Legislative Report
October 12, 2026
Glenn Koenen
Last week senior Information Technology staff across the federal government were pulled from their normal tasks to implement a new directive from the President: henceforth, “Artificial Intelligence” will be referred to as “Super Intelligence.”
Federal Items:
Missouri’s junior Senator dramatically lowered the bar for factuality and civility. In a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Eric Schmitt accused former special counsel Jack Smith of conspiring with a Georgia prosecutor. He called Smith a “dirtbag.”
Of course, Schmitt had all his facts wrong.
Ironically, that was the closest Congress has come to productivity in the past month. The Speaker dismissed the House of Representatives ahead of schedule to avoid a privileged motion calling for the impeachment of the Secretary of War [Defense]. The House and Senate fear angering the President.
The latest example: in a rare example of bipartisanship, Congress forbid the United States from dealing in Russian petroleum products as a response to the invasion of Ukraine. In recent days Donald Trump has called for importing millions of barrels of Russian diesel. When Ukraine’s leader complained, Trump publicly called for Volodymyr Zelenskyy to be replaced. And, Trump has repeatedly blamed the war Russia initiated on Ukraine because the Ukrainians won’t give in to Vladimir Putin.
This level of arrogance ought not be a surprise…
FBI Director Kash Patel plans to give the UFC [the cage fight MMA folks] a no-bid contract to train agents in self defense;
The U.S. Ambassador to Greece demanded that a favor seeker pay her $100,000 American Express bill; and,
Kristi Noem bought several used airliners – at above market price – for executive transport and deporting detainees.
Meanwhile, the federal bureaucracy has been weaponized against the American people. Subsidies for Medicare extended services, for example, are being cut. Food aid programs, including school meals, are being scaled back with more costs shifting to the states. Plus, the Secretary of Education, wrestling executive Linda McMahon, continues taking steps to reduce the department’s role – and support – for schools at all levels.
Worse, the Spirit of January 6 has become common in MAGA circles:
“It was a bit surreal…calling my husband and saying, honey, law enforcement’s recommending that we find a safe house.”
Maine’s Democrat Secretary of State, New York Times 10/11/26
As reported in The Times, a large number of Democrats, and their families, at all levels of politics – and even many Republicans including Marjorie Taylor Greene – have been targeted by MAGA extremists. In many cases law enforcement (especially federal law enforcement) have downplayed the risk these incidents create. In most cases, the most police can do is advise victims to keep a close watch and a low profile. In other words, let the bad people win.
State Items:
Right now, Missouri has two debilitating problems: Stupidity and Poverty
GOP candidates across the state are now campaigning on how much money they’ve returned to taxpayers through lower taxes. For example, west county’s Rep. Ben Keathley advertises that he’s delivered “$1 BILLION TAX RELIEF EVERY YEAR FOR MISSOURIANS.” He does not take credit for the state’s education leadership admitting that the core Foundation Formula will take a $300 million hit in the 2027/2028 school year. Nor does he brag about the continued failure of the Department of Social Services to maintain staffing levels due to low pay and overwork.
The General Revenue Report for October 8, 2026 shows Net General Revenue, fiscal year to date, at 1.16% ahead of the same date last fiscal year. Alas, inflation over that same year tan over 3%, meaning Missouri’s purchasing power actually dropped. The legislature’s analysts predict that by the end of this fiscal year [6/30/27] Net General Revenue will actually be less than the state collected last year!
As mentioned before, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will shift the cost for billions of dollars for benefit programs from federal revenue to state revenue. The meat of those changes hit in 2027 and 2028.
So, when short of funds what does the state do? Take three trips to the U. S. Supreme Court to enforce the new (2025) Congressional Districts map unanimously stopped by the state supreme court. The cost of that folly has not been revealed.
On the November ballot is the most bizarre tax proposal since, well, August’s ballot.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment 7 would create the Show Me Prosperity Fund. Money would be invested in the commercial market to create an endowment. When that endowment becomes large enough to generate the income to fund General Revenue expenses, the state would end taxation and survive just on the endowment income.
While the math is very, very sketchy – and funding the endowment would take decades, at least – most all the Republican legislators voted to put this measure on the ballot.
Despite public fury, data centers will keep coming to Missouri.
Remember, the state already has many operating medium, to large centers. The path to super-sized centers has already been paved…
- Legislation to allow utilities to have rate payers cover the cost of Construction While In Progress passed a while back. That means we pay for the juice data centers will need.
- Missouri is generally very aggressive in giving big business what big business wants, with rural counties especially eager to please.
- The state has already granted tax breaks meant to encourage data centers.
We are seen as a bright red MAGA Mecca by the rest of the country
For Printed copy of this report, click here for the most recent. WCD October 2026 Legislative Report