Jackson County Democratic Committee

Congressman Blunt, Sir you do not have the honor or integrity that is worthy of the United States Senate. Over the course of your career, time and again when you had opportunities to stand with the people of Missouri or with your K Street friends. You have consistently chosen to defend the rights of K Street over us. Shame on you Sir.

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 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

UPDATE: TEA PARTY NATION IS IN AN UPROAR!!!

I am not a conservative and have never pretended to be, but to pretend to have conservative credentials then get called out by the very people you claim support you????

Missouri Tea Parties call out Roy Blunt

Here is a Press Release from the Tea Parties around Missouri

Read the rest of this entry »

We have said I before.  Now  CREW (Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington) agrees….

http://www.citizensforethics.org/crookedcandidates2010

For Immediate Release:
May 18, 2010

Contact:
Linden Zakula
(314) 703-7178

Robin Carnahan Kicks Off “Stop the Bull” Tour as She Lays out Plan to Crack Down on Wasteful Spending

Calls “Bull” on Congressman Blunt’s 14-year record of reckless spending and challenges him to release ALL earmark requests

Columbia, MO - Today Robin Carnahan made stops in Willard, Independence, and Columbia as she kicked off her “Stop the Bull” Tour. Robin laid out a 3-point plan to put Missouri families first and crack down on wasteful spending in Washington:

• Stop the pork and start cutting fat
• Stop corporate giveaways and start putting middle class families first
• Stop the reckless spending and start demanding fiscal responsibility

Among other things, Robin announced her support for a ban on all earmarks, no more bailouts for Big Oil or Wall Street, and enacting spending caps. Today’s stops were the first in a series of upcoming announcements that will focus on putting middle class families first and stopping the bull in Washington.

“Missourians are changing their lives, cutting back, and making sacrifices, but we have a government in Washington that’s totally out of touch… and that continues to spend recklessly, wasting tax dollars and running up our nation’s debt. Missourians know Washington is broken, and out of touch, and so do I - that’s why it’s time to stop the bull and fix what’s wrong with Washington,” said Robin Carnahan.

Robin called on Congressman Blunt to release of all the earmarks he has ever requested during his 14 years in Washington and that “Missourians shouldn’t have to beg” to see how he’s been wanting to spend our tax dollars. Carnahan also highlighted Blunt’s record of wasteful spending, which includes:

• Turning a $128 billion surplus into a $1.2 trillion deficit
• Pushing through the $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout
• Increasing earmarks by 7 fold, costing taxpayers $225 billion and Refusing to release earmark requests during his time in Congress

While Congressman Blunt has been in Washington, DC, Robin has cut red tape and costs for small businesses and protected consumers’ money in Missouri. As Secretary of State, Robin has cut costs for small businesses by nearly $12 million and returned over $10 billion back to wronged investors.

Go to www.RobinCarnahan.com/StopTheWaste to read Robin’s full plan on cracking down on wasteful spending.

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

Dear Jessica,

President Obama’s State of the Union speech last night addressed
important national issues. But in Missouri, speeches aren’t enough, and
we can’t wait for Washington to figure everything out.

In Missouri, we have strong families and communities. We know what
we go to bed worrying about every night, and we know what keeps us
going through the day. Washington doesn’t know our concerns like we do.

That’s why I want to hear directly from you: what is the most important
issue facing you and your family?

Using your cell phone, text your answer to 76246. Pick from the list below
or write your own.

Or to send your answer online, click here.

• Text A to 76246 for the availability of good jobs
• Text B to 76246 for access to affordable health care
• Text C to 76246 for the need to keep our nation safe and secure
• Text D to 76246 for an affordable education
• Text E to 76246 for financial security in retirement
• Or text OTHER to 76246 to choose another issue.

Text your answer to 76246 today or click here. Make your voice part of our campaign.

I look forward to hearing from you and we’ll be sure to tell you the results next week.

It’s hard to believe we’ve been at it for almost a full year now. Whether you were with Robin Carnahan the day she launched her U. S. Senate campaign on February 3rd or joined her team in the following months, we’ve come a long way working together for Robin!

Now as we approach the end of a year, it’s time to take stock and reflect upon some of our accomplishments. To that end, here are the 2009 Robin Carnahan for Senate highlights, by the numbers:

• 7 — the number of publicly released independent polls conducted statewide in 2009 that show Robin ahead of her likely Republican opponent, Congressman Roy Blunt, by an average of 47% to 44%.
• 109 — the number of counties in Missouri (out of 114 total counties) in which Robin Carnahan has received donations from grassroots supporters this year who agree with her positive message of reform, accountability, and getting things done for Missouri families!
• 402 — the number of volunteers who attended a House Party for Robin Carnahan last month pledging their time and effort to electing Robin Carnahan to the U.S. Senate.
• 732 — the number of members so far who have joined “Team 2010″ with a generous donation to Robin’s campaign. But we’ve got a long way to go.

Since we’re about halfway through this campaign, to keep on pace, we need to hit the halfway mark (which is 1,005) on our Team 2010 goal of 2,010 members. Which means we need to enlist another 273 more members of Team 2010 by midnight on December 31st — just 4 days are remaining.

Will you be our 1,005th Team 2010 donor? If you are the one, Robin Carnahan looks forward to calling you on New Year’s Day with thanks and well wishes for the new year!

We only need 273 more donations to hit our halfway mark of our goal of members for Team 2010. Just contribute $20.10 or any amount you can afford by midnight Thursday night, December 31st and if you are the 1,005th Team 2010 supporter, Robin Carnahan will be calling you soon!

Sincerely,
Emily Elbert
Finance Director, Robin Carnahan for Senate

P.S. New Year’s Eve marks our last quarterly fundraising deadline for 2009. Will you help us hit 1,005 members of our Team 2010 by midnight on December 31st? Contribute today www.RobinCarnahan.com/year-one.