The Source

McCaskill Thinks Congress Sucks

 While being questioned about the national debt, Claire McCaskill laid her two cents on the table about America’s opinion of politicians…

 “Someone, the other day, asked me if I thought the seventeen percent approval rate for Congress was fair, and I said ‘Frankly, I think it may be too high,’” McCaskill said.

 Our thought? Another lame attempt by the upside-down, panicked politician to try to look like an independent.

 

Another Day, Another Scandal

It seems the state of Missouri has yet another scandal involving an elected Democrat not paying what they owe, like Claire McCaskill’s private plane expenses or Leonard Hughes’ problems with, well, following the law at all.

This time the disgraced politician is Robin Wright-Jones, State Senator from St. Louis, who was recently sued by a casino for $6,000 in unpaid bills for a birthday party she threw for herself, has $95,000 unaccounted for in her campaign accounts, and is now being sued by a local radio station for $3,600 plus in more unpaid bills.

The suit from WGNU (920-AM) was filed on June 16 —three days after the Four Seasons dismissed its complaint against Wright-Jones.

The casino hotel had said the senator did not pay for the 60th birthday party she threw for herself in 2010. Wright-Jones has said she could not discuss the terms of the settlement.

In this latest suit against her, WGNU claims Wright-Jones owes the station $3,623 plus interest for failing to pay for use of their West End studio.

Wright-Jones joins a long line of Democrat screw-ups regarding ethics and personal finances, the absurd part being how little the media does to expose their corruption. The best part of the story, however, is the excuse Wright-Jones gives as to why her finances are so screwed up:

Wright-Jones said that her treasurer, a finance administrator at Harris-Stowe State University, had been infected with the H1N1 virus, "swine flu," and unable to properly track campaign expenses.

Wright-Jones is apparently trying to steal Jonas Hughes' world record for worst possible excuse ever. Campaigns have a legal obligation to accurately track their spending for purposes of public disclosure and she decided to disregard that.

Experimental Politics: Blunt v. McCaskill

Over the weekend, POLITICMO decided to do a political experiment and ask both Missouri Senators Blunt and McCaskill a few of the same (or similar) questions and compare the answers side by side. To plainly see the contrasting views of these two Senators, look no further than the first question:

 Was the Obama administration’s announcement to release 30 million barrels of oil from the strategic oil reserve, coupled with 30 million from OPEC nations, a good step?

 McCaskill’s answer:

I think it is. One of the things that was great about it is it sends a message to speculators… and we’re trying to boost economic activity and getting gas prices down is part of it. It wasn’t a major release, but it was enough of a release to send a message.

 Blunt’s answer:

 No. It was a Fourth of July holiday step to try to get gas prices down in the short term. The strategic reserve is not designed for moments when the gas prices are heading down. The president would have a lot more impact on gas prices if he would have said we’re going to go after more American supply. We essentially have a moratorium in the Gulf and lots of other oil and gas that we’re keeping off limits at a time when we need to have more American energy of all kinds – not just oil and gas, but of all kinds.

It's clear who gave the more thoughtful answer. From McCaskill - all we get is a short term political games about sending 'messages', and from Blunt we get the long-term picture of American energy needs and a way to move forward.

Short-sightedness and pandering from the left; long-term analysis and realism from the right.

The more things “change” the more they stay the same.

EADS Like Ike

After losing to Vicki Hartzler in November following his seventeen terms in Congress, many assumed that former Rep. Ike Skelton would fade into the limelight… which is why this was surprising.

Ike Skelton was appointed to the EADS North America Board of Directors in April 2011. Globally, EADS is the parent company of some of the most recognized brands in the international aerospace and defense sector, including Airbus...

A major player among defense and military contractors, EADS is a European company most well-known to Americans for troubles with their Airbus-model airliners and for tussling with US-based Boeing over a DOD contract.

Hiring Ike Skelton, a career politician and the former Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, to sit on their North American Board of Directors is a superficial ploy to gain insight, intelligence, and access into the American Military establishment in order to have an “inside man” to shore up their chances of scoring defense contracts with the Department of Defense.

And while continuing to work at what he is passionate about would usually be lauded, the circumstances surrounding this situation has turned Ike Skelton into a glorified lobbyist, for a European company no less, and a turncoat to the people he represented by throwing his support behind (and drawing a paycheck from) an overseas contractor instead of an American one.

Much like he distastefully told Rep. Akin on the floor of the House, he has told American contractors and their thousands of employees to “stick it.” 

- B.H.

Claire McCaskill: Mincing Words

Claire's latest great argument:

“The increase in the debt ceiling is not to allow additional new spending,” McCaskill said. “The increase in the debt ceiling is to pay the bills we’ve already incurred.”

We have to raise the debt ceiling to pay off our debts? Isn't that circular?

 

Jay Nixon: Don Quixote of Job Creation

Missourians should be grateful to their fearless leader, Governor Jay Nixon, who has led Missouri into being one of the least competitive states for job creation. The finding, which shows us losing ground since last year - contrasts against Nixon's recent statements that Missouri is gaining momentum.

Quote of the Day

In a meeting of 14 mayors from across the country at the White House, President Obama gave Kansas City Mayor Sly James the opportunity to offer closing remarks. What did he say? 

            "I wanted to urge us to let no crisis go unused.”

For reference, Rahm Emanuel's famous quote:

            “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste.”

Nice.

Nixon the Meek

Never one to lead the charge, Gov. Jay Nixon broke the silence to veto a bipartisan voter ID bill. The remarkable thing isn't so much that he veto'd the bill (he had to, after all, placate his base) - it's how little he is doing on voter ID as well as issues like abortion and gun control.

Nixon hasn't gotten in front of any of these issues, leaving many of us (like the Post Dispatch) wondering whether he's going to offer token resistance or just fold completely. It's hard to imagine how his administration could get more toothless and ineffective than it has been in recent months.

From the Joplin Independent:

"It is disappointing that Jay Nixon vetoed a bill that passed with bipartisan support to protect the lawful vote of every Missourian and make it easier to vote prior to Election Day," said Lloyd Smith, executive director of the Missouri Republican Party. "Requiring a photo ID to vote is a common sense proposal that enjoys vast support across the state and nation..."

Top Missouri Republicans condemned the governor's action. State Sen. Bill Stouffer, R-Napton and one of the bill's sponsors, said he was "disappointed the governor rejected a bipartisan plan to make every vote count in Missouri. It is time for our election laws to enter the 21st century. My gut tells me he is thinking less secure elections will only benefit him next November."

Feigning leadership will get him nowhere, as is evinced by his Democratic approval rating, which at a statewide 60%. 

MO GOP Web Video: Jay Nixon's Missouri

Yael's Unprofessional Conduct Continues

Wrapping up an article about an independent investigation into sexual misconduct at the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, our favorite part time newspaper editor and full time political hack Yael Abouhalkah wrote:

Bottom line: Graves is the person in charge of making sure this isn’t another whitewash by the diocese… And if Graves calls for Finn to resign or at least be punished in some way, then we’ll have a better idea of whether this was really an “independent” investigation by Graves.

As a journalist you'd think that Yael would 'get' that the purpose of having an "independent" investigation by bringing in a non-Catholic is to avoid having a predetermined conclusion. Yael also miraculously fails to mention that the report will be made public, which will allow all the real journalists out there plenty of opportunities to give informed and well researched opinions.