The past two Wednesdays I arrived at the Missouri Capitol early enough to get free parking near the north door. With a few minutes of my own, I wandered about the hallways, through passages between hearing room, and, checked other special places in the building: no where could I find a free donut or cup of coffee.
Yes, thanks to CLEAN Missouri (and a few uncomfortable news articles), the free range buffet evaporated.
Oh, I always held legislators who refused to accept freebies – even that tasty Danish – in high regard. Yet, I never felt compelled to diss a pastry due to its provider. I miss bagels from utilities, cookies from chambers of commerce, and, will there ever be another Missouri Forest Products Association hot breakfast?
Of course, legislators picked-up more than donuts and coffee.
Missourians realized that and CLEAN struck a nerve. Voters heartily endorsed limits on donations, more paperwork transparency and even-handed redistricting.
As expected, the Republican super majorities and their Accidental Governor launched their attacks in CLEAN even before the election was certified.The hallway wisdom in the Capitol holds that major parts of the passed initiative will be emasculated by a proposal from the legislature on a 2020 ballot.
Let’s call that DIRTY Missouri.
I suspect that many GOPers fear CLEAN because they know it could lead to fewer Republican legislators.
Perhaps the best fight against DIRTY is with a common sense proposal on the 2020 ballot: dramatically reduce the number of seats in the Missouri House of Representatives.
I suggest going from the current 163 House members to 102.
Why 102? Then Missouri could have three state representative districts contained within one senate district. (The current ratio is 4.79 to one.) California, Illinois and Iowa have two reps per senator. Florida and a few other states are at or around three to one.
The lower representative total would put Missouri more in line with other states. For example, in 1982 Illinois went from 177 representatives to 118 – about one for every 108,000 Illini. Texas has 150 reps, or, one per 186,000. At 102 reps in Missouri the ration would be one to about 58,000, still significantly more representative than many other states.
One great side effect of having fewer House members: no more offices in converted storage rooms or closets. (A few of the Mezzanine offices put reps in half size desks!)
Another advantage: even with the current pro-GOP voting trends, Republicans would lose their super majority in the Missouri House of Representatives. Even with creative license drawing district lines, I can’t imagine fewer than 40 to 42 strong Democrat seats. And, with an impartial state demographer (per CLEAN) drawing lines, getting to 50 Democratic state reps seems very possible.
Alas, I don’t have $5 million of my own money to buy a ballot proposal.
Anyone want to help?
Meanwhile, if you spot any free pastries in the Capitol, please spread the word.
Glenn