By: Brian Evans

I’ll be honest: when I first started looking at Amendment 4, I struggled with how to feel about it. I had concerns, questions, and reservations. But I also realized there is an enormous amount of information… and misinformation being shared online by fake profiles, radical organizations hiding behind PAC’s, and far left groups. As I researched the issue, I saw well-funded left-wing organizations, political parties, advocacy groups, and special interests all working to inundate voters through social media, advertising, and online commentary… in an effort to persuade voters against Amendment 4 and toward their own political interests. That made it even more important for me to dig into the actual language of the amendment, look at our state constitution’s past history, contemplate future repercussions, and study the facts for myself, carefully weighing the pros and cons rather than simply following the loudest voices.

I’ll be honest: when I first started looking at Amendment 4, I struggled with how to feel about it. I had concerns, questions, and reservations. But the more I researched the amendment, the more I studied the initiative petition process, and the more I weighed the pros and cons of what is safest and best for Missouri’s future, the more I came to a conclusion: the passage of Amendment 4 is not merely an option, but it is a necessity for the safety, stability, and security of our state and for citizens from one corner of Missouri to the other. The radical left has already used the process… not to make laws, but to enshrine recreational marijuana into our constitution, and legalized abortion up to… and even through fetal viability when the baby can survive outside the womb… simply because anyone labeled a “healthcare provider” claims that having a child can be bad for their “mental health”! What is next… 2nd Amendment rights, sanctuary state policy, school indoctrination policies, or other radical policies being seen passed in far-left states?

While I would have preferred our current Senator Jill Carter for Senate #32’s SJR 28, because I believe it created a balanced way to amend the Missouri Constitution by requiring both a statewide majority of voters and approval by a simple majority of Missouri’s 163 House districts… mimicing the Statehouse amendment procedures… Regardless, Amendment 4 is far safer option than continuing to leave our Constitution seriously vulnerable to these outside radical left-wing and foreign influence and manipulation for even another year!

It is important to note that a constitution is fundamentally different from an ordinary law. Laws can be passed, amended, and repealed as circumstances change. A constitution is the supreme governing document of our state. It establishes the structure of government, protects rights, and sets the foundational principles under which Missouri operates. Because of that, it should only be changed when there is broad, statewide agreement… not simply because one side wins a well-funded campaign during a single election cycle. If the United States Constitution was amended so easily, it would be disastrous for our nation, if not have already led to the death of our great nation!

Our Founding Fathers intentionally made the U.S. Constitution extraordinarily difficult to amend. They understood that foundational governing documents should be stable and should only be altered after careful deliberation and overwhelming public support. I believe Missouri’s Constitution deserves that same level of protection.

I believe it is a significant improvement over the current system due to safeguarding the document from radical agendas. Additional safeguards it enables includes:

  • Banning foreign nationals and foreign adversaries from financing Missouri ballot measures.
  • Creating criminal penalties for signature petition fraud.
  • Requiring greater transparency through public hearings.

In recent years, voters predominantly in St. Louis and Kansas City have overruled suburban and rural voters throughout the state… forcing the constitutional amendments on issues such as marijuana legalization and abortion rights through the initiative petition process. Regardless of where people stand on those issues, those votes demonstrate how powerful the initiative process can be in permanently altering our Constitution, and how two cities can force their beliefs upon the rest of the citizens of our state.

My concern is not about preventing constitutional amendments. It is about ensuring that future amendments have broad support across our entire state before becoming permanent. I do not believe Kansas City and St. Louis alone should determine the constitutional future of every small city, town, and rural community in Missouri, putting not only the lives of the unborn on the line, but our right to bear arms, our freedoms, our faith, and other issues at risk!

After Amendment 4 passes, I would still like to pursue and see Missouri move toward a system more like Senator Jill Carter’s proposal that better balances the voices of large metropolitan areas, suburbs, small cities, and rural communities.

However, in my view, if Amendment 4 fails, the existing process will remain in place, enabling these well-funded radical organizations to continue pursuing constitutional amendments on major policy questions through deceptive organized statewide campaigns. During that time, Missouri can and will be dealt serious damage in a short period of time by these radical, well-funded, out-of-state groups and organizations.

The more I researched this issue, the more I realized that the real question is not whether Amendment 4 is perfect, as our constitution as currently written isn’t perfect either, leaving it vulnerable to radical groups. Instead, it is whether Missouri’s Constitution should continue to be vulnerable to being rewritten so easily by whichever side has the deepest pockets and the best-funded campaign at a particular moment in time.

And after all my research and reflection, my answer is clear: Missouri cannot afford to leave its Constitution that vulnerable. Amendment 4 may not be perfect, but it is a necessary step toward protecting and preserving the foundational document of our state from the radicalization of Missouri!

That is why I will be voting YES on Amendment 4. What began as uncertainty has become conviction. The more I contemplated the risks, the alternatives, and what is ultimately safer and better for Missouri, the more I realized that passing Amendment 4 is not simply an option… it is a necessity for the long-term security, stability, and constitutional integrity of our state and for every citizen from one corner of Missouri to the other.Why I am Voting YES on Amendment 4: Missouri’s Constitution Must Be Better Protected

I’ll be honest: when I first started looking at Amendment 4, I struggled with how to feel about it. I had concerns, questions, and reservations. But I also realized there is an enormous amount of information… and misinformation being shared online by fake profiles, radical organizations hiding behind PAC’s, and far left groups. As I researched the issue, I saw well-funded left-wing organizations, political parties, advocacy groups, and special interests all working to inundate voters through social media, advertising, and online commentary… in an effort to persuade voters against Amendment 4 and toward their own political interests. That made it even more important for me to dig into the actual language of the amendment, look at our state constitution’s past history, contemplate future repercussions, and study the facts for myself, carefully weighing the pros and cons rather than simply following the loudest voices.

I’ll be honest: when I first started looking at Amendment 4, I struggled with how to feel about it. I had concerns, questions, and reservations. But the more I researched the amendment, the more I studied the initiative petition process, and the more I weighed the pros and cons of what is safest and best for Missouri’s future, the more I came to a conclusion: the passage of Amendment 4 is not merely an option, but it is a necessity for the safety, stability, and security of our state and for citizens from one corner of Missouri to the other. The radical left has already used the process… not to make laws, but to enshrine recreational marijuana into our constitution, and legalized abortion up to… and even through fetal viability when the baby can survive outside the womb… simply because anyone labeled a “healthcare provider” claims that having a child can be bad for their “mental health”! What is next… 2nd Amendment rights, sanctuary state policy, school indoctrination policies, or other radical policies being seen passed in far-left states?

While I would have preferred our current Senator Jill Carter for Senate #32’s SJR 28, because I believe it created a balanced way to amend the Missouri Constitution by requiring both a statewide majority of voters and approval by a simple majority of Missouri’s 163 House districts… mimicing the Statehouse amendment procedures… Regardless, Amendment 4 is far safer option than continuing to leave our Constitution seriously vulnerable to these outside radical left-wing and foreign influence and manipulation for even another year!

It is important to note that a constitution is fundamentally different from an ordinary law. Laws can be passed, amended, and repealed as circumstances change. A constitution is the supreme governing document of our state. It establishes the structure of government, protects rights, and sets the foundational principles under which Missouri operates. Because of that, it should only be changed when there is broad, statewide agreement… not simply because one side wins a well-funded campaign during a single election cycle. If the United States Constitution was amended so easily, it would be disastrous for our nation, if not have already led to the death of our great nation!

Our Founding Fathers intentionally made the U.S. Constitution extraordinarily difficult to amend. They understood that foundational governing documents should be stable and should only be altered after careful deliberation and overwhelming public support. I believe Missouri’s Constitution deserves that same level of protection.

I believe it is a significant improvement over the current system due to safeguarding the document from radical agendas. Additional safeguards it enables includes:

  • Banning foreign nationals and foreign adversaries from financing Missouri ballot measures.
  • Creating criminal penalties for signature petition fraud.
  • Requiring greater transparency through public hearings.

In recent years, voters predominantly in St. Louis and Kansas City have overruled suburban and rural voters throughout the state… forcing the constitutional amendments on issues such as marijuana legalization and abortion rights through the initiative petition process. Regardless of where people stand on those issues, those votes demonstrate how powerful the initiative process can be in permanently altering our Constitution, and how two cities can force their beliefs upon the rest of the citizens of our state.

My concern is not about preventing constitutional amendments. It is about ensuring that future amendments have broad support across our entire state before becoming permanent. I do not believe Kansas City and St. Louis alone should determine the constitutional future of every small city, town, and rural community in Missouri, putting not only the lives of the unborn on the line, but our right to bear arms, our freedoms, our faith, and other issues at risk!

After Amendment 4 passes, I would still like to pursue and see Missouri move toward a system more like Senator Jill Carter’s proposal that better balances the voices of large metropolitan areas, suburbs, small cities, and rural communities.

However, in my view, if Amendment 4 fails, the existing process will remain in place, enabling these well-funded radical organizations to continue pursuing constitutional amendments on major policy questions through deceptive organized statewide campaigns. During that time, Missouri can and will be dealt serious damage in a short period of time by these radical, well-funded, out-of-state groups and organizations.

The more I researched this issue, the more I realized that the real question is not whether Amendment 4 is perfect, as our constitution as currently written isn’t perfect either, leaving it vulnerable to radical groups. Instead, it is whether Missouri’s Constitution should continue to be vulnerable to being rewritten so easily by whichever side has the deepest pockets and the best-funded campaign at a particular moment in time.

And after all my research and reflection, my answer is clear: Missouri cannot afford to leave its Constitution that vulnerable. Amendment 4 may not be perfect, but it is a necessary step toward protecting and preserving the foundational document of our state from the radicalization of Missouri!

That is why I will be voting YES on Amendment 4. What began as uncertainty has become conviction. The more I contemplated the risks, the alternatives, and what is ultimately safer and better for Missouri, the more I realized that passing Amendment 4 is not simply an option… it is a necessity for the long-term security, stability, and constitutional integrity of our state and for every citizen from one corner of Missouri to the other.Why I am Voting YES on Amendment 4: Missouri’s Constitution Must Be Better Protected

I’ll be honest: when I first started looking at Amendment 4, I struggled with how to feel about it. I had concerns, questions, and reservations. But I also realized there is an enormous amount of information… and misinformation being shared online by fake profiles, radical organizations hiding behind PAC’s, and far left groups. As I researched the issue, I saw well-funded left-wing organizations, political parties, advocacy groups, and special interests all working to inundate voters through social media, advertising, and online commentary… in an effort to persuade voters against Amendment 4 and toward their own political interests. That made it even more important for me to dig into the actual language of the amendment, look at our state constitution’s past history, contemplate future repercussions, and study the facts for myself, carefully weighing the pros and cons rather than simply following the loudest voices.

I’ll be honest: when I first started looking at Amendment 4, I struggled with how to feel about it. I had concerns, questions, and reservations. But the more I researched the amendment, the more I studied the initiative petition process, and the more I weighed the pros and cons of what is safest and best for Missouri’s future, the more I came to a conclusion: the passage of Amendment 4 is not merely an option, but it is a necessity for the safety, stability, and security of our state and for citizens from one corner of Missouri to the other. The radical left has already used the process… not to make laws, but to enshrine recreational marijuana into our constitution, and legalized abortion up to… and even through fetal viability when the baby can survive outside the womb… simply because anyone labeled a “healthcare provider” claims that having a child can be bad for their “mental health”! What is next… 2nd Amendment rights, sanctuary state policy, school indoctrination policies, or other radical policies being seen passed in far-left states?

While I would have preferred our current Senator Jill Carter for Senate #32’s SJR 28, because I believe it created a balanced way to amend the Missouri Constitution by requiring both a statewide majority of voters and approval by a simple majority of Missouri’s 163 House districts… mimicing the Statehouse amendment procedures… Regardless, Amendment 4 is far safer option than continuing to leave our Constitution seriously vulnerable to these outside radical left-wing and foreign influence and manipulation for even another year!

It is important to note that a constitution is fundamentally different from an ordinary law. Laws can be passed, amended, and repealed as circumstances change. A constitution is the supreme governing document of our state. It establishes the structure of government, protects rights, and sets the foundational principles under which Missouri operates. Because of that, it should only be changed when there is broad, statewide agreement… not simply because one side wins a well-funded campaign during a single election cycle. If the United States Constitution was amended so easily, it would be disastrous for our nation, if not have already led to the death of our great nation!

Our Founding Fathers intentionally made the U.S. Constitution extraordinarily difficult to amend. They understood that foundational governing documents should be stable and should only be altered after careful deliberation and overwhelming public support. I believe Missouri’s Constitution deserves that same level of protection.

I believe it is a significant improvement over the current system due to safeguarding the document from radical agendas. Additional safeguards it enables includes:

  • Banning foreign nationals and foreign adversaries from financing Missouri ballot measures.
  • Creating criminal penalties for signature petition fraud.
  • Requiring greater transparency through public hearings.

In recent years, voters predominantly in St. Louis and Kansas City have overruled suburban and rural voters throughout the state… forcing the constitutional amendments on issues such as marijuana legalization and abortion rights through the initiative petition process. Regardless of where people stand on those issues, those votes demonstrate how powerful the initiative process can be in permanently altering our Constitution, and how two cities can force their beliefs upon the rest of the citizens of our state.

My concern is not about preventing constitutional amendments. It is about ensuring that future amendments have broad support across our entire state before becoming permanent. I do not believe Kansas City and St. Louis alone should determine the constitutional future of every small city, town, and rural community in Missouri, putting not only the lives of the unborn on the line, but our right to bear arms, our freedoms, our faith, and other issues at risk!

After Amendment 4 passes, I would still like to pursue and see Missouri move toward a system more like Senator Jill Carter’s proposal that better balances the voices of large metropolitan areas, suburbs, small cities, and rural communities.

However, in my view, if Amendment 4 fails, the existing process will remain in place, enabling these well-funded radical organizations to continue pursuing constitutional amendments on major policy questions through deceptive organized statewide campaigns. During that time, Missouri can and will be dealt serious damage in a short period of time by these radical, well-funded, out-of-state groups and organizations.

The more I researched this issue, the more I realized that the real question is not whether Amendment 4 is perfect, as our constitution as currently written isn’t perfect either, leaving it vulnerable to radical groups. Instead, it is whether Missouri’s Constitution should continue to be vulnerable to being rewritten so easily by whichever side has the deepest pockets and the best-funded campaign at a particular moment in time.

And after all my research and reflection, my answer is clear: Missouri cannot afford to leave its Constitution that vulnerable. Amendment 4 may not be perfect, but it is a necessary step toward protecting and preserving the foundational document of our state from the radicalization of Missouri!

That is why I will be voting YES on Amendment 4. What began as uncertainty has become conviction. The more I contemplated the risks, the alternatives, and what is ultimately safer and better for Missouri, the more I realized that passing Amendment 4 is not simply an option… it is a necessity for the long-term security, stability, and constitutional integrity of our state and for every citizen from one corner of Missouri to the other.