Missouri is a Microcosm of Republican Dysfunction
We have our own MTGs, Boeberts, and Gaetzs and they hate each other
A one-party state is not a democracy. Especially when that one party is hell bent on consolidating their power to oppress their own constituents. It is the calling card of undemocratic regimes and it creates chaos.
As I write this, it’s nearly the 4th week of the Missouri session and chaos is already ensuing in the Senate. A whole lot of that chaos is because of one group of extremist GOP Senators whom even the Republicans can’t contain. The Freedom Caucus.
Pictured: Sen Nick Schroer and Sen Bill Eigel burning the “woke agenda.”
Remember those guys?
They represent the Freedom Caucus, so if we were hoping for a productive session, we better start to rethink that.
The Freedom Caucus is new to Missouri, though it is growing in the US. The members are former members of the “conservative caucus.” These are the most extreme members of the GOP —which is saying a lot as your run-of-the-mill Republican believes in stripping women of bodily autonomy, attacking trans kids, banning books, and arming everyone with a loaded gun.
As I said, we are in the 4th week of the 2024 session, and so far, the Missouri Senate has not even debated one bill. They have been reading books on the Senate floor, however, to filibuster their own Governor’s appointments to state boards. Why? Because they are not leaders—they are cowardly obstructionists. They don’t want to lead or do their job of helping the everyday Missourian…in fact, they want the opposite.
The number one stated goal for the Missouri Freedom Caucus is “IP reform” meaning they want to make it nearly impossible for Missourians to win when we place petitions on the ballot. They want to override majority votes—they want to cheat. They do not have a care in the world for education (except to privatize it) or health care (except to strip it from MO women) or a myriad of other real concerns for our state. Their goal is to silence us. Permanently.
It’s so chaotic that the GOP President of the Missouri Senate, Caleb Rowden, removed four members of the Freedom Caucus from committee chairmanships and called them “a small group of swamp creatures.”
This is so much like the dysfunction happening at the Federal level in Congress.
From Speaker drama, to constant infighting, the 118th Congress has been the least productive Congress in modern history. NPR stated that, “The House had voted 749 times in 2023, but passed just 27 bills that have become law. That makes this Congress the least productive in decades.”
But, why? To obstruct. To keep a Democratic President from having a productive tenure. To own the libs. To bring forth their favorite quotes about the government not working and proving it by breaking it. But, mostly, because these politicians are inept and owe too much to their wealthy donors to pass anything meaningful for the people.
We see this playing out at this very moment with the “border crisis.” Though Democrats have offered a package to address crossings and asylum, the Republicans have doubled down. Speaker Johnson lied on the floor claiming that the package would allow 5,000 illegal crossings per day though his own Republican colleagues called him out on the lie. Does it matter now? The number 5,000 is cemented into the minds of the right. It does not need a fact check—they have it and they will run with it.
So, what can be done when it is not the Democrats that the Republicans are obstructing, but their own party, and with this obstruction, every US citizen?
We make sure that each of these obstructionists has an opponent. We make sure that we show up to these districts and show constituents what their Representatives have been up to. We show them the votes. We knock doors and talk to folks with facts and the truth about the GOP extremists.
A solution to so many of these issues is having nominees on every ballot in every race. Giving folks the facts and then someone to vote for. Telling people we care about them and then showing them by helping them get candidates on the ballot.
40% of Missouri House seats were unopposed in 2022 which helps the extremists pass laws that harm many of us and rip voices away from all of us. We can do better and should do better.
No seat uncontested. Ever.
~Jess