LAST CALL - REGISTRATION CLOSING
The 34th Annual Truman Gala
August 21, 2021
Stoney Creek Hotel - Independence
Through difficult circumstances, we are happy to present the 34th annual Truman Gala featuring messages from Congressmen Ted Lieu, Adam Schiff, Majority Whip Jim Clyburn, Mayor Quinton Lucas and others this coming Saturday.
We are requiring some proof of vaccination (your card, picture of proof or similar). We will have extra space between tables for safety. Also, we will have masks available for those who don't have one. While currently not required by Independence, we require guests wear a mask or face shield while not at dinner service.
TICKET SALES END AT 6PM TODAY
Learn more at http://www.TrumanGala.com
RAYTOWN DEMOCRATIC ASSOCIATION
MEETING NOTICE
Thursday, August 19th, 2021 at 7:00 PM
Las Chili's, 6210 Raytown Trafficway, Raytown
Come early at 6:00 PM to dine and make new friends!
Our speakers will be
Lucas Kunce, candidate US Senate
Contact
President Richard Tush (816) 356-0003
Vice President Fred Hartwell (816) 353-4431
The 34th Senatorial District (Platte and Buchanan Counties) is looking for a a motivated Democrat to serve as Executive Director for their soon-to-be opened office. If you are interested, see their listing and learn how to apply HERE. Direct any questions to dems@plattedems.org
In case you missed it, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem issued an order requiring the Department of Social Services to enroll the expanded population in Medicaid and prohibiting the state from treating the expanded population differently from the previous Medicaid population. Beetem's order can be found HERE.
House Minority Leader Crystal Quade said the following: "With today's court order, Medicaid eligibility is finally expanded in Missouri as its voters mandated and its people deserve. There can be no more excuses and no more delays in implementation. Expansion not only will make our state healthier, the infusion of billions of additional federal Medicaid dollars will boost our economy. And this will happen without a tax increase and without cuts to other state services."
State Redistricting Beings With an Expected Partisan Fight
In a stark example of what could have been avoided had a nonpartisan redistricting process approved, but later rescinded, by Missouri voters remained in place, a House redistricting commission evenly split between Democrats and Republicans deadlocked for nearly eight hours on Aug. 10 over which party should wield the chairman’s gavel as the process for drawing new statehouse districts gets underway.
Republican commissioners insisted one of their members should be chair since a Republican is governor. Democrats said a fairer method would be to determine the chairmanship by a coin flip. The state constitutional provisions creating the commissions don’t specify how the chair and other leadership posts should be chosen.
After deadlocking all day on a series of 10-10 votes, the commission finally agreed to elect Republican Jerry Hunter of St. Louis as chair, with Democrats Keena Smith of St. Louis and Mark Schaeperkotter of Owensville respectively being chosen and vice-chair and secretary. The parties also agreed that Hunter and Smith would share authority.
For decades, commissions consisting of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans had first crack at drawing new state House and Senate districts every 10 years. However, those commissions typically deadlocked, kicking the job to a separate commission of six state appellate judges.
In an effort to minimize partisanship in the redistricting process, Missouri voters ratified a constitutional amendment in 2018 that granted the responsibility for drawing new legislative districts to a nonpartisan state demographer. The measure passed with 62 percent of voters in support, and the new system was supposed to be used for the first time this year.
However, Republican lawmakers, fearing the new system would loosen their legislative dominance, placed a second constitutional amendment on the 2020 ballot to largely repeal the 2018 changes. Voters narrowly ratified it with 51 percent in support.
The redistricting process won’t begin in earnest until after the U.S. Census Bureau provides the precinct-level data needed to draw new maps, which currently is expected to occur in September. The House and Senate commissions each have scheduled six meetings around the state in October and November to take public testimony.