Cindy O'Laughlin

Is Cain able?

2011-10-04T13:15:00.001-05:00

Healthcare Reform only part of Big Government Woes

2010-01-19T14:14:00.000-06:00

Healthcare, which has taken most of the front page headlines for the last several weeks has served to obscure another form of “Big Government” coming to your neighborhood soon.

On Christmas Eve, the federal government lifted the $400 BILLION cap on taxpayer losses stemming from the Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac debacle. Tax paying citizens need to remember that the huge losses suffered in the housing crisis were caused by Government intervention in the housing market, mandating risky loans to people who couldn’t afford home mortgages. Banks were told the loans would be “underwritten” by the federal government. This underwriting was a specific guarantee to banks that the Federal Government would step in and cover any losses as a result of loaning to “high risk” borrowers. This was done for the political purpose of expanding home ownership. The result was a crash in the housing market with far reaching repercussion to the economic well being of our country.

Now you hear President Obama talking about making “….these banks pay” what he calls a Financial Crisis Responsibility Fee. This fee supposedly makes up for losses from the TARP bailouts. What the President hasn’t told the American people is that most of the banks have already paid back their TARP funds, including interest.

A few companies who received the TARP monies haven’t paid the treasury back though and guess which ones? THE ONES RUN BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. These include Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, General Motors and Chrysler too. These companies which are still losing money big time do not have to pay the fee. So….President Obama is suggesting he will tax the successful companies to pay for losses which are being incurred by companies he and his fellow Big Government advocates are supervising. Further, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac awarded bonuses in the millions of dollars to their executives, the very thing Obama decries in the private sector.

So, here’s how this works 1) Distort the markets through government policy 2) Cause economic disaster 3) Blame the private businesses who are operating according to government rule and then 4) Tax the American citizens for the losses.

November 2010 cannot come soon enough.

The Obama Czars

2009-12-08T18:02:00.000-06:00

President Barack Obama has circumvented the usual checks and balances of governing by appointing the following persons as “Czars”. These people have unprecedented power and answer to no one but Barack Obama. If you wish to find further information about these unelected individuals, google them. You will be shocked and dismayed by what you find.

*OBAMA'S "CZARS" ( Czar Position & Summary)
*
Richard Holbrooke - AfghanistanCzar
Ultra liberal anti gun former Gov. of New Mexico. Pro Abortion and legal
drug use.

Ed Montgomery - Auto recovery Czar
Black radical anti business activist. Affirmative Action and Job Preference
for blacks. Univ of Maryland Business School Dean teaches US business has
caused world poverty. ACORN board member. Communist DuBois Club member.

Jeffrey Crowley - AIDS Czar
Homosexual. A Gay Rights activist. Believes in Gay Marriage and Special
Status, including free health care for gays.

Alan Bersin - Border Czar
former failed superintendent of San Diego . Ultra Liberal friend of Hilary
Clinton. Served as Border Czar under Janet Reno to keep borders open to
illegals

David J. Hayes - California Water Czar
Sr. Fellow of radical environmentalist group, Progress Policy. No training
or experience in water management.

Ron Bloom - Car Czar
Auto Union worker. Anti business & anti nuclear. Has worked hard to force
US auto makers out of business. Sits on the Board of Chrysler which is now
Auto Union owned. How did this happen?

Dennis Ross - Central Region Czar
Believes US policy has caused Mid East wars. Obama apologist to the world.
Anti gun and pro abortion.

Lynn Rosenthal - Domestic Violence Czar
Director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Vicious
anti-male feminist. Supported male castration.

Gil Kerlikowske - Drug Czar
Devoted lobbyist for every restrictive gun law proposal, Former Chief of
Police in Liberal Seattle. Believes no American should own a firearm.
Supports legalization of drugs

Carol Brower - Energy and Environment Czar
Political Radical Former head of EPA - known for anti-business activism.
Strong anti-gun ownership. SOCIALIST on Commission for a Sustainable World
Society, which calls for "global governance" and says rich countries must
shrink their economies to address climate change.

Joshua DuBois - Faith Based Czar
Political Black activist-Degree in Black Nationalismseek a separate black
nation.. Anti gun ownership lobbyist.

Cameron Davis - Great LakesCzar
Chicago radical anti business environmentalist. Blames George Bush for
Poisoning the water that minorities have to drink. No experience or
training in w ater management. Former ACORN Board member

Van Jones - Green Jobs Czar
(since resigned). Black activist Member of American communist Party and San
Francisco Communist Party who said Geo Bush caused the 911 attack and
wanted Bush investigated by the World Court for war crimes. MARXIST, said
whites are poisoning blacks, said transformation from suicidal gray
capitalism to econ-capitalism to the complete redistribution of wealth.
Black activist with strong anti-white views.

Daniel Fried - Guantanamo Closure Czar
Rights activist for Foreign Terrorists. Believes America has caused the war
on terrorism.

Nancy-Ann DeParle - Health Czar
Former head of Medicare / Medicaid. Strong Health Care Rationing
proponent. She is married to a reporter for The New York Times.

Vivek Kundra - Information Czar
Born in New Delhi, India. Controls all public information, including labels
and news releases. Monitors all private Internet emails.

Todd Stern
International Climate Czar
Anti business former White House chief of Staff- Strong supportrer of the
Kyoto Accord. Pushing hard for Cap and Trade. Blames US business for
Global warming.

Dennis Blair - Intelligence Czar
Ret Navy. Stopped US guided missile program as provocative. Chair of
ultra liberal Council on Foreign Relations which blames American
organizations for regional wars.

George Mitchell - MideastPeace Czar
Fmr. Sen from Maine Left wing radical. Has said Israel should be split up
into 2 or 3 smaller more manageable plots. Anti-nuclear anti-gun &
pro-homosexual

Kenneth Feinberg - Pay Czar
Chief of Staff to TED KENNEDY. Lawyer who got rich off the 911 victims
payoffs.

Cass Sunstein - Regulatory Czar
Liberal activist judge believes free speech needs to be limited for the
common good. Rules against personal freedoms many times like private gun
ownership. Says animals should be able to sue people. Anti-hunting..

John Holdren - Science Czar
Fierce ideological environmentalist, Sierra Club, Anti business activist.
Claims US business has caused world poverty. No Science training. OK to
abort a child until the age of two. Thinks TREES should be able to sue
humans.

Earl Devaney - Stimulus Accountability Czar
spent career trying to take guns away from American citizens. Believes in
Open Borders to Mexico . Author of statement blaming US gun stores for
drug war in Mexico .

J. Scott Gration - Sudan Czar
Native of Democratic Republic of Congo. Believes US does little to help
Third World countries. Council of foreign relations, asking for higher US
taxes to support United Nations

Herb Allison - TARP Czar
Fannie May CEO responsible for the US recession by using real estate
mortgages to back up the US stock market. Caused millions of people to lose
their life savings.

John Brennan - Terrorism Czar
Anti CIA activist. No training in diplomatic or gov. affairs. Believes
Open Borders to Mexico and a dialog with terrorists and has suggested Obama
disband US military

Aneesh Chopra - Technology Czar
No Technology training. Worked for the Advisory Board Company, a health
care think tank for hospitals. Anti doctor activist. Supports Obama Health
care Rationing and salaried doctors working exclusively for the Gov. health
care plan

Adolfo Carrion Jr. - Urban Affairs Czar
Puerto Rican. Anti American activist and leftist group member in Latin
America . Millionaire slum lord of the Bronx , NY. Owns many lavish homes
and condos which he got from sweetheart deals with labor unions. Wants
higher taxes to pay for minority housing and health care

Ashton Carter - Weapons Czar
Leftist. Wants all private weapons in US destroyed. Supports UN ban on
firearms ownership in America .

Gary Samore - WMD Policy Czar
Former US Communist. Wants US to destroy all WMD unilaterally as a show of
good faith. Has no other policy.

Kevin Jennings-SAFE SCHOOL CZAR-

As a teacher, when a 15 year year old said he was having sex with an older
man, instead of turning in the manthe law for a teacher, he asked how it was
going and suggested they use condoms. Held a conference with the MAXIMUM
age of 18 to teach homosexual issues like fisting. Wrote the intro to the
book, Queering Elementary Education.
Has repeatedly praised and claims to be inspired by Harry Hay, early
supporter of NAMBLA, Noth American Man Boy Love Association.

The National Review and Health Care

2009-11-06T14:15:00.000-06:00

Here is an article from the National Review about the real effects of health care reform:

“Barack Obama promises that if the Democrats’ health-care plan is passed, Americans will enjoy wider and better insurance coverage without: 1. being forced out of their current insurance; 2. being subject to government rationing, including the outright denial of life-saving care; 3. spending themselves and future generations into deeper debt. The Democrats’ program deserves to be rejected because conditions 1, 2, and 3 are not going to be met — and because the Democrats know it and are doing their best to hide that fundamental and important fact from the American people.

This isn’t a question of a conjecture or of competing interpretations of complex CBO calculations. Just as Democrats have misled Americans about whether their health-care plans will force taxpayers to subsidize abortion or shunt money into the pockets of illegal aliens, they deny these three facts — Americans will lose their current insurance, will be subject to rationing, and be will encumbered with debt — but that denial does not overrule reality.

The most noisome fact for most Americans is that the legislation coming out of the Democratic caucus will force many families out of their current insurance plans. Estimates suggest that nearly 90 million Americans will lose their current insurance under the Democrats’ vision and very likely will be forced into a government-run program. True, current insurance plans are “grandfathered” into the new system — but only for five years. (Doubt it? Consult Section 202(b)(1) of the House bill, page 1.) After that, the Democrats’ mandates will force families and employers to select only those plans that conform to Washington’s demands — which is to say, to the demands of the insurance-industry lobbyists who will end up determining the criteria. In states that have similar mandates, we already have seen how that shakes out: Inexpensive catastrophic-care plans are forced out in favor of expensive, bloated packages that legislate coverage of everything from infertility treatment to personal counseling. There’s nothing wrong with those things, but not everybody in the country needs to be forced to buy coverage for them — and they certainly shouldn’t be forced out of their current insurance plans on that account. And will your new Washington-approved plan include your current doctor, or reflect your current needs? Who knows?

But that’s not the only way Americans will lose their current insurance coverage. Those who receive relatively expensive high-benefit coverage through their employer will very likely find themselves dumped into the government-run and government-subsidized “public option,” which will give businesses an incentive to offload health-care costs into the taxpayer. The Democrat-controlled CBO estimates that 15 million will be sucked directly into Medicaid — not Medicare, mind you, but Medicaid, the perennially dysfunctional program for the poor, entirely operated by the government. And older Americans who receive private coverage through Medicare Advantage will certainly lose that option, since the Democrats’ plan will gut the program."

Following Up on Skip Ohlsen

2009-09-28T10:46:00.000-05:00

If you remember from a previous post, a story had circulated about convicted criminal Skip Ohlsen being the agent used to commit the illegal campaign activities which brought Sen. Jeff Smith’s and others’ careers down. But even though Ohlsen is scheduled to be sentenced in about one week, this story still has Missouri political circles rattled. The main reason is summed up by the St. Louis American here:

One good reason why this story won’t go away is that it isn’t over. No one believes that we have heard the last damage done by the wires Brown and Ohlsen apparently wore. The feds will be keeping Ohlsen close to their chest for as long as they can, and who knows what cans of worms are roiling open there, but Brown’s and Smith’s activities are more known – and interesting on their own.

Consider that during the Smith campaign, Brown was working for an attorney general (Jay Nixon) who is now a governor. And consider that during the conspiracy to obstruct justice in the FEC investigation into the campaign, Smith was allies with a state senator (Chris Koster) who is now an attorney general. When you add in that Artie Harris was working for an attorney general (Andrew Cuomo in New York) when he testified to the FEC and killed himself, then you have no less than three past, present or future Democrat attorneys general whose business may be discussed on these wire tapes – one of them now a governor.

We also have a mayor – Francis G. Slay – who was growing increasingly close to Smith during the time Smith was unknowingly incriminating himself on tape, and who may or may not have a cameo role to play on these tapes when and if they are made public.

“Factchecking a Presidential Sunday” from the staff of National Review Online

2009-09-23T20:11:00.000-05:00

From Republican Hill staff:

President Obama was on five Sunday shows this morning talking about health care reform. While most of the comments echoed what he has said previously in countless appearances, there were a few statements which deserve some scrutiny. Below is a fact check of some of his claims about health care reform and how they measure up to the Senate Finance Committee mark.

On whether the health insurance mandate is a tax: Asked whether a mandate on health insurance was a tax increase, President Obama said, “For us to say that you got to take a responsibility to get health insurance is not a tax increase.”

Fact: President Obama might be interested to read the Chairman’s mark of the Finance Committee bill, which says that, “The consequence for not maintaining insurance would be an excise tax.” The mark further says that, “The excise tax would be assessed through the tax code and applied as an additional amount of Federal tax owed.” CBO and the Joint Committee on Taxation estimate that the government will collect $20 billion from taxing the uninsured.

On whether Medicare Advantage cuts will cause seniors to lose benefits: Asked to responds to comments from Senator Bill Nelson arguing against cuts to Medicare Advantage, President Obama said, “People currently signed up for Medicare Advantage are going to have Medicare and the same level of benefits… These folks will be able to get Medicare just as good, provide the same benefits…”

Fact: CBO has said this is plainly not true. Under current law, plans can offer about $87 per month in additional benefits. Under the proposal for competitive bidding with bonuses, plans will be able to offer an average of $42 in extra benefits in 2019. [Congressional Budget Office, “Effects of SFC Medicare Advantage Competitive Bidding Policy on Enrollment and Additional Benefits,” September, 2009]. These additional benefits can include prescription drug coverage, coverage for catastrophic illness, and routine physicals. Plans would be forced to drop many of these benefits, which traditional Medicare does not provide.

On using the savings from Medicare Advantage to close the “doughnut hole:” President Obama said that the savings from cutting Medicare Advantage could be used to pay for filling the “doughnut hole” in the Part D program. Obama said, “There's no competitive bidding in the [Medicare Advantage] process. Instead of spending $17 billion, $18 billion, over ten years on that, why wouldn't we use that to close the doughnut hole.”

Fact: Again, the Congressional Budget Office shows this isn’t true. The CBO score shows that the provision in the Finance bill to close to coverage gap, which was part of a deal reached between PHRMA and the White House, will COST the government $17.4 billion over ten. The New York Times reported that, “Under the newly proposed plan from Senator Max Baucus, the drug industry’s offer to help Medicare patients save money will end up costing Medicare itself — taxpayers, that is — a lot more money.” [New York Times, “Baucus Plan: Saving Patients Money Would Cost the Medicare Drug Program Billions,” September 17, 2009].

On using the Medicare Trust Fund to pay for reform: President Obama said, “We're not going to take a dollar out of the Medicare trust fund.”

Fact: This is a semantic argument designed to mislead voters. The Finance mark takes $400 billion out of savings from Medicare and commits that money to a new entitlement program. If these savings from Medicare were used to fix Medicare, the trust fund would be significantly better off.

On including medical liability reform in health care reform: President Obama said, “But I've said that we've got to take into account their [doctors’] concerns about medical malpractice. Now, that's not popular in my party, never has been, but I've talked to enough doctors to know that even though it is not the end-all be-all of driving down health care costs, it is important to providers to make sure that their costs are going down…”

Fact: None of the proposals in either the House nor Senate have any substantive provisions regarding medical liability reform. The only provision in the Senate Finance mark is a Sense of the Senate, which will do nothing to lower health care costs.

Stimulus Money in Missouri

2009-09-23T13:09:00.001-05:00

Here is a link documenting how the Obama stimulus bill from earlier this year is being spent in Missouri.

Preserving Health Choice Against Government Mandate

2009-09-23T13:05:00.000-05:00

One possible outcome of the proposed national health care reform is new mandates about individual coverage. For those people who worry that these new government requirements will limit the health options of them and their families, there is an alternative. See how one Missouri Representative is attempting to save our health care choices in the following press release from Timothy Jones:

JEFFERSON CITY—Representative Timothy Jones, R-Eureka, is announcing that he will introduce legislation during the 2010 session of the General Assembly designed to protect health care freedom of choice for Missourians.

Representative Jones and Senator Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, plan to introduce legislation accompanied with a proposed state constitutional amendment that could protect Missourians from federal health care mandates and guarantee they can choose their own health care and insurance options. The proposed legislation would also protect small business owners from fines for declining to participate in government health care mandates.

Representative Jones’ proposals would add Missouri to a list of dozens of states calling for legislation or state constitutional amendments to guard citizens against attempts to socialize health care through the “public option” health care mandate currently under consideration by Congress. Arizona already has such a measure on its 2010 ballot.

“If this measure is passed by the Legislature, Missouri voters would have an opportunity to decide if they want to send a message to Washington that participation in an insurance plan is a personal decision and a right which should not be infringed upon,” Representative Jones said.

For more information or to contact Representative Jones on this or any legislative matter, you may reach him at 573-751-0562 or via e-mail at tim.jones@house.mo.gov.

"Tired of Taxpayer Dollars Being Abused, Luetkemeyer Seeks End to ACORN Funding"

2009-09-15T19:03:00.000-05:00

From the office of Blaine Luetkemeyer:

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Frustrated by the abuses of taxpayer dollars by the infamous Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN), U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer today co-sponsored legislation to terminate all federal funding to ACORN and its affiliates.

“It is completely unacceptable that this organization that has consistently broken or skirted the law should receive a dime of our taxpayer dollars and that is why I support this important piece of legislation,” Luetkemeyer said. “At a time when hard-working folks are struggling to make ends meet, we should not be throwing their money away on these kind of despicable activities.”

The “Defund ACORN Act” comes in response to recent media reports of potentially criminal activity involving associates of the organization. Previously, ACORN workers in several states have been charged and convicted of voter fraud relating to elections. And just last week, congressional pressure coupled with the impact of recent media reports prompted the U.S. Census Bureau to end its partnership with ACORN.

Luetkemeyer also said it is vital that all other federal agencies with ACORN ties to follow the Census Bureau’s example by severing all ties to ACORN and its affiliates. Last year, Luetkemeyer noted, millions of Americans were outraged to learn their tax dollars were being used to subsidize an organization linked to multiple instances of voter registration fraud and other illicit activity.

A congressional analysis of federal data has determined that ACORN has received more than $53 million in direct funding from the federal government since 1994, and has likely received substantially more indirectly through states and localities that receive federal block grants.

Luetkemeyer also signed a letter to President Obama asking him to disclose and terminate all taxpayer funding of ACORN.

An Interesting Example of Media Bias

2009-09-15T13:57:00.000-05:00

Munzlinger Announces Candidacy for Missouri Senate

2009-09-11T13:44:00.000-05:00

From the Quincy Herald Whig:

"Missouri state Rep. Brian Munzlinger, R-Williamstown, has announced his candidacy for the Missouri Senate.

He will likely face incumbent Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, for the 18th District seat. Shoemyer, a farmer from Monroe County, defeated Republican Bob Behnen of Kirksville in 2006 to win the seat. Shoemyer previously served three terms in the House in the 9th District.

The district includes 13 Northeast Missouri counties.

"With the support of my family and friends, I am ready to take on this new challenge," Munzlinger said in a letter to supporters. "Together, we can work to keep commonsense principles in the Senate and put people before politics."

Here is the link.

The Obama Stimulus and the Jobs Gap

2009-09-08T17:15:00.000-05:00

The following information was taken from the Heritage Foundation’s blog site. It provides some interesting perspective on the employment numbers and how those match up to the Obama Administration’s claims.

“When the Obama administration first unveiled the stimulus plan in November they claimed it would create 2.5 million jobs by the end of 2010. At the time BLS reported that U.S. economy employed about 136.1 million jobs. But by January that number fell to 134.6 million jobs. Not so coincidentally, the Obama administration upped the job-creating magic of the stimulus to 4 million jobs by the end of 2010.

Is there a commonality between these two sets of numbers? There sure is: 136.1 million plus 2.5 million equals 138.6 million; and 134.6 million plus 4 million equals 138.6 million. Voila: the objective, Obama administration created, BLS [Bureau of Labor Statistics] data verifiable, jobs accountability number is 138.6 million.

So how is Obama’s stimulus actually performing? The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that the U.S. Economy lost 216,000 jobs in August, lowering total U.S. employment to 131.2 million. In other words, the Obama administration is 5 million jobs short.”

Here is the link.

Health Care Bill Exposed

2009-08-29T09:21:00.000-05:00

From John David Lewis at Classical Ideals, he has spotlighted 9 features of the possible America’s Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009 that will be disastrous for individual liberty and personal choice in health decisions. Here's a excerpt:

"1. WILL THE PLAN RATION MEDICAL CARE?

This is what the bill says, pages 284-288, SEC. 1151. REDUCING POTENTIALLY PREVENTABLE HOSPITAL READMISSIONS:

‘(ii) EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN READMISSIONS.—For purposes of clause (i), with respect to a hospital, excess readmissions shall not include readmissions for an applicable condition for which there are fewer than a minimum number (as determined by the Secretary) of discharges for such applicable condition for the applicable period and such hospital.

and, under “Definitions”:

‘‘(A) APPLICABLE CONDITION.—The term ‘applicable condition’ means, subject to subparagraph (B), a condition or procedure selected by the Secretary . . .

and:

‘‘(E) READMISSION.—The term ‘readmission’ means, in the case of an individual who is discharged from an applicable hospital, the admission of the individual to the same or another applicable hospital within a time period specified by the Secretary from the date of such discharge.

and:

‘‘(6) LIMITATIONS ON REVIEW.—There shall be no administrative or judicial review under section 1869, section 1878, or otherwise of— . . .

‘‘(C) the measures of readmissions . . .

EVALUATION OF THE PASSAGES:

1. This section amends the Social Security Act

2. The government has the power to determine what constitutes an “applicable [medical] condition.”

3. The government has the power to determine who is allowed readmission into a hospital.

4. This determination will be made by statistics: when enough people have been discharged for the same condition, an individual may be readmitted.

5. This is government rationing, pure, simple, and straight up.

6. There can be no judicial review of decisions made here. The Secretary is above the courts.

7. The plan also allows the government to prohibit hospitals from expanding without federal permission: page 317-318."

For the other 8 examples and to see the entire post, click here.

Wes Shoemyer's Ties to a Convicted Felon

2009-08-25T12:39:00.000-05:00

St. Louis Post-Dispatch and UPDATE: "Milton "Skip" Ohlsen III is facing time in federal prison over his guilty pleas in May to mortgage fraud and gun charges. From 2004 to 2006, Ohlsen was a bit[sic] player on the Democratic scene who worked in the shadows of the campaign world. His name doesn't show up anywhere in campaign finance reports, either as a donor or campaign worker. About the only place his name does show up in a political context is in Federal Election Commission documents that tie him to a complaint filed against Jeff Smith over Smith's failed 2004 congressional run.

Ohlsen’s “Studio O Productions” was also paid by Democrat Sen. Wes Shoemyer of Clarence. Shoemyer’s campaign paid Ohlsen $5,000 in December 2004, the time period that Ohlsen had also been paid by the House Democratic Campaign Committee and the Democratic Party.

Sen. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence called to talk about his use of Ohlsen’s firm in 2004. “He had high-end video equipment and he came to events I had to take some footage,” Shoemyer said. “I didn’t get a good deal for my $5,000.” Shoemyer said he paid Ohlsen another $2,500 in 2005 based on the work done in 2004, but never used Ohlsen after 2004 on any campaign work."

Senator Shoemyer's position would make one wonder why he paid an additional $2500 in 2005 if he felt he didn't get a good deal in 2004.

Death Panels Are Real in ObamaCare

2009-08-25T12:08:00.000-05:00

Here is short video (unfortunately which cannot be embedded directly) via Red State along with a great sentence summing up the problem with government expansion, individual liberty, and ObamaCare:

"It is an inevitable fact of life that the more the government outlays to keep you alive, the more your life becomes subject to a cost/benefit analysis."

The real question becomes who is best qualified to make decisions concerning your health, you or your government?

John Stossel on ObamaCare

2009-08-25T11:56:00.001-05:00

John Stossel is always a great source for honest and critical analysis when it comes to expanding government, and Obamacare is no exception. Watch this video (which is somewhat based on a previous special he did) and see what the consequences of a government expansion of health care will be for you and your family.

If you want to know more, you can watch John Stossel's original special, Sick in America, on YouTube. Here is the link to that special.

White House Propaganda Machine on Obamacare

2009-08-10T10:16:00.000-05:00

Naked Rabbits Attack Farmers in Scotland Co.!

2009-07-28T20:34:00.000-05:00

In case you haven’t heard, a group of radical environmentalists in Scotland Co., MO are working to ban some farming operations in the area.

The organization, known as “Dancing Rabbit,” is a “group of people who have chosen to live together to try to live out a ‘sustainable’ lifestyle” and encourage people to live the same way.

The thirty that live in the compound share two cars.

While the rabbits aren’t self-proclaimed “nudists,” neighbors report they enjoy dressing in their most “natural” state. Everyone who lives in the eco village is also a vegetarian.

All of the decisions made at the rabbit compound are made by consensus. It is unclear if this includes drinking their own bathing water.

As far as caring for creation, the ban will effect some livestock operations that use modern animal husbandry practices. These farms have significantly less environmental impact, per head of livestock, than they did back in the days of raising hogs “up the hill from the creek.”

If successful, which business will be next once livestock production moves to Mexico – yours?

The vote is Tuesday, August 4, 2009.

Northeast MO Reception for Roy Blunt to be held in Clarence, Aug. 8, 2009

2009-07-28T11:02:00.000-05:00

During the past six months, the Liberal Congress has allowed an economic disaster to occur from a downward turned economy, spending, borrowing, taxing, imposing ridiculous regulations spinning out of control.

Missouri must have a Conservative Leader with a record of common sense, whose wise decisions have proven his ability to fill the seat of retiring Senator Kit Bond.

Roy Blunt is that Leader! Roy will stand against Liberals, protecting Missouri citizens against our nation being bankrupt, with legislation to protect our freedoms that may soon cease to exist.

Roy is a Conservative Leader with a voting record for a Balanced Budget Amendment; Line Item Veto; and has called for a spending freeze to check runaway Federal Spending.

The 2010 Election has Imperatively High Stakes. This is a cause we must all be involved in to assure Roy Blunt is elected to continue the fight for Missouri, Senator Bond has so faithfully fulfilled.

Roy is anxious to meet the people of Northeast Missouri, taking this opportunity early in his campaign to get acquainted. Please help us spread the word of this event to all who would take advantage to visit with him.

Please join Roy Blunt and other Conservatives for a BBQ at:
6:00p.m. Saturday, August 8, 2009
at the Chinn Feed Mill, Highway 36, East of Clarence, Mo. Donations only.

Please RSVP by Sat., August 1st to any of the following or for information. Call:
660-699-3685
573-588-7671
660-651-0214

E-mails:
Nadine8@centurytel.net
kathychinn@marktwain.net

What's in the Federal Health Care Proposal?

2009-07-27T20:17:00.000-05:00

Citizens of this country are witnessing one of the greatest "takeover" attempts ever in the form of our government taking over private business. Apparently it's not enough to take over the car and banking industry; now in the name of "healthcare" the government is attempting to take over this industry as well.

What does this mean to you as a private citizen? Well, here's some information taken directly from the pending legislation.

Medicare Recipients: Page 399 of the bill states if you are eligible for subsidy under Medicare Part D, the government will automatically enroll you in the new plan, complete with rationed care. The President said you would have a choice. You will NOT have a choice.

Disqualifying current coverages: The government is given the authority to disqualify Medicare Adv. Plans, HMO's , etc. This will Force people into the government plan. Page 341, lines 3 - 9.

Outcome Based Measures. Page 335, lines 16 - 25. and Pages 336 - 339.
Government mandates the establishment of "outcome based measures". The government will decide whether your treatment, medicine, etc. recommended by your doctor is "worth the expense". The government will decide if you are likely to gain long term benefit from your care. If not, you won't receive it. Your care will be rationed because frankly, how many government bureaucrats care about YOUR health?!!

Waiting Periods. If you are concerned about waiting times (since every country which has socialized medicine can testify to this problem) this problem is addressed. Page 287 of the bill mandates a waiting period if you need to be readmitted to the hospital due to an illness or injury regardless of how serious. So, if you are discharged from the hospital, fall ill again and need to be readmitted immediately, guess what? It won't happen until some government person reviews your situation.

Death with Dignity Provision. We should be very troubled by Section 1233 of H.R. 3200. The section, titled “Advanced Care Planning Consultation” requires senior citizens to meet at least every 5 years with a doctor or nurse practitioner to discuss dying with dignity. In other words, you may not live much longer anyway so why allow extra medicine, testing, etc. to delay the inevitable?

President Obama and Democrat leaders of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are trying to force this to become law prior to the August recess. None of them have even read the entire legislation they are pushing. Nor will they participate in this plan. [Editor's Note: Northeast MO's Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer voted against the rationed health care]

Call your Senators NOW and voice your opinion.

Senator Claire McCaskill 202-224-6154

Senator Kit Bond 202-224-5721

Flashback: Milton Friedman Tells Phil Donahue Why Socialism Fails.

2009-07-20T11:51:00.000-05:00

Hannibal Courier-Post Editorial

2009-07-15T14:48:00.000-05:00

Big Government vs. Small Government

Shelbina, Mo. — Much of the political turmoil today is created by these two competing philosophies. Big government proponents believe they can sell the idea that they, rather than you, know what’s best for your life.

Of course, YOUR money will pay for their ideas. From banks to car companies big government is interfering in the private market. Your doctor is next on the list, with Obama pushing to take over your healthcare but as he said on ABC during a press conference, “he wouldn’t participate because he wants the BEST care for his family.”

The president’s approval rating is sinking like a rock and the Democrat controlled Congress along with him. Voters do not believe spending trillions of dollars and bankrupting future generations is a good thing. Americans don’t want government health care which limits medicine and treatments they receive.

The public at large has seen what “Cap and Trade” means. It is a huge tax, predicted to cost every Missouri family approximately $3,500 more per year in energy costs. With families losing their jobs daily, the unemployment rate has soared to double digits and now big government wants you to pay more in “hidden taxes” so they can increase their power.

Call Sen. McCaskill’s office and tell her to stand up for Missourians and vote NO on government rationed healthcare and “Cap and Trade” legislation. Her number in Washington is (202) 224-6154. Call today.

Cindy O’Laughlin
Shelbina

Follow Cindy on Twitter: mocindyo

Candidate to Announce for State Auditor in Northeast Missouri

2009-07-06T16:06:00.000-05:00

Former US Ambassador to Afghanistan, Tom Schweich, will be coming to Northeast Missouri to announce his candidacy for state auditor on Wednesday, July 8, 2009. The events will be held at:

9 AM: HANNIBAL: QUALITY INN & SUITES
Calypso Room
(573)221-4001
120 Lindsey Dr, Hwy 36
Hannibal, MO

10:30 AM: KIRKSVILLE: DAYS INN
(660) 665-8244
Baldwin Room
3805 South Baltimore Street, Kirksville, MO 63501

About Schweich: Now more than ever, Missouri needs an aggressive independent auditor to root out waste, fraud and abuse. As a former U.S. ambassador, award-winning fiscal conservative author, prosecutor, international law enforcement official, law professor, and patriot who served his country fighting terrorism, drugs, money laundering, and organized crime in Afghanistan, Colombia, Nigeria, and dozens of other countries around the world, Tom Schweich brings his fiscal conservative background and a history dedicated to public service to the Missouri Auditor’s race.

It will take a unique candidate to win the office. The current state auditor is Susan Montee, D-St. Joseph. Montee is a part of the Montee Law Firm and is backed by trial lawyers statewide. She was elected to the post in 2006 to replace Claire McCaskill. No sitting down-ballot statewide officeholder has lost an election since the 1970's.

Alan Icet, R-Wildwood has also announced his intentions to run for the same position.

Sen. Bill Stouffer on Costs of "Cap & Tax."

2009-07-02T12:04:00.000-05:00

If you feel you are in the dark on what may be happening in Washington, D.C. these days, you are not alone. In fact, we may all be in the dark if a measure recently passed by the U.S. House of Representatives becomes law.

Cap and Trade, also known as the “Cap and Tax” or “Carbon Tax” bill, recently passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a margin of 219 supporting the measure and 212 voting against it.

Of Missouri’s delegation, only four congressmen voted for the bill: Reps. Carnahan, Clay, Cleaver, and Skelton. All were pushed by Speaker Pelosi to support the idea.

With the amount of folks discussing this measure at little league fields, coffee shops and online, I wanted to take a moment to discuss how this might affect us back home.

The intent of this legislation is to reduce the carbon footprint of the United States. It establishes a bureaucracy to oversee the purchase, sale, or trade of permits for energy use. While I believe caring for creation is something we have a moral obligation to do, I do not feel this is an effective way to meet this goal. I do not think we can afford the price tag, either.

According to the Heritage Foundation, Cap and Trade will actually destroy 2.5 million jobs, raise electric rates by 90 percent, raise gasoline prices by 74 percent and raise natural gas prices by 55 percent, after inflation.

If a manufacturer, grocery store, or any other employer had to pay an additional 90 percent increase in electric rates — as well as higher costs throughout their budget including all goods, services, and transportation — they may be forced to cut jobs or move them overseas. Every product we buy will cost more.

Energy costs have increased and become much more volatile in the last decade. Imagine an automatic increase of 90 percent for electricity. Municipalities, rural electric cooperatives, and every family and business would be affected. Even nonprofits would suffer. I recently spoke to a man who attends a small church in Rural Missouri. If cap and trade passes, this church that averages around 30 congregants each Sunday could pay around a $1,000 per winter month to keep the doors open. Everyone will be affected.

What’s even more frustrating is that Speaker Pelosi and others pushed the bill through the legislature with little review. In fact, before its final passage, a 300 page amendment was added to the bill that no legislator would have been able to read before a final vote.

The complexities of the 1,200 page bill even included real estate transactions. Every home sale will now have to include an energy audit, similar to a general home inspection. If the home does not meet standards included in the bill, appropriate repairs or updates would have to be performed to bring your home up to standards.

If you are having a hard time selling your home now, the government wants to have a part of that process too. From autos to banking to home sales, it seems government is becoming a bigger part of our lives.

The bill now goes to the United States Senate. Regardless of how you feel on the issue, I would suggest you contact Sen. Kit Bond at (202) 224-5721 and Sen. Claire McCaskill at (202) 224-6154.

Senator Stouffer serves the counties of Carroll, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray, Saline, and a part of Clay.

If you have questions or comments about this or any other issue, please call toll free (866) 768-3987 or by e-mail at bstouffer@senate.mo.gov.

Government Gone Wild

2009-07-02T10:41:00.000-05:00

Letter to Editor,

Americans are celebrating freedom and what that means to citizens this Fourth of July. I would suggest that freedom is under assault as never before in the history of this country. As our federal government takes over banks and car companies; they are simultaneously trying to take over personal decisions the scope of which is breath taking.

For instance, recent House legislation called “Cap and Trade” was passed by our Democrat majority. This legislation is sold as a “jobs” bill but is actually a huge tax on every person who drives a car, turns lights on in their house, runs an air conditioner, you name it. It’s supposed to address “Global Warming” which is increasingly considered very bad science, particularly since we are now in a cooling period. In addition to raising your rates as much as 50% the legislation includes things like requiring you as a homeowner to have an energy audit prior to selling your house and if it doesn’t pass you have to do repairs prior to selling. This has not passed the senate and I’d suggest you call Senator Claire McCaskill as she will be pushed hard by her party to vote for it.

Healthcare, which President Obama pushed in an “infomercial” on ABC is also being considered. While he says it “must be done now” what it really means is a government bureaucrat will decide what medical care you can or can not get. The President candidly admitted that he wouldn’t participate as “he wants the BEST care for his family”. It would also result in the federal government taking over a huge segment of the private sector. With the government essentially bankrupt and spending trillions already (and actually achieving nothing) we don’t need further intrusion in our private lives.

It’s been reported that in Houston recently, Federal agents went door to door searching for what they termed “guns which might be used in the drug trade”. While cutting drug smuggling is an enforcement activity I would say the government has no right to randomly search your home and seize your guns. No wonder gun and ammunition sales are at an all time high.

Americans are becoming increasingly alarmed at the power hungry party in charge in Washington. I think they have every right to feel as they do.

Sincerely,

Cindy O'Laughlin

Another NEMO Dem Gets $20k from Labor

2009-06-23T14:09:00.000-05:00

The gist: In 2006 and 2008, Rep. Tom Shively, D-Shelby County, brought in nearly $20,000 from big labor, all outside of his district. How can Northeast Missouri businesses keep up with his special interests?

In 2009, Shively sided with union bosses who want to bring Detroit-style workplaces to North Missouri and opposed secret ballot elections in the workplace. The following is a list of his contributions from big labor:

Labor Union Contributions to Tom Shively for 2006 Election
· $325 from Electrical Workers of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 5/31/2006
· $325 from Carpenters of Kansas City District of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 6/30/2006
· $325 from Carpenters Local 1925 of Columbia to Citizens for Shively on 6/30/2006
· $100 from Bricklayers Union #1 of Missouri of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 7/6/2006
· $325 from Teamster Local #41 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 8/1/2006
· $325 from Sheet Metal Workers Local 36 of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 8/1/2006
· $325 from Pipefitters of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 8/3/2006
· $325 from Working People of Mid-MO of Fulton to Citizens for Shively on 9/28/2006
· $325 from Northeast Building Trades Council of Hannibal to Citizens for Shively on 9/28/2006
· $200 from Roofers Local #20 of Ray Town to Citizens for Shively on 9/28/2006
· $325 from United Transportation Union of Jefferson City to Citizens for Shively on 9/22/2006
· $325 from Eastern Missouri Laborers of Bridgeton to Citizens for Shively on 9/26/2006
· $325 from Sheet Metal Workers #2 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 9/12/2006
· $325 from Hoisting Engineers Local 513 of Bridgeton to Citizens for Shively on 9/15/2006
· $325 from Iron Workers Local #10 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 9/18/2006
· $200 from Glaziers Metal & Glass Workers Local #513 of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 9/18/2006
· $325 from Missouri State UAW of Hazelwood to Citizens for Shively on 10/11/2006
· $325 from Missouri State Council Fire Fighters of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 10/7/2006
· $325 from Teamster Union #41 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 10/17/2006
· $325 from Missouri State Labor Utility of Jefferson City to Citizens for Shively on 10/20/2006
· $325 from Northeast Missouri Labor Legislative Club of Palmyra to Citizens for Shively on 10/28/2006
· $325 from NEMO Trades and Labor Council of Fulton to Citizens for Shively on 10/28/2006
· $325 from Carpenters Local Union #1925 of Columbia to Citizens for Shively on 10/28/2006
· $325 from Teamsters 245 of Springfield to Citizens of Shively on 10/28/2006
· $250 from Construction Consultants and Engineers of Shelbina to Citizens for Shively on 11/4/2006
2006 Total Contributions: $7,575.00

Labor Union Contributions to Tom Shively for 2008 Election
· $325 from Teamster Local 245 of Springfield to Citizens for Shively on 12/26/2007
· $325 from Teamsters #688 of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 3/31/2008
· $325 from Missouri UAW of Hazelwood to Citizens for Shively on 6/16/2008
· $325 from Teamsters #541 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 6/26/2008
· $325 from Missouri Firefighters of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 6/26/2008
· $325 from United Working People of Mid-MO of Fulton to Citizens for Shively on 6/27/2008
· $325 from Sheet Metal Workers #36 of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 6/27/2008
· $325 from Credit Union PAC of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 6/30/2008
· $325 from Northeast Building Trades Council of Hannibal to Citizens for Shively on 5/12/2008
· $325 from Pipefitters of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 6/7/2008
· $325 from Operating Engineers Local 101 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 7/24/2008
· $325 from Plumber & Pipe Fitters 562 of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 7/24/2008
· $325 from Operating Engineers Local 101 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 7/27/2008
· $325 from Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 7/24/2008
· $325 from Eastern Missouri Laborers' Educational and Benevolent Fund of Bridgeton to Citizens for Shively on 9/26/2008
· $325 from Union Wages Made This Purchase Possible of Columbia to Citizens for Shively on 9/26/2008
· $325 from Friends of Labor of Columbia to Citizens for Shively on 9/26/2008
· $150 from United Steel Workers of Independence to Citizens for Shively on 8/7/2008
· $325 from Mid-Missouri Labor Club of Fulton to Citizens for Shively on 9/26/2008
· $150 from Northeast Missouri Trades and Labor Council of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 9/29/2008
· $325 from LL 660 PAC of St. Charles to Citizens for Shively on 9/26/2008
· $325 from Missouri State Council Fire Fighters of St. Louis to Citizens of Shively on 9/18/2008
· $325 from Northeast Building Trades Council of Hannibal to Citizens or Shively on 9/19/2008
· $250 from Plasterer & Cement Masons Local of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 9/24/2008
· $325 from Credit Union of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 9/30/2008
· $300 from Roofers Local 20 of Raytown to Citizens for Shively on 9/8/2008
· $325 from NEMO Labor of Palmyra to Citizens for Shively on 8/30/2008
· $200 from Heat & Frost Insulators & Asbestos Workers Local #1 of Bridgeton to Citizens for Shively on 10/2/2008
· $325 from United Transportation Union of Jefferson City to Citizens for Shively on 10/11/2008
· $280 from Northeast Missouri Trades and Labor Council of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 10/15/2008
· $325 from Missouri State UAW of Hazelwood to Citizens for Shively on 10/15/2008
· $500 from Iron Workers Local #10 of Kansas City to Citizens for Shively on 10/18/2008
· $325 from Pipefitters of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 10/7/2008
· $200 from United Steel Workers Eastern Missouri Steel Counsel Fund of Bridgeton to Citizens for Shively on 10/20/2008
· $300 from Northeast Build Trades Council of Hannibal to Citizens for Shively on 10/24/2008
· $500 from NEMO Labor Legislative Club of St. Louis to Citizens for Shively on 10/27/2008
· $300 from Missouri State Labor Utility of Jefferson City to Citizens for Shively on 10/28/2008
2008 Total Contributions: $11,580.00

Cost of Friendship: Shoemyer Grabs Cash from Union Bosses

2009-06-22T17:08:00.001-05:00

The gist: In May 2009, MO Sen. Wes Shoemyer (D-Clarence) said he was opposed to protecting secret ballot elections in Missouri including those in the workplace, saying he was a "friend of labor." In 2006 alone, Shoemyer received over $58,000 from big labor:

$300 from Heat & Frost Insulators & Abestos Workers, Local 1 of Bridgeton to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/7/2005

$300 from Sheet Metal Workers-Local 2 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/19/2005

$600 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #124 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/23/2005

$600 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local 95 of Joplin to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/23/2005

$100 from Bricklayers-Local 1 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/27/2005

$500 from Sprinkler Fitters Local 314 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/29/2005

$600 from Plumbers & Pipefitters-Local #562 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/30/2005

$600 from Volunteer Political Fund-Pipefitters Local 533 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/5/2005

$600 from Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Missouri of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/13/2006

$300 from Cement Masons Local #518 of Independence to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/6/2006

$600 from Carpenters Local Union 1925 of Columbia to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/30/2006

$600 from United Auto Workers of Hazelwood to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/25/2006

$600 from Laborers Local Union #829-Quarry Workers of Ste. Genevieve to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/30/2006

$600 from Union Wages Made This Purchase Possible of Columbia to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/26/2006

$600 from Laborers International Union of North America-Local #110 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/26/2006

$600 from Laborers Local #1104 of Cape Girardeau to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/30/2006

$650 from Laborers Local Union #662 of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/8/2006

$300 from Iron Workers Local #10 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/21/2006

$600 from United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/1/2006

$200 from Communication Workers of America of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/29/2006

$600 from Sheet Metal Workers-Local #36 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/31/2006

$650 from Teamsters 245 PAF of Springfield to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/22/2006

$600 from Carpenters Local 311 of Joplin to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/1/2006

$600 from Carpenters District Council of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/1/2006

$200 from Bricklayers & Allied Craftsworkers Local 1 of Missouri Truth Committee of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/3/2006

$300 from Heat & Frost Insulators & Abestos Workers, Local 1 of Bridgeton to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/19/2006

$500 from International Union of Elevator Constructors-Local 3 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/8/2006

$650 from MO Independent Bankers Association of Liberty to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/31/2006

$350 from Laborers Local #42 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 2/10/2006

$300 from Laborers Local #660 of St. Charles to Friends of Shoemyer on 1/26/2006

$150 from Gas Workers Local 5-6 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 3/30/2006

$300 from Asbestos Workers Local Union #27 of Independence to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/2/2006

$650 from United Food & Commercial Workers-Local #655 of Ballwin to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/3/2006

$600 from Carpenters Local Union #945 of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/4/2006

$650 from United Steelworkers of America-Local 169 of Ste. Genevieve to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/11/2006

$650 from Teamsters-Local #541 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/1/2006

$650 from Teamsters Local Union #41 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/21/2006

$650 from Teamsters Local Union #688 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/23/2006

$650 from United Working People of Mid-MO of Fulton to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/30/2006

$100 from International Union of Operating (Hoisting) Engineers-Local 513 of Bridgeton to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/19/2006

$300 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #257 of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/24/2006

$350 from Operative Plasterers & Cement Masons Local Union #518 of Independence to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/30/2006

$400 from Communication Workers of America of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 4/9/2006

$100 from Tri-County Labor of St. Charles to Friends of Shoemyer on 5/4/2006

$100 from Glaziers Architectural Metal & Glassworkers Local # 513 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/9/2006

$100 from Building and Construction Trades of Springfield to Friends of Shoemyer on 6/12/2006

$200 from Sprinkler Fitters-Local 268 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/17/2006

$200 from Operative Plasterer & Cement Masons International Association-Local #18 of Peoria Illinois to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/19/2006

$325 from Ironworkers Local #396 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/24/2006
$650 from Associated General Contractors of Missouri of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/24/2006

$650 from Plasterers & Cement Masons Local #3 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/27/2006

$100 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #1439 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/7/2006

$100 from International Union of Operating Engineers Local 2 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 7/19/2006

$100 from Bricklayers & Allied Craftsworkers Local 1 of Missouri Truth Committee of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 12/27/2005

$650 from NEMO Trade and Labor Council of Hannibal to Friends of Shoemyer on 8/1/2006

$650 from Tri-County Labor of St. Peters to Friends of Shoemyer on 8/3/2006

$600 from Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers Missouri of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/5/2006

$650 from Pipefitters of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/5/2006

$650 from Pipefitters Local 533 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/6/2006

$300 from Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union of Springfield to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/8/2006

$650 from Laborers Union Local 916 of Farmington to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/11/2006

$650 from Sprinklers Fitters-Local Union #314 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/11/2006

$650 from Teamsters Local Union #688 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/13/2006

$200 from Glaziers Architectural Metal & Glassworkers Local # 513 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/15/2006

$300 from Communication Workers of America-District 6 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/15/2006

$650 from National Electrical Contractors Association of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/15/2006

$650 from Credit Union of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/15/2006

$300 from Gas Workers Local #5-6 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/18/2006

$325 from Iron Workers-Local #10 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/18/2006

$650 from Millwrights Union Local-#1529 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/20/2006

$650 from United Brotherhood of Carpenters Local Union #777 of Harrisonville to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/20/2006

$650 from Carpenters Local Union 978 of Springfield to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/20/2006

$650 from Carpenters Local Union 27-L of Oak Grove to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/20/2006

$650 from Carpenters Local #110 of Springfield to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/20/2006

$650 from Teamsters 245 PAF of Springfield to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/21/2006

$600 from Sheet Metal Workers-Local #36 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/25/2006

$650 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #257 of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/25/2006

$650 from United Working People of Mid-MO of Fulton to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/25/2006

$150 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Worker-Local #545 of St. Joseph to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/27/2006

$650 from United Transportation Union PAC of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/27/2006

$500 from United Steelworkers of America-Local 169 of Ste. Genevieve to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/28/2006

$50 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #2 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 9/11/2006

$400 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #124 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/16/2006

$500 from Bricklayers & Allied Craftsworkers Local 1 of Missouri Truth Committee of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers Local #1104 of Cape Girardeau to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers Local Union #829-Quarry Workers of Ste. Genevieve to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers Local #660 of St. Charles to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers-Eastern MO Educational & Benevolent Bund of Bridgeton to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers-International Union of North America-Local #110 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers Local #424 of Hannibal to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Union Wages Made This Purchase Possible of Columbia to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Quarry Maintenance and Allied Trade of Ste. Genevieve to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Carpenters Local Union #945 of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers Local 840 of Rolla to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers International Union of North America-Local #53 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Laborers Local Union #662 of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$500 from Asbestos Workers Local Union #27 of Independence to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/5/2006

$650 from Carpenters Local #1329 of Independence to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/10/2006

$650 from United Brotherhood of Carpenters & Joiners of America 1904 of Parkville to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/10/2006

$650 from Journeymen Plumbers-Local #8 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/10/2006

$650 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers of Washington D.C. to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/11/2006

$650 from Heat & Frost Insulators & Abestos Workers, Local 1 of Bridgeton to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/13/2006

$300 from Labor's Educational & Political Club Independent of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/16/2006

$500 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1464 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/19/2006

$650 from Missouri State Labor Utility of Jefferson City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/19/2006

$500 from United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers & Allied Workers of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/23/2006

$650 from United Auto Workers-UAW of Hazelwood to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/23/2006

$650 from International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local #53 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/23/2006

$650 from Sheet Metal Workers-Local #2 of Kansas City to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/23/2006

$625 from Carpenters Local Union 1925 of Columbia to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/25/2006

$650 from Building & Construction Trades Council-Greater Kansas City of Independence to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/25/2006

$650 from Northeast Missouri Trades and Labor Council of Hannibal to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/26/2006

$350 from Communication Workers of America-District 6 of St. Louis to Friends of Shoemyer on 10/2/2006

$650 from Operating Engineers Local 148 of Maryville, Illinois to Friends of Shoemyer on 11/3/2006

$650 from Hoisting Engineers-Local 513 of Bridgeton to Friends of Shoemyer on 11/2/2006

2006 Total Amount of Contributions: $58,275.00

Shoemyer, Local State Reps: Bring Detroit-Style Workplaces to Northeast Missouri

2009-06-16T16:08:00.000-05:00

Now finished with their work in Jefferson City, the Missouri General Assembly considered HJR 37 in its final week, an act written to protect Missourians’ right to vote by secret ballot. The legislation was a response to federal efforts to pass the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), also known as “card check” legislation.

EFCA: WHAT IT MEANS

Simply put, EFCA makes it easier for employees to unionize a workplace.

Imagine a union boss standing in the parking lot of a Northeast Missouri business with only ten employees. If passed, EFCA would allow this person to ask workers to simply sign a card. If they refuse, they can be tracked down at their home, place of worship, or any other location.

Once 50% plus one of the employees signs the cards, the workplace is then organized.

If management and workers can not agree upon terms of a labor agreement, a federal arbitrator arrives to establish the plan. The decision by this bureaucrat is final – and if any number of card-signing members change their minds, leave the job, or are deceased, the decision to organize and the agreement still stands.

EFFORTS TO STOP EFCA

Save Our Secret Ballot (S.O.S) is a national organization fighting the “card check” legislation.

National pollster Tim Mooney and others including a former state senator in Missouri are working to put a measure on a ballot to amend the state’s Constitution to protect
voting by secret ballot. According to Mooney, a forced union shop would cost employers an average of of $11,500.

By failing to break a Democrat filibuster in the state senate, supporters of HJR 37 will now circulate a petition throughout the state to put the secret ballot protection to a statewide vote in 2010.

Northeast Missouri legislators voting against HJR 37 and for forced unionization:

Reps. Bringer, McClanahan, P Quinn, Shively, and Witte.

Those voting for HJR 37:

Reps. Hobbs, Munzlinger, and Sander.

State Sen. Wes Shoemyer did not have to vote on the issue, but told a group of concerned Northeast Missouri business owners he would vote "no" as he is a "friend of labor."