The West County Democrats conducted their first in person meeting today in over a year. We held it at the pavilion in Faust Park and it was great to see all those familiar faces again. Those who attended were treated a lively discussion with Deb Lavender, a former member of the Missouri legislature who has unique knowledge of the lay of the political landscape in our state and our region. She is working with a group that is focused on rebuilding the influence of the Democratic party over the next 10 years, and hopefully the efficacy of our State long term. She told us to expect some good things coming from the State Democratic party very soon.
The West County Democrats will not meet in August, but expect to return to our former home at the UFCW Union Hall at 300 Weidman Road in September. Watch this space and keep your fingers crossed.
As always, Glenn Koenen capped off our meeting with a presentation of his legislative report. While he had a few good announcements to make about key individuals participating in the Missouri and St. Louis County redistricting efforts, much of his report addressed the malfeasance of Republican elected and appointed officials in State and National office. The text of his report is below.
Legislative Report
July 12, 2021
Glenn Koenen
Federal Items:
More than six months into the administration of President Joe Biden, the hangover from the Trump years continues…
► The Postmaster General and the Social Security Commissioner, among others, refuse to give up their jobs. Louis DeJoy keeps wreaking havoc on mail delivery and eliminating efficiency-oriented mail processing equipment. Andrew Saul attacks his unionized employees and feels Social Security payments are two generous. Though fired by Biden, Saul refuses to leave. Other less prominent appointees have also circled the wagons around their desks.
► The Supreme Court – with three Trump appointees – isn’t leaning to the right, it’s jumping off a cliff. The recent decision to allow more restrictions on voting is seen as a promise of more ultra-right wing rulings to come. For example, while not overturning Roe v. Wade, it is possible that states will be able to outlaw abortion clinics and limit procedures to just six to eight weeks after conception.
► Most Republicans refuse to place any blame for January 6th on Trump and want to use Congressional investigations into the attack to push ‘Antifa did it’ nonsense.
The prospects for many basic Democrat ideas – such as taxation equity to get more from billionaires – seem weak. While a stripped-down infrastructure bill is coming, further Covid stimulus help seems less likely everyday. The John Lewis voting act and SB1/HB1 voting reforms may not happen due to a couple of Democrat senators being unwilling to get Republicans in their home states mad at them.
The 2022 election will definitely be a referendum on Donald Trump. National pollsters agree that any Republican who does not run as a Trumpette will be defeated by Trump supporting primary voters.
There is good news from the federal bureaucracy, Much of the crazy has ended. Government employees are serving the people instead of acceding to Trump’s whims. A complete return to traditional service will take time, probably many years. For example, many of us consider the Trump-damned incompetent 2020 Census to be a disaster with a decade of bad repercussions.
State Items:
Missouri is testing the notion that there is no such thing as bad publicity…
Last week 22 of the 25 worst counties in the nation were in Missouri: clustered around the Springfield, Branson, Joplin southwest corner of the state. In many of these counties cases are above the infection rates from the worst of the pandemic.
As ought to have been expected, Governor Mike Parson downplays the outbreak and is separating his administration from federal CDC and other experts sent to the state to help quell the outbreak.
Parson has promised that Missouri will not enact mask mandates, will oppose mandatory vaccinations, will not limit commerce or school operations, and, the State Fair in Sedalia will go on as scheduled.
He is not alone. A southwest Missouri state representative on the long-delayed “freshman tour” recently refused to wear a mask even when the group visited facilities with vulnerable populations. During the recent Special Session it was rare to see a Republican wearing a mask.
Speaking of the Special Session…The House and Senate managed to pass a “clean” reauthorization of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, a 6% ‘tax’ Medicaid care providers pay to draw-down extra money from Washington. (basically pay a buck, get a couple of dollars back.) To make it happen required every Democrat lawmaker voting for the ‘clean version,’ joining with Republican leadership to stop anti-abortion/anti-birth control and anti-Planned Parenthood language. As happened with the fuel tax increase during the regular session, without Democrat votes a critical item would not have passed.
While a number of additional special session topics have been proposed, the only essential one will be to handle Congressional redistricting. Republicans (aided by their “Dirty Missouri” redistricting rules) seem determined to limit Democrats to one Congressional seat. It is also possible that the ‘new’ Second District will best. Charles County centered, with much less of St. Louis County included – possibly even moving the district out of Ann Wagner’s Ballwin neighborhood.
For the first time in many years, Missouri has money. General Revenue collections have been strong. At the close of business on July 8, GT was 20.37% ahead of last year’s total. In addition, the state has a ton of federal Covid impact funding in the bank.
Despite a strong financial situation, the state has not seen fit to provide more money to schools or other programs. In fact, Governor Parson vetoed several line items from the passed $35 billion budget – most of them being expenditures Parson didn’t submit in his budget.
Among the items slashed…
■ $300,00 for extra prosecutors and investigation of a child abuse situation in Lincoln County;
■ Money to enhance starting pay (now about $32,000 a year) for child abuse workers;
■ $50 million to soften the impact of Medicaid funding changes (giving less to providers).
The governor did make a couple of common sense vetoes, including rejecting a bill to end emissions testing in the collar counties about St. Louis. This would have cost $52 million in federal funding. He also vetoed a measure to weaken the Sunshine Law.
On July 1st the governor and legislators received a 5% pay raise mandated by the legislature’s inaction to stop the recommendations of the pay commission from taking effect: state employees are getting a 2% pay raise this year. The governor vetoed money to give some state workers performance based increase, helping to insure that Missouri workers remain the worst paid in the nation.
The Missouri Supreme Court now has the lawsuit to enforce Medicaid Expansion on its docket. Support for expansion has drawn briefs from a great many business, social service and health care groups. In a bizarre move, the Missouri legislature has filed a brief against expansion – without the matter being considered by the House or Senate while in session. Republican leadership acted unilaterally to again oppose enforcing a Constitutional Amendment passed by voters.
Nationwide, the number of people on food stamps grew by 14% from March 2020 to March 2021: in Missouri the number receiving benefits dropped by 12% during the same year. Temporary Assistance enrollment – which ought to rise during an economic downturn – also declined. Along with the state’s punitive approach to unemployment pay, Missouri has become a bitter place to struggle against hunger and poverty.
Oh yes, Eric Greitens has a tremendous fund raising lead over rivals for the primary for Roy Blunt’s seat: one California friend gave $2.5 million to Greitens’ operation. Greitens may raise more money than all his Republican primary opponents combined. And, Donald Trump has promised to help him.