I'm Challenging A Claire McCaskill Staffer To A Healthcare Debate

I was being berated on Twitter by Eric Hoffpauir of ShowMeProgress, and I challenged him to a public debate on healthcare.  I figured 140 characters was a poor substitute for recording the event live.  Eric declined, citing poor public speaking skills, which is no slight - many people don't speak well in public, and many more probably shouldn't speak in public, but the exchange gave me an idea.

Claire McCaskill is getting defensive on Twitter.  She wonders why people think her staffers don't read bills.

Weird that all of a sudden people think we don't read stuff around here. We're constantly readng,most are very knowledgeable about details.4:32 PM Jul 16th from web

I personally don't think McCaskill's staffers read bills because when I called her office a week before the stimulus debate, the staffer on the phone laughed at the idea, citing it's length at that time of 600 pages.  That afternoon, McCaskill was out promoting the bill, so I'm pretty sure she didn't read it before claiming it was urgent and necessary.

Considering that no Congressional representatives said they read the stimulus, and Carnahan, Clay, Cleaver and Skelton didn't have time to read cap-and-trade, and seeing as Reid and Pelosi are limiting debate and rushing bills through the House and Senate without even bothering to have a full version, it makes sense that we don't believe they read much of what comes through their office.  Democratic Majority Leader Steny Hoyer even laughed at the idea of getting more than a few votes if House members had to read the bill.  And she wonders why we think they don't read the language in the bills? 

But I do read.  I read 600 pages of the healthcare bill put out by the House Democrats.  I'm willing to read and voice my opinion of the Senate version.  And I don't believe Senator McCaskill when she says her staff is knowledgeable about bills she votes on.

Senator McCaskill claimed February 12th that her staffers would read the full text of the Senate Stimulus bill.  She got the text at 8:45 p.m. at night, and said they could read it before noon the next day.  Her Tweet. 

Bill text now on line. We will go through the whole thing before noon tomorrow.8:45 PM Feb 12th from web 

Did that happen?  1200 some pages in 15 hours with no sleep?  If so, how did she miss the AIG bonus payments?
 
Her staff won't meet with Tea Party folks who assemble to bring petitions at her offices.  Today she's on Twitter trying to pretend the healthcare bill is bi-partisan, claiming:

Bill that came out of Health Comm in Senate: dozens of hearings, Hundreds of hours of work, includes 161 amndmts offered by Republicans.

She knows full well most of those amendments were procedural and had no effect on the text of the bill, not to mention that the policy of Senator Reid has been to airdrop earmarks and changes into the bill in the dead of night to vote on the next day, just like he did on the stimulus she said your staff would read.

Well, I don't believe her. So let me address this to you Senator McCaskill.  One of your bosses, as you like to refer to us.  I know you won't debate me - Senators can't be seen stooping down to speak to average people.  But you have staff.  You have staff whose job it is to read the bills and who presumably have some ability to speak in person.

Based on personal experience, the default response of your staff on all issues that the bill hasn't been written yet, I think your staff lacks knowledge on what you vote on because your staff doesn't read major bils that come in front of them.  They also don't understand the impact of what they do read.  So here's a solution.  You get one of your "knowledgeable staffers" to come out in public and debate whatever version of the bill is most recent.  You send out that sacrificial lamb, and let me show the citizens of Missouri how an average citizen with no deep contacts in Washington has a better understanding of the bills you vote on than the taxpayer funded members of staff. 

One person, simple format, debating the text and purpose of the healthcare bill.  Do you have anyone in Missouri, presumably bright men and women with a firm grounding in how Washington works, that you're willing to put on camera against a single Missouri voter?

If you're telling the truth, you'll be able to claim that you address our concerns, and I'll personally admit on this blog that you had the courage to face voters.  This is not a set-up - this is not a mob debate.  This is two people in a studio, or outside, or any venue you want, debating the merits of the legislation you already support.

Do you really believe your staffers are knowledgeable enough on this bill to come out in public?  Here's your chance to prove that you meant it when you said you dialogue directly with your bosses.  Send out your best spokesperson, and let's see just how open and transparent a Missouri Senator is about healthcare reform.

Comments

[Joshua Link]

Just a small business owner here in KC concerned about the Health Care plan they are trying to ram down our throats.......

You let us know if they have the courage to come out and debate you...... That I have got to see!!

Last time I spoke with one of her staffers on another issue involving La Raza, the staffer said,"I don't know who that person is". The staffer did not even realize La Raza was a group, not a person......... I was at a loss for words on that one.

[Gregory Burge]

I am also a small business owner that is very concerned about all of this out of control spending. This is unsustainable and will destroy most small business.

But I doubt that it makes a difference to McCaskill or any Obama supporter. The staffers wouldn't even talk to us Friday when we showed up at her office.

My guess is they will never debate you under any circumstances. Please keep us informed and thank you for your work.

We need all concerned citizens and patriots to step up in any way they can. Join a protest, call a representative, make your feelings known.

[Benjamin Smith]

The 17th Amendment allowed for the Direct Election of Senators, supposedly to allow a greater voice to the voting public. What has happened is that US Senators are far less acountable to the voting public because of the inherent difficulties in organizing so many people. The State Legislatures were a much better medium to hold US Senators accountable in a Republic.

This is only one of a number of fundamental changes to our republican government that was ushered in at the beginning of the 20th century, and we are starting to understand the devastating impacts.

The 16th Amendment, the allowance for a national income-tax, has greatly expanded the national government's ability to spend without accountability, and it is insulated by an ever-growing federal bureaucracy.

And the Federal Reserve System (authorized without an Amendment to the Constitution) has insulated the American Financial System from being held accountable by both the public and the national government.

It is time to consider major fundamental changes to the form and structure of our federal system. Relying on our representatives will not suffice. It takes individuals, and truly independent, outside groups. I applaud your efforts, and hope that the rest of America begins to "wake up" to this blatant disregard of the voting public (aka The Bosses).

[KCAtty]

It seems clear that no McCaskill staffer will accept this challenge.

Assuming this to be the case, could you provide a more substantive critique of the proposed bill? I'm curious to hear your thoughts.

[waicool]

The democrats are in an end-run posture given their political majorities right now. They really don't have to speak with anyone and who would believe a word they say anyway. They are simply trying to move the legislative ball to the left as much as possible while they control power little or no regard to those in opposition. Sadly, McCaskill slipped into office this last election cycle in Missouri which went to McCain for president. It was downtown STL that tipped the scales for her at the end. Fowntown STL is an embarassment, the 80 million dollaar art museum project went to outoftowners, the majority of the city is boarded up. Mayor Slay is uninspired and ineffective. I am sad that McCaskill represents my state.