In the spirit of true patriotism, a January 5 rally will mark the beginning of another chapter of conservative gains in the cause of liberty for Missourians. Grass roots activists and patriotic organizations are invited to unite in a rally for the cause of liberty.

The goals of the rally are simple and sincere: To celebrate a revival of political concern and involvement among Missouri citizens, rejoice in the victories we have witnessed in 2010, welcome and encourage our incoming freshmen representatives, highlight strategic legislation for the coming session, and commit ourselves to working with our elected officials for the good of our state.

As we welcome the freshmen legislators we will remind them and the veteran lawmakers alike that they are there at the Consent of the Governed.

We want them to know that we will be involved; we will be watching; and we will be a resource for those who seek to promote greater liberty and prosperity.

In short, we want to tell them, “We’re from the People and we’re here to help!”

Although the many groups around our State may focus on different issues or have different priorities, they all realize that ensconced power often will squeeze the people out of the process. Because of that, our many independent groups must cry out with a unified voice our demand for fair and open debate in the legislative process.

We hope you will join us in Jefferson City on January 5. The rally is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am and continue until 11:30. The program will include a review of key issues of concern to conservatives and a variety of guest speakers. Attendees will be given a packet of information and encouraged to visit their representative and senator while they are at the Capitol.

Please forward this information to your list and invite other groups to participate. We want to help start the new session with a strong message of unity and support for the cause of liberty.

Guest column by Jeff Teismann:

When the federal government passed sweeping health care legislation earlier this year, arguably the most egregious usurpation of state’s rights in over a generation, did State Senator Kevin Engler lead his party to stand in stiff opposition to this violation of Missouri’s state sovereignty?

Surely he must have you say, for it is the sworn duty of every state representative to defend the State and U.S. Constitutions. Surely he knows that regulation of health insurance is not one of the enumerated powers of the Federal government, and that the power to regulate it was left to the states. Surely he must know that Missouri (as well all other states) have always maintained that regulation of any form of insurance (health, life, casualty, etc.) was the sole providence of the state.

Surely, you say, as a leader of the Senate, Senator Engler must have been at the forefront of defending Missouri’s state sovereignty.

Sadly, no, Engler failed to show such leadership.

Even when other State Senators and Representatives answered the call and stood to defend our sovereignty with the Health Care Freedom Act, Engler would not stand with them.

But that is not the worst of it. For you see, that same sweeping federal legislation inaccurately named the “Affordable Health Care for America Act” not only violated state sovereignty, it violated our individual freedoms in several ways, not the least of which is to force all citizens to purchase health insurance.

So it is that Kevin Engler also failed to defend the citizens of Missouri of their freedom to make their own health care decisions.

Senator Engler may say that he was supportive of the Health Care Freedom Act, but his support was limited to doing only what was necessary in order to make such a claim. When the decision was made to withdraw the Health Care Freedom Act as a constitutional amendment, and instead submit it as a voter referendum, I questioned him about it.

He asked me if I had read the bill (which I had) and if I really wanted to see such language as part of our state constitution (which I did). It was clear that he didn’t – a position he confirmed when I asked which state senators would join in the procedure to “move the previous question” he mentioned several senators, but not himself.

Not only was he non-supportive, he was downright dismissive. He stated that “you people” (by which I suppose he meant the hundreds of fellow citizens who flooded the state capital whenever the bill was being discussed) would be able to voice our displeasure with a referendum vote. As if our concerns had no substantive basis, but rather only a chance to register our disapproval. The message was that you’ll have a chance to vent your anger, now go away.

In representing the people of Missouri, what is more important for our representative to do than protecting our freedom?

As a representative of the State of Missouri, what is more important than maintaining our state sovereignty against blatant usurpation by the federal government?

Should someone who fails to defend our state sovereignty and our freedoms be given leadership of our State Senate? I say “No”.

The unprecedented activism of the past two years has all lead up to what will take place this Tuesday, the general election.  Many Missouri citizens, however, are also interested in what will follow the election.

Two days later, while most of us are still in recovery mode, Missouri Senators will meet to determine by a secret ballot process who will serve in the highest position in our state legislator, the Senate President Pro Tem. Among other things, the President Pro Tem of the Senate has the power to place senators on various committees and to choose the leadership of those committees.  These appointments have a profound effect on which proposed legislation will actually make it to the floor for consideration.

Missourians will remember the current Pro Tem, Charlie Shields, served as a major roadblock to the passage of the Healthcare Freedom Act during the last session. Prop C (HCFA) eventually went on to pass on the August ballot by a 71%-29% margin, a clear indication that Shields and the Senate leadership were out of touch with the people.  Sen. Shield’s further displayed his power late in the session when he removed Sen. Chuck Purgason from his committee chairmanship in order to consider a bill which would have given preferential treatment to the Ford plant in Kansas City.

Sen, Shields is leaving office as a result of term limits, and it’s time to elect a new President Pro Tem.

Since the leadership positions are chosen by the senators, it would seem that the election of true conservatives into the Missouri Senate would guarantee strong, conservative leadership, right? Unfortunately, this is not necessarily true.

Kevin Engler is the presumed choice for the Pro Tem position – not because of his legislative history of liberty-driven legislation, but because he is the current Senate Majority Floor Leader.  It is generally understood in Jefferson City that the floor leader is next in line to become Pro Tem, regardless of his track record. In fact, Engler has made it clear that anyone who dares to oppose him will suffer the consequences, but those who support him will be rewarded.

These bullying techniques are not new to Jefferson City politics, but they typically are kept out of the view of citizens.  The truth, is,  that really understanding what goes on behind the scenes of the legislature is next to impossible.

Because the people have historically been left out of this decision, a group of of grassroots activists (of whom I am honored to be a part) has launched the Missouri Leadership Project.  The project was designed with several goals in mind:

1. To help inform the public of the importance of leadership in Jefferson City.  Everyone understands how important the roles of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi are in Washington D.C., but little attention is given to the significance of leadership within our own state legislature.
2. To begin the process of increasing transparency in government by shining some light on the happenings within Jefferson City, specifically on the election of leadership.
3. To illustrate that although Sen. Engler is the presumed Pro-Tem-To-Be, he is not the choice of those (many activists) who have spent the last two years asking for transparency and smaller government.
4. To give the people of Missouri an opportunity to voice their opinion by signing a petition urging the senate to “select leaders from among those who have clearly demonstrated a commitment to protecting the liberty of all Missourians alike and conduct the business of the senate in a fair and even-handed way.”To date, hundreds of Missourians have signed the petition.  Many have also contacted their senator personally to express their views.  In addition to these individual citizens, many patriotic and Tea Party organizations have endorsed the project.

Although citizens do not have a direct role in electing legislative leadership, we should work to be informed and involved in the process as much as possible, and to hold our elected officials accountable for their decisions.

For more information about the Missouri Leadership Project, visit www.MoLeadershipProject.com.

Below is an op-ed from the Joplin Independent, written by Missouri Rep. Ed Emery. This is an excellent, common-sense column on how Prop B violates our most basic rights.

Proposition B will be on Missourian’s November 2, 2010 ballot. No matter how it is promoted it is fundamentally the product of ignorance. It reflects ignorance about breeders, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), the power of the free market, property rights, and liberty. It is being driven by propaganda rather than truth and depends on emotional appeal rather than the achievement of meaningful reform.

Missourians love their pets and hate to see animals abused. Dog breeders, and I have met a number of them, raise dogs because they love dogs and enjoy seeing others find just the right dog for their family. The goal of these small business people is to satisfy the public’s longing for pets at a cost most can afford. My family used to raise basset hounds, and I remember that even a single flea bite on an otherwise perfect puppy meant an unacceptable price penalty along with the determination to find and fix any problem. If a puppy had anything more serious, they might just be refused. It simply does not pay to mistreat animals. But the best breeder would be hurt the most by Prop B.

Many are ignorant about the nature and objectives of HSUS– the organization behind Prop B. A visit to www.humanewatch.org or www.activistcash.com will help you assess whether their intentions have anything at all to do with the treatment of animals. While less than $500,000 went to animal shelters (less than 0.5% of HSUS’s budget in the same year HSUS’s own website lists 14 executives who, it is reported, received $2.5 million in 2008 in pension benefits alone; their salaries are not available.

However, most harmful is ignorance of the significance of property rights to basic American freedoms. There is no more important unalienable right that our constitution secures than that of property rights. Personal property – almost unheard of before the United States exceptional founding – is the right that guarantees all others. It is the only right that once lost will almost certainly not be restored short of armed conflict. Prop B directly assaults property rights and for that reason alone is completely unacceptable and should be ruled unconstitutional. But the courts aside, no issue is important enough to concede to government our last defense against its abuse of the people.

Dispelling ignorance about what is actually in Prop B will help defeat it at the ballot box. First of all, the use of the word “cruelty” is to invoke prejudice, not reason. For example, keeping 51 dogs is cruel but keeping 50 is not; keeping a dog in a 5′ by 5′ 11″ enclosure is cruel while adding one inch to the length makes it kind; kennel temperature of 45 degrees F is kind while 44 degrees is cruel. “Cruelty” is not for the dog; it is for the emotional appeal. We’re told Prop B is for “large-scale” breeders, but just 11 female dogs makes you a “large-scale” breeder, and your animal quarters will have to be heated and air conditioned. Finally, if Prop B is about animal cruelty then why are hunting dogs excluded from the regulations?

Proposition B is not about animals or about cruelty, it is an assault on property rights, small businesses, and the free market. It employs a proven strategy for stripping rights from the people and empowering the elitists: 1) find an innocent lovable party – puppy, 2) make them a victim with an emotion-stirring label – puppy mill, 3) make “more government” the solution – Prop B. If voters take a broader and thoughtful perspective and if they insist that freedoms be protected and that policies be logical rather than emotional, then American ideals will win, and Prop B will fail in November.

Paul Curtman, the Constitutional Conservative running for State Representative in the 105th district (Pacific, House Springs, Ditmer, High Ridge, Robertsville) needs our help this weekend.  Below are the details from Paul for two roadside rallies.  Signs will be provided at the rallies.  Come and hold a sign and show the people in Pacific and House Springs that Paul Curtman is the man we need to send to Jefferson City.

ROADSIDE RALLY FOR PAUL CURTMAN
At Hardees Restaurant in Pacific this Friday, Oct. 8th at 4 p.m.

ROADSIDE RALLY FOR PAUL CURTMAN
At Hardees Restaurant in House Springs this Saturday, Oct. 9th., 10 a.m.
We need a massive turn-out to ensure the defeat of a SEIU organizer.  Bring your friends and your flags.  Signs will be provided.

THIS ONE IS CRITICAL!

The Alliance for Truth announced today that less than 5% of the $3 million raised by the proponents of Proposition B has come from Missouri residents and businesses.

Missourian’s are well known for being independent thinkers and typically don’t care much for outsiders telling them what they should think or do. Unfortunately Missouri Referendum Proposition B which will be on the ballot this November is becoming one of those instances where interests outside of Missouri are trying to do just that. The proponents of Prop B, led by the radical animal rights organization the Humane Society of the United States, aka HSUS, has raised approximately $3,000,000 dollars according to Missouri Ethics Commission filings to push for passage of Prop B. What a big surprise it will be for Missouri voters when they realized that less than 5%, only approximately $136,000, is actually from Missouri residents and businesses. The more light that is shed on Prop B and its’ real intentions, the more it is starting to smell fishy.

It is not unusual for outside interests to try to impose their will on the people of Missouri. However as they found with the recent highly successful passage of Proposition C ,which excluded Missourians from being forced to comply with a potentially un-Constitution Federal mandate regarding health insurance, Missourians don’t like to be pushed around…..especially by those that don’t make Missouri their home.

For futher information about the “real truth” about Prop B and how it is a scam being perpetrated by radical animal rights interests go to www.TheAllianceForTruth.com

In an effort to make the October 9th activist training more affordable, we are lowering the online registration price from $25 to $15.  The cost will be $20 at the door rather than $30.  I hope this will make things easier, especially for those with multiple family members who would like to attend.  Anyone who has already paid the original price will have the difference refunded to them.

The training will take place at the Scenic Regional Library located at 308 Hawthorne Drive in Union, MO from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.  You may register online at American Majority’s website.

Topics to be covered during the training include:

• The System (an in-depth look at the system we’re in, how we got there, and what we can do about it)
• Grassroots Action (ideas and practical steps to engage our communities and organize a coalition of volunteers)
• Precinct Power (changing your community one precinct at a time with specific micro-targeting and focused action)
• Patriots 2.0 (effectively utilizing social networking tools, blogs, wiki projects and other technologically-driven platforms)

Time permitting, we will also have a social media question and answer time to address any issues that you may have with Facebook, Twitter, blogging, etc.

Full training materials, samples and supplements will be provided to help you apply what you learn to your organization, candidate, cause or community.

Click here to register today.

Phone Banks are now open in Chesterfield for Prop B.  We have a huge task ahead of us in getting the truth out about HSUS and Proposition B.  The phones will be open from 9am until 9pm Monday through Saturday in Chesterfield at 229 Chesterfield Business Parkway.

If you have any free time at all between now and November 2,  stop by the campaign office and make some phone calls to help spread the word about Prop B.

For more information, call the campaign office at 636-536-6518.