Doug Ervin: The View From 1776
By: Rep. Doug Ervin
35th District
Words that stirred a people’s hearts towards independence:
“The cause of America is in a great measure the cause of all mankind.”
- Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
“The Sun never shined on a cause of greater worth.”
- Thomas Paine, Common Sense, 1776
“There is a time for all things, a time to preach and a time to pray, but those times have passed away. There is a time to fight, and that time has now come.”
- Rev. Peter Muhlenburg, sermon delivered at Woodstock, VA, January 1776
The resolution in Congress:
“Resolved: That these colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent states, that they are absolved of all allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the state of Great Britain, is and ought to be, totally dissolved.”
- Richard Henry Lee, Resolution in Congress, June 7, 1776
The debate in Congress regarding independence:
“In my judgment it is not only ripe for the measure, but in danger of becoming rotten for the want of it.”
- John Witherspoon, debate in Congress on the Declaration, July 1776
“Before God, I believe the hour has come. My judgment approves this measure, and my whole heart is in it. All that I have, and all that I am, and all that I hope in this life, I am now ready here to stake upon it. And I leave off as I began, that live or die, survive or perish, I am for the Declaration. It is my living sentiment, and by the blessing of God it shall be my dying sentiment. Independence now, and Independence for ever!”
- John Adams debating in Congress, July 1, 1776
The document that changed the world:
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitles them…
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal. That they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among there are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…
…for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.
- Declaration of Independence, 1776
Signing the Declaration of Independence:
“There! His Majesty can now read my name without glasses. And he can double the reward on my head!”
- John Hancock (attributed), upon signing the Declaration of Independence, July 1776
“My hand trembles, but my heart does not.”
- Rhode Island Delegate Stephan Hopkins (attributed), at the signing of the Declaration of Independence, 1776
A charge for the fighting forces of America’s Continental Army:
“We have therefore to resolve to conquer or die: Our Country’s own Honor, all call upon us for vigorous and manly exertion, and if we now shamefully fail, we shall become infamous to the whole world. Let us therefore rely upon the goodness of the Cause, and the aid of the Supreme Being, in whose hands Victory is, to animate and encourage us to great and noble Actions.”
- George Washington, General Orders, July 2, 1776
Celebration and Remembrance:
“The second day of July, 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America, to be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival commemorated, as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever.”
- John Adams, July 3, 1776
“The flames kindled on the 4th of July 1776, have spread over too much of the globe to be extinguished by the feeble engines of despotism; on the contrary, they will consume these engines and all who work them.”
- Thomas Jefferson, letter to John Adams, September 12, 1821
After the Declaration of Independence was signed, success in the field of battle remained uncertain. The year 1776 was arguably the darkest year of our history. Another pamphlet, by necessity, was penned to stir the hearts of the Continentals and the militia to fight on:
“These are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.”
- Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, December 23, 1776
As the United States of America moves beyond today:
“Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!”
- Patrick Henry
“It is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth — and listen to the song of that syren, till she transforms us into beasts.”
- Patrick Henry
“Our country is in danger, but not to be despaired of. Our enemies are numerous and powerful; but we have many friends, determining to be free, and heaven and earth will aid the resolution. On you depend the fortunes of America. You are to decide the important question, on which rest the happiness and liberty of millions yet unborn. Act worthy of yourselves.”
- Dr. Joseph Warren
“The difference between the path toward greater freedom or bigger government is the difference between success and failure; between opportunity and coercion; between faith in a glorious future and fear of mediocrity and despair; between respecting people as adults, each with a spark of greatness, and treating them as helpless children to be forever dependent; between a drab, materialistic world where Big Brother rules by promises to special interest groups, and a world of adventure where everyday people set their sights on impossible dreams, distant stars, and the Kingdom of God. We have the true message of hope for America.”
- President Ronald Reagan, 1984
A fitting toast each and every Independence Day:
“Independence forever.”
- John Adams’s toast for the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826
For a better Missouri,
Doug Ervin
State Representative
District 35, Missouri
Bob Nance Capitol Report for July 1, 2009
By: Rep. Bob Nance
36th District
US troops have withdrawn from cities in Iraq having formally handed over security duties to new Iraqi forces. Just before the Monday night deadline, four US soldiers were killed in combat.
As we celebrate the Fourth of July, let us remember those who have sacrificed for ours and for others freedom. Thank and support all those who served in this endeavor. There will be no parades for their valor and sacrifices and that is the real shame.
Missouri State Fiscal Year Begins
Last week, the governor vetoed $105 million from the 2010 budget taking effect July 1st.
Vetoes Include:
$24.7 million Interoperability (Radio communications between emergency services)
$16.5 million MOHELA Projects
$12.6 million ethanol funding beyond FY 2011
$12.4 million care management and participant case management.
$10.0 million highway access to old Penitentiary Site
$5.0 million community college maintenance & repair increase.
$3.5 million dental rate increase for Medicaid providers.
$20.0 million in various projects across all departments.
Additional Expenditure Restrictions Include:
$91.3 million for the remaining MOHELA projects
$60.0 million salaries, expenses, contracts, and grants
$50.0 million Missouri Job Creation Fund
$47.8 million maintenance and repair for state buildings
$21.5 million in-home provider rate increase
$16.1 million various Veteran’s Homes projects
$12.2 million various DNR projects
$10.5 million lottery funded Vo-Tech School projects
$10.0 million trade zone facilities
In the District
On June 26th Representative Nolte and I conducted a Senior Event in Clay County similar to the ones I held in Lawson and Richmond last year.
The
Ray County
Museum held an Ice Cream Social on Saturday with David Blyth providing the musical entertainment.
I attended Ray County Senior Tax Levy Board meeting on June 30th. Jane Bartlett and other board members are working to help meet the needs of our seniors in Ray County.
In your service,
Bob Nance
Friends of the Clay County Republicans Holding Garage Sale! Donations/Help Needed!
Friends of the Clay County Republican Central Committee are holding a garage sale on Saturday, July 18th! The garage sale will begin at 8:00 am, and will be held at Jean Swofford’s home, located at 3005 NE 68th Terrace, Gladstone, MO. We have a great committee put together to make this event happen but to make this event a success, we need your help! We need donations from you to have a large, successful garage sale. Anything you may have to donate would be greatly appreciated. We appreciate any large or “expensive” items as well, as they will bring in the most money. All proceeds will benefit the Clay County Republican Central Committee. (Any items not sold will be donated to Salvation Army)
We have two specific “drop-off” times set for you to drop any donations you may have at Jean Swofford’s home, which are listed below. If you have items that you would like to donate, but you are unable to drop them off at those times, please contact Jean Swofford at (816) 453-1965, or (816) 516-0774 to arrange a time to drop off your items. If your friends or neighbors have any items they need to get rid of and don’t mind donating them to us, please share this information with anyone who may be interested. **If you could, please email me Shawna Searcy at shawnasearcy@gmail.com to let her know if you plan to donate any items to the garage sale. It will help give us an idea of what to expect. The details for the garage sale are listed below, including the drop-off times. Also, if you would like to help with any of the preparations or set-up for the garage sale, e-mail Shawna — we would love to have your help!
Details: Friends of the CCRCC are holding a garage sale
Date: July 18th
Time: 8:00 am
Location: 3005 NE 68th Terrace, Gladstone, MO
Drop Off Times:
1. July 10th, 5:30-7:30 pm
2. July 11th, 9:00-noon
These times are the time slots for anyone to drop off donations for the fundraiser to Jean’s house. If anyone would like to donate but cannot drop items off at one of these times, they should call Jean Swofford to arrange a drop off time at (816) 453-1965 or (816) 516-0774.
No Clay County Republican Central Committee Meeting in June!
Please note that there will not will be a Clay County Republican Central Committee meeting in June! The next CCRCC meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 14th at 7:00 pm in the Clay County Courthouse.
Bob Nance Capitol Report for June 4, 2009
By: Rep. Bob Nance
36th District
“Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.”
-Edward Everett
In the District
We are still in the process of working with all appropriate entities of government to try to solve flooding in Orrick. This includes both the north and south areas of 210 highway.
A fundraiser for the Orrick Community Center is this Sunday from 11- 2. A “free will” donation will be accepted for the Ribs and Burger luncheon. Funds go toward the operation of the center.
Education
HCS #2 SB291 passed in the last days of session and is on the Governors desk. It deals with many aspects of education. Some of its component allows:
- GENERAL ELECTION DAY IN NOVEMBER 2009: This act provides that the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November 2009 will be a general election day for the purpose of allowing school districts to incur debt.
- STUDY ON OPEN ENROLLMENT OF STUDENTS BETWEEN SCHOOL DISTRICTS : The Joint Committee on Education must study the issue of open enrollment of public school students across school district boundary lines. It must submit a report of its findings, and any recommendations for legislative action to the General Assembly, by December 31, 2009.
- USE OF SECLUSION ROOMS: This act requires school district discipline policies to prohibit confining a student in an unattended, locked space except for an emergency situation while awaiting the arrival of law enforcement personnel.
- MISSOURI SENIOR CADETS PROGRAM: This act creates the Missouri Senior Cadets Program, which will provide opportunities for twelfth graders in public school to mentor kindergarten through eighth grade students as described in the act.
- The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will commission a study comparing the performance of charter school students with an equivalent group of district students representing an equivalent demographic and geographic population that will be conducted by the Joint Committee on Education.
- SCHOOL FLEX PROGRAM, COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE AGE & HOME SCHOOLS : This act establishes the School Flex Program to allow eligible students to pursue a timely graduation from high school. The program is available for eleventh and twelfth graders who have been identified by their principal and parent or guardian.
- This act also changes the requirement for compulsory attendance age for school districts. Current law defines the compulsory attendance age as sixteen. This act changes that to seventeen years or age or successful completion of sixteen credits toward high school graduation. In addition, for purposes of home schooling, this act defines a completed credit towards high school graduation as one hundred hours or more of instruction in a course.
- P-20 COUNCIL: This act allows the Governor to establish the “P-20 Council” as a private-not-for profit corporation on behalf of the state. The purpose of the P-20 Council will be to create a more efficient and effective education system to more adequately prepare students for entering the workforce and will be reflected in the articles of incorporation and bylaws.
- PERSISTENCE TO GRADUATION FUND: This act creates the Persistence to Graduation Fund. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will establish a procedure for school districts to apply for grants to implement drop-out prevention strategies.
- TEACHING STANDARDS FOR PUBLIC SCHOOLS: Each public school must develop standards for teaching by June 30, 2010, including charter schools operated by the board of a school district.
- VOLUNTEER AND PARENTS INCENTIVE PROGRAM: This act creates the Volunteer and Parents Incentive Program, to be implemented and administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Under the program, the Department will provide a reimbursement to parents or volunteers who donate time at certain schools. The provisions of this section will expire in six years unless reauthorized.
- PARENTS’ BILL OF RIGHTS: This act requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to produce “The Parents’ Bill of Rights,” to inform parents of children with an individualized education program of their educational rights under federal and state law by January 1, 2010.
- SCHOOL DISTRICT RECORDS: This act allows school districts to maintain permanent records in a digital or electronic format. School districts must follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, suggestions, and recommendations when using digital or electronic storage media and must not use them beyond the manufacturer suggested or recommended period of time.
- CHANGE IN SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARY LINES: Under current law, when a board of arbitration is appointed to determine whether to modify the boundary lines between school districts, the board must base its decision, in part, on the presence of actual educational harm to children, due to a significant difference in time involved in transporting them.
- MISSOURI PRESCHOOL PLUS GRANT PROGRAM: This act creates the Missouri Preschool Plus Grant Program as a pilot program within the Missouri Preschool Project.
- VIRTUAL COURSES FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER SCHOOLS : This act provides that school districts that offer virtual courses to resident students who are enrolled in the school district shall receive state school funding.
- EDUCATION FUNDING: This act modifies the elementary and secondary education funding formula. It removes from the calculation of the state adequacy target the inclusion of the gaming revenues from the repeal of the loss limits. This becomes effective July 1, 2009.
- Beginning on July 1, 2010, the moneys derived from the passage of Proposition A will be deposited into the Classroom Trust Fund and distributed to school districts in that manner.
- This act eliminates, after the 2008-2009 school year, the penalty on a school district that experiences a decrease in summer school average daily attendance of more than 35% from the 2005-2006 summer school average daily attendance. This becomes effective July 1, 2009.
- FOSTER CARE EDUCATION BILL OF RIGHTS: This act establishes the “Foster Care Education Bill of Rights.” Each school district must designate a staff person to be an educational liaison for foster care children. This liaison would assist with proper educational placements, transferring between schools, ensuring transfer of grades and credits, requesting school records, and submitting school records that have been requested.
- A child placing agency will promote educational stability for foster care children when making placements. A foster care child may continue to attend his or her school of origin pending resolution of a dispute.
- PHYSICAL ACTIVITY REQUIREMENTS: Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, school districts must ensure that students in elementary schools participate in moderate physical activity, as described in the act, for the entire school year for an average of 150 minutes per week, or thirty minutes per day. Students with disabilities must participate to the extent appropriate. Middle school students may, at the school’s discretion, participate in at least 225 minutes of physical activity per week.
- Elementary school students must be provided a minimum of one recess period of twenty minutes per day, which may be incorporated into the lunch period.
- TEACHER CERTIFICATION: This act creates a method of obtaining teacher certification from the State Board of Education for individuals to teach in the areas of banking or financial responsibility.
- EMPLOYEE BACKGROUND CHECKS AND FINGERPRINT RECORDS: An employee background check and fingerprint record is good for one year and transferable from district to district or to a private or parochial school. A teacher’s change in certification will not affect the transferability of records.
- FOUR-DAY SCHOOL WEEK: This act allows school boards to establish a four-day school week instead of a five-day school week by the adoption a resolution by a majority vote of board members.
- SCHOOL MAKE-UP DAYS RESULTING FROM INCLEMENT WEATHER: Current law requires school districts to make up the first six days of school lost or canceled due to inclement weather and half the number of days lost or canceled in excess of six days. This act creates an exception for the 2008-2009 school year and subsequent school years. School districts may only have to make up a total of ten school days.
- This provision is substantially similar to a provision contained in HCS/SB 559 (2009) and HCS/SB 79 (2009) and is similar to HB 682 (2009). (Section 171.033)
SCHOOL BOARDS AND AGREEMENTS WITH CERTAIN POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS: This act authorizes any school board to enter into an agreement with the county in which the school district is located, or a city, town, or village that is wholly or partially located within the boundaries of the school district to acquire, construct, improve, extend, repair, remodel, or finance sites, buildings, facilities, furnishings, and equipment for the school district’s educational purposes. An agreement may provide for the present or future acquisition of an ownership in the facilities, including joint ventures.
In your service,
Bob Nance
A Day of Remembrance
By: Rep. Doug Ervin
35th District
“…that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion, that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain, that this nation under God, …and that government of the people by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.”
- Abraham Lincoln
Memorial Day, a day set aside for remembering those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in the defense of Liberty, not just any liberty, but our Liberty, the Liberty that binds us together as a Nation.
What began from many different quarters by decorating the graves of Confederate dead in the 1860’s has grown to an annual remembrance by the 1200 soldiers of the 3rd US Infantry decorating each of the 260,000 gravestones at Arlington National Cemetery with a small US flag and then patrolling the grounds 24 hours a day during the Memorial Day weekend to make sure that each flag remains standing.
Closer to home in St. Louis, the Boy Scouts of America and the Cub Scouts place flags on the 150,000 graves at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery as an annual Good Turn, a practice that began in 1951 and continues to this day.
While many towns and cities pay tribute each year with speeches, parades, and fireworks, for many the “Memorial” in Memorial Day has been either ignored or forgotten. We are the beneficiaries of the sacrifices made by the soldiers, sailors, and airmen of yesterday and today.
Last year, I remember hearing on the radio a former Green Beret say that warriors exist to protect women and children – what a simple, yet significant statement. For those who do not come back from their mission, we cannot forget the charge mentioned by General John Logan in his General Order No. 11 on May 5th, 1868:
…gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime…let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation’s gratitude, - the soldier’s and sailor’s widow and orphan.
We can observe Memorial Day as it should be observed, as a day where we actively remember our forefathers, family members, loved ones, and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice:
- By visiting cemeteries and placing flags or flowers on the graves of our fallen heroes.
- By visiting memorials.
- By flying the US Flag at half-staff until noon.
- By flying the “POW/MIA Flag (Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act).
- By participating in a “National Moment of Remembrance”: at 3 p.m. to pause and think upon the true meaning of the day, and for Taps to be played.
- By renewing a pledge to aid the widows, widowers, and orphans of our fallen dead, and to aid the disabled veterans.
On this Memorial Day, let us not forget, as Moina Michael writes in reply to John McCrae’s “In Flanders Fields”:
We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies
May God bless our men and women in uniform on missions throughout the world serving on our behalf and may He comfort those whose loss runs deep that we should always remember that the “blood of heroes never dies”.
For a better Missouri,
Doug Ervin
State Representative
District 35, Missouri
Bob Nance Capitol Report for May 21, 2009
By: Rep. Bob Nance
36th District
“It was a flurry of paper as the General Assembly finished the session at 6:00 p.m. last Friday. We certainly made up for lost time because we worked long hours on the House floor this week.”
Could legislators read every bill? Yes. You may have already read it twice, but they change over the last week. Every issue is discussed and critiqued, but the last week a representative must be alert to any changes. Some changes might negate a statute that has recently been passed in another bill. You must rely on and trust and verify with the bill’s sponsor.
The same bill can come through two or three times in the last week with amendments or tied to another issue you can’t support. It is very frustrating when you can be politically criticized for not voting on an issue once when you voted for it two out of three times. I always vote the way I believe is best for the district and Missouri .
Bills Truly Agreed and Passed
Seniors and Grandparents Win
SS SCS HB 395 is my original bill for assisting seniors to transfer from a nursing home back into the community. Senator Stouffer was able to attach one of his bills. In addition, other amendments were also attached that we heard in the Senior Citizen Advocacy Committee. These include:
- Fire safety standards for nursing homes which include installation and maintenance on approved sprinkler systems in accordance with National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 13.
- The Fire Safety Standards Loan Fund was modified to provide that the loans may be for implementing the sprinkler requirements for certain qualifying residential care and assisted living facilities and all types of qualifying skilled nursing and intermediate care facilities. The loan fund shall be administered by the State Treasurer’s Office rather than the Department of Health and Senior Services as in current law.
- Modifies the current provision in law regarding a bond required for holding a resident’s property in trust by specifying that the bond shall be obtained and filed with the department for the preceding twelve months rather than for the preceding calendar year.
- Allows criminal background check of residents.
- The Department of Health and Senior Services shall not assign an individual to inspect or survey a long-term care facility in which the surveyor was an employee of such facility within the preceding two years.
- It also enacts the Missouri Informal Dispute Resolution Act, requiring the Department of Health and Senior Services to contract with the federally designated Medicare Quality Improvement Organization in the state to conduct informal dispute resolutions (IDR) for licensed long-term care facilities.
- Grants a monthly personal needs allowance for residents in long-term care facilities; as such practice is permitted under federal law. Currently, the allowance is set annually by appropriation at thirty dollars a year. This act also creates a formula for increasing the allowance yearly, by no more than five dollars a year until such time as the allowance reaches fifty dollars a year.
HB 272 was passed and sets up a commission to study Alzheimer’s at the state level for current programs, future ideas, recommendations, and services.
CCS#2 SS HCS HB 154—When a court determines that a child must be placed in a foster home, the division must make diligent efforts to locate the grandparents of the child and determine if they wish to be considered for placement of the child. Also, for emergency placement, DFS must try to place the child with a grandparent.
In your service,
Bob Nance
Make Sure To Vote This Tuesday for Bonnie Sue Cooper!
This Tuesday, May 19th there will be a special election held for the Clay County Western District Commissioner. This is a special election that is being held due to voter disenfranchisement which was discovered to have occurred during the general election last November.
Turnout is expected to be very low, and this time every vote will count, so please make a point to get out and vote on Tuesday, and spread the word to others as well. Let’s give Bonne Sue the support she needs as she fights for transparency and responsible stewardship of our money!
May Clay County Republican Central Committee Meeting
This is a reminder that there will be a Clay County Republican Central Committee meeting on Tuesday, May 12th at the Courthouse in Liberty at 7:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the Commissioner’s Room on the top floor. Please enter through the side entrance (handicapped entrance) where the doors will be unlocked. We will be discussing the recent Lincoln Day dinner, as well as the garage sale in July. This meeting is open to the public, so please stop by!