It’s the end of the year as we know it
It is the final week of the year and for many, that means its a period of reflection.
The other week I went to mass. It was the fourth Sunday of Advent and the monseigneur’s homily was about expectation. He spoke about what it’s like for a family to expect a new child, both the excitement and how the parents start to willingly make changes in their lives to create a better environment for a new one.
Then, he expanded on the concept. It doesn’t have to just apply to families, he said. In so much of our lives, we are anticipating and expecting reinvention, change and rebirth.
But, he said, we are living through a time where it feels that hope and expectation are lost. Where we are bombarded by news that can cause us to lose hope and to turn away from wanting to make things better.
“It is a tragic thing when a country stops expecting,” he said.
Clearly, the homily stuck with me. Have we, as a country, stopped having expectations for our leaders and our institutions? Has distrust and skepticism pervaded the national consciousness to the point where we no longer believe in our ability to not only rise above our differences but find strength in them?
We in the news business tend to focus on problems. After all, the nature of news is not something that is going according to plan, when something outside of the ordinary happens. We strongly believe in holding our leaders and our community accountable. And, as a reporter, I understand that reading about current events can cause one to have a more pessimistic outlook.
I can only speak for myself, but when I look at this type of reporting — the best of it in particular, when it shines a light on injustice or unmasks corruption and hypocrisy — it is a testament to expectations. What that article is saying is that not only do we expect better, but we deserve leaders and institutions who are working for the collective good.
That higher standard may feel distant right now, particularly when reading about politics. Our country is divided. Partisan rhetoric is noticeably aggressive and cruel. People feel persecuted and are losing faith in our democracy.
But I still have hope that things will get better.
Change won’t start here in Washington. It will come from conversations with our neighbors, in extending grace to others experiences and a shared hope of a better future.
Anyway, enough preaching. With the final newsletter of 2022, we’re looking at some of the key political stories over the course of the year.
More from Missouri
A strict abortion ban went into effect in Missouri, the state legalized recreational marijuana and there was a tough fought and controversial Republican primary for U.S. Senate: Here were some of the top stories from Missouri this year.
Here are headlines from across the state:
Abortion banned in Missouri as trigger law takes effect, following Supreme Court ruling, Jonathan Shorman
Schmitt’s office did not keep travel records after 2020, raising concerns, Kacen Bayless and Daniel Desrochers
Can Vicky Hartzler’s ‘conservative biblical values’ win a Senate seat?, Daniel Desrochers
Missouri votes to legalize recreational weed for adults, Kacen Bayless and Kynala Phillips
Greitens’ lost chapter: Inside his disappearance from public life before Senate run, Daniel Desrochers
And across Kansas
An abortion referendum vote that sounded across the country, a massive economic development announcement shrouded in security and the ongoing effort to ensure faith in the state’s election systems: Here were some of the top stories from Kansas.
Will election conspiracy theories cause permanent damage to democracy in Kansas?, Katie Bernard
Kansas secures no jobs or pay commitments in Panasonic’s $4B battery plant, Kevin Hardy and Katie Bernard
Top KS election official must persuade GOP their votes are safe. Can he?, Jonathan Shorman and Katie Bernard
Cash, faith, politics at Mass: How the Catholic Church is fighting abortion rights in Kansas, Katie Bernard
How Derek Schmidt’s prosecution of Schlitterbahn water slide death failed, Jonathan Shorman
The latest from Kansas City
In Kansas City …
Hundreds crash at dangerous rail crossings that should have been fixed. Whose fault is it?, Judy L. Thomas, Laura Bauer and Kevin Hardy
Kansas City police use force against Black people more often. Their own data shows it, Katie Moore
The mystery behind the demise of iconic Kansas City brand Baldwin Denim, David Hudnall
Have a news tip? Send it along to ddesrochers@kcstar.com
Odds and ends
Coming soon
Senator-elect Eric Schmitt will be sworn in next week as a U.S. senator representing Missouri, marking the end to Sen. Roy Blunt’s 26 years in Congress (first in the House, then in the Senate).
I have a profile of Blunt coming out on Sunday, but, in the spirit of reflection, I wanted to share this quote from former Sen. Jack Danforth.
“I am proud that Roy Blunt was my senator,” Danforth said. “That’s something wonderful to think about somebody. You’re proud of them. Whether you agree with them or don’t, this person was my United States senator.”
Danforth’s right, feeling proud of someone is a truly wonderful feeling and it comes from feeling a sense of connection. Here’s hoping that in the new year, we strengthen our existing connections and forge some new ones.
Also coming soon
Jonathan Shorman and Katie Bernard interviewed more than 20 legislators, current and former law enforcement officials, immigration and voting rights experts in the hopes of learning what the controversial Republican’s past can tell us about how he’ll perform his duties as Kansas attorney general next year.
“I fully expect Kobach, given his background and his rhetoric, to be one of the most aggressive AGs around,” said Paul Nolette, a political science professor at Marquette University who studies state attorneys general.
Keep an eye out for the full article on Wednesday.
Happy Friday
Here’s a (terrible, horrible, no good, very bad) take on skiing. Toast the new year with some champagne. And here’s that classic, Auld Lang Syne. Oh, and also the New Year’s Eve scene from When Harry Met Sally.
Enjoy your weekend.
Looking for more?
Think this newsletter is missing something? Think I’m fabulous? Think I’m a moron? Send your reactions to ddesrochers@kcstar.com.
For more politics news, follow @Kacen, @KatieJ_Bernard, @drdesrochers and @jonshorman.
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