By: Sarah JonesFeb. 21st, 2013more from Sarah Jones

In a fight fire with fire moment, Missouri Democrats responded to a Republican proposal to make gun control a felony with their own bill that would make proposing limits to collective bargaining a felony.

This all began when Missouri House Republican Mike Leara proposed HB 633, which states, “Any member of the general assembly who proposes a piece of legislation that further restricts the right of an individual to bear arms, as set forth under the second amendment of the Constitution of the United States, shall be guilty of a class D felony.”

Democrats responded to this bit of don’t-tread-on-me second amendment grandstanding by proposing a bill that would make it a Class D felony to propose limits to collective bargaining.

Here is the text of HB 677:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 677

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES ROORDA (Sponsor), BURNS, HUMMEL AND COLONA (Co-sponsors).

1783L.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To amend chapter 578, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to an individual’s right to bargain collectively, with a penalty provision.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Chapter 578, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 578.462, to read as follows:

578.462. Any member of the general assembly who proposes a piece of legislation that further restricts the right of an individual to bargain collectively, as set forth under section 29, article I of the Missouri Constitution, shall be guilty of a class D felony.

It should be noted that a class D felony carries with it a four year prison term. The only way Republicans are ever going to learn is if they get a taste of their own medicine.

Instead of fighting against ALEC based bills around the country, Democrats and Independents should start fighting fire with fire. Think of the possibilities.