5 amendments & 1 proposition
Amendments change the Missouri Constitution. Remember that.
They don't add statute to our books. They change the state CONSTITUTION.
The constitution should be the foundation, the bedrock, the framework for our statutes to build on. It should be a document that stands the test of time, that applies to the entire state and that is protected - not changed with the flinging of a few million dollars to pay out-of-state workers standing in front of our grocery store doors collecting signatures.
And yet, that is what happens. The money buys the signatures and the signatures buy a spot on the ballot for voters to pass or fail.
No committee hearings.
No involvement of the people until election day.
No involvement of lawmakers that you elected to vet public policy.
No vetting whatsoever.
Just signatures gathered from young kids from places like New Jersey, making $30/hr & misleading every person they talk to about what is actually happening.
you need to know what you're voting on
Now that the signatures have been gathered - it's your responsibility to know what you're voting on. Your vote now is the same as any legislators vote at the Capitol and even more important - because your vote will change the very foundation of Missouri's statutory framework.
You can find the ballot language and the full text of each ballot measure on the Secretary of State's website. You'll also find it on my home page.
You're here - that's a good sign. Please keep reading and then share the information with every voter you know.
No action = consent. Remember that, too.
Amendment 2 - LEGALIZES SPORTS BETTING - VOTE NO
This one legalizes and allows the Missouri Gaming Commission to regulate sports betting.
- Online, gambling boats, sports gambling districts
- Must be 21 and physically located in Missouri
- 10% tax on winnings & additional fees assessed
- State legislature can regulate
AMENDMENT 3 - REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS - VOTE NO
UPDATE: As of the evening of 9/6/24, a Cole County judge has ruled that A3 is not suitable for the ballot and it should not have been certified. Opposition has until Tuesday, September 10th to appeal. Should the decision stand, A3 will NOT be on the ballot in November. I'll update the blog as events unfold.
This is the amendment most people are referring to as the abortion amendment. That reference is manipulative and misleading. This amendment pertains to ALL matters related to reproductive health freedom.
ALL matters pertaining to reproductive rights include anything pertaining to gender transition, regular Ob/Gyn care, IVF, cloning, etc etc.
PLEASE subscribe to the blog so you don't miss the next series because we are going to dive deep into this one. You can find more resources on my home page. Check it out and scroll down. You'll find links, downloads and the replay of a weekly webinar I'm hosting. If you'd like to participate next week, you can register there for free.
AMENDMENT 5 - GAMBLING AT LAKE OF THE OZARKS - VOTE NO
This amendment would legalize gambling boats at Lake of the Ozarks. That local community has clearly expressed their disapproval of this, but now it is on a statewide ballot for everyone to vote on.
This is highly inappropriate for the constitution. Even if you approve of a gambling boat at the lake - it does not belong in our CONSTITUTION.
AMENDMENT 6 - FUNDING SALARIES FOR SHERIFFS, PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS & CIRCUIT ATTORNEYS - VOTE NO
Again, this is very inappropriate language for our constitution. I agree we need to ensure funding for these positions but it is NOT appropriate material for the constitution. It belongs in state statute.
AMENDMENT 7 - VOTING - RESEARCH & PRAY
This amendment contains 3 issues that all pertain to voting.
1. ONLY U.S. citizens would be allowed to vote. This language is already in our state statutes but it is slightly different in the constitution and they need to align. Currently it says that "U.S. citizens and vote" but it doesn't say who cannot vote. This language is the same in other states where they are now seeing illegal immigrants voting in local elections. We want to protect Missouri fully from that possibility.
2. Bans rank choice voting (RCV). RCV is a long, arduous way of voting & counting votes. Stay tuned. If I can fit it in I'll record a podcast focusing on rank choice voting. Suffice it to say that it is BAD. It leaves an incredible amount of room for foul play in the process.
3. Would REQUIRE the plurality winner of the party primary to be the only candidate for that party in the general election. This is the way it is now, but passing this would mean that couldn't change. I don't love this point because I'd like to see us pass runoff elections under certain circumstances. This would prevent that from happening.
This amendment deserves its own blog & podcast. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss it!
PROPOSITION A - RAISES MINIMUM WAGE - VOTE NO
The proposition is not a change in our constitution, but in our statutes. That is where it belongs, but raising minimum wage is going to be harmful to our already broken economy.
Raising minimum wage will be extremely harmful to our small businesses. The government needs to stop intruding in wages and allow the market to be free. VOTE NO.
more to come
This is the first article in a series where we will dive deep into Amendment 3 and Amendment 7. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss them!
It's IMPERATIVE that we have educated voters showing up to the polls. Please take time before November 5th to do your due diligence and understand what you are voting on. Then, share that information and the resources with your family & friends!
Today's podcast is much longer than usual, but it's a wonderfully informative conversation with Missouri's gold & silver guru, Patrick Holland. If you are interested in learning more about having a private, safe form of currency I hope you'll take time to listen even if you have to break it up into smaller sessions. It's worth your time!
Missouri Freedom Initiative - Patrick's organization
Hidden Secrets of Money - YouTube documentary series by Mike Maloney
Goldback, Inc. - Gold money you can carry in your wallet
UPMA - United Precious Metals Association
take action
Call your Missouri Representative. Ask 2 things:
1. Ask him/her to request of the committee chair that HB 1955 be brought through committee. Rep O'Donnell is the committee chair and he needs to bring the bill forward ASAP.
2. Ask your representative to co-sponsor HB 1955.
3. Call and email Senate Majority Floor Leader, Cindy O'Laughlin and ask that she bring SB 735 to the floor ASAP. Her phone number is 573.751.7985 and her email is cindy.olaughlin@senate.mo.gov.
giant omnibus bills carrying giant problems
This is a presentation we shared across Missouri several times over interim, between May of '23 and January of '24 when the new legislative session began. It's an overview of several problems we've got here in Missouri inside our legislature. These problems have led to an open door to policies that promote globalism and a Missouri-last philosophy.
My hope is that you'll watch, even if you need to watch in smaller sessions, so that you are more knowledgable and more empowered to use your voice both with your elected officials and in your social network. Citizens deserve to know the truth and they need to know why things aren't happening here in Missouri like we would expect they would be with a supermajority of republicans in office.
major problems In a nutshell
1. The rules are set up to empower 4 individuals and create a pay-to-play system. The rules can be changed. We need legislators who will have courage enough to do it.
2. Unconstitutional, omnibus bills are the majority of what is passing. Your legislator needs to vote NO on multi-subject bills that are not aligned with the original intent of the bill AND/OR if they haven't read the bill.
3. Policy that pushes centralization & standardization across our systems through inventorying, monitoring and controlling resources and/or human activity is a problem and those bills need to be stopped in their tracks.
I'll be recording more educational content on the bills that are moving through the legislature now, making their way to the chamber floors for debate.
It's time to stand up & speak up!
We are hosting monthly worship
God began to speak to me in the spring of 2023 to "gather the Believers." Repeatedly, I heard Holy Spirit whisper those words to me throughout the spring and summer. As a result, we are gathering Christ followers in Missouri every month at the Capitol for worship & prayer and we LOVE it!
If you feel led to engage in the spiritual AND the political battles on this government mountain in Missouri - these worship events are for you!
Our first worship session was in January and it was an incredible blessing! We worshipped, prayed over legislators who joined us and shared encouragement from the Word as well. In February, we are doing the same and hoping we'll have even more legislators stop by and join us.
We'll do it again in March, so if you can't make it this week for our February worship I hope you'll plan to be here in March.
If you'd like to get info about what to expect, parking, food and updated information about the event, please let me know you're planning on coming & I'll be sure to email or text if there are any last minute changes.
. co-hosting take back missouri rallies
Several grassroots organizations worked together to host a rally this past week and it was a huge success! There were several reaching out hoping for another one, so we decided to go ahead and just plan one every month in order to give more people the opportunity to come participate. There's no shortage of issues and there's ALWAYS a place you can use your voice for the sake of liberty, so check your calendar!
If you don't feel led to come worship, but you'd like to focus on the political battle vs the spiritual one - you'll want to sign up for these. I'll be adding each rally as the details come together. February's rally will be Monday, February 12th in the rotunda.
Again, if you'd like more details about parking, food, etc. and if you want to get texts or emails about any last minute changes, be sure to let me know you're coming!
change the rules & read the bills!
If you read the blog on Jan 5th or if you've listened to today's Arise & Build podcast, you know that we've got a Pelosi-style leadership in our Missouri legislature.
The MISSOURI FREEDOM CAUCUS through Senator Bill Eigel, has proposed a senate rule change that would help ensure our legislature has time to actually read the bills they are voting on!
Here's a screenshot from the senate journal last Thursday,
But guess what??
our senate leadership is not in agreement to allow this window of time!
The Majority Floor Leader in the Senate, Cindy O'Laughlin, has the responsibility of determining what comes to the Senate floor. It's a position of great power and has a direct effect on Missouri citizens, our freedoms and way of life.
On Thursday, January 4th, Senator Bill Eigel, who is a member of the new Missouri Freedom Caucus, proposed a rule change that would require a window of 2 legislative days to be given for the purpose of allowing time to READ. THE. BILLS.
But our Majority Floor Leader is refusing to allow the rule change to be brought to a vote and has advised the republicans to vote no if she is forced to bring it forth.
do you want our legislators to read the bills they pass?
That's not happening much right now.
They are passing HUGE omnibus, multi-subject bills that are unconstitutional to begin with.
They are passing such kitchen sink bills that the democrats & republicans are all voting together as a block. Everyone has a piece of language in it they want or need, so they vote yes on all of it to get their own pork & lobbyists sludge across the line.
For Perspective
In 2023...
- 39 of 40 regular bills they passed were voted on in the last 2 weeks of session
- 17 were unconstitutional omnibus bills
- 80% of the time, the democrats & republicans all voted together
Last year, almost every single bill that passed was shoved through in the last 2 weeks and amended into omnibus Christmas tree bills that were brought to the floor as senate substitutes at the last minute.
When a few good senators stood up to ask questions about them, they were told by their Majority Floor Leader, Cindy O'Laughlin, to sit down, shut up and vote! She is forcing them to VOTE ON HUGE BILLS THEY HAVEN'T READ!
Unfortunately for us, they mostly obeyed her and voted when they should've continued to stand. It resulted in the voting chart you see below where they are all voting in unison because their favorite lobbyist friends & contributors have language included or their pork projects are delivered in those bills. MAYBE there is one or two decent policy changes included, too, but they really wouldn't know for sure because NO. ONE. READS. THE. BILLS!
And this is the way the lobby core & our republican leadership wants it!
use your voice & take action
It's time to call them on their behavior and demand better! The government was created BY the PEOPLE & FOR the PEOPLE.
We are hoping to see a vote tomorrow, January 10th. Please let them know today that you want them to READ the bills!
1. Call and email Majority Floor Leader, Cindy O'Laughlin and let her know that you want to see that rule change to Rule 64, offered by Senator Eigel, to come to the floor for a vote.
Email: cindy.olaughlin@senate.mo.gov Phone: 573.751.7985
2. Call your senator & as many others as you are able. Request a yes vote on the change for Rule 64 if given the opportunity. You can find senator contact information on each member page on the senate website or download the PDF below. We suggest printing the PDF and keeping it for future use.
2023 Final Senate Votes on Bills Truly Agreed Upon & Passed
