At their monthly meeting on August 20, the local Prayer/Action Chapter of Concerned Women for America (Missouri) focused on the importance of voting, emphasizing the need to read carefully all ballot questions and proposed constitutional amendments, to make sure all the ramifications of a Yes or No vote are understood.
Chapter leader and Area Director Haven Howard shared that the voter turnout in Taney County for the August primary was sadly low, at 28% of registered voters; if this happens in a statewide or Presidential election, it is possible for the state’s two largest urban areas in Kansas City and St. Louis to carry the state outcome without reflecting the concerns and values of southwest Missouri. Meeting handouts illustrated the importance of every single ballot in several historical elections; a few key votes in just a few precincts in 1960 that made the difference for President John F. Kennedy.
Featured speaker for the meeting was District 156 Missouri Rep. Brian Seitz. Echoing the importance of each person’s vote, Seitz spoke to the need to read carefully every question on the ballot. To introduce the discussion, he reviewed the Initiative Petition Reform question from the most recent legislative session, which would have made the Constitutional amendment process in Missouri a more equal representation of all districts in the state rather than just a certain number of signatures and a simple majority. The ease with which the Missouri Constitution can be amended has resulted in a huge and cumbersome volume which most Missourians, including some legislators by their own admission, have not actually read in its entirety, rather than a simple and functional document.
The petition process has been particularly concerning with regard to Amendment 3, which if passed, would enshrine the right to abortion in Missouri; the amendment landed on the ballot largely by signatures from just a few parts of the state. Hiding behind terms like “healthcare” and “viability,” the proposed amendment ignores science pointing to the personhood of the unborn child and also fails to specify who can be defined as a healthcare professional for purposes of abortion, among other concerns.
“If churches had not gotten involved in politics, we would have lost the Revolutionary War,” said Seitz, emphasizing the need for conservatives, Christians and churches to speak up on moral issues.
Seitz also spoke to the ballot questions regarding sports gambling (Amendment 2) and a mandated minimum wage (Proposition A), with considerable engagement and discussion from meeting attendees. Many felt that, while the decision to play Fantasy Football or other games online for fun is a personal one, a statewide question must take into consideration the societal ills created when gambling becomes an addiction. Such addictions can easily trap individuals and families in poverty as family funds are spent for gambling rather than food or utilities, or lead to other forms of addiction. Financial interests from outside Missouri were also a concern.
Regarding the minimum wage, main concerns voiced about a “yes” vote included these:
· Minimum wage has historically been a training wage or an entry point for persons with low skill, rather than a means to support a family, with the understanding that higher pay accompanies additional training or education.
· The employer/employee relationship and communication may be hindered. Many employers are small businesses contributing to their communities in meaningful ways.
· Mandating a minimum wage leads to increased inflation as employers must raise prices for goods and services in order to pay overhead expenses, resulting in little or no increase in actual buying power.
In addition to Rep. Seitz, State Senator Mike Moon and several other Missouri legislators have actively urged their constituents to invest time in research before voting in November. Ballot wording can be found at the Missouri Secretary of State website, https://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/petitions/2024BallotMeasures. Well-researched and accurate resources and information are also available on the Concerned Women for America website, https://concernedwomen.org, including a Congressional scorecard, an Action Center, and links to state organizations.
Prior to meeting adjournment, an attendee spoke to the importance of accountability beginning at the local level, with particular mention of upcoming township voting on party committee members; such positions are often the entry rung for continued political involvement.
The meeting closed with prayer and a reminder to get out and VOTE!
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