Hubbard, Nasheed, Brown, and Hughes Sell Out

Pathetic "legislators" Penny Hubbard, Michael Brown, Jamilah Nasheed, and Jonas Hughes sold out their constituents, the Democratic Party, and the people of Missouri by voting for a gerrymandered redistricting map that all-but-ensures a 6-2 Republican congregation from Missouri for the next 10 years, despite the fact that 40-50% of the states population votes Democratic every election. Their crossover votes, combined with the fact that Republican legislators know better than to sell out their leadership on important issues like this, provided exactly enough votes to override Jay Nixon's veto. Hughes from the Kansas City area was the newest member to join the ranks of shameful sell-outs, and he had previously said the following:

"Are we going to just give in to gerrymandering without even putting up a fight?" said Rep. Jonas Hughes, D-Kansas City. "We just simply give in and rollover. If that's what's become of Missouri's Democrats then perhaps we deserve that. Perhaps it's time to just rollover if that's what we're going to do."

I guess Hughes decided that it was time to rollover if that's what he was going to do.

Of course, this is what happens when progressives don't have a strong infrastructure around to elect good candidates. The fact that Penny Hubbard beat progressive James Morris is disgraceful for anyone who cares about the values of the Democratic Party. So if we elect weak, self-interested legislators, it will always be easy for Republicans to pick off opportunists with the promise of Wingnut Welfare for Life. Even if all of these legislators lose their next elections to actual democrats, Rex Sinquefield probably has a director position waiting for them at the Hawaii branch of the Show Me Institute.

Ultimately, all we have as Democrats and people who oppose the abuse of power and money is our values. And if we elect schmoozers, big talkers, wheel-greasers, or whatever without knowing that, at heart, they are good and trustworthy people, we will continue to lose.