International Property Maintenance Code

I was looking in my local paper to see if I knew anyone that was fined in Municipal Court on November 27, 2006, something I don't do to often. I didn't but I found something interesting. I found out that someone in Saint Joseph, Missouri has been fined for violating the

INTERNATIONAL PROPERTY MAINTENANCE CODE

Cora L. Bullock, $51.50.

This was the first time I could remember seeing this in the News-Press so I did a little Internet search. This was the most recent thing I could find on the International Property Maintenance Code. I haven't got it all read. I was looking for someone that could tell me a little more about it. Where does it come from? Here in Saint Joseph we have enough code enforcement. You can be fined for grass growing in the cracks of your side walk. Do we need an international organization getting into the act? Is this going on all across the country (I'd guess yes) and how often? Am I a little paranoid when I say this smells like the United Nations to me? I think some of you know that is an organization I'd like to see the United States get out of. I'm not so sure that being a little paranoid is necessarily a bad thing when dealing with the United Nations. I hope this turns out to be nothing, but I see I have some reading to do. I hope you'll join me.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 11/26/06

Good Morning. Maybe I should start getting my Question Of The Week ready and save it as a draft about a week ahead of time. When I wait until Sunday morning I can never find what I'm looking for. I read my local paper and checked my e-mail then I checked the news wires. I ended up coming back to the It's your call section of my local paper, the St. Joseph News-Press. It's your call is a little like a letter to the editor, but caller's don't have to leave their name. I'm sure you have heard comments made about what one of today's caller's had to say,

"Details, please

In response to the issue of church and state separation, a caller mentions that it is "in there," which I assume the caller refers to the "in there" as the Constitution. Please call back in and tell us where it is specifically. I looked and could never find it."

So this weeks Question Of The Week is, What does the United States Constitution say about the separation of church and state and where can it be found?

I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Bill Of Rights Day Resolution

None of us ever seem to have any trouble remembering the date Thanksgiving will fall on, on any given year. We can always remember Christmas and New Years Eve. There is another important date this time of year but it is all to often forgotten by many. The first ten amendments to the United States Constitution, our Bill Of Rights were ratified on December 15, 1791. I feel December 15 should be a very special day to all of us. Mike Bozarth the City Councilman from my district here in Saint Joseph, Missouri has let me know that he is sponsoring a resolution to make December 15 Bill Of Rights Day in Saint Joseph.

I would like to sponsor the following resolution to recognize December 15 as the Bill of Rights Day in St. Joseph.

We, the Council of the City of St. Joseph, Mo. do solemnly proclaim the following:
Whereas,
1. The first Ten Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America, known collectively as the Bill of Rights were ratified on December 15, 1791;

2. The Bill of Rights recognizes, affirms and protects fundamental human and civil rights for which people have struggled for thousands of years;

3. To preserve the rights and freedoms secured by the Bill of Rights, our Forefathers, and hundreds of thousands of men and women serving in police agencies and Armed Forces of the United States, have sacrificed, suffered and died;

4. The rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Bill of Rights deserve perennial celebrations; the sacrifices made to protect the Bill of Rights deserve eternal remembrance;

5. In the City of St. Joseph there has been no regular formal observance of a special day commemorating the ratification of the Bill of Rights. Several of the original states refused to ratify the Constitution without an express Bill of Rights;

6. To commemorate the Bill of Rights with a special day would honor the fundamental rights and freedom it enshrines and the sacrifices made to create and preserve these rights, and would proclaim these rights to the citizens of St. Joseph, to this nation and to the world;

Be it therefore resolved,
A copy of the Bill of Rights be conspicuously posted at City Hall and provided to all citizens upon request. That December 15th of every year be designated Bill of Rights Day in the City of St. Joseph,

That all government agencies be encouraged to observe the annual Bill of Rights Day in a manner that brings to mind the meaning and importance of each of the Ten Articles,

That the first annual commemoration of Bill of Rights Day shall be on December 15, 2006.

Mike A. Bozarth
Council Member, District III


I have contacted Councilman Bozarth to let him know I support him in his efforts. I'd like to see this catch on all across the country. I want to urge you to contact your council members and ask them to sponsor a similar resolution. Lets make this a day to remember and celebrate what our Founding Fathers did for us nation wide.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish each of you a Wonderful Thanksgiving. I hope that all of your families, friends and loved ones are together and doing well. I hope all of you will give some thought to all the things you have to be thankful for on this day before you sit down for the feast. One of our local radio stations ask a question of the week. This week it was, "In ten words or less, what are you thankful for?" I couldn't begin to tell what I'm thankful for in ten words or less. Lets also give some thought to what life was like for the people that attended the First Thanksgiving feast. Don't forget to say a prayer for those that can't be at home today because they are serving their country overseas. It doesn't matter if we support or oppose the war, we should be able to put that aside for one day. If you don't quite have that feast prepared you might want some help.

From the Schantz House to Your House, Have A Happy Thanksgiving

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 11/19/06

Good morning. It has been a busy week around here. My Wife has been sick so I've had a little more to do around home. One of my co-workers quit so over time has been available, some times rather you want it or not. The former co-worker is now a prison guard. When I got home from work Saturday night some friends were visiting with my Wife. One of them is a single parent. Her son is 13 years old, he was here with her. She told us she had to leave work early one day last week because her son had missed the buss and was five hours late getting to school. Now, I know why a 13 year old boy is visiting friends with his Mom on Saturday night, he'll be spending a lot of time with his Mom for a while. Having a co-worker quit to become a prison guard and hearing about a friends problems raising her son alone reminded me of a Letter To The Editor in the November 17, 2006 Saint Joseph News-Press.

11/17/2006
Your letters Nov. 17, 2006
Spare the rod ...

What is wrong with the thinking pattern of our young people? Where are the parents and why are they not taking a proactive role in assuring responsible behavior of their children? Recently we have read in the News-Press of the terrible vandalism at Mount Mora Cemetery. Before that, it was the three young men in Platte City who climbed to the high school roof, consumed alcohol and proceeded to vandalize and steal school property. Today on the Internet, I read of the vandalism of the statue of George Washington where someone entered the Cathedral just off the campus of Columbia University in New York and beheaded this time-honored statue of our first president.

About 10 years ago there was a great uproar when an 18-year-old American boy, Michael Fry, was caned in Singapore on a conviction of vandalism. Many responded at that time that there was a need for similar action in our country. Michael survived this caning with a reminder of what an old-fashioned whipping felt like. Many a boy had a similar reminder from their dad or the school principal growing up when their behavior became disruptive or destructive and they too survived nursing a sore backside.

There must be an alternative to incarceration. As a volunteer prison chaplain, I see many young men in prison who would have benefitted from corrective discipline at home growing up that may have re-directed them away from prison as a young adult. We wouldn't have the threats in our schools or the tragic deaths if our young people had a little "healthy fear" of discipline from home or school. Too many youngsters roam the streets with too much idle time and get into mischief. I suggest we enforce curfews and hold parents responsible to know their child's whereabouts. Vandalism should be addressed with restitution from the culprit - and not their parents - by means of working off the debt at minimum-wage basis in community service. More moms and dads need to re-instill discipline at home with that fresh-cut switch, paddle or belt to the "seat of wisdom," and allow our schools once again to paddle a disruptive, disrespectful or threatening student as a lesson needed to be learned just as much as math, grammar or science.

I don't advocate child abuse, but (this is a) well established tradition of tested discipline that worked for generations and is obviously lacking today. Let's keep our young people active in wholesome programs to minimize idle mischievous behavior. Let's keep them in school and not in jail. Let's instill restitution when you cause damage, paid by your labor and not your parents' checkbook. Let's love our children through instilled sense of responsibility.

David R. Huff

St. Joseph

So this weeks Question Of The Week is. Are today's children worse behaved because they are sure no one can correct (spank)them? Do you support or are you opposed to corporal punishment? I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Good Search

I've started using Good Search when searching the Internet. Every time you use Good Search they donate a penny to the Nonprofit organization of your choice. I started using Good Search to help the P.O.W. NETWORK but there are many organizations to choose from, I hope you will check out Good Search.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 11/12/06

Good morning. I was just reading some of the morning after (Election Day) articles at CNSNews.com and decided to do something different this week. I'm getting my question ready early (11/8/06) and saving it as a draft. There is a lot of talk about change this morning.

RNC Chief Sees Three Lessons in GOP Losses
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
November 08, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman called himself disappointed on a number of counts, following the Democratic victories in key House and Senate races.

"I think the American people clearly sent a message, and it's a message we need to understand and we need to listen to, and we as Republicans need to follow," Mehlman said Wednesday morning in a Fox News interview.

Mehlman said Republicans must now do three things - first and foremost, rededicating themselves to their "conservative, reform principles."

Second, he said Republicans must "try to work where we can on a bipartisan basis with Democrats," while maintaining conservative principles.

And finally, he said Republicans must lose the taint of corruption: "We need to remember, people who serve...at any level are people that ought to be about public policy and public service."

"If we can focus on those three things...ultimately we will be stronger and will be able to serve the public better and will have learned and grown from it."

Mehlman congratulated Rep. Nancy Pelosi, who "is about to make history" as the nation's first woman speaker. "That's something that all of us should appreciate and applaud her for," he said.

Mehlman said "there's no reason" why Republicans and Democrats can't work together on national security (the threat posed by "Islamic fascism") immigration reform and health care reform.

Pelosi, Dean, and Reid Hail 'New Direction'
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
November 08, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - Early Wednesday morning, soon-to-be House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Election Day "a great victory" for the American people, not to mention Democrats, who -- at the very least -- will control the House of Representatives.

"[T]he American people voted for change, and they voted for Democrats to take our country in a New Direction," Pelosi said, invoking the Democrat's "New Direction" platform.

She said taking the country in a new direction "is exactly what we intend to do."

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean, echoing Rep. Nancy Pelosi's "talking points," also issued a statement early Wednesday morning, saying the Ameican people, in giving Democrats a sizeable edge, "sent a clear message for a new direction."

Pelosi said Democrats would restore civility and bipartisanship in Washington, along with integrity and honesty. She said the Democrats "intend to lead the most honest, most open and most ethical Congress in history."

Pelosi said the American people, in giving the Democrats control of the House -- and possibly the Senate, depending on the final vote tally -- voted for a "fairer economy...where "all Americans participate in the prosperity of our great country."

Among other things, Democrats are expected to raise taxes on the people who make the most money and hike the minimum wage, a move that businesses say will put some of the lowest-paid employees out of jobs.

Most of all, Pelosi said, the American people made it clear "that we need a New Direction" in the war on Iraq.

"'Stay the course' has not made our country safer, has not honored our commitment to our troops, and has not made the region more stable. We cannot continue on this catastrophic path," Pelosi said.

Democrats want to "redeploy the troops," which Republicans describe as "cut and run," a victory for the terrorists who predicted the U.S. would not have staying power in Iraq.

Pelosi urged President Bush to work with Democrats "to find a solution to the war in Iraq."

"Democrats are ready to lead and prepared to govern," Pelosi said. "Tonight, the American people have entrusted us with their hopes and aspirations, for themselves, their families, and their future. We will honor that trust.

"Tonight we have made history; now let us make progress."

Dean: 'New Direction'

Dean said Americans had voted for "hope and opportunity" and rejected "the Republican culture of corruption and the politics of fear and smear."

"I want to congratulate all of our Democratic candidates who ran strong campaigns, worked hard, and offered the American people a clear choice and a strong vision for a new direction based on the priorities of the American people. The American voters also sent a message to Democrats that if we show up, work hard and ask for their vote, we can win in any part of the country."

Dean said the real work begins on Wednesday, as Democrats advance an "agenda that puts the American people first.

"Democrats are unified and ready to change the tone of politics in Washington to get things done for the American people," he said.

Dean promised that Democrats will "respect all Americans" and "value your beliefs and your families as we restore America to its position of moral leadership throughout the world.

"Together America will be stronger. Together we will move America in a new direction."

Dean plans to hold a post-election briefing on Wednesday morning in Washington.

'New Direction,' part three

In a statement released Wednesday morning, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid also invoked the "new direction" mantra:

"The American people have spoken and they have demanded change. They want, they deserve and they are going to get a new direction -- at home and in Iraq," Reid said.

"Americans chose Democrats because we fought for the people and we fought for change. Now the Congress must honor that choice with a new beginning."

Reid said he's already reached out to Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and asked him to work with Democrats - "to move America forward."

"America needs change, and change starts in Iraq," Reid said. "The president must listen and work with Democrats to fix his failed policy. Americans have demanded a new direction. Democrats are ready to deliver."

'More About Republicans Losing Than Dems Winning'
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
November 08, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - While Democrats hailed their historic victory and promised to take America in a "New Direction," one conservative rejected the notion that Democrats had achieved a voter "mandate."

"I think a fairly good case can be made that the story of Election 2006 is more about poorly-led House Republicans losing than Democrats winning," said John Berthoud, president of the National Taxpayers Union.

Berthoud noted the long-time trend of the majority party losing congressional seats in Congress in the sixth year of a presidency. He also noted Republicans' considerable "baggage" going into the election -- the Foley, Ney and Abramoff scandals, to mention a few.

"Beyond these individual characters, the party often prostituted itself to corporate interests," Berthoud said, pointing to the Medicare reform bill and the energy and transportation bills.

"In the process of pleasing their corporate friends, the House Republicans lost their soul...and their base. The GOP went so overboard that they allowed the Democratic Party (complete captives of the teacher unions, trial lawyers, labor union bosses, etc.) to take the moral high ground on the issue of "being in the pocket of special interests." That takes some doing," he said.

Berthoud rejected the notion that the election had something to do with "liberalism triumphing over the ideals of limited government." He suggested that if more Republicans had stood up for a "reduction in government" while they had majority control of Congress, fewer of them might have lost the election.

'Lack of fiscal discipline

Rep. Jeff Flake, the Arizona Republican who easily won re-election on Tuesday, said there was a strong headwind for Republicans this year, but even so, Republicans didn't help themselves, either.

Flake called it unfortunate that the House of Representatives didn't "move the ball on immigration," aside from demanding an enforcement-only strategy -- without discussion what comes next.

In an interview with Fox News on Wednesday morning, Flake suggested that a border-enforcement-only approach is why Arizona Republican Rep. J.D. Hayworth and Arizona Republican congressional candidate Randy Graff lost their elections.

"The enforcement-only option just didn't play very well," he said.

Flake also said the Republicans' "ack of fiscal discipline" has finally caught up with them.

"The House has just engaged in runaway spending for far too long," he said. While some things were outside Republicans' control this year, "the one thing we could have stopped, but didn't, was runaway spending."

So this weeks Question Of The Week is. In your opinion, what changes (if any) can we expect to see, and when will we see them? I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Veterans Day 2006

I wish that there was more that I could do or say to show how I feel about those that have served in all branches of our country's military since the country was first born. Thank you for all that you have done and all that you have given up. If you should happen to see one of them today show them how you feel. Hold a door opened for them, offer them your seat, say Thank You for all you have done.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic

Attention Gun Owners

I've recently (After 11/7/06) read a couple of articles that lead me to believe firearms owners just might have their work cut out for them now that there are some new members in the House and Senate.

Groups For and Against Guns Put Best Possible Spin on Election
By Susan Jones
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
November 09, 2006

(CNSNews.com) - The midterm election may have been a referendum on the president, war, corruption, and scandal, but "it does not translate into greater support for gun control at the grass roots level," says a gun lobby group.

"If anything, gun control was notable as a non-issue in this election," said Gun Owners of America in a news release.

A leading gun control group, however, says quite the contrary: "In this election, the gun issue was in play, gun violence prevention groups won while the gun pushers lost, and there is now a shift in momentum on the issue of common-sense gun restrictions," said Paul Helmke, president of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.

Looking on the bright side, Gun Owners of America insisted that on a race-by-race basis, the pro-gun movement suffered a net loss of "only a small handful of seats." And while many newly elected Democrats may support the anti-gun agenda, they also realize that open support for gun control may cost them at the polls, GOA said.

But higher up, it's a different story: Gun Owners of America warned that the Democratic leaders in the House and Senate "will unquestionably put gun owners on the defensive by seeking to renew the so-called assault weapons ban, close down gun shows, and drastically expand the Brady gun control law."

The group noted that House Speaker-elect Nancy Pelosi will control what bills reach the House floor, and she's expected to use that power to advance gun control bills.

Most of those bills will pass through the House Judiciary Committee - about to be headed by gun control advocate Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.). GOA described Conyers as "an extremist who advocates a total handgun ban."

The situation in the Senate may be worse, GOA warned, given the likelihood of a Democratic majority in that chamber as well.

Both Harry Reid of Nevada (who would become Senate Majority leader) and Pat Leahy of Vermont (the likely head of the Judiciary Committee) have received "F" grades from GOA based on their votes on gun legislation.

"From there it really goes downhill," GOA said, adding that other Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee comprise a "who's who of the anti-gun movement."

Democrats on the committee include Sens. Ted Kennedy ("mouthpiece for Sarah Brady in the Senate, GOA said), Joe Biden (chaired the Judiciary Committee in 1993 when the Brady Bill passed); Herb Kohl (author of the gun free zones ban); Dianne Feinstein (author of the so-called "assault weapons" ban); Russ Feingold (lead sponsor of so-called campaign finance reform); Charles Schumer (lead sponsor of 1993 Brady law); and Dick Durbin (outspoken gun control advocate).

"Gun owners should look twice at the above list," GOA said.

"Most or all of these members will remain on the Judiciary Committee when the new Congress convenes in January, and will help shape American gun laws for at least the next two years."

Bright spots

Gun Owners of America said there were several "bright spots" for gun owners in the midterm election.

It noted that eight "A-rated" Republicans, most with "strong, proven pro-gun records" in their respective state legislatures, won House seats on Tuesday, and four of them are "a vast improvement over the Republicans they are replacing."

GOA also said some of the defeated incumbent Republicans were not strong gun-rights supporters -- including Nancy Johnson of Connecticut, Jim Leach of Iowa, Clay Shaw of Florida, Curt Weldon of Pennsylvania and Charlie Bass of New Hampshire.

In the Senate, ousted Republicans Mike DeWine of Ohio and Lincoln Chafee of R.I. were as anti-gun as many liberal Democrats, GOA noted.

But Democrat Senators-elect Jon Tester of Montana, Bob Casey of Pennsylvania and Jim Webb of Virginia claim to be pro-gun. "It remains to be seen if they vote that way," Gun Owners of America said.

Gun control advocates energized

The Brady Campaign insists that candidates supporting "a common sense approach to gun violence prevention" did very well on Tuesday.

"In races where the Brady Campaign endorsed candidates went head-to-head with competing candidates endorsed by the NRA, Brady won 5 of 5 governorships (Patrick in Massachusetts, O'Malley in Maryland, Rendell in Pennsylvania, Doyle in Wisconsin and Blagojevich in Illinois) and 4 of 4 U.S. Senate seats (Cardin in Maryland, Cantwell in Washington, Stabenow in Michigan, and Nelson in Florida).

Overall, candidates endorsed by the Brady Campaign won over 95 percent of their races, the group said on its website.

According to the gun control group, "The results should have a profound impact on the ability to fight illegal gun trafficking and gun violence in the coming years."

The National Rifle Association seems to agree with Gun Owners Of America on this one.

ELECTION 2006 RE-CAP

Thursday, November 09, 2006

On November 7, 2006, the American electorate took out its frustration and anger on the Republican Party and turned over control of Congress, not to mention governors’ mansions and majorities in several state legislatures, to the Democrats. Importantly, however, on a day that saw voters expressing dissatisfaction over conduct of the war, over political corruption and over competency to govern, Americans cast their votes for record numbers of pro-gun candidates, both Democrat and Republican.
Many of the newly elected office holders pledged their support of the Second Amendment while on the campaign trail. They got elected when voters took them at their word. Those same voters, which certainly include first and foremost NRA members, will be closely watching them to make sure they walk the walk as well as talk the talk. NRA will make sure opportunities for tests of true intentions are not long in coming.

Change in Washington, D.C., will be very real. Extreme opponents of our Right to Keep and Bear Arms have been elevated to seats of power, especially in the House of Representatives, where Nancy Pelosi will become Speaker and John Conyers is set to take over the powerful Judiciary Committee. Anti-gunners will also assume the chairs of important sub-committees. The power shift is balanced in part by the fact that Second Amendment champion, and former NRA Board Member John Dingell, the longest serving member in the House, is set to regain the reins of the Energy and Commerce Committee and will be a powerful voice for gun owners rights among his colleagues. Pro-gun Democrats will also chair some very relevant committees and sub-committees.

There will be battles ahead, and, with the 2008 elections on the ever-nearing horizon, NRA members and their fellow gun owners must remain ever vigilant. We must let our representatives, both Democrat and Republican, know one thing: we expect our Second Amendment rights to be respected.

Again, thank you for all you have done this election year, and all you will continue to do in the future.

I'm thinking that from time to time we might need to contact these newly elected Representatives and Senators just to remind them of the meaning of the Second Amendment, (A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.) and the fact that they can always be replaced. The next time their name appears on a ballot.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Breaking News, Rumsfeld 'Stepping Down'

I was working on something on-line and got some breaking news,

"By Melanie Hunter
CNSNews.com Senior Editor
November 08, 2006
01:03 pm



Rumsfeld 'Stepping Down'

(CNSNews.com) - Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is stepping down, television and wire reports said Wednesday. Earlier, incoming Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged President Bush to "change the civilian leadership at the Pentagon." A number of Republican candidates in tight Senate and House races ahead of Tuesday's midterm election called for Rumsfeld's resignation."

When I checked the last time nothing had been said about this at this White House site.

I wonder if we will see more Bush cabinet members jumping ship in the near future?

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Don't Forget To Go Vote!

When speaking about our Founding Fathers in his weekly column United States Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas) said,"They envisioned government as a servant, not a master, of the American people.". Just a little something to think about in the last few hours before we go vote tomorrow. I hope all registered voters will get out and vote for the candidate that they feel will best serve all United States citizens.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Question Of The Week, 11/5/06

Good morning. I've looked at some of the news wires, checked my e-mail and read the on-line version of my local paper. I still haven't found anything I want to use for this weeks Question Of The Week. So I'm going to ask you to make a prediction. This weeks Question Of The Week is (two parts). Who will control the House and the Senate after Tuesday's election? I'll post my answer in the Comment Section Monday Night.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.

Could Be Good News To Some

First we had the Mark Foley sex scandal in the news. That sent a lot of Republicans running for cover. Now Senator Kerry has let us see that he has a really bad sense of humor or what he really thinks about the little people that his party claims to represent. I'm thinking that if I was a Democratic candidate on the campaign trail right now I sure wouldn't want any help from Senator Kerry. I'm also thinking that all of this could be good news for any Independent or Third Party candidate that is trying to get your vote in the upcoming election.

God Bless America, God Save The Republic.