Jay Nixon Leads by Doing Nothing

TheSource posted a video in which Governor Nixon is depicted as being absent from leadership (unless it’s a natural disaster or football victory). The state GOP issued a similar criticism when it said that Nixon sat on the sidelines during the effort to change the presidential nominating process.  Party Chairman David Cole wrote,

This is yet another example of Nixon’s absolute refusal to lead.  He had ample time to express his concerns as this bill was being crafted, debated, and passed by an overwhelming number of Republicans and Democrats.  Instead, he chose to remain on the sidelines—and Missourians will suffer.”

Now the governor has opted to do nothing about the legislature’s tightening up language around when a late-term abortion is permissible. Free and easy access to abortion on demand is such an article of faith for the Left that we’re surprised the usual bloggy suspects (FiredUpMissouri, ShowMeProgress) have not made hay of Nixon’s passive endorsement. We are sure it is coming…

Nixon’s apologists can’t claim political expediency, either. His veto of the legislature’s congressional redistricting was promptly overturned, something he had to know would happen.

Perhaps Nixon is ashamed to be a Democrat. Or maybe he’s pretending not to be a Democrat. At times, though, it seems he’s pretending not to be governor. This criticism is nothing new. Here’s how Tony Messenger described it in January (we recommend you read the whole article):

He promised more education funding. It has been cut. He said he would undo Medicaid cuts. He hasn’t. He said he would increase college scholarships for Missouri high school students. Instead? More cuts.

And in the last election cycle, both Democrats and Republicans accused Nixon of being AWOL.

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