@BlogKCThe Star’s Buzz Blog notices that State Senators Chris Koster of Harrisonville and Charlie Shields of St. Joseph are doing a lot of work to advance Kansas City’s cause in Jefferson City, but fails to explain the reasons for this.
First, term limits and the Republican takeover of state government left Democratic KC with reduced clout in the capital. Very few of the current state-wide office holders or legislative leaders have any ties to the western half of the state.
The second and more troubling reason is that most of our own legislators have been invisible on key regional issues like transportation, health care, stadiums, tax incentives, etc. Promising newcomers like Beth Low, Ryan Silvey, or Cathy Jolley have proven underwhelming. Others like Matt Bartle are pursuing ideological wars instead of working on real issues.
What about Senator Charlie Wheeler of Missouri’s 10th Senatorial District who has carried absolutely no legislation for GKC. And he blew off the end of session. Wheeler didn’t just miss the voter ID vote – he missed FIVE of the last TEN votes of session…
HB 1270: Requires 10 percent ethanol content in gas sold in Missouri
HB 1900: Removes limits on campaign contributions
HB 1026: Outlaws protests at funerals
SB 1014: Requires voters to present photo ID at polls, with certain exceptions for elderly and disabled persons
HB 1837: Gives the Department of Insurance the right to reject increases in medical malpractice insurance rates for doctors if they’re deemed excessive
He skipped them all… check out the Star on this – who is supporting this guy for County Executive? Has he delivered anything to Kansas City since he became a Senator.
If he can’t show to vote, how can we expect him to lead Jacskon County? The guy filed for Jackson County Executive? Serving as County Executive takes a lot more than showing for the occasional vote as Shields has shown us. If Jackson County, esp. the Star, elects him as Executive, as it did Senator, then we cannot complain that Jefferson City, DC or other communities ignore us – this guy is an embarrassment.
The complaints about Dr. Wheeler missing a few votes is a red herring. Since the Repubs have enough voted not only to pass anything they want, but to cut off debate, any Dem who stayed around was merely decorating the room, not affecting passage of the Repubs bad laws. The fault is not Wheeler’s, but the folks who got conned into electing the Repubs.
Dr. Wheeler is old school: He has integrity. That is why so many of us believe that he would assure Jackson County of four more years of progressive government, not a reversion to the factional,patronage politics that others seem to want. That is why Katheryn Shields has endorsed Dr. Wheeler as her successor.
The reason Shields is backing Wheeler is that she thinks he’ll be a convenient puppet so she can continue her parade of poor management, corruption, and bad government even after leaving office.
A vote for Wheeler will be a vote for the embarassing status quo that has made Jackson County government a laughingstock around the metro and the state.
I would not call Rep. Beth Low underwhelming at all. She has given great speeches on the floor this term and tried to put forth amendments to help out people in KC. Her work would be noticed if she were not one of under 70 on the Dem side and her issues were about hurting people in this area. But alas, to accomplish those things she would have to be a Republican.
Phil, I think you hit the nail on the head dead center. Missouri has been like our federal legislatures, with GOP controlling the White House and Congress the only thing the Dems can hope to do is cause delays whenever possible to prevent being bowled over by GOP giveaway programs for the rich and connected.
Son’t be down on the Dems for not voting, give them something to vote for, something that will help their districts I’m sure they would make the effort to vote. Yet the GOP has shown no regard for the people of this state that truely need state services. Thanks to Blunts balancing the budget on the poor and needy. At least the courts have struck down the support for adoption of special needs children.
What shocks me about Wheeler is that he is not old school (if that means integrity).
We has lied to the people of his district – including me – about how he is going to vote. He lied to Gov. Holden and then Wheeler voted to override Holden’s veto of anti-consumer legislation that gave immunity to canoe boat operators and did nothing to help medical doctors get thier premiums down. Wheeler served on the Agriculture Committee, not a key committee for the urban core. He literally was asleep on the Senate floor.
That record does not make me want to see him as our County Executive.