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O’Laughlin’s Rules for Session Sanity

Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin on Facebook….

We are coming down to the final two weeks of session with many big issues hanging in the balance. This seems to happen every session; at least every session I have been associated with.

This session has been one of the most contentious ever and if I had to give an accounting of how it got this way it would go like this:

·         #1. Social media, social media, social media.  We all know how things can be distorted; half truths, exaggerations and the like come flying across the internet and get picked up only to be sent on to an ever widening audience.

·         #2. Misunderstandings prevail without a person thinking “How can I find the truth of this situation?” Particularly in elected office there are a myriad of issues hanging in the balance at all times. Almost nothing is as it seems on the face of it. This is why I always advise people, “Ask me if you have questions. I will give you my thoughts or reasoning.” This is the best way to know what is going through peoples’ minds. Don’t judge something until you have done your homework.

·         #3.  Start by believing the best of others. If they prove this to be false then go from there. Don’t start by believing that everyone is horrible and out to destroy the world because this just isn’t true.

·         #4.  Settle your differences privately. Talk with people and more importantly listen to people. It’s surprising how wrong you can be (and I am speaking of myself here) when you don’t take the time to talk with people and hear them out.

·         #5.  Take someone else’s assessment of why someone did something or how something happened with a grain of salt. Some people try to build themselves up by tearing other people down.  It has always been this way in the world and always will be. There’s two sides to every story and I think it best to speak for yourself only. None of us has the right to speak for someone else or cast doubt on others. We are all imperfect people.

I have made many mistakes in my life and no doubt will make many more. This is true of all of us. I try to be sure I let people know what is happening here in the Capitol and I speak for myself only. Are there things I’d like to change about the process? Yes. But the best you can do is work hard, be honest, and hope that others respect you because you’ve earned it. And go from there.

Remington/MOScout Poll: Valentine Match-Ups

Survey conducted April 27 through April 28, 2022. 986 likely 2022 General Election voters participated in the survey. Survey weighted to match expected turnout demographics for the 2022 General Election. Margin of Error is +/-3% with a 95% level of confidence. Totals do not always equal 100% due to rounding. Survey conducted by Remington Research Group on behalf of Missouri Scout.  See full results here.

Q1: If the 2022 general election were held today, and the candidates were the Republican Eric Greitens and the Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine, for whom would you vote? 

Eric Greitens: 46%

Trudy Busch Valentine: 37% 

Undecided: 17%

Q2: If the 2022 general election were held today, and the candidates were the Republican Eric Schmitt and the Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine, for whom would you vote? 

Eric Schmitt: 50%

Trudy Busch Valentine: 32% 

Undecided: 18%

Q3: If the 2022 general election were held today, and the candidates were the Republican Vicky Hartzler and the Democrat Trudy Busch Valentine, for whom would you vote? 

Vicky Hartzler: 49%

Trudy Busch Valentine: 33% 

Undecided: 18%

Q4: Which of the following do you think should be the top priority of the federal government?

Stopping climate change: 14%

Stopping the threat of China: 12%

Stopping the threat of Russia: 20%

Stopping illegal immigration: 38%

Not sure: 16%

MOScout’s Hallway Index: Senate Situation

I asked the lobbying corps… “Does the Senate need to overhaul its rules?”  21 replies…

RESULTS

1. Yes, this session shows the institution is broken… 28.6%

2. No, this session was just an aberration… 71.4%

Sample of Comments

·         The senate rules were written for the pre-term limit era.

·         This session is still pretty ok if you remember that the Senate is the more deliberative body by design and that Missouri voters don’t elect Republican super majorities because they want a record breaking amount of new laws coming out of Jeff City every year. The rules are just fine. They can survive difficult years.

·         At this point no, but the majority party needs to try to work toward a place of understanding over the interim that allows for more stable governance and a more predictable process that allows the Senate to function even where there is policy disagreement. If they can’t get to a better place with a supermajority then rules changes may need to be considered.

·         Yes the senate should overhaul its rules, but honestly the senate has been super dysfunctional for a while now. The fact that one or two senators can hold bills hostage is ridiculous.

·         The senate needs to change its leaders, not its rules.

·         No way, there have been shit show sessions in the past and there will be in the future. It’s too early to tell what the end result will be when things come to an end on May 13 and the senate will self correct as it always does.

·         Not even an aberration. When did it become a goal of a Republican super majority to pass lots of new laws?

·         Voters need to overhaul the Senate.

·         The answer is probably yes, but what’s the point of having rules if they aren’t enforced. The Senate should bring Terry Spieler back as a “Head Master”. This nonsense would have never been tolerated when she was here. If members refuse to be civil and conduct themselves with decorum and pride then the rules should be changed, but the real answer is making sure bad behavior isn’t rewarded.

·         No, but the majority party needs to get its shit together.

Who Won the Week?

Ben Baker, Jason Chipman, Brad Hudson, and Jeff Porter – A handful of bills make it across the finish line to be Truly Agreed and Finally Passed.  An accomplishment in this clogged up session.

Dan Hegeman – Senate zips through its budget bills with minimal drama.

Senate Democrats – Two weeks left and Republicans still fighting amongst themselves.  Hoskins vowing revenge on Bernskoetter, Eigel telling the other Republicans their budget votes will “live in infamy,” the shows never stops….

Charity – So great is the legislature’s drive to give, that it’ll hold its charity softball tournament this week.  Only ten legislative days left, with the constitutional requirement for redistricting still unfinished, yet the softball games must go on!

Find a downloadable version here.

$5K+ Contributions

Better Elections - $400,000 from Article IV.

American Dream PAC - $15,000 from Cheyenne International LLC.

Yes on Prop 1 - $25,643 from National Association of Realtors.

Citizens for Marler - $20,000 from Marty Marler.

Friends Of Cecil Weeks Myra Weeks, Treasurer - $5,500 from Cecil Weeks.

Birthdays

Happy birthdays to Andy Blunt, and Julie Murphy Finn.

Sunday: Aaron Griesheimer and Bubs Hohulin.