Just overheard a conversation among republicans

[Terran]

I work part-time in a hotel in Jefferson City that is frequented by legislators and lobbyists. I just overheard an interesting conversation between an obviously repub state legislator and an elderly couple who had just checked into the hotel. I wasn't really eavesdropping because they chose to have their talk almost right in front of the front desk.

Anyway, the legislator (and I'll see if I can figure out who it was by checking a Blue Book) said his poll numbers in his home area (Southeast, I gathered) were looking horrible, and it was mainly because of anger over the Medicaid cuts. He, rather delusionally in my opinion, ascribed his troubles to "Winston Churchill Syndrome"--you know, where the voters "hire" someone to 'do a job' and then when the 'job' is done, they want to kick you out. Apparently he thought our repub legislators were hired because the public wanted them to do what they did last session. He was also upset that while last session's tort 'reform' only has a 17% recognition rate among voters, Medicaid cuts have an 88% recognition rate, and it's almost all negative. He was all about polls and little else, I can say that.

He also told an absurd anecdote to the effect that the anger about Medicaid is only in rich areas of the state. 'In Kirkwood they're all upset about those poor people, but in places like Salem you have people who work hard and don't have much, but they're not worried about Medicaid.' (paraphrasing). Gods, what a bunch of BS.

He also sounded pretty worried about Claire Leading Talent. He thinks one bit of good news is that Claire may have too many "cultural issues" to win, but he was nevertheless worried. He spoke only to the elderly man, not his wife, but the older guy disappointed me. He said the "war" was "going great" and it didn't seem fair for people to be against repubs because of that. This, on a day when 152 people died violently in Iraq, five of them US soldiers. Delusional, I tell you.

But it was good to hear that the repubs are worried about '06.

[MO_Dem]

1. Yes, the guy is delusional

A good many folks in Salem are concerned about the Medicaid cuts. Not concerned enough to prevent this district from electing a repig representative in the special election last Nov, but EVEN THAT NEW representative is saying that they need to make some corrections in that Medicaid bill (that's maybe what got him elected if he talked that way during the campaign)

Anyhow, I hope they remain that delusional--then they won't see it coming when they LOSE (I hope, hope, hope!)

[evlbstrd]

2. The promise on Medicaid

was to find "waste and fraud" first. Once in office, however, they skipped right past that and cut the rolls. Nice job. You're fired.