Lessons from a Red State: I understand the entire “find out” narrative. But I think the implied assumption is that people will find out, reconsider their choice, and potentially change because they’ve recognized their choice caused them direct harm in some way. But, historically, this isn’t want happens. Many red states have low pay, low funding for schools, loss of hospitals, low healthcare outcomes, poor infrastructure, food deserts, opioid problems, CAFO growth, and are slow to act on remediating environmental hazards. Missouri is a good analogue for America here. We have our blue strongholds to the east and west. Our northern area is more of a midwestern/rust belt region while southern Missouri will tell you openly that they are southerners who seceded and never rejoined the union. Even with these regional differences, on policy most of us support common sense, practical solutions—minimum wage increases, stopping right to work, legalizing marijuana, funding public schools, requiring paid sick time and making abortion legal. So you might wonder, then, why we can’t break out of the right’s stronghold. I’ve written about this extensively, but it’s a combination of right-wing rural radio, the decimation of local newspapers, Rush Limbaugh’s influence on our state, radio stations sold to Russia, voter suppression through the cleaning of rolls and voter ID, a lack of contested elections, efforts by the MoLeg to strip control from local communities, political intimidation and sometimes violence, and term limits. But there is perhaps no larger reason for our inability to turn back the tide than the dark money and corruption that runs through this state as swiftly as the Mighty MO herself. In 2008, Missouri eliminated campaign donation limits. Yup. Until a 2016 initiative passed, there were no limits on contributions to state races. We had two huge donors who essentially purchased their politicians. What you will see if you look at control of Missouri between 2008 to 2016 is that by the time 2017 inaugurations rolled around we had only 1 statewide Democrat—who had been appointed and supermajorities in both the MO House and MO Senate. Though we now have limits, companies still spend millions in Missouri through Super PACs that largely mask their true donors. At first, these efforts were targeted against Democrats, then moderate Republicans—forcing them to either lose, resign or move further right. They’ve also been used to ensure votes that allowed for the purchasing of our farmland by China and in recent years have allowed Missouri dark money handlers to exert their influence outside of the state. Take a look at the folks who will be considered for Trump appointments—Eric Schmitt, Joshua Hawley, Matt Whitaker, Andrew Bailey, Sam Graves. Many have ties to Missouri—now you know why. The effect is that despite most people wanting more positive outcomes for their kids’ schools or increased pay and benefits at work that it’s impossible to secure these things through anything but ballot initiative because billionaires and companies control here. There was a window we could have coalesced across the state but many thought some regions “too red” in which to invest. And now the whole state suffers. This has now happened to the whole of America. Dark money is working to drive out democrats and moderate republicans so that policies championed by just a couple of billionaires can succeed. 1/2