Editorial: Don't expect much out of 2012 Missouri Legislature

Editorial: Don't expect much out of 2012 Missouri Legislature

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Spend any time in Missouri's stately Capitol building and you're likely to find yourself on the third floor at some point, killing time between hearings or a House or Senate session, perusing the framed photos of former legislators on the wall.

The photos honor men and women sent to Jefferson City from their homes in St. Louis and Kansas City, Ava and Auxvasse, Bolivar and Bunceton, Chesterfield and Columbia to do the people's business.

For a time, they were special, king-makers walking marble halls, wined and dined by lobbyists looking out for their clients.

Now they're pictures on the wall.

The reality of legislative politics is this: Even the most seasoned lawmaker who stands before the photos and thinks real hard would have a difficult time identifying the accomplishments of most of the legislators whose pictures are on the wall, except for those who went on to higher office and made names as a governor or a member of Congress.

There's not much fame in being a state legislator. And that's too bad, because more than any other level of government, state legislatures deal with matters that affect citizens every day: taxes, roads, licenses for professionals from doctors to barbers, law enforcement, courts. The list goes on.

Lobbyists for special interests know this and pay close attention. But the average citizen is hard-pressed to name his current state representative or senator, much less the low-grade heroes on the wall.

Read more: http://www.stltoday.com/news/opinion/columns/the-platform/editorial-don-t-expect-much-out-of-missouri-legislature/article_c9ab0397-462c-5727-b627-8414527f60c7.html#ixzz1iW4HUFzc