TTTT Takeaway Activism and Notes – May 2013 (Candidate Forum)

The Meeting

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In lieu of our regularly scheduled Third Tuesday Tea Time, the members of Cape County Tea Party organized and executed a 8th Congressional District Special Election Candidate Forum.  The six candidates for the office vacated by Jo Ann Emerson took part in the forum held on Wednesday May 22, 2013 at 6:30pm.

The normal meeting held on Tuesday night was canceled.

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Here are still photos of the candidates:

Candidate Forum – 8th CD – Photos – 01

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Here are the questions used by the moderator:

Candidate Forum – 8th CD – Questions – 02

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Here are the questions as given to the audience:

Candidate Forum – 8th CD – Questions – 03

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Here is the SEMO Activism Calendar distributed at the end of the meeting

Candidate Forum – 8th CD – SEMO Activism Calendar – 01

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Video Evidence!

Below are the videos from the event:

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Cape County Tea Party – 8th Congressional District Candidate Forum

The members of the Cape County Tea Party invite the citizens of Cape Girardeau County (and beyond) to hear from Missouri Candidates who wish to represent them at the Cape County Tea Party 8^th Congressional District Candidate Forum.

Join us for an opportunity to hear from the six candidates who seek to represent you as a citizen of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri in the U.S. House of Representatives.

DATE:                    

• Wednesday May 22^nd, 2013

TIME:

• 6:30 – 8:00pm
• Doors by 6:00pm
• Eevent will start promptly at 6:30pm
• Arrive early to mingle with the candidates

PLACE:                  

• Cape Public Library
• 711 N. Clark
• Cape Girardeau, MO

 

CONTACT:            

• Brian Bollmann
• E-mail: bbollmann1964@gmail.com
• Phone: 314.882.3327

PARTICIPANTS:   

• Bill Slantz
• Doug Enyart
• Jason Smith
• Dr. Robert George
• Steve Hodges
• Tom Brown

WEB:

• The latest details on the event will be kept up-to-date at:
• http://CapeCountyTeaParty.org/CCTP8th/

FACEBOOK:          

• The Facebook event is at:
• https://www.facebook.com/events/146368815535136/
• CCTP’s Facebook Page is at:
• https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cape-County-Tea-Party-CCTP/147039295324578

NOTE:

• There will be no regular Cape County Tea Party Meeting (a.k.a. Third Tuesday Tea Time) for the month of May which normally would have been held on Tuesday 05/21/13

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Cape County Tea Party – 8th Congressional District Candidate Forum

So, Now What’s Going On At The CBO? (Updated)

Update: 2 More E-Mails

I’ve been monitoring the activity at the CBO (Congressional Budget Office) for a little over two years now.  It’s a great way to know what legislation is coming down the pike in Congress.  I highly recommend that you sign up for their e-mail list.

Yesterday was a banner day.  I received four six different e-mails from the CBO with a total of twenty-four thirty-two different documents (four twelve were duplicates).  I’ve never received that many documents from the CBO let alone four six different e-mails.  Were we not buried in an avalanche of Obama scandals, I would likely ignore the avalanche of e-mails.  But, in the current environment, it got my attention.

A couple of items stood out (links are below):

• The Budget Baseline
• The Supplemental Security Income
• Medicare Baseline
• Medicaid Baseline

Scariest is the Budget Baseline which shows that by the 2023, our gross Federal Debt will be over $25,000,000,000,000… …another $9 Trillion in Federal Debt.  This cannot be allowed to happen!

It’s been said that “Disability” is the fastest growing employment sector under the Obama administration.  This expenditure stays static at about a $1 Trillion per year over the next 10 years.  Yes, we will be spending $10 Trillion of our General Tax Revenues to help ‘Disabled’ people… …some who need it… …and (I suspect) most like the ones I saw dancing and smoking pot in Illinois a few months ago.

For Medicare, the next 10 years sees mandatory outlays doubling from $549 Billion to $1062 Billion ($1.062 Trillion) per year.  Yes, I know you’ve paid for Medicare; so have I.  But, have you paid into Medicare the same amount that you’ve taken out?!?  For both SSOAI and Medicare, receivers should first be provided with the balance of their account… …the amount they paid in less expenses.

And finally, for Medicaid, the next 10 years sees outlays double from $251 Billion to $554 Billion per year.  The DSH (Disproportionate Share Hospital) amount goes from $10 Billion to $13 Billion… …you know that horrible thing where people go to hospitals when they don’t have insurance and the government has to pay for them so we need to have the government fix the $10 Billion problem by taking over the entire healthcare system to the tune of $2 Trillion… …that DSH.

BOY! That’s a big document dump on the same day the IRS, Benghazi, Kermit Gosnell, Fast and Furious, and AP scandals hit a fever pitch.  I’m glad I’m not a conspiracy theorist, or the black helicopters would be circling…

SQUIRREL!!

New from CBO

• CBO’s Estimate of the Net Budgetary Impact of the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Coverage Provisions Has Not Changed Much Over Time
• Effects on Health Insurance and the Federal Budget for the Insurance Coverage Provisions in the Affordable Care Act—May 2013 Baseline
• Medicare’s Payments to Physicians: The Budgetary Impact of Alternative Policies Relative to CBO’s May 2013 Baseline
• Updated Budget Projections: Fiscal Years 2013 to 2023

New from CBO

• Child Nutrition Programs—May 2013 Baseline
• Individual Income Tax Receipts and the Individual Tax Base—May 2013 Baseline
• Children’s Health Insurance Program—May 2013 Baseline
• Child Support Enforcement—May 2013 Baseline
• Child Support Collections—May 2013 Baseline
• CBO’s Estimate of the Net Budgetary Impact of the Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Coverage Provisions Has Not Changed Much Over Time
• Effects on Health Insurance and the Federal Budget for the Insurance Coverage Provisions in the Affordable Care Act—May 2013 Baseline
• Medicare’s Payments to Physicians: The Budgetary Impact of Alternative Policies Relative to CBO’s May 2013 Baseline
• Updated Budget Projections: Fiscal Years 2013 to 2023

New from CBO

• Unemployment Compensation—May 2013 Baseline
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families—May 2013 Baseline
• Supplemental Security Income—May 2013 Baseline
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program—May 2013 Baseline
• Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation—May 2013 Baseline
• Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance—May 2013 Baseline
• Social Security Trust Fund—May 2013 Baseline
• Social Security Disability Insurance—May 2013 Baseline
• Military Retirement—May 2013 Baseline
• Medicare—May 2013 Baseline
• Medicaid—May 2013 Baseline
• Foster Care and Adoption Assistance—May 2013 Baseline

New from CBO

• H.R. 701, a bill to amend a provision of the Securities Act of 1933 directing the Securities and Exchange Commission to add a particular class of securities to those exempted under such Act to provide a deadline for such action
• H.R. 674, Rota Cultural and Natural Resources Study Act
• H.R. 1156, a bill to authorize the Secretary of the Interior to adjust the boundary of the Stephen Mather Wilderness and the North Cascades National Park in order to allow the rebuilding of a road outside of the floodplain
• H.R. 723, Wood-Pawcatuck Watershed Protection Act
• H.R. 602, Veterans 2nd Amendment Protection Act
• S. 545, Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013
• H.R. 267, Hydropower Regulatory Efficiency Act of 2013

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More e-mails found after original blog post publication…

New from CBO

• USDA Mandatory Farm Programs—May 2013 Baseline
• Highway Trust Fund Accounts—May 2013 Baseline
• Federal Programs that Guarantee Mortgages—May 2013 Baseline
• Pell Grant Programs—May 2013 Baseline
• Student Loan Programs—May 2013 Baseline
• Historical Budget Data—May 2013 Baseline Projections
• Budget Projections—May 2013 Baseline Projections
• Deficits Projected in CBO’s Baseline and Under an Alternative Fiscal Scenario

New from CBO

• Historical Budget Data—May 2013 Baseline Projections
• Budget Projections—May 2013 Baseline Projections
• Deficits Projected in CBO’s Baseline and Under an Alternative Fiscal Scenario
• Child Nutrition Programs—May 2013 Baseline
• Individual Income Tax Receipts and the Individual Tax Base—May 2013 Baseline
• Children’s Health Insurance Program—May 2013 Baseline
• Child Support Enforcement—May 2013 Baseline
• Child Support Collections—May 2013 Baseline

DESE Common Core Meeting / A lesson in controlling the message

I attended the DESE Common Core Meeting at 6:30pm on 05/02/13 in Cape Girardeau, MO at the Career and Technology Center, and what I witnessed was mastery of controlling the message.  Of course, there was not prayer or Pledge of Allegiance; this is the school!  Prayers are forbidden by the Constitution and the Pledge is offensive (/sarc)

The sound quality was ridiculous, and I have no idea the name of the gentleman that led the event.  He worked through a PowerPoint presentation including videos by educators that could not be understood due to the poor sound.

The leader of the event stated clearly at one point:  “There will be no data collection.”  However, a quick review of CCSSO.org website leads you to these two pages self-refuting the leader’s claims:

Sadly, a leader in the Education industry would absolutely LIE about whether or not there will be data collection involved with Common Core Standards

Divide and Conquer

We had heard that there would be 15 leaders or members of DESE at the event.  We couldn’t imagine why they would put so many on the dais.  As it turned out there was no dais, and there were 30 DESE organized leaders at the event.  Why?

As you entered the event, you were assigned to 1 of 15 tables.  Each table had a Table Leader and a Table Recorder.  The attendees (proponent or opponent) were divided into 15 tables, so the interaction was between approximately 6 attendees and two studied proponents of Common Core.

Each table was provided with a form to complete.  The form contained two questions:

• What do you like about Common Core?
• What questions do you have about Common Core?

The facilitators at table #12 were Jeff Lindsey and Wade Bartels.  Both were very nice and listened as we tried to fill out the form.  Jeff gave anecdotal information about the process of aligning to Common Core in St. Genevieve, MO and how great it was going.

When we asked him our questions about CCSS, the typical answer was “I don’t know”.

• How much will this cost the state? I don’t know
• How much will this cost your school? I don’t know
• What is the cost going to be for the technology to allow completion of the standardized tests? I don’t know
• According to the CCSSO web site, there will be data collection.  What data will be collected?  I don’t know
• We read that the standards are copyrighted.  Will the schools be able to make changes? I don’t know

What Jeff Lindsey did know was that he really wanted his table to come up with an answer to the question… What do you like about Common Core?

Unfortunately, the time allotted for table discussions, and table #12 never listed a positive feeling about Common Core.

Following the kitchen table discussion, the messaging control continued.  Table Recorders, not attendees, were summoned to the front one-by-one to read the list of things that attendees liked about Common Core.  All of the ‘likes’ were read.  For the questions about Common Core, duplicate questions were skipped.  One CCTP member noted that 5 items were read from their lies of ‘likes’ that weren’t discussed at the table.  They ‘magically’ appeared.

I provided Jeff and Wade a long paragraph with questions about data collection, CCSSO, and EIMAC.  When Wade asked the question on microphone he simply said, “What is EIMAC?”

Strategy Worked

As I said, the DESE folks employed a brilliant Divide and Conquer strategy, and it worked to perfection.

• Prevented general attendees from hearing tough questions asked at one table that was not asked at another table
• Prevented mini-speeches given by attendees
• Separated less knowledgeable attendees from stronger more studied attendees
• No negative press to be reported by the media
• DESE walked away with positive talking points and a long list of things that Cape Girardeau liked about Common Core

For me, there was a positive outcome.  At a Table #12 side discussion, a teacher stated that she liked common core because every school would teach the same topics at the same grade levels.  She continued that children moving state-to-state would be able to pick right up where they left off in their new school.

Her statement helped me finally crystallize my foremost reason for opposing Common Core.  CCSS removes any desire for one school to work to excel.  Children will be tested for certain skills at certain ages, and there will actually be negative reinforcement should a school decide to teach subjects at different grade levels to help them excel.  Should the school choose to teach some subject in a different order or different grade, their assessment ratings will suffer.  They will see lower ratings and less funding.

This is the absolute antithesis of freedom and self-governance.

Questions and likes reported back to the attendees:

• If state led, why were funders from Federal Tax $$$?
• Liked Crosswalk on DESE web site
• Will International books be implemented?
• Federal Control?
• Why no question about what we don’t like?
• What comprehensive studies have been developed?
• How often reviewed / revised?
• How can standards be enacted that haven’t been evaluated in classrooms?
• How will they handle gifted students?
• How will they help students not currently meeting standards?
• How will local districts have a say?
• What pilot studies have been conducted?
• Too one size fits all
• Not enough options for teacher flexibility
• Govt grab for control of education
• Not enough parental involvement
• Ideologically different from local values
• Is common core copyrighted?
• What is EIMAC?
• Has state legislature voted to adopt CCSS?
• Liked fewer standards / flexible teacher instructions
• Liked incorporation of non-fiction / promotion of critical thinking
• Further investigation of who initiated development?
• Who will profit?
• Can state of MO step back and wait for other states to prove CCSS works?

Below are Miscellaneous Notes taken that may or may not make sense:

• Crosswalk

• Shows where a concept is located in CCSS vs. Show-Me
• Fewer topics but more in dept
• Teachers saw that common core was more rigorous

• Why need for common state standards?

• 2007 NGA / CCSSO decided to define Common Core Standards
• Facilitated State-Led development
• Rigorous
• Research and Evidence Based
• Define what all students are expected to know
• Teachers develop lesson plans
• Adoption was voluntary
• Aligned to Show-Me standards / College Standards
• All students will graduate college and career ready
• Currently
  • 36% must take remedial
  • $90M cost for remedial
  • $32M lost wages

• Video – Chris Nicastro / Mr. Russell
  • State-Led involving parents / teachers

• Missouri Involvement

• College and Career readiness standards
• Based on career readiness, k-12 learning progressions developed
• MO Represented on Development Team
• Standards released on 6/2/10
• Teachers
• Principles
• Parents
• Education Experts

• ELA

• Non-fiction
  • More
• Complex Text Academic Vocabulary
  • Regular practice with complex text and its vocab words
  • Spelling?

• Math

• Focus
  • 2-4 concepts focused deeply in each grade
• Coherence
  • Connect learning from one grade to next linked topics
• Rigor
  • Real world situations

• Preparing for Transition

• Crosswalk document
• Statewide public sessions on standards
• Model curriculum

• Wrap-up
  • Federal Government Played no Role

• Discussion

• Anything said here tonight means absolutely nothing next year because criteria will keep changing
• Jeff L – I look at common core as a plan
• Jeff L – Doesn’t know anything about it being copyrighted

TTTT Takeaway Activism and Notes – April 2013

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The Meeting:

Below is a link to the Legislative Review document used for the April 2013 meeting:

CCTP – TTTT – 20130416 – Legislative Review – 01

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The Missouri Legislature Must ENACT Right-To-Work

The Missouri Senate has passed, and the Missouri House is considering SB 29 which will give a public employee the right to choose whether or not to allow Labor Unions to withhold fees and whether those fees can be used for Political Purposes.

In response to this effort by the Missouri Legislature, the Communications Workers of America Union sent out the following e-mail blast:

Again, that e-mail is sent in opposition to a bill that would give the CWA’s own members the right to choose whether or not union dues are withheld and used for political purposes!  You would think…

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For some odd reason, First Responders are not granted the right to choose under this bill, but I digress.

Just to emphasize their claims:

• It is a direct attack on all of us that work every day and believe in the protections of a union.
• It will lead to larger class sizes for teachers
• It will lead to unsafe staffing levels for nurses
• It would stop first responders like police officers from advocating for public safety needs
• It would mean front-line state workers who work in our veterans’ homes would lose their voice on the job and in the statehouse
• It would mean those who investigate child abuse and neglect would lose their voice on the job and in the statehouse

Anyone with a 9th grade education can read SB 29 and comprehend that the CWA claims are absolutely ludicrous.  Considering unions are so great, why would a member choose not to send in their dues and allow them to be used for political purposes?!?

Sadly, the same level of ludicrousness was true of the Prop B Puppy Mill ballot measure, yet Low Information Voters (LIVs) passed it by 51.6%.

The Missouri Legislature Must ENACT Missouri’s Right To Work Legislation!

With SB 29 in mind, the Missouri Legislature is also considering Right To Work legislation.  But, instead of directly enacting the legislation, they are planning to put it on the ballot.  Whatever their reasoning may be (self-preservation?), it’s a H.O.R.R.I.B.L.E. idea.

By putting the Right To Work legislation on the Ballot, the Missouri Legislature is setting up the State for a Wisconsonian Union and Media circus that could and should be avoided like the plague.  A fully staffed, highly funded maelstrom of Organized Labor disinformation will descend upon the state with all the commensurate physical threats and property damage.  It won’t be pretty:

• Union Members bused in for massive inorganic rallies at the Capitol
• Commercial after commercial with Republicans killing baby seals and Union Members
• SEIU Goons attacking local vendors
• Democrat Secretary of State Kander’s ballot language likely skewed to prevent passage

With the CWA willing to make the above incredible claims over a bill that gives their members the right to choose, legislators know that they will double-down on such ridiculous allegations in regards to Right To Work.

What is the Republican plan to fight against such bedlam?  At least one Representative thinks constituents should invest their time and treasure to fight for the measure.  What?!?  Missourians already invested their time and treasure to elect a veto-proof Republican majority in the House and Senate WITH the knowledge and expectation that they enact Right To Work legislation.  It is outrageous to expect Missouri Republicans to engage in this fight once again when it is not necessary.

What happens when the ballot measure fails?  In 1978, Right To Work legislation was placed before the people and it failed.  It has been 35 years since, and we are just now to the point where the legislation can be enacted by the legislature, and now is the time.

Another bill with the same exact wording, sans the voter approval, is also under consideration.  This Right To Work bill should be brought to the floor and receive a vote.  If it passes, great!  If not, then voters know which Representatives need to be lobbied to pass the bill in a future session… …or worst case… …work to replace that Representative.

Please contact your Legislator today and urge them to bring HB 95 to the floor for a vote.  This bill gives workers the freedom to choose whether or not to join a union.  Do we believe in Freedom in Missouri?  Yes, we do.

(Should I get into my questions as to why it has taken from 2/13/13 to 4/3/13 — that’s 50 days folks and over 1/3 of the session — for the RTW bills to get from the Public Hearing to being voted Do Pass by the Committee?  It’s almost like people in charge of moving the bill to and through committee don’t want it to pass.  But again, I digress.)

Again, considering unions are so great, why would a worker choose not to join?  What do the unions have to worry about?

Real Work Force – 03/31/13

The FedGov released its unemployment propaganda for March 2013 this week showing a 0.1% drop in the unemployment rate.  Our friends at ZeroHedge calculated that the Real Unemployment Rate is now 11.6% instead of the FedGov’s drop from 7.7% to 7.6%.  The actual Labor Force declined by 496,000 and those not in the Labor Force increased by 660,000.

FedGov and ZeroHedge calculations still don’t really show the true picture of employment in America.  They don’t answer this question:

Ignoring all demographics, who is in the wagon versus who is pulling the wagon?

How many people are working as a percent of all the people in the United States?

At the end of Clinton’s administration, over 50% of the population in America were in the labor force!  That number stayed mostly the same and then increased through through the early parts of 2007.  That percentage has decreased since the beginning of 2007 and is now down by nearly 2%.  You’re welcome to comment below as to what happened in early 2007 to turn the trend around.

In today’s numbers, that’s a reduction of almost 6,000,000 jobs.

.Below is the percentage of change from month-to-month

Labor Force Data from bls.gov:

Population Estimate from census.gov

Things won’t get better in this country until millions more people are pulling the wagon!

And Update from Kerry Messer and the Missouri Family Network on the Controversy at MO DOR

And Update from Kerry Messer and the Missouri Family Network on the Controversy at MO DOR

April 1, 2013
From:  Kerry K. Messer, Missouri Family Network      314-971-2477
Re:  Update on DOR Controversy    (Note: There are two short but important audio file links in this email.)

Subpoena:   http://missourifamilynetwork.net/2013/03/missouri-dor-subpoena/  

Last week the State Senate used its subpoena authority to pull rank on the Department of Revenue.  While the Senate has had the authority to subpoena individuals, it has only been a couple of years since that authority was expanded to include documents.  Thus it is accurate to say that this is the very first time in Missouri State history that the Senate has issued a Subpoena for documents from a rogue agency!  (While this authority is relatively new also note that no state department has never acted with such blatant disregard toward the Legislature before, resulting in a call for such a law.)

Senator Kurt Schaefer requested the Subpoena and it was issued according to Statutory protocol with President Pro-Tem Tom Dempsey officially issuing it.  In the Subpoena, the documents demanded are to be provided to Senator Kurt Schaefer’s office (room 221) no later than 4 pm on Tuesday, April 2, 2013.  To see the actual Subpoena and the various documents being demanded, go to:   http://missourifamilynetwork.net/2013/03/missouri-dor-subpoena/

Destruction of State Property?:

In yet another new development, questions have come up over ownership of the old license processing equipment being removed from the local license offices.  It had been our understanding that all the old equipment was being leased from L1 (one of the original contactor companies acquired by Identity Solutions, and eventually by MorphoTrust USA).  However, Senator Schaefer is saying that DOR authorities have led him to believe the old processing equipment is in fact property of the State of Missouri.  This is very troubling if it is confirmed that DOR again misled lawmakers earlier this year on this ownership point!

If in fact this equipment does belong to the State, the newer contract allowing MorphoTrust USA to remove and destroy the old equipment is in direct violation of yet another provision of law dealing with State property!  Go to http://www.missourinet.com/2013/03/29/revenue-department-budget-threatened-audio/ to read the Missouri net story about this new development.  Be sure to listen to the two short but very important audio links at the end of the printed story.

AUDIO: Floor discussion (6:48)

AUDIO: Schaefer, Richard, Dempsey 5:15

Call for Audit:

At this point we (Missouri Family Network and all the partners who have joined this effort to call DOR into account) are calling for a full audit of the Department of Revenue.  In light of the extensive and deepening nature of this controversy we feel this is imperative.  Especially considering how DOR still refuses to come clean and provide the Legislature with a full transparent explanation of the many questions still outstanding.

Driving concerns even deeper is a realization that without a full discovery of the facts surrounding the DOR controversy, how do we even know what questions need to be asked?  In other words, with the lack of cooperation coming from DOR, in light of the many disturbing discoveries to date, why are they not willing to open up and be transparent?  Or – what else is going on that someone does not want to be discovered?

Those concerned citizens wanting to take action to help, please encourage all your friends to call for a complete DOR audit.  We are directing citizens to make their audit request through Senator Kurt Schaefer’s office.  Sen. Schaefer will in turn bundle those request and take them to State Auditor Tom Schweich.  Since a DOR audit is not currently due, a special audit will need to be processed.  No one is casting any cloud of question onto Auditor Schweich, we are simply trying to make it a reality in the context of these current dynamics.

Stoddard County Civil Lawsuit:

Sadly, the Stoddard County civil lawsuit had to be dismissed.  Apparently there were some factual errors in the original pleadings which handicapped the case.  The employees in charge of retooling Local license offices (not sure if they are State employees, MorphoTrust USA employees, or sub-contractors with one or the other) provided much of the information related to the case.  It now appears that some of the information provided by these individuals was erroneous.  Perhaps they were accurate in relationship to other State’s experiences, but with Missouri’s DOR working on a ‘hybrid’ type of REAL ID, some of the details don’t seem to apply.  The trial judge indicated that he did not want to dismiss the case but had to in light of the circumstances.

New Partners:

Starting today, Monday April 1, 2013, a new series of radio adds are being directed at DOR.  It would appear that United for Missouri has decided to join in the call for accountability.  You will note that the representatives of UFM include former House Speaker pro-tem Carl Beardon and former House & Senate member Jim Lembke.  The web site is www.unitedformissouri.org and their current social media messages include, “If you haven’t seen it, go to www.WrongWayJay.com and tell Governor Nixon to take responsibility for his rogue Department of Revenue!”

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Below is the DOR Controversy Update from last week – included for your convenience.

March 25, 2013

Re:  Update on DOR Controversy & Support Documents Demonstrating DOR’s Deceptions   (Note: Documents are linked in this email rather than reprinted due to size and space.)

DOR Director Brian Long, and Deputy Director John Mollenkamp, have repeatedly denied any federal dollars involved in the new controversial Driver and non-Driver licensing system.  However, the following documents outlines not one, two, or three, – but at least four annual grants DOR has received from the Department of Homeland Security and the Department’s efforts to participate neck & neck with other States in implementing REAL ID “compliance”, while claiming they are not breaking Missouri’s Statutory law making it a criminal offense to participate in the implementation of the 2005 federal Real ID Act (see 302.183 RSMo).

Also note that DOR is violating two additional State Statutes:

Missouri’s Concealed Carry Law has always been maintained to protect citizens’ information to the highest degree possible.  To accommodate law enforcement background checks and keep a balanced approach to protecting citizens from any form of firearms registry, Chapter 571. RSMo prohibits anyone from compiling or accessing information that is limited to local county sheriffs.  DOR’s new procedures have created a significant affront to the gun rights community by violating these laws.

While citing 32.090 as authority to scan source documents, they fail to point anyone to the very next provision which does in fact limit DOR’s practice by expressly prohibiting the collecting of individually identifying information on citizens without specific statutory authority.  (Which has never been given.)

32.091.7. The department of revenue shall not collect from persons applying for any driver’s license issued by the department any information bywhich such persons can be individually identified, unless the department has specific statutory authorization to collect such information; nor shall the department of revenue include on any driver’s license, in print, magnetic, digital, or any other format, any information by which an individual may be identified, unless the department has specific statutory authorization to include such information.

Here are two revealing documents exposing the financial and compliance reporting relationship between Missouri DOR and the National Homeland Security.  DOR heads have dodged, skirted, danced, avoided, and ignored multiple questions about their involvement with Homeland Security.  To quote multiple lawmakers, “they have outright lied to the Legislature and they have lied to the citizens of Missouri”!  Please take time to examine these documents.

One document is a 20 page report from the Center on Immigration Studies (identifies at least two federal grants in the amounts of $700,00+ and $2.99+ million); http://missourifamilynetwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/real-id-2012.pdf and the second, a 35 page document, is a 2012 Congressional Report from the Department of Homeland Security (specifying the uses of four DHS grants 2008-2011), expose DOR’s secretive and unethical pattern of lies and deceitfulness;  http://missourifamilynetwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/real-id.pdf

The 2012 Congressional Report from the Department of Homeland Security was produced by the DHS (U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security) and compiled from States’ reports to DHS on their respective States’ transition to REAL ID.   It is important to note that the Missouri Department of Revenue has obviously participated in making progress reports to DHS, while at the same time pretending to the citizens of Missouri in general, and more specifically withholding the truth about their efforts from State Lawmakers!

Here is a simple rundown on many of the details you will find in the 2012 DHS report document:  http://missourifamilynetwork.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/real-id.pdf

• Page 3 outlines the 18 “Material Compliance Benchmarks” DHS has established to standardize, federalize, and create a uniform national ID system known as REAL ID.
• Page 7 charts the 50 States and additional Territories based on their number of “benchmarks” met.  Missouri DOR reports 15 out of 18 “benchmarks” were compliant before last fall (2012).
• Also on Page 7-8 is a point made that DHS annual Grants (originally denied by DOR) go back to 2008 – making at least 4-5 grants to date from DHS to Missouri DOR.
• Pages 9-11 explains Missouri DOR’s 15 “benchmarks” in comparison to the other States and Territories.
• Pages 11-12 shows that the three “benchmarks” not reported to be in compliance with, was not even required to be reported on. (Thus having the least known reported compliance!)
• (Based on the lack of required reporting, no one but secretive DOR agents has any real idea if in fact Missouri is in compliance or not.)
• Page 15, paragraph 3,  (last two sentences) makes it clear the Missouri DOR can use grants while claiming they are not participating in REAL ID directly, as long as they are moving that way.
• Page 17 explains the planned basic “infrastructure” for data networking and sharing, despite DOR’s insistence to the contrary.  (Raises MAJOR concerns about scanned documents security.)
• Page 20 clearly states that Missouri DOR has signed a “Memorandum of Agreement”, “as required by the REAL ID Act” of 2005.  (Which DOR claimed not to be doing.)
• Page 22 plainly reports that the “DHS is funding the instillation of the EVVE (Electronic Verification of Vital Events) network interface.
• Page 23 shows that according to MO DOR’s report, Missouri is in fact “on-line with EVVE.
• Page 27 “Assistance to States” says “DHS is using “multiple mechanisms” to provide assistance…” to States “intended to meet or “be comparable to”, REAL ID requirements”.
• Page 27 also defines how DHS accepts State’s “Compliance Determinations.   (States are not required to meet or exceed REAL ID regulatory requirements as long s they are “comparable”.

Lies?:  For at least 4-5 years The Missouri Department of Revenue has been deceitful and has employed various tactics to mislead members of the State General Assembly and the citizens of Missouri!

Over the last month we have uncovered a pattern of documented lies which cast a dark cloud of distrust and angst over the agency.  Clear-cut and documented lies include (but not limited to):

• DOR repeated claims that it has not received any federal funding for the new “enhanced” or “secure” driver license and non-driver license cards (including CCW endorsements).
• DOR now admits that they have received “limited federal funding for minor items” (expensive hole punches), when in fact DOR has received millions for extensive REAL ID compliance.
• DOR has created the illusion that recent controversial revelations are relatively new – when annual grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) go back to 2008 (at least).
• DOR repeatedly claimed they are not working to implement ”Real ID” when in fact DOR now spin admissions that they are doing so “on our own” not ”with” the federal government.
• DOR maintains claims that they are not working with the National Department of Homeland Security, when DOR is reporting to DHS their “benchmark” compliance reports.
• DOR had reported to original inquiries from lawmakers that no data on Missouri citizens was being sent out of state – when in fact DOR now admits is the daily procedure.
• DOR has responded to concerned inquiries from lawmakers, via email, that all data being sent out of state is deleted – when in fact they now admit no verification protocol exist.
• DOR first stated to many lawmakers that all Missouri citizens’ personal ID information (scanned source documents) are being destroyed – now admitting it is being stored permanently.
• DOR has emphatically stated over and over that biometric data cameras and photos are not being taken/used – but now have testified under oath that this is in fact the new procedure.
• DOR has led everyone to believe the old processing equipment was in need of replacing, but has now admitted that the equipment was working just fine with normal repairs.
• DOR claims the only reasons for upgrading equipment has been for citizens security, but now admits equipment upgrades are driven by “compliance” with the national REAL ID Act.
• DOR says they are not implementing REAL ID under federal control (a clear violation of State law) but now admits voluntarily enacting all required “benchmarks” to be “compliant”.
• DOR claims to have Statutory authority for the new controversial program being implemented, but only points to a provision in the state budget (which has no Statutory authority).

DOR’s Most Comprehensive Response To Date (that we know of) Still Fails to Address The Bulk Of Concerns And Questions

From DOR:

“The Department of Revenue receives information related to the license and the card.  The protection of this information is controlled by the Driver’s Privacy Protection Act (Sections 32.090 and 32.091, RSMo).  With these protections in mind, several years ago the Department began working in a system that is both cost effective and able to ensure that information remains confidential.  The changes in the driver license and the issuance process are being put in place to protect Missouri citizens from criminals who want to obtain or produce forged copies of the licenses and identification cards to steal or manufacture identities.

“In conjunction with the Office of Administration, and through the state purchasing procedures, the Department has signed a contract with a vendor to both replace some aging equipment and to issue secure licenses and identification cards to Missouri citizens.  The contract is between the state of Missouri and the vendor—no other entity mandated this contract.  Furthermore, the vendor does not receive any scanned source documents.  The vendor only receives data that is printed on the license itself, such as name, address, sex, height, weight, etc., and deletes the data one week after the document is printed. 

“To specifically address some of the concerns, the license does not include any radio frequency identification (RFID) chip; the license does not include a magnetic strip; and no information is being transmitted to Homeland Security or any other federal agency.   The license and identification cards, however, include two bar codes.  The purpose of these barcodes is specifically explained on the Department’s website: one contains the same information as appears on the front of the card along with the county of residence of the license holder and the second is for inventory control only.

“For more information, you may go to the Department of Revenue New Missouri Driver Licenses and Nondriver Identification Cards frequently asked questions at http://dor.mo.gov/faq/drivers/newlook.php

We are striving to discern the facts surrounding this DOR controversy.  While many unsubstantiated claims have been made against DOR, it is apparent that the teams installing the new processing equipment in local license offices around the State had been providing confusing answers to LLO personnel’s questions.  Perhaps these people have assumed everything in Missouri was the same as in other states installing REAL ID systems, not aware that Missouri is only “complying”?  Whatever the case behind some of the false understandings, we do know that DOR has not been willing to  be forthcoming with either the citizens, local license offices, or even the General Assembly.  We apologize for any information we have distributed that is incorrect and renew our commitment to report facts and clarify unknowns as outstanding questions.

In response to two confused issues:  Originally, LLO personnel had been instructed to change past procedures of “flagging” questionable or suspected individuals processing driver licenses.  The new procedure was to automatically identify all persons using USPS Post Office address as potential “fraud alerts”.  This practice was dropped within two days after this controversial story emerged.  The second issue is that originally all local license offices were provided an access code to gain entry to the data base of scanned documents (managed by Oracle, the private vendor contracted to manage this database).  Once criticisms of potential security risks came to light, DOR cut off LLO access to this database.  (The database has not been destroyed or deleted as some reports claimed.)

As far as we understand at this point:  MorphoTrust USA is the private vendor processing Missouri driver license cards.  They receive at least (?) the “folio” files on Missouri citizens seeking driver license cards.  The company is based in New Jersey (?) but their processing facility is located in Atlanta, GA.  (L1 is an older DOR contract vendor that was acquired by Identity Solutions.  Identity Solutions was later acquired by MorphoTrust USA.  Various equipment bares any of these three names.)  MorphoTrust USA is a SAFRAN company, and SAFRAN is a huge international business based out of Paris, France.  The second private vendor with DOR is Oracle, which is charged with the maintaining the platforms for the database containing all the scanned source documents.

(Both companies are represented by lobbyist Richard McIntosh, listed by the Missouri Times as number 12 on the 20 most influential individuals with the Nixon Administration.) (?)

One of many questions that has not yet been adequately aired is, “why are citizens not told their documents are to be scanned before they know what is happening”?  We have heard from hundreds of angry citizens and they all share the same opening to their stories, that they were never told until afterwards (and only then when asking questions) that their documents were scanned.  No one has yet to report that they were ever given an option to cancel or pause the transaction until they understood what would occur!  

Kerry K. Messer
Missouri Family Network
P.O. Box 1288
Festus, MO 63028
573-483-2007  Home / Office
314-971-2477  Jefferson City
mofamnet@ldd.net
www.MissouriFamilyNetwork.net

TTTT Takeaway Activism and Notes – March 2013

The Meeting

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Here’s video evidence of the evil right-wing nutjobbery of the Cape County Tea Party’s Monthly Meeting!

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Self-Governance:

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Our Speaker:  John Jordan

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…the battery on the video camera ran out…

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Special Guest:  8th CD Republican Candidate Doug Enyart:

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Takeaway Activism

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At the end of the discussion of self-governance near the beginning of the meeting, we gave out two pieces of Takeaway Activism in which to engage:

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TA1 – Exercise Self-Governance:

There are lobbyists for unions; lobbyists for banks; lobbyists for lawyers; lobbyists for river smelt; lobbyists for death row murderers; lobbyists for sports stadiums.

Who’s lobbying for you and me?

The first step in the process to increase your self-governance is to become active.  To guide our representatives to enact legislation and policy that increases our freedom and our self-governance, we must take part in the process.  And, to take part in the process, we need to be involved at the time and location that the process is taking place.

To that end, we asked each Third Tuesday Tea Time attendee to take part in at least one meeting of a local governing body.  A calendar of the meetings was provided, and as of this writing, I can confirm one of our attendees did join in at the Cape County Commission meeting!  Here is the calendar of meetings through March and until our next TTTT.

Public Meetings: Attend / Take Notes / Report:

Thu	3/21	9:00am	County Commission
Thu	3/21	6:30pm	Pachyderm Club / CCTP Steering Committee
Mon	3/25	9:00am	County Commission
Wed	3/27	10:00am	AFP – MO Day At The Capitol
Thu	3/28	9:00am	County Commission
Thu	3/28	7:00pm	CCTP Jackson School Board Forum
Mon	4/1	9:00am	County Commission
Mon	4/1	5:00pm	Cape City Council
Mon	4/1	7:00pm	Jackson City Council
Tue	4/2	All Day	Municipal Election Day
Thu	4/4	All Day	Missourians Against Agenda-21 Rally Day J/C
Thu	4/4	9:00am	County Commission
Thu	4/4	6:00pm	CCTP Steering Committee
Mon	4/8	9:00am	County Commission
Tue	4/9	7:00pm	Jackson School Board
Wed	4/10	7:00pm	Cape Planning & Zoning
Wed	4/10	7:00pm	Jackson Planning & Zoning
Thu	4/11	9:00am	County Commission
Thu	4/11	6:00pm	CCTP Steering Committee
Mon	4/15	9:00am	County Commission
Mon	4/15	5:00pm	Cape School Board
Mon	4/15	7:00pm	Cape City Council
Mon	4/15	7:00pm	Jackson City Council
Tue	4/16	6:30pm	Third Tuesday Tea Time

For more details on individual meetings, visit our web site at:  http://www.CapeCountyTeaParty.org/Calendar

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TA2 – Practice:

Next month’s meeting will be another working session.

In January, we held a working session and reviewed the bills sponsored or co-sponsored by our local Missouri State Representatives: Wayne Wallingford, Donna Lichtenegger, Kathy Swan, and Shelley Keeney. We made a quick review of the bill and made a fairly knee-jerk Yea or Nay rating for the bill. Visit or side and look for “TTTT Notes for January 2013” for more details.

For our April 16th Meeting, we ask that you do some prep work for another working session:

1. Visit the MO House or Senate Web Site list of Pending Bills:
   1. http://www.house.mo.gov/billlist.aspx
   2. http://www.senate.mo.gov/13info/BTS_Web/BillList.aspx?SessionType=R
2. Locate a Bill that interests you
3. Read the information on the bill and any other supporting information that you can find.
4. Prepare a short paragraph to present why support or do not support the bill.
5. Bring the information with you to the next TTTT, and we’ll talk about what you have found.

 

Jefferson City Effort To Stop Agenda 21

From Missourians Against Agenda 21

 

Subject: U.N. AGENDA 21

Dear Fellow American Patriot,

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Many of of us are familiar with the term Agenda 21. Some of you much more so than the rest, but each of us feel this movement is encroaching into every aspect of our lives. Agenda 21 threatens to keep individuals from holding private property, it affects our children’s education, water resources, energy availability,etc and it is already infringing upon our liberties daily here in Missouri. To prevent this happening, we have to have a wide grassroot movement to address Agenda 21. We need a plan to meet the issues of the Agenda threatening us as American citizens.

Ike Skelton is a grassroots activist who, along with other grassroots organizers from across the State, have been tirelessly working to stop Agenda 21 from taking over our State. From these efforts a group called “Missourians Against Agenda 21″ (www.eyesona21.org) has emerged. There are three prongs to this organization: 1. Communication 2. Education 3. Legislation.

We are sending you information in regard to the Legislative arm. You would think with Missouri’s Senate and House both having a Republican Majority, the task of getting such bills passed would be very simple. WRONG! The House Bill was held up from a floor vote by the Republican Leadership, but thanks to our grassroot efforts and our new champions of the Republican Party, Ed Martin and Shane Schoeller, Lyle Rowland’s House Bill 42 will be voted on April 8th. The Senate Bill has been voted out of committee.

For more information on the bills go here:

HB42: http://legiscan.com/MO/text/HB42/id/671594

SB265: http://legiscan.com/MO/research/SB265/2013

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Here are ways each of YOU can help…

Please see the attachment with bullet points from Missourians Against Agenda 21. We are asking each of you to use these in calling your State Rep and Senator to:

1. Ask OUR leadership to put these bills on the floor for discussion in both the House and Senate with an up or down vote.
2. Urge YOUR legislator to vote YES on these bills.
3. On April the 4th there will be an Agenda 21 Rally in the Capitol Rotunda from 8:00 AM-10: AM with speakers and informational tables from grassroot activists across the State of Missouri. Please urge YOUR legislator to drop by the rally and tables. This would be a good opportunity for constituents to pay their legislators a visit.
4. Invite YOUR legislators to an Education Night at the Capitol on 4/3/2013 in Hearing room 3 starting at 7 PM and ending promptly at 9 PM with expert speakers on A21 including:
   • Mindy Patterson, from The Cavalry Group, St. Louis, MO (http://alturl.com/4gof6)
   • Thelma Taormina, a national speaker on Agenda 21 who appeared with Glenn Beck
   • Ray Cunio,a grassroots activist in Missouri who has worked with Agenda 21 issues for over 30 years here in our state.
   • Jennie Burlsworth, President and Founder of Secure the Republic
   • Stacy Shore, activist and expert on private property rights

This will be an opportunity for our legislators to receive educational information, ask questions about this issue, have discussion and give their commitments.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE! We are requesting each of YOU to make your call(s) on 3/25/2013 using at least one but not more than three, of these bullet points. We realize many more points could be used which may be better than what we have provided. However, we are asking all grassroot organizations come together and carry the SAME message from all over the state. When OUR legislators hear the same message coming from all across OUR state this will have a greater impact showing we are united in our efforts. (*Note: We have received word that the bills will be voted on on April 8, so if you cannot make your call on 3/25, you can still make them up until April 7.)

To find your legislators’ contact information go to these links:

• http://www.senate.mo.gov/LegisLookup/Leg_Lookup.aspx/leg_lookup.aspx
• http://www.house.mo.gov/legislatorlookup.aspx

We appreciate your assistance in this effort. Should any of you have questions or concerns please email me at: kgraves3@hotmail.com or Judy Sofka jsofka@yahoo.com

Thank you….

Karladine Graves

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Note: If you are unfamiliar with U.N. Agenda 21…go here..

• http://soldierforliberty.wordpress.com/2009/10/21/the-crown-jewel-of-understanding-agenda-21-and-the-club-of-rome/
• http://www.eyesona21.org
• http://www.democratsagainstunagenda21.com/

(Note: This is a nonpartisan issue, so please have include all your contacts in this effort, no matter their party affiliation)

Click here for the bullet points on which to speak to your legislators.