irritate” and focus on the tough but important races we have November.
It was worth repeating.
In the next couple of weeks, we will outline the competitive general races in Jackson County and how you can get involved.
On 45th 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 45th 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 45th 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]
Fired Up Missouri and OpenSecrets discussed the Washington impact of BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico last week.
It turns out that Missouri’s own Washington insider, Roy Blunt, has received thousands in campaign cash from BP and is one of BP’s favorite insiders.
If BP faces heavy federal scrutiny, it’s well-positioned to fight back: The London-based company has consistently spent top dollar to influence legislative and regulatory activity in Washington, D.C., the Center for Responsive Politics finds…
In 2009, individuals and political action committees associated with BP donated $16,000 to members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.
In addition, five of the all-time top 10 recipients of BP money in the House of Representatives sit on the House Energy Committee: John D. Dingell (D-Mich.) Joe Barton(R-Tex.), Ralph M. Hall (R-Tex.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Fred Upton, (R-Mich.).
Democrats have spent the last year and a half enjoying the benefits of operating as the majority party in Washington. They have been able to pass, and have signed into law, a large portion of President Obama’s agenda.
But those benefits are about to come up against three major hurdles in the upcoming election season. The waters are getting choppy.
TIME TO EVALUATE
The three hurdles are historical statistics, current events and opposition anger. The historical hurdle is the fact that in mid-term elections, the President’s party typically loses seats in Congress. The current event hurdle is the economy. Hurdle three, opposition anger, should not be underestimated.
The first hurdle is electoral tendency. The President’s party losing seats in a mid-term election has a lot to do with voter apathy. Because the President’s party has been in control, it’s easy for voters to ignore the reality of upcoming elections.
This apathy has been reinforced by the statistic that only two elected Presidents in the last 42 years have had only one term, George H.W. Bush and Jimmy Carter. All other Presidents have been voted to a second term. Voters tend to believe that a second term is easily won.
The second hurdle is the economy. The Obama administration has taken steps to get the economy moving again. But if the unemployment levels are still high by November, it will spell trouble. Voters who are not working tend to be less optimistic and more punitive.
High unemployment helped sink President Bush and the Republicans. It could do the same to Obama and the Democrats. No immunity exists.
The third hurdle, anger and frustration of the opposition party can be a serious one. Having lost the election in 2008, the Republicans have tapped into a powerful emotion of bitterness. That fervor could propel them into winning back seats they lost just two years ago.
In an atmosphere of high emotion, the memory of Republican incompetence will be passed over in favor of winning for its own sake. The fact that Republican leadership led the nation and a large part of the world into a near depression will be forgotten in a highly emotional electoral atmosphere.
Currently, news stories depict the Republican Party in disarray. Their troubles are not few. But, if you recall, soon after George W. Bush won his second term, the Democrats were also considered to be in disarray and defeat.
It’s a funny thing about political disarray. It can be quickly reversed and result in huge voter turnout.
Democrats cannot afford to set on their hands thinking that Obama’s success will yield a second term unaided. Nor will Congressional success yield success in state and local elections. There is a real chance for the Democrats to lose big in November.
Do not dismiss the possibility.
ENTER RUSH LIMBAUGH-
During the recent year-long health care battle, the Republicans were under the direction and generalship of Limbaugh. He is the one who was calling the shots for the party. From his big chair and that golden microphone in his radio booth, Limbaugh orchestrated the entire campaign.
The proof is in the public reactions to his antics and outlandishness.
Time and again, one politician or another- usually a Senator or Representative- tried to distance themselves from Rush. They would make a statement in a news conference or interview that disagreed with some particular position that Limbaugh touted on his program. Either that, or they criticized him outright, claiming to be independent of his influence.
Big mistake!
Within just a few hours, the person was publicly apologizing to Rush- both on camera and in print. They either re-phrased their remarks or gave a genuine heart-felt apology. Hardly a week went by that some never-before-known political personality kowtowed to him.
Any Republican politician who tried to outflank or outwit Rush found themselves on the outs and under the gun. Not one legislator on the conservative side of the aisle in either chamber of Congress or at the Republican National Committee could stand up against his self-anointed authority.
The reason is obvious.
Limbaugh’s listeners and supporters worked quickly and decisively. They brought unbelievable pressure to bear. Through phone calls, faxes, e-mails, letters and other instant media like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, the “DITTOHEADS” as they like to call themselves, were a powerful force to be reckoned with.
The Republicans caved.
Rush now operates a true-to-life, old-fashioned, influence wielding, political machine. THE LIMBAUGH MACHINE is a powerful enemy.
Thus, the Democrats have their newly ordained opponent for the November elections- Rush Limbaugh.
If they can shape the elections as a choice between them and the Limbaugh politicians, you have the makings of an effective campaign.
If Republicans are elected and gain seats- nationally, statewide or locally- this country will be run by Limbaugh. He will dictate when, what, where, how and why. For anyone who rebels there will be retribution.
ELECTING REPUBLICANS IS ELECTING RUSH LIMBAUGH (good bumper sticker)
And that is no exaggeration. If the prospect doesn’t frighten you, then your apathy is in full flower.
[Reggie Marselus is a retired electrician and President of the Retirees Club of IBEW Local 124. He lives in Lenexa]
David Frum, the man who coined term “Axis of Evil” while working in the Bush administration, wrote a scathing blog post about the Republican’s strategy (or lack thereof) on healthcare reform. He described the passage of healthcare reform as Republicans “most crushing legislative defeat since the 1960s.” It’s hard to argue with him.
The Republican strategy was to obfuscate and deny–repeatedly. Conservatives seem to think they are going to win big this fall on a repeal platform, but even Frum isn’t so convinced.
Yesterday, I attended President Obama’s healthcare reform speech in Iowa City. It’s looking more like Democrats are going to spend the next six months extolling the virtues of the healthcare bill and challenging Republicans on their lack of strategy. As Sarah Palin, Glenn Beck, and Rush Limbaugh get louder and more vitriolic, some conservatives are sick of the radical right in the media controlling their message.
Naturally, someone in the Republican party has to be listening to this man, right? NOPE. He was fired yesterday. Turns out the Republican strategy behind closed doors is the same as their legislative strategy. Lie and deny.
As the House was voting on an unrelated bill, Republican Reps. Tom Latham of Iowa, Jo Ann Emerson of Missouri, Brett Guthrie of Kentucky and Greg Harper of Mississippi stood on south balcony off the House floor - an area known informally as “the beach” — holding pieces of paper that read “kill the bill” to a group of cheering protestors. Some Republican lawmakers waved a “Don’t Tread on Me” flag from the balcony, causing the crowd to go wild.
The Jackson County Democrats call on Rep. Emerson, Rep. Blunt and the Missouri Republican House delegation to stand against the tactics of the protesters in Washington D.C. and to stand with the People in Missouri and say “We won”t tolerate the bullying actions of the Tea Party, and we stand with our Missouri House delegation in debating these substantive issues in a dignified and civil manner.”
Its unfortunate that in the worlds strongest democracy, in a country which has a history of racial divide that we know, because of past behavior, that we wont be able to count on the Missouri GOP to stand and do what is right.
Rep. Joann Emerson what side of history will you stand with?
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