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The Missouri Legislature begins its regular session today (January 4). KSMU's Missy Shelton is in Jefferson City. Here are some excerpts from a recent conversation she had with Missouri State University Political Science Professor George Connor about the upcoming session.
Shelton: This is an election year. Will lawmakers be avoiding risks?
Connor: I think that will be true this year. There's one big difference. In the election year last time, the governor and the Republican lawmakers had a clear agenda, they had a clear message for the voters and carried out the agenda. This year we don't have that clear agenda in part because it's an election year. They'll have to be cautious about what they vote yea or nay on. There are some controversial issues that may arise but averting risk is a good strategy. The best example of this is the embryonic stem cell. Rather than tackling it with legislation, we're going to proceed with a constitutional amendment. Lawmakers on both sides are happy to let the voters decide so they don't have to stand yea or nay on that issue. Though I doubt they'll be able to avoid it. Voters will want to know lawmakers' stand.
Shelton: Even though abortion itself may not surface, it is tied to stem cell. This stem cell debate is essentially an abortion debate.
Connor: I would not want to equate the two. You can separate the two but politically it's difficult to separate them. The biggest issue will be with the Republicans. Last year, they were on the same page. You're going to find some Republicans running against the governor. Where they were on the same page, with the governor taking a stand in favor of embryonic stem cell research, there are going to be some Republicans who will take a stand against the governor because of their constituency.
Shelton: What about Medicaid cuts? How will they play into the session and the elections this fall?
Connor: I think the cuts are interesting. We saw recently the Speaker of the House restoring some of those cuts. It's more of a political thing than policy. There were three special elections. Democrats won in Kirkwood, depending on who you ask, because they hammered away at some of the cuts made by the legislature and the governor...the Medicaid cuts were part of that. The Democrats will be emboldened by that. They may still lose the rural areas but may win some suburban seats.
Shelton: I've been speaking with Missouri State Political Science Professor George Connor about the upcoming session.
