Sept 11, 2023

Representative __________,

Let's get real and call it like it is...

Dean Plocher is paving the way for defeats on the two main Republican RED MEAT issues, abortion and gun control, through his selfish pursuit of support from the Missouri Realtors Association for his Lt. Governors race.

The Governor won't call a special session to consider IP or Ratification Reform when there is no consensus for a solution -- but there IS consensus -- or there would be -- if Plocher wasn't standing in the way.

We'll have the same problem come January if House Republicans don't step up to the plate and rein in the Speaker they selected.

Last spring, 70% of Republican senators told Sandy Crawford they preferred Concurrent Majority Ratification.  And you know that the vast majority of House Republicans also supported CMR.

But the Realtors -- or the Realtors' lobbyists -- are playing a different game, so Plocher will stand in the way of ratification reform to make them happy..

This is the little known irony:  When Sam Licklider and David Barkledge briefed the Realtors at their annual meeting last spring, they didn't tell them that Concurrent Majority Ratification was an option. They didn't explain that their two previous petitions would have been ratified using CMR, and they didn't point out that CMR would actually protect their position by making it harder to repeal their tax-saving measures. And they didn't explain that CMR doesn't make it any harder to use the petition process itself.

And I have a feeling that Dean hasn't made the case to the actual leaders of the Association of Realtors (not the lobbyists) that CMR is acceptable under their official policy, which is to oppose any "IP Reform" that isn't "measured and minimal."

The 102nd General Assembly (that's you) is about to go down in history as the ones responsible for undoing all the gains Republican majorities have made in key policy matters since taking control from the Democrats.

These are the petitions with a high probability of making it to the 2024 ballot:

ABORTION PETITIONS: There are now 17 - 11 submitted by one group and 6  just submitted by another group on August 30.  ALL of them would create a constitutionally protected "right" to abortion for the full nine months of pregnancy - some outright, and others with a "health of the mother" exception. At least four of them would actually REQUIRE the legislature to fund healthcare providers seeking funding. That move might be intended to secure cash from deep-pocket organizations, like Washington University.

GUN CONTROL PETITIONS:  On August 16th, a group with some leverage submitted 3 petitions that would constitutionally allow the cities of St. Louis and Kansas City, and any county that chooses, to "regulate the possession or carrying of firearms" within their jurisdiction, both for residents and non-residents.

These measures would over-ride the state gun control preemption statute and the Second Amendment Preservation Act.

House Republicans are NOT helpless on this matter. The last thing a candidate for Lt. Governor wants is bad reports about him from you back in your district.

Tell Dean Plocher that if he's not willing to support our position as the first state to outlaw abortion, and the the state that leading the country in gun rights, tell him to at least get out of the way!

In liberty,

- Ron Calzone

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