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Submitted column: Mehan and Pierle: “Having the courage to compromise”

Do you remember the history lesson about The Great Compromise of 1787?  It was a distant memory for us until recently when we discussed our teenagers’ social studies book.  Framers of the U.S. Constitution were meeting at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to debate how the states would be represented.  Dueling factions put forth conflicting proposals.  Through a great compromise, our legislative system of proportional representation through the House of Representatives and equal representation through the Senate was born.  Our Constitution could have been derailed if individuals from different backgrounds with competing political views did not hammer out a compromise.

Admittedly, on a smaller scale, our elected officials in Missouri today could learn lessons from The Great Compromise of 1787.   They have an unprecedented opportunity to reach a compromise on tax and health care policy.  The simple question is, do our politicians have the courage to lead and compromise.  Compromise does not seem to be a part of today’s political vernacular. It’s a dirty word.  Certain elements within our two party system, and the talking heads on Fox News, MSNBC, and CNN, characterize compromise as selling out, as wimpy, as caving in on so-called principles.  Unfortunately, this lack of compromise not only results in the common person becoming disenfranchised with our political system, but it also holds back individuals and our state as a whole from growing and prospering.

Two issues consumed much debate this past state legislative session: tax cuts and Medicaid expansion.  Generally, Republicans in the General Assembly pushed hard for the former, while Governor Nixon and Democrats advocated for the latter.  The Republican supermajority passed tax cuts, resulting in a veto by the Governor.  While the Governor toured the state touting the economic and moral arguments for Missouri to expand Medicaid, little legislative action on Medicaid occurred.

Real compromise on tax cuts and Medicaid expansion, coupled with reform to both, would be an economic boon for the state and improve the financial security and quality of life for all Missourians.  Tax cuts would result in individuals and businesses having more flexibility to spend and invest their hard earned cash.  Tax reform would make sure our tax credit system effectively impacts economic development.  Medicaid expansion would ensure that the working poor have affordable access to preventive and life-saving care.  Medicaid reform would hold both health providers and beneficiaries accountable for improved health outcomes and increase efficiency in the overall health system.

However, to achieve these goals, compromise is required. Elected officials from both parties would each get some of what they want.  The real winners would be all Missourians.

Lessons can also be learned from 1981 when Kit Bond was Governor.  Bond, a Republican, had to work with a Democratic-controlled legislature, the opposite of what we have today.  But they compromised and together took on the challenging task of cutting nearly $1billion out of the state budget.  They talked, they communicated, they compromised.

Today, Missourians are looking for leadership. Many, however, are cynical and skeptical of the political process and thus have withdrawn.  Call us naive, but we’re not giving up yet.  We remain hopeful that our political leaders will find the courage to lead, to compromise, to put aside ideology and find real solutions on tax and health care policy to move our state forward.

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Submitted by Joe Pierle, CEO of the Missouri Primary Care Association and Dan Mehan, CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce.  Both served as advisors to former U.S. Senator Kit Bond.