“…on February 10, 1954, Senator Homer Ferguson of Michigan introduced a bill in the United States Congress to amend the Pledge of Allegiance by adding the words, “under God,” to the text of the pledge…”

Eagle Forum Alaska

Monday, July 31, 2006

2006 Gubernatorial Candidate Questionnaire [link broken]

…11. Are you offended by the phrase “Under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance? Why or why not?

…SP [Sarah Palin]: Not on your life. If it was good enough for the founding fathers, its good enough for me and I’ll fight in defense of our Pledge of Allegiance…

[emphasis added]

Who would have known that Homer Ferguson was a founding father?

A concurrent resolution, introduced by Representative Mike Kelley (r):

FIRST REGULAR SESSION

House Concurrent Resolution No. 17 [pdf]

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE KELLEY.

0883L.01I

WHEREAS, on February 10, 1954, Senator Homer Ferguson of Michigan introduced a bill in the United States Congress to amend the Pledge of Allegiance by adding the words, “under God,” to the text of the pledge; and

WHEREAS, February 10, 1954, was chosen as the date to introduce the bill by Senator Ferguson because it was the five-year anniversary of the imprisonment of Cardinal Joseph Mindszenty of Hungary, who was imprisoned and tortured by Communists for his sermons exposing the goal of Communism to eradicate all religion; and

WHEREAS, speeches were delivered in Congress by members of both political parties, honoring Cardinal Mindszenty and emphasizing the threat posed to America by Communism; and

WHEREAS, upon introduction of the bill, Senator Ferguson commented, “I believe this modification of the pledge is important because it highlights one of the real fundamental differences between the free world and the Communist world, namely, belief in God,” furthering that with, “Our nation is founded on a fundamental belief in God, and the first and most important reason for the existence of our Government is to protect the God-given rights of our citizens. Spiritual values are every bit as important to the defense and safety of our nation as are military and economic values.”; and

WHEREAS, the vote to add “under God” to the United States Pledge of Allegiance was a unanimous vote; and

WHEREAS, on February 7, 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower became convinced that adding the words, “under God,” to the United States Pledge of Allegiance would be the right thing to do after hearing Reverend George Docherty preach that the phrase, “nation under God” was first used in the Gettysburg Address and were appropriate to be added to the United States Pledge of Allegiance because freedom “is defined by a fundamental belief in God”; and

WHEREAS, the first time the United States Pledge of Allegiance was recited was on Flag Day, June 14, 1954; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Missouri General Assembly to recognize and honor such an important date which strengthens the ties of history that bind us to our Christian heritage:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of Representatives of the Ninety-eighth General Assembly, First Regular Session, the Senate concurring therein, hereby recognize February 10, 1954, as the anniversary of the addition of the words, “under God,” to the United States Pledge of Allegiance.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for members of the Missouri Capitol Press Corps.

[emphasis in original]

“…the vote to add “under God” to the United States Pledge of Allegiance was a unanimous vote…”

United States Constitution

Article VI

…but no religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.

“…President Dwight D. Eisenhower became convinced that adding the words, “under God,” to the United States Pledge of Allegiance would be the right thing to do after hearing Reverend George Docherty preach…”

And the point is?

“…it is the policy of the Missouri General Assembly to recognize and honor such an important date which strengthens the ties of history that bind us to our Christian heritage…”

Really?

WEST VIRGINIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION ET AL. v. BARNETTE ET AL., 319 U.S. 624 (1943)

….If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. If there are any circumstances which permit an exception, they do not now occur to us….

“…that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for members of the Missouri Capitol Press Corps…”

What on earth for?

Meanwhile, thousands of Missouri citizens do not have access to adequate health care.

Previously:

Those who ignore history are, well….stupid (October 25,2007)

Oi vay, part 2 (September 1, 2008)

On improving practical utility (February 17, 2015)

It was a cold day in Jefferson City.

Late this morning at the Capitol:

Representative Mike Kelley (r) (right). There is no railing, there are no steps, there is no safety net.

That describes the agenda of the republican majority in the Missouri General Assembly in a nutshell.

We made the drive to Jefferson City this morning to watch the House in session. Once we arrived we walked in the single digit temperature and wind from where we parked our car to the capitol building. A few minutes after 10:00 a.m. the House was called into session. After less than thirty minutes they voted to adjourn until Monday afternoon.

As we left the building we turned to photograph the statue of Thomas Jefferson at the front of the building. That’s when we noted two individuals on an exterior window ledge.  

A bill on the death penalty, filed today by Representative Mike Kelley (r):

SECOND REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 2082

97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES KELLEY (127) (Sponsor), BRATTIN AND HICKS (Co-sponsors).

6312H.02I    D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To repeal section 546.720, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the death penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

           Section A. Section 546.720, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 546.720, to read as follows:

           546.720. 1. The manner of inflicting the punishment of death shall be by the administration of lethal gas [or], by means of the administration of lethal injection, or any other legally recognized method of execution in the United States. [And for such purpose] The director of the department of corrections is hereby authorized and directed to provide a suitable and efficient room or place, enclosed from public view, within the walls of a correctional facility of the department of corrections, and the necessary appliances for carrying into execution the death penalty by means of the administration of lethal gas or by means of the administration of lethal injection. The department of corrections has the authority to determine the manner of inflicting the punishment of death, and it may take into consideration the defendant’s wishes, if any, as to the manner utilized.

           2. If the manner of inflicting the punishment of death is to be carried out by the administration of lethal gas or by means of the administration of lethal injection, the director of the department of corrections shall select an execution team which shall consist of those persons who administer lethal gas or lethal chemicals and those persons, such as medical personnel, who provide direct support for the administration of lethal gas or lethal chemicals. The identities of members of the execution team, as defined in the execution protocol of the department of corrections, shall be kept confidential. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any portion of a record that could identify a person as being a current or former member of an execution team shall be privileged and shall not be subject to discovery, subpoena, or other means of legal compulsion for disclosure to any person or entity, the remainder of such record shall not be privileged or closed unless protected from disclosure by law. The section of an execution protocol that directly relates to the administration of lethal gas or lethal chemicals is an open record, the remainder of any execution protocol of the department of corrections is a closed record.

           3. A person may not, without the approval of the director of the department of corrections, knowingly disclose the identity of a current or former member of an execution team or disclose a record knowing that it could identify a person as being a current or former member of an execution team. Any person whose identity is disclosed in violation of this section shall:

           (1) Have a civil cause of action against a person who violates this section;

           (2) Be entitled to recover from any such person:

           (a) Actual damages; and

           (b) Punitive damages on a showing of a willful violation of this section.

           4. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, if a member of the execution team is licensed by a board or department, the licensing board or department shall not censure, reprimand, suspend, revoke, or take any other disciplinary action against the person’s license because of his or her participation in a lawful execution. All members of the execution team are entitled to coverage under the state legal expense fund established by section 105.711 for conduct of such execution team member arising out of and performed in connection with his or her official duties on behalf of the state or any agency of the state, provided that moneys in this fund shall not be available for payment of claims under chapter 287.

           5. The general assembly of this state finds that the death penalty shall not be considered a cruel and unusual punishment, and that a minimal amount of pain inflicted upon the defendant is acceptable in inflicting the punishment of death.

[emphasis added]

They’re on a roll.

“…or any other legally recognized method of execution in the United States…”

Death Penalty Information Center

Methods of Execution

Lethal Injection

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut*, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland*, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico*, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wyoming, U.S. Military, U.S. Government

Electrocution

Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, [Oklahoma], South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia

Gas Chamber

Arizona, Missouri, [Wyoming]

Hanging

Delaware, New Hampshire, Washington

Firing Squad

[Oklahoma], Utah

Utah no longer offers the firing squad as an option, but would allow it only for inmates who chose this method prior to its elimination .

Oklahoma offers firing squad only if lethal injection and electrocution are found unconstitutional.

(Source: Bureau of Justice Statistics, Capital Punishment 2011; updated by DPIC)

Previously:

Rep. Rick Brattin (r): Ready! Fire! Aim! (January 16, 2014

They took it as a challenge (January 7, 2014)

The GOP House Speaker, John Boehner says the shutdown crisis “isn’t some damn game,” but there’s no doubt that the Republicans in Congress are indeed playing a game, and a very dangerous game it is. And what’s worse, Republican leaders are aware that what they are doing is suicidal as far as their party is concerned and homicidal as far as the nation goes. It’s happening because of a few yeast-brained fools who think that they’re making a grand stand for principles that even they are hard put to describe in meaningful terms. E. J. Dionne puts it perfectly; it’s “the Seinfeld Shutdown: It’s about absolutely nothing, at least where substance is concerned.”

How, you may be forgiven for asking, can responsible legislators lead the country into disaster to satisfy continually shifting and politically undigestable demands? The answer: consider the people doing the demanding. And you don’t have to go far to do it since we have here in Missouri more than a few legislators that suffer from the same delusions as the would-be leaders of the attempted GOP coup d’état in Washington D.C.

Let’s start with state Senator Ed Emery (R-31), who exemplifies the constitutional fetish common to so many GOP legislators who were agitating for the shutdown. To give you an idea about how bad it is, Emery holds that the vetoed gun bill, HB436, widely deemed by legal experts to have egregiously violated the Constitution, was “the most constitutional bill this year, not just in Missouri’s Legislature, but in any state.” Not surprisingly, he also insists that despite the contrary opinion of the Supreme Court, Obamacare is not only unconstitutional, but constitutes an overweening threat to God and Country:

One need know little about the origins and history of America and the origins and history of Obamacare to know that this fight is not about the survival of Obamacare or of a political party, it is about the survival of the Republic. …

I’m willing to bet that this poor schmuck, like plenty of the D.C. Tea Party contingent, really believes this sort of tripe. It’s based on an attitude that views the Constitution as a magical, quasi-religious icon that codifies the deepest wishes of ignorantly genuflecting true believers, rather than a mental construct that has to be intellectually apprehended. How else could Senator Emery ignore the constitutional authority of the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare? Garrett Epps  points out some of the most common rightwing Constitutional errors and identifies some purely non-existent passages and words that are commonly bandied about by these folks, all of  which allow them, in Epps words, to wave the Constitution “about like great-grandpa’s Confederate cavalry sword to demonstrate that we can’t have health care, or environmental protection, or whatever other policy they oppose today.”  

Not surprisingly, you get a heaping serving of the stupid when you leaven this faux-constitutional fervor with the simplistic economic cliches current on the right – beautifully exemplified by state Rep. Mike Kelley (R-126), who baldly states that “the federal government is shutdown today and the last few days because it’s out of money!” That, of course, is untrue in general terms, and untrue when it comes to the claim that we cannot afford Obamacare; in fact, repealing Obamacare would actually increase the deficit.

So what we’re confronted with are a gang of none-too-bright legislators with a poor grasp of economics, tons of inbred prejudices, and heroic yearnings focused on a poorly digested understanding of the Constitution. In short, ripe for plucking.

And plucked they have been, as the the New York Times made clear in a recent article on the evolution of the shutdown which traces its roots to months of planning on the part of rightwing groups such as Americans for Prosperity, Heritage Action for America and others, all generously funded by titans of industry like the Koch brothers, and happily steering the equally dim-witted federal analogues of Emery and Kelley into our current disaster. The goal? To destroy any legislation that would slow progress towards a United States of America that more closely resembles those third-world, free-market paradises where many of these “job-creators” have already gone to do their low-cost creating.  

A bill prefiled today in the Missouri House:

HB 70

Allows teachers and school administrators to carry concealed firearms on school premises if they have a valid concealed carry endorsement

Sponsor: Kelley, Mike (127)

Co-Sponsor: Brattin, Rick (055) … et al.

Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2013

LR Number: 600L.01I

Last Action: 12/18/2012 – Prefiled (H)

[….]

Wait, aren’t public school teachers union thugs? And the republicans want to arm them in our schools?

Jobs, anyone?