Missourians!! A Call to Action!!

If your state rep is in the following list please encourage them to help push through the bills below!!!!!

(note Ryan Silvey was especially cocky and nonchalant during the whole committee hearing on these bills, walking in late while sipping on Starbucks frozen latte, texting, slumping in his seat, and a seat that wasn't his to chat with Mike Talboy...who was also slumping and texting)

http://www.house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills091/bills/hcr13.htm
http://house.mo.gov/content.aspx?info=/bills091/bills/HB361.htm

Guest, Jim, Chair
Flanigan, Tom, Vice Chair
Brown, Steve
Dugger, Tony
Grill, Jason
Kratky, Michele
Kraus, Will
Leara, Mike
Meiners, Kate
Silvey, Ryan
Talboy, Mike
Viebrock, Jim

My testimony on HCR13

10th Amendment becomes heated in MO General Assembly

The following happened during a debate on this bill: http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills091/biltxt/commit/HR0294C.HTM

I happened to see this exchange in person, as I was in Jeff City testifying on ANOTHER 10th amendment bill. This bill being discussed here, I testified on last week, and they just happened to be debating it while we were there.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1027076.html

JEFFERSON CITY | A Missouri House member apologizes for any offense caused when he referred to the Civil War as the “War of Northern Aggression.”

The comment from Bryan Stevenson came during debate Tuesday on a resolution urging federal leaders to oppose an abortion proposal that could overrule many state-level restrictions.

The Republican from the southwest Missouri town of Webb City said it would be the “greatest power grab by the federal government since the War of Northern Aggression.”

The remark prompted House member Don Calloway, a Democrat from St. Louis, to request an apology. Calloway, who is black, said the Civil War restored the union and freed the slaves and it’s inappropriate to call it “Northern aggression.”

Stevenson responded that he is “sincerely apologetic for any offense my comment made.”

The House didn’t vote on the abortion resolution.

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Okay....First off...this was NOT an "Abortion" resolution. It was a resolution for Missouri to affirm the right to make its own Abortion laws, and preemptively reject federal passage of the Freedom of Choice Act. In other words, Missouri affirming its sovereignty under the 10th Amendment.

Secondly, Rep Calloway did not seem to understand the above, as he was ruled against the rules of the House for attempting to introduce non-related amendments to the bill concerning family planning.

Third, Rep Stevenson made the miscalculated comment during a three-minute long passionate emotional speech on State Sovereignty, Constitutional Rights, and the Federal Government being a creation of the states.

Lastly, it IS the thought of many, that if you were in Missouri during the civil war, that the War's entry into Missouri was Northern Aggression. The demanded apology, was received...but he apologized not for the comment, but for the way his comment was received. (As soon as the comment was made, many house members screamed "OHHH")

My testimony to the committee last week concerning this bill

(I messed up due to being nervous and trying to "dumb it down" for them....as their argument was that the Freedom of Choice Act has not been introduced into the US congress this session yet.)

Come on down to 39th and Southwest Trafficway this Sunday!!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/event.php?eid=125478995219

When Revolutionaries visit the General Assembly

02.04.2009 | Jefferson City, Missouri

By Kevin L. Kobe

Members of Kansas City's Liberty Restoration Project arrived in Jefferson City just seconds before the 8:00a.m. Special committee on families meeting. Several persons were hoping to view a debate on abortion issues. However, one clause in HR 212 derailed the debate. LRP was hoping to state our case.

It was not our case to make, however, it was the case of the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. It was the case of the sovereignty of the state of Missouri to stand superior in the creation of laws within its borders. It was something that I personally felt that Missouri Legislators should look at as job security.

This is exactly what I had testified to during my few moments to speak to the house committee. When the federal government can overturn state laws at their every whim, why even have a body to make state laws?

The opposition to the bill, argued the normal Abortion rights issues, and argued that this bill seemed to be in opposition to a bill on the Federal level that had not been presented yet. They argued that Missouri's laws were not in immediate danger, and that even if the Federal government overstepped their bounds, that these issues would be determined by the courts, as women's health issues.

Again, The Constitution does not allow for multiple legislative bodies to be equals in conflict, with the courts deciding which differences are sovereign based on an individual's rights. This would be legislating from the court bench.

Also, the opposition offered an interpretation of the tenth amendment that focused on the last part of it. "Amendment X : The powers not delegated to the United States by the constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people." They focused on a claim that the rights of a sovereign person are superior to the state. (assuming they mean the right to choose an Abortion is a person's right first, superseding bodies of established government.) The question here is, How does a sovereign individual make a law? Through petitioning, and changing of the body of laws through a vote or through petitioning their elected representatives in State or Federal government.

The issue is not whether the "Freedom of Choice Act" or similar legislation becomes law in Missouri, the issue is whether the law is passed by the US Congress or the Missouri General Assembly (or the courts if you happen to agree with those who were in opposition to this legislation). We are a Republic. That means that even the voices not in the majority should have a say in the laws imposed on them. This is why we have state government. The United States may be one large body, but the insurance of freedom is dependent on different sections of the population being able to live under their own sets of values. What works for south-central Los Angeles might not work in rural Missouri. This is why it is clearly defined in the United States Constitution that it is a right of the state to decide how to proceed with dealing with these issues.

After the committee hearing on this bill, the members of Liberty Restoration Project were introduced on the floor of the General Assembly as special guests of Representative Cynthia Davis of District 19 - St. Charles County. Then we spoke with Representative Jim Guest momentarily, as the session began, before we went to some offices to request meetings with our own district officials.

The whole day was very exhilarating to see in person the types of debates that go on in the halls of government, however, the brightest point for this activist did not happen inside the capitol building, but outside as we were leaving. There were protesters outside holding signs. One of them said "Tell Barack to get his peace on!" That is a federal government issue I can get behind!