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There is a lot to be learned from Saturday’s protest

People around the nation had many takes on Saturday’s protests by women about the newly-elected President. However, organizers in both St. Louis and Kansas City should be commended for the enormous turnout with no rioting and no looting. They even got a permit and didn’t attempt to clog traffic.

The interesting thing will be what evolves from the march. There really wasn’t a clear message coming out of the event except that they are not fans of President Trump. However, if your big issues are LGBT rights, pro-choice, women’s rights, etc., then the way I read the Constitution, if you’re not a fan of President Trump, you’re really going to hate his replacement.

Ethics. Ethics everywhere.

The Democrats deftly attempted to hold the Republicans’ feet to the fire on ethics. Perhaps the best point was when an amendment was introduced to have the legislature abide by the same strict ethics policy that Governor Greitens instituted for the executive branch.

No dice.

However, you could tell that the Republican Caucus is nervous about the debate. It seems that it’s no coincidence that when there is a debate that has the potential to turn bad, the majority tends to have Rep. Jay Barnes doing a lot of the floor discussion.

In the end, some lobbyist gifts were banned, some were not.

The first question is this: will the governor who campaigned on banning all lobbyist gifts completely accept simply limiting them?

The second question is how much will the Senate water down the House bill? Then refer back to question one.

Really striking images from the inauguration. Missouri should be very proud to have seen Senator Roy Blunt leading the program to swear in the President of the United States.

There was also a beautiful hymn sung by students from Missouri State. After all of the problems the University of Missouri at Columbia have had that have embarrassed the state, it was a welcome image to see the Missouri State students making everyone in the state so proud.

Kudos to the legislative black caucus for their outstanding Martin Luther King, Jr. program held in the rotunda. An outstanding celebration of a great man.

Also, several eyes have been opened by the size of Rep. Curtman’s conservative caucus. At his first meeting, he had a full house of over 40 Republican legislators.

Speaking of those conservatives – nowhere in the state is the Second Amendment more celebrated, preened over, and peacocked about than in the Missouri Capitol. You have to wonder what the conservative caucus thinks, knowing that same Capitol has the most anti-Second Amendment policies in the state.

Apparently, the Second Amendment makes you safer at Arris Pizza, but across the street, the Second Amendment makes the State Capitol more dangerous…

Congratulations to Rep. Shane Roden and his wife on the new child they are expecting.

What could be unfolding around Senator Sifton reminds me of the ol’ George Jones song, “The Race Is On”.

Sifton withdrew from the Attorney General race and won re-election to the state senate. Democrats lost all around the country and he would have had an uphill climb in Missouri with Donald Trump racking up record margins.

But if, as many people speculate, Attorney General Josh Hawley seeks the Senate seat, he could very well end up having the Democratic Party begging him to take the nomination in what would be a far better climate for Missouri Democrats. As The Possum said, “the winner loses all”.

Who were the winners this week in Missouri politics?
Senator Nasheed: Governor Eric Greitens
Jeff Mazur: Rock Raines (you will just have to watch the show)
Scott Faughn: Speaker Todd Richardson
Steve Tilley: Rep. Scott Fitzpatrick
Jonathan Prouty: President Donald Trump

Catch ‘This Week in Missouri Politics’ every Sunday in St. Louis and Kansas City and anytime at www.twmp.tv.