Amendment 10, which would limit gubernatorial powers, would alter the balance of powers to address a temporary, partisan complaint. It deserves defeat in Tuesday's election.
The proposed change to the Missouri Constitution was crafted by Republican lawmakers who believe Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon has misused his budget-balancing authority.
GOP aggravation and frustration has taken the form of Amendment 10. The ballot title reads: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to require the governor to pay the public debt, to prohibit the governor from relying on revenue from legislation not yet passed when proposing a budget and to provide a legislative check on the governor's decisions to restrict funding for education and other state services?"
That's lawyer-speak for transfer more power from the executive branch to the legislative branch.
The separation of powers among the three branches of government and the system of checks and balances has worked admirably for federal and state governments for many years.
Tampering with those fundamentals to address a perceived misuse is a bad idea.
Can the case be made that Nixon has misused his budget authority? Of course, just as the case can be made that Republicans have misused their majorities in the House and Senate to advance partisan proposals to the governor's desk.
A notable incarnation of the "two wrongs don't make a right" occurred earlier this year when the GOP rushed through a series of tax cut proposals on the final day of the session and Nixon used budget withholdings to leverage his vetoes of those bills.
Politics often takes the form of a power struggle - a necessary and desirable result of America's two-party system.
Amendment 10 would tip the balance of power, not only during Nixon's tenure but for all future chief executives, Democrat or Republican, unless and until its provisions are altered by a subsequent voter-approved constitutional amendment.
The Missouri Constitution is a framework for good government, not an arena for petty partisan skirmishes. Reject Amendment 10 on Tuesday.