[thwayunion]

> Are the politicians pushing for this from rural areas?

Predominantly.

> Seems like either they are serving their constituents, or they'll be voted out next time?

It satisfies an immediate vengeance, but is very "cut off my nose to spite my face" for rural Missourians. In 10 years when the "drag queens in libraries" moral panic is long forgotten, these communities will lament the loss of their libraries.

Your question is deep, and gets to the heart of why we even bother electing representatives in the first place.

If reps are only there to channel the emotional state of their constituents, then what's the point of having representative democracy? If representation does not come with some expectation of leadership, then representation is a poor proxy for public will with no upside. If elected officials have no moral responsibility or practical expectation to lead -- and are just reactionary automata -- then get rid of the politicians and do everything via the ballot box.