Reason to Celebrate, Kansas City!

Kansas City, nearly unbelievably to me, anyway, given the coverage of our shootings and killings, didn't make an ugly list recently.

Murder map: Deadliest U.S. cities

Herewith, some highlights--

• Wichita, Kansas, 58. Stunningly tied here with MIAMI, FLORIDA.
• Topeka, tied at the 50 spot with Columbus, OH.
• Dallas 49. Houston, 47.
• Tulsa at 30, tied with Fort Wayne, IN.
• Oakland, CA at 27.
• Atlanta, GA 23.
• Peoria, IL 18.
• Little Rock, AR, 17.
• Chicago, 16.
• Washington, DC at 10.
• Memphis, 6.
• New Orleans at 4.
• Detroit at 3. Not the worst.

St. Louis, Missouri at the number one worst spot of deadliest cities in the nation.

Even little old Springfield is there at number 61.

But no Kansas City.

Yahoo.

One for a win.

I'll take it. We'll take it, for sure.

Look What Missouri City is 2nd Worst in the Nation for Property Crime

There's an article out today on MSN ranking the cities with the highest and lowest rates of property crime.

20 Cities With the Highest and Lowest Rates 

of Property Crime

And a Missouri city is in the 2nd to worst spot on it.

And it's not St. Louis.

And it's not Kansas City.

It is, however the "Queen City of the Ozarks."

2. Springfield, Mo.

Population: 168,307
Property crimes per 1,000 people: 74.88

So much for the stereotype of Midwest towns as safe, sleepy places. In Springfield, the property crime rate is more than eight times higher than of the city with the lowest property crime rate.

Springfield, unfortunately, isn’t alone in the neighborhood, if it can make them feel any better. Not that far away Little Rock, Arkansas is 4th worst in the nation.

4. Little Rock, Ark.

Population: 198,800
Property crimes per 1,000 people: 63.23

Most of the cities with high property crime rates aren’t necessarily prone to violent crime. However, Little Rock is the exception. Reviews.org says its analysis found the Arkansas capital would be a contender for a spot on a top-10 list of violent crime as well.

What’s truly odd is the city is in the number one slot.

1. Salt Lake City, Utah

Population: 193,918
Property crimes per 1,000 people: 75.4

Can you believe it? Salt Lake City, capital of Utah and home of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka the Mormon Church), has the highest property crime rate in the country according to Reviews.org. There were 75.4 property crimes per 1,000 residents in 2016.

I thought those Mormons were law-abiding and had everything under control out West. Clearly wrong here.

The great news?

Kansas City is nowhere on the list.

Have a great weekend, y'all.

Route 66 Endangered---And What You Can Do

I saw this news just broke yesterday:

U.S. Route 66 on national list of 11 endangered historic places

Seems the National Trust for Historic Preservation just came out with its list of endangered historic places---and Route 66 is on it.

A proposal has been made, to help save it, by making it a National Historic Trail, officially. To do this, to  support Route 66 becoming a National Historic Trail, the trust has set up an online petition. You can go to it here and sign up/sign on:

I Support a National Historic Trail Designation for Route 66!

Thank you in advance for your support, for signing.

Now, let's do this!

Horrible List Kansas City Makes

I saw this new list yesterday and yes, unfortunately, Kansas City is on it.

50 Worst American Cities to Live In 

- 24/7 Wall St.

We're 49 out of 50, sure, but still, we're on it.

Dangit.

49. Kansas City

Population: 151,261
Median home value: $87,600
Poverty rate: 22.2%
Pct. with at least a bachelor’s degree: 16.3%

While low property values can help make homeownership a reality for financially insecure individuals, cheap housing is more often indicative of a weak economy and poor living conditions -- and this appears to be the case in Kansas City. The typical home in the city is worth just $87,600, far less than the $194,500 national median home value.

Relative to the size of its population, Kansas City has very few amenities and attractions that might enrich the lives of residents. There are fewer bars, libraries, recreational centers, museums, and hotels per capita in Kansas City than there are in the U.S. as a whole. There are just 120 restaurants per 100,000 Kansas City residents, among the fewest food establishments per capita of any U.S. city.

Ow. Really. That hurts, just being on the list.

But it could be worse. 

We could be Little Rock Arkansas at number 26 or Fort Smith, also Arkansas, at 24.

Missouri wasn’t done there, either, unfortunately. Springfield hit a very high number 12, nearly making the top 10 worst cities to live in.  Wow.

12. Springfield, Missouri

Population: 166,798
Median home value: $113,500
Poverty rate: 24.1%
Pct. with at least a bachelor’s degree: 28.0%

Few cities have a greater crime problem than Springfield, Missouri. The city’s annual violent crime rate of 1,356 incidents per 100,000 residents is more than three times the national violent crime rate of 373 per 100,000. Springfield’s property crime rate, at 7,795 incidents per 100,000 people, is also over three times the national property crime rate and the third highest of the 551 cities reviewed.

High crime in a city often coincides with high poverty in a somewhat circular cause and effect. Springfield’s poverty rate of 24.1% is nearly 10 percentage points greater than the national poverty rate.

Not done there, St. Louis does, in fact, break that top ten, even making the top 5 worst cities.

4. St. Louis

Population: 315,685
Median home value: $130,800
Poverty rate: 24.9%
Pct. with at least a bachelor’s degree: 34.7%

St. Louis is representative of the economic decline that afflicted many large industrial cities over the latter part of the 20th century. Decades of manufacturing decline, white flight, and exclusionary zoning in St. Louis have led to some of the worst urban decay, racial segregation, and income inequality of any major city today. Some 24.9% of St. Louis residents live in poverty, far more than the 14.7% national figure. St. Louis has struggled with a high crime rate since the 1960s and today has the highest violent crime rate of any U.S. city. There were 1,817 violent crimes reported per 100,000 St. Louis residents in 2015, nearly five times the national rate.

Many of the economic problems in St. Louis are tied to the city’s rapid population decline. The city’s population is less than half of what it was during its 1950 peak of 860,000 people, and it continues to decline today. While the U.S. population grew 11.5% over the last 10 years, the number of residents in St. Louis fell 5.4%.

We have to do better, folks.

Notes on "America's Most Dangerous Cities"

The online blog site, 24/7 came out with their annual list of "America's Most Dangerous Cities" at the end of last month, and it's pretty interesting. Their data is compiled from the FBIs own list. There some interesting points in and on it, worth noting.

Let's start with a bit of their overall data:

24/7 Wall St. reviewed violent crime rates in major U.S. cities from the FBI’s 2015 Uniform Crime Report. Violent crime includes all offenses involving force or threat of force and are broken into four categories: murder and non-negligent manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. For every 100,000 U.S. residents, 372 of these crimes were committed in 2015.
Then, some notes.

First, unfortunately---and no surprise, really---Kansas City is on it. Second thing to note about it, we were in the top ten, too.

10. Kansas City, Missouri
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,417.3
> 2015 murders: 109
> Poverty rate: 19.4%
> Unemployment rate: 5.5%

While the nationwide violent crime rate rose by 3.9% in 2015, the increase in Kansas City was far more dramatic. With homicide and aggravated assault rates surging, the city reported a 14.4% spike in violent crime last year. Crime in the city is up even more from five years ago. The city’s violent crime rate increased by 21.2% from 2011 through 2015, even as the nationwide rate declined by 0.7% over that period.

Not good.

In fact, we, Kansas City, were worse on this list than Washington, DC (15), Indianapolis, Indiana (13) and Stockton, California (12).  That hurts.

Next thing to note about the list is that Missouri gets hit pretty hard. We are on the list three different times.

Then on to this note from the list, our own Springfield, Missouri, "Queen City of the Ozarks", followed as close as could be at number 11 on the list.

11. Springfield, Missouri
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,355.6
> 2015 murders: 10
> Poverty rate: 26.4%
> Unemployment rate: 4.3%

Crime rates tend to be higher in economically depressed areas where opportunities are scarce. In Springfield, Missouri, more than one-quarter of area residents live in poverty, one of the highest poverty rates in the country. After spiking by 73.2% over the five years through 2015 — the second highest increase of any major U.S. city — Springfield’s violent crime rate is the 11th highest in the country. In 2015, there were 179 rapes for every 100,000 residents, the highest incidence of rape in the country.

In fact, along with Missouri's Springfield, there were two more on the list. Springfields Illinois, at number 23 and Massachussetts at 21. I guess that all comes from it being such a common name in this country, maybe.

Next note, right next door in Arkansas, little old Little Rock comes in at number 9, higher and so, worse than Kansas City. Who'd have guessed?

Which brings us to our last point (points?) and the highest, worst ranking of all the most dangerous cities in America this year, at this time.  It ain't good, Missouri.

1. St. Louis, Missouri
> Violent crimes per 100,000: 1,817.1
> 2015 murders: 188
> Poverty rate: 27.8%
> Unemployment rate: 6.1%

Including 188 homicides, there were 5,762 violent crimes in St. Louis in 2015. Adjusting for population, the city’s murder and violent crime rates, at 59 murders and 1,817 per 100,000 city residents, are each the highest in the country. The number of violent crimes reported in St. Louis increased by 7.7% last year, faster than the national uptick of 3.9%. Over the last five years, however, the incidence of violent crime is down by 3.2%.

Yes sir, good ol' St. Lou.  

Not Detroit. Heck, not even Chicago.  In fact, check out the list, folks. Chicago isn't even on the list (it's too large a city for this study).

It's not looking good for us, danger-wise, Missourians. Heck, remember this study, that came out in 2012?

Missouri: 

Ranked one of the "Most Depressing States"

We have to work on our safety and image, folks. These are some pretty awful lists.

Springfield's News-Leader Gets Senator Blunt Just Right

Springfield Missouri's local newspaper, the News-Leader, printed an editorial opinion piece on Senator Roy Blunt and boy, did they get him just right.

Blunt cares about Blunt, Inc. 

– not Missouri

The article, in its brief but important entirety:

Roy Blunt was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He rose swiftly through the ranks in both chambers, attaining the positions of majority leader in the House and chairman of the Rules Committee in the Senate. In these positions, he has been useful to the lobbying activities of his family. In his third term in the House, Blunt is married to a D.C. lobbyist. His wife, Abigail, and his son, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, are active lobbyists in Washington. His other son (and campaign manager), Andrew, is an active lobbyist in Jefferson City. It would not be inappropriate to assign the following title to Roy’s family: Blunt, Inc. A Governmental and Lobbying Corporation.

When professors of political science teach a course on pressure groups, they describe the most powerful lobbying operation as one that includes one member sitting in either the House or the Senate. The Blunt family fiercely denies any connection between their lobbying work with one another. They would like you to believe that family talk is about sports, television, movies, travel and so on, but each one keeps secret from the others their own lobbying activities and never, under any circumstances, exchange any information that would be useful to the work of other family members.

An article on the front page of the June 18 News-Leader is an account of the strenuous (or one might say frenzied) fundraising activities of Sen. Blunt in defending his seat against Democratic challenger Jason Kander, Missouri’s current secretary of state. In the article, it mentioned his fundraising schedule in Washington last week that included a Tuesday evening fundraiser by the Beer Institute, a Wednesday morning fundraising breakfast for Missouri Republicans and two Thursday evening events hosted by major governmental contractors General Dynamics and Siemens. So, in the space of 48 hours he was raising money for the Missouri GOP, from which his campaign will benefit and from three organizations that have business before Congress.

It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.

Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.

His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.

And yes, it was from last July but it's important to keep in mind, right up to and including November 8, election day.

Another great thing about the article, besides that they got him so dead on and that they printed and distributed it, is that it also got picked up by USA Today so it went national. Another important thing to keep in mind is that it is from his home area and that home is decidedly Right Wing, Conservative and Republican. If ever there were a time and a person for getting the old, tired politician, in it for himself, it would be this Missouri Senator, Roy Blunt. And that time is now. If ever there were a person who fit the definition of a "career politician", it's Senator Blunt.

The conclusion, folks?

Vote Jason Kander for Senate

 Link:  Even in a do-nothing Congress, Roy Blunt stands out for his absences

Blunt Takes a Beating

Senator Roy Blunt takes a pretty good beating of late, with this ad from the End Citizens United organization.



It doesn't stop there. The articles in media about it tell yet more. The following are from the 2010 election.

It's Time to Kick Ass. "Roy Blunt, 

the Very Worst of Washington"

This ad was made about Senator Blunt 5 years ago. It was true then and it's still true today.

And this one from 7 years ago.

And it's not just Senator Blunt. His entire family realized money was the "gravy train" and they wanted on.

For Roy Blunt, politics is a family matter

Senator Blunt's been at this for some time.

And it's paid well. 

Very, very well.

Vote Jason Kander

Vote Blue 2016

Roy Blunt: The Insider's Insider (reprise)

If Roy Blunt, Senator Roy Blunt, is anything, he is the ultimate insider. He is so deeply a Washington insider, it permeates him, his job, his work, his paycheck, heck, even his family.

Virtually the entire Blunt family is deeply entrenched in politics.  And living off of it.

His wife is a government lobbyist, for God's sake.

His brother, Matt, screwed up Missouri and the governorship there, for a while. Fortunately, we got him out and he's stayed out of office since.

As further proof, just look at some of these headlines. They come from a range of dates as Senator Blunt and his family have been sucking at the teat of government, both state and Federal, for some time.

Missouri's Blunt embraces 

his role as insider

When Lawmaking and Lobbying Are 

All in the Family

In The Missouri Senate Race, 

Who's The Insider?

Not capitalism; cronyism

Blunt Force: Capitol connections 

fuel GOP dynasty

At one point, American Veterans went after him for lying about draft deferments, to keep him more accountable. And hopefully, honest.

MO-Sen: VoteVets Goes After Roy Blunt (R) For Lying

Even his own son is knee-deep in government:

Andrew Blunt's lobbying work faces scrutiny

Fortunately, there's this, more recently:

GOP Sen. Roy Blunt faces tough 

post-Trump reality: No seat is safe

And this year he's all for America's Veterans. But last year? When he wasn't in a contest to hold his own Senate seat off in Washington. He was one of these guys, back in November, 2015:

41 Senators Block Benefits for Veterans

And again, once more, February 2014.

GOP blocks veterans bill

Here, again, in May, 2014:

41 Republican Senators Voted Against 

a Landmark Veterans Bill

Fortunately, there's this truthful little gem from 2 days ago, from the Senator's own home area of Springfield:

Blunt cares about Blunt, Inc. – 

not Missouri 

This is a beauty of an article:

Roy Blunt was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He rose swiftly through the ranks in both chambers, attaining the positions of majority leader in the House and chairman of the Rules Committee in the Senate. In these positions, he has been useful to the lobbying activities of his family. In his third term in the House, Blunt is married to a D.C. lobbyist. His wife, Abigail, and his son, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, are active lobbyists in Washington. His other son (and campaign manager), Andrew, is an active lobbyist in Jefferson City. It would not be inappropriate to assign the following title to Roy’s family: Blunt, Inc. A Governmental and Lobbying Corporation.

When professors of political science teach a course on pressure groups, they describe the most powerful lobbying operation as one that includes one member sitting in either the House or the Senate. The Blunt family fiercely denies any connection between their lobbying work with one another. They would like you to believe that family talk is about sports, television, movies, travel and so on, but each one keeps secret from the others their own lobbying activities and never, under any circumstances, exchange any information that would be useful to the work of other family members.

An article on the front page of the June 18 News-Leader is an account of the strenuous (or one might say frenzied) fundraising activities of Sen. Blunt in defending his seat against Democratic challenger Jason Kander, Missouri’s current secretary of state. In the article, it mentioned his fundraising schedule in Washington last week that included a Tuesday evening fundraiser by the Beer Institute, a Wednesday morning fundraising breakfast for Missouri Republicans and two Thursday evening events hosted by major governmental contractors General Dynamics and Siemens. So, in the space of 48 hours he was raising money for the Missouri GOP, from which his campaign will benefit and from three organizations that have business before Congress.

It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.

Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.

His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.

Fortunately, there's the ray of hope that is Jason Kander, what he stands for and even his fund-raising of late:

Kander outraises Blunt as Missouri 

Senate contest heats up

So heads up, fellow Missourians. There's a Senatorial seat up for grabs this Fall. This November, let's throw the government fatcat out of his seat and get someone in there who is for us, the people, and not just for his own seat in Congress and all he can wring out of it.

On this Fourth of July, let's pledge and plan to declare our independence yet again.

Our independence, this time, from Roy Blunt.

Link:  Jason Kander for Missouri

Roy Blunt, The Insider's Insider

If Roy Blunt, Senator Roy Blunt, is anything, he is the ultimate insider. He is so deeply a Washington insider, it permeates him, his job, his work, his paycheck, heck, even his family.

Virtually the entire Blunt family is deeply entrenched in politics.  And living off of it.

His wife is a government lobbyist, for God's sake.

His brother, Matt, screwed up Missouri and the governorship there, for a while. Fortunately, we got him out and he's stayed out of office since.

As further proof, just look at some of these headlines. They come from a range of dates as Senator Blunt and his family have been sucking at the teat of government, both state and Federal, for some time.

Missouri's Blunt embraces 

his role as insider

When Lawmaking and Lobbying Are 

All in the Family

In The Missouri Senate Race, 

Who's The Insider?

Not capitalism; cronyism

Blunt Force: Capitol connections 

fuel GOP dynasty

At one point, American Veterans went after him for lying about draft deferments, to keep him more accountable. And hopefully, honest.

MO-Sen: VoteVets Goes After Roy Blunt (R) For Lying

Even his own son is knee-deep in government:

Andrew Blunt's lobbying work faces scrutiny

Fortunately, there's this, more recently:

GOP Sen. Roy Blunt faces tough 

post-Trump reality: No seat is safe

And this year he's all for America's Veterans. But last year? When he wasn't in a contest to hold his own Senate seat off in Washington. He was one of these guys, back in November, 2015:

41 Senators Block Benefits for Veterans

And again, once more, February 2014.

GOP blocks veterans bill

Here, again, in May, 2014:

41 Republican Senators Voted Against 

a Landmark Veterans Bill

Fortunately, there's this truthful little gem from 2 days ago, from the Senator's own home area of Springfield:

Blunt cares about Blunt, Inc. – 

not Missouri 

This is a beauty of an article:

Roy Blunt was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1996 and to the U.S. Senate in 2010. He rose swiftly through the ranks in both chambers, attaining the positions of majority leader in the House and chairman of the Rules Committee in the Senate. In these positions, he has been useful to the lobbying activities of his family. In his third term in the House, Blunt is married to a D.C. lobbyist. His wife, Abigail, and his son, former Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt, are active lobbyists in Washington. His other son (and campaign manager), Andrew, is an active lobbyist in Jefferson City. It would not be inappropriate to assign the following title to Roy’s family: Blunt, Inc. A Governmental and Lobbying Corporation.

When professors of political science teach a course on pressure groups, they describe the most powerful lobbying operation as one that includes one member sitting in either the House or the Senate. The Blunt family fiercely denies any connection between their lobbying work with one another. They would like you to believe that family talk is about sports, television, movies, travel and so on, but each one keeps secret from the others their own lobbying activities and never, under any circumstances, exchange any information that would be useful to the work of other family members.

An article on the front page of the June 18 News-Leader is an account of the strenuous (or one might say frenzied) fundraising activities of Sen. Blunt in defending his seat against Democratic challenger Jason Kander, Missouri’s current secretary of state. In the article, it mentioned his fundraising schedule in Washington last week that included a Tuesday evening fundraiser by the Beer Institute, a Wednesday morning fundraising breakfast for Missouri Republicans and two Thursday evening events hosted by major governmental contractors General Dynamics and Siemens. So, in the space of 48 hours he was raising money for the Missouri GOP, from which his campaign will benefit and from three organizations that have business before Congress.

It is fair to say that Blunt’s life is based in Washington. This statement is reinforced by the fact that the Blunts’ Springfield home is a condo which he uses on his occasional visits (usually at holidays) or when in town for Greene County Republican Party events. The condo also serves as his official Missouri residence.

Blunt’s contact with the general public is limited to his occasional “tours” of the state, which is rather remarkable for a person who represents the state. In these tours, he is very unlikely to meet any Missourians except those who are active members of the Republican Party. When he has meetings in Springfield they are usually closed to the general public, which makes him unavailable to those who might hold different opinions.

His connection to Missouri is very slim and tenuous. The real focus of his life is to serve as the congressional base for Blunt, Inc.

Fortunately, there's the ray of hope that is Jason Kander, what he stands for and even his fund-raising of late:

Kander outraises Blunt as Missouri 

Senate contest heats up

So heads up, fellow Missourians. There's a Senatorial seat up for grabs this Fall. This November, let's throw the government fatcat out of his seat and get someone in there who is for us, the people, and not just for his own seat in Congress and all he can wring out of it.

On this Fourth of July, let's pledge and plan to declare our independence yet again.

Our independence, this time, from Roy Blunt.

Link:  Jason Kander for Missouri

What We've Come to In America

This posting comes from an article yesterday in the Springfield, Missouri News-Leader newspaper. It's a horrible indictment of our health care system, how we treat our Veterans and our nation, overall, generally.

Old man wanted more than money in Branson bank robbery

Joseph Cyrus could barely get the words out.

He knew what he wanted to say, but he didn't want to break down in the courtroom.

Cyrus' lawyer told him it was OK. He could wait until the sentencing hearing in a few months if he wanted. But the 77-year-old Cyrus couldn't wait.

A proud man, Cyrus couldn't go another day without explaining himself.

"I wanted to be caught, your honor," Cyrus said from his wheelchair last month at the federal courthouse in Springfield. "I wanted to get some help from the United States government."

A masked Cyrus robbed the Central Bank on James Epps Road in Branson on Oct. 16, pointing what he says was a plastic BB gun at the tellers.

The reason he committed the crime, he said, was to get access to healthcare in the federal prison system.

Cyrus turned himself in to police a few days after the robbery and pleaded guilty on Nov. 10.

Cyrus gave an emotional speech in the courtroom after pleading guilty, saying he has bad feet and is losing his hearing. He told the judge he recently lost his job and was turned away by a Veterans Affairs hospital.

Cyrus said he woke up the morning of the robbery in his trailer at the Yacht Club Mobile Home Park in Hollister with roaches crawling all over his body.

He asked himself a question as he was eating breakfast that morning.

"I turned around and looked in the mirror, into a mirror that I had in my apartment, and I said 'Why am I doing this?'" Cyrus said. "So I grabbed that mask (and) turned the license plate upside down."

Cyrus drove his pickup truck to the bank, hobbled in, pointed what looked like a pistol at the tellers, ordered everyone into the lobby and made out with almost $31,000 in a reusable grocery bag.

Witnesses at the bank said Cyrus was "hunched over" and appeared to be in pain as he walked out of the building.

Two hours later, Cyrus paid his rent in cash, put a "for sale" sign in his truck and left town. He would later come back to Branson and turn himself in...

...Cyrus said in court he has 16 grandchildren. He said he didn't want them to see him as an old, deaf man too sick to drive a car...

...Kristie Breshears, public information officer at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, said Cyrus' case is not totally unique.

"I don’t want to give the misconception that there are all of these guys lined up to go to prison to get free healthcare," Breshears said. "But do I believe it exists? Absolutely."

Congratulations, America. This is who you are. This is what we've become.

Can we not do anything about this?

Gasoline: It Happened

I remember when gasoline crossed over the $2 per gallon price. I also remember thinking, at the time, that it would never go back, under that marker again.

But here we are.

This was yesterday, last evening, in Springfield, Missouri, anyway. It's likely lower in Oklahoma.

On This Day--National and Missouri State History

From the Zinn Education Project

On May 23, 1838--the forced removal of the Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek) Nation, Seminole, Chickasaw, Choctaw and other Native American nations officiallybegan--a land theft, massacre, and attempted genocide known as the Trail of Tears. A petition was signed by close to every member of the Cherokee nation (16,000) in protest of the planned removal. This resounding, democratic voice was ignored.  

See the film segment of We Shall Remain (http://bit.ly/13Mu8RG) and use the Cherokee/Seminole Removal Role Play from the Zinn Education Project (http://bit.ly/13Mt8wM) to introduce students to the history outside of the textbook about the organized efforts to resist relocation and the horror of the internment and subsequent death marches. 

Photo: Elizabeth "Betsy" Brown Stephens, a Cherokee woman who walked the Trail of Tears. [Wikimedia Commons]

Keeping in mind that this Trail of Tears also went through Missouri--which they don't teach in our schools. It went through Southern Missouri and straight through what is now Springfield, Missouri.

Links:   Trail of Tears

Discover A Hidden History- Cherokee Trail of Tears Encampment Waynesville, Missouri

Trail of Tears State Park | Missouri State Parks

Gain a better understanding of one of the saddest chapters in American history at Trail of Tears State Park, where nine of the 13 Cherokee Indian groups being relocated to Oklahoma crossed the Mississippi River during harsh winter conditions in 1838 and 1839.

Missouri Makes A Good to Great List For Business Starts

Yes, sir, Missouri made a good list for people wanting to start a new business and here it is:

The Best (and Worst) Cities to Start 

a Business In

Trouble is, Kansas City is not in the top ten.

Not close.

Springfield is, however.

Best Cities to Start a Business
1. Shreveport, LA
2. Tulsa, OK
3. Springfield, MO
4. Chattanooga, TN
5. Jackson, MS
6. Sioux Falls, SD
7. Memphis, TN
8. Augusta, GA
9. Greensboro, NC
10. Columbus, GA

Surprised me.

Kansas City, meanwhile?

KCMO came in at number 36.

Wichita, Kansas, a not-too-shabby 16.

Omaha---30

If you check the list, the worst cities for it are in California and most of the best come from the heartland, the midwest. One thing that surely contributes, surely, is the lower costs associated with beginning a business, I should think.

One thing to note however, if "Best Cities to Start a Business In" means either next to no government oversight and/or that they pay little or no taxes, then the list becomes not just unimportant but a negative in my book. They need to be responsible members of the society, it should go without saying.

Side note: Someone needs to remind these people it's still not good grammar to end a sentence with a preposition. But especially the headline.

Link:   2015's Best Cities to Start a Business

Right Wing, "Conservative", Religious, Supposedly "Christian", Republican Springfield Repeals Equality

There's a shocker, huh?

LGBT protections repealed in Springfield

The bigots from the pews won.

This one, this time.

The thing is, what they don't recognize is that we all want equality.

This is America, right?

Didn't we always say, haven't we always been told, from grade school? that "...all men are created equal"?

What too many don't recognize is that the opposite of equality id discrimination.

Don't You Wish You Had Control of Your Own Raise?

It's going on again down in Jefferson City:

Proposed raises for state elected officials: $1,994,336

It seems clear they decided they wanted $2000 more per year but they didn't want to be too terribly obvious. 

Doesn't everyone wish they could propose and then vote on their own pay raise with all your fellow co-workers, all your pals?

And before anyone goes all nutso on this, yes, I know a state commission came up with this plan. It's just that it seems pretty cushy for them. Their pay raises get considered every 2 or 3 years and they themselves do vote on them.

The bigger question, for me, is how soon are we going to, first, get the minimum wage up to a true, "livable wage", say in the range of $15 per hour? Whose looking after the "little guys and gals" on the street? And then, second, how soon--if ever---can we get it pegged to rise with the inflation rate? It's only then that people will get and have that true, livable wage and we'll get that much closer to having better demand for goods in the nation. It would benefit all, all around.

Let's get this party started.

Check out what's coming from Right Wing, Republican, "Conservative", "Small Government" Southwest Missouri

Check out what just came out of Southwest Missouri---and don't think it won't be headed your way:

First sobriety checkpoint using 'No refusal' guidelines

If this isn't a rights travesty, I don't know what is. Check out the details:

Numerous arrests were made during sobriety checkpoint Friday evening.

The four-hour checkpoint at the intersection of Kansas Expressway and Broadmoor Street involved more than 900 motorists.

According to a news release, this was the first checkpoint in which the agencies utilized a "no refusal" program announced by Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson earlier this week.

This new program is an effort to help keep impaired drivers off the streets.

It is called a "no refusal" policy because all arrested impaired drivers who refuse breath testing are subject to blood testing for alcohol if a judge approves a warrant. The ability of law enforcement officers to submit their search warrant applications to judges electronically make this process both easy and relatively quick.

The checkpoint was funded through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation, Division of Highway Safety.

There are so many things to say about this, I'll do my best to be brief.

And understand, up front, I have personally been the victim of two drunk driving accidents where the person smashed into my car. My own injuries were extensive in each, too, so I'm not against keeping drunks or drug addicts off the streets and out from behind the wheels of cars, don't get me wrong.

What I am patently against here is the presumption, from the outset, of sobriety checkpoints, first, and then, this second, added feature of a "no refusal" policy for a breath test.

What part of "innocent until proven guilty" do these people not understand?

This is what we've come to in America? Personal rights be damned, full speed ahead?

And I love that they got everyone on board here, too--the county sheriff, the local police, the highway patrol, the whole kitten-kaboodle. I'm surprised the Boy Scouts of America weren't asked to participate. "Sure! Get 'em all on board! Let's show 'em how we treat rights in America!"

Whatever in the world happen to Fifth Amendment rights and the Presumption of innocence?

I say again, this is supposed to be Right Wing, if not extreme Right Wing, very Republican, very "red", "small government", "conservative" Southwest Missouri and Springfield. Where are these Gestapo tactics coming from?

I think people ought to organize down there in Springfield and the surrounding area, Greene County and others, and go straight for the next weekend checkpoint. Then, when they're pulled over, all say the same thing: "No, I won't take a breathalyzer test. I've done nothing wrong. I know my rights. This is America, after all."

Then, let them drag them all, hopefully hundreds of them, into jail.

I'd join that party.