He said what?!

It has come to my attention that a legislator said that “people can't be trusted to make the right choice. Government needs to take care of them.” My goodness! While I really hope this wasn't actually said, I know that it probably was in some shape or form. As I heard this through the grapevine, I cannot verify which legislator said this. I will however say that I am pleased that neither my Representative, nor my Senator has been linked to this comment.

Let's assume for a moment that this was not only said, but that there really are legislators who believe that government must take care of people because people make poor choices. If these legislators are correct, we are all in trouble.

Last time I checked the qualifications of elected officials, I found that they all must be residents of the district they are representing. This doesn't say they must be human people, but for my argument's sake and using common sense, I will assume that resident doesn't include cows, ducks, sheep, dogs, or according to my 8 y/o son, robots. So, if I have this right, Government is made up entirely by, drum roll please, PEOPLE!

I'm now going to use a word that many parents hate. STUPID. According to the dictionary, the word stupid means, “lacking common sense.” In all fairness, this is probably one of the most appropriate arguments in which to use this word.

According to this legislator, people are stupid. They don't make good choices and can't be trusted. Keep reading, this gets a little bumpy. Trust me, I do have a point. Every time I use the word people, I will preface it with stupid.

1. Stupid people run for office.

2. Stupid people vote stupid people into office.

3. Stupid people are now legislators making decisions for the rest of the stupid people.

4. The Stupid people who are legislators think that everyone else is stupid and needs to be taken care of.

5. Stupid people make laws that IMO are lacking in common sense (criminalizing midwifery).

6. New stupid people are elected into office by other stupid people.

7. These new stupid people refuse to vote for legislation that IMO makes sense (HB 303).

8. So now we have law enforcement (once again – stupid people) and judges and juries (what do you know more stupid people) involved.

Within this scenario, we are all in heaps and heaps of trouble.

I would much rather believe that the public (people with intelligence and common sense) elect individuals with intelligence and common sense into office. These legislators work diligently and use evidence and common sense to help shape our society. In this scenario, I don't see how any legislator using evidence and common sense would vote against legalizing and regulating midwifery in Missouri. It really blows my mind that any legislator would vehemently stand in the way of this bill even getting to a vote. So my question is, do the legislators standing in the way of the midwifery bill think that the citizens of MO are stupid people?

Once again, I have no confirmation as to who said this to begin with, or from what party it may have come from. However, it does make me wonder.

-deanna