tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59278011363964814512024-03-05T06:56:12.578-06:00Jeff Grisamore NotIs Jeff Grisamore really the champion of those that are affected by autism or does he use them as stepping stones in his political career? What is he doing to stop restraint, seclusion, or abuse? What is he doing to make sure that they are receiving the education and services that they are entitled to?faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.comBlogger1100125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-59072325909709310912018-05-03T22:17:00.001-05:002018-05-03T22:17:22.865-05:00Clean Missouri petition will give voters a chance to pass ethics reform | The Kansas City Star<a href="http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/editorials/article210412354.html">Clean Missouri petition will give voters a chance to pass ethics reform | The Kansas City Star</a><br /><br />
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Missourians are a major step closer to more ethical and transparent government.<br /><br />
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On Thursday, a group called Clean Missouri turned in more than 340,000 petition signatures calling for a referendum on ethics reform.<br /><br />
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If enough signatures are valid — a highly likely prospect — voters will be able to embed important ethics changes in the state’s constitution this year.<br /><br />
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The vote can’t come soon enough. As recent events have shown, Missouri is one of the most unethical states in the union. And lawmakers have shown little willingness to address the problem.<br /><br />
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These reforms are essential. The revolving door between the floors of the General Assembly and lobbying jobs turns constantly.<br /><br />
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Former Senate President pro tem Tom Dempsey is a registered lobbyist, as are former House Speakers Carl Bearden and Steve Tilley. So are former lawmakers Noel Torpey, Chris Molendorp, Jeff Grisamore, Shannon Cooper and others.faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-26944093938731088572017-07-05T21:37:00.003-05:002017-07-05T21:39:23.709-05:00Grisamore Threatened Me<span style="background-color: white; color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">"As for a committee on autism and special needs in R-7, I have spoken to the Superintendent and Board, which relates to why he spoke to you. If that committee is formed, you will have one voice, although I would like to see D on it too, along with others, such as J. That will be up to R-7. Given your antagonism toward me and them, you are most fortunate you are being considered to be on such a committee. I would encourage you to consider changing your approach for the sake of LSASG's credibility and influence with R-7 and beyond. Your current approach is only isolating and alienating yourself from me and others who are doing much to help children with autism and their families."</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">After this threat I wrote the following to the Superintendent. I took this as Grisamore saying that I could not work with the district without going through him and that I had to agree to place nice first. I sent Grisamore's email straight to the Superintendent. This is the response that I received from the Superintendent. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"Rep grisamore is getting ahead of himself. There have been no follow up discussions about any ideas that may have been mentioned in some setting. Honestly, I do not recall discussing this committee but I may have forgotten. It happens. My invitation to discuss the issues is for you only at this time. You and I can discuss together where all of this goes from there. I hope this clarifies my intention. I do not go into this knowing where we will end up but do feel our dialogue has the potential to make us a better district and help you better understand our challenges. I am really looking forward to our meetings." </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-44255235041122115292017-07-05T21:32:00.002-05:002017-07-05T21:39:23.732-05:00This Was The Last Republican That I BackedThe following letter went out to the whole state including the Regional Center. For some odd reason my son's name was removed from the Regional Center's wait list right after this happened. Hmm. I will answer his allegations. I have black and white proof and my allegations. He has nothing to back up his. The damage that he has done to my son and many more is inexcusable, immoral, and unethical.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Greg,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Thanks for your e-mail questioning this story. There is more to the story and my colleague, Representative Doug Ervin, summarized it well. HCR 18 that was debated on January 19th and blogged about by Sherri Tucker on January 20th was a non-binding resolution. It did not refuse $5.5 million that could have provided health care for tens of thousands of Missouri children as the blog alleged.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">While Sherri claimed she was simply forwarding an article, she prefaced the posting with her words: "Outraged, that’s how I am feeling right now! After conspiring with our ex-Governor to strip so many kids of health coverage in 2005 the Republicans in our Missouri legislature has struck again. They have voted, as a block, to reject legislation that would have secured 5.5 million dollars of Federal money to provide health care for 10’s of thousands of Missouri children. Their story: They are rejecting Welfare!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;">I did not write those comments. They were on the blog that I copied and pasted from. I wrote no comments. He is once again twisted my words and trying to make me look like a crazy woman. I did forward the article. He is accusing me of something that I didn’t so to make you think that I am less than honest.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Her comments misunderstand and misrepresent the truth and what happened and when. The comments after the above in her posting attributed to Representative John Burnett appear to describe a debate and vote in March of 2009, not this year. Sherri has a posting today on her blog that also describes that debate and vote in March of 2009, but her post gives the impression it is covering a current debate and vote today.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The January 20th posting quotes Rep. Burnett as writing, "When the final vote came it split on exact party lines. Every single Republican voted against the children of the State and every single Democrat voted for them." That is a reference to the 2009 vote, not the vote referenced in January, which--as Rep. Ervin wrote--was 111 to 46 with more than 20 Democrats voting with Republicans.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The 2009 vote to which quotes from Rep. Burnett are attributed in the January 20th posting and Sherri's posting today refers did not propose--in truth--to add 20,000 children to the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). It actually would not have added one child. It would have actually eliminated minimum premiums that were already being paid by parent(s) whose children were already on SCHIP. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">That plan would not have cost just $1.9 million in state general revenue as the blog alleged, but tens of millions. I, like many Republicans, favor adding children who are SCHIP eligible but not enrolled to the program--and tens of thousands have been added in the last year through increased awareness and enrollment efforts.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The welfare expansion of Medicaid covered health care that was proposed last year would have cost upwards of a quarter-billion-dollars for children and adults, which we could not have begun to afford. Our current state general revenue is down 12.7 for the first 8 months of the current fiscal year compared to last year. January revenue was down 22.4% compared to last January. Today, we learned February revenue was down 14.6% compared to last February. The Governor has had to cut nearly $800 million from the current budget for this fiscal year. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I would also submit that you consider the source and context of the blog in question. For a year-and-a-half, Sherri Tucker has posted false accusations and information based on misunderstanding and misrepresentation. Her bizarre and outlandish postings about me have been consistently misleading, even though she falsely claims they are based on documented facts.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">For example, she posted Jackson County property records claiming them as proof I do not have a mortgage and that Bill Kenney paid for our house. He was the builder who owned and sold us the house. In truth, we have two mortgages, the 2nd we incurred to cover expenses after our daughter died. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;">The following are emails that I have received from Representative Grisamore. If you want to go to Jackson County, MO’s website you can look up anyone’s mortgage. He does not have one. I received each of these emails at different times and I do have a hard copy of them. You can’t have it both ways. First he said that the house was offered to them right after his daughter’s death and a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family and a foundation. Then he said that they bought the house before their daughter died and then got a second mortgage following her death. Which is it?</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">First, you stated, “You don’t have a mortgage on your house. Bill Kenney paid for your house.” I have no idea where you got that assumption. In truth, we have two mortgages on our house. The first from when Bill Kenny sold us the house as a builder/developer and friend and the second we assumed after our daughter died to cover unexpected bills and expenses following her death. Bill did not pay for our house and did not contribute one penny to the purchase contract. He did discount the house from the list price of about $220,000 to just over $200,000 and we do have two mortgages on our home. Please do not perpetuate the false assumption that he paid for our house and we do not have a mortgage. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I will say to answer your questoin of how we live in a $200,000 house with such a low salary, we were offered the house right after our daughter died and a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family and a foundation. We do not make $100,000 a year as you claimed and never have. We bought that house in 2003 when my salary was much higher and it is difficult to keep up with our mortgage. We have considered downsizing, but want to honor the generosity of those who helped us with the home by trying to stay in it and it is a bad sellers market anyway</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You previously told me that your house was offered to you right after your daughter died. Now you are saying that you got the second mortgage after your daughter died. You also said that a significant portion of the house was gifted through the benevolence of friends, family, and a foundation.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You don't have a mortgage. All mortgages are on the Jackson County, Missouri website and can be looked up. This is all that they have for you</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Concerning our deceased daughter, she wrote "Is is true that your wife is expecting again? Isn't Prader Willi a genetic disorder that is passed on from the father? That is about the only true thing she has said or implied. So, is she wanting to blame me for not giving my daughter everything she needed genetically to live? Most people would find such comments by her disgusting and despicable.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">She also maligned my wife and the number of children we have, writing "Is is true that your wife is expecting again? We had a tenth child a year ago. She also implies our children receive free lunches and also tries to imply we are on Medicaid. We are not. We have been privately insured since 2000 after moving back to Missouri with the exception of a nine month window in 2006 after I left a corporate presidency until I was sworn into office. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">His corporate presidency was a charity. Their website never got past the under construction phase except for the donate now button. He lists no prior churches where he was a minister or corporations that he has worked for. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">While our income during that time could have probably qualified us for Medicaid covered health insurance for our children, we did not exercise that option. Our six school age children did receive reduced lunches during that time, but they were not for free. Our income is up since then and we have long since discontinued participation in the reduced lunch program.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">She also claimed online that I made $100,000 to over $200,000 a year as a non-profit executive and that the non-profit bought me a boat and car. In truth, my salary ranged in six years as their president from $48,000 to $88,000, plus benefits--the sum of which were under $100,000. The car was company owned--a Kia Optima--that I drove with a 150 mile round trip commute to our headquarters and satellite office in Olathe and Lee's Summit. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">The tax records are out there for the public. You made more money than you claim to have made.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">As for the boat, it was a 1960s pontoon boat in poor condition that leaked which a donor gave to the non-profit before I arrived in 2000 for a tax write off. I never used it. Mrs. Tucker and other bloggers misunderstood and misrepresented the 990 of the non-profit I served as president pertaining to my compensation, the car, and the boat.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">The point many make about her false claims and implications about our personal lives is, what business is it of hers? She appears obsessed like a political stalker. It is disappointing, given I spent multiple hours with her and her Lee's Summit Autism Support Group in 2006 and 2007. I always encouraged them to be peaceful, positive and proactive in their approach, versus negative, antagonistic and combative.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He met with us in November of 2006. That was almost 2 years ago. We met at Atlanta Bread Company twice. It should have been three times, but he didn't show up for the third visit after requesting the meeting. He met us at the church once. We met at Dairy Queen once after the meeting of the legislators at the district office. When the Governor came to Children's Mercy he ignored us until the governor spoke with us. Then you acknowledged us. We haven't received correspondence from you in six months except for the email thanking me for inviting you to Beauchamps and you were not invited. We asked you not to campaign that night, after finding out that you were coming and that's exactly what you did. You turned the event into your event and acted as though you had put it together or that we had put it together for you. You even contacted someone and made it seem as though you had planned this event. I know because he called me and told me. </span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Her false attacks against me, Lee's Summit R-7 Schools, DESE and now my House colleagues contain many commonalities. She consistently misunderstands the facts and misrepresents the truth and timelines. That is why I stopped communicating with her in 2008. Anytime, she would post a false claim and I would write to communicate the truth, she would post my e-mail to her and contend I was lying. Therefore, I do not communicate with her any longer. You cannot have rational conversations in a stream of irrational and false attacks and misrepresentations.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">He did not quit communicating with me in 2008. He has communicated since then and I have the email to prove it. Once again he assumes that everyone will believe his double talk and ignore the proof that is in front of them. Saying I am crazy, irrational, antagonistic, combative, and confused will not change that fact that what I have written about him is true. He will try to make you believe so, but I and the God that he claims to serve know the truth</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">She has also made false and uninformed allegations about my involvement with the Missouri Autism Commission and the Missouri Blue Ribbon Panel on Autism. I enjoy great working relationships with many parents, advocates and providers in the autism and broader disabilities commonalities. She has alienated herself with autism advocates and groups statewide because of her persistently false attacks. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 13.2px;"><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">You did ask her. I was at the meeting and she told me afterwards that you had inquire about being on the panel and she advised you that only Senators were on the panel. There was a meeting and you were not invited. I advised you of the meeting and you asked me to get you an invitation. I did. When you arrived you sat two seats away and pretended that you didn’t know us. You left early without so much as a nod. Then you called Debbie to apologize for leaving without speaking to us. You didn’t want to speak to us in front of everyone. But, you did have time to ask Jolie Justus if you could be on the panel. Also, the list for the Autism Commission came out and your name was not on it. I also saw the notes that you were writing about that. It happened when I walked over to address you because you purposely sat several seats away from Debbie and I.</span></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">It is sad, because she could be such a positive voice if she would simply acknowledge her errors and work with us and not against us. I have not responded directly or indirectly to her false attacks in a year-and-a-half. We ignore the attacks and continue to work with parents, advocates, providers, the legislature and Governor to transform services for those with individual and developmental disabilities--especially autism--in Missouri.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I regularly respond to parents of children with autism in Lee's Summit and the greater Kansas City region and adults with disabilities and children with autism statewide who need assistance in receiving funding and services. We usually always get positive responses from schools, regional centers, SB 40s, and the Departments of Mental Health, Health and Senior Services, and Social Services. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">I'd be more than happy to overlook their attacks and work with them if they would simply bury their hatchets. They could be very positive and effective if they changed their approach and admit they have been mistaken and were willing to work together. I do not expect that and simply keep working for children with autism and their families.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">We have strong working relationships with autism and disabilities support groups in Lee's Summit like EFECT and an autism support group led by Jennifer Gray, a Lee's Summit resident who was active with Jennifer Whitty, Kellie Maxwell, Ginger Leutkemeyer and Molly Shad, all autism moms from Lee's Summit, Kansas City, Jefferson City and St. Louis who have assisted us in autism legislation in Jefferson City.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Thanks for your interest and concern and seeking the truth--realizing there is more to the story. When it comes to that blog dedicated against me and--now--my colleagues, you can assume what is posted is not truthful and accurate. Sherri is a partisan blogger against me and my Republican colleagues. As a former pastor and corporate executive, I have seen a lot of slander and false accusation in my nearly 50 years, but none so vociferous as this. Thank you for your consideration.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Respectfully,</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Jeff Grisamore</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">State Representative, District 47</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Missouri House of Representatives</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">State Capitol - Room 134</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">201 West Capitol Avenue</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Jefferson City, MO 65101-6806</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Office: 573.751.1456</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Cell: 816.225.5695</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">Fax: 573.526.8184</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;">E-Mail: jeff.grisamore@house.mo.gov</span>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-51478775934796919372017-05-11T10:27:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:39:10.988-05:00Missouri House Ready to Roll Back Civil Rights Protection – Martin City Telegraph<a href="https://martincitytelegraph.com/2017/05/08/missouri-house-ready-to-roll-back-civil-rights-protection/">Missouri House Ready to Roll Back Civil Rights Protection – Martin City Telegraph</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #1d2129; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">If Missouri Senate Bill 43 passes it will be easier for school districts to discriminate against students with disabilities. Let that sink in.</span>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-73666838944841121552016-09-27T12:23:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:39:11.043-05:002014-04-30-ALECs-Influence-in-MO-and-KS-Report.pdf<a href="http://standuptoalec.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2014-04-30-ALECs-Influence-in-MO-and-KS-Report.pdf">2014-04-30-ALECs-Influence-in-MO-and-KS-Report.pdf</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
ALEC MODEL LEGISLATION INTRODUCED IN OUR STATEHOUSES<br />
MISSOURI BILLS<br />
Progress Missouri has identified 53 corporation-friendly bills introduced in the Missouri General<br />
Assembly since 2000 with provisions that echo ALEC model legislation. The following list does not<br />
include ALEC language snuck into larger bills, or legislation inspired by ALEC models but rewritten to<br />
match Missouri statutes.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
2014 HB1066 Jeff Grisamore ‘Education Savings Account Act’<br />
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-43204634884991542492016-09-27T12:19:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:39:10.967-05:00Cashing in on termed out: Ron Richards’ non-reform bill - St. Louis Business Journal<a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/print-edition/2015/02/13/cashing-in-on-termed-out-ron-richards-non-reform.html">Cashing in on termed out: Ron Richards’ non-reform bill - St. Louis Business Journal</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<div class="content__segment paywall--free" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Acta, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px;">Last month Jeff Grisamore registered to be a lobbyist in Jefferson City. Weeks earlier, Grisamore was a state representative. But as the new legislators were sworn in, Grisamore was termed limited out, so he decided to lobby. Grisamore isn't alone. He was the sixth member of his class to register to lobby.</div><div class="content__segment paywall--free content--embargoed__teaser" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #222222; font-family: Acta, Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 18px; max-height: 200px; overflow: hidden; position: relative;"><span class="s1" style="box-sizing: border-box;">This is known as the "revolving door." The public frowns on the practice because it appears that the legislators are cashing in on their public service as they pursue a potentially lucrative career lobbying.</span></div>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-14387890098526537042016-03-24T13:11:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:39:10.880-05:00Mo. Democrats filibuster religious-freedom bill that critics say could discriminate against gays - The Washington Post<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-nation/wp/2016/03/08/missouri-democrats-filibuster-religious-freedom-bill-that-critics-say-could-discriminate-against-gay-people/">Mo. Democrats filibuster religious-freedom bill that critics say could discriminate against gays - The Washington Post</a>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-23349016871648907522016-03-24T13:00:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.323-05:00Why Is Missouri Going Backwards?<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">I am just going to throw this out there. Missouri, Georgia, and North Carolina are trying to pass what they call religious freedom laws. These laws would allow them to discriminate against gays and lesbians.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">What religion are they representing? It certainly couldn't be "Christians" because Jesus never would have behaved in this manner.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.32px; margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Which Bible are these "Christians" reading? I admittedly don't go to church. I can't stand the thought of spending my Sundays with hy<span class="text_exposed_show" style="display: inline;">pocrites, bigots, liars, and haters. That is not my idea of worshiping God. But, make no mistake, I had read the Bible and feel that I know quite a bit about it.</span></span></div>
<div class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #141823; display: inline; line-height: 19.32px;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><div style="margin-bottom: 6px;">
I have been up close and personal with "Christians" that display behavior that is hurtful, hateful, and un-Christ-like. Their character is lacking in so many ways that I wish not to waste any of my time on them.</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
Jesus didn't hang out in the Temple He hung out with the sinners. He said to love your neighbor. How is discriminating against your neighbor showing love?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 6px; margin-top: 6px;">
I would love for a "Christian" to find one verse in the Bible that has Jesus saying that you should be hateful and discriminatory against a sinner. Don't tell what a sin is or what a sinner is. I want you to show where Christ treated sinners the way that "Christians" do.</div>
</span></div>
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-72715389683686216282015-11-10T08:41:00.000-06:002017-07-05T21:38:58.398-05:00The Board Is Not There Because of VotesOur school board is not elected because of the great job that they are doing. They are elected because they line up early on the first day that candidates can declare and get their names on the top of the ballot. Candidates that are at the door and sit in the cold don't get their names on the ballot first. It is the candidates that arrived early and sat in their warm cars and waited for the doors to be unlocked.<br />
<br />
The voters of this city don't research before they vote. They just vote for the first names on the ballot. They don't understand how important it is to have an objective board that is working for the students. It seems people do little to no research when they vote. The article below will tell the story.<br />
<br />
Oh, if you happen to get votes a district employee will just strike it up to you being a woman. Whatever that means.<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.967998504638672px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">Martin,
the district's autism education specialist, says the close election
results aren't cause to believe that other parents are as upset as
Tucker.</span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.967998504638672px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px;">
<span style="background-color: yellow;">"I
can't say why anyone voted the way they did," Martin says. "Some may
have voted for her because of her issue, but some might've done it
because she was the last name on the ballot, and some may have done it
because she's a female."</span></div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.967998504638672px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px;">
</div>
<div style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 19.967998504638672px; margin-bottom: 1.12em; margin-top: 1.12em; padding: 0px;">
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1068" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1067" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;"><span class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891437330516-13042008" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1066">Special Needs Challenger
Earns Support from Lee's Summit Tribune, re-typed by Debbie
Shaumeyer</span></span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1131" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1130" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1129" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">LS Tribune Saturday, April 12, 2008</span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1128" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1133" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">A Race to Remember</span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1127" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1134" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">Matt Bird-Meyer</span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1136" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1135" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">Tribune Editor</span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1137" style="margin: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1141" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1140" style="font-size: small;"><span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1139" style="color: black;"><span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1138" style="font-family: "times new roman";">Voters had an option Tuesday of four
board candidates for three seats.
<b id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1143"><u id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1142">Maybe the outcome was indicative of lazy voting habits, where the
candidates at the top of the ballot get the most votes. Check, check, check and move
on.</u></b> But maybe the outcome
was indicative of growing displeasure with the entrenched members of the
board. Whatever happened, newcomer
Sherri Tucker came close. <b id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1145"><u id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1144">She
was just 2 percent shy of overcoming incumbent Jon Plaas, who won 5,065 to
4,679.</u></b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1146" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoBodyText" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1147" style="margin: 0pt;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1149" style="font-size: small;"><span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1148" style="font-family: "times new roman";">Plaas had a slim 386-vote separation from Tucker. However
the top vote getter, Jeff Tindle, had 2,246 more votes than Tucker, and Jack
Wiley had 1,878 more votes than the newcomer. Tindle was listed first on the ballot,
followed by Wiley, Plaas and then Tucker.
The top two candidates were so far ahead of the bottom two that it
appears voters were gravitating toward Tucker. I like to think the people who
make time to visit the polls are going in there knowing how they will vote, or
at least with some knowledge of the candidates. Personally, I would never vote for
someone I know nothing about.
Sherri Tucker never hid the fact that her only platform was special
education. She is the mother of a special-needs son and is part of a group of 40
people who feel the R-7 district is not providing adequate services for their
special-needs children.
</span></span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1151" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1157" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1156" style="font-size: small;"><span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1155" style="color: black;"><span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1154" style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1153"><u id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1152">Tucker didn't go about this
alone. Members of the Lee's Summit Autism Support Group picked Tucker to run
against the three incumbents.</u></b>
This was her first time running for office, and she's pledged it's not
her last. Plaas and the others
circled the wagons during the campaign, supporting one another and alienating
Tucker as a single-issue candidate. Plaas said single-issue candidates belong on
the other side of the podium from school board members.
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1181" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1182" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">And to an extent, he's right,
Candidates should be savvy enough to know that and campaign accordingly. That
doesn't mean the candidate should never hold a single issue close to their
heart. To me, that's how the system
works. If you think government isn't working, then run for office or at least
get involved.<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1193"> </span><b id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1184"><u id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1183">And when voters
respond like they did here, we should all take them seriously.</u></b> I can't
say whether there's a problem with special education services in the R-7
district, but there's a growing movement of families out there who are saying
that. "I don't feel like we lost,"
Tucker told me during a telephone interview. "We got our message out there and to me
that's a win." </span></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1180" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="ygrps-yiv-1319755891MsoNormal" id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1159" style="margin: 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span id="yui_3_15_0_1_1430354920538_1158" style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: small;">I agree, and to run up right against
sitting school board members in Lee's Summit is admirable. The incumbents here
are typically strong candidates with almost instant support from community
leaders. The topic of special education is an emotional and complex one. These students have different needs and
different individualized education programs. Some students have to find some services
outside of the district and some are able to stay in regular classrooms. The
bottom line is they are students, and they deserve as much attention as anyone
else.</span></div>
</div>
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-60237843640607203842015-11-10T08:38:00.001-06:002017-07-05T21:38:58.377-05:00Missouri Clamps Down on Cities Raising Minimum Wages - WSJ<a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/missouri-clamps-down-on-cities-raising-minimum-wages-1442519637">Missouri Clamps Down on Cities Raising Minimum Wages - WSJ</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Remember this when you vote. It is time that our Missouri legislators vote for their constituents and not for corporate interests.faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-40098964062934401762015-07-12T18:16:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.339-05:00What Missouri Right to Life’s endorsement says about your candidate | Progress Missouri<a href="http://www.progressmissouri.org/what-missouri-right-life%E2%80%99s-endorsement-says-about-your-candidate">What Missouri Right to Life’s endorsement says about your candidate | Progress Missouri</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Each election, Missouri Right to Life (MRL) releases a list of <br />
endorsements, and that endorsement says a lot about a candidate. MRL’s <br />
endorsement doesn’t come easy. Candidates have to meet a very specific <br />
set of <a href="http://www.missourilifepac.org/criteria.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>guidelines</u></a>, and must actively choose to fill out a thorough survey that details their stance on all of MRL’s <a href="http://missourilife.org/policies/index.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>issues</u></a>.<br />
And Missouri Right to Life’s issues aren’t limited to abortion, ranging<br />
from stem-cell research to contraceptives to euthanasia.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Missouri Right to Life shares their extreme position on abortion with<br />
Todd Akin. MRL supports a ban on abortion, and their policy is to<span style="background-color: yellow;"> “<a href="http://missourilife.org/policies/rapeincest.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>tolerate</u></a>”<br />
exemptions for survivors of rape and incest only when politically <br />
necessary</span>. MRL opposes emergency contraception, saying that it “<a href="http://missourilife.org/policies/contraceptives.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>like Russian Roulette… can kill at any time.</u></a>”<span style="background-color: yellow;"> MRL also <a href="http://missourilife.org/legislation/2009/personhood.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>tacitly supported</u></a> the controversial federal personhood amendment which would <a href="http://www.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/News-Releases/2012/Personhood-Measures" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>ban common forms of birth control</u></a> like the IUD and birth control pill.</span><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;">Missouri Right to Life even <a href="http://missourilife.org/policies/girlscouts.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>opposes participation in the Girl Scouts</u></a><br />
because they link to the “pro-abortion World Health Organization” on <br />
their website and believes that “even the sale of Girl Scout Cookies is a<br />
concern.”</span><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;">Only candidates who strictly vote with Missouri Right to Life’s <br />
stance on issues maintain their endorsement; the implication being that <a href="http://www.missourilifepac.org/2014/MRL-PAC-Endorsements-2014.pdf" style="text-decoration: none;"><u>these candidates</u></a><br />
are inflexible in their “pro-life” stance for any legislation that the <br />
PAC deems important. Year after year they file multiple restriction <br />
bills, slowly chipping away at the women’s access to reproductive <br />
healthcare in Missouri. Missouri is a battleground for reproductive <br />
rights thanks to these inflexible politicians.</span><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;">Politicians are supposed to represent constituencies, not PACs, and <br />
Missouri Right to Life’s endorsement seriously undermines the integrity <br />
of candidates claiming to do so. So, what does Missouri Right to Life’s <br />
endorsement say about your candidate?</span><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<strong>Missouri Right to Life Political Action Committee Endorsements</strong><br /><br />
<br />
<br />
Primary Election, August 5, 2014<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<ul><li><strong>Missouri State Senate</strong><br />
<br />
<ul><li>Bob Onder (R)</li>
<li>Bonnie Lynn Green (D)</li>
<li>Jeanie Riddle (R)</li>
<li>Ed Schieffer (D)</li>
<li>Dan Hegeman (R)</li>
<li>Paul Wieland (R)</li>
<li>John R. Ashcroft (R)</li>
</ul></li>
<li><strong>Missouri State House of Representatives</strong><br />
<ul><li>Roger Parshall (R)</li>
<li>Allen Andrews (R)</li>
<li>Mike Waltemath (D)</li>
<li>Nate Walker (R)</li>
<li>Lindell Shumake (R)</li>
<li>Tim Remole (R)</li>
<li>Mike Lair (R)</li>
<li>James W. (Jim) Neely (R)</li>
<li>Delus Johnson (R)</li>
<li>Kenneth Wilson (R)</li>
<li>Nick Marshall (R)</li>
<li>Josh Catton (R)</li>
<li>Kevin Corlew (R)</li>
<li>S. Nick King (R)</li>
<li>Robert (Bob) Rowland (R)</li>
<li>Bill E. Kidd (R)</li>
<li>Brent Lasater (R)</li>
<li>John A. Mayfield (D)</li>
<li>Noel Torpey (R)</li>
<li>Mike Cierpiot (R)</li>
<li>Jeanie Lauer (R)</li>
<li>Donna Pfautsch (R)</li>
<li>Rebecca Roeber (R)</li>
<li>Gary Cross (R)</li>
<li>Nola Wood (R)</li>
<li>T.J. Berry (R)</li>
<li>Joe Don McGaugh (R)</li>
<li>Jim Hansen (R)</li>
<li>Randy Pietzman (R)</li>
<li>Dan Dildine (D) District 42</li>
<li>Bart Korman (R)</li>
<li>Jay Houghton (R)</li>
<li>Caleb Rowden (R)</li>
<li>Charles (Chuck) Basye (R)</li>
<li>Dave Muntzel (R)</li>
<li>Travis Fitzwater (R)</li>
<li>Caleb Jones (R)</li>
<li>Dean A. Dohrman (R)</li>
<li>Nathan Beard (R)</li>
<li>Glen Kolkmeyer (R)</li>
<li>Denny Hoskins (R)</li>
<li>Rick Brattin (R)</li>
<li>Jack Bondon (R)</li>
<li>Wanda Brown (R)</li>
<li>David Wood (R)</li>
<li>Mike Bernskoetter (R)</li>
<li>Justin Alferman (R)</li>
<li>Tom Hurst (R)</li>
<li>Bryan Spencer (R)</li>
<li>Robert Cornejo (R)</li>
<li>Anne Zerr (R)</li>
<li>Keith English (D)</li>
<li>Joe Corica (R)</li>
<li>Jim Cain (R)</li>
<li>Don Houston (D)</li>
<li>Raymond Chandler (R)</li>
<li>Gina Jaksetic (R)</li>
<li>Al Faulstich (R)</li>
<li>Garrett Mees (R)</li>
<li>Cloria Brown (R)</li>
<li>Marsha Haefner (R)</li>
<li>Mike Leara (R)</li>
<li>John McCaherty (R)</li>
<li>Carol Veillette (R)</li>
<li>Shamed Dogan (R)</li>
<li>Rea Scharnhorst (R)</li>
<li>Andrew Koenig (R)</li>
<li>Don Gosen (R)</li>
<li>Kurt Bahr (R)</li>
<li>Kyle Schlereth (R)</li>
<li>Alexander McArthy (R)</li>
<li>John D. Wiemann (R)</li>
<li>Kathie Conway (R)</li>
<li>Mark Parkinson (R)</li>
<li>Chrissy Sommer (R)</li>
<li>John J. Haman, Jr. (R)</li>
<li>Nina Dean (R)</li>
<li>Justin S. Hill (R)</li>
<li>Paul Curtman (R)</li>
<li>Kirk Mathews (R)</li>
<li>Shane Roden (R)</li>
<li>Rob Vescovo (R)</li>
<li>Charles Groeteke (R)</li>
<li>Avery Fortenberry (R)</li>
<li>Jason Fulbright (R)</li>
<li>Dan Shaul (R)</li>
<li>Elaine F. Gannon (R)</li>
<li>Kevin Engler (R)</li>
<li>Ben Harris (D)</li>
<li>Dave Hinson (R)</li>
<li>Shawn Sisco (R)</li>
<li>Zech Hockersmith (D)</li>
<li>Keith Frederick (R)</li>
<li>Steve Lynch (R)</li>
<li>Diane Franklin (R)</li>
<li>Warren D. Love (R)</li>
<li>Mike Kelley (R)</li>
<li>Sue Entlicher (R)</li>
<li>Sandy Crawford (R)</li>
<li>Jeff Messenger (R)</li>
<li>Sonya Murray Anderson (R)</li>
<li>Fred Ellison (R)</li>
<li>Shar Lawless (R)</li>
<li>Eric W. Burlison (R)</li>
<li>Elijah Haahr (R)</li>
<li>Kevin Austin (R)</li>
<li>Lyndall Fraker (R)</li>
<li>Clayton Jones (R)</li>
<li>Michael Hope (R)</li>
<li>Jered Taylor (R)</li>
<li>Lynn Morris (R)</li>
<li>Tony Dugger (R)</li>
<li>Robert Ross (R)</li>
<li>Jeff Pogue (R)</li>
<li>Paul Fitzwater (R)</li>
<li>Shelley (White) Keeney (R)</li>
<li>Kathy Swan (R)</li>
<li>Holly Rehder (R)</li>
<li>Don Rone (R)</li>
<li>Neal E. Boyd (R)</li>
<li>Andrew McDaniel (R)</li>
<li>Tila Rowland Hubrecht (R)</li>
<li>Steve Cookson</li>
<li>Lyle Rowland (R)</li>
<li>Jeff Justus (R)</li>
<li>Mike Moon (R)</li>
<li>William (Bill) White (R)</li>
<li>Charlie Davis (R)</li>
</ul></li>
</ul>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-81264908396376561102015-07-12T18:06:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.421-05:00Republicans Push Right To Work In Missouri, New Hampshire And Wisconsin Admitting It Will Lower Wages | NH Labor News<a href="http://nhlabornews.com/2014/12/republicans-push-right-to-work-in-missouri-new-hampshire-and-wisconsin-admitting-it-will-lower-wages/">Republicans Push Right To Work In Missouri, New Hampshire And Wisconsin Admitting It Will Lower Wages | NH Labor News</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Yup, he said it! Missouri Republican State Representative Bill Lant <br />
actually admitted what labor advocates have been saying for decades, <br />
Right To Work laws reduce wages.faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-89142917977225385272015-07-12T18:04:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.427-05:00We Party Patriots » ALEC’s All-Star Right-Wing Disgrace Resigns as MO Speaker Following Sexting Scandal<a href="http://wepartypatriots.com/wp/2015/05/18/alecs-all-star-right-wing-disgrace-resigns-as-mo-speaker-following-sexting-scandal/">We Party Patriots » ALEC’s All-Star Right-Wing Disgrace Resigns as MO Speaker Following Sexting Scandal</a>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-78621897182549547202015-07-12T17:57:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.410-05:00Press Release: Progress Missouri Files Complaint With Ethics Commission Regarding Lobbyists’ Abuse of 'Group Expenditure' Loophole - The Missouri Times<a href="http://themissouritimes.com/14330/press-release-progress-missouri-files-complaint-ethics-commission-regarding-lobbyists-abuse-group-expenditure-loophole/">Press Release: Progress Missouri Files Complaint With Ethics Commission Regarding Lobbyists’ Abuse of 'Group Expenditure' Loophole - The Missouri Times</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
For Immediate Release<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Media Contact: Sean Soendker Nicholson, (573) 427-7326, <a href="mailto:sean@progressmissouri.org">sean@progressmissouri.org</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<b>Progress Missouri Files Complaint With Ethics Commission Regarding Lobbyists’ Abuse of ‘Group Expenditure’ Loophole</b><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
JEFFERSON CITY – Progress Missouri filed a complaint with the <br />
Missouri Ethics Commission on Tuesday regarding the improper reporting <br />
of gifts to just five Republican legislators on an American Legislative <br />
Exchange Council (ALEC) junket as gifts to the “Entire General <br />
Assembly.”<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Missouri law requires registered lobbyists to report the free food, <br />
drink, trips, tickets and other gifts they provide to elected officials <br />
as part of their efforts to influence public policy on behalf of their <br />
paying clients. But lobbyists are continually and increasingly reporting<br />
gifts to handfuls of legislators as ‘group expenditures,’ even though <br />
the lobbyists know exactly which public officials received the gifts. <br />
St. Louis Public Radio’s Chris McDaniel reported in June that <a href="http://pnmo.actionkit.com/go/4207?t=1&akid=742.19055.5jpTMG">“directing gifts to groups has been on the rise”</a> in Missouri, and “nearly 80 percent of all the spending on gifts went toward group” for 2014 at the time of his analysis.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<b>The complaint filed this week focuses on </b><a href="http://pnmo.actionkit.com/go/4072?t=2&akid=742.19055.5jpTMG"><b>one $3,000 meal</b></a><b><br />
in Dallas, Texas enjoyed by <span style="background-color: yellow;">Speaker Tim Jones, Speaker-Elect John <br />
Diehl, ALEC State Co-Chair Sue Allen, ALEC State Co-Chair Ed Emery and <br />
Sen. Wayne Wallingford.</span> </b> Representatives Jeremy LaFaver and Caleb <br />
Rowden have both stated publicly that they were not invited to the <br />
gathering, making the event ineligible for reporting as a gift to the <br />
“Entire General Assembly.”<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Lobbyist Charles G Simino reported the names of the individual <br />
legislators who attended this dinner because the “Entire General <br />
Assembly” did not enjoy the $3,000 dinner in a Dallas steakhouse one <br />
Saturday night in August. <a href="http://pnmo.actionkit.com/go/4072?t=3&akid=742.19055.5jpTMG">“I know who is having dinner with us. The total General Assembly was not there, so I cannot report it as such,”</a> he told The Kansas City Star.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Progress Missouri’s full complaint, along with details on the years <br />
of ALEC junket expenditures reported as group expenditures, may be found<br />
at <a href="http://pnmo.actionkit.com/go/4208?t=4&akid=742.19055.5jpTMG">ProgressMissouri.org/MEC-Complaint</a>.faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-57269717361986375842015-07-12T17:55:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.372-05:00AFSCME | Missouri Republicans Cut and Paste ALEC’s Dangerous Ideas<a href="http://www.afscme.org/blog/missouri-republicans-cut-and-paste-alecs-dangerous-ideas">AFSCME | Missouri Republicans Cut and Paste ALEC’s Dangerous Ideas</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
The founders of our democracy envisioned lawmaking as a serious and <br />
deliberative process. Chosen for their qualifications to craft complex <br />
statutes, representatives would work late into the night, making tough <br />
compromises to solve problems while trying to uphold the values of their<br />
constituents.<br /><br />
<br />
Or if you’re a Republican member of the Missouri State Legislature, you just copy, paste, and call it a day.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Earlier this month, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon vetoed Senate Bill 508, <br />
which would make it harder for people to buy health insurance through <br />
the Affordable Care Act. But Nixon didn’t veto it for that reason. The<br />
bill was based on sample legislation provided by the American <br />
Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), a right-wing think tank, and the <br />
legislature failed to remove some generic filler text before introducing<br />
the bill. As a result, the final bill referred to the wrong chapters <br />
of state code.<br /><br />
<br />
“It appears that in copy and pasting from this ALEC model act, the <br />
General Assembly failed to correct this incorrect reference,” Nixon <br />
wrote in <a href="http://governor.mo.gov/sites/default/files/legislative_actions/veto_letters/SB%20508%20veto.pdf">his veto letter</a>.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
The lawmakers’ inability to proofread a 15-page bill is enough to <br />
make headlines, but the real scandal is the way that Washington think <br />
tanks and <a href="http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/06/king-rex-sinquefield-108015.html#.U8At3UCgqSo">conservative donors</a> have come to call the shots in Missouri as the state’s Republicans push <a href="http://www.progressmissouri.org/alec-mo-ks">an agenda</a> lifted straight from the ALEC playbook.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
If Missouri lawmakers want to see where their copy-and-paste strategy<br />
leads, they need look no further than neighboring Kansas, where the <br />
legislature has already implemented ALEC’s agenda with the blessing of <br />
Gov. Sam Brownback. In 2012 Kansas enacted a massive tax cut for <br />
corporations and the wealthy. <a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=4110">As a result</a>, the state’s credit rating has been downgraded, public schools are struggling to stay afloat, and job growth has stagnated.<br /><br />
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-63183640264148135922015-07-12T12:01:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.392-05:002014-04-30-ALECs-Influence-in-MO-and-KS-Report.pdf<a href="http://standuptoalec.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/2014-04-30-ALECs-Influence-in-MO-and-KS-Report.pdf">2014-04-30-ALECs-Influence-in-MO-and-KS-Report.pdf</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-90802370719368041932015-07-12T11:46:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.432-05:00What we've been up to | Progress Missouri<a href="http://progressmissouri.org/what-weve-been">What we've been up to | Progress Missouri</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
The Progress Missouri team worked hard this session to hold politicians accountable, call out extremism, and amplify Missouri heroes’ commitment to improving our state. We know that we are able to do this work because of support from frustrated Missourians like you. Thank you.<br /><br />Here’s a sampling of extremism we’ve exposed and work we’ve accomplished so far this year:<br /><br />Country Club hearings were banned in the House. When session began, Representatives slid right into business as usual, scheduling off-site hearings as a ruse for being wined and dined by lobbyists. We called on then Speaker John Diehl to end the bizarre practice of holding sham hearings in steakhouses, restaurants, and exclusive country club facilities outside the Capitol. Missourians saw just how out-of-touch Jefferson City has become on our livestream, on KRCG, on PoliticMO, in the Post-Dispatch, in the Star, in the Pitch, on Missourinet, among others. And the state took a tiny baby step forward in ethics reform when the Speaker announced a ban on off-site committee hearings.<br /><br />Catherine Hanaway pandered to ultra-conservatives with “sexual permissiveness” gaffe. When Catherine Hanaway, Rex Sinquefield’s candidate for governor, spoke at a conservative event alongside Todd Akin, Michele Bachmann, and Phyllis Schlafly, she expressed some pretty shocking opinions. Among those was the idea that working mothers are bad for both women and their children, and that liberals’ “sexual permissiveness” is to blame for child porn. We made sure the media was aware of Hanaway’s outrageous opinions, and outlets like Salon, Raw Story, TPM, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch made sure the public was aware of them too.<br /><br />Rick Brattin thought it’d be a good idea for women to get notarized permission slips to access health care. Before the 2015 session even began, Rep. Rick Brattin quietly pre-filed an atrocious bill that would require women seeking an abortion to receive written, notarized consent from the father. If passed, Brattin’s bill would have handed men veto power over women's health care decisions. In an attempt to defend his bill’s lack of a rape exception, Brattin said the words “legitimate rape,” reviving the flawed logic of Todd Akin. Our work led to coverage of this outrageous attempt to restrict access to reproductive health by Mother Jones, MSNBC, and Cosmopolitan. Even the National Journal covered the story.<br /><br />Voices saying, “discrimination is not a Missouri value” were heard. Rep. Elijah Haahr, and Senators Ed Emery and Kurt Schaefer, proposed legislation that would allow Missourians to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation on college campuses, while still retaining all the privileges of being a school sanctioned student group. Sen. Ed Emery also proposed legislation to penalize state employees for recognizing same-sex marriage, Rep. Jeffrey Pogue decided to defend the "social norms" of nineteenth-century bathrooms with a bill would have banned unisex bathrooms, and Missouri GOP Chairman John Hancock expressed support for the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act after Indiana faced an damaging boycott for passing it. Discrimination is not a Missouri value, and we helped make sure that fact was shared in both the local and national press.<br /><br />Kurt Schaefer’s poorly written gun bill exposed communities to danger. Last year, prosecutors warned that Sen. Kurt Schaefer’s (R-Columbia) poorly-drafted and misguided Amendment 5 put some of Missouri's most common-sense gun laws at risk. As we feared, those prosecutors have been proven right. As the law currently stands, violent felons including convicted drug dealers and gang members can legally carry firearms in Missouri. And to add insult to injury, Senator Schaefer didn’t even support efforts to fix the mess his bill created. We made sure Missourians knew how dangerous Schaefer's gun bill was and how little he seemed to care.<br /><br />Kansas budget crisis shows just how wrong Rex Sinquefield's tax ideas are. Despite Kansas’s ongoing and alarming budget crisis, Missouri billionaire Rex Sinquefield continues to be a loud supporter of risky tax cuts. Apparently the destruction of the Sunflower State’s economy isn’t enough for Sinquefield, Missouri needs to experience the same hardships for him to admit that these tax cuts don’t work. We continue to shine a spotlight on the devastating impact tax cuts have had on Kansas, and make sure folks know that Rex Sinquefield would like to see Missouri in the exact same position as Kansas.<br /><br />John Diehl intentionally misrepresented the Missouri Legislature to the EPA. John Diehl falsified comments on behalf of the Legislature in a federal report to undermine EPA air pollution regulations. His policy and accountability ethics are unquestionably compromised, and we made sure Missourians knew about it. <br /><br />GOP hypocrites banned local control. In a session where not that much was accomplished, GOP legislators decided to prioritize hypocritical local control issues. Dan Shaul and Caleb Rowden were both behind bills that prevent local governments from regulating local businesses. We called out the self-serving legislators and brought attention to these bills.<br /><br />Jefferson City was and is still a cesspool. We continue to compile and push out data on the wild west atmosphere in Jefferson City resulting from the worst ethics laws in the country. As part of this work, we filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Redmon after he admitted during an interview to putting other legislators' expenses under his name to help legislators who are sensitive to having anything on their lobbying report. The Pitch appreciates our hard work on ethics reform:<br /><br /> “Coverage of the Missouri Legislature these days isn't as comprehensive as it used to be, due to the limited resources of declining news media operations. So God bless Progress Missouri for calling bullshit on all the bullshit that goes on in Jeff City on a daily basis while the Legislature is in session.”<br /><br /><br />Oh, and we sued the Senate. ALEC Senator Mike Parson broke Missouri’s Sunshine Law while rushing so-called ’right to work’ legislation through his committee this session. At that hearing, our staffer Grace Haun had her cell phone confiscated for trying to tweet pictures of Parson’s committee ramming through the bill even the ALEC politicians admit would lower wages. This is outrageous and unacceptable. Some state senators may think that the Sunshine Law doesn't apply to them, but they’re wrong. We’re suing the Senate because our democracy works best when there is transparency and accountability, and the Sunshine Law is a necessary tool to maintain both.<br /><br />Next session, conservative extremists will still hold power in the General Assembly. But we’ll be back, on day one, to continue holding politicians accountable. faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-44888812471031257472015-07-12T11:39:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.354-05:00ALEC's Power in Missouri: Exposed | Progress Missouri<a href="http://progressmissouri.org/alec">ALEC's Power in Missouri: Exposed | Progress Missouri</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Through the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), <br />
corporations hand Missouri legislators wish lists in the form of "model"<br />
legislation that often directly benefit their bottom line at the <br />
expense of Missouri families. Behind closed doors, numerous ALEC model <br />
bills are crafted by corporations, for corporations. Elected officials <br />
who are members of ALEC then bring their model legislation back to <br />
Missouri, where they claim them as their own ideas and important public <br />
policy innovations without disclosing that corporations crafted and <br />
pre-voted on the bills at closed-door meetings with legislators who are <br />
part of ALEC.<br /><br />
<br />
<div> </div><h3>-------------------</h3><h3><strong>REPORT HIGHLIGHTS</strong></h3><strong><a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/201186361" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="rightside" src="http://www.progressmissouri.org/sites/default/files/cover.jpg" style="float: right;" /></a>The<br />
American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) is a corporate bill mill <br />
exerting extraordinary and secretive influence in the Missouri <br />
legislature and in other states. </strong>Through ALEC, corporations <br />
hand Missouri legislators wish lists in the form of "model" legislation <br />
that often directly benefit their bottom line at the expense of Missouri<br />
families. Behind closed doors, numerous ALEC model bills are crafted by<br />
corporations, for corporations. Elected officials who are members of <br />
ALEC bring ALEC legislation back to Missouri, where they claim them as <br />
their own ideas and important public policy innovations without <br />
disclosing that corporations crafted and pre-voted on the bills at <br />
closed-door meetings with legislators who are part of ALEC.<br /><br />
<br />
<strong>ALEC provides legislators with a means to appear highly <br />
active in the legislative process by secretly abdicating their job <br />
drafting legislation to corporate special interests.</strong> "It is <br />
funded and dominated by free-market and corporate interests," writes the<br />
Kansas City Star, "who work with like-minded legislators to shield <br />
corporations from legal action, limit the rights of workers, <br />
disenfranchise voters, radically privatize the public education system, <br />
hinder the ability of government to regulate and curb polluters, and <br />
further skew our democracy in the favor of corporations and their <br />
political allies."<br /><br />
<br />
<strong>More than 60 legislators in Missouri have been identified as having ties to ALEC, and the number may be much higher.</strong><br />
Identifying the list of Missouri legislators who are part of ALEC is a <br />
difficult task, because ALEC operates largely in secret. Even though <br />
they claim to be a legislative membership organization, there is no full<br />
list of members made public by the organization. Missouri legislators <br />
with ALEC ties include <strong>Speaker Tim Jones</strong>, <strong>Majority Leader John Diehl</strong>, <strong>Lt. Governor Peter Kinder</strong>, <strong>and State Senator John Lamping.</strong><br /><br />
<br />
<strong>Progress Missouri has identified more than 40 Missouri bills that directly echo ALEC models</strong>.<br />
ALEC bills in Missouri include so-called right to work laws, bans on <br />
implementation of the Common Core State Standards, resolutions <br />
supporting the Keystone XL pipeline, an act relating to wireless <br />
communication towers, voter registration hurdles, a "parent trigger <br />
act," a "parents’ rights" resolution, purely political resolutions <br />
"reaffirming 10th amendment rights," a "private attorney retention act,"<br />
an Anti-Affordable Care Act ballot measure, a resolution opposing food <br />
and beverage taxes, an "asbestos fairness act," a resolution supporting <br />
the electoral college, a "castle doctrine" law, a resolution encouraging<br />
congress to undermine Social Security, and a "private property <br />
protection act."<br /><br />
<br />
-------------------<br /><br />
<br />
<h3>ALEC 101: The Corporate Bill Mill Remaking Missouri Law</h3><strong>As noted by the Center for Media and Democracy's ALEC Exposed<br />
project, the American Legislative Exchange Council is not simply a <br />
lobbying group or a front group. It is much more powerful than that.</strong><br />
Corporations behind ALEC's closed doors hand state legislators the <br />
changes to the law that they desire that directly benefit their bottom <br />
line. Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. <br />
Corporations sit on all nine ALEC task forces and vote with legislators <br />
to approve "model" bills, and also fund almost all of ALEC's operations.<br /><br />
<br />
Participating legislators, who are overwhelmingly conservative <br />
Republicans, bring ALEC proposals back to Missouri and other statehouses<br />
as their own ideas and important public policy innovations, <strong>without<br />
disclosing that corporations crafted and pre-voted on the bills <br />
alongside legislators in closed-door meetings at fancy resorts</strong>.<br />
ALEC boasts that it has over 1,000 of these bills introduced by <br />
legislative members every year, with at least one in every five of them <br />
enacted into law. ALEC describes itself as a "unique," "unparalleled" <br />
and "unmatched" organization.<br /><br />
<br />
<div id="dovo"><a href="http://www.progressmissouri.org/payday-loans-online-no-faxing-direct-lender">payday loans online no faxing direct lender</a></div><blockquote><strong><em>"ALEC is a group funded by corporations and <br />
conservative activists. It beguiles conservative state lawmakers with <br />
wining and dining at annual conferences and the chance to mingle with <br />
deep-pocketed donors. In return, lawmakers promote the group's 'model <br />
legislation,' bills aimed at things like stripping workers of <br />
protections and requiring photo identification to vote." </em></strong><br /><em>- Kansas City Star, <a href="http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/alec-puppetmaster-state-legislatures-finally-getting-pushback/#storylink=cpy">04/6/2012</a></em><br /><br />
<br />
</blockquote><strong>Why would a legislator be interested in advancing <br />
cookie-cutter bills that are giveaways for multinational corporations <br />
located outside of Missouri?</strong> ALEC's appeal rests largely on the<br />
fact that legislators receive trips, food and lodging that provide many<br />
part-time legislators and their families with vacations, along with the<br />
opportunity to rub shoulders with prospective donors to their political<br />
campaigns. For a few hours of work on a task force and a couple of <br />
workshops by ALEC experts, part-time legislators can bring the whole <br />
family to ALEC's annual convention, vote in private meetings with <br />
corporate lobbyists , stay in swank hotels and attend parties, all <br />
heavily subsidized by the corporate till. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch<br />
reported after the 2011 ALEC conference in New Orleans, <a href="http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt-and-politics/article_080e66c9-e170-5d85-8ba3-d2a4f904f148.html">"corporate benefactors made sure Missouri lawmakers attending the conference were well fed and hydrated."</a><br /><br />
<br />
As CMD and Common Cause have <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/w/images/2/2f/BUYING_INFLUENCE.pdf">reported</a>, ALEC also operates several ‘scholarship’ fund for legislators willing to carry their bills in capitols around the country<strong>.<br />
These funds are used to allow corporations to give thousands of dollars<br />
in gifts to legislators while avoiding the disclosure that might expose<br />
the conflicts of interests inherent in such a scheme.</strong> Scholarships are rarely disclosed to the public, and have been banned for ethics issues in at least three states.<br /><br />
<br />
<strong>Corporations have recently come under scrutiny because of their relationship with ALEC and more than 40 have <a href="http://www.alecexposed.org/wiki/ALEC_Exposed">cut ties all together</a></strong>.<br />
Corporations that have dropped ALEC membership include: Coca-Cola <br />
Company, Pepsi, Kraft, Intuit, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Mars, Arizona Public<br />
Service, Reed Elseiver, American Traffic Solutions, Blue Cross Blue <br />
Shield, YUM! Brands, Procter & Gamble, Kaplan, Scantron Corporation,<br />
Amazon.com, Medtronic, Wal-Mart, Johnson & Johnson, Dell Computers,<br />
John Deere & Company, CVS Caremark, MillerCoors, Hewlett-Packard, <br />
Best Buy, Express Scripts/Medco, Energy Solutions, Connections Academy, <br />
General Motors, Walgreens, Louis Dreyfus, Amgen, General Electric, <br />
Western Union, Sprint Nextel, Symantec, Reckitt Benckiser Group, <br />
Entergy, Wells Fargo, Merc, Sanofi, Bank of America, and WellPoint.<br /><br />
<br />
However, as Barb Shelly of the Kansas City Star <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/20/186004/commentary-no-reason-to-fear-un.html">notes</a>, ALEC remains a driving force for regressive proposals in the Missouri General Assembly.<br /><br />
<br />
<blockquote><strong><em>“There’s been no outcry from businesses <br />
begging the legislatures to clip the wings of unions. No, the pressure <br />
comes from outside groups. Republican legislators are willing to poison <br />
relationships and demean their states’ teachers, public safety workers <br />
and others in order to please their out-of-state bosses. These include <br />
the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation and National Tax <br />
Limitation Committee, both of which sent operatives to Jefferson City <br />
this session to fire up Republican lawmakers. Some of the language in <br />
the anti-union bills in Missouri and Kansas is strikingly similar to <br />
model bills drafted by ALEC.”</em></strong><br /><em>- Kansas City Star, <a href="http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/03/20/186004/commentary-no-reason-to-fear-un.html">03/20/2013</a></em><br /><br />
<br />
</blockquote><em>---------------------</em><br /><br />
<br />
<h3><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="_Toc354475703" name="_Toc354475703">Why is ALEC's Influence in Jefferson City Important?</a></h3><strong>ALEC provides legislators with a means to appear highly <br />
active in the legislative process while outsourcing by transferring <br />
their role in drafting legislation to corporate special interests</strong> <a href="http://voices.kansascity.com/entries/bait-and-switch-tax-shift-would-hurt-many/">"It is funded and dominated by free-market and corporate interests,"</a><br />
writes the Kansas City Star, "who work with like-minded legislators to <br />
push various agendas." And what are these various corporate agendas? <br />
Here is a taste:<br /><br />
<br />
<strong><em>TAKING AWAY WORKERS' RIGHTS WHILE SHIELDING CORPORATIONS FROM ACCOUNTABILITY</em></strong><br /><br />
<br />
<strong>ALEC works fervently to promote laws that would shield <br />
corporations from legal accountability to Missouri citizens and limit <br />
the rights of workers in the state.</strong> The group's model <br />
legislation would roll back laws regarding corporate liability for <br />
harming state residents, workers' compensation and on-the-job <br />
protections, collective bargaining and organizing rights, prevailing <br />
wage and minimum wage laws. ALEC is a main proponent of bills that <br />
undermine organized labor by stripping public employees of collective <br />
bargaining rights and that weaken the power of workers in the private <br />
sector through so-called "<a href="http://www.politicususa.com/en/epi-report-f-right-to-work-laws-do-not-effectively-promote-economic-growth">right to work</a>" laws. They also push "<a href="http://www.serconline.org/alec/alec20.html">regulatory flexibility</a>" laws that lead to massive deregulation of rules designed to protect the health of Missouri families.<br /><br />
<br />
<strong><em>TAKING AWAY VOTERS' FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS</em></strong><br /><br />
<br />
<strong>ALEC is <a href="http://www.campusprogress.org/articles/conservative_corporate_advocacy_group_alec_behind_voter_disenfranchise/">directly tied</a> to the <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/2011/03/05/state-disenfranchisement-schemes/">trend among state legislatures</a> to limit the ability of American citizens to vote through restrictive "voter ID" laws</strong>. Using demonstrably <a href="http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=the_fraud_of_voter_id_laws">false allegations</a><br />
of "voter fraud," right-wing politicians are pursuing policies that <br />
disenfranchise students and other at-risk voters--including the elderly <br />
and the poor--who are unlikely to have drivers' licenses with their <br />
current residence and who previously could vote showing proof of <br />
residence and other identification. By suppressing the vote of such <br />
groups of likely Democratic voters, ALEC's model "Voter ID Act" grants <br />
an electoral advantage to Republicans while undermining the fundamental <br />
right to vote in America. In addition, ALEC wants to make it easier for <br />
corporations to participate in the political process. The Public Safety <br />
and Elections Task Force included Sean Parnell of the Center for <br />
Competitive Politics, one of the <a href="http://www.pfaw.org/media-center/publications/citizens-blindsided-secret-corporate-money-the-2010-elections-and-america-#corpdefenders">most vociferous pro-corporate involvement in elections groups</a> in the nation, and promoted legislation that would devastate campaign reform and increase corporate influence in elections.<br /><br />
<br />
<strong>PRIVATIZING PUBLIC SCHOOLS</strong><br /><br />
<br />
Despite constitutional problems, negative impacts on public schools, <br />
bias against disadvantaged students, and comprehensive studies that <br />
demonstrate that private school voucher programs failed to make any <br />
substantial improvements to education, <strong>ALEC</strong> <strong>pushes<br />
vouchers as a way to privatize public education and transfer Missouri <br />
tax dollars from public institutions to private profits</strong>. Under the <a href="http://www.alec.org/am/pdf/IJ-ALEC-school-choice.pdf">guise of "school choice</a>,"<br />
ALEC pushes bills with titles like "Parental Choice Scholarship Act" <br />
and the "Education Enterprise Act" that establish or expand private <br />
school voucher programs.<br /><br />
<br />
<strong>PROTECTING POLLUTERS</strong><br /><br />
<br />
<strong>At the bidding of its major donors like Peabody Energy, Exxon Mobil and Koch Industries, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2011/04/04/04climatewire-conservative-group-drafts-promotes-anti-epa-29249.html">ALEC is a powerful force behind state-level legislation</a> that would hinder the ability of the people to curb polluters through governmental power.</strong> ALEC has previously <a href="http://www.exxonsecrets.org/html/orgfactsheet.php?id=10">said</a> that carbon dioxide "is beneficial to plant and human life alike," and it <a href="http://www.grist.org/climate-policy/2011-03-16-koch-group-alec-cut-paste-attack-regional-climate-initiatives">promotes climate change denialism</a>.<br />
The group's model legislation assails EPA emissions guidelines and <br />
greenhouse gas regulations, destabilizes regional climate initiatives, <br />
permits free-reign for energy corporations, and pushes for massive <br />
deregulation of some of the biggest polluters on the planet.<br /><br />
<br />
<strong>UNDERMINING PUBLIC SYSTEMS AND STRUCTURES</strong><br /><br />
<br />
<strong>As states face challenging budget deficits, ALEC wants to <br />
make it more difficult to generate revenue in order to close shortfalls.</strong><br />
Such bills include the "Super Majority Act," which makes it so <br />
complicated for legislatures to change tax policy that California voters<br />
<a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2010/11/voters-pass-prop-25-allowing-legislative-majority-vote-to-pass-california-budget.html">overturned</a> the law; the "Taxpayer Bill of Rights," which <a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=753">brought fiscal disaster</a><br />
to Colorado; and measures to eliminate capital gains and progressive <br />
income taxes. The main beneficiaries of ALEC's irresponsible fiscal <br />
policies are corporations and the wealthiest taxpayers.<br /><br />
<br />
---------------------<br /><br />
<br />
<h3><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" id="_Toc354475704" name="_Toc354475704">Additional Resources on ALEC's Extreme Agenda</a></h3>For more information on the one-stop shop for corporations looking to<br />
identify friendly state legislators and work with them to get <br />
special-interest legislation, please see:<br /><br />
<br />
<ul><li><strong><a href="http://alecexposed.com/wiki/ALEC_Exposed">ALEC Exposed, a project of the Center for Media and Democracy</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.pfaw.org/rww-in-focus/alec-the-voice-of-corporate-special-interests-state-legislatures">"ALEC: The Voice of Corporate Special Interests In State Legislatures"</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.followthemoney.org/press/PrintReportView.phtml?r=454">"Beyond Dinner and a Movie: ALEC Actively Courts State Lawmakers"</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.propublica.org/article/our-step-by-step-guide-to-understanding-alecsinfluence-">"Our Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding ALEC's Influence on Your State Laws."</a></strong></li>
<li><strong><a href="http://www.commoncause.org/atf/cf/%7Bfb3c17e2-cdd1-4df6-92be-bd4429893665%7D/MONEYPOWERANDALEC.PDF">"Legislating Under the Influence; Money, Power, and the American Legislative Exchange Council."</a></strong></li>
</ul>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-60578973081005097262015-07-12T11:20:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.382-05:00MUST WATCH: Atlanta Journalists Bust ALEC! - Common Cause<a href="https://secure2.convio.net/comcau/site/Advocacy?cmd=display">MUST WATCH: Atlanta Journalists Bust ALEC! - Common Cause</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">Through<br />
the corporate-funded American Legislative Exchange Council, global <br />
corporations and state politicians vote behind closed doors to try to <br />
rewrite state laws that govern your rights. These so-called "model <br />
bills" reach into almost every area of American life and often directly <br />
benefit huge corporations.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
In ALEC's own words, corporations have<br />
"a VOICE and a VOTE" on specific changes to the law that are then <br />
proposed in your state. DO YOU? Numerous resources to help us expose <br />
ALEC are provided below. We have also created links to detailed <br />
discussions of key issues, which are available on the left. <br /><br />
What is ALEC?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
ALEC is not a lobby; it is not a front group. It is much more powerful <br />
than that. Through the secretive meetings of the American Legislative <br />
Exchange Council, corporate lobbyists and state legislators vote as <br />
equals on ‘model bills’ to change our rights that often benefit the <br />
corporations’ bottom line at public expense. ALEC is a pay-to-play <br />
operation where corporations buy a seat and a vote on ‘task forces’ to <br />
advance their legislative wish lists and can get a tax break for <br />
donations, effectively passing these lobbying costs on to taxpayers.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Along with legislators, corporations have membership in ALEC. <br />
Corporations sit on ALEC task forces and vote with legislators to <br />
approve “model” bills. They have their own corporate governing board <br />
which meets jointly with the legislative board. (ALEC says that <br />
corporations do not vote on the board.) Corporations fund almost all of <br />
ALEC's operations.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Participating legislators, overwhelmingly <br />
conservative Republicans, then bring those proposals home and introduce <br />
them in statehouses across the land as their own brilliant ideas and <br />
important public policy innovations—without disclosing that corporations<br />
crafted and voted on the bills.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
ALEC boasts that it has over <br />
1,000 of these bills introduced by legislative members every year, with <br />
one in every five of them enacted into law. ALEC describes itself as a <br />
“unique,” “unparalleled” and “unmatched” organization. We agree. It is <br />
as if a state legislature had been reconstituted, yet corporations had <br />
pushed the people out the door.<br /><br />
<br /> Who funds ALEC?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
More than 98%<br />
of ALEC's revenues come from sources other than legislative dues, such <br />
as corporations, corporate trade groups, and corporate foundations. Each<br />
corporate member pays an annual fee of between $7,000 and $25,000 a <br />
year, and if a corporation participates in any of the nine task forces, <br />
additional fees apply, from $2,500 to $10,000 each year. ALEC also <br />
receives direct grants from corporations, such as $1.4 million from <br />
ExxonMobil from 1998-2009. It has also received grants from some of the <br />
biggest foundations funded by corporate CEOs in the country, such as: <br />
the Koch family Charles G. Koch Foundation, the Koch-managed Claude R. <br />
Lambe Foundation, the Scaife family Allegheny Foundation, the Coors <br />
family Castle Rock Foundation, to name a few. Less than 2% of ALEC’s <br />
funding comes from “Membership Dues” of $50 per year paid by state <br />
legislators, a steeply discounted price that may run afoul of state gift<br />
bans. For more, see CMD's special report on ALEC funding and spending <br />
here.<br /><br />
<br /> Is it nonpartisan as claimed?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
ALEC describes itself as a<br />
non-partisan, non-profit organization. The facts show that it currently<br />
has one Democrat out of 104 legislators in leadership positions. ALEC <br />
members, speakers, alumni, and award winners are a “who’s who” of the <br />
extreme right. ALEC has given awards to: Ronald Reagan, Margaret <br />
Thatcher, George H.W. Bush, Charles and David Koch, Richard de Vos, <br />
Tommy Thompson, Gov. John Kasich, Gov. Rick Perry, Congressman Mark <br />
Foley (intern sex scandal), and Congressman Billy Tauzin. ALEC alumni <br />
include: Speaker of the House John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric <br />
Cantor, Congressman Joe Wilson, (who called President Obama a “liar” <br />
during the State of the Union address), former House Speaker Dennis <br />
Hastert, former House Speaker Tom DeLay, Andrew Card, Donald Rumsfeld <br />
(1985 Chair of ALEC’s Business Policy Board), Governor Scott Walker, <br />
Governor Jan Brewer, and more. Featured speakers have included: Milton <br />
Friedman, Newt Gingrich, Dick Cheney, Dan Quayle, George Allen, Jessie <br />
Helms, Pete Coors, Governor Mitch Daniels and more.<br /><br />
<br /> What goes on behind closed doors?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
The organization boasts 2,000 legislative members and 300 or more <br />
corporate members. The unelected corporate representatives (often <br />
registered lobbyists) sit as equals with elected representatives on nine<br />
task forces where they have a “voice and a vote” on model legislation. <br />
Corporations on ALEC task forces VOTE on the "model" bills and <br />
resolutions, and sit as equals with legislators voting on the ALEC task <br />
forces and various working groups. Corporate and legislative governing <br />
boards also meet jointly each year. (ALEC says only the legislators have<br />
a final say on all model bills. ALEC has previously said that "The <br />
policies are debated and voted on by all members. Public and private <br />
members vote separately on policy. It is important to note that laws are<br />
not passed, debated or adopted during this process and therefor no <br />
lobbying takes place. That process is done at the state legislature.") <br />
The long-term representation of Koch Industries on the governing board <br />
means that Koch has had influence over an untold number of ALEC bills. <br />
Due to the questionable nature of this partnership with corporations, <br />
legislators rarely discuss the origins of the model legislation they <br />
bring home. Though thousands of ALEC-approved model bills have been <br />
publicly introduced across the country, ALEC’s role facilitating the <br />
language in the bills and the corporate vote for them is not well known.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
(ALEC legislators sometimes compare the organization to the National <br />
Conference of State Legislators (NCSL), yet the two organizations could <br />
not be more different. NCSL has zero corporate members. It is funded <br />
largely by state government appropriations and conference fees; it has a<br />
truly bipartisan governance structure, and there is a large role for <br />
nonpartisan professional staff; it does not vote on or promote model <br />
legislation; meetings are public and so are any agreed upon documents. <br />
Corporations do sponsor receptions at NCSL events through a separate <br />
foundation. For more information, see the document ALEC & NCSL.)<br /><br />
<br /> How do corporations benefit?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Although ALEC claims to take an ideological stance (of supposedly <br />
"Jeffersonian principles of free markets, limited government, <br />
federalism, and individual liberty"), many of the model bills benefit <br />
the corporations whose agents write them, shape them, and/or vote to <br />
approve them. These are just a few such measures:<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Altria/Philip Morris USA benefits from ALEC’s newest tobacco legislation<br />
-- an extremely narrow tax break for moist tobacco that would make <br />
fruit flavored tobacco products cheaper and more attractive to <br />
youngsters.<br /><br />
<br /> Health insurance companies such as Humana and Golden<br />
Rule Insurance (United Healthcare), benefit directly from ALEC model <br />
bills, such as the Health Savings Account bill that just passed in <br />
Wisconsin.<br /> Tobacco firms such as Reynolds and pharmaceutical <br />
firms such as Bayer benefit directly from ALEC tort reform measures that<br />
make it harder for Americans to sue when injured by dangerous products.<br /><br />
Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) benefits directly from the<br />
anti-immigrant legislation introduced in Arizona and other states that <br />
requires expanded incarceration and housing of immigrants, along with <br />
other bills from ALEC’s crime task force. (While CCA has stated that it <br />
left ALEC in late 2010 after years of membership on the Criminal Justice<br />
Task Force and even co-chairing it, its prison privatization bills <br />
remain ALEC "models.")<br /><br />
<br /> Connections Academy, a large online <br />
education corporation and co-chair of the Education Task Force, benefits<br />
from ALEC measures to privatize public education and promote private <br />
on-line schools.<br /><br />
How do legislators benefit?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
Why would a <br />
legislator be interested in advancing cookie-cutter bills that are <br />
corporate give-aways for global firms located outside of their district?<br />
ALEC’s appeal rests largely on the fact that legislators receive an <br />
all-expenses-paid trip that provides many part-time legislators with <br />
vacations that they could not afford on their own, along with the <br />
opportunity to rub shoulders with wealthy captains of industry (major <br />
prospective out-of-state donors to their political campaigns). For a few<br />
hours of work on a task force and a couple of indoctrination sessions <br />
by ALEC experts, part-time legislators can bring the whole family to <br />
ALEC’s annual convention, work for a few hours, then stay in swank <br />
hotels, attend cool parties -- even strip clubs-- and raise funds for <br />
the campaign coffer, all heavily subsidized by the corporate till. In <br />
2009, ALEC spent $251,873 on childcare so mom and dad could have fun.<br /> Is it lobbying?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
In most ordinary people's view, handing bills to legislators so they <br />
can introduce them is the very definition of lobbying. ALEC says "no <br />
lobbying takes place." The current chairman of ALEC’s corporate board is<br />
W. Preston Baldwin III, until recently a lobbyist and the Vice <br />
President of State Government Affairs at UST Inc., a tobacco firm now <br />
owned by Altria/Phillip Morris USA. Altria is advancing a very short, <br />
specific bill to change the way moist tobacco products (such as fruit <br />
flavored “snus”) are taxed-- to make it cheaper and more attractive to <br />
young tobacco users according to health experts. In fact, 20 of the 24 <br />
corporate representatives on ALEC’s “Private Enterprise Board” are <br />
lobbyists representing major firms such as Koch Industries, Bayer, <br />
GlaxoSmithKline, Wal-Mart and Johnson and Johnson.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
ALEC makes <br />
old-fashioned lobbying obsolete. Once legislators return to their state <br />
with corporate-sponsored ALEC legislation in hand, the legislators <br />
themselves become “super-lobbyists” for ALEC’s corporate agenda, cutting<br />
out the middleman. Yet ALEC enjoys a 501(c)(3) classification, which <br />
allows it to keep its tax-exempt status while accepting grants from <br />
foundations, corporations, and other donors. In our view, the activities<br />
that corporate members engage in should be considered lobbying by the <br />
IRS, and the entity that facilitates that effort to influence state law,<br />
ALEC, should also be considered to be engaged predominantly in <br />
lobby-related activities, not simply “educational” activities. <br />
Re-classifying ALEC as primarily engaged in lobbying facilitation would <br />
mean that donations to it would not count as tax-deductible for <br />
businesses and foundations. Common Cause filed a complaint with the IRS <br />
on July 14, 2011, setting forth evidence supporting its complaint that <br />
ALEC is engaged in lobbying despite its claims to do no lobbying.<br /><br />
<br /> Is it legal?<br /><br />
<br /><br />
ng model raises many ethical and legal concerns. Each <br />
state has a different set of ethics laws or rules. The presence of <br />
lobbyists alone may cause ethics problems for some state legislators. <br />
Wisconsin, for instance, generally requires legislators who go to events<br />
with registered lobbyists to pay on their own dime, yet in many states,<br />
legislators use public funds to attend ALEC meetings. According to one <br />
study, $3 million in public funds was spent to attend ALEC meetings in <br />
one year. Some legislators use their personal funds and are reimbursed <br />
by ALEC. Such “scholarships” may be disclosed if gifts are required to <br />
be reported. But should the legislators be allowed to accept this money <br />
when lobbyists are present at the meeting? Still other legislators use <br />
their campaign funds to go and are again reimbursed by ALEC; in some <br />
states, campaign funds are only allowed to be used to attend campaign <br />
events.<br /><br />
In short, many state ethics codes might consider the free<br />
vacation, steeply discounted membership fees, free day care or travel <br />
scholarships to be “gifts” that should be disallowed or disclosed.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<div class="_5pbx userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">This<br />
is a partial list of Missouri politicians that are known to be involved<br />
in, or previously involved in, the American Legislative Exchange <br />
Council (ALEC). It is a partial list. (If you have additional names, <br />
please add them with a citation. The names in this original list were <br />
verified as of posting.)<br /><br />
Legislators who have cut ties with ALEC publicly are also listed here.<br /> Missouri Legislators with ALEC Ties<br /> House of Representatives<br /><br />
<br />
Rep. Sue Allen (R-92), State Chairman, ALEC Health and Human <br />
Services Task Force[1] and International Relations Task Force member,[2]<br />
attended ALEC's 2013 annual meeting[3]<br /> Rep. Kurt Bahr (R-102)[4]<br /> Rep. Eric Burlison (R-136); Health and Human Services Task Force[5]<br /> Rep. Mike Cierpiot (R-30)[4]<br /><br />
Rep. Mike Colona (D-St. Louis), has spent campaign money to attend <br />
ALEC events or on ALEC membership dues[6] - former ALEC member, said in a<br />
statement to Progress Missouri that ALEC is "too extreme for me and the<br />
people of Missouri"[7] See Legislators Who Have Cut Ties to ALEC for <br />
more.<br /> Rep. Stanley Cox (R-118)[8]; Civil Justice Task Force[9]<br /> Rep. Sandy Crawford (R-119); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[10]<br /> Rep. Gary Cross (R-35)[4]<br /> Rep. Paul R. Curtman (R-105); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[11]<br /> Rep. John J. Diehl, Jr. (R-87); Communications and Technology Task Force[12]<br /> Rep. Tony Dugger (R-144); Public Safety and Elections Task Force[13]<br /> Rep. Kevin Elmer (R-139)[4]<br /> Rep. Sue Entlicher (R-133); Public Safety and Elections Task Force[13]<br /> Rep. Keith Frederick (R-149); Health and Human Services Task Force[5]<br /> Rep. Doug Funderburk (R-103)[4]<br /> Rep. Dave Hinson (R-98); Public Safety and Elections Task Force[13]<br /> Rep. Caleb Jones (R-50)[4]<br /><br />
Speaker of the House Timothy Jones (R-89),[8] Former State <br />
Chairman[14], Education Task Force member[15] and recipient of about <br />
$4,000 from ALEC in 2010 to attend meetings in San Diego and <br />
Washington[6]<br /> Rep. Shelley Keeney (R-156); International Relations Task Force[16]<br /> Rep. Mike Kelley (R-126); Education Task Force[15]<br /> Rep. Andrew Koenig (R-88); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[17]<br /> Rep. Bart Korman (R-42)[4]<br /> Rep. Michele Kratky, has spent campaign money to attend ALEC events or on ALEC membership dues[6]<br /> Rep. Bill Lant (R-131); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[10]<br /> Rep. Donna Lichtenegger (R-157); Health and Human Services Task Force[5]<br /> Rep. Lyle Rowland (R-155)[4]<br /> Rep. Bryan Spencer (R-63)[4]<br /> Rep. Chrissy Sommer (R-106)[4]<br /> Rep. Noel Torpey (R-55); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force[11]<br /> Rep. Bill White (R-129); Health and Human Services Task Force[5]<br /><br />
Senate<br /><br />
Sen. Dan Brown (R-16)[4]<br /> Sen. Bob Dixon (R-30)[4]<br /> Sen. Ed Emery (R-126)[1], State Chairman,[8][18] attended 2013 ALEC Annual Meeting[3]<br /> Sen. John Lamping (R-24)[4]<br /> Sen. Brian Munzlinger (R-18)[4]<br /> Sen. Brian D. Nieves (R-98)[1]; Civil Justice Task Force[9]<br /> Sen. Mike L. Parson (R-28); Public Safety and Elections Task Force[13]<br /> Sen. David Pearce (R-21)[4]<br /> Sen. Ron Richard (R-129); Commerce, Insurance and Economic Development Task Force[10]<br /> Sen. David Sater (R-29)[4]<br /> Sen. Wayne Wallingford (R-27) [19]<br /> Sen. Jay Wasson (R-20)[4]<br /><br />
Former Representatives<br /><br />
<br />
Former Rep. Carl Bearden (R-16),[4] now the executive director of <br />
the conservative non-profit organizations United for Missouri (a <br />
501(c)(4)) and United for Missouri's Future (a 501(c)(3)) and former <br />
state director of the Missouri chapter of Americans for Prosperity[20]<br /> Former Rep. Walt Bivins (R-97)[1][8]; Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force[21]<br /> Former Rep. Ellen Brandon (R-160); Health and Human Services Task Force[5]<br /> Former Rep. Gary Burton [22]<br /> Former Rep. Bonnie Sue Cooper [23]<br /> Former Rep. Cynthia Davis (R-19)[1]<br /> Former Rep. Charlie Denison (R-135)[4]<br /><br />
Former Rep. Scott D. Dieckhaus (R-109); Education Task Force[15] <br />
(did not seek reelection in 2012, but agreed to serve as interim <br />
executive director of the House Republican Campaign Committee)<br /> Former Rep. Doug Ervin (R-35)[1]<br /> Former Rep. Barney Fisher (R-125); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force[21]<br /> Former Rep. and current U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-124)[4]<br /> Former Rep. Ted Hoskins (D-Berkeley), ALEC "State Legislator of the Year" in 2009[6]<br /> Former Rep. Rodney Hubbard (D-St. Louis), ALEC "State Legislator of the Year" in 2007[6]<br /> Former Rep. Steve Hunter (R-127),[4] later registered as a lobbyist[24]<br /> Former Rep. Allen Icet (R-84),[4] now an employee of BP and former chairman of Missouri Club for Growth[25]<br /><br />
Former Speaker of the House Rod Jetton (R-156), charged with <br />
second-degree assault in 2009,[26] investigated by a federal grand jury <br />
about bribery claims in 2010, now president of The Missouri Times[27]<br /> Former Rep. Kenny Jones (R-117)[4]<br /> Former Rep. and current U.S. Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R)[4]<br /> Former Rep. Cole McNary (R-86)[1]; Communications and Technology Task Force[12]<br /> Former Rep. Jerry Nolte (R-33); International Relations Task Force[16]<br /> Former Rep. Darrell L. Pollock (R-146); Communications and Technology Task Force[12]<br /> Former Rep. Rex Rector (R-124),[4] owner of construction company<br /> Former Rep. Mark L. Richardson (R)[23]<br /> Former Rep. Therese Sander (R-22)[1]<br /> Former Rep. Rodney Schad (R-115)[8]; Communications and Technology Task Force[12]<br /> Former Rep. Vicki Schneider (R-17); Civil Justice Task Force[9]<br /> Former Rep. Shane Schoeller (R-139); Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force [17]<br /> U.S. Rep. Jason Smith (R-150), Former State Chairman[14] and Tax and Fiscal Policy Task Force member[17]<br /> Former Rep. Joe Smith (R-14)[4]<br /><br />
Former Sen. and later U.S. Rep. and U.S. Sen. Jim Talent (R),[4] <br />
later co-chair of the PR firm Fleishman-Hillard's lobbying practice, <br />
senior advisor to Mitt Romney's 2008 and 2012 presidential campaigns, <br />
fellow at the Heritage Foundation, and co-chairman at Washington, DC <br />
lobbying firm Mercury<br /> Former Rep. Steven Tilley (R-106); Public Safety and Elections Task Force [13] (resigned August 13, 2012)<br /> Former Rep. Charles Q. Troupe (D), currently St. Louis Alderman, Ward I [23]<br /> Former Rep. Zachary Wyatt (R-2); Communications and Technology Task Force[12]<br /> Former Rep. Brian Yates (R-56), now director of public affairs at QC Holdings[28]<br /><br />
Former Senators<br /><br />
Former Sen. Jason Crowell (R-27)[4]<br /> Former Sen. Jane D. Cunningham (R-7); Education Task Force[15]<br /> Former State Sen. and later U.S. Rep. Pat Danner (R)[4]<br /> Former Senate Majority Leader Ronnie DePasco [22]<br /> Former Sen. Steven E. Ehlman (R), currently County Executive, St. Charles County. [23]<br /><br />
Former Sen. Jack Goodman (R-29) (Assistant Majority Floor Leader), <br />
spoke on "Saving Dollars and Protecting Communities: State Successes in <br />
Corrections Policy" at the 2011 ALEC Annual Meeting[29] (ineligible to <br />
run for reelection in 2012; ran for presiding judge of the 39th judicial<br />
circuit and won)<br /> Former Sen., now U.S. Rep. Sam Graves (R-6)[4]<br /> Former Sen. John Griesheimer (R-26); Energy, Environment and Agriculture Task Force[21]<br /> Former Sen. Chuck Gross (R-23),[4] now vice president at UMB Bank<br /><br />
Lt. Governor Peter Kinder (R), attended 2013 ALEC annual <br />
meeting,[3] former chair of ALEC Education Task Force (named in <br />
1996)[30]<br /> Former Sen. David Klindt (R),[4] now vice president of<br />
and lobbyist for the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives[31]<br /> Former Sen. Jim Lembke (R-1); International Relations Task Force[16]<br /><br />
Former Sen. John Loudon (R-Chesterfield),[4] briefly attempted <br />
lobbying, then worked briefly for homebuilding contractors group in <br />
California and, with his wife Gina Loudon, was on "Wife Swap" in March <br />
2013[32]<br /> Former Sen. Robert Mayer (R-25); Civil Justice Task <br />
Force[9] (ineligible to run for reelection in 2012; ran for presiding <br />
judge of the 35th judicial circuit and won)<br /> Former Sen. Gary Nodler (R-32)[4]<br /> Former Sen. Luann Ridgeway (R-17),[4] now Clay County Eastern Commissioner</div></div>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-57185019617083735342015-06-21T15:56:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.366-05:00Jeb Bush stands by comments that single mothers should be publicly shamed - Toronto Political Buzz | Examiner.com<a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/jeb-bush-stands-by-comments-that-single-mothers-should-be-publicly-shamed?cid=sm-facebook-061315-10.00am-JebBushSingleMothers">Jeb Bush stands by comments that single mothers should be publicly shamed - Toronto Political Buzz | Examiner.com</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
In the United States of America, Presidential hopeful Jeb Bush believes the “Scarlet Letter” era should be reinstated. A book about the Presidential hopeful was discovered by the Huffington Post this week. The National Post reported June 11 that in a chapter titled “The Restoration of Shame,” Jeb Bush believes in,<br /><br />In this chapter Jeb Bush also says that the reason his state, Florida, is so morally bankrupt is because Florida doesn’t do this enough. And yet, from the other side of his mouth in other arguments, Jeb Bush will call countries that stone women accused of adultery a terrorist country. And, since, the United States Census reports that there are more women than men in America, that may pose a problem at Bush’s attempts to get into the Oval Office.<br /><br />It already is, and it possibly even already has. When Jeb Bush ran for Governor of Florida the first time in 1994, he made some comments that may have resulted in his loss. It was not long after those 1994 comments that Jeb authored “Profiles of Character.” It is this book that includes a chapter titled “The Restoration of Shame” where Bush argues that the solution to curbing pregnancies outside a marriage would be to publicly shame the people found “guilty” of such morally bankrupt acts.<br /><br />In Bush’s 1995 opinion, he felt that a lack of this practice is the reason Florida suffers from moral bankruptcy. This of course allows Bush to walk right into one of his favorite conversations, the cutting of entitlement programs. The Bush mindset here is, if instead of offering assistance to these mothers in need we publicly shamed them, America would be a better place. In his book Bush writes, “There was a time when neighbors and communities would frown on out of wedlock births and when public condemnation was enough of a stimulus for one to be careful.”<br /><br />Bush is only considering one half of the equation here. He is blaming mothers for this situation in society. But it takes two to make a baby. Perhaps Florida wouldn’t be so morally bankrupt if deadbeat fathers were publicly shamed after being told to find a job.<br /><br />The “perfect world” and the “time” that Bush is pointing to in his argument is the time of “The Scarlet Letter,” a book penned when women weren’t permitted to wear pants, much like the GOP platform. Bush even points to this novel as his inspiration of the perfect world, by completely and likely intentionally misinterpreting the literary significance of “The Scarlet Letter.” Hawthorne wrote “The Scarlet Letter” to make the point that women in fact should not be publicly shamed.<br /><br />It’s possible Mr. Bush missed that day in literature class at private school. In 1995 he took a different message from the book, and it’s not likely his opinion has changed much. He wrote,<br /><br /> “Nathaniel Hawthorne’s Scarlet Letter [is a] reminder that public condemnation of irresponsible sexual behavior has strong historical roots.”<br /><br />That wouldn’t be the first time Bush endorsed public shaming of women or wildly misinterpreted a social message. In 2003 he supported legislation that required mothers out of wedlock to publicly inform their sexual history before they could be permitted to adopt out their children. And he didn’t just want these unwed mothers to quietly do so in the privacy of a public health room with practitioners present. He wanted them to have to put their information on their sexual histories in the local newspaper.<br /><br />Never mind that adoption is most successful under confidentiality. Never mind that it takes two people to create the life of an unwed mother. At least never mind all of these things to Jeb Bush, it seems.<br /><br />Bush slamming single women, and notably single mothers, everywhere is a pervasive pattern. Books could actually be written chronicling his comments and books against women. Another prize winning moment for him was when he told Florida women to “find a husband.”<br /><br />According to CNN June 11, when Jeb Bush was running for Governor the first time in 1994, he told single women everywhere that entitlements like welfare should be replaced with things like, husbands. Apparently Florida didn’t like hearing that “find a husband” was the order from the government to women needing assistance. He lost that race, wonder why.<br /><br /> “If people are mentally and physically able to work, they should be able to do so within a two-year period. They should be able to get their life together and find a husband, find a job, find other alternatives in terms of private charity or a combination of all three.”<br /><br />We know where Bush stands with the gay community. So the “people” in America that he wants to find “husbands” are clearly women. He wants them to find husbands and be the workhouses. What about the fathers of America who tote around canes that they don’t need so they can keep collecting their disability checks?<br /><br />Is there a standardized test Bush is offering to all “people” who create children that determines if they are “mentally and physically” able to work within two years? Or does he have one just for women? And is it a standardized decision for all of these women, or is it just the opinion of someone in a suit?<br /><br />Mothers of children created out of wedlock are not the only ones that need to find a job. But Bush never stops blaming the single mother. Maybe someone in his office needs to show him how many single mothers there are in America. But it looks like he doesn’t really want the vote of more than half of America at all.<br /><br />It doesn’t even look like he understands America at all. Bush also believes if children suffer in these out of wedlock situations, it’s mom’s fault. Never mind the men sitting on couches at home beside canes that they don’t really need. If the children have limited options, it’s because mom didn’t do enough.<br /><br />This is the message Jeb Bush sent in a conference this past Thursday. CNN reports that when criticized for these comments in the European press on Thursday, Bush responded trying to make the point that his opinions are “for the children.” He said,<br /><br /> “From the perspective of children it’s a huge challenge for single moms and it hurts the prospects, it limits the ability of children to live lives with purpose and meaning.”<br /><br />Blaming single mothers for the entitlement problem is one of Bush’s favorite things to do. Another time he did so was during a 1994 September press conference during election season where he offered his favorite solutions to entitlement programs.<br /><br /> “How you get on welfare is by not having a husband in the house. Let’s be honest here.”<br /><br />Let’s be honest here, Mr. Bush. Those facts don’t hold up. According to a CNS News report last year, United States Census Bureau data from 2012 shows over 109 million Americans were on welfare of some sort. That is just over one-third of the country, and yes that is a lot.<br /><br />But, if Bush wants honesty, they weren’t all women. And, in fact, women weren’t even most of the welfare recipients. According to the same census, only 22 million were women. So, even if all of those women “found husbands” there would still be significant entitlement costs. This week, when discussion of his book “Profiles in Character” came out, that didn’t make Bush look all that great, he stood by his comments.<br /><br />In other words, it takes real character to publicly shame a woman for her morally bankrupt choices, according to Jeb Bush. He also believes that not having a father is wreaking havoc on the children of America. He also said,<br /><br /> “For young girls, there is a correlate effect of fatherlessness that can be measured by sexual activity and the rate of out of wedlock childbearing. Studies have shown that girls who grow up without fathers run a greater risk not only of adolescent childbearing but out of divorce as well.”<br /><br />If public shaming is the answer, shouldn’t all parents who fail their children, as Bush puts it, be publicly shamed? Would it not be fair to also publicly shame the fathers of the world who are leaving their sons and daughters fatherless by evading gainful employment to stay on welfare?<br /><br />This is a real opening for the Democrats to continue strengthening the women’s vote. The women’s vote is not the only critical one however. The single vote is an ever growing population in America, making it a very large demographic. According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2013 there were 105 million Americans that were over the age of 18, voting age, that were single.<br /><br />53% of them were women. That’s over 50 million votes Mr. Bush may have just lost. That also means that 47% of them were men. That’s less than 50 million people that Mr. Bush is also not even considering in his argument.<br /><br />What about those 49 million men? Did it ever occur to Mr. Bush that the reason so many women in America are working so hard and need assistance is because 47% of the population might be a deadbeat? When Mr. Bush is telling women to “find a husband”, what is he saying to the men? Since there are more men on welfare than women, shouldn’t he then be arguing to them, “Find a job!”<br /><br />Why does Jeb Bush think it’s just the women’s faults? Some single mothers in America are lucky enough to have working fathers that are plugged in, pitching in and doing their part. But, if all of these mothers out of wedlock were that lucky, maybe America wouldn’t need such large entitlement budgets at all.<br /><br />The numbers suggest this line of thinking could be problematic for Jeb’s eye for the Oval Office. There are more women than men that will be voting. And, there are more single women than single men that will be voting. Bush is very slowly losing those millions of votes.<br /><br />Not only that, but knowing that there are more men on entitlement programs than women isn’t going to fare well for Bush either. Those men aren’t going to want their entitlement programs cut any more than the mothers of their babies want to be publicly shamed.<br /><br />It’s a point that former Texas Senator, Democrat, and single mother Wendy Davis makes in the video seen here in response to Bush’s controversial comments. She concurs with the public response to Bush’s outrageous claims, Bush doesn’t get it. faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-37244055853743084272015-06-04T11:15:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.333-05:00Lee's Summit R-7 School District: They Don't Want To Be Held Accountable<a href="http://leessummitr-7schooldistrict.blogspot.com/2015/06/they-dont-want-to-be-held-accountable.html">Lee's Summit R-7 School District: They Don't Want To Be Held Accountable</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Our school district is once again spreading false information to its <br />
citizens in hopes that you will contact your legislators and have them <br />
vote no on a bill that is essential to kids with special needs. Anyone <br />
that has a child with special needs knows that they need to pass this <br />
bill. Lee's Summit has consistently left our children behind and we <br />
need legislation to ensure that does not continue. <br /><br />
<br /><br />
They <br />
are also listing who voted on the bill so that you will think that they <br />
are not voting in the right way. You need to congratulate these <br />
legislators for voting for our children and standing up to the bullying <br />
of the school district.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Shame on the House for not passing this bill.</span><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Here is part of the mass email.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br /><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Dear Friend of Lee's Summit R-7<br />
Schools,</span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-15bd37af-ba3f-df67-a29f-668efb11c165"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">On behalf of Lee's Summit R-7 schools and<br />
students, thank you for subscribing to "R-7 Advocacy," for staying<br />
informed and for contacting your legislators. Today's issue includes voting<br />
records on three bills that were voted on by the General Assembly this spring.<br />
Two were passed by the General Assembly and one -- Senate Bill 365 -- was not<br />
approved.</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-15bd37af-ba3f-df67-a29f-668efb11c165"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The three bills and our General Assembly members’ voting records are featured in the article below as well as on our <a href="http://lsr7.us6.list-manage2.com/track/click?u=2f9806a23c060abd1874346b8&id=7c8017d938&e=12fa911438" style="word-wrap: break-word !important;" target="_blank">web page</a>. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-15bd37af-ba3f-df67-a29f-668efb11c165"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> <br />
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"><a href="http://lsr7.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=2f9806a23c060abd1874346b8&id=e4768c4fa5&e=12fa911438" style="word-wrap: break-word !important;"><b>Senate<br />
Bill 365</b></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, a bill that would <br />
have made significant and harmful changes to special education law in Missouri.<br />
The bill was approved by the Senate but did not come up for a vote in the<br />
House. Senate Bill 365 was inconsistent and even contradictory to federal law<br />
on special education, shifted the burden of proving compliance with special<br />
education procedures to school districts and allowed parents of students with special<br />
needs to assert an individualized education program (IEP) is defective with<br />
little or no evidence, requiring districts to disprove allegations. If the bill<br />
had been approved, it would have resulted in significant costs for school<br />
districts. </span><br /><br />
</span><strong style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">Voting records<span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></strong><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;">:</span></span><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.5pt;"> All four<br />
senators representing R-7 voted in favor of Senate Bill 365 although the<br />
district opposed it. They are Sen. Will Kraus, Sen. Jason Holsman, Sen. Shalonn<br />
“Kiki” Curls and Sen. Paul LeVota. No vote was taken in the House.</span></span>faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-80640766355512611662015-05-15T13:55:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.415-05:00Under New Law, Self-Advocates To Train Police - Disability Scoop<a href="http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2015/05/13/under-new-law-train-police/20295/">Under New Law, Self-Advocates To Train Police - Disability Scoop</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
Self-advocates will take a role in training police on interacting <br />
with people who have developmental disabilities under a <br />
first-of-its-kind law.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan signed the law Tuesday establishing the Ethan Saylor Alliance for Self-Advocates as Educators.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
The new effort, which will operate out of the state’s Department of <br />
Disabilities, will bring together people with intellectual and <br />
developmental disabilities to teach law enforcement officers about the <br />
unique needs of this population.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
The legislation is named for Robert Ethan Saylor, a 26-year-old with Down syndrome who <a href="http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/03/25/despite-outcry-no-charges/17564/" target="_blank">died</a><br />
at the hands of law enforcement in 2013 after being restrained by three<br />
off-duty sheriff’s deputies when he refused to leave a Frederick, Md. <br />
movie theater. Saylor’s death garnered national headlines and sparked <a href="http://www.disabilityscoop.com/2013/03/28/advocates-training-feds/17598/" target="_blank">calls</a> for better police training.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
The new law takes effect July 1. Advocates say they hope other states will enact similar legislation.<br /><br />
<br />
“Self-advocates have a voice and we need to listen to them. It’s their life,” Saylor’s mother, Patti Saylor, told <a href="http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/local/maryland/2015/05/12/ethan-saylor-bill-md/27198967/" target="_blank">WUSA</a>.<br /><br />
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-2270384945874962432015-05-14T11:13:00.002-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.317-05:00Jeff Grisamore's Lobbying<table style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblMECIDInfo" style="font-weight: bold;">LOBID:</span><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLOBID" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">L003693</span>
</td>
<td>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblRec_DateInfo" style="color: black; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; width: 135px;">Received Date:</span><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblRec_Date" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">1/27/2015</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobbyistInfo" style="font-weight: bold;">Lobbyist's Name</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobbyistName" style="color: #0000c0; font-weight: bold;">Jeff Grisamore</span>
</td>
<td>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblRec_DateInfo1" style="color: black; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; width: 135px;">Registered Through: </span><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblRec_ToDate" style="color: black; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">12/31/2015</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobAddInfo" style="font-size: Smaller;">Lobbyist's Address</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblAddress" style="font-size: Smaller;">PO Box 800</span>
</td>
<td>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobTerInfo" style="color: red; display: inline-block; font-weight: bold; width: 135px;">Termination Date:</span>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblTermDate" style="color: red; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"></span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobAdd2Info" style="font-size: Smaller;">Lobbyist's Address2</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblAddress2" style="font-size: Smaller;"></span>
</td>
<td>
</td>
<td>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobCSZInfo" style="font-size: Smaller;">Lobbyist's C/S/Z</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblCSZ" style="font-size: Smaller;">Lees Summit, MO 64063</span>
</td>
<td>
</td>
<td>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobPhoInfo" style="font-size: Smaller;"> Telephone:</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone" style="font-size: Smaller;">(816) 225-5695</span>
</td>
<td>
</td>
<td>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblLobPho2Info" style="font-size: Smaller;"> Telephone (2):</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;">None</span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
<tr><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span><table border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals" rules="rows"><tbody>
<tr style="background-color: #d7d7d7; color: black;"><th align="left" scope="col">Principal Name/Address/Phone</th><th scope="col">Status</th><th scope="col">Date Added</th><th scope="col">Date Deleted</th>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: #f7f6f3; color: #333333;">
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_Name" style="font-weight: bold;">OZARK INVESTMENTS LLC</span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_Address">DR RONALD D VINCENT</span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_City">GRAND JUNCTION</span>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_State">CO</span>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_Zip">81501</span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_Phone">(970) 640-9372</span>
</td><td align="center">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblP_Status">A</span>
</td><td align="center">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblAddDate">1/28/2015</span>
</td><td align="center">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl02_lblDeleteDate" style="color: red;"></span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_Name" style="font-weight: bold;">VVG INVESTMENTS, LLC</span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_Address">498 KING'S POINT DRIVE</span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_City">CAMDENTON</span>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_State">MO</span>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_Zip">65020(</span><br />
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_Phone">(970) 640-9372</span>
</td><td align="center">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblP_Status">A</span>
</td><td align="center">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_dlstPrincipals_ctl03_lblAddDate">2/6/2015</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<table border="1" frame="border"><tbody>
<tr><td align="center" colspan="2"><strong>Registration Type</strong>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width: 20px;">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType1">-</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType1a" style="font-size: Smaller;">I lobby only in the Executive Branch, including any department, division, agency, board or commission of state government.</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width: 20px;">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType2">-</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType2a" style="font-size: Smaller;">I lobby only in the General Assembly.</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width: 20px;">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType3">-</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType3a" style="font-size: Smaller;">I lobby only in the Judicial Branch of state government.</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width: 20px;">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType4"><strong><span style="color: red;">X</span></strong></span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType4a" style="font-size: Smaller;">I lobby in the Executive Branch, the General assembly, and the Judicial Branch of state government.</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width: 20px;">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType6"><strong><span style="color: red;">X</span></strong></span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType6a" style="font-size: Smaller;">I lobby elected local government officials.</span>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td align="center" style="width: 20px;">
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType5">-</span>
</td>
<td>
<span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblType5a" style="font-size: Smaller;">I am a state employee or board member engaged in lobbying activities.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td><td><span id="ctl00_ContentPlaceHolder_lblPhone2" style="font-size: Smaller;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-19836738764987496812015-05-14T10:40:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.307-05:00Cashing in on termed out: Ron Richards’ non-reform bill - St. Louis Business Journal<a href="http://m.bizjournals.com/stlouis/print-edition/2015/02/13/cashing-in-on-termed-out-ron-richards-non-reform.html?r=full">Cashing in on termed out: Ron Richards’ non-reform bill - St. Louis Business Journal</a><br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<h2 class="article-headline">Cashing in on termed out: Ron Richards’ non-reform bill</h2><div class="meta"> Dave Drebes<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
</div>Last month <b>Jeff Grisamore</b> registered <br />
to be a <b>lobbyist</b> in Jefferson City. Weeks earlier, Grisamore was a state<br />
representative. But as the new legislators were sworn in,<b> Grisamore was<br />
termed limited out, so he decided to lobby</b>. Grisamore isn't alone. He <br />
was the sixth member of his class to register to lobby.<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<span class="s1">This is known as the<br />
"revolving door." <span style="background-color: yellow;"><b>The public frowns on the practice because it appears <br />
that the legislators are cashing in on their public service as they <br />
pursue a potentially lucrative career lobbying.</b></span> There are bills in both <br />
the House and the Senate aiming to change the laws with regard to <br />
legislative ethics. Floor Leader Ron Richard sponsored the first ethics <br />
bill. It was passed out of the Senate earlier this week. <span style="background-color: yellow;">It is an <br />
embarrassingly weak bill</span>. With regard to the revolving door, it would <br />
create a two-year waiting period during which legislators couldn't <br />
lobby.<span style="background-color: yellow;"> But inexplicably the law would only affect legislators who are <br />
sworn in after January 2017.</span> In other words, none of the current <br />
legislators would have to play by this rule. It's an ethical concern for<br />
those who come after them, not for themselves.</span><br /><br />
<span class="s1"> </span> <br /><br />
<br />
<span class="s1">That's just one <br />
aspect of the non-reformism of Richard's bill. <span style="background-color: yellow;">Currently, Missouri has <br />
no campaign contribution limits. <u><b>The voters passed limits in 1994, but <br />
the Legislature quickly overruled that vote.</b></u></span> The no-limits system once <br />
seemed excessive, but has now veered into the absurd. Earlier this year,<br />
<span style="background-color: yellow;"><u><b>Rex Sinquefield wrote a $1 million check to Bev Randles for her <br />
lieutenant governor campaign's exploratory committee</b></u></span>. Democrats have <br />
insisted that campaign contributions should be part of any ethics reform<br />
package. But Republicans note that when there were limits, it didn't <br />
stop the huge checks. It just split them into pieces and re-routed them.<br />
Sinquefield, for example, started scores of different PACs when there <br />
were campaign limits to accommodate his giving. The Republican solution <br />
has been transparency. As long as voters can find out who is giving and <br />
receiving, they can judge for themselves if they want to re-elect those <br />
politicians.</span> faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5927801136396481451.post-19866710419301225242015-05-13T23:28:00.001-05:002017-07-05T21:38:58.312-05:00Are You Shocked That He Is Now A Lobbyist?<div class="masthead" id="member-143922844">
<div data-li-template="p2_basic_info">
<div data-li-template="name" id="name-container">
<div class="editable-item" id="name">
<h1>
<span class="n fn"><span class="full-name" dir="auto">Jeff Grisamore</span><span></span></span></h1>
</div>
</div>
<div data-li-template="headline" id="headline-container">
<div class="editable-item" id="headline">
<div class="title" dir="ltr">
Consultant/Lobbyist</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="demographic-info adr editable-item" id="demographics">
<div data-li-template="location" id="location-container">
<div class="editable-item" id="location">
<dl><dd><span class="locality">Kansas City, Missouri Area</span></dd><dd class="industry">Government Relations</dd></dl>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<table summary="Overview for Jeff Grisamore"><tbody>
<tr id="overview-summary-current"><th scope="row"><a data-trk="ppro_cprof" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-grisamore/40/248/824#background-experience">Current</a></th><td><ol>
<li><a dir="auto" href="http://www.linkedin.com/company/8026?trk=ppro_cprof">Missouri House of Representatives</a></li>
</ol>
</td></tr>
<tr id="overview-summary-education"><th scope="row"><a data-trk="ppro_sprof" href="https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jeff-grisamore/40/248/824#background-education">Education</a></th><td><ol>
<li><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/edu/school?id=18313&trk=ppro_sprof" title="More details for this school">Trinity International University</a></li>
</ol>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
faceofautismhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16655863600108004345noreply@blogger.com0