Missouri District 82 Rep. Dr. Sam Page visited Branson yesterday to meet with the Branson Veteran's Task force Board of Directors.
According to witnesses present:
Page delivered an informative speech voicing concern over misdiagnoses of traumatic brain injury from soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Page attributes an alarming rise in suicide attempts by soldiers returning from the International War on Terror to government's failure to provide adequate medical treatment .
After the meeting, Page joined me at the Branson Boutique hotel on the Branson Landing. Page refused to eat the Chicago Dog I offered him (for medical reasons I'm certain).
I was too tired to stand but am grateful Page took time to visit Branson.
Lesson of the Day: 120 oz. of Starbucks Coffee does not make up for two nights of lost sleep.
Little attention has been given to Missouri's Lt. Governor race overshadowed by a high profile Republican Gubernatorial Primary, a historic Presidential race and rumors of scandal within the states leadership propagated daily. Republican and Democrat organizations fire accusations as frequently as possible.
Page contends that those who donate to his campaign are misled if they think their endorsement will lend them a stronger hand in legislation and claims the majority of his support is coming from life long friends and doctors he's known for years. Of course, his campaign is just beginning and part of his media strategy is to drum up support and donations which is catch-22. He has to get press to let people know he's running and money to buy ad space - press.
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Campaigns cost money and the current system - by government dictate runs similar to the mafia.
Technically - legally, campaign donations can't buy legislation. Lobbyists have to give money, favors, gifts - "no strings attached".
The problem is this system lacks common sense. Try going door to door and asking people for money. When they ask why assert "cause I'm a great guy. If you do, don't quit your day job - you'll starve.
Logically, a lobbyist don't freely offers money. Later, he'll have some information to share with you - information that could affect legislation. The lobbyist isn't buying "legislation" per se - a felony - but rather access. Access is influence - a saleable commodity those who wish to influence government are willing to purchase.
See Press Politics - Institutional Bribery
