St. Louis submitted its bid on 21 May, along with several other cities.  St. Louis is a strong contender for the Convention, given the region’s central location and unique attributes as a family-friendly and diverse city capable of hosting the 50,000 delegates, press and other visitors in 2012.

If successful, St. Louis will enjoy a significant economic benefit from the Convention.  In 2008, the Convention boosted Denver’s regional economy by $266 million.  For comparison, the 2009 MLB All-Star Game boosted the St. Louis economy by some $60 million.

The DNC’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) will conduct site visits to each finalist city this summer.

“I’m proud St. Louis got short-listed,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay.  “We demonstrated we are a first-class city capable of holding an event of this magnitude.”

The community can follow the St. Louis bid online and sign up to help at stl2012.org, via Twitter @stldnc2012 and on Facebook at facebook.com/stldnc2012.

Thursday May 20, 2010 at 7:00 PM

At

Firefighters Hall – 4271 Delor Street

Hosted by Wards

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 23, 24, 23, 28

All Democratic Candidates Running for Office within the 3rd Congressional District are invited to speak and answer questions.

Courtesy of www.barackobama.com.

As Claire and the President both said – this is about the next generation, not the next election.  We need to continue to fight for Health Insurance Reform and to help I’ve included some of the key benefits of the President’s Health Insurance Reform Proposal below.

• It will strengthen the coverage you get at work by reining in the worst insurance company abuses.
• It will provide tens of billions of dollars in new tax credits to small businesses to make it easier for them to provide coverage if they choose to do so.
• Many Americans buying their own coverage in the individual market will qualify for tax credits that reduce their premiums by an average of nearly 60 percent – and they will get better coverage than what they have today.
• If you are on Medicare, you will have benefits you don’t have today: Preventive services like cancer screenings at no cost, and a substantial reduction in prescription drug prices if you fall into that gap in coverage known as the “donut hole.” Over time the proposal closes this coverage gap completely.
• If you don’t have insurance, you may be eligible for a tax credit to help pay for your coverage – part of the largest middle class tax cut for health care in history.
• Insurance companies will be required to offer coverage regardless of your health status or because of pre-existing conditions, and they cannot boost rates or drop you from your coverage when you get sick.
• If you are a parent, you can keep your children on your insurance plan until the age of 27 (the current limit is age 21).

Please take a moment and visit http://my.democrats.org/KaineReformto watch a video message from DNC Chairman Tim Kaine and to join the “Final March for Reform.”

Again, thank you for making last night a memorable one.  And let’s get to work!

Sincerely,
Brian Wahby
Chairman

For Immediate Release:                         January 12, 2010

Contact:                                                  Ryan Hobart    (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125

Jefferson City, Mo – In another example of blatant hypocrisy, Congressman Roy Blunt is trying to take credit for Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grants that will help the homeless population in his district, even though he voted against the funding. [HR 3288, Vote #949, 12/10/09]

On December 10^th, after voting against the bill, Blunt said the funding for this HUD program shouldn’t be spent, saying that it is “good money on a bad fix for what is broken”. [Congressional Press Release, 12/10/09]

One month later, Congressman Blunt’s office sent out another press release in which he said these grants are “needed” and “best used” to help the homeless population in his district. What he neglected to say is he voted against the funding that makes these programs possible. [Congressional Press Release, 1/11/10]

“At least we know Congressman Blunt is consistent on something, and that is his DC double speak,” said Missouri Democratic Party Spokesman Ryan Hobart. “He has tried to have it both ways on numerous issues like H1N1 preparedness funding, Medicare funding and now grants to help the homeless. His DC double speak may work to explain his contradictory positions to Washington insiders, but, in Missouri, actions speak louder than words.”

Despite Congressman Blunt’s vote, approximately $900,000 is going to help homeless shelters and projects in Missouri’s 7^th Congressional district.

Congressman Blunt is running against State Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate.

Although there is still much work left to do, last night’s vote is major step forward for the American people.  Does the bill do everything that we wanted, no. But last night’s vote is the first major step to reforming our broken system – an effort that progressives have been working toward for nearly a century. Now, we are on the cusp of making health care reform a reality in America.

As with any piece of legislation, compromise is part of the process.  However, some of the changes that have been made to bill are good additions that will make this historic bill even stronger:

• Between the time the bill passes and the time the insurance exchanges are up and running, insurance companies that try to jack up their rates will be punished.  Insurance companies that hike their prices may be barred from selling plans on the exchange.
• Starting immediately, insurers would not be able to deny children coverage due to pre-existing conditions. Discrimination on the basis of pre-existing conditions for everyone would be banned once the exchanges are open in 2014 – in the meantime, the bill creates a high-risk pool where adults with pre-existing conditions can buy affordable coverage.
• The bill includes explicit language that will protect a patient’s choice of doctors.
• Health insurers would be required to spend more of their revenue on providing you health care (between 80% and 85%) rather than on administrative costs and salaries.
• Small businesses will also receive additional assistance

These protections are in addition to the ones President Obama and Congressional Democrats have been talking about for months including, no longer will insurance companies be able to drop someone’s coverage if they become sick and no longer will anyone be subject to unlimited out of pocket costs. These types of out of pocket expenses are one of the major contributors to personal bankruptcy.

The bill will save families and small businesses money on their premiums, significantly reduce the national deficit, and add years to the life of the Medicare Trust Fund.  And perhaps most importantly, it will make coverage affordable for more than 30 million Americans who currently do not have it.

Are they items that we all would want in the health care reform package that did not make it in the Senate bill – yes, but know that we still have to merge the Senate and House bills in Conference and the final version of the bill is not yet clear.  Things in the bill might improve, or if we are not vigilant, may get worse.  The bottom line is this:  We are standing at the precipice of a historic policy shift in our country; we have move this policy farther in a shorter time than anyone since the 1960’s.  We need to continue to support President Obama, House and Senate leaders as they move toward final passage.  And then we need to stay engaged to make sure we get more Senators and Reps elected in the next cycle to improve on what the President and this Congress will have accomplished.

– Brian Wahby, Chairman

Contact:                                                Ryan Hobart    (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125

Congressman Blunt Continues to Go to his Base – Lobbyists and Washington Insiders

Blunt turns to “kingmaker” and “super lobbyist” for insider $$$

Jefferson City, Mo – On Thursday, Congressman Roy Blunt will once again take time to court his loyal base – Washington insiders and corporate special interests.  Blunt is looking to ensure he doesn’t lose his place as the #1 recipient of lobbyist money and will attend a fundraiser hosted by Washington Insiders – Fred “Republican Kingmaker” Malek and Charlie “Super lobbyist” Black. (CQ 12/1/09)

“Congressman Blunt continues business as usual, siding with D.C. insiders and lobbyists in hopes of bolstering his already top lobbyist fund-raising numbers,” said Missouri Democratic Party Executive Director Brian Zuzenak. “While Washington power brokers may be pleased with Blunt’s record, a recent poll said 65 percent of Missourians believe he is part of the problem in Washington. In other words, Congressman Blunt’s years of reckless spending and favor-peddling in Washington for insiders like convicted felon Jack Abramoff, Fred Malek, and Charlie Black are catching up to him.”

Who is Fred Malek? For almost forty years, Fred Malek has been intimately involved in national Republican politics. He was a close adviser to President Richard Nixon and served as the Campaign Manager for President George H.W. Bush’s unsuccessful 1992 re-election campaign. He also helped with John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign. In 2004, Malek and his investment firm were censured by the SEC for investment fraud and settled the matter by paying a fine of $250,000. (USA Today 10/15/08)

Who is Charlie Black? Charlie Black is a prominent lobbyist and former adviser to John McCain. McCain’s Presidential campaign came under some significant heat for keeping Charlie Black as an advisor because of his record as a hired gun for controversial clients. (Wall Street Journal 5/19/08)  Here is a Moveon.org ad from 2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjCYmjjxp8I. He is also well-known for saying that a terrorist attack during the 2008 election would have been a “big advantage” for Senator McCain. (New York Times 6/24/08)

Congressman Blunt’s loyalty to lobbyists and the corporate special interests they represent has not gone without reward.  USA Today noted that Congressman Blunt has taken more money from lobbyists than any other candidate in the nation this year. During the first six months of 2009, Blunt took $310,534 from lobbyists, putting him ahead of both the Republican National Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. (USA Today, 10/4/09) In the last fundraising quarter, Blunt took more money from Political Action Committees (PACS) than any other non-incumbent Senate candidate. According to Dave Catanese of KY3, only three 2010 U.S. Senate candidates took in more PAC cash than Blunt over the last three months – all are incumbents. (KY3 Political Notebook, 10/23/09; FEC.gov)  Congressman Blunt has also taken $718,785 from commercial banks, placing him in the top 10 recipients of big banking money from the U.S. House of Representative and Senate. (Center for Responsive Politics, 11/16/09)

Congressman Roy Blunt faces State Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nominee for US Senate.

Contact:                                                Ryan Hobart    (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125

FLASHBACK – “There’s Nothing That Happens in Congress That Roy Blunt Isn’t a Major Architect of.”

Jefferson City, MO — Seven years ago today, shortly after Roy Blunt’s election as majority whip, George Bush’s political director Ken Mehlman told the Kansas City Star that “there’s nothing that happens in Congress that Roy Blunt isn’t a major architect of.” [Kansas City Star, 11/30/02]

Even way back then, according to the Star, Congressman Roy Blunt had already “mastered the game” of DC power politics by being an “inside player” and “twisting arms to prevent party defections.”

“Congressman Blunt can try to reinvent himself all he wants,” said Brian Zuzenak, “But whether it’s giving special favors to corporate lobbyists or ramming through President Bush’s disastrous economic policies, Missourians can see the terrible results of his record for themselves.”

And unfortunately for Missourians, Mr. Mehlman’s words are all too true today.  Congressman Roy Blunt is still one of the most powerful members of Congress and still must be held responsible for taking our country in the wrong direction.

·         Rampant Culture of Corruption: According to one report, Blunt ‘passionately embraced the corrupted culture of the Washington, DC lobbying world.’  According to the Washington Post, Blunt created a “political machine” that extended “deep into Washington’s K Street lobbying community.” [Washington Post, 5/17/05]

·         More Big Government: Blunt helped pass legislation characterized as the “largest expansion of the welfare state since President Johnson’s Great Society.” [New England Journal of Medicine, 7/23/09]

·         Ballooning Deficits & Reckless Pork Barrel Spending: The Springfield News Leader said Blunt “was one of the leaders in a Republican Congress that allowed earmarks to get out of control during an era of no accountability.” [Springfield News-Leader, 6/16/07]

·         Billions in Bailouts: Blunt later championed Bush’s $700 billion dollar bailout for Wall Street insiders and opposed caps in executive compensation for executives at companies that received bailout money. [HR 1424, Vote #681, 10/3/08; HR 1664, Vote #182, 4/01/09]

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November 23, 2009

The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reports that in the third quarter, real gross domestic product (GDP) increased 3.5% – the first growth of GDP in over a year. This growth, though robust in comparison to the deep constrictions experienced in the dark days of the Bush Administration has not resulted in job creation.   Following the Bush’s Wall Street bail-out (aka TARP) and President Obama’s Emergency stimulus package the US economy needs directed stimuli to spur growth in jobs and to significantly increase consumption.

Some economists have argued that the first round of stimulus was not big enough and others argue that it was perhaps mis-targeted. What we do know is that the first round did break the free-fall that our economy had been experiencing – and for that we should thank President Obama and the Democrats in Congress, but its impact to jump-start job growth and the resulting increase in consumption has been less than apparent.

This recession ultimately is about the demand curve.  You don’t need a PhD in economics to know that the economy is driven by demand (Consumption + Investment + Government Spending).  And what our economy needs to jolt growth is real increases in demand.  The by-far largest component of demand is consumption; that’s us buying and consuming products.  The recession has been marked by a constriction of consumption as consumers have felt less confident about their short term financial security and have increased savings while pulling back on spending.

A new round of stimulus that is designed to provide job security and increase consumption by encouraging the purchase of domestically produced products is just what the American people need to shift recovery into high gear and begin the process of sustained job growth.  Many will argue that we cannot spend our way out of this recession and that we need to be concerned with deficits in the long-term, but we should remember, as economist John Maynard Keynes said, “In the long run we will all be dead.” Although projected long-term deficits are troubling, the Clinton years demonstrated that it is possible to use targeted public investments and sound fiscal policy to significantly grow the economy and turn large deficits into even larger surpluses. (By the way, those arguing against deficit spending were the ones who had no problem wasting the Clinton-era surpluses with wasteful tax breaks for the rich and a trillion-dollar war of choice). We need to worry about today – and creating jobs today.

As policy makers in Washington begin to consider ways to spur recovery they need to employ a portion of the un-used TARP funds to do two things: a portion should be allocated toward deficit reduction and a portion should be directed as stimulus funds focused on cities and major metropolitan areas.  Cities are concentrated centers for commerce.  Where better to jump start the national economy than in places where commerce takes place and takes place quickly?  Cities by their nature are the most efficient market places, allowing for fast transfers, multiple transactions and rapid value creation.  Putting $1000 in the hands of an urbanite provides a much better chance that the money is spent in a number of places for multiple products, thus being turned over more rapidly through more transactions.

As the Congress finishes wrestling with the reform of healthcare (a policy that will yield great returns in the long-run) it is imperative that our federal government craft a second round of stimulus focused on job retention and creation, a policy that focuses economic activity in urban areas where dollars turn faster.  It makes good economic sense for America and for Democrats, it makes good political sense.

Contact:                                                Ryan Hobart    (573) 636-5241 Ext. 125

The Latest: Congressman Blunt Now “Concerned” About Wall Street Bailout, Forgetting He Made it Happen

“I am for it, but am also against it” approach shows why 65% of Missourians see Congressman Blunt as “Part of the Problem”

Jefferson City, MO – One year after Congressman Roy Blunt played a key role in passing a $700 billion bailout for his Wall Street friends, Roy Blunt says he is “concerned” about who is responsible for it.  Luckily, he won’t have to look much further than his Washington insider record to find the answer – he is.  Blunt voted to deregulate Wall Street which helped create the “too-big-to-fail” institutions like AIG, and then when they had gambled away Missourians’ hard earned savings, he voted to give Wall Street a hand out to the tune of $700 billion.

“This is like an arsonist talking about the importance of smoke alarms and exactly why 65% of Missourians see Congressman Blunt as part of the problem in Washington” said Brian Zuzenak, Executive Director of the Missouri Democratic Party.  “If he wants to know who is responsible, Congressman Blunt should look in the mirror. Congressman Blunt voted to let Wall Street run wild and then voted to bail them out, leaving Missourians holding the bag. And now he wants to ask questions – the hypocrisy is incredible.”

The Real Congressman Blunt:

St Louis Post Dispatch: “Blunt Has Been A Reliable Pro-Banking Industry Vote”: “Mr. Blunt was in Congress throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s when, during both Republican and Democratic administrations, the banks got everything they asked for, subsequently wrecking the economy. Mr. Blunt has been a reliable pro-banking industry vote, from repealing the Glass-Steagall Act in 1999 to refusing to allow bankruptcy judges to modify mortgages in 2009.” [St. Louis Post Dispatch editorial, 11/10/09]

Blunt Has Taken Over $2.8 Million from the Finance, Insurance and Real Estate Industries: Over the course of his career, Blunt has taken $2,853,855 from the finance, insurance and real estate industry, including the $1,653,699 he has taken from their industry PACs.  This includes $635,000 from the securities & investment industry and $506,000 from the commercial banking industry. [Center for Responsive Politics, Accessed 8/12/09]

Blunt Voted to Pass Landmark Wall Street Deregulation Bill – Which Opponents Predicted “Could Lead To An Economic Crisis Down The Road.” In 1999, Blunt voted to pass the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, which allowed traditional banks to merge with insurance companies and investment Houses – as they had before the passage of the Glass Steagall Act during the Depression.   The New York Times wrote at the time that, “opponents of the measure gloomily predicted that by unshackling banks and enabling them to move more freely into new kinds of financial activities, the new law could lead to an economic crisis down the road when the marketplace is no longer growing briskly.” [Vote 570, 11/04/99; New York Times, 11/5/99]

• The “Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act … helped pave the way for companies such as AIG and Lehman Brothers to become behemoths laden with bad loans and investments,” according to the Washington Post, last year. [9/17/08]
• “If Glass-Steagall was never torn down, we’d never have this problem,” said industry expert Paul Muolo, executive editor of National Mortgage News and author of Chain of Blame — How Wall Street Caused the Mortgage and Credit Crisis. [Las Vegas Sun, 9/18/08]

Blunt Voted For $700 Billion Wall Street Bailout — TWICE. In October 2008, Blunt voted not once – but twice – in favor of the $700 billion financial rescue package championed by former President Bush and former Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson. After the bill was defeated in the face of public outrage and opposition from his fellow Republicans, then Minority Whip Roy Blunt took the lead in convincing rejectionist Republicans to support the bailout. Though the bill ultimately passed 263-171, 108 Republicans, including Missouri Reps. Akin and Graves and former Rep. Kenny Hulshof, voted “no.” [HR 1424, Vote #681, 10/3/08; HR 3997, Vote #674, 9/29/09]

·         Blunt Key Negotiator On Financial Bailout Package. Blunt was a key House negotiator on the financial bailout package, working closely with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.  On October 1^st, Congressional Quarterly reported that “Hoyer said he and Blunt, who has emerged as the GOP leadership’s point man in trying to get a recovery bill passed, had spoken by phone ‘three, four five times today.’ [CQ Today, 10/1/08]

·         Blunt: According to Secretary Paulson, Wall Street Rescue Bill Doomed To Fail Until Sen. Gregg And I “Stepped Up And Made It Happen.” During an interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Blunt said Paulson had credited Blunt and Sen. Judd Gregg for making sure the TARP legislation passed. Asked “what would be a couple of high points as a leader,” Blunt said, “And then of course, I had (Treasury Secretary) Hank Paulson tell me on the phone last night that this rescue effort (for the $700 billion financial rescue) appeared not to be happening “until you and (New Hampshire Sen.) Judd Gregg stepped up and made it happen.” [St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 11/23/08]

Congressman Blunt, Senator Chuck Purgason and Kansas City auto consultant Mark Memoly are competing in the August 2010 primary for the Republican nomination for US Senate

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