Recovered from the Wayback Machine.
I believe I’ve found all the representatives who voted to gut Proposition b, but who came from districts that supported Proposition b. They join with the four State Senators, who also voted against the wishes of the people in their districts. There were several others who I didn’t list whose districts were split almost right down the middle—they’ll have to figure out what they’ll tell half the people come election time.
Though Proposition b was bi-partisan, with significant support among Republican voters, the Republican representatives were more willing to disregard the will of the people than the Democrats. However, I think every state Senator and Representative who voted for SB 113 and who comes from a district that supports Proposition b should be held accountable, and should answer one question: why?
Why did they let us down? Why did they not represent us? Hubris? Indifference? Arrogance? Political ambition? Why did they think so little of their districts that they showed us such disrespect?
I noticed during the debates on SB 113 and HB 131, that more than one representative expressed umbrage that people would dare call them up and just tell them how to vote. How dare we show them such disrespect? Don’t we know that’s not how things work in Jefferson City?
What is inherently wrong with the members of this General Assembly is that they have become so caught up in their own importance that they forget that they are accountable to the people in the districts, not the other way around. We don’t have to come to them, hat in hand and ask pretty please, Representative Sir or Senator Ma’am, but can I have my vote?
We give the respect we get. I have no respect for representatives who don’t respect the people of their districts. I have no respect for representatives who let special interests undermine the basic foundation of our government.
It’s plain for all of us to see: you sold us out.