The West County Democrats hosted Dr. Kenneth Warren of St. Louis University who discussed the reasons Missouri has become such a red state in recent years and future opportunity for the Democratic party in this region. A video of the meeting and Dr. Warren’s presentation may be viewed below.
Legislative Report -June 14, 2021- Glenn Koenen
Federal Items:
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R – KY) refuses to put the needs of everyday Americans ahead of the whims of the Trump-led Republican Party. As he did to President Obama, McConnell is preventing progress on any significant legislation regarding infrastructure, economic recovery, voting rights and every other item on President Biden’s agenda.
Each day the chances for real progress slip. President Joe Biden’s desire for bi-partisanship is useless. A great deal is being written about people wanting to stay home and draw unemployment instead of working, as evidenced by Mike Parson and 24 other Republican governor’s efforts to prematurely exit the pandemic unemployment program — leaving $12 billion in already available federal aid on the table.
Please remember…
1. Millions of jobs were unfilled before the pandemic;
2. Many can’t return to work with the virus still common due to their health;
3. A lot of the open jobs are lousy paying and part-time;
4. Amazon has absorbed more than a million lower-skilled workers in recent years; and,
5. The number of Americans of general employment age is decreasing for the first time in history.
Despite the fortune spent supporting the nation during the pandemic, the stock market and other economic indicators are strong. While the predictable threat of inflation after a downturn remains as the economy regains steam, the outlook is still favorable – unless you ask a Republican lawmaker.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has begun restoring sanity to regulation (making the Keystone XL sludge pipe untenable, for example). Unfortunately, it will take years to undo the damage of the Trump administration. And, in some cases the Biden ream is stuck enforcing Trump policies, such as the Justice Department crusade against journalist6s and Democrat lawmakers. Quite simply, even bad decisions by the bureaucracy are decisions and changing them is a complicated process.
On the plus side, the Biden administration is making changes to maintain enhanced food stamp and other benefit programs, and, working to restore America’s traditional role in international relations.
State Items:
The legislature left Jefferson City after inflicting a great deal of damage and creating new definitions of stupid. The bad news is that they’re headed back to the Capitol in coming weeks.
Governor Mike Parson actually signed the Second Amendment Preservation Act which makes Missouri law enforcement agencies which cooperate with the federal law enforcement liable for $50,000 fines. And, it is now enshrined in law that Missouri’s interpretation of the U. S. Constitution is more correct that Washington’s or any other view.
As noted, the House and Senate refused to find Medicaid Expansion. Despite the vote of the people, the governor and Attorney General claim there is nothing they can do to enforce expansion. The matter is now in the courts, specifically the courtroom of a hard core Republican Cole County Judge, Jon Beetem, up for re-election in a partisan race next November.
I still think it is possible that expansion could be delayed for two or three years by the Parson team. The state has billions of federal dollars sitting in its accounts, and, state-generated revenues are very strong. For example, with less than three weeks left in the Fiscal Year, Missouri is up $2.2 billion in General Revenue – a 26% jump over last year at this time! (That increase, by the way, is better than 12 times the worst case scenario cost to Missouri of Missouri funds with expanded Medicaid.)
Despite the good bank balance, Governor Parson is threatening to drastically with hold billions from school and other state programs because the legislature refused to pass the reauthorization of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance which accounts for billions in annual traditional Medicaid support. Basically, hospitals, pharmacies and other health care providers pay a special “tax” (through it’s more like an Amway investment), causing the state to draw down additional billions in federal funds. In the Senate, Senator Paul Wieland (R – Jefferson Co.) tacked on an amendment to prohibit Medicaid in Missouri from paying for IUDs and some other forms of birth control. This would put Missouri out of compliance with federal rules. Also, an effort to prohibit Planned Parenthood from getting money for any services via Medicaid (a trick ruled illegal by courts several times in recent years) is also being pushed by conservatives.
The governor is expected to call a special session to consider reauthorizing the FRA and thereby be able to claim that federal money: it is not certain the House and Senate will pass a “clean” FRA bill, meaning the session could be a waste of time and Missouri might lose billions of federal dollars.
It is also expected that a special session will be called to handle redrawing Congressional district lines. While the state did not lose a member of Congress this go around, population shifts – out of the city and many rural areas, more people to St. Charles and other exurb counties – could mean drastic changes in where the lines go. It is possible, for example, that the 2nd District becomes centered on St. Charles County, with the St. Louis County portion largely excised.
At last count, 14 proposed items for extraordinary/special sessions have been proposed. Other topics include taking over the Kansas City police budget, banning Critical Race Theory and other “controversial” approaches to teaching, and, well, a bunch of stupid stuff.
Speaking of stupid, Missouri refuses to take the steps necessary to contain Covid, and, the governor has promised that there will be no ‘Covid passports,’ nor will there be a requirement that any Missourian get the vaccine. Not a surprise, The New York Times and other observers rank Missouri at or near the bottom of Covid control.