During the 2019 general election, Amendment One was approved by a margin of 62 to 38 percent, certainly a landslide. The very next day, the Director of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce stated in effect that “We are just going to have to get the legislature to correct this matter.” This indicates the arrogance of big, often hidden money controlling our state.
A good part of the present problem is that voters did not “Finish the job” by electing state politicians who benefit from the present system. Amendment Three which will be on the ballot shows a contempt of legislatures to respect the views of the constituents who voted them in. This is an expected consequence of “Billionaires have pretty well bought up the state”, as stated by the late Hank Waters of the Columbia Tribune.
Republicans won 57 percent of two-party votes for state legislature, but control 70 percent of the seats. This supermajority simply does not accurately reflect the will of Missouri voters.
The language of Amendment Three which appears on the ballot is very misleading. It proposes to eliminate all lobbyists gifts. What it conveniently does not state is that it has already been greatly reduced to $5.00.
The ballot also states that it reduces the amount that one person can spend in supporting anyone candidate. It does not state that the amount has already been reduced from to $2,500.00. and that Amendment Three will reduce it to $2,400.00. Again, the language is very deceptive by design. Facts, should be important in deciding how to vote.
Amendment One of 2018 required a “nonpartisan state demographer” to submit the first draft of legislative maps, not a partisan commission. Amendment Three which will be on the ballot undoes this. It basically would eliminate the demographer position, and put concerns about competitive districts and reflecting the overall will of Missourians on the back burner, and revert Missouri back to a highly partisan process.
In these days of pay to play politics it is important to distinguish between political investments and donationos. If a payback is expected, or demanded, that is a political investment. Such money presently dominates billionaire money spent on buying elections. Until that changes, the United States will not have a true democracy. In fact, one source now rates the United States as a “Flawed Democracy.” And 80 percent of the American people, including a majority of Republicans, want to do something to reduce such governmental corruption. But the bought and paid for present politicians in office are very happy with a system that benefits them.
Frank J. Thomeczek
fthomeczek@gmail.com
