• About
  • The Poetry of Protest

Show Me Progress

~ covering government and politics in Missouri – since 2007

Show Me Progress

Tag Archives: Brandon Phelps

HB 2075: Who checks?

06 Friday Mar 2026

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

54th Legislative District, bathrooms, bigot, Bigotry, bigots, Brandon Phelps, General Assembly, HB 2075, right wingnuts, transphobia

Everybody has to pee.

So, is somebody going to stand at the restroom door and have you pull down your pants before you can enter? Just asking.

Brandon Phelps (r) [2025 file photo].

HB 2075
Establishes provisions for restroom designations in all public buildings
Sponsor: Phelps, Brandon (054)
Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2026
LR Number: 4434H.01I
Last Action: 03/02/2026 – Public Hearing Completed (H)
Bill String: HB 2075
[….]

The bill summary:

HB 2075 — SINGLE-SEX ACCESS TO CERTAIN FACILITIES
SPONSOR: Phelps

The bill defines “biological sex” as the biological indication of male or female in the context of reproductive potential or capacity, whereas “gender” is defined as the psychological, behavioral, social, and cultural aspects of being male or female. The bill also defines the terms “school”, “institution of higher education”, “single-occupancy facility”, “multi-occupancy facility”, “family facility”, and “public building”.

This bill requires multi-occupancy restrooms, locker rooms, changing rooms, and shower rooms found in public buildings, schools, and institutions of higher education to be designated with clear signage for the exclusive use of person of the male biological sex or female biological sex. A member of the male
biological sex will not be permitted to use a multi-occupancy facility that has been designated for the exclusive use of persons of the female biological sex, and a member of the female biological sex will not be permitted to use a multi-occupancy facility that has been designated for the exclusive use of persons of the male biological sex.

The bill specifies that a multi-occupancy facility must not be designated for use by persons of a particular gender or genders instead of, or in addition to, persons of a particular biological sex. However, this provision does not prohibit family facilities. Schools are prohibited from allowing members of the male biological sex and the female biological sex from sharing overnight accommodations in any setting where students are staying overnight, including school trips.

This bill requires policies adopted in accordance with these provisions to include accommodations for persons who request them, to include the use of single-occupancy facilities.

[….]

Failure to comply with the provisions of this bill will result in the revocation or withholding of state funding for the entity operating a public building, school, or institution of higher education.

[….]

Some of the submitted testimony:

I strongly support the initiative. We need to make sure that the deviants who want to intrude into opposite-sex restrooms are held accountable.

“Cross your legs and hold it” as a cultural norm…

Missouri is a common sense state that understands that men should not be in women’s restrooms and that women should not be in men’s restrooms. We must take action to end the support for certain individuals delusions that jeopardize not only the public conscience, but especially the physical and emotional safety of normal women across the state. I have personally seen people made uncomfortable by the intrusion of their private spaces by members of the opposite sex, and this is totally unnecessary. There is no reason for this legislature, which is dominated by Republicans, to betray their constituents by allowing this bill to die. Thank you.

Quit treating these people like objects and not humans. There have been Family bathrooms in lots of buildings including airports and trains stations. All go in them. It wasn’t a problem until MAGA decided it was. Why don’t you focus on the fact families and Seniors can’t afford to feed their families or themselves. Housing is too expensive. Health care gets rougher every day. Leave all the people you racists hate alone. We are a country of immigrants and you are the ones who make it seem bad. Why?? ? Get all felons out of this country including those holding Public office.

“Trans Liberation Now”

The Missouri Catholic Conference supports HB 2075, as it would ensure that fundamental safety and privacy standards for both men and women are guaranteed in certain spaces that, because of their nature, should not be shared with persons of the opposite sex. Designating those spaces as sex separated would protect the God-given dignity of both males and females, provide clarity, uphold justice and the common good, and ensure that our laws comport with a proper understanding of human nature. The Missouri Catholic Conference urges the committee to vote “DO PASS” on HB 2075.

Dayam. We have unisex restrooms in our house.

Every single human being should have the freedom to use the restroom without being harassed. As long as they’re neat and wash their hands, it shouldn’t matter what bathrooms Transgender people use. Stop trying to regulate people’s bodily functions or to be the genital police.

I support this bill because As a society, we should NOT cater to the transgender crowd. They are lost individuals in society and tremendously need the Love of Christ in their life and read what the Bible says. Especially in our schools. Our youth in particular, are so persuasive and this kind of behavior should not be tolerated in our schools. A boy is a boy from birth that becomes a man for the rest of his life and a girl is a girl from birth that becomes a woman for the rest of her life!

Probably not attributable to Gandhi. But you get the point

Once again, Missouri politicians have no business telling grown adults in higher education which bathroom they can use. Education and college should be for everyone willing to do the course work. These practices of discrimination are clearly an attempt to erase transgender people from Missouri and make it harder for them to get decent jobs. [….]

Missouri families are under real financial pressure. Healthcare costs keep rising, grocery bills are stretching household budgets, and tens of thousands of Missourians still do not have reliable access to primary care. At a time when these challenges should be the focus of this legislature, HB 2075 directs state attention toward regulating restroom designations in public buildings. This bill addresses no documented crisis, creates new compliance costs for schools, libraries, municipal offices, and small businesses, and risks years of expensive litigation for the state.

Missouri lawmakers should be focused on lowering prescription drug costs, protecting Medicaid coverage for working families, and expanding healthcare access across the 114 counties facing provider shortages. HB 2075 moves us away from those priorities and spends taxpayer resources on an issue that does nothing to improve the daily lives of Missouri families. For these reasons, I urge the committee to oppose HB 2075 and focus instead on legislation that addresses the economic and healthcare challenges Missourians face every day.

i’m a middle-aged white guy and i think our government needs to start treating trans people with respect and equal rights. way overdue!! the reason they are treated so poorly in america has everything to do with how shady our government is and nothing to do with them and their existence or how they live their lives. they are no threat to men, women, or children – and they don’t deserve to live in fear.

I believe we share values to protect people against harm. I don’t want people attacked or harassed in bathrooms.

However, I believe that this bill will do more to expose people to harm than to protect people from it. Crime statistics do not support a high rate of violence by transgender women against cisgender women (i.e., the sort that seems feared by continuing to allow transgender women to use the women’s bathroom).

In contrast, there is very strong evidence for violence by cisgender men against transgender women (i.e., the sort that we could expect by forcing transgender women into men’s bathrooms). People that are transgender are 4 times as likely to be victims of violent crime, and cisgender men are by far the most common perpetrator against transgender women.

Many people that are transgender “pass” in public as their identified gender, and this helps avoid that exposure to violence. By forcing people that are transgender to use their “biological sex” bathroom, we are also forcing them “out” to coworkers and strangers every time that they have to use the facilities, thus exposing them to more potential for violence.

We all have to pee.

Discrimination pure and simple.

This is a ridiculous overreach of government that puts trans people at risk and ostracizes them needlessly.

The argument that it will keep men out of the ladies’ room is 110% incorrect because it will force trans men into using restrooms that they wouldn’t choose for themselves. It will actually make it more common for male-presenting folks to walk into the women’s restroom, thereby making it easier for predatory cis-men to enter and assault women and children.

This bill does nothing but hurt a small group of people living in the state of Missouri. If it were really about protecting the children, there’d be free school lunches, mandatory vaccines, and let trans people live their lives. There is no good reason to target trans people, and that’s all this is.

This bill removes local control and does more harm than good. People already know which bathroom works for them.

It all ends up in the same place, too.

Trans people, statistically and historically, are one of the safest groups to be around, especially when it comes to safety of women. Women are more likely to be assaulted in a church than in a bathroom with a Trans person. I am highly bothered by my state using resources to submit three bills on a non-issue than working towards anything that actually impacts Missourians such has housing affordability or rural development. Or even measures to help with drugs.

Abhorrent bigotry. Please stop it. As a Missouri resident I am embarrassed this is even being considered.

As a cisgender woman, I know – as does the general public – that there is no danger or risk for anyone EXCEPT for transgender, gender expansive and intersex people when states implement bathroom bans.

You are not protecting women. You are not protecting children. You are simply pushing the already most marginalized and publicly persecuted group of American human beings further and further into the shadows.

What are you doing to stop cisgender from from raping children and women and transgender people? Focus on actual issues instead of being puppets for the administration. Have some humanity. People need to use restrooms – you don’t just detransition overnight you’re leaving them in an impossible situation.

Finally, you put extra people at risk. There are plenty of cisgender people walking around who often get mistaken for the opposite gender. These are simply men with feminine features or vice versa. By implementing divisive bans, you put a much larger population at risk.

As a woman in a relationship with another masculine-presenting woman, this bill puts my CISGENDER partner in extreme risk. She already has to deal with regular harassment from the public, there is no need for a useless law to make this even worse. I have so many amazing trans friends too. If they can’t safely use public facilities because they will get harassed by going to the facility for their assigned at birth gender, they would no longer be able to do their jobs, travel safely, enjoy public events, and so much more.

You also alienate people from other states who will now place a travel ban on Missouri.

No one should police others’ bodies. And our government has no business policing my body or anyone else’s. If I’m a short haired flat chested woman will I be questioned on my bathroom choice? Who gets to decide who looks feminine enough?

Trans people have been using public bathrooms for decades without incident. Most people have probably shared a public restroom with a trans person at some point and never realized it. There is no evidence that allowing trans women to use women’s bathrooms leads to assaults or safety risks.

A little research shows Transgender and gender-nonconforming people face high rates of harassment and violence in public restrooms. According to the Williams Institute (2013), 70% of trans people surveyed had been denied access, harassed, or assaulted in a restroom.

Data from Transequality.org shows that 68% of transgender people have been verbally harassed and 9% physically assaulted while using a public restroom. Eight percent have developed kidney or urinary tract infections from avoiding restrooms due to fear.

It’s not just trans women. Many cisgender women who don’t conform to gender norms—such as women with short hair, muscular builds, or masculine clothing—report being questioned or harassed in women’s restrooms.

Stop this nonsense.

These bills are an absolute waste of taxpayer money, and are harmful to our most vulnerable population.

I’m sorry I can’t put this more eloquently, but what are we doing here? Your president is starting wars and making life less safe and more expensive for the average Missourian, yet you’re spending your time and energy continuing to attack a marginalized minority? This is done under the guise of protecting women and girls, yet I am not seeing any investigations or consequences on the files detailing actual sexual abuse and human trafficking of underage girls by your president’s best friend, cabinet members, and seemingly the man himself. As a mother of an 11 year old girl, I would much rather her be around a trans or non-binary person and would trust her alone with them much more than I would anyone in charge right now. This is a blatant corruption of power and I am sick of my taxpayer dollars being wasted on this nonsense.

Stop being a bigot. Trans people just want to pee. This does nothing to protect women and anything that would help women, you would vote against. History will judge you harshly for your cruel attacks on transgender Americans, an already vulnerable group.

To those who are not directly affected by these decisions, I ask you to pause and really think. Just because something does not impact you or your family personally does not mean it doesn’t impact real people. Human beings. People who deserve to live freely and safely in the state they call home.

No one should have to worry that decisions made by people who don’t understand their lives, their needs, or their realities could put their safety at risk. Policies are not abstract. They affect bodies, dignity, mental health, and in some cases, lives.

Please choose empathy. Please choose humanity. Please think about the weight of the decisions being made and the real consequences they carry. These are people who simply want to live in peace and be left alone.

Be the bridge where division has been created. We all deserve a safe space to exist.

Bathroom bills legislate a promblem that isn’t a real problem. This is a waste of resources and time. Policing of bathrooms does not protect anyone. It only endangers those who look different. I, a cis woman, do not feel safer with legislation like this being put forth. It weaponizes a person appearance and emboldens those with those with prejudice against those who may not fit certain beauty standards as well as makes it impossible for those who have transitioned to use the bathroom. I don’t want some MAGA weirdo policing me or my young neice asking what’s in her pants because her hair is too short or is a little taller than most, or her voice is a little deeper than others, or she power lifts, etc. Y’all are trying to make trans peoples lives so hard legislating against such a small group of people who just want to live their lives. Trans people should be able to use the bathroom without the fear of some
weirdo or person on a power trip policing them. I wish you had this same energy for Trump and those friends of the Epstein class whom actually hurt women and girls. Let trans people live!

I am a straight cis woman who is 6 foot tall, wide shoulders, I don’t wear makeup often, I don’t dress up, my general choice will always be jeans, t shirt, and tennis shoes.

Recently the obsession with genitals has escalated rapidly, our representatives are pushing bill after bill to target marginalized and already endangered humans who are just trying to go about their lives in peace.

Up until last year I had no fear of men in women’s restrooms, that was before a woman assumed I was a trans woman, went out and told her partner, and suddenly I hear heavy footsteps, someone bangs loudly on the stall walls and started screaming, “faggot!! Get out here and face me!” Along with other
slurs and threats. I didn’t know he was meaning me until I exited the stall, afraid of what was going on. He was red faced and seething, probably 6ft 3in tall, big guy. I told him in a shaky voice I was a womanand he needed to leave. He did. But only because an employee had gone to get a manager.

I was afraid.

I have never been afraid in a public bathroom of a trans woman. Not once. I have multiple trans friends and I would trust all of them far more than anyone who thinks they have a right to say what a woman is and is not based on characteristics alone.

Gender is a spectrum. Humans are a spectrum. It’s what makes us so unique and important – our differences make us stronger.

No woman deserves to be scared because she “isn’t feminine enough” or “dainty enough”. We have real issues in Missouri.

Education.
Healthcare.
Housing.
Etc.

This is a waste of time and it’s stupid.

[….]

I moved to this state because it was safer for me to be trans here than in southern Illinois. The people here were more accepting. If this passes I will have to leave for my own safety. And take my tax money with me. Do you want to see me with a full beard in the women’s restroom? Or do you just want to see me piss myself?

“Pull down your pants!” is certainly a different right wingnut take on “Your papers, please.”

Previously:

Hey Brandon Phelps (r), we hear you’re afraid of church ladies (September 18, 2025)

How’s that working out for you?

28 Friday Nov 2025

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

54th Legislative District, Brandon Phelps, General Assembly, missouri, Public Education, right wingnut, vouchers

Brandon Phelps (r) [2025 file photo].

From the Missouri State Treasurer:

MOScholars: Tax Credits

Under the guidelines established by the Missouri General Assembly in 2021, MOScholars tax credits may be awarded to individuals and businesses that file a Missouri income tax return and make an eligible contribution to a certified educational assistance organization (EAO). These private contributions for tax credits fund scholarship accounts for students with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and students living in low-income households.

A MOScholars tax credit is equal to 100% of an eligible donation, not to exceed 50% of the donor’s state tax liability for the tax year the credit is claimed. MOScholars tax credits may be carried forward for four (4) subsequent tax years. The tax credit is not sellable, transferrable, or refundable.
[….]

About your tax dollars:

Two-day trial reveals inner workings of Missouri private school voucher program
Less than 2% of MOScholars students are funded through donations this school year. The rest depend on general revenue from the state budget
By: Annelise Hanshaw
November 26, 2025

More than 98% of scholarships administered by the MOScholars program this school year are funded by Missouri taxpayers. And though there are strict eligibility requirements for private-school scholarships, eligibility isn’t checked after the initial scholarship is awarded or for siblings of students who received a scholarship.

The revelations about the inner workings of Missouri’s private school voucher program came to light over the course of a two-day trial in Cole County Circuit Court this week.

[….]

When state lawmakers created the program in a 2021 bill, they set it up to run on donations that are eligible for a 100% tax credit up to half of a donor’s tax liability. In the first three years of the program, donations totaled $33.8 million.

Gov. Mike Kehoe announced in January that he intended to bring a major infusion of funding to the program through a $50 million appropriation of general revenue. This windfall for MOScholars has allowed the state to nearly triple the amount of scholarships awarded this fall.

“If not for general revenue, would many of (the new) scholars be able to receive a scholarship?” Assistant Attorney General Peter Donahue asked the treasurer’s director of programs, Trent Blair.

“No,” Blair answered.

[….]

Of 6,418 scholarships awarded this school year, only 111 are funded through tax credits. That includes the 2,405 students who were in the program last year. So if MOScholars did not receive the state appropriation, the funding would cover less than 5% of the renewal students going into the school year.

[….]

The treasurer’s office uses an education management system called FACTS to review applications and determine eligibility. Haggard asked if the software checks if renewal students still meet eligibility requirements.

It doesn’t, Blair said.

“So a student can receive a scholarship even though they don’t meet the IEP or income requirements?” Haggard then asked.

“Yes,” Blair said.

When a student is eligible one year, the system presumes that they retain eligibility. The siblings of renewal students are also deemed eligible.

[….]

And Brandon Phelps?:

“…Supported and passed legislation to expand MO Scholars giving low income families more options in education…”

“…Of 6,418 scholarships awarded this school year, only 111 are funded through tax credits….”

Our tax dollars at work, for private educational interests.

Previously:

Hey Brandon Phelps (r), we hear you’re afraid of church ladies (September 18, 2025)

Rick Brattin (r) and Brandon Phelps (r) – Chamber of Commerce “Coffee & Concerns” – Warrensburg, Missouri – October 9, 2025

09 Thursday Oct 2025

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House, Missouri Senate

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

31st Senate District, 54th Legislative District, Brandon Phelps, Constituents, General Assembly, missouri, Rick Brattin, Warrensburg

[left to right] Brandon Phelps (r), Rick Brattin (r), Bruce Uhler.

Rick Brattin (r – 31st Senate District), Brandon Phelps (r – 54th Legislative District), and Warrensburg Mayor Bruce Uhler attended and spoke at “Coffee & Concerns” – a community event hosted by the Warrensburg Chamber of Commerce – on Wednesday morning. Around fifty individuals were in attendance.

Rick Brattin (r).

A moderator from the Chamber of Commerce started with questions for the panel, then opened up questions from those in attendance. The event lasted over an hour and a half.

The complete audio:

https://showmeprogress.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/WbgChamberBrattinPhelps100825.mp3
.
A question from the audience:

Question: …One of my children has a severe disability. So, my question is going to be asking about how will you, um, make sure and, and a specific plan to insure that we are fully funding our schools, especially in those areas of special education. Um, I fear, based on a previous answer you gave, even as the vice-chair of the Education Committee, that you think our schools have more money than we do. Um, and I can tell you that is not the case. Um, so I am curious how you will insure that we are fully finding our schools, not leaving local districts to cover the gap, and how will you make sure we are not diverting funding away from our public schools, uh, via vouchers?

Rick Brattin (r): Why…I’m just like you, I mean, my, I have a daughter that’s a severe dyslexic. I’ve had to privately pay for years and years of tutoring [….] out of my pocket. Uh, and it has been, you know, transformative to be able, but it’s, it’s a life long deal, but I have to, to continually invest in my, my daughter’s capability to be able to flourish. Uh, and I think every student should have that capability. And that’s why I, I’m perplexed at the, the, the opposition to vouchers. You know, why, why I’m paying out of pocket for something that, that yes, if we’re sending taxpayer dollars, why shouldn’t I be able to have that allotment to be able to go to pay for the education that I know my kid is going to be able to flourish in? Uh, instead of walking into a, a type of school system that, uh, is, is a one size fits all approach?

Question: And our taxes pay for public schools. [crosstalk] That cover all students.

Rick Brattin (r): Well, your taxes, our taxes pay for the education of our students. Uh, it doesn’t state that it’s required that it’s public schools. Now we’ve set up that frame work but that doesn’t mean that the legislature and the people don’t want, uh, the capability to go elsewhere if they’re not receiving a good quality education. I mean, look at Kansas City, St. louis, even Lee’s Summit area that I represent a, a portion of. Where they’re at, at twenty, thirty percent, uh, proficiency rates in their readings and math. What are we supposed to do there? Continue to spend money and send our kids there to, to abysmally fail? I, I think it’s a detriment to our students. And especially those that are dyslexic, uh, or have other, uh, disabilities that are totally going under the radar because the school district just, uh, honestly has policies in place that, uh, allow them to be able to, to not be caught.

Well, Congressman Eric Burlison [r – MO 7] is a perfect example. He’s a great friend of mine. His daughters actually through a school district in, in Springfield were, both of them were diagnosed through the school district with dyslexia. The school district opted not to tell the parents. And not to even do anything to, uh, to remedy, trying to help fix their, the, the dyslexia. Until they took them out, got their private, uh, testing done and then the school district after they, actually, caught that they did the testing and refused to, to give that data to the parents, uh, the school district just basically said that they just, you know, uh, didn’t have to. [laugh] And so, I mean, not all school districts are acting in, in good faith and that’s where I think giving the individual parent that capability to take their money, uh, and, and educate their kids where they see fit. Like I had to pull my kids out of, of, Pleasant Hill. Uh, Uh, the public school district and now they’re going to Summit Christian Academy, it’s a private school, and, and they’re, they’re learning well beyond, uh, the, their years of what they would have received, uh, when, when they were at, it’s a, a public school. [….]

Question: Senator, this is not answering my question.

Rick Brattin (r): But, I, I’m just explaining that, that I saw that the school was failing my student and my kids and I had to pull out [crosstalk]…

Question: So you come from a place of privilege where you’re able to pull your children out [crosstalk]…

Rick Brattin (r): I, I make thirty-five thousand dollars a year [crosstalk] as a state senator. I’m not a [crosstalk]…

Question: In, a community like this doesn’t have the access to other schooling systems or, or abilities to send children [crosstalk] to those other places…

Rick Brattin (r): But that’s what it, that’s what [crosstalk] I, if, if we have the systems and processes in place to where we allow the student, uh, the money to follow the student I guarantee you that that will rise up. But when we have a, a monopoly system in education that doesn’t allow for it, of course you’re not gonna have [crosstalk]…

Question: It’s not a monopoly, it’s public education, thank you, senator.

Rick Brattin (r): well it is a monopoly because your taxpayer dollars are forced to go there and regardless if your student is actually even going to that school district. I’m still sending my money to Pleasant Hill School District and I’m paying for my kid’s education as well, on top of the tutoring for my daughter. So yes, I’m paying twice and it’s wrong and people that can’t afford it, they’re trapped. So, I, I’m the chair of Education [Missouri Senate Committee] and this is one of those things that I am emphatically for, is making sure these, these funds follow the student so they can get out of these trapped areas.

Voice: That’s bullshit.

Voices: All right, all right.

Rick Brattin (r): Hey, if you have a great school district then, then you have nothing to worry about. Nothing to worry [crosstalk]…

Question: If you fully fund it.

Rick Brattin (r): It, it is fully funded. At fourteen thousand dollars per pupil, it is funded….

Rick Brattin (r): …Now, as for the separation of church and state, that is nowhere in the Constitution. In fact the, the right to, to freedom of religion is in the Constitution. Uh, the first public education book in the United States is the New England Primer. I highly advise you to go to, to Amazon or Google or, or Ebay, whatever, and purchase a copy and see if separation of church and state of the first ordained public education book was was not religious. I assure you it wasn’t. That, that was not the case. Uh, so this, we, we’ve gotten to this place in America where all the sudden if, if money is utilized to educate students can’t in [inaudible] of faith. I, I think is absolutely the antithesis of America. Uh, we look at things like evolution being forced upon in all public education. Well, that’s, that’s a religion of science that, that’s been adopted and is forced upon the kids. Uh, and, and we’re funding that. I mean, so, to, to say that there’s not that, that aspect of it, it’s already occurring in public education. It’s just the, the secular, uh, world view which the Supreme Court ruled is a religion is, is what the dominant, uh, religion is of, of the school districts. But again, I am not and I do not want to attack the schools. I just want to make sure that, that parents have that capability, ’cause they know what’s best for their kids. Now, do all parents know, there is some crummy parents, there’s some parents that don’t care about their kids, I mean it, and that, that is terrible but, but, we try to do everything we can do with, and, and to make sure that they, they know that. And that’s, that’s my part in it is making sure that they have that capability, uh, to have access to all, uh, educational opportunity as possible. Now, again, we may differ in how and what that looks like, but I assure you I’m not an enemy trying to dismantle everything. I just, I just want there to be a level of competition that makes us all better. I mean, we, we educate and bring up our children to be competitors in every aspect and every realm of life. And then when we talk about vouchers all the sudden it’s, oh we can’t have any level of competition and so on and so forth. I just think that’s, uh, that’s a huge disservice….

[Note: The New England Primer was first published in Boston between 1687 and 1691. Extant copies date from 1727. All well before there was a United States of America.]

[Note: Amendment I – “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” – U.S. Constitution

I Section 6. “….That no person can be compelled to erect, support or attend any place or system of worship, or to maintain or support any priest, minister, preacher or teacher of any sect, church, creed or denomination of religion…” – Missouri Constitution

I Section 7. “That no money shall ever be taken from the public treasury, directly or indirectly, in aid of any church, sect or denomination of religion, or in aid of any priest, preacher, minister or teacher thereof, as such; and that no preference shall be given to nor any discrimination made against any church, sect or creed of religion, or any form of religious faith or worship….” – Missouri Constitution]

Warrensburg Mayor Bruce Uhler.

Brandon Phelps (r).

Brandon Phelps (r): …Just on a, just on a side note, just something, uh, that was mentioned, and actually, I’ve said this before, maybe it gets mentioned quite often. Um, and, and I can’t speak for the senator, but I imagine that I am. We as legislators listen to you significantly more than you can possibly imagine. The problem is, and I told this to a group a while back, that just because maybe we have voted in a manner that you don’t agree with doesn’t mean that we didn’t understand the legislation. It doesn’t mean that we didn’t listen to constituents. It doesn’t mean that, uh, perhaps, if we haven’t met with you, it doesn’t mean that we’ve met with nobody. Um, and, uh, I discussed this with a group a while back that they just, I think they loved probably ninety-five percent of the things that I voted on and the way that I voted, but there were a few things they just simply didn’t like. And they asked me on those things they didn’t like, they said, well, why didn’t you listen to the people? Why didn’t you read the legislation? How come you didn’t, how come you didn’t understand and educate yourself on the legislation? And I said, so, wait a minute, let me get this clear. So on all the things that I voted in the manner that you like, you assumed I did educate myself. You assumed I did speak to the people. You assumed I did listen to the constituency. But on the three that you didn’t like, you assumed I didn’t read those bills. You assumed that I didn’t listen to constituency, and so I want you all to understand that believe it or not, while we are together right here, and for many of you this is the first opportunity, but for many of you it is not. These events, for me at least, I don’t know about for the senator, um, and so everybody knows, and I, I’m a first year legislator. I will tell you that I was actually just stunned that when session ended how many of these events started getting put on my calendar. I will tell you it’s almost daily. Uh, and when the superintendent told you that we spoke, um, a week and a half ago, we did, for two hours. We, we’ve had an opportunity to speak multiple times. During session he came to my office and we had a long conversations. But, that is that way with everybody. I just would ask people, number one, I want you to understand me. I’m gonna listen to you. I’m gonna hear you. I am going to research. But I would also ask that you don’t make the assumption that if I have not agreed with you on a hundred percent of the issues a hundred percent of the time that I just don’t listen. Because that’s not fair. Because we have thousands, tens of thousands of phone calls and emails. And I actually would tell people that’s one of the things I actually, I, I, I think, I think I told the mayor this, um, I know I told [….] this. That’s one of the things I love most about the job. I’m getting a free education when people come in and share their thoughts and concerns with me. They don’t always agree with me and I don’t always agree with them. But I do listen, I do research, and I do understand that we will not agree one hundred percent of the time on one hundred percent of the issues. It’s not possible. Uh, many of these events I go to, the people in the room, some of them in the room contacted my office or contacted me personally with one opinion, while other people in the room contacted me with another. I actually think that’s what makes us great. I actually believe that you are not supposed to agree with me on everything. And I am not supposed to agree with you on everything. I actually believe that that is what we want to see. Because your competing ideas with my competing ideas make us all better people. I can learn from you. And you can learn from me. But I would only say that that is possible when we have enough open mind to assume that the legislator making the vote didn’t just do it willy-nilly. Perhaps the legislator was listening and did have the info. And at the end of the day we’ve got to vote yes or we’ve got to vote no or we could take the coward’s way out and we could just go for a walk down the Capitol and not be there. I’m always there, I’ve always voted. My door in my office, uh, there are some that are open all day, there are some that are closed during the day. Mine’s never been closed. Uh, and I will tell you, these events, like I say, I, I bet I’ve been to a hundred now since the session ended in May. So we’re listening and I want you to know we’re listening and if you call me I will listen. And if you want to meet, I will meet and we will talk. Because I value it, I really do. I, I just really think that we need to share ideas and I am willing to accept the fact that you’re idea may be better than mine. My idea may be better than yours. But when I vote please don’t make the assumption that I only voted based on my ideas and I did it without any other input….

“…But I do listen, I do research, and I do understand that we will not agree one hundred percent of the time on one hundred percent of the issues. It’s not possible…”

Previously:

HB 291: keping misooree stoopit (January 5, 2013)

Rep. Rick Brattin (r): cdesign proponentsists (February 10, 2013)

Hey Brandon Phelps (r), we hear you’re afraid of church ladies (September 18, 2025)

Hey Brandon Phelps (r), we hear you’re afraid of church ladies

18 Thursday Sep 2025

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

54th Legislative District, Brandon Phelps, General Assembly, mailing, missouri, right wingnut, sycophant, Trump sycophant

They asked substantive questions which you had difficulty answering were mean to you.

Brandon Phelps (r) [2025 file photo].

Don’t be a such a snowflake, it’s actually part of the job. You know, being held accountable by your constituents.

Let’s see, on September 9, 2025 Brandon Phelps (r) voted to approve the Gerrymandering of congressional districts in Missouri and voted to restrict the citizen initiative process for Missouri voters.

We understand those rude church ladies had the temerity to ask you questions about that.

Then, this came in today’s mail, apparently paid for by a right wingnut PAC of some sort:

Oooh! “Liberty.” Ironic, don’t you think, considering Brandon Phelps (r) just voted to disenfranchise voters and restrict their voices in the citizen initiative process?

Oh, gee, the legislative agenda of AFP-Missouri. Did you actually ask your constituents about that? Just asking.

Hey, Brandon Phelps (r), are you going to vote for this gerrymandered bullshit?

30 Saturday Aug 2025

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri Governor, Missouri House

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

54th Legislative District, Brandon Phelps, Mike Kehoe, Redistricting, Republican Gerrymandering, right wingnuts, sycophants, Trump sycophants

Just asking.

Brandon Phelps (r) [2025 file photo].

From the announcement by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe (r) for the Missouri General Assembly Special Session to cover Donald Trump’s (r) Fascist ass:

Johnson County and Warrensburg would be moved to the 5th Congressional District from the 4th Congressional District. To what purpose? Give republicans 7 “safe” of 8 Congressional Districts in the State of Missouri.

Kansas City would be split among three congressional districts:

That is the very definition of Gerrymander.

By the numbers:

Election Results Official Election Returns
State of Missouri – General Election, November 05, 2024, Tuesday, November 5, 2024
As announced by the Board of State Canvassers on Thursday, December 5, 2024

U.S. Representative – District 1 (653 of 653 Precincts Reported)

Andrew Jones Republican 56,453 18.4%
Wesley Bell Democratic 233,312 75.9%
Rochelle A. Riggins Libertarian 10,070 3.3%
Blake Ashby Better 2,279 0.7%
Don Fitz Green 5,151 1.7%
Total Votes 307,265

U.S. Representative – District 2 (591 of 591 Precincts Reported)

Ann Wagner Republican 233,444 54.5%
Ray Hartmann Democratic 182,056 42.5%
Brandon Daugherty Libertarian 8,951 2.1%
Shelby Davis Green 3,941 0.9%
Total Votes 428,392

U.S. Representative – District 3 (325 of 325 Precincts Reported)

Bob Onder Republican 240,620 61.3%
Bethany E. Mann Democratic 138,532 35.3%
Jordan Rowden Libertarian 9,298 2.4%
William Hastings Green 4,013 1.0%
Total Votes 392,463

U.S. Representative – District 4 (348 of 348 Precincts Reported)

Mark Alford Republican 259,886 71.1%
Jeanette Cass Democratic 96,568 26.4%
Thomas Holbrook Libertarian 9,240 2.5%
David Haave Write-in 2 0.0%
Total Votes 365,696

U.S. Representative – District 5 (571 of 571 Precincts Reported)

Sean E. Smith Republican 120,957 36.4%
Emanuel Cleaver, II Democratic 199,900 60.2%
William Truman (Bill) Wayne Libertarian 6,658 2.0%
Michael Day Green 4,414 1.3%
Total Votes 331,929

U.S. Representative – District 6 (443 of 443 Precincts Reported)

Sam Graves Republican 265,210 70.7%
Pam May Democratic 100,999 26.9%
Andy Maidment Libertarian 5,919 1.6%
Mike Diel Green 3,058 0.8%
Total Votes 375,186

U.S. Representative – District 7 (283 of 283 Precincts Reported)

Eric Burlison Republican 263,231 71.6%
Missi Hesketh Democratic 96,655 26.3%
Kevin Craig Libertarian 7,982 2.2%
Total Votes 367,868

U.S. Representative – District 8 (399 of 399 Precincts Reported)

Jason Smith Republican 271,249 76.2%
Randi McCallian Democratic 77,649 21.8%
Jake Dawson Libertarian 7,166 2.0%
Total Votes 356,064

The Congressional Districts in Missouri are already Gerrymandered. Mike Kehoe (r) and the right wingnut super majority in the Missouri General Assembly want to make it worse.

Again, the numbers:

Total Congressional Vote in Missouri: 2,924,863

With a range of total votes among the 8 Congressional Districts (lowest/highest): 307,265/428,392

Total Republican votes: 1,711,050 Percentage of total vote: 58.50%

Total Democratic votes: 1,095,671 Percentage of total vote: 37.46%

Current Party Distribution of Congressional Seats in Missouri (8 total):

Republican (2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8): 6 seats 75%
Democratic: (1, 5): 2 seats 25%

What Gov. Mike Kehoe (r) and the other Trump (r) enablers and sycophants in the Missouri General Assembly want from this special session:

Republican (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8): 7 seats 87.5%
Democrats: (1): 1 seat 12.5%

What would actually reflect and represent the population of Missouri?:

Republican: 5 seats 62.5%
Democratic: 3 seats 37.5%

That’s pretty darn close to 58.50% and 37.46%, don’t you think?

So, is Brandon Phelps (r) going to vote for the republican gerrymandered bullshit? His party leadership wants it.

The answer is “yes” with a probability approaching 1.

“…The republican way – they choose their voters, the voters don’t choose their representatives.”

Previously:

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D) – on Donald Trump’s (r) early redistricting scam (August 29, 2025)

Knob Noster Fair – May 29, 2025 – Knob Noster, Missouri

30 Friday May 2025

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Brandon Phelps, fair, Knob Noster, missouri, parade

On Thursday evening Knob Noster, Missouri hosted its parade and fair (this, through the weekend). The parade started at the high school, headed north, then turned east through downtown. The crowd was packed along the route, as is normal. As a consequence, the relatively short parade proceeds at a very slow pace.

Public service units lead the parade:

And motorcycles:

Johnson County Democrats show up:

Equestrian entries:

The republican parade entry:

That’s Representative Brandon Phelps (r) (facing, on the left). What he didn’t tell the parade crowd is that he voted in the recent legislative session to cancel their November 2024 votes approving Proposition A (minimum wage and sick leave) and Amendment 3 (abortion rights).

In the November 2024 general election:

Summary Results
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Presidential General Election
Johnson County, Missouri November 5, 2024

[….]

Proposition A
Vote For 1
YES 12,135 52.07%
NO 11,168 47.93%
Total Votes Cast 23,303 100.00%

[….]

Constitutional Amendment No. 3
Vote For 1
YES 10,821 46.04%
NO 12,681 53.96%
Total Votes Cast 23,502 100.00%

[….]

Both issues passed statewide.

Brandon Phelps’ (r) votes in the recently concluded legislative session:

Thirty-ninth Day–Thursday, March 13, 2025 1093[-1094]
Journal of the House

HCS#2 HBs 567, 546, 758 & 958, relating to employee compensation, was taken up by Representative Gallick. On motion of Representative Gallick, HCS#2 HBs 567, 546, 758 & 958 was read the third time and passed by the following vote:

[….]

AYES: 096

[….]
Phelps
[….]

Speaker Patterson declared the bill passed.

HCS#2 HBs 567, 546, 758 & 958– EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION

This bill modifies the schedule of minimum wage increases or decreases by terminating such schedule as of December 31, 2024. Currently, the minimum wage is set to be increased or decreased on January 1, 2027, and on January 1 of successive years, based on increases or decreases of the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. This bill repeals that scheduled adjustment.

Currently, these provisions do not apply to public employers, as that term is defined in the bill. This bill applies the minimum wage law to public employers beginning on the effective date of this bill.

The bill repeals provisions relating to paid sick leave requirements, including, but not limited to, under what conditions paid sick leave must be provided by employers, prohibited actions for employers and violations thereof, recordkeeping requirements, complaint and investigative procedures, a right to a cause of action for retaliation, and confidentiality of information

And:

Fifty-sixth Day–Thursday, April 17, 2025 [1923[-1924]
Journal of the House

On motion of Representative Seitz, HCS HJR 73 was read the third time and passed by the following vote:

AYES: 103

[….]
Phelps
[….]

Speaker Patterson declared the bill passed.

HCS HJR 73– REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE

Upon voter approval, this Constitutional amendment would repeal the Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative, which establishes the right to reproductive freedom, including the right to make and carry out decisions about birth control and abortion care. [….]

Along the parade route:

Downtown.

Recent Posts

  • Droning on…again
  • It is all about the oil…for China?
  • Fixed it for us
  • Campaign Finance: more than enough, always
  • Mark Alford (r): passing gas

Recent Comments

The price we all pay… on “Up, Up and Away……
HB 2075: Who checks?… on Hey Brandon Phelps (r), we hea…
Campaign Finance: a… on Campaign Finance: Working Peop…
The mail pieces have… on Are you certain it wasn’…
In our town | Show M… on ICE Whistles

Archives

  • March 2026
  • February 2026
  • January 2026
  • December 2025
  • November 2025
  • October 2025
  • September 2025
  • August 2025
  • July 2025
  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • November 2023
  • October 2023
  • September 2023
  • August 2023
  • July 2023
  • June 2023
  • May 2023
  • April 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019
  • August 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • February 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • May 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • December 2016
  • November 2016
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • August 2011
  • July 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011
  • April 2011
  • March 2011
  • February 2011
  • January 2011
  • December 2010
  • November 2010
  • October 2010
  • September 2010
  • August 2010
  • July 2010
  • June 2010
  • May 2010
  • April 2010
  • March 2010
  • February 2010
  • January 2010
  • December 2009
  • November 2009
  • October 2009
  • September 2009
  • August 2009
  • July 2009
  • June 2009
  • May 2009
  • April 2009
  • March 2009
  • February 2009
  • January 2009
  • December 2008
  • November 2008
  • October 2008
  • September 2008
  • August 2008
  • July 2008
  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007

Categories

  • campaign finance
  • Claire McCaskill
  • Congress
  • Democratic Party News
  • Eric Schmitt
  • Healthcare
  • Hillary Clinton
  • Interview
  • Jason Smith
  • Josh Hawley
  • Mark Alford
  • media criticism
  • meta
  • Missouri General Assembly
  • Missouri Governor
  • Missouri House
  • Missouri Senate
  • Resist
  • Roy Blunt
  • social media
  • Standing Rock
  • Town Hall
  • Uncategorized
  • US Senate

Meta

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

Blogroll

  • Balloon Juice
  • Crooks and Liars
  • Digby
  • I Spy With My Little Eye
  • Lawyers, Guns, and Money
  • No More Mister Nice Blog
  • The Great Orange Satan
  • Washington Monthly
  • Yael Abouhalkah

Donate to Show Me Progress via PayPal

Your modest support helps keep the lights on. Click on the button:

Blog Stats

  • 1,033,180 hits

Powered by WordPress.com.

 

Loading Comments...