Your totally messed up Missouri legislature
Barb ShellyMissouri legislative update:
(See below for update of update.)
As of this morning, the Senate is paralyzed. Republican Jason Crowell is bringing all action on bills to a halt until he gets his way on some extraneous matters, like killing a $2 million funding increase for Southeast Missouri State University, which oddly enough is the Crowell’s Senate district.
Crowell is being aided by Sen. Jane Cunningham, who, among other things, wants to make sure the state doesn’t start a quality rating system for preschools.
Legislators in both the state and house want to shut down a nonpartisan political institute for women interested in running for public office, which is housed at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. One version of the assault on the Sue Shear Institute for Women in Public Life would outlaw even a private entity which wanted to “track the participation of women at various level of government” or seek to increase “the presence of women on boards and commissions,” train “college women leaders” or encourage “women to seek public office.”
So much for smaller government and all that.
Lawmakers from the House and Senate are sniping at each other in tweets and speeches. Neither chamber is moving any legislation. The budget process is in a stranglehold.
But take heart, Missourians. Word has it that the bronze bust of Rush Limbaugh is on its way to Jefferson City right now, for inclusion in the Missouri Hall of Fame. Once again, the Show Me State is distinguishing itself.
(Update: Speaker Steve Tilley’s office says only a bust of Dred Scott is expected in the capitol today, not the Rush Bust. But the place is still a train wreck.)
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