Missouri Republicans in Jefferson City are playing a dangerous game.

In the last several years, Missouri voters have turned to the petition process several times to institute changes they want to see. Expanded Medicaid coverage, legal sports gambling and recreational marijuana usage, abortion access, minimum wage increases and mandatory sick leave were all things Missouri voters said they wanted. And by using the constitutionally-provided means of voter-initiated petitions, they got them on the ballot and approved by a majority of residents.

At the same time voters have been approving these ballot measures, they have also been ushering in scores of Republicans to represent them.

There was a time not that long ago when Democrats actually had jobs in Jefferson City and Washington D.C. The days when Nixons and Carnahans ran rampant. Even as recently as 10-15 years ago here in Lincoln County, if you wanted to be elected coroner, you better have a D after your name.

With the exception of a few isolated urban pockets, those days are gone. Long gone.

Missouri is as red as red could be.

And yet, for some reason, those same legislators elected by the people feel strangely empowered to ignore the desires of those people.

That manifested itself most recently with the gutting of Proposition A. Approved by a whopping 58 percent of voters in November, the initiative required additional minimum wage increases tied to inflation and required employers to provide employees sick leave.

But despite that overwhelming voter approval, every Republican legislator, including our own Doyle Justus and Chad Perkins, passed legislation that effectively removed the sick leave provision as of just a few days ago.

“Those who support conservative measures and vote us into office expect us to stand our ground on issues which reflect their bedrock beliefs,” Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin said on social media after Republicans removed the sick leave provision.

What O’Laughlin conveniently is ignoring though is a state that overwhelmingly voted in Republicans into office, from state legislators all the way up to President Donald Trump, were the same voters who said employers should have to provide sick leave. That 58 percent vote clearly reflected their bedrock beliefs.

An argument could be made about the amendment allowing abortions, which was a much closer vote, that deceptive ballot language impacted the final results. It’s a weak argument, but it’s an argument.

But when 58 percent of voters say they want something …there is no room for argument.

Basically, it’s similar to when Missouri voters expanded Medicaid eligibility by a constitutional amendment, which typically is tougher to circumvent. That didn’t stop the legislators from trying though, refusing to fund the measure until a court order required it.

One St. Louis area legislator said what apparently his colleagues were thinking.

“I am proud to stand against the will of the people,” Justin Hill said during a debate on the House Floor.

There’s going to be a point where Republicans continued defiance of the voter’s will is going to cost them in a very real way. It’s going to provide Democrats the opportunity and window they need to retake some of these lost seats at the state and federal level.

We’ve seen the manifestation of angry voters here in Lincoln County in terms of ballot initiatives.

The Winfield/Foley fire protection district tried passing a tax increase in April that failed by just 8 votes. Convinced of its importance and need, they tried again in August. This time, the exact same measure was emphatically defeated, 58-42 percent …coincidentally, the same margin by which Prop A was passed last November.

Now, imagine if the Winfield/Foley fire board had the ability to go ahead and unilaterally impose that tax twice defeated by voters. Fortunately, they can’t, but if they did, the uproar would be deafening.

That’s exactly what the Missouri legislature is doing by repealing Prop A and other voter-approved measures.

And to take it one step further, Gov. Mike Kehoe just called back those same legislators for a special session to consider new laws that surprise, surprise, would further restrict and hamstring Missouri voters from placing those measures on future ballots and getting them passed.

Apparently, the GOP is buying into the adage of an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

They are clearly tired of having to draft, debate and pass legislation repealing what their constituents want, but they don’t.

Gregory Orear is the General Manager/Editor of the Lincoln County Journal, Elsberry Democrat and Troy Free Press. He can be contacted at gorear@cherryroad.com.