Missouri's 7th Congressional District Update

Last night during an interview with a leading area Democratic organizer issued an honest answer to the question, "What is a Democrat?" "I don't know", she responded
 When Branson's White House Theater was sold to Chinese Nationals, the official Communist Party published a press release. Having never visited their website, the headline, "China has taken over the Whitehouse", twitched my curiosity"
 I suppose with Branson's soon to be proposed, "Mayoral Stimulus and Tax Increase Assurance Plan" (Red Pit was mandatory research). Branson's "Bureau of Revenue and Tax Distribution spokesman," Ross Summers was quoted in the Communist press.

Now that Branson's economy had moved my browser directly into the written irkings of Communist  Chinese Propaganda, I clicked over to the history page. What I read knocked my political socks off.
The Chinese government publishes a five page history of the "great achievements of the party". It's commonly known that China has moved towards freer market philosophies but, this move in policy only now for the government spin.

The entire state published history argued that China wasn't moving towards capitalist models but rather bringing forth the Maoist dream through changes in "Official Party Doctrine". Hmm. Since we're all socialsts now, I thought I'd call a Missouri 7th District Congressional
The communists claim their new capitalist market isn't really capitalist at all. I'm confused. Apparently maintaining a two trillion dollar surplus is an ancient Chinese Communist accounting Secret. 
Thank God,

 But this is the problem of party worship. I understand you may have an idol of a donkey or an elephant in your living room that you want to stay true to but why? Does the iconic imagery match your beliefs?  If you take a close look you might be surprised.
Concerned that burgeoning free market economies were the result of Socialist Regimes moved far to the left I immediately connected a Democrat to my batline. Tim Davis, Missouri's sole District 7 Congressional hopeful (until yesterday's filing) pitched me his take on what's important for the nation in 2011.He said, balancing the budget. I laughed. Shortly after he left his position as Branson's city attorney, publicly battled against an illegal tax (one of many, Branson's corrupt mayor was attempting to levy).  So wait, here's an Oxford educated Southwest Missouri Democrat Economist that sets balancing the budget as the highest priority for the nation. And he fights taxes against a faux-republican politico? After he tries to sell me a textbook that he wrote on Economic Theory (published by his Alma Mater) he speaks of the virtues of Obama's agenda. He doesn't get into specifics but ribs, "Clinton was in office last time the budget was balanced."

 What if the holy Donkey Idol® magically started speaking and tells you to be fiscally conservative, or the  Elephant idol® tells you to take the US treasury and give it all to the bank and their private businesses?
Don't get me wrong, I'm all about freedom of Religion but, I'm weary of the ever-changing philosophies of political ministers.
Red State and Blue State,huh, Missouri is more, "The Color Purple" than Oprah Winfrey.

I hear this one all the time.

HE'S A LIBERAL and SHE'S A CONSERVATIVE!

And I wonder, really wonder, what do these labelsmean?

I know a lot of corporations put a cross on their logo.but I'm not sure what that means either these days I'm doing research for a National Politics Blog on politics and religion.

Personally, I'm a  Netizen I and the people that work with me, firmly believe in the unfiltered expression of ideas, idealogy and religous faith.

I only beg for personal responsibility. You may hate my opinion, but don't think it's appropriate to send anonymous death threats to my phone because the candidates campaign you're running is hurt by a diatribe of pragmatic truth and dissemination of fact. Still, stand up for what you believe in, I respect people who do that. Put your PAC's name on my website too.

So, let's take a look. Obama says your primary political demography is "God and Guns."

Ooops All Candidates, libs, dems, cons, libs are Pro-Life/Anti Abortion and the majority are carrying members of the NRA.

I'm sorry to inform you , but if your greatest political concern is making sure Guns Remain Legal and Abortion Outlawed ; You're in good hands. And if you believe, a born again Christian should be elected to MO's 7th Congressional Seat, you can use your vote to buy a democrat too. ,

Here's your choice as a constituent in Missouri's Congressional 7th District.

God And Guns Democrat or God And Guns Republican

 In fact, if the most important thing for you - that is - if you're campaign lobby is "More Abortions, Less Guns Inc.'You should probably vote Democratic.

And hey, while we're at it, if education is the most important to you - I bequeath Rep. Maynard Wallace, the only Republican endorsed by - well - every education lobby local to federal.

Oh wait, it doesn't stop there - You're thinking property rights is the most important to the family living in your Libertarian abode? Have you met Democrat Cathy Hilliard from the Real Estate lobby.

I know, I know, you're confused; the very foundations of your religion have been rocked. If you're up early, Chritstian Rabbi Eukel is taking calls and Non-partisan Christian Conservative talk show host Vincent David Jericho just promised free advertising to companies hurt by the recession.

Really? I suppose if you're going to have such an interesting political mix it's appropriate to throw in a conservative Jewish talk show host who's really a Christian and a hard-line conservative who's handing out a personal stimulus package.

I was so confused that I called my favorite former Oil Executive and asked who the industry leaders had to bribe for expansion of Oil drilling rights. I can't divulge further details besides - Democrats. Ironically, they took away the massive health care account he invested in over 40 years of working overtime. Hmmmmm.

I can go on. But the election process in Missouri's 7th District seems to have been damaged by some strange "isms" that have little to do with the general issues.

The secret , the holy grail of Congressional politics, lays in your capacity to serve the citizens. The election speed moves too fast (once every two years) to not be responsive to constituent concerns.

Branson Tea Party? What the hell does that mean? Has there been a merger with the Red Hat Society? I'm waiting for Eric Farris to fill me in.

Come to think of it, there's some public space where a Liberty Tree once stood. The city has rights to allow public events down there....oh, wait, whooooops. Ewwwwww, what was that law past last week?

It's illegal in Branson to have a public gathering on the streets of Branson without a music theater managers approval? What, the Constitution of the United States of America is protected in the new city charter. I'm guessing someone's going to tell me some scumbag wants to double the lengh of the Mayor's term (guess who wants to do this, behind close doors). Ummmm

It's illegal to have a political march without the Money Laundering Polislut Presley? The biggest political whore in the 7th District.... we got a hardliner word for you - unbelievable , truly, you have to see it yourself. Presley's publicly lobbying group, what's the name..let me think - oh yeah, "League of Cities Against Democracy "linked me up to the historical achievements of" - Victor Berger, America's first socialist mayor. 

"Milwaukee Socialists sought to reform the legacy of the Industrial Revolution on the local level by cleaning up neighborhoods and factories with new sanitation systems, municipally-owned water and power systems, community parks, and improved education systems. Progressivism and Socialism had different leaders and spoke different languages, but were, in many ways, remarkably similar in practice. Socialists rejected the Progressive idea of government regulation of industry. Instead, they sought to replace the capitalist system with a planned economy of state-owned industries that would protect workers from business monopolies. Socialists believed that this change would be inevitable as the working class became increasingly oppressed by powerful businesses. Although they believed in a type of class warfare, Socialists did not advocate a violent revolution as a means of achieving their goals. Rather, Socialism was to come by ballots. Until that time came though, Socialists supported measures to improve conditions for the working class and to achieve a more efficient administration of government.  "

Suddenly, it all makes sense.

Branson's newest market is political tourism -24% of our recent economy.

I thought it was funny that the first Branson Tea Party was kicked out of the public square. The whole lot tried to stuff themselves on a patio at the steak joint.

If there's one thing I've learned from Branson's City Leaders is that liberal, conservative and socialist policies are fine by most individuals if they can profit from it.

Sadly, since that time - the rules of public expression and free-enterprise have eroded further in Branson. It's not really about Democracy or Republicanism or Socialism or Holierthanthouism (someone accidentally funded a highly succesful parade and made Andy Williams top dog instead a state-sponsored-entertainment family). .

But it should be about Freedom. And quite frankly it theirs a coffee party or a tea party and they don't have the courage, audacity or frankly balls to stand up to Presley Government Industrics LLC (a publicly funded venture) in the public square don't tell me about Thomas Paine, John Adams, Abraham Lincoln or Andrew Jackson. If you're going to reserve the Constitution from some political two-bit hillbilly hoedown (for a 50 dollar fee music included)  your worthy of public despise - not because you are a liberal, democrat, christian, atheist, republican democrat or for that matter lesbianalbinomidgeteskiom - because, you don't believe in standing up to the fundamental freedom that makes us American.

Excuse me for not stopping this rant earlier but I've been waiting for them to finish construction on the Taneycobama Bridge. Apparently, it's against the law to pray out there too. Is there a method of removing Reanne's Presley name from the plaque on the public square or are the personal interests of slithering the only group legislatively  protected?

I have to stop and buy some gas, There's a store, once called Dalton's in midtown Branson where I can buy alcohol, gas and a rifle in a one stop . I gotta stop, I'm going fishing, anyone have quarters for the worm vending machine?

Branson's Mayor Not Quite As Honorable as this group (Sunshine Law Cartoon)

The city of Branson's continued disregard for the Sunshine Law under Mayor Presley's administration is astounding. At least one group has the integrity to address it behind closed doors.
Prison sentences for politicians who blatantly disregard open government laws is one way we could abolish such activities.
We watch as local government officials bilk millions to fund their private ventures with tax funds while we put men in prison for stealing loaves of bread.

Missouri Sunshine Law - Local Government Matrix (Cartoon)

The cartoon above accurately depicts the difficulty some citizens find when trying to access documents by governments who are legally required to supply documents upon request to citizens.
In Branson, Missouri many of our local journalists have converted from Government Watchdogs to Government Lapdogs.
The sad state of affairs has led some local politicians to bow out of open, honest discussion and revert to backrooms during this campaign season. A local area newspaper editor stated last week, "It's citizens job to be informed". The statement was interesting being that it came from an organization supposedly dedicated to informing citizens about their local government. This would of course require an open and honest press adamant about producing accurate information and helping citizen efforts to become informed. The editor is right. It is citizens responsibility to be informed but the ability to acquire information isn't as easy as many would like.
Often, due to an issue that directly affects a member of the community, a citizen will approach city hall to request records.
Generally helpful, the City Clerk (In Branson it's upstairs on the second floor next to the courthouse)will require you to fill out a form. The form has a space for a maximum dollar amount. The dollar amount caps research and document printing fees. In general, the office is reasonable and the cost for documents minuscule.
Unfortunately, citizens often become irritated when trying to find information due to scope parameters of the request.
It's best to keep these requests simple and dig deeper if necessary. For instance, if you want to find out who voted for Branson's last TIF (Tax Increment Financing) district you'd have to submit a request for a list of the TIF board. In the event the document is filled requesting all information relating to the TIF; the city clerk is obliged to provide all the information about the TIF. In the case of the Branson Landing TIF, you could be looking at a dozen bible sized pages of material. The Clerk would come back with a substantial fee far from the range most would be willing to spend.
Rule #1 - Be specific, concise and clear about the information you're requesting

Sunshine Week Intro 2008

Welcome to Sunshine Week at the Branson Edge

This week we'll be following up on our decade long quest for open honest government. We'll explore the geo-political borders and psuedo-government entities within the Branson, Missouri area. We'll be inviting local politicos to share their ideas for the future of Branson and thoughts on open government. We'll be taking politicians to task and explore the dynamics of Missouri's most prosperous tourist destination.

City Government is the cornerstone of democracy. The word politics comes from the word "Polis" Greek for "City-State" the political unit the United States political boundaries emulated. Scholars estimate the first noted democracy, Athens, at a population between 100,000 to 200,000 citizens.

As the United States expanded from 13 Colonies Westward across the plains grids were hacked out and plotted in 36 mile squared chunks and marked Townships and Range.Legal property descriptions are described according to these grids.

Public education was the only consideration and a square mile for every grid was established for school district funding. Translated today, the property tax levy of 3% is within close proximity of property tax which public education is funded by.

An interesting fact regarding the establishment of political boundaries in Taney County Missouri was the state of inebriation of one of our early map makers. As a result, much of Taney County was marked within Arkansas for decades.

This week we'll be illustrating the Sunshine Law and its application to the "city-state" and how to combat the festering plagues that appear when Governing officials take a stand against open government.

For months, we've laid out the income for the city of Branson in hopes corporate news outlets will pick up on an often misunderstood and evaded element of our community - facts:

The front page of the Branson Edge has the 12 month rolling income statistics for the city of Branson. Stop by and take a look before the document is moved to another location.

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Let's open this week up with a verse from the hand of King Solomon. Personally, I prefer the poetics of the King James but the Living text frames the dialogue in a clearer fashion:

Proverbs 17:8
Living Bible
A bribe works like magic. Whoever uses it will prosper.

King James 17:8
A gift is as a precious stone in the eyes of him that hath it: whithersoever it turneth it prospereth.

Branson Alderman Deny E-mail Correspondence

Branson - A Sunshine Law request issued by the Branson Edge to the city of Branson revealed only four e-mail correspondence from the Branson Board of Alderman to a majority of Board members within a years time. All four e-mails were sent a year ago (last April) and all were from Branson Alderman Stephen Marshall.

Alderman Bob McDowell said he didn't want e-mails being passed which is why he addresses the board in open meetings. Alderman Marshall stated he asked Terry Dody to set up a filing system for tracking digital correspondence (which is how the four e-mails were recovered)

Even on the Federal level, certain types of correspondence aren't considered open records. The Republican National Committee (RNC) issues e-mail addresses for candidates for campaign correspondence - which came into question last week during hearings at the White House (Live Session Broadcast on C-SPAN)

Tony Messenger reports a lawsuit in Texas forced officials to release every e-mail to the public from a private e-mail account that was used part time to conduct official business. Last Monday, Messenger stated the law in Missouri regarding e-mail remains untested by the courts.

The ease of digital correspondence promises to yield interesting headlines this year as forums for open government continue to move out of the physical and into the digital.

Yesterday, Missouri Governor Matt Blunt issued a Sunshine Request and asked Attorney General Jay Nixon's office to conduct an e-mail retention violation upon itself.

One Democratic Candidate suggested we create a Sunshine Law Police Force within the Missouri Attorney Generals office. Some fear the unit could easily become a partisan hit squad and believe the proposed Sunshine Law Police should be moved to a less politically charged office.

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Official correspondence falls under the auspices of the Sunshine Law, however, politicians have found away to evade open government policies by utilizing private e-mail accounts to conduct government business.
E-mail is an efficient, and environmentally sound way of transmitting data. Government officials, such as those in Branson should be commended for making use of technology that enables a better democracy and increased communication with citizenry. Still, it's important that our officials use it in an open and responsible manner.

SUNSHINE LAW POLICE

The Sunshine law is by far the most empowering tool Missouri Citizens have to access and ensure their government is open, honest and free of corruption. It guarantees Missouri's citizens can be free and self governed.
Do you care enough to request information about your local, state and federal government?

I do, mainly because I believe a fundamental truth about politicians - most don't believe in God. If politicians believed an omnipotent being sees, hears and records all ensuring accountability on a judgment day - the majority of laws we have on the books regarding open government wouldn't be there. Also, a heck-of-a lot of people would be out of a job.

Over the next few weeks, I'm going to write a guide to accessing your servants (the elected officials that have been appointed to serve you).

But what if they're naughty?

According to Missouri's House of Representatives District 23 Rep. Jeff Harris who is campaigning to become Missouri's next Attorney General, Missouri should have a Sunshine Enforcement Unit. Think about it citizens and very jealous foreign friends - a band of attorney's whose job is to politically execute any elected official who fails to deliver on their legal obligation to release information to the public when demanded.

As Yakov Smirnoff would say, "What a Country!"

In a conference call with Harris yesterday he suggested one of the duties of this unit could be to educate local government officials on how to perform on legal requirements when asked for information by a citizen.

When it comes to all forms of political evil and uncovering festering wounds from perversions of public trust the United States looks like this:

1. Federal Government - extremely open, the press has tremendous access to information.

2. State Government - Missouri has been innovative in their development to technology and tools for citizens to access their government. Governor Matt Blunt and Attorney General Jay Nixon office's have developed a good suite of programs available for citizens to access. Missouri's Judicial Branch is extremely accessible as well.

3. Local Government - Not so good. it's exponentially easier for me to get the president's choice of fish for lunch than it is to get an arrest list from COMET.


Harris also supports strengthening the Sunshine Law to include "negligence" as a standard for evaluating violations....."me like"

Harris is running in a three way race for the Democratic nomination. In terms of money, he's outperformed by Missouri Republican turned Democrat Senator Chris Koster.
Most of his campaign has attacked Koster, his lack of Democrat credentials and funding from Rex Sinquefield.

Some of us died for it - Calling for Sunshine NOW

We paid for it in blood and we’re still paying so excuse me if I get frustrated when a little bold at the front desk of my local government facility.

The story of American History begins with a journalist who betwixt Biblical passages and applied them to the teachings of the day. He called it “Common Sense” and in it elaborated on the history of government. His argument was that God didn’t like "Kings" preferring the people to be free from tyranny.

The concept caught on well with George Washington – who read- liked the book and agreed with the precepts. A revolution began the price paid by our forefathers began – in blood – for those who wanted their children to live as God intended – Free.

Remember this was a time before the corporate press which would come into play much later. The King of England wanted press releases regurgitated instead of a free-thinking press demanding open-government “By the People, For the People.” A free-press served as an enemy against tyranny which the tyrants of the day didn’t like very much. As a deterrent to corruption and guarantee our God given freedoms would remain – the rights of a free press was drafted into the constitution – a fundamental freedom guaranteed through the Bill of Rights.

The right to press – meant the right to press copy not the right of an elite group of people as susceptible to corruption as any other.

As technology progressed new challenges faced those champions of democracy and the American Pharoah’s of the day who needed to appease them. The press grew. They were an elite group able to control the masses by limiting information or punishing government forcing their piousness or risking exposure to the people.

The corporations grew and became more powerful. They started wearing name badges to convince the uneducated masses they had special rights. In reality they were just citizens who excersized the right to press. As a local Branson newspaper editor told me, “The freedom of the press is limited to those who have the technology to use it.”

The cold war came and our nation’s fathers purchased brain power from around the world. They were afraid – afraid of the bomb. In order to make sure democracy thrived and America would live long after the dreaded “push of a button” wiped out a major city – the Internet was created. A network is only as strong as its weakest link.. As many of you know, the Internet has no central point of failure. Though one nuclear bomb could wipe out a major city – freedom’s bells would still ring in the Promised Land.

The Internet grew moving from a military and scientific application to a commercial free for all. At first only our allies had it, today everyone has access though some nations restrict its uses – China, with the help of Cisco, Google, Yahoo and AOL have been the most successful in helping them limit the right to press.

Those who capitalized on the Internet had flourishing stocks and traditional media companies who tried their best to ignore this emerging technology suffered economically.
At one point the consolidation of corporate media conglomerates threatened democracy itself and “fairness doctrine” was introduced – a good idea in principle (the idea that journalists should tell both sides of a political story) it limited the ability for the few to place politicians of their liking.

Radio – Television – Cable and finally the Internet – those who chose to exercise the right to press grew. They keep growing. More web pages are pressed than people in the world.

Matt Drudge came along showing that corporate media where there were kings with no clothes. Many websites became powerful. The government, “For the People, By the People” appeased them. The National Security Agency and the Federal Bureau of Investigation were some of the first releasing information to websites at the same time as the less sophisticated means of pressing.

Some governments didn’t like the idea. After all, this new press didn’t pray to the stockholders of companies they maintained interest in. The newspapers didn’t like it. It cut into their profits by people with far less talent and knowledge than their own staff. They had less control and less power to manipulate the few with “the badge.”

Finally, the newspapers embraced it and some are successful in outplaying the Internet publishers with greater writing talent, multiple mechanisms of exposure and greater integrity then many.

Elected officials caught on. They must have asked themselves, What do people really want?

They want what they always wanted….Freedom

Freedom to be self governed and access to the information they need to be free.

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The Kings, Pharaohs and politicians of our day are using the Internet to communicate. The people are using the Internet to acquire information and access the materials produced by the press.
This website is used by citizens, radio stations, television stations and print (people who want to know what is happening in Branson) therefore I’m demanding the same rights they have.
Since some have chosen to dishonor my descendants by limiting publishing material to those dictated by the King - I’m taking a closer look into the documents produced at the people’s expense. I’m also requesting and publishing the Kool-Aid.
I’ve been nice and listened to you tell me to “call the Attorney General “if I don’t like your description of what corporations have the right to press.
Under the auspices of the Sunshine Law I’ve asked for digital copies of e-mails sent by our leaders. I’m asking for the information in the format they were created. Since my government leaders asked for me to draft a policy – one that helps us create a more open “Sunshiny” government I’m not going to the Attorney General. I am however asking that my request be obliged.
After all, we’ve already paid in blood.