Eyes to see
I hope you've seen over time that I do my best to share truth as I see and experience it. The truth is, imho, that every legislator we have is a real human being and that means a mixture of wonderful attributes as well as those things that are being "refined." And make no mistake, God is refining us all and most days I feel like He's especially refining those of us who have been called to this government mountain.
If you or I were elected to these positions, we'd find ourselves in a world unlike any other we'd experienced before and faced with challenges at a level that would stretch and bend us in ways no one could expect. We'd all make mistakes, missteps and find ourselves regretting a vote now and then or wishing we'd done something differently.
I say that to reiterate that even when things happen I may not like or that would be perceived as negative, I'm especially trying to remember to see individuals in a way that reminds me they are first and foremost a creation of the Most High. Daily, sometimes hourly, I try to remember to pray for eyes to see what He sees and to walk in a manner that would bring honor to the One who called me to this place. But it isn't an "easy" place to be.
Confronting truth isn't always easy. But it is the truth that He says will set us free.
Love doesn't always feel like skipping through the tulips or dancing under the stars. Love sometimes looks like a deep dive into hard places to work on righting wrongs and setting things in right standing with the Lord. Facing problems isn't easy.
Fighting for freedom over tyranny isn't an fight that leaves one feeling as thought they've been to a spa. It often leaves you exhausted and on your knees begging for wisdom and discernment, praying and asking for clarity of what to say and how to say it, so that God can be glorified while we fight.
Unfortunately, tyranny is exactly what is happening in our Missouri legislature. Yesterday, it showed its ugly head on the Senate floor.
LISTEN TO SENATOR BRATTIN talk about what happened ON THE PODCAST
Senator Rick Brattin is the Senator from Cass. He stands at around the 20:40 mark and makes his motion to move to 2nd reading of SJR 28.
Senator Bill Eigel is Senator from the 23rd. He is the sponsor of the IP bill, SJR 83.
Senator Cindy O'Laughlin is Senator from Shelby and is the Majority Floor Leader, who adjourns.
Senator Mike Moon is Senator from Lawrence and can be heard after the motion to adjourn shouting in the background to be recognized, which he never was.
what can you do?
1. Call your Senator and ask him/her to vote to support the effort to go to Committee of the Whole & take up the Initiative Petition legislation.
2. Look up your senator contact information here: Legislator Look up Tool
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
