Initiative Petition Seeks To Prevent Missouri GOP From Undermining Voters

If there is one thing that has become abundantly clear this year, it’s that the Missouri GOP has absolutely no respect for the will of Missouri voters. Throughout the year, Missouri’s Republican-led state legislature has repeatedly repealed or attempted to reverse several voter-approved initiatives. As a result, a bipartisan coalition of Missouri voter organizations has launched an initiative petition campaign to make it substantially harder for the state legislature to reverse voter-approved measures.

According to the Missouri Independent, the Respect Missouri Voters coalition submitted 38 versions of the initiative petition, most of which seek to enact a rule where 80% of the legislature has to agree before a law or constitutional amendment enacted by an initiative petition could be revised or repealed. Initiative petitions are voter-led efforts where new laws or constitutional amendments are added to the ballot after gaining enough signatures.

Respect Missouri Voters’ initiative petition would effectively minimize the power of the state legislature’s Republican majority, as they would need their Democrat colleagues to also join in on undermining the will of the people. Many of the efforts to reverse voter-approved measures have been done by implementing a Senate rule shutting down debate over Democratic objections. 

“This is our one shot,” Benjamin Singer, CEO of one of the coalition’s members, Show Me Integrity, told the Missouri Independent. “If we don’t act now, they’ll succeed in silencing us forever.”

Last year, Missouri voters repealed the state’s abortion ban by enshrining the right to abortion in the state constitution. Despite voters very clearly making their voices heard on the matter, Missouri’s Republican-led state legislature has still repeatedly tried to prevent abortions in the state. While a federal judge ultimately struck down the abortion ban, state Republicans are currently drafting a ballot initiative for next year’s midterms that would restore it with an exception made for victims of rape and incest. 

What appears to have generated the bipartisan support for Respect Missouri Voters’ initiative petition are moves the state legislature has made regarding a voter-approved expansion of paid sick leave benefits. Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed a bill earlier this month reversing that expansion. As a result, those who accrued paid sick leave under the legislation will lose their benefits on Aug. 28. 

Abortion is a hot-button, emotional issue that tends to have voters feeling very strongly one way or the other. I’m not saying Missouri Republicans should be undermining the will of the voters when it comes to abortion, but I can follow their line of thinking on why they believed they could. 

Why on Earth did they think they could come for people’s sick leave benefits and not face any consequences? Especially in a state that has some of the worst healthcare outcomes in the country? 

“I don’t understand the legislature’s strategy at all,” Sean Nicholson, a Missouri-based progressive strategist, told the Independent. “A very pro-Trump electorate spoke very clearly on abortion rights and paid sick leave in November. And now we head into a midterm, and we’ve seen in Missouri and other states that shenanigans from politicians become part of the story. The legislature has given voters plenty of motivation to double down on what they’ve already said.”

State Republicans are reportedly considering a preemptive strike and making changes to the initiative petition process to derail Respect Missouri Voters’ petition, because that’s definitely going to get the people on their side. 

“Missouri’s Constitution should not be up for sale to the highest left-wing bidder,” the Missouri Freedom Caucus said in a statement last week. “Without immediate reform, left-wing activists will continue to use this loophole to force their unpopular agenda on Missouri citizens with a mere 51% of the vote.”

I’m just saying, their president won with only 49%of the popular vote, and that hasn’t stopped the GOP from forcing their unpopular agenda on American citizens. 

While the initiative petition is a necessary step for democracy in Missouri, it doesn’t change the fact that 58% of Missouri voters who approved the sick leave expansion are now forced to choose between taking care of their health and making a living. 

“Now workers may again face the reality of having no paid sick time to take care of their families without losing out on a check,” Richard Von Glahn, policy director of Missouri Jobs with Justice, told the Missouri Independent. “This move by the Missouri legislature sets a dangerous precedent for democratic processes in our state.”

SEE ALSO:

Missouri Abortion Ban Struck Down By Judge…Again

Missouri Supreme Court Reinstates Voter-Repealed Abortion Ban

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