When Rep. Jill Schupp, D-Creve Coeur, won election last fall to her first term in the House, her predecessor, Sam Page, advised her to be on the floor whenever it was in session, learning the ropes. She and three other progressive freshman women from St. Louis spoke to the West County Dems on Monday, and she commented on his advice:
So I think each one of us actually were among the few who were always on the House floor, always paying attention, trying to not only hear the debate but follow the processes. And I think it served each of us well.
Even if they paid attention, though, Jeanne Kirkton says they were lucky if they could keep from being caught flat footed.
So they get handed tomes of yawn inducing legalese to plow through with insufficient time to do it, never knowing which bills actually stand a chance of being brought up on the floor. Stuff o' nightmares, if you ask me. And they stayed on the floor till all hours, listening to Rs drone on about bingo and the Castle doctrine.
They campaigned for this privilege?!
Not to be flippant, but since the mounds of paperwork are too reminiscent of cramming for finals, maybe the Ds need study groups. Each member could take responsibility for reading and writing a precis of one of the tomes.
Despite the work load, though, Vicki Englund was fascinated with what went on and thrilled to be there. Still, the Republicans' cynical disinterest in good public policy made her increasingly irate as the term went on, as well as determined to take the eight seats we need in 2010 to regain the majority.
I've never thought of Vicki Englund as a firebrand, but her style of quiet rabble rousing is stirring.
Kirkton concurs that the GOP caucus leaders rule with an iron fist.
Hmm. Reminds me of the way congressional Republicans kept the pharmaceutical bill open on the House floor into the wee hours of the night till they could twist enough arms to pass their bad legislation.
The Dems got Congress back not too long after that fiasco, and--with redistricting looming after the next election--2010 is the year it has to happen in Missouri.
