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Tag: majority rule

  • Under the Dome – Hundreds Rally For Majority Rule

    Under the Dome graphic with Missouri State Capitol Dome in background

    Welcome back to Under the Dome, your weekly update on the goings-on of the Missouri state legislature.

    Missourians Support Majority Rule

    Hundreds of Missourians from across the state and political spectrum rallied in the Capitol Rotunda in Jefferson City on Tuesday as part of Missouri Voting Rights Lobby Day. They sent a clear message to politicians regarding proposed changes to the initiative petition process: Don’t end majority rule in Missouri. 

    Supporting “one person, one vote,” advocates gathered for the non-partisan event to urge lawmakers to reject efforts to undermine Missouri’s citizen initiative process.

    Jean Dugan, Executive Director of League of Women Voters, visited with House lawmakers and expressed her dissent for the initiative petition reform bills. She told KOMU-TV that the current process is a time-tested policy that does not need to be changed. 

    “It’s been around since 1907 and we like it,” Dugan said. “It gives every person in our state a voice in our state government, that we think is really valuable.”

    Dugan, with other representatives of organizations and unions, tasked over 150 people with going door to door in the Capitol to talk to lawmakers about shutting down initiative petition bills. 

    “The important thing is that they know our concerns,” Dugan said. “Initiative petitions protect Missouri’s democracy.”

    Following a rally in the rotunda, participants visited with their legislators and packed the Senate floor to demand that they protect the initiative petition process. 

    Opposition to radical plans from politicians to end majority rule in Missouri is strong, bipartisan and broad. Those testifying against altering the 100+ year standard of majority rule outnumbered those who want to strip Missourians of their rights by 95%. Testimony heard included:

    • HJR 86: 4 support, 117 opposed
    • HJR 76: 6 supporters, 119 opposed
    • HJR 119: 6 support, 115 opposed
    • Totals: 16 support, 351 opposed

    “These politicians are the ‘snake oil salesmen’ of old Westerns. Don’t buy it. They are ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing,’” said Jim Kabell, former President of the Missouri-Kansas-Nebraska Conference of Teamsters. “They know you support majority rule, so they’re trying to hoodwink voters into giving their rights away. We are not going to let them get away with that.”

    Progress Missouri has made it easy for you to tell your legislator you will not be tricked into giving your rights away – more than 500 Missourians have already done so.

  • Under the Dome – January 26

    Under the Dome graphic with Missouri State Capitol Dome in background

    Welcome back to Under the Dome, your weekly update on the goings-on of the Missouri state legislature.

    Voters stand up to politicians who threaten majority rule

    ​Missourians from across the state are pushing back against politicians who are trying to take away their rights. This week, legislators took up several bills that would weaken the initiative petition process, making it harder for voters’ voices to be heard and threatening the sacred “one person, one vote” principle.

    ​The IP process has been used throughout our state’s history to enact changes passed by voters, from prohibiting state officials from appointing relatives to office to expanding health care access. Submitted testimony this week shows Missourians support protecting the right to direct democracy by a 75:1 ratio.

    Progress Missouri has made it easy for you to tell your legislator you will not be tricked into giving your rights away – more than 400 Missourians have already done so.

    Governor boasts about taking away reproductive health care away in annual State of the State

    Mike Parson opted to use his final State of the State Address to remind Missourians that those seeking abortions in the state – no matter the reason – have been left with little to no options.

    ​House Minority Leader Crystal Quade pointed out that Missourians will ultimately decide the future of reproductive health care.

    “Where this speech fell flat is absolutely around women’s access to reproductive health care,” Quade said. “That is going to be on the ballot this fall. We’re very excited about that, and we know absolutely it is going to pass.”

    See also: Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – a statewide coalition of organizations and concerned citizens working to establish the right to make decisions about our own reproductive health care – including abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care – without interference from out-of-touch politicians.

    From ‘swamp creatures’ to duels

    It wouldn’t be a week in Jefferson City without some noteworthy politicians melting down in public. Senate President Pro-Tem Caleb Rowden decided to strip Freedom Caucus members of their committee positions this week, calling the far-right extremists “swamp creatures.”

    “The beginning of the 2024 legislative session in the Senate has been nothing short of an embarrassment,” Rowden said. “A chamber designed to be occupied with civil, principled statesmen and women has been overtaken by a small group of swamp creatures who, all too often, remind me more of my children than my colleagues.”Meanwhile, Missouri’s political infantilism snagged national headlines with Missouri Senator Nick Schroer’s proposal to allow senators to challenge each other to a duel.​

    Don’t Let Them Get Away With It

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  • RELEASE: Politicians Want To Rig The Rules To End Majority Rule In Missouri

    Jefferson City, MO, state capitol building

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
    Tuesday, January 23, 2024
    Contact: liz@progressmo.org

    Missourians are standing up to protect the principle of ‘one person, one vote’

    COLUMBIA, Mo. – On the precipice of the first hearing to dismantle democracy as Missourians have known it for over 100 years, concerned Missourians are pushing back on attempts to undermine the initiative petition process.

    By changing the rules for constitutional amendments, politicians want to change the rules so that a small minority of Missourians can veto any statewide proposal.

    “The League of Women Voters believes responsible government should be responsive to the will of the people,” said Marilyn McLeod, President of the League of Women Voters of Missouri. “The citizen initiative petition is the most direct form of voter participation in our democracy. This valuable and trusted process has been enshrined in the Missouri Constitution for more than 100 years and has been used for both conservative and progressive issues. It is already a complicated and difficult process. Therefore, the League of Women Voters of Missouri opposes any attempts to make it more difficult to get a measure on the ballot or to raise the threshold for approval.”

    Progress Missouri is urging Missourians to let their legislator know they oppose these efforts to trick Missourians into giving their rights away.

    Dozens of bills have been filed this session that would chip away at the initiative petition process; the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee is scheduled to take up multiple bills at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 23, in House Hearing Room 6. Missourians from across the state are planning to attend to voice their opposition to the proposal.

    The initiative petition process gives Missourians the power to make decisions about politics that will impact them and their families. Within the past decade alone, the process has been used for things such as changing state law to expand health care access; protecting citizens from unreasonable search and seizure of electronic records; and ensuring the right of Missourians and pray and worship on public property. These proposed changes make it harder for Missourians to have their voices heard.

    “The initiative petition process allows Missourians to participate directly in our democracy,” said Liz McCune, Executive Director of Progress Missouri. “When out-of-touch politicians in Jeff City ignore what voters and their families want, Missourians can take a stand and push for change directly. The process is an integral part of Missouri’s democracy.”

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  • Write Your Legislators: Missouri MUST Protect Majority Rule

    Politicians want to rig the rules to end majority rule in Missouri so they can take away your rights. Majority rule has been the law in Missouri for more than 100 years. They know Missourians across the political spectrum hate their plans, so they’re attempting to confuse and distract voters. But we’re not going to let that happen.

    Tell your legislators now that they MUST vote no on any and all attempts to end majority rule!

    WRITE YOUR REPS NOW!

  • The Missouri Legislature Is So Back – And They’re Ready To Make Missouri Worse

    Graphic text: Under the dome: your weekly update on the Missouri Legislature

    Welcome back to Under the Dome, your weekly update on the goings-on of the Missouri state legislature.

    Starting December 1, Missouri’s state legislators started pre-filing bills ahead of the 2024 legislative session. While legislators won’t officially reconvene under the dome until January 3, the bills they’ve filed so far make it clear: the roadmap for 2024 includes getting rid of your voice and your freedoms.

    Attacks On Majority Rule

    Once again, the legislature is coming for your voice. Last year, legislators spent months debating how exactly they wanted to abolish majority rule in passing constitutional amendments. By filing nearly 20 bills targeting the initiative petition process in the first week of pre-filing, legislators have made it clear they don’t care what Missourians want.

    Cuts To Public Education Funding

    Missouri has gotten national attention this year for its abysmal teacher pay and school funding. In 2024, the state legislature plans to pour gas on the fire by expanding voucher programs and charter schools. These bills would take money away from chronically underfunded public schools and give it to private institutions that don’t have to follow the same rules.

    Bringing Back Right-to-Work

    In 2018, Missourians voted to get rid of “right-to-work” laws, which would make it harder for working Missourians to advocate for fair and safe working conditions. But since our politicians don’t care what Missourians want, they’ve decided to bring it back.

    Restrictions On Abortion Access

    Even though Missouri has one of the most restrictive abortion laws in the country, that’s still not enough for the most extreme members of the legislature. Under some of their proposals, anyone who gets or provides an abortion could potentially be charged with murder.

    Increased School Censorship

    Politicians in both chambers want to expand school censorship, even as Missouri is considered one of the most censored states in the country.