Democracy for Missouri Endorses Lexi Norris for Missouri House District 30!

Democracy for Missouri, the statewide Democracy for America grassroots group, endorses Lexi Norris for Missouri House District 30. Lexi is an outstanding grassroots candidate and a champion of the fiscally responsible and civic-minded values that Democracy for Missouri stands for. Her focus on jobs, fiscal responsibility, education, health care and ethics reform make her an ideal candidate for representing Missouri House District 30. As a representative in Jefferson City, Lexi will work to create quality jobs, make health care more affordable, and ensure that our children receive a first-rate education. Democracy for Missouri enthusiastically endorses Lexi Norris for Missouri House District 30.

Democracy for Missouri Endorses Courtney Cole for Missouri House District 121!

Democracy for Missouri, the state grassroots Democracy for America group, announces its endorsement of Courtney Cole for Missouri House District 121.

“As a public school teacher, a small businesswoman, and a mother, Courtney Cole has run a community-focused door to door campaign that contrasts with the divisive partisan politics approach of too many representatives in Jefferson City,” said Wayne Brekhus, President of Democracy for Missouri. “Democracy for Missouri has endorsed Courtney Cole because she will work tirelessly to create quality jobs, make health care more affordable, and ensure a stellar, first-rate education for Missouri’s children.”

Cole is a Higginsville High School teacher running for the 121st District House Seat against incumbent Denny Hoskins. She is focused on jobs, education, agriculture and health care.

“I am grateful to have Democracy for Missouri’s endorsement,” said Cole. “They have proven themselves to be an effective grassroots organization interested in greater community involvement in politics.”

To contribute to Courtney and other progressive Missouri candidates click on the ActBlue link on this page.

Democracy for Missouri endorses J. Scott Christianson for Boone County Presiding Commissioner

Democracy for Missouri, the state Democracy for America group, announces its endorsement of J. Scott Christianson for Boone County Presiding Commissioner.

“While much attention is given to top of the ticket races, elections at the county level have the largest impact on the quality of life for area residents,” said Wayne Brekhus, President of Democracy for Missouri. “Democracy for Missouri endorsed Scott Christianson for Boone County Presiding Commissioner because we know he will work in a cooperative and proactive way with Boone County’s towns, employers, schools and higher education institutions to plan for the future.”

Christianson is the owner of a small business, Kaleidoscope Videoconferencing, in Columbia, MO. “As a business owner, Scott will bring proven problem-solving experience to his service as a county commissioner,” added Brekhus. “Scott is a thoughtful leader who is willing to work with and listen to people from a diverse range of views, perspectives, and experiences.”

“I am grateful to have Democracy for Missouri’s support in this race,” said Christianson. “They have proven themselves to be an effective grassroots organization that works hard to shed light on many of our most pressing problems.”

Democracy for Missouri endorses Keri Cottrell for House District 1!

Columbia MO – Democracy for Missouri, the statewide Democracy for America group, endorses Keri Cottrell for Missouri House District 1. As a school teacher in Canton, Missouri, Keri has demonstrated her passion for educating our children and for serving Missouri families. Keri has an impressive understanding of how to brings jobs to and improve the economy of rural communities. Her focus on jobs, education, the rural economy and health care make her an ideal candidate for representing Missouri House District 1. As a representative in Jefferson City, Keri Cottrell will work tirelessly to create quality jobs, make health care more affordable, and ensure that our children receive a first-rate education. Democracy for Missouri enthusiastically endorses Keri Cottrell.

To contribute to Keri and other progressive candidates click here:

Democracy for Missouri Endorses Kelly Schultz for House District 21!

Columbia, MO--Democracy for Missouri, the statewide Democracy for America group, endorses Kelly Schultz for Missouri House District 21 as its first endorsement of the 2010 election cycle. Kelly is a champion of the fiscally responsible, socially progressive values that Democracy for Missouri stands for. Kelly Schultz has demonstrated her passion for serving Missouri families, working for the past eleven years in policy and constituent services in the Capitol as well as serving her community as current President of the Boone County Foster Parent Support Group. As a representative in Jefferson City, Kelly will work tirelessly to create quality jobs, make health care more affordable, and ensure that our children achieve a world-class education. Democracy for Missouri enthusiastically announces Kelly Schultz as our first endorsement of the 2010 election cycle.

Donate to Kelly Schultz and other progressive grassroots Missouri candidates here:

Democracy For Missouri

There has been a bit of a snafu with the old Democracy for Missouri. so leftinmissouri.com will be it's home until we can find a happy place for it. :)

Bill Monroe and Wayne Brekhus have been invited to be bloggers as well. Enjoy :)

Busy Summer for Democrats

Here in the city of Columbia, there is no shortage of action for the political junkie and/or activist. We have the 23rd, 24th, and the 25th Legislative district races, as well as candidates for state senate and US Congress. Throw in the coordinated campaign of Jay Nixon and you have a great opportunity to further progressive causes in Missouri. Sean Spence (DFMo. endorsed), Mary Still, and Bob Pund are vying for the 25th leg. seat. The winner will meet a Republican in the fall. Candi Iverson and Stephen Webber and running for the 23rd leg seat. Since there is no Republican running in that seat, the winner of the primary will be the presumptive winner. Chris Kelly and Kelly Schultz are running for the 24th and 21st respectively and will meet Ed Robb and Steve Hobbs in November. Many of these campaigns are embracing a grassroots style of action and are moving away from the top down style of running campaigns. Some of these candidates are on Facebook and they use it quite regularly to disperse information to their supporters. I predict big gains for Democrats this fall. The Republicans on all levels have left this nation broke and yearning for change. So get out there, canvass for your favorite candidate and let's win!

Preachers Behaving Badly?

With all the hand-wringing and calls for condemnation of Rev Wrights "race baiting" comments why hasn't the Republican party distanced themselves from their own "hate" preachers? Here are a few stupid made by Pat Robertson:

"I would warn Orlando that you're right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don't think I'd be waving those flags in God's face if I were you, This is not a message of hate -- this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It'll bring about terrorist bombs; it'll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor." –Pat Robertson, on "gay days" at Disneyworld

"(T)he feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians." –Pat Robertson

Can't Forget about Rev. Farwell:

"Well, I totally concur." –Pat Robertson to Jerry Falwell following the Sept. 11 attacks, after Falwell said, "I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the American Way -- all of them who have tried to secularize America -- I point the finger in their face and say: "You helped this happen."

When Pat Robertson endorsed Rudy Guliani, there was no looping of Robertson comments on Faux News, nor did the pundits care. This is nothing more than a distraction to make people not notice the mess that the Republicans made here in Missouri and across this nation.

Democracy For Missouri's own Wayne Brekhus receives the William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence

Democracy For Missouri president Wayne Brekhus received the William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence on April 1st. This award is given out to 5 outstanding teachers each year at the University of Missouri. This honor also comes with a monetary reward of $10,000 and a visit from the university's top brass. Many of us from Democracy For Missouri knew that Dr. Brekhus was someone special, what took the university do long :)

In Memoriam

Margot Patterson Lubensky, first Boone County woman to serve in the General assembly, died Friday March 28, 2008. The Missourian has a nice article about Ms. Lubensky.

Democracy For Missouri First ACTBlue check

Not a huge check...$76.83, but it's a start :)

Latest from the Artisan

Bill Monroe let everyone know about the upcoming tabling for Barack Obama at the Twilight Festival in Columbia. Rebecca Schedler announced that she was starting up the local Edward's campaign here. More info on that as I get more on it. There will be a fund raising party for Democracy for Missouri at Craig's house on September 27th. Donations will be asked to donate a quarter every time a candidate mentions 9/11.

Local DFA gets coverage on Michael Moore's Sicko Blog

I'm really excited that Columbia Mo. got coverage on Moore's SICKO Blog. It feels real good that a small but passionate group of activists can make a difference and inspire others to see beyond what the mainstream media has been telling them and to use common sense. I am glad that Moore made this film. My sister told me she hates Moore, but what he said in his film was right on. I really don't care what people think of the messenger, as long as the message gets through.

LTTE From the Democracy For Missouri Prez

I recall Memorial Days in my youth: a parade down Main Street to the Memorial Library, where solemn and patriotic speeches were made over the lawn covered with neat rows of white wooden crosses, followed by a 21-gun salute by the VFW - men who just 15 years before had freed the world from tyranny.

Sweet memories. So what have we today?

The Columbia Memorial Day Fly-in I attended bears little resemblance to a sincere memorial of war dead. This year’s headlined 10,000-square-foot "Virtual Army Experience" attracted participants lined up as if they were at Disneyland, to play soldier on widescreen video screens with a climax of realistic explosions. (No cries of the dead and wounded, no screams of women and children - just "Shock and Awe" explosions.)

When did war become a game?

When did Memorial Day become an obscene military recruitment tool?

As a member of Democracy for Missouri, I was present outside the VAE, helping to hand out more than 200 American Friends Service Committee DVDs on the truth about enlistment and military service. We are told that once inside, uniformed VAE personnel offered to break the discs. I pray that those who held onto their DVDs will watch and share them. Democracy breathes truth.

The "Fly-in" as organized was very poorly attended, and there were few old planes in evidence - just recruitment "rides." My hope is that organizers will have an epiphany about the true meaning of Memorial Day and stop glorying in weaponry and destruction.

---

Bill Monroe

505 E. 10th St.

Fulton

A Great LTTE From DFMo Prez Bill Monroe to the Columbia Missourian

Below is a letter to the editor to the Columbia Missourian by Democracy for Missouri president Bill Monroe in response to J. Karl Miller's misinformed opinion piece about "voter fraud"

Mr Warhover,

J. Karl Miller has finally gone too far in his call to end non-existent "voter fraud" in Missouri, thru the use of Voter photo IDs. His thinly veiled racist referrences are over the top:
"The dense populations — which include an abundance of the lesser-affluent, least-educated and most-defenseless people — naturally attract a criminal element and provide a fertile ground for the incidence of fraud."

R epublican efforts to suppress Black voting in this Country are legion. The firing of Federal Attorney Graves when he refused to play ball with the Alberto Gonzales' agenda and pursue so-called voter fraud cases in Missouri is a recent example. Miller refers to this in his opinion piece. It has been shown to have no merit and may contribute to Gonzales being impeached. Republican Ohio's voter suppression of African Americans in the last two elections are well documented: Lines blocks long in the Black areas, and no waiting in the white suburbs.

J. Karl sites cases in which ACORN's paid registration people faked documents to increase their reimbursement. ACORN has acknowledged that this took place in a handful of instances. The pertinent question is, whether these faked people voted. Of course they didn't. There is not one case cited in which someone actually voted fraudulently.

The photo ID scheme is nothing more than an poll tax aimed at preventing the poor and handicapped from voting. It is racist and needs to be recognized as such. The "dense" populations of "most defenseless people" have every right to vote unhindered.


Bill Monroe
Pres. Democracy for Missouri
505 E 10th St
Fulton MO
65251
573 592 8328