Glenn Nielsen Weblog

Shane and Jonathan at the Libertarian Dime Podcast interviewed me after I returned from the 2008 National Libertarian Party Convention in Denver. We discussed the NLP Convention, the nomination of Congressman Bob Barr for President by the Libertarian Party and we got off topic a bit talking about the environment and carbon credits.

Listen to the podcast.

I was interviewed a second time by the Libertarian Dime podcast. The topic of this interview was recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding the fourth amendment to the U.S. Constitution which upheld broadening when police can search you without a search warrant, and another recent U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding state requirements to require a photo ID to vote.

You can find out more information about the video I mention in the interview that educates you on practical ways to stand up for your rights at Flex Your Rights

Listen to the podcast here.

Missouri libertarians have opposed smoking bans in communities all across Missouri. In some cases, helping to prevent a smoking ban from being enacted.

Here is my response to a recent e-mail received by the Missouri Libertarian Party regarding our opposition to smoking bans:

Thank you for your long and heartfelt e-mail regarding rights and second hand smoke.

There is no doubt that smoking increases the risk of lung cancer and heart disease for smokers. Second hand smoke is annoying to many people and may pose a health risk.

A fundamental libertarian principle is defending individual liberties. Libertarians believe you should be free to live your life as long as you do not harm another person, their property or defraud them.

Discussion of rights can be a tricky thing. Often advocacy groups for government social redistribution programs claim there is a right to housing, a right to health care or a right to a job.

Nothing can be a natural right if it imposes an obligation on another or takes away their rights.

For example, a right to government health care would impose on others to pay for it with the fruits of their labor. To collect those taxes government uses force or the threat of force, threatening to take away your rights if you don't pay.

Libertarians are also strong defenders of property rights.

The issue of smoking bans comes down to an issue of property rights.

A smoker has no right to smoke on someone elses property unless they have the permission of the property owner.

Neither does a non smoker have a right to force a private property owner to prohibit smoking on their private property.

Another problem is the use of the term "public". Sometimes this term is used when referring to property owned by government. Other times it is used when describing a private business which is open to the public.

For true public buildings owned by government such as court houses, schools, etc. They have every right to ban smoking.

For private businesses to which the public is invited government has no business forcing the property owner to prohibit smoking. When they do so they are infringing on the rights of the property owner to set policies on how their property is used, as long as their use does not infringe on neighboring property owners. Individuals can choose based on the smoking policy of a private business owner whether they want to patronize that business. They can vote with their dollars. No one is dragging non smokers off the street and forcing them into a smoky bar.

Libertarians are also strong advocates of a truly free market. Libertarians understand that the free market generally results in the optimal mix of solutions to a problem.

Only forty years ago about half of all adults smoked. That number is now down to around 20%. As the number of smokers has dropped the demand for smoke free venues has increased. Business owners, in their own self interest have been slowly changing their smoking policies to meet that demand. For example, in Columbia Missouri 52% of restaurants were smoke free in 2003. By 2006 63% of restaurants were smoke free. The free market was adjusting to the demand for smoke free restaurants, giving you the non smoker more choices for smoke free venues.

Libertarians oppose using the heavy hand of government to infringe on the property rights of private business owners when the free market is working to provide the optimal mix of smoking/non-smoking venues.

If you want to be free to exercise the natural rights, individual liberties and freedoms you cherish; you must be willing to grant others their freedom. Even if you don't agree with the choices they might make in their life.

Yours in liberty,

Glenn Nielsen
State Chair
Missouri Libertarian Party

Here is the original e-mail with the name of the sender removed:

Hello, Glenn,

A few days ago I received in the mail an over sized blue post card that told me you, Glenn Nielsen, were inviting me to rediscover the Party of Principle. The first paragraph demonstrated to me that at least one of your principles does not match mine. I would have a problem supporting any organization or group that promote the trampling of the rights of individuals. And you do it in the first paragraph! You brag that Libertarians in St. Louis County helped stop a smoking ban twice. For a party that espouses the rights and freedoms of the individual, this action is unconscionable.

Smoking is the only commonly practiced habit people have that immediately affects everyone in their vicinity. If I go somewhere and others drink alcoholic beverages and I do not, I can get behind the wheel of a car and not fear having to pass a breath test. But if I go to a public place where smoking is permitted, I leave smelling like a three-pack-a-day smoker. The evidence in support of the adverse effects of second-hand smoke on the health of non-smokers continues to mount. And consider the adverse effects on the developing body of a small child if one or both parents smoke. Should be referred to as environmental child abuse! Fortunately, more and more restaurants are voluntarily going smoke-free. There is little that is more disgusting than to request non-smoking in a restaurant, be seated next to the dividing line and have their poor ventilation waft the stench from the smoking section past my nose. It is an appetite killer!

If you observe smokers in public places, many times when they are not taking a drag, they tend to hold the cigarette so its smoke does not go past their nose. Of the smoke generated by a cigarette, probably less than 20% is actually inhaled by the smoker. And a large part of that which is inhaled is exhaled. The rest is shared by the unwilling.

I contend there is no right to smoke. Any activity one person practices that infringes on the rights of another is not a right. If there is a right to smoke there is also a right not to smoke. And smokers infringe that right as soon as they light up! As the old saying goes: Your rights end where my nose begins. This is literally so in the case of smoking. The people have voted on this issue when you consider that less than 25% of adults are smokers.

I feel very strongly about this issue. My father was a smoker and his lungs were a mess when his remains were autopsied. My step-son started smoking at 14. He died at 37 of lung cancer. Smoking is like playing Russian roulette. In this case, however, it may take 20-40 years before you learn if there is a bullet in the chamber.

To misquote a French philosopher: I will agree to defend your right to smoke as soon as you agree to keep your smoke within six inches of your body. On the other hand, as a humor newspaper in South St. Louis printed some years ago: Have a cigarette after your meal and get that yucky food taste out of your mouth.

For most of the past year I have been looking at the Libertarian Party as a viable alternative to the two other parties. I supported Barry Goldwater in 1984 and have for the most part supported Republican candidates. However, I have voted for some Democrats if I thought they were the better of the two. Last year I took the Four Question test after learning about it on the Neal Boortz radio program. That is when I began looking more closely at the Libertarian Party.

An almost Libertarian

KCUR 89.3FM, an NPR station in Kansas City published a story today of the 2008 Heartland Libertarian Conference almost 5 minutes in length. Several members of the Missouri Libertarian Party attending the conference were interviewed.

You can read or listen to the story here.

The Libertarian Dime is a new podcast dedicated to showing a modern version of libertarianism as applied to politics, religion, science, and culture.

The show is hosted by Shane Brady and Jonathan Farr. Shane, a libertarian, recently moved to Missouri from Kansas and Jonathan is a libertarian living in New Mexico.

My interview starts 10-15 minutes into the podcast and lasts over an hour covering a wide range of topics.

Give it a listen here.

The Columbia Public School District has asked voters to approve a 54 cent per one hundred dollars assessed value property tax increase at the April 8th municipal elections.

From the Columbia Public Schools Tax Levy: Questions & Answers document:

Q. Why does the district need a tax levy increase?

A. The tax levy increase will help the district continue to do what is right for Columbia's children. A tax levy increase is necessary due to a change in state funding, increases in the cost of employing teachers and staff, increased mandatory retirement benefits, increases in fixed costs such as utilities and transportation and an increase in student population over the last five years.

The Columbia Public School district claims they need more money to cover increased costs for salaries, goods and services they consume and, increased student population over the last five years.

Yes, their costs have increased over the last five years due to inflation. According to the Consumer Price Index, inflation has increased the price of goods 15.25% over the last five years. Employee salary increases are needed to compensate them for their increased cost of living.

First, they don't seem to understand that their revenues from the current property tax increases when there is inflation. New home prices have risen a great deal in Columbia the last five years and existing home owners have seen the assessed value of their property rise. When this happens, the amount of money you pay in property taxes increases and, the school district raises more money.

Second, when their student population increases, that shows growth in the school district. Those students and their families have to live somewhere and they patronize local businesses. New homes are built and new businesses open due to this growth. This increases the amount of property to tax, raising more money for the school district.

Allan Rodgers of Citizens Against New Taxes (C.A.N.T) has done a great job analyzing the district financial data for the last five years:

• Enrollment in the Columbia Public Schools has risen less than 1% over the last five years.
• Assessed value of property has increased 43% over the last five years.
• School district revenues from the current property tax has increased 46% over the last five years, three times the rate of inflation.
• The school district has one teacher for every 14.2 students.

A fiscally responsible school district should never have to raise the tax rate to cover increased costs from inflation or growth in student population. Their revenues automatically increase to cover these increased costs.

I don't know where the school district has been wasting our money. The only way to hold them accountable for their mismanagement and be fiscally responsible in the future is to vote NO on the increased tax levy.

Vote NO Tuesday April 8th on the Columbia Public School tax levy increase

I along with the Constitution Party State Chair were invited to speak at the Southern Missouri Paul-a-thon January 25th in Mountain View, MO. The southern Missouri Ron Paul Meetup groups did a great job organizing this event which drew over 200 people.

It was invigorating to be in a room full of everyday people who care so deeply for freedom, liberty and the principles our nation was founded on.

Below is the video from my speech in two parts. Thanks to Movie Guy Nick and his friend for taping this event and getting the videos posted on You Tube

My introduction and the first few lines of my speech are missing from the first video.

I was interviewed January 29th, 2008 for an hour by Steve Spellman on KOPN 89.5FM, a community radio station in Columbia, MO.

We discussed the upcoming Presidential Primary in Missouri, third party politics, libertarianism, the environment and Congressman Ron Paul's run for the Republican Party Presidential nomination.

KOPN had technical difficulties partway through the interview so you will hear me suddenly change topics during the broadcast.

Here is a link to the podcast of the interview.

Embedded below is my Missouri Viewpoints interview released Sunday January 13th, 2008. Libertarian Mike Ferguson performs the interviews for the political affairs online show and David White does a great job video taping and producing the videos for YouTube.

This interview even got a mention in the Jo Mannies St. Louis Post Dispatch Blog

Glenn Nielsen, Chair of the Missouri Libertarian Party

Columbia Missouri passed a complete ban on smoking in restaurants and bars in October 2006 which started January 9th 2007. A growing number of restaurants and bars which have closed since then are blaming the smoking ban. After seven months it was reported that overall sales tax revenues in Columbia were down in 2007 including restaurant and bar sales tax revenues.

Dr. Michael Pakko, a PH.D. economist and research officer for the St. Louis branch of the Federal Reserve published the paper The Economic Impact of a Smoking Ban in Columbia, Missouri with preliminary results showing a 5% decline in bar and restaurant sales due to the smoking ban. This set off a firestorm of denials of any economic impact by anti-smoking activists, claiming that businesses which closed were poorly managed and even included smear tactics to try and discredit Dr. Pakko. Of course these anti-smoking activists love to quote studies released by government agencies or those funded by anti-tobacco groups.

This raises the question -- who do you trust?

I defended Dr. Pakko in an op-ed in the Columbia Daily Tribune, Smoking ban study critic ill-informed and then raised questions about the veracity of an economic study published by our own Missouri Dept. of Health and Senior Services.

Here are links to background information supporting Dr. Pakko and which help document the questions I raise about the DHSS study in my op-ed:

• DHSS Maryville Smoking Ban Press Release
• DHSS Maryville Smoking Ban Economic Study
• Dr. Pakko's review of the DHSS Maryville Study
• Dr. Pakko's Columbia Smoking Ban Economic Study
• Study: Smoking ban hurts sales -- Federal Reserve report cites 5 percent decline
• Op-ed by a Mr. Cowger trying to discredit Dr. Pakko
• Smoking ban study critic ill-informed

I didn't have a vacation this summer from my day job or from my position as State Chair of the Missouri Libertarian Party.

What I did do (outside of my day job) was continue all my libertarian activism locally in Boone County, work on statewide issues and travel the state attending libertarian and other events.

I write this to acknowledge the hard work of libertarians across the state and to encourage others to get more involved. These are just the activities I participated in. There were many more libertarian events and booths across the state during the summer. Thanks to all those who helped organize and staff those events even if they aren't listed below. There is a calendar on the Missouri LP website where you can keep up on current events. If you are planning an event please submit it to our calendar so that visitors to the Missouri LP website can find out about it.

May 21st, 2007 - Spoke at Columbia City Council Meeting

I attended the May 21st, 2007 Columbia City Council Meeting to speak out against using eminent domain to acquire private property for expansion of a failing airport. The three property owners under threat of eminent domain spoke at the Columbia City Council meeting in opposition to taking their land and questioning whether they would receive just compensation. I waited until they had an opportunity to speak, then spoke in their defense. I was the only other person to speak. As I walked back to my seat I could see they appreciated my standing up for them. Later out in the hall I spoke with them and gave them my Missouri LP business card.

June 9th, 2007 - Boone County LP Booth at Mid-Missouri Pride Fest

The Boone County LP staffed an Operation Politically Homeless (OPH) booth at the Mid-Missouri Pride Fest held in Columbia's Stephens Lake Park. We staffed the booth all day giving the World's Smallest Political Quiz and gathering signatures for the Missouri Citizens for Property Rights petitions to amend the Missouri Constitution to prevent government from taking your home or business for private development. This was the third year in a row the BCLP had a booth at this event. Thanks to John Schultz, Boone County LP Chair, for organizing this event and helping staff it.

July 21st, 2007 - St Louis Area Libertarian Picnic

The St. Louis Are Libertarian Party Meetup held a picnic July 21st, 2007 at the Watson Trails Park in Sunset Hills, MO. Sunset Hills, MO is known recently as the place where over a hundred home owners were threatened with taking of their homes by eminent domain. I wrote about this here, Eminent Domain Abuse - Sunset Hills, MO - A story of hollow homes and lives left in limbo, and later about how Sunset Hills, MO City Government Voted Out for Eminent Domain Abuse. It was nice to meet and socialize with over 40 libertarians at the picnic. Pictures can be found here. Thanks to Michael, the meetup organizer, for putting this event together.

July 23rd-29th, 2007 - Boone County LP Boone County Fair Booth

The Boone County LP for the first time ever paid for and staffed a booth at the Boone County fair. We gave the World's Smallest Political Quiz to hundreds of people and once again gathered more signatures for the MO-CPR Eminent Domain petitions. One evening while manning the booth I had a young man approach the booth, state he just moved to Columbia from Tennessee, that he was a libertarian and he was planning on running for City Council. He found out about our booth at the fair from the on the Missouri LP website. If your local LP organization is planning an event please make sure you submit the event to the Missouri LP Calendar. Thanks to Boone County LP Chair John Schultz for organizing this booth and to the Boone County Libertarians who contributed to make it happen. The Boone County LP almost spent enough money that a campaign finance report had to be filed.

July 30th - Columbia Police Citizen Review Board Meeting

Pressure is being put on the City of Columbia to form a Police Citizen Review Board. I attended a meeting at the Columbia Public Library where a representative of the Department of Justice gave an overview of how Citizen Review Boards can work. Prior to the meeting I was interviewed by the local ABC/FOX affiliate and had one short quote aired on the 10PM news. The TV reporter recognized me from when she interviewed me the day of the final hearing on the Columbia Smoking Ban. I have become very interested in recent years in police abuse and violations of our 4th Amendment rights. Radley Balko, former policy analyst for CATO where he authored Overkill: The Rise of Paramilitary Police Raids in America, now a Senior Editor for Reason has a great blog documenting police abuse at The Agitator.

August 4th, 2007 - Property Rights Conference in Cabool

I left Columbia at 6AM for the two and a half hour drive down to Cabool Missouri for the Property Rights Conference hosted by the Ozarks Chapter of the Property Rights Congress. John Williams, Texas County LP Chair, invited me down to attend this gathering of over 150 people who defend property rights in southern rural Missouri.

Ron Calzone, Chairman of Missouri Citizens for Property Rights, presented the first session on his effort to amend the Missouri Constitution to prevent eminent domain from being used for private development. Jane Carpenter of Ozark Missouri closed his session with an emotional appeal regarding her fight to keep her home when it was threatened with condemnation by the Ozark city government.

The big issue at the conference was the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). I met several State Representatives and a State Senator. Senator Claire McCaskill even sent a member of her staff. I met both Bob Parker and Doreen Hannes who have had articles published on the Missouri LP NAIS issue page.

August 4th - Met with Tony Messenger, Keith Rodgers and Phil Horras in Springfield

I left the Property Rights Conference after lunch so I could drive over an hour to Springfield for a late afternoon lunch at the Springfield Brewery. There I met up with Tony Messenger, the editor of the Springfield News Leader editorial page, Keith Rodgers, Greene County LP Chair and Phil Horras, 2000 Missouri LP Lieutenant Governor candidate.

I got to know Tony Messenger when he was a columnist for the Columbia Daily Tribune and drive time host on KFRU radio. Tony was a great ally in our fight to stop the smoking ban in Columbia and is very open to hearing from libertarians on issues.

It was a nice lunch with good food, refreshments and interesting discussions about politics and sports.

August 4th - Greene County LP meeting - Doug Burlison Award

I left the Springfield Brewery at 5:30PM to drive over to the Greene County LP meeting. There I met up with Ron Calzone of MO-CPR for the second time that day. He was there to encourage libertarians in Springfield to help petition for eminent domain reform.

During the meeting I presented Doug Burlison, former GCLP Chair and recently elected to the Springfield City Council, with a Missouri LP Champion of Freedom award. Doug was selected for this award prior to winning his seat on the city council for all the hard work he did which lead to his winning election. Most notably, he led the petition effort in Springfield to force a state audit of the Springfield City finances.

After 400 miles on the road and 19 hours I finally made it home. What a busy day!

August 7th, 2007 - Jefferson City Election Day Petitioning for MO-CPR

Once again I teamed up with Ron Calzone of MO-CPR and John Schultz, Boone County LP Chair to petition all day at Jefferson City polling places during the August 7th election.

August 8th, 2007 - Contacted by National CBS Early Show for interview

The National CBS Early Show was hosted in Kansas City Friday August 10th. They like to have a short segment on local issues and had picked smoking bans. On August 8th they contacted the Boone Liberty Coalition to see if we had someone who could be a guest on their show to speak on why we opposed the Columbia smoking ban.

I ended up being the BLC member who could make the interview. I was very excited and nervous. Excited that all the hard work the Boone Liberty Coalition did had risen to the level where we were noticed by a national tv show. Nervous because I would be on national TV.

The day before the interview I finally spoke with staff from the show and did a short phone interview. In the end I wasn't selected to be on the show. They decided to only have a government health employee from Kansas City on.

That was disappointing but just being asked was a validation of all the hard work the BLC did over almost two years fighting the Columbia smoking ban. Thanks to all the hard work of the Boone Liberty Coalition, especially John Dupuy, John Schultz and Greg Rennier.

August 9th-19th, 2007 - Missouri LP Booth at Missouri State Fair

The Missouri LP had a booth at the Missouri State Fair. At the booth we have libertarian literature and give the World's Smallest Political Quiz. Many libertarians staffing the booth also gathered signatures for the MO-CPR eminent domain petition.

I staffed the booth for three six hour shifts and heard many positive comments about our work to get eminent domain reform on the ballot. State Representative Belinda Harris (D) from Jefferson County stopped by the booth and brought others with her to sign the petition. She introduced the same language for the petition in the 2007 State Legislative Session. We had a nice conversation about eminent domain and other issues of good government.

Thanks to all those who helped staff our State Fair booth. Special thanks to Randy Langkraehr, Missouri LP Treasurer, for coordinating the State Fair booth for the fourth year in a row.

August 24th, 2007 - St. Charles County LP Ten Year Anniversary Dinner

I attended a dinner celebrating the St. Charles County LP ten year anniversary. It was nice relaxing over dinner and meeting some St. Charles area libertarians for the first time. Thanks to Bob Sullentrup, St. Charles County LP Chair and National Libertarian Party Secretary for organizing this event. Here is a picture from the dinner.

September 8th, 2007 - Bob Barr BBQ in St. Louis

The Libertarian Coalition for Responsibility hosted a Bob Barr-B-Q and fund raiser at Greensfelder Park. Bob Barr, former member of the US House from Georgia and now a member of the Libertarian Party National Committee, was the keynote speaker. Shane Corey, Libertarian Party National Committee Executive Director was in attendance. Michael Ferguson, winner of the Libertarian Coalition for Responsibility 2007 Leadership award also spoke. Several dozen people attended on a rainy day to help raise funds for libertarian candidates. Thanks to Bob Sullentrup for organizing the event. Here are some pictures from the event.

In addition there were monthly meetings of my local Boone County LP, Missouri LP Executive Committee and Missouri LP Strategic Planning Committee meetings.

What a busy summer!

The Columbia City Council at its 5/21/2007 meeting voted unanimously to acquire 61 acres of land adjacent to the Columbia Regional Airport for expanding runways. They authorized spending up to $300,000.00 for three parcels of land. The city will be reimbursed for 95% of the cost by the Federal Aviation Administration resulting in a net expense of $15,000.00 for the city. Use of eminent domain to acquire the land if the city can't come to terms with the property owners was authorized.

The three property owners spoke before the council. Their main points were that:

• The city did not inform the property owners about this pending action.
• The property owners have plans to develop their property.
• If the city takes the property it would increase their costs to develop it
• Concern that they will not receive just compensation for the value of their property.
• Finally, that they were not interested in selling.

This is the first step for implementing the 2002 Airport Master Plan. A quick review of the master plan and recent news reports tell the story of a failing airport.

• Ailing airport wants new name
• City strengthens plan to acquire airport land - Eminent domain a possible avenue

The entire airport expansion plan will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Only 5% of that will come from the city with 95% coming from the Federal Aviation Administration. Regardless of who pays, it is all our tax dollars and our airline user fees.

Here are some graphs showing the historical airport usage and projected use from 2000 through 2020. I took the liberty of plotting actual usage on the projected usage graph.

Only government could justify spending hundreds of millions of dollars on a major airport expansion for an airport which is clearly failing!

Of course government bureaucrats and elected officials answer for any failed government program or project is to just spend more money.

Here are my public comments regarding airport expansion at the 5/21/2007 Columbia City Council Meeting:

I am speaking in opposition to the acquisition of additional
land to support future airport expansion.

I have flown out of our airport just once.  My return flight
was delayed for hours. I sat there thinking to myself that I
could be home now if I had just driven to St. Louis.  On my
return, I found my luggage stained with hydraulic fluid.

That was eight years ago. Since then I have used the private
airport shuttle service or driven myself. This is an example
of how the free market provides better service to air travelers
-- at a profit -- than the heavily subsidized commuter airline
paid for with my tax dollars.

According to newspaper reports, this land acquisition is part
of the 2003 airport master plan -- which is anticipating
additional needs through 2020.

According to historical data in the master plan, general
aviation and cargo have been relatively flat. Commercial
boardings have been in a steady decline since their peak
in 1978 of 67,588.

In 2006, boardings reached an all time low of 13,673. A May
12th Columbia Daily Tribune story predicts that boardings this
year may not reach 10,000. Yet the master plan projects over
70,000 boardings for this year.

The master plan projections are completely disconnected from
historic usage trends.

How can this performance justify expanding the airport at
this time, especially through the property-seizing power of
eminent domain?

Thank You

My first ten days as Missouri Libertarian Party Chair have been very busy. The picture to the left is a new portrait I had made which was needed by the Missouri Secretary of State for publishing the Blue Book which contains information about political parties. I won't bore you with all the other administrative things I have been doing. Here are some of the highlights from the first ten days.

May 13th - Mike Ferguson Online Interview
May 14th - Political Round Table Radio Show on The Eagle 93.9FM in Columbia (follow link to listen to the podcast)
May 14th - Press Release: Missouri Libertarian Party Elects New Officers At May 5th State Convention
May 15th - Springfield News Leader Editor Tony Messenger Blog Post - A strong Libertarian voice

Recently it was reported in the news that Warrensburg Missouri, home of the University of Central Missouri, is considering a restaurant and bar smoking ban. Fortunately, libertarians in Johnson County are following the lead of the Boone Liberty Coalition and have formed the Johnson Liberty Coalition to organize opposition to the smoking ban. Thanks to Randy Langkraehr, Ben Casebolt and Bill Wayne in Johnson County for getting this started.

Clayton Missouri property owners have won an appeal to prevent their property from being taken for the Centene Corporation commercial development.

This case is similar to the Kelo vs New London Development Corporation US Supreme Court case which upheld the right of municipalities to take private property for commercial development. Those in the majority claimed this was a states rights issue. The Missouri State Legislature passed eminent domain reform in 2006 but it did nothing to prevent taking of property for commercial development.

The case will now go to the Missouri Supreme Court.

Now we will see if the Missouri Supreme Court does a better job than our elected representatives.

Here are links to several stories about the Clayton eminent domain court decision:

• http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/04/23/daily22.html
• http://www.showmedaily.org/2007/04/centen_corp_hea.html
• http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/1F3818449BE60640862572C800131CDD?OpenDocument

Here is a National Animal Identification System (NAIS) Missouri State Legislature action alert for May 1st 8:30AM. Thanks to Doreen Hannes for getting this out.

• What? NAIS in Missouri
• Where? Jefferson City Capitol Building
• When? May 1st, Tuesday at 8:30am
• Why? Because Chairman Quinn will not allow SB428 out of committee as it passed the Senate 29-2.....If you care at all, now is the time to take action.

On Tuesday morning, May 1st we absolutely must be in Jefferson City to hit every reps office with a simple, solid message regarding NAIS. That message is:

"We need No NAIS in the state of Missouri. No "voluntary", no mandatory and definitely no "State" NAIS. Bring Senate Bill 428 to the floor as it passed the Senate 29-2 and let the people be represented."

Here is the plan...We will meet in the basement Hearing Room area at 8:30 am and will have a brief meeting and split up the offices of the reps between those who show up. Then we will meet with every rep possible face toface and let them see that we are serious about this and do not want anything to do with it. Your rep is only one of those who makes laws that affect you. Every representative is your representative.

We must let them see that people are concerned enough about this to show up. Every single person represents many times themselves. Please show up. You can't have anything better to do than to fight for your own ability to feed yourselves. Remember less than 2% of the national population is involved in agriculture and this will take care of all but corporate ag, which will then quickly go south of the border in search of cheap labor.

I look forward to seeing all of you there on Tuesday.

God bless,

Doreen Hannes