McCaskill: Talent Out of Touch with Missourians

St. Louis Post-Dispatch
By Jo Mannies
Wednesday, Augus 31, 2005

HOUSTON, Mo. — Standing in front of her family's old feed mill in rural Missouri, State Auditor Claire McCaskill declared today that she is running for the U.S. Senate to bring "common sense and some kind of sanity to Washington, D.C."

McCaskill, a Democrat, contended that the incumbent Republican, Jim Talent, has a long history of being too closely tied to lobbyists, oil companies and other insiders and too distant from average Missourians like those who live in her hometown of rural Houston.

"Washington has lost it .... They've lost good, old-fashioned Missouri common sense," McCaskill said. She said that is the only way she could explain why Talent and the Republicans who control the government have ignored skyrocketing oil prices, the loss of health care coverage, disappearing jobs and the need for an exit plan from the war in Iraq.

McCaskill, who has been state auditor since 1999, was joined by her husband and children and a few other relatives for her announcement. Her campaign said she had intentionally made it a low-key event, without politicians and crowds of supporters.

The state Republican party already has attacked McCaskill as a politician who lacks Washington experience and is running simply because she narrowly lost her bid for governor last fall to Republican Matt Blunt.

Responded McCaskill: "I think it is a very good thing that I don't have experience in Washington.... I will come with independence and a fresh perspective."

She said Talent had failed to use his experience of more than a decade in Congress to aid Missouri. She contended that he has stood silently by while tens of thousands of Missourians face Medicaid cuts imposed by state Republicans. But she noted that the result is sending hundreds of millions of dollars in federal matching funds "back to Washington to be used in other states."

She also said Talent had done little to block the base-closing commission's decision last week to move 3,000 military-related jobs out of the state, most of them from the St. Louis area.

McCaskill said she would be more aggressive. " I think we've had all the Washington experience we can handle," she said.

No other Democrats are expected to run, but if anyone else enters the race, a primary would be held in August 2006. No Republicans are expected to challenge Talent.

A spokesman for Talent said the senator was focused on his official duties but declined to comment further.

I lobbied strongly against her in the gubernatorial election and will do the same in the senate race. She is and has been a staunch opponent of gun rights in Missouri, and voted no on the concealed carry law every time.

She has changed her position, I believe, on gun control. I too have changed my own position; this occurred over a year ago.

I'm with you, Stephen, for the most part on the gun issue now.

I need to contact Claire and get a firm statement on her position. We need to know exactly what it is. I meant to do this last week but other matters are taking up most of my time.

I also need to get a firm statement on the abortion issue from her.

I was born in Missouri. Yep. She sounds like the genuine thing,der Stephen.....

You Go, Girl!

Stephen, if I remember correctly, Claire stated that she would NOT attempt to eliminate concealed carry if elected Governor. This is why she was heavily endorsed by some local businesses. If I remember correctly.

Stephen,

I know your passion for the 2nd Amendment, but there are other issues. You would dismiss her candidacy in spite of her desire for improved health care, pollution enforcement, equal rights, and all of the other important pocketbook, day-to-day issues she endorses? I've heard of Republikans refusing to vote for pro-choice Republikans, but I thought those of us who considered ourselves progressives- and libertarians- had a broader point of view than the ignorant opposition.

Your point is well taken Winston, but these legislators have to know and be taught that no matter how we might like their stance on other issues, this constitutional issue is the litmus test. Not one Missouri Democrat that voted anti-gun won a statewide election last time around. Maybe they will get this point now... Leave my guns alone, and I might give you a whirl. Every Ahab has his Moby Dick.
And Momma!...This ain't Kalifornia...

Stephen, I haven't contacted Claire about this yet. It was on my schedule for Thursday but around noon my A/C went out and the rest of the day was spent getting it repaired. Friday was a day for conducting business away from home, so I won't know anything until next week.

Meantime, let me post something from Howard Dean. As Dem Party Chair, he has promoted state's rights as he travels throughout the country. He has indicated that the position any one state takes must be right for that state, although it may not be right for some other state.

Missourians are strong on the 2nd Amendment. It is important here. And as I said, I believe Claire's position has changed, as has mine. I voted against concealed carry too, but in light of more facts and after much thought, I would never do so again.

The gun issue may be off the table as far as the national Dem platform. I did a quick Google and found a list of Howie's positions. Maybe this will help until I get something from Claire. I'll contact the MO Dems office about it too when I can.




Now here's Howie:


Howard Dean on Gun Control
Different states need different gun laws. (Nov 2003)
Background checks for gun shows. (Nov 2003)
Endorsed by NRA eight times as VT governor. (Oct 2003)
Leading Dems distance themselves from divisive gun debate. (Oct 2003)
Supports assault weapons ban and Brady bill. (Apr 2003)
Get guns off the national radar screen: no new federal laws. (Nov 2002)
No more federal gun laws; leave them to states. (Nov 2002)

McCaskill Calls on Congress to Prevent “BTK” Killer from Being Buried Alongside America’s Heroes

Talent, Bond should support immediate closure of loophole that allows Dennis Rader and other murderers to be interred at national cemeteries, says McCaskill

http://www.claireonline.com/news/releases/092605release.asp

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, September 26, 2005

SAINT LOUIS — Claire McCaskill today called on Congress to take immediate action to prevent “BTK” killer Dennis Rader and other convicted felons from being buried alongside American heroes at Arlington National or any other national cemetery.

At issue is a loophole in the law which allows military veterans convicted of capital crimes — but eligible for parole — to receive full military honors and be buried in national cemeteries. Rader received an honorable discharge from the Air Force before he brutally murdered 10 people in the Wichita, Kansas, area. He was recently convicted of his crimes, but because he committed them prior to Kansas instituting the death penalty, he was sentenced to 10 consecutive life sentences. Even though he will likely be sentenced to a minimum of 175 years for his crimes, he will still technically be eligible for parole and, therefore, eligible for burial in a national cemetery such as Arlington National Cemetery in Washington. (KC Star, “A place of honor for BTK disputed”; 09/23/05)

“To think that a soulless, murdering animal like Dennis Rader could be placed in the same ground as the brave men and women who so bravely defended our way of life should offend the values of every American,” said McCaskill. “Common sense and common decency dictate that Congress take immediate action to ensure that the body of someone who committed such heinous acts will not be placed in the same hallowed earth as real American heroes.”

Senator Barbara Mikulski of Maryland has drafted legislation to rectify this problem, and Senator Larry Craig of Idaho, Chairman of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, has announced his intention to do the same.

“Senators Talent and Bond should support immediate passage of legislation closing this loophole so that the families of Missouri troops interred at national cemeteries will never have to worry that a criminal like Dennis Rader will be laid to rest next to their loved one,” said McCaskill.

Rolla Dems Optimistic about McCaskill

Rolla Daily News

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

http://www.claireonline.com/news/clips/083...ladailynews.asp

Phelps County Democrats think State Auditor Claire McCaskill has a good chance of unseating Sen. Jim Talent next year.

The Rolla residents joined other Democrats in Houston yesterday to support McCaskill as she announced her bid for the Senate.

"She's a caring person," said Lou McFarland, former Rolla mayor and former Phelps County public administrator. "She's going to take a serious look at things and how the issues affect the rural population. She knows what's needed out here. She's never lost contact with her rural roots."

McCaskill touted those rural roots as she stood in front of McCaskill and Son Mill in Houston.

"The political experts tell me to forget about places like Houston, that Houston has lost Democrats," McCaskill said. "I will never forget rural Missouri or any other part of the state. I don't care what the experts say."

McCaskill vowed to take independent thinking and "good old fashioned Missouri common sense" to Washington, D.C., if elected in 2006.

McCaskill, who lost her bid for the governor's seat last year to Matt Blunt, said she's heard concerns from Missourians over the past six months.

"They are worried and they have good reason," she said. "The gas pump keeps spinning and spinning and spinning and we feel the pain as it spins to places it has never been before."

McCaskill said Missourians are also concerned about plans to privatize Social Security and about cuts in health benefits.

"Missourians are disappointed and, frankly, they're downright mad about the way the disabled, handicapped and special needs children are being kicked to the curb with the Medicaid cuts, while Talent sits by as we send $700 million in Missouri Medicaid dollars back to D.C. to be spent in other states," she said. "It doesn't make sense."

Following her speech, Rolla Democrats expressed optimism about McCaskill's chances of winning, despite the fact that she lost both Phelps and Texas counties in her bid for governor.

"It is possible if we help people realize where their best interests are," Gloria Tefft said. "A lot of things have happened when one party has all the levels. They're responsible for everything that happens. A lot of people are very disenchanted."

McFarland pointed to the Medicaid cuts, which she said could sway independent voters.

As public administrator, McFarland said she worked with the people who are now being cut off Medicaid. She said the cuts will force people into nursing homes. Some of these individuals can't get jobs because of their physical or mental disabilities, McFarland said.

Duane Rogers said McCaskill has a good chance to defeat Talent.

"There's a person there, but it's not an incumbent," Rogers said. "He's not worth putting back in office. Every time he's opened his mouth, it's hurt us. Every time he's voted, he's hurt the common person."

Rogers said he's worried about the economy. Those who say it's getting better should "balance my checkbook every month," he said.

"Sen. Talent is focused on his official responsibilities as a United States Senator for Missouri," said Sen. Talent spokesman Rich Chrismer in a prepared statement following McCaskill's announcement. "He's working very hard with both Republicans and Democrats in the Senate on behalf of Missouri jobs, health care, law enforcement and our nation's security."

Republican Party consultant John Hancock told The Associated Press that Missouri voters already rejected McCaskill last year.

"Now she's gotten herself into a campaign with a candidate who's far more experienced, effective and far more in tune with the values of Missourians," Hancock said.

McCaskill said the fact that she does not have experience in Washington, D.C. gives her an edge over Talent.

"He's the Washington insider," she said. "And I'm proud to say I'm not."

From Columbia Daily Tribune
http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2005/se...0901comm001.asp


THE TRIBUNE'S VIEW
Claire McCaskill
The trek continues

By HENRY J. WATERS III, Publisher, Columbia Daily Tribune
Published Thursday, September 1, 2005

Though on paper one can make a better case for Claire McCaskill as governor than senator, she is doing the logical thing to run against incumbent Republican Jim Talent next year.

Aspiring politicians only have so much time. State Auditor McCaskill, a Democrat, short-circuited her trek upward by beating partisan colleague incumbent Gov. Bob Holden in his bid for re-election but then lost in the general election Republican tidal wave to current incumbent Matt Blunt. McCaskill ran better than any other losing Democrat in that election. She has political clout.

Even though she lost to Blunt, her timetable was not delayed by her entry against Holden. She is where she would have been had she not taken on Holden, and she has the benefit of having conducted an additional statewide campaign.

Somewhat the same reasoning applies now. Her political fortunes will not necessarily be damaged by a losing campaign against Talent, and she might win. After another four years of Republican dominance in Washington, the prospect of a switch to a Democrat in the Senate will appeal to many voters.

If she loses to Talent, she will be in good position to run against Gov. Blunt when he stands for re-election in 2008 and, if she loses then in another close one, to be the leading gubernatorial candidate from either party in 2012.

Her decision this year was whether to bypass the Senate race. In the end, a major factor in her decision to proceed was heavy pressure from the Democratic Party, both at state and national levels. The Democrats logically believe they can unseat Talent if they have a strong candidate. They desperately want to take back the Senate.

Claire McCaskill is their best prospect. She presents an appealing mixture of social and cultural moderation with hard-nosed economic, government-process instincts honed in state office, where she wrote a new book on performance-based auditing.

You can argue whether auditors should expand their role in this way. You can’t argue with the benefits brought to the state and its people because of her particular efforts.

Though in her bones she might prefer the governor’s office, the political calendar dictates she try for the Senate first. She will be a serious candidate who sincerely wants to win and, if successful, will do a good job. Given Jim Talent’s revelation as a consistent supporter of constricted Bush social policies, many Missourians will be ready for a change.

[ Latest News ]

www.claireonline.com/

Statement of Claire McCaskill

Re: Jim Talent’s Proposed Line-Item Veto Constitutional Amendment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, September 27, 2005

Saint Louis — United States Senate candidate Claire McCaskill issued the following statement regarding Senator Jim Talent’s proposal of a constitutional amendment granting the President line-item veto authority:

“I support a line item veto, as I believe it is necessary to address the out of control spending and tax giveaways to big oil companies that were supported by Jim Talent.

“Unfortunately for the working families in Missouri getting hit with $3-a-gallon gas prices, a line item veto cannot bring back the $14 billion in tax giveaways to companies like Exxon, Shell, and Amoco that Jim Talent helped push through Congress.

“Instead of putting Missouri’s working families first by stopping these ridiculous tax giveaways to profiteering oil companies, Jim Talent has made it clear that he feels he needs somebody to stop him before he gives the oil companies billions more.

“Only in Washington can those who spend hundreds of billions more than they take in and lavish it on those earning the greatest profit, turn around and advocate a solution to stop themselves from doing it again.

“ Missouri families are calling for leadership, common sense, and someone who will put their interests first. What they aren’t calling for is someone who requires a constitutional amendment to correct his own misguided priorities.”

About Claire

Claire McCaskill has spent all of her life in Missouri. She was born in Rolla and raised in Houston, Missouri, where her father William worked at the McCaskill & Sons feed mill. The family later moved to Lebanon, hometown of her mother, Betty.

Claire attended Hickman High School in Columbia, where her mother became Columbia’s first woman city council member. She remained in Columbia after high school and graduated from University of Missouri undergraduate and law school and later clerked for the Missouri Court of Appeals in Kansas City.

Claire served in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1983 to 1988 where she was a leader on criminal justice and education. A leading advocate for the creation of the Parents As Teachers program, she also increased sentences for repeat violent criminals and earned the Outstanding Legislator Award from the Missouri Association of Prosecuting Attorneys in 1987.

Claire was the first woman ever to be elected Jackson County Prosecutor. During her term, she put more criminals behind bars than any other Missouri prosecutor; established a special Domestic Violence Unit to combat domestic violence and child abuse; was recognized nationally as a leader in the war on meth; and created one of America’s first Drug Courts.

As State Auditor, Claire revolutionized her office, turning it into a determined watchdog over taxpayers' money. She made state government more accountable to the people it serves, uncovering millions of dollars in wasteful spending and exposing inefficient government practices. Her audits uncovered education dollars wasted on bureaucracy rather than properly spent on classroom learning, and advocated ways to save millions in the Medicaid program designed to reduce the cost of medicine for everyday Missourians.

Claire is married to Joseph Shepard, a St. Louis businessman. Together they have a blended family of seven children and one grandchild: Benjamin, 30, Carl, 27, Marilyn, 25, Michael, 23, Austin, 18, Maddie, 16, Lily, 13, and Victoria, 1.

Claire is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Jefferson City and St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church in St. Louis.

Stephen: I contacted Claire's office regarding the gun issue but I need to speak personally with the appropriate staffer. She is difficult to reach and so am I. I will keep you posted on our progress.

Roy Temple, who posted the comment below at firedupmissouri, is the former Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party and has been the campaign manager for Jean Carnahan and Bob Holden, if I'm not mistaken.
MC




http://www.firedupmissouri.com/node/2803#comment-2979



TALENT'S NOT HIS OWN MAN

Submitted by Roy Temple on Wed, 10/12/2005 - 10:39am. Jim Talent

To those who have followed Jim Talent's career, one thing has always been clear: He's not his own man.

Whether it's voting slavishly in support of Newt Gingrich's agenda, or stepping aside in the Speaker's race because Tom DeLay told him to, or being moved around like a chess piece by the Bush White House, or doing what the monied special interests tell him to do, his decisions and his vote have always been someone else's to make on his behalf.

Never has that been more obvious than it is in how Senator Talent has approached Bush's judicial nominations.

When Justice Sandra Day O'Connor retired, before Justice Roberts name had even been hinted at, Jim Talent rushed out and pledged his vote to President Bush.

Here's an excerpt from Talent's official statement:

We all wish President Bush wisdom as he makes the difficult decision in choosing her successor. I am going to look carefully at his nominee and my intent is to vote to confirm this individual provided they are honest, effective, a leader in the legal community...

After pledging his vote, sight unseen, Talent followed through and voted for Bush's ultimate nominee.

When the second vacancy arose, Talent again pledged his vote to the President. But then the right wing special interest groups started questioning Miers qualifications and credentials. Feeling the political pressure, Talent started to hedge. He told the Missourinet:

Missouri's junior U.S. Senator wants to learn more about the nominee before deciding whether to support her...

...Senator Jim Talent wants to know more about Miers, and will ask plenty of questions when she pays a visit to his Capitol Hill office. Talent says Miers must make it clear that as a justice she will be an umpire - not a rulemaker - and will not legislate from the Bench.

And no matter what Talent's handlers try to tell the Post Dispatch, he has clearly shifted his rhetoric away from blind support to Bush on Miers in response to pressure from conservative special interests. So he's taken his proxy from Bush and given it to the right wing of his party.

And he is shifting, purely for political purposes, as this KR story makes clear:

Democrats need a net gain of six seats to recapture control of the Senate - a task made easier if Bush alienates religious conservative voters who helped give him his margin of victory in 2004.

"That can hurt Republicans in very, very close races," said Tony Fabrizio, a Washington-based Republican pollster and political strategist. "If there is no enthusiasm, or if the backbone of the street organization feels disenfranchised or disillusioned, there is no reason for them to go out and do anything."

Such disillusionment could be especially problematic for Republican senators Rick Santorum in Pennsylvania, Jim Talent in Missouri and Mike DeWine in Ohio, seeking reelection in close races.

It's a shame that Missouri doesn't have a Senator who will make these decisions based on principle rather than being told what to do by the Bush White House, or the leadership, or some conservative special interest group.

Jim Talent's not his own man, and he's definitely not Missouri's man in Washington.

Hi Stephen, still nothing official on the gun issue or the abortion issue, so I guess we will both have to wait.

I believe Claire is pro life and takes the John Kerry position (abortions should be rare and should be safe; NO late-term abortions unless the life of the mother is at stake) but let's see what the official statement is. If I have misrepresented her position, I will submit to being flayed alive.

http://www.claireonline.com/news/releases/100605release.asp

McCaskill Calls on Talent to Honor Missouri’s Fallen Troops
Talent Should Introduce Legislation Allowing Governor Blunt to Fly Flags at Half Staff When Missouri Soldiers are Killed, says McCaskill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, October 6, 2005

St. Louis — In light of Governor Matt Blunt’s claim that a federal law justifies his unwillingness to honor fallen Missouri soldiers by ordering flags lowered to half staff when they are killed in battle, Claire McCaskill today called on Senator Jim Talent to propose legislation allowing Blunt and other governors to take such action.

“Today we learned that our governor refuses to honor fallen Missouri soldiers by ordering flags to half staff when one of them loses their life in service to our country. Other governors have taken this simple and meaningful step to honor our troops, but Governor Blunt has said his lawyers told him that federal law prevents him from doing so. Jim Talent should propose legislation allowing governors to take such action so that we can pay our troops and their families the respect they deserve,” said McCaskill.

According to an account in today’s St. Louis Post-Dispatch, several other governors, including the governors of Illinois, California, Michigan, New Mexico, New Jersey, Kentucky, Oregon, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Vermont and Pennsylvania issue such orders when soldiers from their states are killed. “But Jessica Robinson, Blunt's press secretary, said Wednesday that neither Blunt nor any other governor had the authority to make such an order,” even though she admitted that “there are not any penalty provisions,” for doing so. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 10/06/05)

“If Matt Blunt wants to use a federal law with no penalty as his reason for refusing to properly honor Missouri’s fallen soldiers, then Jim Talent ought to take action to deal with this problem. The fact that such a law exists is more proof that common sense has taken permanent vacation from Washington. But Jim Talent can show some common sense by introducing legislation immediately to allow Missouri’s heroes to get the respect they deserve,” said McCaskill.

McCaskill noted that while Talent and his colleagues in Washington have used the military as a backdrop for political purposes, they have failed to take necessary steps to actually protect the troops fighting overseas.

“We hear a lot of talk from politicians in Washington about honoring our troops, but we see very little action,” said McCaskill. “The lip service of Washington insiders means nothing if they aren’t willing to step up and pay respect to the military service of our troops.

“Jim Talent and his Republican colleagues didn’t honor our troops last night when they voted against helping veterans with their health care. And they don’t honor our troops fighting overseas when they refuse to provide them with adequate body armor and other vital protections. I don’t believe that we live in a country that says failing to protect our troops is an acceptable thing to do, and if elected to the Senate, I will introduce a Soldier’s Bill of Rights to make sure that the troops who defend our country and their families are paid the respect and honor they truly deserve.”

###

http://www.claireonline.com/news/releases/100505release.asp


Statement of Claire McCaskill
Re: SUPPORT FROM ORGANIZED LABOR

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, October 5, 2005

Saint Louis — In response to the strong show of support for her campaign voiced today by members of the St. Louis Labor Council, Building and Construction Trades, and the Change to Win Coalition, U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill issued the following statement:

At a time when pocketbook fairness and middle class values are under attack from out of touch Washington politicians, it is crucial that working men and women have a true advocate in the Senate, someone who will listen and give voice to their concerns. They do not have that advocate right now, but I want to change that, which is why it is both humbling and uplifting that the working men and women of organized labor have joined together today to express their support for my campaign.

Just a few weeks ago, I announced my candidacy, pledging to restore common sense to Washington. And there are few places where common sense has been more lacking than in the way Washington politicians like Jim Talent have treated working families. They throw billions in tax breaks at big businesses that are already making billions in profits but they oppose a minimum wage increase to help working men and women who are barely able to feed their own families. That defies common sense.

I was raised to believe that we are a country that values work. But I don’t believe that Washington politicians value our workers when they vote to pay them a wage that keeps them below the poverty line. And I don’t believe they value workers when they try to eliminate overtime pay and worker protections.

We need a change, and with the help of the working men and women here and all across the state, we will win this campaign and restore common sense and middle class values to Washington.

Jefferson City News Tribune - online edition
Posted: Monday, Oct 03, 2005 - 06:18:48 pm CDT

State auditor finds Medicaid could save on equipment, transportation
By The Associated Press

The state of Missouri could be paying less for medical equipment and transportation service for Medicaid patients, an audit released Monday finds.

The audit determined that two Medicaid services -- one providing medical equipment and the other nonemergency trips, such as to doctor's offices -- cost about $100 million from January 2003 through March 2004.

Of that, Medical Transportation Management Inc. received $44.1 million for arranging rides for Medicaid patients, making at least $19 million in gross profit, said the report by State Auditor Claire McCaskill.

Under its state contract, the Lake St. Louis-based company chooses the method of transportation. The audit said the company is paid much more when sending people by taxi or their own vehicle than on public transportation.

For example, the company was paid $2.80 if a person took public transportation but $34.90 if that person used a taxi. In another case, when a patient used his own vehicle, the company paid the person 15 cents a mile, or $3.60, for the trip, but the state paid the company $98.44 for administrative services.

The audit also found the Department of Social Services did not properly check up on the company to ensure billed trips were legitimate.

In a written response to the audit, the department said auditors' concerns would be considered as the Legislature's Medicaid Reform Commission develops recommendations to change the government health care program for the poor.

Last week, Attorney General Jay Nixon announced that Medical Transportation Management was paying $2.4 million to resolve a state investigation. Nixon said he had concerns about Medicaid fraud, contract problems and antitrust violations. The company denied doing anything wrong but said it was better to settle the case than to continue with costly litigation.

The state currently is reviewing bids and expects to award a new contract soon for the medical transportation service.

MTM is among the bidders for the new contract. The state earlier this year said it was canceling the company's current contract, but it has remained in place on a monthly basis while new bids were sought.

The audit said the new contract may not save the state much money because rates are based on high costs under the current system.

McCaskill planned to discuss the findings at a news conference later Monday.

The audit also said the federal government found other states could save money by seeking bids for medical equipment, and said Missouri could save about $5.4 million a year. The agency said it would review whether bids would be cost-effective.

The audit also found Missouri often paid more for the same equipment than surrounding states, and that the state at times used out-of-state vendors, against a law requiring agencies to give preference to Missouri businesses when in-state companies could have provided the same items.

On the Net:

Auditor: http://www.auditor.mo.gov

Medicaid Program: http://www.dss.mo.gov/dms/index.htm

Jefferson City News Tribune - online edition
www.newstribune.com
Posted: Thursday, Oct 13, 2005 - 05:26:10 am CDT

Audit suggests repeal of insurance tax credit
By DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press Writer

State Auditor Claire McCaskill suggested Wednesday that Missouri should consider eliminating a tax credit that helps insurance companies offset their costs of state reviews.

An audit by McCaskill's office said Missouri is one of just five states that allow insurance companies to receive tax credits for their state examination costs. For the 2003 and 2004 tax years, insurance companies claimed nearly $6 million of those tax credits, reducing by an equal sum the amount of money that went into the state's general revenues.

”In essence, the state's general revenue fund is paying a significant portion of the examination costs instead of charging all the costs to insurance companies as part of doing business in Missouri,“ McCaskill's audit said.

The audit recommended the Department of Insurance consider seeking legislation to reduce or eliminate the examination tax credit.

Department spokesman Matt Barton said the tax credits are part of an operational review already under way at the agency.

”We're looking at all the proposals that the state auditor has recommended, and in the end we're going to do what's best for the efficiency of the department and the taxpayers of the state,“ Barton said.

An insurance industry spokesman said McCaskill's suggestion was a poor one, and that Missourians would pay for state regulation of the industry one way or another.

”If we have to bear additional costs for examinations, then that's going to be built into the premiums we have to charge policyholders for auto, homeowners, etc.,“ said Calvin Call, executive director of the Missouri Insurance Coalition.

The Department of Insurance conducts two types of examinations of insurers. One assesses their financial stability while the other reviews their compliance with Missouri insurance laws.

Under state law, insurance companies are billed for the examination expenses, and also pay a 15 percent surcharge intended to help cover the supervision of examiners. But insurance companies can deduct their examination costs from their state taxes, which are based on the total amount of premiums they collect in the state. Those tax credits can be carried forward for five years.

Call said insurance companies should not have to bear the cost of state-imposed examinations. He said the tax credits should not be repealed unless the state comes up with a new way of funding the examinations.

On the Net:

Auditor: http://www.auditor.mo.gov

Insurance Department: http://www.insurance.mo.gov

Insurance Coalition: http://www.moinsurancecoalition.com

Jefferson City News Tribune - Online Edition
www.newstribune.com
Posted: Tuesday, Oct 04, 2005 - 02:56:58 pm CDT

Social Services doubts scope of bid process
By BOB WATSON
News Tribune

Missouri taxpayers would save money if the Social Services Department would seek competitive bids for Medicaid clients' durable medical equipment (DME) purchases, State Auditor Claire McCaskill said Monday.

But the state Social Services Department, which runs the program, said the benefits the auditor seeks aren't certain to happen.

The department's written response to the audit said the Division of Medical Services "will evaluate competitively bidding DME goods and services and will pursue this approach if a cost/benefit analysis indicates it is appropriate and cost effective."

But McCaskill told reporters Monday afternoon: "I've been doing this for 6 1/2 years, and I have yet to see an example where the state has gotten a better deal by not competitively bidding."

Social Services spokeswoman Deborah Scott said, "It's a relatively new and untested process, nationally.

"Only two states, as you saw in the report, have experience with this -- Florida and Texas -- and did so through a waiver from CMS."

CMS is the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

McCaskill told reporters: "Competitive bidding is the best friend of the taxpayer in government services. It is a process by which you are sure you are getting the best value out of taxpayers' dollars."

Scott said Social Services officials in the Blunt administration are studying the results from the Florida and Texas bids, as well as "the rates in other states" for medical equipment.

McCaskill's audit said bidding the equipment purchases could have saved Missouri taxpayers $5.4 million.

When comparing Missouri's equipment purchases with its eight neighboring states, McCaskill said, "We determined that, 41 percent of the time, we were the most expensive of the surrounding states."

As one example, she cited Missouri's $2,440 allowable reimbursement rate "for one prosthetic device," when four of the eight neighboring states "allowed only $1,830 for the same device."

McCaskill said: "Every dollar we save in the purchase of medical equipment is, potentially, another person who can avail themselves of very needed help from the government for this kind of equipment."

Although her audit covered a 15-month period during former Gov. Bob Holden's administration, McCaskill several times pointed to this year's cuts to Medicaid services made by lawmakers and signed by Blunt.

Scott said: "It's not new news.

"These are things that the department was already aware of and was already working on, aggressively, since January when the new administration came in."

bwatson@newstribune.com

www.firedupmissouri.com

McCASKILL RAISES $680,000 IN A SINGLE MONTH

Submitted by Roy Temple on Fri, 10/14/2005 - 4:20pm.

According to a campaign press release, in one month, Claire McCaskill has raised over $680,000 for her U.S. Senate bid against Jim Talent.

"This strong level of support for my campaign tells me that Missourians are looking for a change," said McCaskill. "They are tired of Senators who spend their time looking out for Washington insiders rather than working on behalf of the people here at home. They have seen enough carping and cronyism, and not enough common sense.

"I am very pleased that so many people are hearing my call for change and supporting my campaign. But this is just the beginning, and there is much more work to do. We will be outspent by Jim Talent and the Washington insiders who want to keep him in office, but with the continued support of people who want to bring some sanity to Washington, we will have the resources we need to run a victorious campaign."

Just this week, the Republican Senate Campaign Committee was touting Mike McGavick of Washington State as one of their top recruits. McGavick, like McCaskill, is taking on an incumbent Senator. In a full quarter of fundraising, McGavick, CEO of Safeco Insurance, only raised $710,000.

www.firedupmissouri.com

TALENT WON'T FIGHT FOR MISSOURI JOBS; FEARS "LOOKING WEAK" IF HE LOSES

Submitted on Tue, 10/18/2005 - 8:27pm.


Jim Talent has announced that he won't even try to challenge the elimination of 2,000+ defense department jobs in Missouri.

His stunningly pathetic excuse: he fears looking "weak" if he loses the fight.

By way of the Associated Press, here is his explanation for why he would rather run than fight:

"Sen. Talent believes if you try something knowing you won't get many votes it tends to weaken your position."

To most Missourians, particularly those about to lose their jobs, not fighting looks... pretty damn weak.

But to understand Talent's position, you have to understand who he primps for. It's not the people of Missouri; it's the Washington lobbyists and insiders who don't want their boat rocked. He's their man, not ours.

In 2006, Missourians will get to decide if they would rather have Claire McCaskill fighting or Jim Talent cowering.

###


TALENT AND BUSH HAVE THE SAME THOUGHTS

Submitted on Wed, 10/19/2005 - 7:28am.

Recently after the hurricanes raked the gulf coast, our fine president made it so that prevailing wages were waved and the rebuilding now is being done for next to nothing by people who need those wages the most. It's a complete disgrace. Talent? The elimination of 2000+ jobs in defense is also a disgrace. Just look to the Delphi Corporation for an example...rather than pay union wages to their workers, they've filed for bankruptcy and will be operating out of their offices overseas. Now with countless auto workers facing the same demise. What a crock. Shame, shame, shame.

###

www.firedupmissouri.com

THE REAL REASON TALENT WON'T STAND UP TO THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION ON B R A C

Submitted by ROY TEMPLE on Wed, 10/19/2005 - 8:19am.

I guess we now know the real reason Senator Jim Talent won't stand up to the Bush administration on BRAC.

According to NBC's First Read, Vice President Dick Cheney's fundraiser for Talent that was cancelled in the aftermath of Katrina has been rescheduled for Friday in St. Louis.

The White House has announced that Vice President Cheney will do a fundraiser for GOP Sen. Jim Talent in St. Louis on Friday.

I don't suppose Talent could very well have been leading the charge in the Congress to overturn the administration's plans to decimate jobs in Missouri, and then have turned around and asked Cheney to come to help raise money. Once again, Talent wasn't strong enough to stand up to the Bush Team, and instead opted for his self-interest over the interests of Missourians.

We'll see if Cheney still comes on Friday, even if his entire staff gets indicted for undermining our national security, merely to get even with political opponents.

###


AHEM.

Submitted by [name deleted by MC] on Wed, 10/19/2005 - 9:54am.

I think you might mean "Dick Cheney's fundraiser for Jim Talent that was cancelled in the aftermath of Cheney's knee surgery, but for which Katrina was used as a pretext."

Anyway, as Roy suggests, the fact remains that Talent willingly plays the battered spouse to the chronic abusers in the Bush-Cheney Administration.

Can't you just see Little Jim saying, "I know they slapped me around and took bunch of Missouri's jobs right from under my nose while I cooked their meals and carried their water, but I won't fight back because I know deep down that they love me..."

It's sad, and Missouri pays the price.

###

http://www.firedupmissouri.com/blog/2

ABRAMOFF SCANDAL ENGULFS BOND-TALENT

By ROY TEMPLE
Created 10/19/2005 - 10:09am

In 2001 and 2002, Senator Kit Bond’s top legislative priority was the passage of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA), and his top political priority was trying to get Jim Talent elected to the United States Senate.

In the spring of 2002, Kit Bond used a shadowy fundraising committee, called the Missouri Millennium Fund [1], to pursue both goals simultaneously.

Yesterday, the Washington Post reported [2] that the Justice Department is looking into the activities of Congressman Robert Ney (R-Ohio). Ney was the lead sponsor of HAVA in the House and Bond was the lead Republican in the Senate.

According to the WaPo story, in the spring of 2002, Ney began working to insert language into HAVA to benefit the Indian gaming clients of GOP super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

Soon after, in March 2002, Ney agreed to sponsor legislation that would benefit the Tigua tribe of El Paso, an Abramoff and Scanlon client. They wanted Ney's help to reopen the Tiguas's casino, which the state of Texas had shut down.

"Just met with Ney!!! We're f'ing gold!!!! He's going to do Tigua," Abramoff told Scanlon in a March 20, 2002, e-mail.

Six days later, Abramoff directed tribal officials to make three contributions totaling $32,000 to Ney's campaign and political action committees.

You will note that the price for Ney’s efforts to modify HAVA to benefit Abramoff was a little over $30,000.

The MMF was described in the Columbia Daily Tribune [3] by one board member as “a political action committee created by Bond to raise money for GOP candidates in Missouri.” In 2002, the Missouri Republican Party was spending its time and money trying to get Jim Talent elected to the United States Senate.

In the spring and summer of 2002, Bond, via MMF, raised $30,000 from Indian gaming clients of Jack Abramoff, just as Abramoff was lobbying to get provisions benefiting his client in the legislation that Bond has stated repeatedly was his single biggest priority.

Here are the contributions:

2nd Quarter 2002 MMF

* Coushatta Tribe of LA $ 5,000

* Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo $10,000

* Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe $ 5,000

Falll 2002 MMF

* Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians $10,000

During each of the reporting periods listed, the amounts contributed by Bond, via MMF, to the MO Republican Party was at least as much as the amounts received from Abramoff clients.

It looks to me like Senators Bond and Talent have some explaining to do, and they might very well get the chance in front of a grand jury.

Source URL:
http://www.firedupmissouri.com/bond_and_abramoff

Links:
[1] http://forms.irs.gov/politicalOrgsSearch/s...n.action?pacId=
[2] http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...1701918_pf.html
[3] http://archive.columbiatribune.com/2005/ju...0602news006.asp

www.montereyherald.com
"Monterey County's Home Page"

Posted on Wed, Oct. 12, 2005


McCASKILL WON'T SPEND HER OWN MONEY IN SENATE RACE


SAM HANANEL
Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Missouri State Auditor Claire McCaskill doesn't plan to spend any of her own money in her campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Jim Talent.

McCaskill, who spent $1.6 million in personal funds during her unsuccessful bid for governor last year, made the disclosure last month in documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Her campaign spokesman, Tony Wyche, confirmed Wednesday that McCaskill plans to rely on donors to raise all the funds needed to compete with Talent.

"She expects to receive a lot of support from people across Missouri who are looking for change in Washington," Wyche said.

While the FEC declaration does not prevent McCaskill from later changing her mind, Wyche said that prospect is unlikely.

During the Democratic primary for governor last year, McCaskill loaned her campaign more than $1.6 million, a debt still listed on her most recent campaign finance reports. After she defeated incumbent Gov. Bob Holden in the primary, an influx of money from supporters kept her from having to spend any more of her own funds for the general election.

In all, McCaskill raised $11.6 million, including the personal loan, in her campaign for governor. Matt Blunt, who won the Nov. 2 election with 51 percent of the vote, raised nearly $9.2 million and spent a little over $9 million during his primary and general election campaign.

It was the most expensive gubernatorial race in Missouri history.

John Hancock, spokesman for the Missouri Republican Party, said he wanted to know how McCaskill planned to pay off the debt from her last campaign, and whether national Democratic officials made any commitments to help her.

"Ultimately, this campaign is not going to come down to money," Hancock said. "It's going to come down to Jim Talent's outstanding performance representing the values and policy preferences of Missourians."

Hancock said Talent also does not plan to spend any of his own money in the race.

Wyche said the Democrats had made no offer to retire McCaskill's debt. He also said Wednesday it's too early to predict what kind of money McCaskill would raise this time. An early sign of her fund-raising abilities will be on display later this week, when she files her first quarterly financial report as a Senate candidate.

Talent already has a formidable lead in the money race. The incumbent reported having $3.4 million in cash on hand over the summer, and that amount is expected to jump when Talent files his report this week.

(Note from me, MC: I am going to HURL....)

www.kansascity.com
Posted on Fri, Oct. 21, 2005

CHENEY SPEAKS AT JIM TALENT FUNDRAISER


CHRISTOPHER LEONARD

Associated Press

FRONTENAC, Mo. - Vice President Dick Cheney told a group of Republican donors Friday that Missouri Republican Jim Talent could help the Bush administration cement its legacy if he is re-elected to the U.S. Senate in November.

Cheney spoke at a fundraising dinner that garnered at least $375,000 for Talent's 2006 Senate campaign, according to organizers. Attendees paid $1,000 a plate to hear Cheney speak along with Missouri Republicans like Talent and Sen. Kit Bond.

The Bush administration plans to cut taxes and reduce spending in coming years, Cheney said, adding that temporary tax cuts passed in 2001 helped boost an economy that has added 4 million jobs since 2003.

"We'll work to make tax cuts permanent," Cheney said.

Cheney's appearance gave a financial boost to Talent's campaign, which has already raised at least $3.9 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That gives Talent a wide lead over Democrat Claire McCaskill, who announced her candidacy in August. McCaskill, who is Missouri State Auditor, has raised roughly $700,000, according to her campaign.

Cheney spent the majority of his half-hour speech discussing terrorism. He said Islamic militants want to take over Iraq and use it as a base of operations to overthrow neighboring countries and establish a radical Islamic state.

Cheney said if the U.S. withdraws troops from Iraq now, it would repeat mistakes made by the Clinton administration, which pulled out of Somalia after nearly two dozen soldiers were killed there.

A retreat would embolden al-Qaida and "would put us back to an old pattern," Cheney said. The U.S. government has thwarted three planned terrorist attacks on its soil, he added.

One person who attended, Leonard Toenjes, said he expected Cheney to spend more time discussing domestic issues.

There was "not much economic talk, but I think it was interesting to see the war on terrorism in a broader view," said Toenjes, president of the Associated General Contractors of St. Louis.

Cheney touched on the nomination of Harriet Meirs to the U.S. Supreme Court. He applauded the fact that Meirs has never been a judge but is a successful attorney.

"She has the further advantage of coming from outside the judicial cloister," he said.

Cheney was originally scheduled to speak with Talent at a fundraiser in September. The event was canceled because of Hurricane Katrina.

Hours before Cheney arrived at Friday's dinner, Missouri Democrats lambasted him because of his links to Halliburton Co., which McCaskill's campaign called a "war profiteer" because of no-bid contracts the firm was granted for reconstruction in Iraq.

"Halliburton represents everything that's wrong in Washington today," said Jack Cardetti, a spokesman for the Missouri Democratic Party.

About 40 or 50 people protested outside the fundraiser because they want Missouri politicians to give more money to health care programs like Medicaid, said organizer Margarida Jorje. The Emergency Campaign for America's Priorities wants to reduce tax cuts and use the extra revenue for social services, Jorje said.

Dinner guests didn't seem bothered by protesters or Cheney's ties with big corporations. The vice president remains a draw for local Republicans because of his stature in Washington, said dinner attendee Leslie Farr.

"I think he's very popular with Republicans," Farr said. "When your party's in leadership, your leaders are very popular."

www.newstribune.com
Online Edition of the Jefferson City News Tribune

Posted: Friday, Oct 28, 2005 - 04:56:00 am CDT

AUDIT SAYS ADOPTION PROGRAM LEAVES CHILDREN IN LURCH

By KELLY WIESE
Associated Press Writer

A state audit released Thursday faults Missouri's adoption program for taking too long to get children into permanent homes.

The audit found the number of children who are adopted has been falling for the last three fiscal years. It said the state isn't moving quickly enough to end parental rights and get children in line for adoption.

But Department of Social Services Director Gary Sherman said Missouri saw a spike in adoptions a few years ago as it cleared out a backlog of cases in response to a federal law and numbers have now come back down.

For all children adopted in fiscal 2004, the average time in state custody was about 32 months, while the national standard is 24 months, the audit said. Still, the percentage of adoptions finished within 24 months exceeded the national standard of 32 percent, it said.

Auditors reviewed 60 cases in which children had been in state custody from more than 15 of the last 22 months in fiscal 2003 and 2004. They found delays in ending parental rights were the result of the court system; mental or behavioral issues with the child; or involvement of biological parents or other relatives. Such delays frustrated potential adoptive parents, the audit said.

“The state is not doing their job in terms of providing permanency to children,” State Auditor Claire McCaskill said.

The department, which oversees the adoption program, said court filing procedures for ending parental rights vary across the state but that it would work with courts and its staff to move the process along.

McCaskill said court administrators need to encourage a more uniform process and timeline statewide for moving to end parents' rights.

Sherman said the adoption program's past problems are being addressed.

“Obviously there were issues there,” he said. “We think we've addressed many of those issues.”

The audit also found that in many cases, the process to end parental rights had been completed, but computer files were not updated. For others, the computer system did not always show whether the goal for a child was adoption. The errors left workers not knowing that some children were ready to be adopted.

The agency said it was revamping its computer system, which should cut down on errors, and said the new system should be fully running in February 2007.

McCaskill said auditors have found problems with the system before and the agency has claimed for years that it was working on improvements.

Auditors also said a survey of adoptive parents could help the state improve its program and get more children into adoptive homes.

On the Net:

Missouri auditor's office: http://www.auditor.state.mo.us/saohome.htm

Missouri Department of Social Services: http://www.dss.mo.gov

www.firedupmissouri.com

"MAYBE HE SHOULD CALL SENATOR TALENT AND HIS DAD INSTEAD"

Submitted by Roy Temple on Tue, 11/01/2005 - 5:21pm.

GOVERNMENT FOR SALE

Governor Blunt has issued a press release in which he claims he has called on Big Oil to direct a portion of their profits to offset the cost of home heating this winter.

This press release follows Fired Up! criticism this morning of the Matt and Andy Blunt Utility Surcharges (MABUS) that Missourians face this winter.

Perhaps, instead of issuing a press release, Governor Blunt should have just called his father and Senator Jim Talent. Both are practically on the payroll of Big Oil. In fact, several of Roy Blunt's former staffers literally are.

If Big Oil merely contributed the amount they have given to Senator Talent and to Roy Blunt's campaign coffers, several dozen Missourians could breathe easier this winter.

(I received this in an e-mail yesterday, and on we go to V I C T O R Y ....)


McCASKILL CAMPAIGN IS ON THE MOVE!


* 2 national publications upgrade the campaign after Claire’s announcement
* 3 polls show race a dead heat
* Claire outpaces Jim Talent in first month of fund-raising
* Campaign opens new HQ



The McCaskill for Senate campaign is on the move – in more ways than one. Having just announced her candidacy two months ago, Claire has already begun building momentum and an infrastructure that is causing political observers and Missouri voters to take notice:

NATIONALLY RESPECTED POLITICAL HANDICAPPER STUART ROTHENBERG UPGRADES MISSOURI SENATE RACE.

In the wake of Claire’s announcement, nationally respected political handicapper Stuart Rothenberg upgraded the Senate race in Missouri. Noting that “Republicans must take her challenge seriously,” Rothenberg shifted the campaign into a more competitive category in his latest rankings and called Jim Talent “more vulnerable” now that Claire is his opponent. [Rothenberg Political Report, October 21, 2005]

NATIONAL JOURNAL MOVES MISSOURI SENATE RACE UP 8 SPOTS IN ITS RANKINGS.

A race that had been in the middle of the pack in National Journal’s Senate race ratings immediately shot to the top tier of its list when Claire McCaskill announced her candidacy, as the publication moved the race from number 13 to number 5 in its most recent campaign rankings. “If there ever was a race that we expected to be 45-45 between now and next year, it’s this one,” writes National Journal political writer Chuck Todd. He added, “The state leans slightly Republican, but with the breeze and her own following, Democrat Claire McCaskill will be in this until the end.” [National Journal, October 5, 2005]

POLLS SHOW RACE ALREADY A DEAD HEAT.

Three polls have already shown Claire tied with Jim Talent and Talent under 50% -- always a dangerous place for an incumbent.

* A Harstad Research poll showed the race tied 43%-43%. [Harstad Research, April 2005]
* A Rasmussen Reports poll showed the race even at 46%-46%. [September 2005]
* And a Zogby Interactive poll showed the race at 47.8% for Talent with Claire garnering 46.8%. [September 2005]

McCASKILL OUTPACES TALENT IN FUNDRAISING; TALENT'S SPECIAL INTEREST SUPPORTERS TAKE NOTICE.

Missourians showed their strong support for change in Washington by contributing over $680,000 to Claire’s campaign in its first month of existence. Jim Talent averaged $335,000 per month during the same fund-raising period – a clear sign that Claire’s campaign is off to a great start. But Claire’s strong showing means the special interests and Washington insiders who want to keep Jim Talent where he is will pull out all the stops to defeat Claire. Both President Bush and Dick Cheney have already held fund-raisers for Talent and big oil and gas companies are pumping tens of thousands of dollars into Talent’s campaign. [Federal Elections Commission 3rd Quarter Reports]

In order to remain competitive with Talent's deep pocketed special interests and Washington insiders, Claire needs your support today. Your online contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more will make a strong statement that Missourians like you are standing with Claire!

CAMPAIGN OPENS NEW HEADQUARTERS.

Claire’s campaign has moved into its permanent headquarters, located at 9144 Overland Plaza. The staff is still getting the space set up, but we would love volunteers to help with everything from mailings to phone calls. If you are interested, please contact Lilly at 314-918-8683 or e-mail lilly@claireonline.com.

From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

MISSOURI'S INITIATIVE IS SPLITTING STATE'S GOP
By Jo Mannies
Post-Dispatch Political Correspondent
10/15/2005

Stem cell research is once again driving a wedge within Missouri’s Republican Party, pitting business interests who bankroll its campaigns against the social conservatives who help pack the polls.

Some fear that the dispute could spill over into some of the GOP’s key contests on the November 2006 ballot — especially the re-election bid of U.S. Sen. Jim Talent, R-Mo.

The concern is that the Republican Party’s infighting could repel its voters or donors. "If you split our base, what does that do to you in a tough election year?" asked state Rep. Jim Lembke, R-south St. Louis County. "This could get messy."

Lembke is an opponent of the initiative petition, announced last week, to protect most forms of stem cell research.

Two of the state’s most prominent Republicans — Gov. Matt Blunt and former Sen. John C. Danforth — support the initiative. So do many of the GOP’s most influential business donors, such as Clayton businessman Sam Fox.

Among the opponents are the state’s anti-abortion groups, including the Missouri Catholic Conference and Missouri Right to Life, who campaign, canvass or educate about like-minded candidates, many of them Republicans.

"I think anything that divides or alienates the Republican Party from its pro-life base is going to impact the party’s ticket at all levels," said Right to Life president Pam Fichter.

Talent is in the toughest position, initiative opponents say, because he is a co-sponsor of federal legislation that would ban various forms of embryonic stem cell research that the initiative seeks to protect.

Anti-abortion groups, who long have been among his core supporters, say he must oppose the initiative or lose their support.

"That’s what we expect of him," said Sam Lee, head of Campaign Life Missouri, an anti-abortion lobbying group. "We expect him to be a leader."

But anti-abortion activists fear that Talent may choose to side with Fox and other business allies instead.

Fox said Friday that he is indeed donating a lot of money to the initiative effort. But he added that he also will continue to support Talent, despite their differences over some forms of stem cell research.

"There’s no reason to expect unanimity on all issues," Fox said, adding that he thought Talent was "doing a wonderful job in Washington."

Talent spokesman Rich Chrismer has said the senator is closely following the debate over various forms of stem cell research, but has no plans to drop his support for the federal measure.

As for the initiative, Chrismer said in a statement, "Like all Missourians, (Talent) is going to take a close look at it and decide whether it strikes the right balance between the importance of life-saving medical research and the importance of respecting the dignity of human life at all stages."

Talent’s Democratic rival — state Auditor Claire McCaskill — is underscoring her general support for stem cell research, although a spokesman added that she still needs to study the initiative before taking an official position.

"Claire McCaskill strongly supports research into lifesaving cures and would never support criminalizing it," said spokesman Tony Wyche.

State Democratic Party spokesman Jack Cardetti used virtually the same words in laying out his party’s position. He also noted that passage of Talent’s federal measure would nullify the state initiative.

Meanwhile, Republican Party spokesman John Hancock and Fox offered similar assessments of why they thought the initiative would have no impact on candidates at the polls.

Both said the proposal would ease the pressure on candidates of either party because it would leave the decision up to voters.

Donn Rubin, chairman of the group heading up the stem cell effort — the Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures — sought to make the same point.

"Our mission is nonpartisan," Rubin said. "There’s no reason to believe that this measure should have any effect on candidates."

Battle brewing

In about a month, the pro-stem cell coalition plans to begin collecting the necessary signatures from registered voters needed to put the measure on the November 2006 ballot. The minimum number needed will be 139,181.

If approved by voters, the initiative would amend the state constitution to protect all stem cell research, therapy and cures that are legal under federal law.

The proposed constitutional amendment also bans human cloning, and prevents stem cells from being harvested more than 14 days after cell division.

A key point of contention for abortion opponents is a provision that would allow research on leftover embryos from in vitro fertilization, with the approval of the embryo donors.

Fichter with Right to Life says Blunt has promised to block such research.

Blunt spokesman Spence Jackson replied, "He is opposed to that provision. But he believes that this petition, overall, is the best solution to banning human cloning while protecting responsible research, that’s been put forward thus far."

Lee, among other initiative opponents, suggests that Blunt consider putting the stem cell measure on the August 2006 ballot, since he controls when any initiative goes before voters.

Since voter turnout would be lower than in November, stem cell opponents say that they may have a better chance in August of defeating the initiative. Their selling point to the Republican Party is that such a move also would eliminate any link with Talent’s race for the Senate in November.

Blunt spokesman Jackson said it was way too early to discuss such matters, especially when the signatures have yet to be collected.

Jackson said that Blunt recognized the potential political fallout. But he added, "Governor Blunt makes decisions on what he thinks is in the best interest of the state. Politics is secondary."

jmannies@post-dispatch.com | 314-340-8334

www.claireonline.com

McCASKILL URGES TALENT TO GIVE MISSOURI SENIORS MORE TIME TO SIGN UP FOR COMPLICATED NEW MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG PLAN

Don’t let them get lost in “web of confusion,” says McCaskill

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, November 16, 2005

St. Louis — Claire McCaskill, candidate for United States Senate, today called on Jim Talent to support legislation granting more time for Missouri seniors to sign up for the complicated Medicare prescription drug plan that took effect yesterday.

“I have heard from countless seniors across our state who have told me that they are confused by the complicated nature of this new plan,” said McCaskill. “There are over 40 plans they have to sort through, and each of those plans has a different cost and benefit structure.

“Because so many seniors depend on prescription drugs, it is the right thing to do to grant them more time so they sign up for the plan that best suits their needs and don’t get lost in the web of confusion created by this new program.”

Missouri has 884,450 Medicare beneficiaries who could begin enrolling in Medicare drug plans yesterday, November 15, but few have been able to figure out how to make the right choices in the poorly designed new program. Yet time for Missouri’s seniors is running out — if they fail to make the “right” decision by next May, they will face tough penalties for late enrollment.

Emblematic of the problems created by the new program is the fact that the main tool provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is an internet “Plan Finder” accessible on their web site. But according to studies, 76% of seniors have never been online and only 6% of seniors have visited the site.

“All of this confusion and complexity could have been avoided from the start if the Republicans had not given in to the pressure of the drug lobby and enacted this confusing plan, but it is not too late to make the drug program work for Missouri’s seniors and disabled,” added McCaskill. “So I am urging Senator Talent to support a bill sponsored by Senator Bill Nelson of Florida to give our seniors more time to make sense of the confusion and make informed choices without penalty.”

Thousands of Missouri Seniors Are Confused About New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit. Starting today, 884,450 million Missouri Medicare beneficiaries will start signing up for Medicare’s new prescription drug benefit, and the majority of these seniors are confused by the complicated choices they have to make. [Kaiser Family Foundation, State Health Facts, Data as of 7/1/03; The New York Times, 11/13/05]

* Only One in Three Seniors Understand the New Drug Benefit. In a survey issued this week by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, only 35% of people 65 and older said they understood the new drug benefit. The New York Times, 11/13/05]

* Three in Four Seniors Have Never Been Online, So They Can’t Use the Government’s “Best” Resource. Because 76% of seniors have never been online, they are unlikely to make use of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) “Plan Finder,” an Internet tool to help people sort through an array of confusing choices. As a result, only 6% of seniors have visited the site. [Families USA, 11/15/05; Kaiser Family Foundation, 11/10/05]

* Missouri’s Seniors Have to Decide Between At Least 41 Plans! Those seniors who do use the internet find nothing but a confusing and complicated tool in the so-called “Plan Finder.” According to the www.medicare.gov website for seniors, Missouri’s Medicare beneficiaries have at least 41 drug benefit plans to choose from, charging a wide variety of premiums and offering vastly different benefit structures. [www.Medicare.gov]

* To Make Matters Worse, Missouri Beneficiaries Face Stiff Penalties if They Miss Enrollment Deadline. Missouri seniors who fail to make the difficult choice of prescription drug plans by next May will pay substantially higher premiums if they later decide to join the program.


Senator Bill Nelson’s proposed “Medicare Informed Choice Act” (S. 1841) would give seniors more time to enroll by extending the deadline from May 15, 2006 to the end of 2006. It would also allow seniors to avoid late fees during 2006 and would give seniors the option of correcting initial mistakes in enrollment during the first year of implementation. Under the current law, seniors who don’t sign up by May will pay substantially higher premiums if they later decide to join the program.

www.missouridems.org

Talent Casts Deciding Vote to Cut Medicaid, Student Loans, and Child Support Enforcement

Same bill provides Rx drug companies and HMOs with billions in subsidies

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Jefferson City – In one of the more important votes of his term in the Senate, Jim Talent today cast the deciding vote in favor of a bill that will cut $7 billion from Medicaid, $12.7 billion in student loan programs, and $1.5 billion from child support enforcement programs.

Highlighting the magnitude of the legislation – the Budget Reconciliation Measure (S 1932) – is the fact that it passed on a rare 51-50 vote. This means that 5 Republicans actually had the strength to stand up to their party leadership and oppose the bill. It also means that Jim Talent didn’t, and that his vote forced the 50-50 tie that Vice President Dick Cheney had to travel back from the Middle East to break.

“At a time when Missouri’s working poor are losing their health care, when parents are being forced to take out second mortgages in order to pay for the children’s college tuition, and when mothers are trying to put food on the table for their kids, Jim Talent just joined with Dick Cheney to cast the deciding votes to cut funding for Medicaid, student loans, and for programs that crack down on deadbeat dads,” said Jack Cardetti, spokesman for the Missouri Democratic Party. “This same bill lets drug companies and HMOs continue to receive billions in taxpayer subsidies at the expense of seniors, students, and the working poor.”

According to budget experts, the bill — which also made cuts to Medicare, farm and conservation programs, and other programs — would barely dent the federal deficit, cutting less than one-half of 1 percent from an estimated $14.3 trillion in federal spending over the next five years. [Washington Post, 12/21/05 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5122100748.html]

The cuts Talent supported will have a wide range of impacts on Missouri families, including:

#

Medicaid. The $7 billion cut to the Medicaid program increases out-of pocket costs for patients, which would force many families to choose between paying for needed health care or food. The bill also allows providers to deny service if a patient has no ability to pay the charges at the time of service and the state can terminate coverage if a family cannot pay premiums. For Missouri alone, these cuts would total $529 million over the next ten years. [additional source: Families USA study]

#

Student Loans. The $12.7 billion cut to student loan programs represents the largest cut in the history of the student loan program and accounts for about one-third of all the spending cuts in the bill, which imposes higher fees on students, increases the interest rates on parent loans, eliminates all mandatory spending to administer the country’s higher education programs, and cuts subsidies to lenders. [additional source: USA TODAY, 12/20/05]

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Child Support Enforcement. The $2.6 billion cut to programs serving single-parent families, foster children, and low-income elderly and disabled individuals includes $1.5 billion in cuts in child support enforcement programs, which crack down on deadbeat dads and help mothers provide food and clothing for their kids.

Said Cardetti: “By casting the deciding vote on this bill, Jim Talent has made it clear that if you run a big drug or health insurance company, you get billions in continued taxpayer subsidies; but if you are a lower-income working parent trying to do right by your kids, you get a big cut in the assistance you were using to provide them with food, health care, or maybe even a chance to go to college.”

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http://www.swingstateproject.com/states/missouri/

Sunday, January 22, 2006
MO-Sen: McCaskill Leads Talent
Posted by DavidNYC
A new poll from Research 2000 (likely voters, no trendlines):


McCaskill: 47
Talent: 44
Undecided: 9
(MoE: ±3.5%)

The partisan split is just about equal (around 80% of Republicans and Democrats support their party's candidate). The real issue is that independents favor McCaskill by a considerable margin, 50-41. Given McCaskill's consistently strong poll showings, Talent is probably right at the top of the second tier of vulnerable GOP incumbents. The 4Q fundraising numbers will be of especial interest in this race.

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Slight Turn of the Tide Yields a Tie
Talent and McCaskill tied at 42% in latest poll
July 6, 2006

Republican Senator Jim Talent
After months of toggling leads, the race for Missouri’s seat in the U.S. Senate between incumbent Republican Sen. Jim Talent and State Auditor Claire McCaskill has now leveled. Results of the latest Rasmussen Reports survey of 500 likely voters show the candidates now tied at 42% with Republicans and Democrats divided evenly along party lines.
This shift marks a percentage point drop for Talent countered by a two point pick up for McCaskill since last month’s poll. The closeness that has become the hallmark of this race has been evident from the start: only once in eight polls have the candidates been more than three percentage points apart.
While the candidates are even in the polls, Talent has a significant fundraising advantage. The latest campaign finance reports show that the incumbent has nearly $5.7 million cash on hand compared to McCaskill’s $2 million.

Let's help out this fine lady! Go Claire McCaskill

This will be a tight race, but outside of the major metropolitan areas is where it will be decided.