Claire McCaskill's Weaksauce

I am generally a fan of Claire McCaskill. She did a great job advocating for then candidate Barack Obama last year and her voting record, while conservative, had been pretty decent on the major issues. But now she is really starting to tick me off.

Its not just that she seems to be losing her spine, something Democrats are historically known for, its also that she seems to think liberals and progressives, ie traditional Democrats, are fools. Not only are her votes starting become an issue, so is some of her pandering rhetoric. Pandering not to the Democratic base, but to right wing conservatives.

Two recent issues stick out like a sore thumb. The first being the issue of these townhall disruptions. It has been well established at this point that these protestors are straight up teabagging astroturf thugs egged on by the GOP and special interests. And finally we have the Democratic Party standing up and calling them out for what they are, but here is Claire McCaskill totally undercutting the message in two different tweets.

Yesterday she said:

I disagree that the people showing concern over some healthcare proposals are "manufactured" Real folks, strong opinions.

Talk about stepping on the message. She basically legitimizes the teabaggers and their outbursts shutting down debate.

But she wasn't finished.

She went further today and basically sounded like was tweeting from an RNC press release.

Real grassroots on both sides of the healthcare issue, both sides organizing. Yay to both, yay for democracy,hope both are civil and polite.

I read that and had to wonder what fucking planet is this woman on? Is she smoking something? Nothing about these teabag disruptions has been either civil nor polite. And its not like she doesn't know this, hell they shouted her down just last week. And yet here she is legitimizing these assholes like they are working in good faith.

Sounds to me like somebody needs to see how much money health insurance companies are shoving her way.

But wait, im not done.

Yesterday Senator McCaskill was one of only 4 Democrats in the Senate to vote against Cash 4 Clunkers.

Here is how she explained it on tumblr

Of course the cash for clunkers program is popular, we’re giving away money. My concerns are first, that we are just moving demand around, and that the sales in this program are robbing sales from 2, 3, or 12 months from now when we are going to still need sustained growth in our economy. Remember, around 60,000 to 70,000 people are trading their cars in for new ones every month without this program. Second, I haven’t yet gotten clear answers on how many deals are currently in the pipeline and how they will wind this program down in a way that will give certainty to buyers and dealers. Third, I’m worried that an extension right now will penalize the two companies that we just made huge taxpayer invesments in. I’m trying to verify, but I believe, based on my conversations with dealers and other research, that Chrylser and GM both have inventory issues with the cars that qualify for this program. Seems weird we would invest billions of taxpayer dollars in two American companies in an effort to save them, and then extend a program that could penalize them. I realize all car sales, both foreign and domestic, are good for the economy, but I hate the idea that there may not be a level playing field for the next few weeks because of inventory issues.

This is a tough call, but at least wanted to let eveyone know that I’m studying all of it and trying to make a decision that is not rushed, but thoughtful.

Nothing in that whole diatribe makes any fucking sense. GM and Chrysler are one of the two major beneficiaries of Cash 4 Clunkers. Notice that even the Republicans from car industry heavy places like Michigan voted to extend the program. Hell union busting asshat Bob Corker even voted for it. And when you have lost Bob Corker...

Here is what is particularly stressing. Missouri has already turned blue. They already have 50% of the voting population that self identifies as Democrats. So its not like Senator McCaskill is voting her constituency, so what, exactly, is her motivation?

I can tell you this much, if she keeps this kind of shit up we need to be looking for a progressive option in Missouri to primary her ass when she goes up for reelection. At this point in history there should be no such thing as a centrist Democrat running unopposed in a primary. Its time we made these people earn their seat and truly represent their constituency by showing them the consequences if the don't.

It is what it is.