John Messmer’s campaign features 15-point plan for reforming Congress
BY : STEPHEN BUECHTER
Staff Writer
Meramec will be represented on the political stage in coming months as political science professor John Messmer, Ph.D., announced on Jan. 4 that he will officially be running for United States Congress. Messmer is running as a Democratic candidate in Missouri’s second district on a reform based platform. His tagline: End Corruption, Demand Reform.
“I don’t want to suggest that political reform is just an issue. It’s the issue,” said Messmer. “It doesn’t have to be considered the most important issue…but what I’m saying is that it has to be our first issue.”
According to his website, johnmessmer.org, Messmer has a 15-point plan to reform congress, including steps like banning lobbyist contributions to campaigns, proposing an amendment to ban gerrymandering and creating a “National Commission on Government Ethics.” Messmer’s campaign focuses on fixing “issues that have been corrupted by out of control money” including big media, climate change and health care.
“You go to my website, I go into gory detail. Everything you wanted to know about me, maybe some things you don’t,” said Messmer. “Compare that to my opponents. You know what their websites consist of? Stupid pictures of their stupid faces and a big contribute button so that you can give them money. Now, I’ve got a contribute button, but it’s there along with hours and hours and hours of detail regarding me, my policies and what my campaign is all about.”
Messmer’s website also features a page on what he promises not to do if elected, including holding secret meetings, accepting lobbyist gifts and barring access to his office or person.
Emily Neal, Ph.D. and associate professor of political science, said that Messmer’s platform would be likely to go over well with voters, but she remains unsure about whether or not her fellow professor has the resources to compete.
“The question is, will John Messmer be able to marshal the forces – volunteers, money – that he will need to win. I think the reform agenda will play well but as you know, you need money to win an election,” said Neal.
According to Neal, Messmer’s political agenda would require cooperation from a large amount of other congressional representatives. Although she feels that a victorious election is “optimistic, such an agenda, said Neal, would cause elections to be more competitive, make voters feel more empowered and potentially allow for more progressive candidates.
Messmer shared similar viewpoints, saying that teaching “hundreds, thousands of students” has forced him to acknowledge that it’s not just teachers who are interested in the fate of our nation.
“[Students] want to get involved in politics more. They just feel a disconnect,” said Messmer. “There’s no clearer disconnect than that they see it as a pay to play culture. And most people don’t have that kind of money.”
Neal said that Messmer’s political science background could prove to be an asset in understanding the right sort of bills to pass.
“I do believe that having a pragmatic lens that a political science Ph.D. would give him would better position him to separate the wheat from the chaff in terms of what’s a good policy and what’s a special project to benefit one specific location,” said Neal.
Midterm elections for the United States House of Representatives will take place Nov. 6, 2018. More details about Messmer’s political agenda can be found at johnmessmer.org.
