I’ve been a fan of Senator McCaskill for some time. I like the fact that while she takes a fairly liberal stance on social issues, she tends to be fairly conservative on fiscal decisions. And what I like best is that when she does vote to spend tax payer money, she wants it well spent. You can catch her on C-Span often during committee meetings where she proves that she was once a state auditor by her obvious understanding of budgets, spread sheets and the hard questions she puts to the people who spend our tax dollars. Later this year she will be heading to Afghanistan to push for stricter controls and greater accountability on the private contractors that are paid by our tax dollars.
That does not make her the most popular Democrat in the Senate. In fact, following a discussion with Sen. Durbin (D-IL) over her reluctance to extend unemployment benefits, she reportedly told him "I’m not trying to skin puppies here". Now she just tells him to call her "Cruella D’Ville", the Disney villain who skinned 101 Dalmatians for a coat!
Sen. McCaskill is a true "blue dog" Democrat. In 2008, she was listed as the fourth most conservative Democratic senator and in 2009 she will be the third. While she was an early and strong supporter for Barack Obama during the ’08 campaign, she has not hesitated to speak up when she thinks he’s wrong since the election’s conclusion.
She also holds to the same principals she preaches in the Senate. (A real rarity in this day and age.) Unlike her Missouri counterpart Sen. Kit Bond (R), she not only preaches against earmarks and pork barrel spending....she doesn’t request them. (There’s a reason why you see so many bridges and buildings with Kit Bond’s name on them.)
And best of all, she calls them like she sees them. Like when she called Sen. Jim DeMint "NUTS" for continuing to keep a hold on the TSA nominee even after a terrorist attack. You see, Jim DeMint thinks that allowing the TSA to unionize would compromise security. Because unions are BAD!!!! Of course, if DeMint had been paying attention, as far back as 2007 there was an amendment to a funding bill that would allow the TSA to join a union ....but also giving the director of the TSA the right to suspend all union rules in case of emergencies or a terrorist threat.
By giving the TSA the right to collective bargaining, it would increase the chances of our being able to keep the most experienced baggage screeners. Many of whom leave the TSA on a regular basis because of the high stress and low pay. By giving the director of the TSA the right to suspend union rules in an emergency, airport security is not compromised by union rules. It would seem like a pragmatic win/win for everyone....and it was Sen. Claire "Cruella" McCaskill’s amendment!