The Missouri Volunteer
Movement Handbook
2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction .......................................................................................................................
iv
A Critical Note ...................................................................................................................
v
PART ONE – The Case for the Volunteer Movement
Chapter Section Topic
-1
What is the Volunteer Movement?....................................................
2
-Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement................................
The Moral Cost of Involuntary Taxes............................................
-A
The Economic Drainpipe...............................................................
-B
Chart of Missouri Government Finances...............................
--Breaking the Political Monopoly...................................................
-C
Chart of Missouri Voter Participation....................................
--Making Elections Matter................................................................
-D
Secrets, Lies & Bureaucrats...........................................................
-E
Buried in Plain Sight......................................................................
-F
The Rising Kleptocracy.................................................................
-G
The Public School Racket..............................................................
-H
Chart of Public School Growth in Missouri...........................
--Chart of Social Problems in Missouri....................................
--Chart of Academics in Missouri.............................................
--Fighting the Master State...............................................................
-I
3
-The Goals of the Volunteer Movement.............................................
Voluntary Taxes.............................................................................
-A
Election Reform.............................................................................
-B
Transparency..................................................................................
-C
Personal Liberty.............................................................................
-D
4
-Can a Volunteer Government Work?...............................................
Answering the Three Big Worries.................................................
-A
The Pros & Cons............................................................................
-B
Examples of Success, Past and Present..........................................
-C
5
-Bibliography........................................................................................
Footnote Sources............................................................................
-A
Chart Sources & Data....................................................................
-B
i
Page
1
2
3
5
7
8
10
11
13
15
17
19
22
23
24
25
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
36
38
40
40
63
PART TWO – The Case for the Volunteer Party
Chapter
1
2
---3
---4
----
Section
--A
B
C
-A
B
C
-A
B
C
Topic
Page
Why a Political Party?........................................................................
73
Political Strategy.................................................................................
74
Reasons for a Statewide Focus......................................................
75
Informing the Public......................................................................
76
The Volunteer Party Calendar for 2015-2016................................ 77
Information for Volunteer Candidates.............................................
78
Where to Start................................................................................
79
Organizing Your District...............................................................
80
Missouri Election Laws.................................................................
83
How to Organize a Volunteer Group................................................
85
Guidelines & Tips..........................................................................
86
Activities........................................................................................
88
Support Contacts & Websites........................................................
90
APPENDICES
Appendix
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
Topic
Page
The Volunteer Party Platform......................................................................... 92
Government Budgets........................................................................................ 97
Witness Accounts of the 2012 St. Charles Caucus......................................... 98
Federal & Global Programs in Missouri........................................................ 101
Missouri’s Pension Plan Management............................................................ 103
Anatomy of a TIF.............................................................................................. 105
Alternative Voting Methods & Systems......................................................... 107
Political District Maps...................................................................................... 110
Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................
114
For LIBERTY,
Gift of the Creator:
May it forever Grace our Councils
and Bless our Labors.
iii
INTRODUCTION
Thank you for expressing interest in the Volunteer Movement. As a group
of individuals dedicated to principled reform, we have researched diligently to
provide citizens with the means to inform themselves about the political, social and
economic problems within Missouri. Hopefully, this handbook will answer some
of your questions.
Part One of this handbook explains what the Volunteer Movement is all
about. It briefly outlines the Volunteer organization and purpose. It also offers
some useful statistics that reflect the waste and corruption of our state government.
Part Two is a resource for individuals who are ready to lead the charge for
political change. This chapter discusses the Volunteer Party’s current strategy and
how you can help. It also contains details on Missouri election law, requirements
for political office, district maps and key election dates.
This handbook is designed with the old phrase in mind, “information is
ammunition”. Informed arguments and strategies will often carry the day.
Information also provides confidence and clarity, two essential qualities for
leaders.
However, if some of the contents of this handbook become too tedious, feel
free to skim to the important parts. Much of the material inside is intended as a
resource or reference.
Once again, let me state my gratitude for the time you have taken to explore
the possibility of a better future for Missouri.
Sincerely,
Jon Schuessler
Bill DeLong
Volunteer co-founders
December 2014
Amanda Stegeman
Note to the Reader: For the sake of fairness and credibility, the information presented in this
Handbook comes from government sources whenever possible. All research and source
materials for Part One are listed on page 40, Chapter 5, titled “Footnote Sources”. If there are
any suggestions, corrections or questions concerning these sources or any calculations, please do
not hesitate to contact us, via email or post.
A CRITICAL NOTE
“If we sit back and let the “No Child Left Behind” mentality take over public high schools,
school improvement will be defined as constant improvement on standardized tests with no real
regard to the child… None of us became teachers out of a burning desire to raise students’ test
scores. However, I worry most about crushing the spirit of great teachers… Teaching is not that
much fun anymore. If teachers become disengaged and discouraged… everyone suffers.”
- Carol M. Santa, “A Vision for Adolescent Literacy: Ours or Theirs?”, March 2006
Throughout this handbook, you will read many passages that are critical of
certain professionals – school superintendents, lawyers, politicians, policemen and
civil servants, to name a few. The reader should note, however, that these
criticisms are directed at the profession. They are not meant to disparage those
who do their best to serve the public.
As an example, consider our public school teachers.
There is perhaps no profession more susceptible to a politician’s pen than
teaching. In the current atmosphere of so-called “accountability”, a public school
teacher is faced with many conflicting demands, but few opportunities for selffulfillment. As a result, many teachers are induced to simply “put in their time”
toward retirement, rather than trying to make a difference in their students’ lives.
This tragedy highlights the crucial distinction between a vocation and a
profession. As a vocation, teaching is a noble pursuit aimed at inspiring personal
growth and learning. As a profession, however, teaching has become a nasty
business, more concerned with shaping children to fit a bureaucratic system rather
than serving the best interests of the students.
So, should we conclude that public school teachers are bad people? No. We
should conclude that many people who might normally be good teachers have
succumbed to political pressure, and become something less. In other words, when
we speak darkly of a public school, we protest not against its teachers, but against a
corrupt system which has stolen the dignity of their calling.
We know that the honest politician or the hardworking bureaucrat are not
myths, any more than the caring teacher or the self-motivated student. However,
these extraordinary individuals exist in spite of the system, not because of it. By
exposing the withering effects of corporate interests and professional guilds upon
public policy, the Volunteer Movement can hopefully inspire reforms which allow
vocations – and the passions of the people who pursue them – to flourish once
again.
v
PART ONE
The Case for the Volunteer Movement
We have to light the lamps
that shed the light on corruption,
injustice, ineptitude,
and the abuse of power.
When we do,
you will see the villains scurry
for the darkness
-- Frank Serpico, paraphrased
Part One – The Case for the Volunteer Movement
Chapter One
CHAPTER 1: What is the Volunteer Movement?
“Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree resign his conscience to the
legislation? Why has every man a conscience then? I feel that we should be men first, and
subjects afterward. It is not so desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, as for the right.”
- Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 1849
In 1983, when the Homeschool Movement began, there was no such thing as
legal homeschooling. By 1990, however, all 50 states had adopted homeschool
laws. What made this change even more extraordinary was that it had been
accomplished by local families working together, not by any national party or
special interest. Truly, the Homeschool Movement was a movement of the people,
a grassroots coalition of very different groups who shared a common dream.
The Volunteer Movement is laid upon a similar foundation. It is not a club.
It is not a business or fundraising device. It is certainly not a political party.1 The
Volunteer Movement is, quite simply, anyone who believes in the empowerment
and freedom of the individual to directly participate in their own governance, and
is willing to work toward that end.
The working parents who make the time to attend school board meetings and
voice their concerns are Volunteers. The voters who write to their state
representatives about local issues are Volunteers. The reporters and researchers
who investigate political “facts” for their accuracy are Volunteers. Even though
none of these people may know each other, they are all part of the same cause,
because they embody the idea that free individuals should be able to take part – or
choose not to take part – in the designs of their community.
No other affiliation or belief matters. A registered Democrat or Republican
can be a Volunteer. The Christian as well as the Muslim can be a Volunteer.
People of all groups, races, creeds and lifestyles can be Volunteers together,
because the goal is moral and political freedom for all.
And if not that, then what, one might ask, lies at the heart of what it means
to be an American?
1
Although a Volunteer Party may be formed as early as 2016, it would be nothing more than a legal
convenience which would be disbanded, by its own charter, on or before January 2027. For more details
on the Volunteer Party, see Part Two, or read the Volunteer Party Platform in Appendix A.
1
Part One – The Case for the Volunteer Movement
Chapter Two
CHAPTER 2: Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
“Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for
light and transient causes… But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing
invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce [the people] under absolute Despotism, it
is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their
future security.”
- Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence, July 4th, 1776
There are three compelling reasons why Missourians need to change their
system of governance. The first reason is economic. Our state government is
heavily in debt1 yet it continues to award large sums of money to special interests.2
Funds that actually do get spent upon public services are often used wastefully.3
Missouri’s economic growth is ranked nearly dead last (48th) yet its taxes are at or
above the national average.4 In short, our state government has proven itself to be
the fiscal equivalent of cancer.
The second reason for political change is a long-standing pattern of
corruption that has bred incompetence and oppression. Election officials ignore
discrepancies that make fraud possible.5 Police powers are abused to protect
financial and political interests while the agendas of the national parties take
precedence over the well-being of local communities.6 These and other criminal
practices take place in the face of school failures,7 low voter turnouts,8 and prisons
that jail more people per capita than nearly any other government on earth.9
The final reason to help the Volunteer Movement is simply because we need
hope. This isn’t meant as political rhetoric, but rather quite literally – many
Missourians are completely disinterested in participating in their governance
because they feel that the system is hopelessly corrupt. They have little faith in
their future, in their leaders or even in each other. Our government relies upon this
attitude of bitter resignation in order to do as it pleases.
For some, however, the price of apathy has become too high to bear.
1
Missouri’s state and local debts totaled 25% of its Gross State Product in 2010, and continue to rise.
2
In the last decade, corporations took $5.2 billion in subsidies, and credits of $400+ million/year.
3
See Sections B and E of this chapter or Appendix B for details on state and local budgets.
4
Combined sales tax ranks 14th highest nationally, property tax 25th and income tax 18th-31st.
5
According to Reynolds County records, over 100% of its residents are registered to vote.
6
See Sections A, C, D & G of this chapter, and Appendices C & D for more information.
7
For details on accreditation loss and corruption in schools, see Sections G and H of this chapter.
8
In the 2012 and 2014 elections, the turnout of registered voters was 65.7% and 35.2%, respectively.
9
In 2013, Missouri ranked 15th worldwide behind 3 countries, 1 UK territory, 1 US territory and 9 states.
2
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-A
The Moral Cost of Involuntary Taxes
“Who among us has any conception of the dimensions of shame that will befall us and our
children when one day the veil has fallen from our eyes and the most horrible crimes – crimes
that infinitely outdistance every human measure – reach the light of day?”
- From the 1st leaflet of the White Rose, a German anti-Nazi society, 1943
Our taxes paid for “Ferguson”.1 Whatever a person might feel about the
incidents – and the media circus that exploited them – the taxpayers who
assembled to protest government actions were unwittingly protesting against
themselves. With their own property, labor and purchases, they funded the
presence of the police and military. With their apathy, they crafted a situation that
later horrified them.
Missourians fare no better if they believe that state executions are immoral.2
Every step of putting a convict to death – from sentencing to lethal injection – is
paid for with their taxes. As for those who believe that the use of eminent domain
is little better than theft, the irony is that property taxes pay for it.3 In other words,
residents who are forced to sell their homes to the government are paid back with
their own money.
Similar taxing scenarios are repeated for both sides of many issues,
including pollution, abortion, public education and religious expression, to name a
few. In one tax year, for instance, environmentalists might be forced to hand their
The term ‘Ferguson’ here refers to the August 9th, 2014 robbery that resulted in the police shooting of
Michael Brown, and the protests, riots, and police and legal action that followed.
1
2
Missouri tied Texas as the leading executioner of convicts, with 10 executions in 2014.
3
For details about TIFs and corporate welfare see Section B of this chapter or Appendix E.
3
The Moral Cost of Involuntary Taxes
state taxes over to corporate polluters,4 while in other years industrial advocates
may be forced to pay for the excesses of eco-business.5 There are also many
lesser-known ventures that citizens might find distasteful, such as experimentation
on stolen or abused animals.6 Whether taxes are fueling dubious corporations,
however, or some other possibly detestable group, the basic story remains: without
the public’s money, these activities would be lessened or stopped altogether, and
other activities, such as charities, could benefit.
We are moral creatures. We possess the faculties to judge good and evil on
our own. Yet the state presumes to judge such matters on behalf of everyone. By
forcing citizens to pay taxes to a general fund, the state involves us all in its
schemes. It makes every person responsible, but strips the individual of any
authority – save a feeble vote7 – to back out of what he or she believes to be
wrong.
Nor does voting remedy the problem, because popularity cannot tell a person
what is right. Each of us must judge for ourselves. Indeed, moral principles do
not survive the will of the majority. If a person is to hold true to his principles, he
must not be forced – by the state or the majority – to participate in the designs of
others.
This, therefore, is the true cost of involuntary taxes: that every April, our
moral ground is taken out from under us. That we become accountable, if only by
our inaction, for the misdeeds committed in our name.
And then, of course, there are the economic costs.
4
In 1996, St. Louis asked three companies to clean up the Carondelet Coke site that they had
contaminated with arsenic, cyanide and carcinogens. Laclede Gas and SGL Group spent only $471,250
each to assess the site (the 3rd corporation spent nothing). Yet as part of the cleanup deal, Laclede Gas
gained $950,000 in state tax breaks and sold 12 acres next to the site for $765,000. In 2010, the state
chose to clean the site itself with $12.3 million in public taxes.
5
In 2014, the State Auditor reported that Missouri had grossly overpaid cleanup companies with its $168
million in expenditures from 2003-13. Environmental Ops, Inc. had been granted a total monopoly on
state cleanup jobs, despite bid-rigging and failures to meet target goals.
Public universities use tax money to conduct medical testing upon animals. Mizzou’s veterinary staff
ignored record violations and allegations about their dog provider, C.C. Baird, who was convicted of
stealing pets and abusing hundreds of dogs by a federal court in 2005.
6
7
See Sections C and D of this chapter for information about the limitations and vulnerabilities of
Missouri’s system of plurality voting.
4
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-B
The Economic Drainpipe
“[Great Men] were first made great for the sake of the public, and afterwards at its expense…
The appetites therefore of men, especially Great Men, are carefully to be observed and stayed,
or else they will never stay themselves.”
- English reformers John Trenchard & Thomas Gordon, Cato’s Letters, circa 1720
Slowly but surely, Missouri is going bankrupt. Its doom may be
approaching more slowly than some of its neighbors – Illinois in particular – but it
is headed for bankruptcy nonetheless. The government’s unfounded hopes for the
stock market,1 coupled with broken promises,2 have created a crushing shortfall in
Missouri’s pension system, estimated conservatively at $11 billion.3
Despite nearly flat growth in its economy and population, the state continues
to borrow more every year.4 Public debt, with interest, has grown to nearly $5
billion. When added to the pension liabilities mentioned above, the state’s unpaid
obligations total at least $16 billion.5 This is double the state’s entire general
revenue for the year; or put another way, an average of $2,750 of debt for every
man, woman and child in Missouri (the estimated population is 6 million).
The situation is made even worse by the unfortunate way that the
government spends its money. Since the passage of the “economic incentive” laws
of the 1990s, almost one-third of Missouri’s land has been declared “economically
blighted” by local governments. This allows city councils to entice corporate
franchises to build in their area by giving them money from state and local taxes,
as well as free use of eminent domain.6 Studies, such as the East-West Gateway
study, concluded that these handouts actually hurt local growth. But this has not
deterred the state’s politicians from their policy, as evidenced by a recent study
that picked Missouri as one of the “top 9 kings of corporate welfare”.7
The state’s main pension plans assume long-term annual returns of 7% to 8.25%, but the teacher
pensions’ (PSRS/PEERS) average annual return over the last ten years has been 4.5%. State employee
pensions (MOSERS), have required taxpayer bailouts to remain well-funded.
1
2
In 2014, the State Auditor reported that local and state contributions to 89 pension plans were 6% less
than promised, and that overall the plans were $16 billion short of their obligations.
3
An $11 billion debt requires a strong market and low pay raises. For details, see Appendix E.
Since 2000, Missouri’s GDP has risen by 0.8% per year and its population by 0.28%. State revenue in
2014 (the latest year for known figures) was slightly lower than in 2008. Yet in 2015, the state borrowed
$211 million, increasing its principal bond debt of $3.77 billion by 5.6%.
4
5
State-supported entities (universities, loan agencies, regulatory bodies, sports arenas) hold additional
bond debts of $29 billion in principal. State taxes pay part of this debt, directly and indirectly.
6
See Appendix F for more information about TIFs, EEZs and TDDs.
7
From a study by George Mason University. The state government and Kansas City recently gave $1.2
billion in tax credits to Cerner Corp. to build a new headquarters. In 2013, the state and St. Louis offered
a $3.5 billion bid to Boeing to be the site for its new airline assembly plant.
5
The Economic Drainpipe
Finally, there is the ever-present burden of government waste. The list is
endless, from resort lodging and golf carts to porkbarrel contracts and takeout
service. Literally tens of thousands of purchases every year are made purely as
perks for officials, totaling many millions of public dollars.8 Yet as a reward for
their voluptuary spending, hundreds of elected and non-elected officials earn an
individual income of over $100,000 per year while the average Missouri household
earns only $47,202.9
It is only fitting, then, that we should turn our attention to the political
regime that has led our state to the brink of paupery.
8
For a more detailed list of expenditures, see Appendix B or visit the Missouri Accountability Portal at
http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov/MAP/Portal
9
At least 574 state officials earned over $100,000 in 2012, including the Governor ($133,821), the
Governor’s Chief of Staff ($125,000), the Attorney General ($116,437), and the Commissioner of
Elementary & Secondary Education ($185,400). State legislators earn about $36,000 for five months of
session – a pay rate of $86,200 per year – plus $104 per day for “food and lodging”, plus 37 cents per
mile driven, plus $700 per month for “business expenses”. Lt. Governor Kinder recently asked for these
same legislative perks because his $86,000 per year salary had left him “impoverished”. State officials
also receive generous health insurance (annual premiums as low as $10). By contrast, the average pay for
state workers (e.g., prison guards, policemen) is $27,100 per year.
6
Chapter Two
Chart of Missouri Government Finances
Section 2-B
Missouri Government Expenditures, Debts and Personal
Taxes, from 1880 to Present
$9,000
Average
Combined
Expenditure of
Local and State
Government, per
Person, in
Constant 2015
Dollars
$8,500
$8,000
$7,500
Inflation-adjusted 2015 Dollars
$7,000
$6,500
$6,000
Average
Combined Debt
of Local and State
Government, per
Person, in
Constant 2015
Dollars
$5,500
$5,000
$4,500
$4,000
$3,500
$3,000
Average
Combined
Property, Sales
and Non-Federal
Income Tax
Collection, per
Person, in
Constant 2015
Dollars
$2,500
$2,000
$1,500
$1,000
$500
$1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Year of Census Data
Compiled from the U. S. Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract of the United States for the years 1912, 1915, 1924, 1930, 1931, 1934,
1939, 1940, 1942, 1944-5, 1950, 1951, 1952, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1970, 1972, 1980, 1984, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, and
2012; from the Census’ Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances for 1994-5, 1999-2000 and 2007-08; and from the
Census of Governments for 2012.
Over the last thirty years, state, county and city expenses have greatly exceeded the wealth
of the taxpayers. Non-federal government spending more than doubled after 1980. Debts rose
even faster, more than tripling in that time. Meanwhile, personal tax collections increased by less
than half of their 1980 total. In fact, total tax collections from the state population actually
decreased in recent years, even though the tax rates did not.
7
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-C
Breaking the Political Monopoly
“There is nothing which I dread so much as a division of the republic into two great parties…
This, in my humble apprehension, is to be dreaded as the greatest political evil under our
Constitution.”
- founding father John Adams, in a letter to Jonathan Jackson, October 2nd, 1780
Two-party rule has deep roots in Missouri politics. In fact, it is hard to
discuss candidates without mentioning whether they are Democrats or
Republicans. Not surprisingly, there are many laws that regulate and protect this
two-party supremacy.
One example is the group of redistricting laws. Every ten years, all of the
elected districts in Missouri have their borders re-drawn. But only the parties with
the most and second-most votes for governor in the last election get to participate.1
All independents and other parties are shut out, which allows the two parties in
power (i.e., Republicans and Democrats) to shape the political map of Missouri in
their favor.2
The result of this legal favoritism is a shared monopoly of political power.
In the 2014 general election, under one-tenth (9.5%) of the available Assembly
seats were contested by a third-party candidate.3 Thus, even if third parties had
swept the elections with all of their candidates, the Democrats and Republicans
would still control over 90% of the legislature.
The shared monopoly becomes even worse when the internal practices of the
Republican and Democratic Parties are brought to light. Central committees wield
tremendous power to restrict the field of candidates, often whittling it down to a
single favorite.4 Nor are party bureaucrats above the abuse of their power when it
suits them, as certain Republican caucuses vividly demonstrated during the 2012
presidential race in Missouri.5
1
Missouri Constitution, Article III, Section 2 (passed in 1966, amended in 1982)
This process is called “gerrymandering” and has been openly practiced for decades, despite a state
constitutional requirement to make districts as “compact as possible” (Art. III, Sec. 2). Most of
Missouri’s districts possess a jagged set of borders for this reason (see Appendix H).
2
3
In the House, 7 Constitution Party candidates and 9 Libertarian Party candidates ran for office. In the
Senate, only 1 Libertarian ran, for a total of 17 candidates out of 180 available offices.
4
In the 2014 elections, 118 of the 155 Republican legislative primaries (76%) and 100 of the 118
Democratic legislative primaries (83%) had only a single candidate to “choose” from.
5
Various irregular procedures took place, including screening, a ban on public recordings and scare
tactics. This happened to a degree at the Jefferson County caucus and particularly at the St. Charles
caucus, which also involved the illegal use of local police to close the meeting and arrest a rival
committee chair candidate. For first-hand accounts, see Appendix C.
8
Breaking the Political Monopoly
It is the lack of outside competition, however, that makes the monopoly of
power complete. In nearly half of Missouri’s districts, either the Republican or
Democratic Party simply refuse to put a candidate on the ballot.6 Thus, our
supposedly “two-party system” has degenerated instead into a network of oneparty dominions.
The blow dealt to democracy cannot be overstated. In the 2014 elections,
over one-third of the General Assembly candidates ran unopposed in both the
primary and general election.7 In other words, one out of every three
“representatives” of the people are in office without being elected, because the
voters never had more than one choice on the ballot!
Yet a two-party rule is only half of the problem. In order to break the
political monopoly not just once, but for good, we should also examine the voting
system which helped to create the problem.
6
In the 2014 November general election 85 out of the 180 Assembly seats (47%) were unopposed by the
other major party.
7
Of the 85 Assembly seats that were unopposed, 64 of them (35% of the 180 available) were also
unopposed in their 2014 August primary.
9
Chapter Two
Chart of Missouri Voter Participation
Section 2-C
Missouri Statewide Voter Participation, per Voting-Age
Population, 1884 to 2014
100%
95%
90%
85%
Votes Cast per Voting-Age Population
80%
Participation of
Voting-Age
Missourians in
Presidential
Elections
75%
70%
65%
60%
55%
50%
45%
40%
35%
30%
Participation of
Voting-Age
Missourians in
Mid-Term
Elections
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
Election Year
Compiled from the U.S. Census’ Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, Part II; from the Statistical Abstract
of the United States for the years 1940, 1942, 1944-5, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1964, 1970, 1976, 1980, 1989, 1990, 1994, 2000, 2007, 2010 and
2012; from the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives; from electionsinfo.com and ourcampaigns.com; from the
decennial Census of 1890 and 1900; and from the election results for 2010, 2012 and 2014 as reported by the Missouri Secretary of State.
Now, more than ever, citizens are turning away from the political process. Since its peak
120 years ago, Missouri voting has made a rocky decline of almost one-third during presidential
elections. As for “mid-term” elections (non-presidential), participation has plummeted below half
of its 1906 rate, and recently reached the historic low of 30% in 2014.
In the last election, the overwhelming majority “voted” not to vote. Does this mean that
state and federal representatives can take the majority’s silence for granted? Are Missourians
failing their voting system, or is their voting system failing them?
10
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-D
Making Elections Matter
“Just hold your nose and vote.”
- Dr. Basyir Rodney, Missouri political scientist, 2010, quoting a political adage
The traditional method of voting in Missouri, called “plurality voting”, has
not served its public well. Plurality voting, while simple, is poorly suited to a
government elected by the people, because it severely limits the ways in which
voters can express their wishes. It limits them so much, in fact, that voters
frequently engage in negative strategies such as voting for the “lesser of two
evils”.1 These charades would be unnecessary if a ballot allowed voters to
communicate whether they actively opposed or endorsed each candidate, for
instance, or if they had an order of preference.2
Unfortunately, plurality voting in Missouri has created a system riddled with
frustration, apathy and corruption. During the last “off-year” election in 2014,
turnout reached a low of 35% of registered voters (or 30% of total voting-age
population). Occasional charges of election fraud3 and criminally poor
recordkeeping cast further doubt upon a system that is clearly failing.4 If ever
there was a time to consider changing the way we vote, it is now.
Fortunately, there are many examples of functioning republics that use
different methods of voting. This includes five states5 and nearly every other
Western democracy besides the United Kingdom. Not only do these governments
show that alternative voting methods can work, they also provide insight into how
we can craft a better method of voting for ourselves.6
Voting for the “lesser of two evils” describes a fear-based strategy in which votes are cast for a
candidate that the majority dislikes in order to defeat a candidate that they hate even more. Third-party
candidates are avoided by voters, because they are afraid that the votes will be “wasted” on a loser and
allow the most hated candidate to win.
1
2
Both of these types of questions routinely appear in school course evaluations, job performance reviews
and private surveys with little or no confusion for those filling them out.
3
In 2006, four people were convicted of filing numerous false voter registrations in Kansas City. In
2008, eight people pled guilty to similar voter fraud in St. Louis. In 2013, a couple pled guilty to voter
fraud in the Kansas City Democratic primary for the 19th House District which allowed their nephew, J. J.
Rizzo, to win (he won by 1 vote). The couple was fined $250 and barred from voting. Rep. Rizzo was
re-elected as the unopposed incumbent in 2012 and again in 2014.
4
Missouri was sued by the federal government in 2004 for violating federal election standards. This
involved thousands of deceased or non-resident voters listed as eligible in county records. The records
have improved, but 15 Missouri counties still had over 100% of their residents registered to vote in 2010,
and currently the state has 90%+voter registration.
Washington, California and Louisiana all hold “top-two” or “jungle” primaries. Georgia requires runoff
elections between the top two vote-getters if no candidate receives a majority (more than 50%). Nebraska
uses a top-two primary system for its legislature and special elections.
5
6
For a look at the pros and cons of alternative voting methods and systems, see Appendix G.
11
Making Elections Matter
Any effort toward reform, however, should also be aimed at the way that our
ballots are cast and counted. Many voters who died or moved away are kept on the
rolls of eligible voters for years, sometimes decades. St. Louis County, the most
populous county in Missouri, has an unbelievable 98.2% of its voting-age residents
supposedly registered to vote. Even more incredible is Reynolds County, which
has over 100% of its voter population registered. Add to these bloated totals a
slew of electronic voting machines and optical ballot scanners at or past their
expected life cycle,7 and it becomes painfully apparent that Missouri’s voting
system is extremely vulnerable to fraud.
The poor safeguards surrounding our election process can be partly blamed
on the state’s obedience to federal demands.8 Mostly, however, the problems are
home-grown. They are the product of secrecy and incompetence on the part of
state and local bureaucrats, who will be the focus of the next section.
7
Many Missouri counties bought electronic voting equipment with federal money in 2001 as part of a
one-time grant through the Help America Vote Act. Now, over a decade later, the equipment is failing
but there are no federal funds available to buy replacements. In addition, most of the manufacturers who
produced the equipment no longer exist, making maintenance difficult. Yet the equipment remains in use.
The Help America Vote Act requires states to keep “inactive voters” (a voter with an unknown mailing
address) on the voter rolls for 2 years. It also subsidized the purchase of electronic voting machines.
Missouri eagerly participated in both provisions of the act.
8
12
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-E
Secrets, Lies & Bureaucracy
“It is error alone that needs the support of government.
Truth can stand by itself.”
- founding father Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782
Generally speaking, the political administrator is a creature of bad habits.
When nobody is paying attention, he is inclined to be lazy; when challenged, he
postures with arrogance; and when questioned, he becomes evasive. Considering
the central role that administrators play in sharing information with the public,
these behaviors are extremely troubling.
The administrator, for instance, will always hide his agency’s spending.
One need look no further than the local school budget to see this vice in action.
Published budgets abound with vaguely-named expenses like “Board of Education
Services”, or misleading dollar amounts such as $0 for “Security Services”.1 State
budgets are no better, hiding credit card transactions,2 shoving “micro-expenses”
into massive, anonymous piles, and assigning unhelpful descriptions to contracts.3
The administrator will never admit a mistake. Take for example the Puppies
for Parole program. When prison workers discovered that inmates were abusing
dogs, the incidents were immediately covered up.4 No official record exists of the
abuse. The program continues as before, touted by Director Lombardi as having “a
remarkable effect.” Consider also Missouri’s highway department (MoDot), which
was sued multiple times for age discrimination in 2014. It lost millions defending
and hiding an unwise policy.5 Similar tactics take place at the local level.6
Schools, for instance, often hinder requests for information when it suits them.7
Four school budgets printed in Jefferson County newspapers listed $47,000 - $364,000 for “Board of
Education Services”, and $0 - $6,000 for “Security Services” for 2013-14.
1
The amount of $194,836 is listed in the FY ‘15 budget as “Credit Card Payments”, under the strange
category of “Professional Services”.
2
17 separate groups of purchases labeled “Procurement Card Payment” add up to $57 million in
expenses. No further details are given about what was charged to these “P-cards”, which are essentially
black box expense accounts. See Appendix B.
3
4
At the Potosi state prison, the mascot dog of the program, Buster, was routinely body-slammed by an
inmate, which broke several ribs among other injuries. At the Bonne Terre state prison, an inmate
charged others food in exchange for which they molested the dog under his care.
MoDot’s policy, called “The Bolder 5-Year Direction”, demoted or fired veteran and female workers in
favor of younger male workers with spotty records. MoDot paid $3 million for legal defense, but later
ended up paying settlements totaling over $1 million. Most legislators remain ignorant of the issue.
5
6
For 2013-14, the State Auditor found that 15% of local bodies illegally hold secret meetings.
7
In Sikeston, parents became concerned that field tests administered by the public school were being
conducted on their children solely as business research for Common Core testing companies. The
administration rebuffed all questions without credible explanation, and a mother’s written request for
known information about a Board vote was denied.
13
Secrets, Lies & Bureaucracy
The administrator will always manipulate facts to promote his agency and
secure its funding. Local officials, for example, purposely misrepresent bond
issues to voters, resulting in extra property taxes.8 At the state level, the education
department (DESE) spin-doctors costs9 in order to make schools appear
“successful”. The illusion of success is fostered in many other areas as well,
including employment,10 crime,11 and prisoner rehabilitation.12
Administrators must also fabricate fear, however, to show how desperately
their services are needed. The Department of Transportation, for example, tried in
2014 to levy a sales tax with scare tactics. MoDot proclaimed that without the tax,
it would be unable to do basic highway maintenance and that Missouri’s highways
were “crumbling”, despite evidence to the contrary.13
As long as bureaucracies are allowed to keep as private the actions of public
agencies, our government will never be properly held accountable. Administrators
will continue to claim that their agencies are frugal, infallible, necessary and
successful, when in fact they are none of these things. The survival of our republic
depends upon an informed and vigilant citizenry. Therefore we should demand
that every step of governance – from spending, to execution, to results – be fully
and accurately disclosed to the public.
Bureaucrats, however, are not the only ones guilty of shrouding their deeds
in deception.
Voters are often told that a bond issue, if passed, “will not increase taxes.” This is nearly a lie. It gives
the impression that a bond issue has no cost for the voters, when in fact the voters pay for everything,
with interest. A bond issue means taking out a large loan. This debt is paid off with a temporary “debt
service” property tax, which is added to the normal tax. Before the debt is paid off, new bond issues –
and more debt – are usually proposed that will renew the tax. Thus, local bodies such as schools can slyly
claim that a bond issue is not a “tax increase” but rather a “tax renewal”. Architectural and construction
firms help school districts organize and campaign for a bond issue, presumably in exchange for a share of
the new contracts.
8
DESE (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education) ignores “capital outlays”
(repair/construction) and debt payments when calculating the cost of public education per pupil.
9
The state’s definition of the total “labor force” – those people “actively” seeking work – shrank in
recent years as the population increased. This caused the “unemployment rate” to fall rapidly, despite the
fact that employment remained flat, i.e., even though the number of people with a job hadn’t changed,
“unemployment” went down.
10
The Missouri Highway Patrol uses the FBI’s definition to calculate its crime rate. This rate uses only 8
types of crime. All others are ignored, including many felonies that carry a prison term – such as fraud,
embezzlement, manslaughter, drug and weapon violations – as well as any misdemeanors.
11
12
Convicts who commit crime only factor into recidivism rates if they return within 5 years of release.
Two recent studies reported that Missouri’s highway system is the 7th-8th best in the nation, and MoDot
itself reported that 88%-94% of its roads were in “good” or “excellent” condition. St. Louis and Kansas
City have more highway miles per capita than nearly any other city in the US.
13
14
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-F
Buried in Plain Sight
“It will be of little avail to the people… if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read,
or so incoherent that they cannot be understood.”
- founding father James Madison, Federalist Paper #62, February 22nd, 1788
Like all politicians, the Missouri legislator knows the value of legal jargon.
Legal jargon can easily frighten away the casual reader. Legal jargon can allow
committees to attach amendments which their peers will not take the time to read.
It can win the rubber stamp. It can mask empty promises. It can cloak civil
abuses. In short, legal jargon can bury the truth in plain sight – which is exactly
how some legislators have used it.
One of the worst aspects of legal jargon is the sheer number of words that it
allows legislators to produce. If brevity is the soul of wit, then our laws are written
by the truly witless. It would take a person more than four times as long, for
example, to memorize the body of state law than it would take to memorize the
entire Bible, from cover to cover.1 This does not even count the other city, county
and federal codes that a citizen must know. With such an insensible bulk of law, it
is little wonder if people cannot determine whether they are breaking the rules – or
more importantly, if their government is breaking the rules.2
The Missouri Revised Statutes (RSMo) have 467 chapters. Each chapter has about 65 “sections” (laws).
Roughly, this comes to 31,000 total sections. The Bible has about 31,000 verses. Each verse has about 25
words. A Missouri section has on average 100+ words. This means that the state laws have at least 300%
more words (and less wisdom) than the Bible.
1
The “Sunshine Laws” (RSMo Chapter 610) are an example of this problem. If more people knew the
Sunshine Laws, many of the transparency problems pointed out in Section E might be solved.
Unfortunately, these are hidden among 466 other chapters under the title “Governmental Bodies and
Records”. They are also more than 30 pages long and difficult to read.
2
15
Buried in Plain Sight
Matters are made worse by the awkward legal style of Missouri statutes. An
entire industry exists to publish books and computer applications to help interpret
the laws’ complex language.3 Some of this complexity comes from the use of
technical terms. Mostly, however, it stems from run-on sentences which would not
be acceptable in the third grade. In Chapter 115 (Conduct of Elections), there were
182 words in a single sentence.4 Who could hope to understand such a sentence
upon the first reading? And what sort of legislature would approve it?
The answer is a legislature dominated by lobbyists. Lobbyists need legal
mumbo-jumbo to hide the special interests that they represent from both public
scrutiny5 and the attention of other legislators.6 In fact, legal jargon is a key part of
the time-honored tradition of attaching “riders” to “omnibus” bills,7 where
controversial amendments which would never pass on their own merit are allowed
to become law.
Missouri laws are not written for the common man. They are designed for a
legal audience. In this way, understanding of the law is kept out of the hands of
the people, and restricted to a small guild of professional attorneys employed by
the powerful and privileged.
So long as our laws remain the special purview of lawyers, there will never
be justice. Lawyers have a noble purpose as advocates for justice; instead they
have become gatekeepers. Until this changes, the common people will be treated
like sheep, at the mercy of the legal shear, waiting to be fleeced at their masters’
pleasure.
These products, such as Latham & Watkins’ Book of Jargon or the Missouri Employee Legal
Handbook, are marketed to business owners who are unable to keep up with state regulations.
3
4
The first sentence of RSMo ¶ 115.639.1. Commas, semicolons and conjunctions are the usual culprits
used by the law to create sentences over 100 words.
5
Veteran reporter Phil Brooks pointed out how a 250-page bill like the China-hub/tax-break/tax-creditelimination bill becomes impossible to describe to the public because of its many twists and turns.
Another bill introduced in 2014, SB 114, also avoided mainstream media by redefining a technical legal
term regarding franchise law in order to try to create a statewide liquor monopoly for Major Brands.
6
In 1985, last-minute changes, loaded with legal language, caused legislators and the Governor to
unknowingly pass a bill that legalized rape (the bill writers made a mistake). Luckily, the courts struck
down the bill. In 2007, a bill for licensing kickboxing and private detectives was passed by the House
without their knowledge of an amendment which would also have legalized midwifery.
7
In 2007, the controversial midwifery amendment was again attached to a different bill involving health
insurance, which was later signed into law. In 2012, Governor Nixon vetoed a 38,000+ word bill which
he called “a sanctuary for orphaned ideas in search of safe transport to becoming a law.”
16
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-G
The Rising Kleptocracy
“The fact is… government, like a highwayman, says to a man: Your money, or your life.”
- Lysander Spooner, American abolitionist and legal theorist, 1870
As a force in politics, greed has no equal. Nothing is spared in its pursuit.
People, property, justice, integrity – all are forfeit when a government turns pirate
and shows no fear of reprisal. Unfortunately, there is mounting evidence that just
such a government is taking root in Missouri.
The most noticeable effect of having thieves in power is the erosion of our
legal system. Police officers are often placed under enormous pressure to generate
revenue for their city.1 Encouraged by their superiors, some become agents of
harassment, levying unnecessary fines in order to hustle money from the public.2
Corrupt judges and lawyers complement the legal racket by offering clients lighter
punishments in exchange for even more money.3 Those who can’t afford an
attorney often end up as fugitives or in jail, sometimes for very minor offenses.4 In
this climate, it is hardly surprising that officers have been appropriating material
evidence and private property for their personal use.5
In 2014, the mayor of Edmundson told police that “the tickets that you write… will directly affect pay
adjustments at budget time.” That month, they wrote twice as many tickets as normal.
1
2
In 2013, the cities of St. Ann, Bel-Ridge, Beverly Hills, Berkley and Pine Lawn, among others, issued
more fines than they had population. Fines included not subscribing to a city’s only garbage collection
service, red-light camera tickets mailed without an accompanying photo, and occupancy permit violations
that made no attempt to distinguish between residents and visitors. In 1999, a city engineer witnessed
Bel-Ridge police using a manual override on a flashing yellow light to switch it to red while cars were
passing through, and then ticketing the “offenders”.
As of 2014, four lawyers - Paul D’Agrosa, Ronald Brockmeyer, Keith Cheung and Donnell Smith - held
positions as prosecuting attorneys for 10 different cities, as well as being judges for 7 other cities, plus
holding 5 other publicly paid city positions, in addition to keeping private practices as defense attorneys.
Brockmeyer, acting as a defense attorney, made a deal in 2014 to have a hit-and-run amended to “illegal
parking” in exchange for having his client pay $250.
3
4
The city of Cool Valley has 5 times as many outstanding arrest warrants as it does population; the cities
of Ferguson and Berkley have twice as many arrest warrants as population; Pine Lawn has 7.3
outstanding arrest warrants per resident; and Country Club Hills has an astonishing 26 outstanding arrest
warrants per resident. A group of St. Louis defense lawyers have estimated that no more than 25% of
those named in the warrants can afford an attorney.
5
In 2011, four National Guardsmen were disciplined for looting a Joplin Wal-Mart in the aftermath of a
tornado. During the 2006 World Series in St. Louis, police officers took scalped tickets from the
evidence room and used them with family and friends. At least 20 officers were disciplined. In 2008, the
St. Louis police chief was criticized for his daughter’s purchase of four impounded cars at a 75%
discount, as well as the free loan of impounded cars to other officers.
17
The Rising Kleptocracy
This atmosphere of larceny, however, extends far beyond the realm of law
enforcement. Instances of favoritism, fraud and embezzlement occur at all levels,6
including universities,7 city halls,8 and county government.9 Even simple requests
for public documents are sometimes been met with extortive demands for
thousands of dollars.10
The worst predators, however, are the agencies that prey upon children.
Entire school districts, for instance, are so mired in corruption that their leaders
manage to steal millions in secret, sometimes for over a decade.11 Nevertheless,
this pales in comparison to the “lawful” actions that schools take on behalf of
commercial enterprises, acts which not only steal parents’ money, but also their
children’s time, their potential and sometimes, their very identity.
6
In 2014, State Auditor Schweich said that government fraud was on the rise. His office uncovered 32
cases over the last three years, totaling $2.3 million.
7
This year, at the Bloch School of Management - part of the University of Missouri Kansas City - Prof.
Michael Song resigned after being caught feeding false data to the Princeton Review in order to get a
worldwide #1 ranking. During his four-year tenure, he earned $1.6 million.
8
The city of Pine Lawn let its employee health & dental insurance lapse, but charged its employees for
five months afterward without telling them that their insurance had expired.
9
From 1992 to 2011, the tax collector for Schuyler County, Kathy Sue Roberts, embezzled $568,000. In
Buchanan County, county official Bonnie Sue Lawson stole $118,000 from disabled clients’ Social
Security accounts during the years 2003 to 2006.
10
Some counties attempted to charge over $10,000 for providing public documents in 2013. Ferguson
clerks have recently charged over $135 per hour for providing public emails.
11
At least four public school districts in the last decade have lost millions to corruption:
(1) Superintendent Fred Czerwonka (a.k.a., “The Candy Man”), of St. Joseph schools, and Board
member Dan Colgan are being investigated by the FBI for corrupt hiring practices and illegally
paying out $25-40 million to administrators over more than a 14-year period.
(2) The Fox school district recently paid over $3.6 million to get rid of its administrators, after an
unknown amount of money disappeared that contributed to a $7 million budget shortfall.
Superintendent Dianne Critchlow received $430,000 to leave, even though she charged meals,
golf trips, and traffic tickets to the school’s credit card, was likely involved in destroying public
documents, and was directly implicated in a libel suit for posting lies involving sex acts about
three parents who were critical of her. At the end of her 9-year tenure, her salary was $260,598
per year.
(3) The Rockwood district has awarded the management of all of its bond issue contracts since 1991
to Glenn Construction Co., even though it wasn’t the lowest bidder and public documents about
the bidding process were illegally destroyed. Board President Smith worked for Glenn
Construction, which has been paid over $15.6 million for its work.
(4) In 2007, Superintendent Henry Williams of Riverview Gardens was convicted of stealing over
$100,000 from his district to fund his life insurance plan, as well as allowing school staff to take
luxurious trips which drained millions from the district’s cash reserve.
Also in 2007, Carolyn Yelton, the elderly bookkeeper at Wellsville’s only public school, admitted to
stealing $200,000 over four years to spend in casinos.
18
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-H
The Public School Racket
“This is the first time, the very first time I can remember, where everyone agrees upon a plan.
Our big corporations agree, our governors agree and the leaders of our educational system all
agree, these standards are the best for all concerned – I can’t understand why you don’t
welcome them.”
- “Doug”, a representative of Missouri’s education department (DESE), after a
presentation to parents about Common Core at Lindbergh School on May 3rd, 2013
For most Missourians, political life begins at the tender age of five. Every
weekday morning, little children become temporary wards of the state. They are
shuttled to schools specially prepared to instruct them according to the latest
government standards. For the next 13 years, these students experience masseducation. It consumes one-fifth of their waking lives, at a total public expense of
$143,000 per student,1 to confer a diploma worth about $8,400 in annual salary.2
Many of them gain very little from their schooling. One in seven (14%)
don’t graduate on time; one in four (28%) can’t read a map; one in three (35%)
can’t write a cohesive paragraph; and one in two (49%) are unable to use fractions
or solve ordinary problems with functional math.3 All, however, are methodically
tested, tracked, classified, ranked and labeled.4 Some are even fingerprinted.5
Students may or may not learn much from school, but their schools certainly learn
a great deal about them.
What most parents don’t realize is that thanks to recent changes in federal
privacy laws, their children’s information will be freely shared with corporations.6
This includes parental income, medical records, fingerprints, DNA, social security
1
In 2015, yearly school expenditure divided by total enrollment was $11,000+ per student.
2
The US Census Bureau reported that the average annual income of a person with a high school diploma
in 2009 was $26,776, compared to $18,432 for a person without one, equaling an $8,344 difference. The
income of a person with a degree ranges from $31,000 to $62,000, but this requires additional expense,
years of study, and risk – about half of all Missouri college students do not earn a degree.
3
From the Missouri State Assessment of Adult Literacy conducted in 2003-2004. This study was funded
by the state and its statistics are quoted on the state government’s (DESE) website.
4
As part of a 2009 federal grant, linked to Common Core, DESE modified its Missouri Student
Information System (MOSIS) to collect more personal student data (400+ fields) and make it accessible
to school officials across the state, as well as to other state and federal agencies.
5
Some districts (e.g., Union, Clinton County, Clever, Bolivar, Branson, Clarkton, N. St. Francois and
Santa Fe) are fingerprinting children and scanning them during lunch to reduce the time spent standing in
line. Many parents were not asked for consent; consent was assumed even if parents were not made
aware of the practice.
6
In 2008, and then later in 2011, the US Dept. of Education made changes to the school privacy act
known as FERPA. These changes allow all school personnel and any 3rd-party vendor which “acts in an
educational capacity” access to personal student information without parental or student permission.
19
The Public School Racket
numbers and any other data a school may acquire. Corporate “nonprofits” and
state and federal agencies take this information and store it in central databases
with modest security, making them prime targets for identity theft.7
The true danger to students, however, lies in the loss of their personal –
rather than legal – identity. Despite a century of relentless reform, schools remain
largely committed to their original purpose of promoting conformity.8 Recent
waves of federal “initiatives” – such as the No Child Left Behind Act9 and its
much-hated cousin, Common Core10 – simply expand upon this policy through
standardized testing.
Public education has long been hailed as the institution which would make
our society “great”. Dazzled by this prophecy of paradise, Missourians have spent
an ever-escalating sum of money on schools.11 Instead of alleviating our social
problems, however, the 150-year era of public education in Missouri has witnessed
a steady increase in crime, poverty, suicide and insanity,12 and a marked decrease
in community and political involvement.13 While public schools may or may not
be to blame for this, they have certainly not been the cure.
In 2013, the National Governor’s Association, et. al., created a $100-million school database funded by
the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Carnegie Corp. of New York and Amplify Education. The
database is run by inBloom, Inc. It has millions of student records, but its policy states that it “cannot
guarantee the security of the information stored... or that the information will not be intercepted...”
7
Early advocate Horace Mann (1839) believed that schools should create a culture that “...shall lead to a
subjection or conformity of all our appetites, propensities and sentiments to the will of Heaven.”
Commissioner William Harris (1906) wrote “Ninety-nine [students] out of a hundred are autonoma... This
is not an accident but the result of substantial education, which, scientifically defined, is the subsumption
of the individual...” Reformer John Dewey (1916) argued that one of the main purposes of school was to
create a common set of ideas in everyone by “purifying and idealizing existing social customs.”
8
9
The stated goal of NCLB (the No Child Left Behind Act), enacted in 2002, was for every single student
to be “proficient” on state tests by the year 2014. By definition, this was impossible unless:
(1) Techniques were developed to implant knowledge regardless of ability or interest.
(2) State standards were lowered to match to the lowest-scoring students.
(3) The tests were manipulated to produce false results (i.e., cheating).
Not surprisingly, the first possibility didn’t occur, while the last two did. In 2006, with the focus on the
“low-achieving” students, Missouri cut all funding for gifted education. “In the era of NCLB,” noted one
columnist, “schools are judged by how many children are meeting standards, not by how well they are
raising the bar for each child.”
10
Common Core is a federal mandate for data-collection standards lobbied for, and written by, the
technology and test-making industry. It will intensify and expand NCLB testing. The state and local
school boards began implementing Common Core five years ago without consulting students, parents or
teachers. During the 2014 legislative session, however, due to public outcry, Missouri voted to replace
Common Core, although much of its infrastructure remains in place.
11
Accounting for inflation, spending per student has doubled every 20-30 years since 1870.
12
See page 20 for data from 1850 onward, when state taxes were first devoted to public schools.
Missouri’s voter turnout has fallen over 25 points (88% to 60%) since 1896. In Missouri, less than a
third of its citizens volunteer for community projects or commonly discuss politics.
13
20
The Public School Racket
In the face of such evidence, parents have good reason to suspect that public
school may not be best for every child. Even by the state’s own standards, many
schools are failing.14 Yet parents who decline to send their children to public
school are forced to pay for the service anyway. This extra financial burden is
unfair, especially since many school districts are wasteful with their resources.15
When a group demands money for a service that it doesn’t really provide
and that people don’t want, it’s called a racket. When a government does the same
thing, however, it’s called taxes. Parents are required to pay for the “service” of
public school, even though schools are failing to educate by nearly any form of
reckoning – including by the government’s own rather low expectations.
We must break this cycle of extortion. We can no longer allow our
government to impose upon families who do not wish to be a part of the latest
school experiment, as designed by corporate think-tanks.16 Nor should we allow
our government to look upon schoolchildren as “human capital”, to treat them as
objects of study or pawns in a political chess game.17 Already, untold damage has
been done by fifteen years of teaching to the test.18
The sobering reality is that the intellectual vitality of our youth is bleeding
away more quickly than in any previous generation. It is being sacrificed on the
unholy altar of mediocrity, drained of all curiosity and self-expression by a cult of
bureaucratic vampires. It’s time to say “no” to this misguided system, to fight
back, and to prove that there are still spirits who refuse to be subdued and minds
who refuse to be regulated.
It’s time to show those who are battling tyranny that they are not alone.
14
The Normandy, Riverview Gardens, Ferguson-Florissant, Kansas City Public, and St. Louis Public
school districts have in recent years either lost or come close to losing their accreditation.
15
The near-bankrupt Normandy district paid $130,000 to lobbyists in 2013. In August 2015, the Francis
Howell district, which had recently increased its spending beyond its revenues, spent $260,000 to put a
failed tax levy on the ballot, when it could have spent only $500 in April. Audits also showed:
(1) The Hickman Mills district’s inventory and finance records are poor; 60 iPads were lost and cash
payments made that were unknown to members of the school board.
(2) KC Public Schools are paying millions each year for poorly tracked expenses: $2 million to
maintain 38 closed schools, and $4 million on incentives going to unknown recipients.
(3) St. Louis Public Schools promote pupils who can’t read at their grade level. Officials say fixing
the problem is too costly – despite costs per pupil 50% above the state average.
16
Pearson, a British test-making corporation that earns $9 billion per year selling tests to states,
contributed heavily to writing Common Core standards. Technology providers – including the Gates’
foundation and the tech consortium SITIA – also contributed significantly.
Political speeches refer to teachers as the building blocks of a “human capital pipeline” that must “track
children from preschool to high school and from high school to college and college to career.” Toward
that end, school officials were bribed to allow free corporate “field tests” on kids.
17
18
The current Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, testified before Congress that NCLB caused
teaching to the test and did harm to the disadvantaged – but that new policies will fix it.
21
Chapter Two
Chart of Public School Growth in Missouri
Section 2-H
School Weeks, 2015 Dollars (1000s) or Employees (per 100)
Growth of the Common Public School System in Missouri,
from 1870 to Present
30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Average Length of a
School Year in Weeks
Average Number of
School Employees per
100 Enrolled Students
Average School
Expenditure per
Enrolled Student, in
1000's of Constant
2015 Dollars
Year of U.S. Census Data Collection
Compiled from the U. S. Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract of the United States for the years 1880, 1885, 1891, 1905, 1911, 1920,
1930, 1940, 1951, 1956, 1960, 1970, 1971, 1980, 1984, 1990, 1992, 1994, and 2012; from the Census’ Annual Survey of State and Local
Government Finances for 1994-5, 1999-2000 and 2007-08; and from Public Education Finances: 2013.
Are students today getting an education twice as good as an education in the 1980s? And
was public education of the ’80s twice as good as the 1950s or ’60s? They’re important questions,
because our society is doubling what it pays for education – adjusted for inflation and enrollment
– every 20 to 30 years. School employees are increasing at a similar pace. And although it
doesn’t show on the graph, school years are still lengthening, because “summer school” is no
longer for failing students, but rather for any student who wants credits for required classes.
With this unchecked growth in time, expense and labor, what are we gaining? Is our school
system elevating the poor, empowering young minds or instilling a sense of civic duty? Is it
enriching our culture, or granting promises of success or a happy life?
22
Chapter Two
Chart of Social Problems in Missouri
Section 2-H
Missouri Residents Affected per Total Population
Social Problems in Missouri : Suicide, Mental Illness, Crime &
Poverty, from 1860 to Present
21
20
19
18
17
16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1860 1870 1880 1890 1900 1910 1920 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010
Suicides per
100,000 people
Commitments
for Mental
Illness per
1,000 People
Imprisonments
by Court
Sentence per
1,000 People
Poor Receiving
Public Aid per
100 People
Year of U.S. Census Data Collection
Compiled from the U. S. Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract of the United States, for the years 1914, 1915, 1930, 1939, 1940, 1942,
1944-45, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1957, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982-3, 1984, 1990, 1992, 2000, 2010 and
2012; from the Census’ Mortality of the United States of 1870, Vital and Social Statistics of 1890, Mortality Statistics for the years 1915,
1920, 1931and 1932, and Vital Statistics of the United States for the years 1943, 1950, 1959, 1970, 1980, 1990, 1994, 2001 and
2013;from the Census publication Historical Statistics; from the Census-funded studies by the Bureau of Justice Statistics Prison
Admissions and Releases, 1981 and Prisoners in 1996, Prisoners in 2008 and Prisoners in 2013; from the Missouri Department of Mental
Health’s publications Status Report on Missouri’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Problems for the years 2011 and 2013 and Census
figures quoted for 1860 and 1870 in Zach Montgomery’s Poison Drops in the Federal Senate (extrapolated to include non-native, nonwhite population) . Results shown before 1910 (except suicides) are inflated from actual figures in order to be consistent with later, more
detailed Census reports.
As the graph above shows, suicide rates in Missouri are 6 times higher than they were 150
years ago. During each year, 7 times more Missourians are serving a prison sentence compared to
those in 1870. Over 35 times more Missourians are treated at some point for serious mental
illness each year than were treated in 1870. And over 110 times more Missouri residents receive
public aid than did in 1870.
Should our school leaders be concerned about “global competition”, when many students
are graduating without the means for living a happy, meaningful life? Is it the goal of education to
generate national wealth, and score bragging rights over other countries?
23
Chapter Two
Chart of Academics in Missouri
Section 2-H
NAEP or ACT average composite score or
percentage
Academic Test Scores in Missouri from 4th grade to Graduation,
1992 to 2014
250
225
Composite 4th-grade
average NAEP Math
& Reading score
200
175
150
Composite % of 8thgraders with Basic
NAEP Math or Basic
NAEP Reading Skills
125
100
75
50
Average Composite
ACT score
25
0
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
Year of Testing
Compiled from American College Test Incorporated (ACT, Inc.) Press Releases for the years 1994, 1998, 2004, 2008; the ACT Profile
Report-Missouri for 2014; and from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores reported in the NCES (National
Center for Education Statistics) Digest of Education Statistics for the years 1995, 2011 and 2014.
“But, the closer we have gotten to 2014, the more NCLB has changed from an instrument of reform into a barrier to
reform. And, the kids who have lost the most from that change are those... with disabilities, low-income and
minority students, and English learners. Because, in practice, NCLB unintentionally encouraged States to lower
their standards... It mandated one-size-fits-all interventions... [and] forced teachers to teach to the test.”
- U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, in testimony before a Senate Committee hearing on the No
Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), February 7th, 2013 (see source for footnote 18 on page 21)
After more than ten years of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act – a plan which was
supposed to provide 100% proficiency in math and reading by 2014 – Missouri’s school scores are
virtually unchanged. Even the U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, testified that NCLB
was a failure that caused more harm than good. Yet in that same testimony, Secretary Duncan
stated that NCLB was a good idea, and that it could be fixed.
At no time did Secretary Duncan apologize on behalf of the federal government for forcing
an educational plan on Missouri which cost billions of extra dollars, but only helped corporate test
makers. He has not apologized to Missourians who paid their taxes to hurt kids’ potential, or to
the entire generation of schoolchildren who grew up with a poorer education. Instead, Secretary
Duncan and Missouri’s Commissioner of Education have proposed to increase NCLB spending
and intensify its data-collection efforts using the “better” Common Core standards.
Our politicians clearly have a detached attitude toward Missouri’s kids as “products” of the
school system. If the products are disappointing, they do not question their right to meddle; they
merely try to tweak the process. They are, after all, the appointed experts of the State.
24
Chapter Two – Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement
Section 2-I
Fighting the Master State
“These are the times that try men’s souls… Tyranny, like Hell, is not easily conquered; yet we
have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph.”
- American revolutionary Thomas Paine, The Crisis, 1776
Missouri is home to a people in crisis. Our leaders publicly pretend to
preserve the forms of a free society, while in truth they quietly destroy its
substance. The danger is real – it is documented in countless incidents – yet we
seem helpless.
Without a doubt, this is cause for alarm; but it is not also cause for despair.
On the contrary, by identifying the source of our current darkness, we have already
taken a significant step toward the light. Knowing the enemy is half of any battle.
Once we have been alerted to an abuse of power – either at the local,1 state,2 or
federal3 level – we can find ways to stop it.
A solution, however, is not quite enough. When we know of a problem –
and have an idea how to fix it – we must act. The decision to act is critical; even if
the effort might fail, this is a battle that must be joined.
Many ordinary citizens have already taken up the fight. Some do so as a
matter of personal interest,4 others fight for the sake of the public at large.5 Most,
1
In 1998, St. Louis City used eminent domain with $1.1 billion of public money upon the city of
Bridgeton to tear down the homes of 6,000 people, in order to build a third airstrip for Lambert
International Airport. The airstrip is unpopular with pilots and services less than 5% of the airport’s
flights. In 2008, a dentist was targeted by the city of Arnold for eminent domain because his house –
well-kept and up to code – did not fit with the city’s “decor”. The Missouri Supreme Court ruled that the
seizure was legal, and the house was given to a retail outlet.
2
Governor Nixon seized $1.7 million from other departments for use by his own office, including
$600,000 for travel, usually in state-owned luxury aircraft, as reported by the State Auditor in 2011.
In 2014 the Governor’s office attempted to enact a federal initiative, known as the “Real ID Act”, in
contradiction to Missouri law. Driver’s license bureaus were instructed to illegally copy birth certificates
and SS cards, and to file these documents with the state. The General Assembly brought the governor’s
staff under investigation, after which the practice was suspended.
3
4
Several recent incidents have involved individual legal action against government abuse:
1) Raja Naeem, a privately-employed St. Louis cab driver sued the city in 2014 for fining him over
his religious attire. Kansas City and St. Louis require a strict dress code for cab drivers – even
though they aren’t city employees. This causes crippling fines for some drivers, including those
who wear religious dress (e.g., crucifixes, kufis), caps or pins.
2) In 2013, Michael Elli was charged with a felony – obstructing justice – when he flashed his lights
to oncoming traffic to warn them about a speed trap. He has since sued the city.
3) Steven Pogue was fined by Ballwin police in 2011 for giving the finger to a fellow motorist who
had run a red light and blocked the intersection. Pogue was pulled over and ticketed, while the
other car was not. After a legal battle, Ballwin repealed the ordinance.
A group of St. Louis defense lawyers, called Arch City Defenders, work to defend people who can’t
afford legal counsel in matters where a public attorney often isn’t provided, such as traffic courts.
5
25
Fighting the Master State
it seems, act out of principle, especially employees who risk the reprisal of their
superiors to expose reckless government policies.6
It is true that thus far this chapter has painted a grim picture of our future;
but all is not lost. Something can be done. If we forgo the simplicity of letting
politicians manage our affairs without our involvement; if we follow our
conscience rather than our fears, and allow others the same privilege; if we take
personal responsibility for our political future; then the Mastery of the State over
its victims is surely doomed.
This is a stern duty to bear, but if we discharge it fairly, its fruits will be
enjoyed by our children and generations to come. If we neglect it, the shame is
ours alone. It is a charge we cannot refute and still bear allegiance to the truth, or
to liberty.
Nor can we delay for a convenient moment. The storms of history do not
wait upon the whims of men. They gather at their own pace and strike without
pity. Now is the time to act, while the dark clouds are first moving upon the
horizon – to brace ourselves and make ready, in the hope that we may see the light
again.
6
The federal Missouri Information and Analysis Center (MIAC), a creation of the Department of
Homeland Security, gathers data on citizens and informs law enforcement of “threats”. Two highway
patrol officers, risking censure, leaked a secret MIAC report distributed to police. The report labeled
supporters of Ron Paul or third parties, “constitutionalists”, people who opposed abortion, opposed
federal taxes, supported gold-backed currency or spoke favorably of the right to bear arms, and military
veterans as potential terrorists, despite having no evidence to back its claims. After initially defending the
report, the government withdrew it from circulation.
26
Part One – The Case for the Volunteer Movement
Chapter Three
CHAPTER 3: The Goals of the Volunteer Movement
“…that government [is] the strongest, of which every man feels himself a part.”
-
founding father Thomas Jefferson, to Edward Taffin, 1807
As the previous section has demonstrated, Missouri’s government is deeply
flawed. These flaws have had consequences that have gone far beyond mere
inconvenience. People have been stripped of their homes, their votes and their
liberty. They have been made to feel helpless, their principles held hostage by a
system that is corrupt, reckless, deceitful and incompetent.
This deplorable situation demands a response.
The Volunteer Movement is a call for action. It exists not only to oppose
tainted politics, but also to restore political autonomy to the individual. Too often,
government ignores or actively opposes private initiative.1 Hopefully, by
empowering individuals to actively engage in their own governance, the Volunteer
Movement can rekindle a spirit of community and civic awareness that will make
Missouri a better place to live.
The Volunteer Movement’s goals are meant to respect a citizen’s desire to be
self-governing whenever possible. This includes defending a person’s natural
rights to life, liberty, and opportunity, and allowing free access to the political
process. Roughly speaking, the goals of the Volunteer Movement are associated
with four basic liberties. These liberties are:
1) Freedom of association (voluntary taxes)
2) Freedom of political expression (election reform)
3) Freedom of information (transparency)
4) Freedom of person (personal liberty)
The rest of this section will be devoted to exploring each of these freedoms in
more detail.
1
During the 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012 election cycles, a group called Missouri Citizens For Property
Rights circulated petitions to put a proposal before Missouri voters that wished to forbid the use of
eminent domain on behalf of commercial enterprise (public improvement would be the only valid use of
eminent domain in this case). They were opposed by the Missouri Municipal League, a lobbyist group
funded with dues from various city and town governments. The League sued to tie up the 2010 petition
in court on a technicality – a petition which had nearly gotten enough signatures on its first real try in
2008. In 2010-11, Secretary Carnahan intentionally altered the petition’s language to cause it to again get
tied up in court. As of this writing, the League (city governments) and the state have managed to keep the
Missouri public from being able to vote upon the measure, a measure which was brought forth by
individuals on their own initiative and with privately-raised funds.
27
Chapter Three – The Goals of the Volunteer Movement
Section 3-A
Voluntary Taxes
“I have never declined paying the highway tax, because I am as desirous of being a good
neighbor as I am of being a bad subject.”
- Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 1849
What is a voluntary tax?
It is the choice whether or not to pay the government, and if one does pay, the
choice of where that money will go. No longer would there be any general taxes
upon the public. Instead of income tax forms, the government would provide a list
of its current programs and their purposes. Each citizen would then be able to
choose which programs to support and how much to pay to them, and be taxed
accordingly.
The actual method of taxation could take a variety of forms, some of them
similar to current taxes. For example, an individual could elect to pay a fixed
amount for a certain number of years. This would likely work well for certain
public services, such as an ambulance or fire district. A person could make a
conditional pledge to pay a tax only under certain circumstances, or when a certain
situation arises. This sort of tax could allow “kickstarter” projects which require
large starting capital, or address any unexpected needs such as disaster relief. As a
special case, citizens could pledge to pay extra taxes as incentives when a program
accomplishes a promised goal, much in the same way an employer might award a
bonus to a hard worker.
Voluntary taxes are an essential part of allowing people to enjoy the freedom
of association. Every time we must pay a tax without our personal consent, we are
being forced to associate with everything it funds. This association may include
acts which violate our religion, our conscience, or both.
It is the Volunteer Movement’s primary goal to take back our freedom of
association with the following measures:
1) No tax is levied without a specific, publicly outlined purpose.
2) All taxes are entered into voluntarily, on an individual basis.
3) Specifically, state personal income taxes are abolished, and general (nonuse) sales and property taxes rescinded. Federal personal income taxes are
resisted with all legal remedies available.
28
Chapter Three – The Goals of the Volunteer Movement
Section 3-B
Election Reform
“Do not forget that every people deserves the regime it is willing to endure.”
- From a protest pamphlet by siblings Hans and Sophie Scholl, student leaders who
were guillotined for treason by the Nazi government on February 22nd, 1943
Missouri politicians are most commonly elected by a majority of the votes
cast. Yet these votes represent only a small fraction of the electorate. How can
this be?
Because, quite simply, most people don’t vote.
And who can blame them? Voters are forced to visit the polls on a work
day, sometimes waiting in long lines, only to be handed a ballot that gives them
very few options- if any. Completed ballots are then fed into old scanners and
easily-hacked computers, a fact which is justifiably suspicious considering that
large numbers of non-residents and the dead are still registered to vote.1 In the
end, no matter what happens, elections will be won by members of the Republican
or Democratic Party, parties that are notoriously riddled with corruption.2
This is not an elective system worthy of a free people.
In light of these injuries to the voting public, the Volunteer Movement
proposes the following reforms:
1) Election days should be declared holidays. After all, isn’t honoring our
right to vote at least as important as celebrating past presidents, the cause
of labor, or the start of the new year?
2) Ballots need to allow voters to express their true wishes using a different
voting system. Plurality voting is best suited to determining an
electorate’s basic approval for a simple yes-or-no proposal. It is a
terrible system, however, for selecting representatives, based upon a
variety of factors, from a field of individual candidates.
3) Political parties – of any kind – should not be allowed, or used, to restrict
the elective process in any way. This applies to laws and rules which
restrict ballot access, create party-based hierarchies in the House and
Senate, and allow only two parties to draw up political boundaries.
1
See Chapter 2, Section D, page 9.
2
See Chapter 2, Section C, page 7.
29
Chapter Three – The Goals of the Volunteer Movement
Section 3-C
Transparency
“We must not let go for all the flea-biting of the present afflictions… having bought Truth dear
we must not sell it cheap, not the least grain of it for the whole world…”
- Political and religious exile Roger Williams, co-founder of the Rhode Island
colony, from his book The Bloody Tenet of Persecution, 1644
A great deal of government activity happens in secret.1 Anything that isn’t
secret is often disguised in legal jargon that is very difficult to understand.2 The
laws and regulations of Missouri have become so complex, in fact, that nobody
knows them all. This bureaucratic maze of gibberish is a direct threat to both our
liberty, and to the cause of justice.
The Volunteer Movement seeks to remove as much as possible all obstacles
to public information, in order to make both the government and its citizens more
responsible for their actions. Its goals are fourfold:
1) All public agencies will be required to keep accurate accounts of their
budget, and make them available to the public both online and in print.
Failure to do so will incur severe penalties (currently, there are only weak
punishments for agencies that don’t report their spending).
2) Credit cards will not be allowed in government, since the public, not the
agency, would be liable for the debt. All purchases with debit cards or
“P-cards” must be shown in an itemized list in the agency’s budget. A
clear reason must be provided for every budget purchase. Simply put,
there must be no excuse for keeping the public in the dark as to how and
why their money is being spent.
3) Legislators will be forbidden to cram multiple laws (“riders”) into a
single bill. This way, the public should have a better understanding of
how an upcoming bill might affect them – and exactly how their elected
representative voted on the issue.
4) Laws will be required to be written in natural English- no sentences over
50 words, no more than one semicolon per sentence, etc. The overall
number of laws will be significantly reduced so that reasonably
motivated citizens can become familiar with all of them, without the need
to attend a special school… 31,000 statutes is simply way too many.
1
See Chapter 2, Section E, page 11.
2
See Chapter 2, Section F, page 13.
30
Chapter Three – The Goals of the Volunteer Movement
Section 3-D
Personal Liberty
“The only title in our democracy superior to that of President is the title of citizen.”
- Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, 1937
We need to trust each other. Without individual trust, a community has no
chance; and without communities, people cannot govern themselves in peace.
Society can then only be found in a shared terror of the law, a universal jealousy of
one’s neighbors, and a mutual need for authority and regulation.
Such a society – a society that values government more than people – has no
room for the American spirit. When a politician promises a measure which
threatens an unpopular minority in order to benefit the majority, we must reject it;
for what is violated for a part, is violated for all. The most essential element of
liberty that must be protected is the right to say “No,” – without fear of harm – no
matter the opposition in wealth, station, or numbers.
Liberty cannot exist among a people who do not respect dissent. When a
culture finds disagreement, or difference, to be offensive for its own sake, there
tyranny and violence flourish.
Fear of the unknown, the desire for protection, and the need for control, have
seduced many into supporting laws which eliminate opportunity and freedom for
everyone, so that no Bad Thing might happen to anyone. Protection and freedom
are exclusive to one another. Although our desire for protection may be strong, is
it worth sacrificing our freedom?
We should not live in fear of the world. Better to live with freedom and the
risk it brings, than to seek to tame it with our own version of civilized brutality.
In this belief – that all people deserve trust, respect, and the presumption of
good will toward each other – the Volunteer Movement supports the following
measures:
1) Privacy is actively defended and respected by our government. Missouri’s
legislators have talked tough on defending privacy, but have done little to
back it up with actions.
2) Property cannot be seized by the government for private use. It is blatantly
corrupt to use the public trust and funds to seize property from a community
and give it to favored enterprises.
3) Laws are designed only to stop people from doing active harm to one
another; any law which forces participation, narrows individual options or
otherwise restricts choice is to be amended or repealed. In particular,
parents who do not participate in public school (e.g., select private schools
or homeschool), are not penalized with public school taxes.
31
Part One – The Case for the Volunteer Movement
Chapter Four
CHAPTER 4: Can a Volunteer Government Work?
“We are a people capable of self-government, and worthy of it.”
-
founding father Thomas Jefferson, to Isaac Weaver, Jr., 1807
There is no doubt that the ideas of the Volunteer Movement will require
sweeping change. As with any change, there is also risk. The greater the change,
the greater the risk. Thus, some people might question whether a Volunteer system
of government may do more harm than good.
Compared to the current system, however, a Volunteer government could
hardly do worse.1 It could, in fact, do much better. Besides promoting the cause of
liberty, community-based associations are often innovative, responsive to local
needs and easily held accountable to the public. Indeed, over the centuries, some
voluntarily-funded programs have proved themselves every bit a match for their
more centralized state counterparts.2
Nevertheless, many of the Volunteer proposals may seem dangerous,
especially to those who have been cynically taught by the state to trust in rules –
not people – and to support institutions instead of ideals.3 In particular, one might
be skeptical of the idea of voluntary taxation. If, on the other hand, voluntary
taxation is convincingly defended, it should ease concerns about the Volunteer
Movement as a whole.
This section, therefore, will focus exclusively upon the most dramatic proposal
of the Volunteer Movement: that all taxes should be consensual. It will attempt to
anticipate likely objections to voluntary taxes, to explore the possible benefits and
drawbacks of such a system, and to draw upon current and historical examples of
voluntary association for the common good.
1
See Chapter 2.
2
Local road-building corporations in the 1800s were funded mainly by a civic spirit for public
improvement, as stock in these companies was famous for being practically worthless. They built
turnpikes at a higher quality, at lower cost, and attracted a higher voluntary investment from the public
(6.15% of GDP), than the money used to build the U.S. Interstate System with compulsory taxes (4.15%
of GDP) in the 1950s. Even a direct comparison between 200 miles of the federally-funded National
Road in the 1820s and the directly-competing Pittsburg Pike show that the federal government spent 3
times more per mile yet had much lower quality in construction – to the point that travelers shunned the
National Road in favor of the Pike, even though the Pike was a toll road.
3
Some philosophers have long studied the negative historical impact of institutions when they grow too
powerful – that the people under them erroneously confuse an institution with the value it supposedly
produces (e.g., people think that bigger schools always create more learning; and that without schools, no
learning can take place), people lose the capacity to solve their own problems, and they become
increasingly like spoiled children - passive, petty and self-centered.
32
Chapter Four – Can a Volunteer Government Work?
Section 4-A
Answering the Three Big Worries
“I will tell you frankly that [seeing America] persuades me that a free government is superior to
any other... Because everyone has a sense of his independent position and individual dignity...
[it encourages] them to respect themselves and others... It is, I assure you, truly incredible to
see how these people maintain order solely by virtue of the notion that the only safeguard
against themselves lies within themselves.”
- Alexis de Tocqueville, early political scientist, during his travels in America, in a
letter to Louis de Kergorlay, June 29th, 1831
Chaos.
This is probably the first thought that comes to mind when a person hears
the word “voluntary” used with “taxes”. We have been taught, after all, that
compulsory taxes are a necessary evil. If taxes were optional, nobody would pay
them, and the government would collapse along with social order.
Nothing, however, could be further from the truth.
In the first case, voluntary taxes, as pointed out earlier,1 do not forbid the
fees, licensure, and service taxes that make up a small but noticeable portion of the
state budget. Specific, targeted charges are also allowed as long as a citizen has
the option of declining the service. Voluntary taxes are solely meant to replace the
currently unavoidable taxes that are levied for an unspecified purpose. Thus, the
government would still have the means to collect revenue, independent of any
voluntary pledges by individuals.2
In the second case, and more telling, we already know that a voluntary tax
system can support a functioning government. Why? Because Missouri’s state
government used the voluntary tax system for the first 100 years of its existence.3
Voluntary taxes supported many of the types of services that we have now under a
compulsory system – services such as education, the legal system and mental
health facilities – although with less funds.
Which brings us to the third point: we cannot spend our way to good
government. Without the will to serve the public interest, all money is wasted.4
Such goodwill disappears in a compulsory tax system. The wealth available to
government – and the high-handed ways in which taxes are collected and spent –
1
See Chapter 3, Section A for a fuller description of voluntary taxes.
2
Fees and targeted taxes (e.g., alcohol, gas, cigarettes) comprised 10% of Missouri’s 2014 state revenue.
3
Missouri became a state in 1820, but state income taxes did not exist until a century later, in 1931; state
sales taxes appeared in 1934. Local taxes began 20-40 years after their state counterparts.
Federal Judge Clark’s intervention in the Kansas City Public School district from 1985-1999 forced
county residents, without a vote, to double their property taxes. KC schools spent more per pupil than
any in the country. After more than $2 billion in expenditures over 15 years, the effort was declared a
complete failure and the payments stopped. Shortly thereafter, the district lost accreditation.
4
33
Answering the Three Big Worries
attracts greedy and unscrupulous men, while eroding civic virtue.5 Voluntary
taxes, on the other hand, restore a sense of participation and dignity. Even if
people do not get to decide whether or not they pay taxes, just the freedom to
choose how their taxes are spent can foster public involvement.6
Furthermore, it should be pointed out that changes do not need to occur all at
once. It makes sense to give advance warning so that people can adjust, and to
enact changes gradually or in sections. This way, any chance of an “overnight
collapse” will be avoided, and wasteful or unpopular programs can be weeded out
without pulling up the roots of good governance along the way.
Finally, as the previous chapter showed, Missouri’s current governments are
growing at an unsustainable pace.7 Seventy-five years ago, 1 in 100 Missourians
(1.15% of the total population) worked directly for government. Today, 1 in 16
(6.23%) work in government. In the next twenty years, that figure may be as high
as 1 in 12.8 We must learn from the disastrous example of Greece, and consider a
dramatic change of course.9
If we adopt a voluntary system, we could stop bloat, pay off our debts, and
ease financial pressure on the working class. The alternative for our future is
nearly unthinkable – punishing measures at all levels, of the kind that Greece has
needed to pay off its massive debts.10 In other words, a voluntary tax system may
well avoid economic chaos, not create it.
Freeloading.
This is the second doubt that one may harbor about a voluntary government.
Under a voluntary system, it is entirely possible for people to choose not to pay
taxes; yet these people may still use public services. This could create a situation
where possibly “selfish” people, who don’t pay taxes, can benefit at the expense of
responsible citizens who do pay them. However, this concern is readily addressed
with two simple arguments.
5
See Chapter 2 for examples of misuse of public funds and fraud. Sections 2-C, 2-D and 2-H catalog the
slow but steady drop in voter participation, community service and political discussion in Missouri.
“Participatory budgeting”, first used in Brazil, has spread to 1,500 cities across the world. In America,
31,000 citizens in half of New York’s districts, 3 of San Francisco’s, 3 Chicago wards, the city of Vallejo
and 12-25 yr.-olds in Boston decide how to spend over $32 million in city funds. One observer of Boston
youth involved in the process described them as, “motivated, focused and serious.” In St. Louis, the 6th
ward let its citizens vote on a limited set of choices for spending $100,000 of their local taxes.
6
7
For a visual summary of these findings, see the charts on pages 7 and 22.
8
Over the last 50 years, the number of state and local employees per capita in Missouri has doubled.
9
Greek debt is $330 billion, or 177% of its GDP; pensions alone consume 16% of its GDP.
10
To maintain its debt, Greece lost 25% of its employment and GDP since 2010. Under a 2015 bailout
deal, its economy is under partial control of foreign banks, who have authority to sell off its infrastructure.
34
Answering the Three Big Worries
First, it is clear that our current tax system already has a great deal of
“freeloading”. Large segments of the state’s population pay little or no taxes,
either because they are unable or they are legally barred from doing so.11 This puts
a significant tax burden on the working poor and middle class.12 The only
difference, in fact, between the current system and a voluntary one, is whether the
government or the individual citizenry decide who contributes and who benefits.
Second, it is equally apparent that a democratic government is only possible
if its people take an active interest in it. If Missourians are unwilling to sacrifice
any personal effort for good government, then it is already doomed, with or
without a voluntary system. If, however, people are engaged in their community,
then “freeloading” should not be a problem; for when a person values a thing, they
are willing to pay for it, to work for it and ultimately, to fight for it.
Corruption.
The third big problem that a person might envision about a voluntary
government is corruption. Any system which allows individual contributions is
vulnerable to being unduly influenced by special interests and the wealthy.
However, like “freeloading”, we already experience this problem with the
current regime.13 Attempts to curb political contributions have largely ignored the
root of the issue: namely, the character and conduct of politicians who accept
bribes. Instead, they have focused on creating regulations that add to the power of
state bureaucrats, but cause only a minor inconvenience to special interests.14
While a voluntary government cannot promise to address the causes of
corruption, it can promise to localize the effects of corruption. By taking power
away from central authority, and putting it into the hands of the people and
communities, a volunteer system hinders privileged interests from affecting more
than one local area at a time. If we take this into account, we can see that a
volunteer government is certainly no worse than the one we currently have.
Yet, even so, a person might ask, what are the drawbacks? Every system has
them. The next section will seek to answer this question. It will explore the costs
of a voluntary tax system, and weigh them against the opportunities it offers.
11
Approximately 21% of Missouri’s people are unable to pay taxes (institutionalized or underage).
12
Out of a population of 6 million, just over 2.8 million (47%) filed income tax returns in 2014. The top
fifth of Missouri’s wage-earners pay an average of 8.3% of their income on state & local taxes, while the
bottom four-fifths pay more, an average of 9.3% of their income, mostly due to sales and property tax.
13
Over the last two years, lobbyists have spent $1.8 million and given out 19,000 gifts at the state capital.
Missouri’s Attorney General, Chris Koster, has been singled out by the NY Times for corruption.
14
State comparisons and historical studies found no positive impact from political finance laws. Rep.
Richardson said that campaign limits (repealed in 2008) didn’t stop bribery – it just became more secret.
35
Chapter Four – Can a Volunteer Government Work?
Section 4-B
The Pros and Cons
“If pro is the opposite of con, what is the opposite of Congress?”
- Comedian Will Rogers, 1946
Every idea comes at a price. Politicians, naturally, are prone to promising
everything under the sun, free of cost. This does not reflect reality, however.
Personal freedom, for instance, is logically at odds with the idea of public
safety. If people want police, with a strong authority, they are by definition giving
up some of their own authority and freedom. In fact, the more control and
assurance that we give our government to produce any desired outcome, the less
freedom we enjoy.
A political choice is a trade-off. Government is a balance between values
that are, to some degree, mutually exclusive – efficiency, consensus, equality, trust,
control, risk, power, freedom, unity, diversity, utility, potential, profit,
sustainability, and so on. These cannot all coexist in a single system. The key is to
identify which trade-offs are compatible with our happiness, and which are poison
to our principles. It is a shabby bargain, indeed, if we gain convenience at the cost
of our conscience.
The question, therefore, is what do we value the most, and what are we
willing to sacrifice for it?
Nobody of good sense can dispute that a voluntary tax system requires
sacrifice. Voluntary taxes place the burden of authority onto the shoulders of the
people. In this state of freedom and responsibility, there are no easy answers.
Here are some of the major limitations of voluntary taxes:
1) Less security. Programs are more fragile, as they have no guaranteed,
permanent standing in a voluntary system. People need to keep informed
and adapt more readily to changes in the public sector.
2) Less control. Society is harder to engineer to suit an ideal or a program of
reform. Efforts to combat negative qualities, such as racism, require
broader support from the ground up.
3) Inconvenience. Citizens no longer have the option of letting government
run automatically in the background without their input. A citizen’s
attention is not only helpful, it is necessary – and along with it more work.
4) Lack of coordination. Without funding from the top, programs function
more independently of each other. Concerted action takes place
accidentally, or by the considerable efforts of political leaders.
36
The Pros and Cons
On the other hand, here are some of the main benefits:
1) Freedom. More than any other quality, freedom gives life to America. It is
the single thread that unites all of us. To lose it, is to lose who we are, and
why we bother to call ourselves a country.
2) Self-respect. People are valued, not as “human capital” or as useful parts in
a political machine,1 but as contributing voices in a political discussion.
Citizens become far more invested in their society, because they know that
their efforts make a difference.2
3) Flexibility. Bureaucratic inertia, unrealistic plans and cumbersome rules are
less tolerated, forcing government to adapt to the needs of its citizens, or
lose funding. Local oversight and expertise encourage programs to respond
more quickly and effectively to crises.3
4) Enhanced Income. Every family enjoys a minimum 6% raise, even when
unemployed.4 Individuals decide if this income is needed for themselves
and their family, or is best spent contributing to the public interest.
Although these lists are not complete, they do show the basic difference
between a voluntary system and the current compulsory one. Voluntary taxes
allow freedom, but rely upon the public’s ability to manage themselves;
compulsory taxes give security but undermine public esteem and effort.
Or, to put it more simply, compulsory taxes ask us to believe in a managed
process. Voluntary taxes ask us to believe in people. If we believe in ourselves,
and in each other, then there is no question that a voluntary system is best. If we
don’t trust our capabilities, if we believe that people are generally petty, inept and
foolish – then a compulsory system headed by professional elites is likely best.
Before making any judgment, however, one should always consider past
evidence. Have voluntary programs been tried before, and have they succeeded?
1
Starting in the late 20th century, the language of governments has resembled that of corporations, in
which people, referred to as “human capital” or “human resources” are by implication treated as
commodities – which can be acquired, traded, improved or discarded as necessary.
When talking about allowing constituents to participate in their ward’s budget, Chicago councilman’s
chief aide, Owen Brugh, observed, “...we were able to engage an entire area of our ward that was
previously disengaged... It is wonderful to see some residents go from cynicism to self-empowerment...”
2
In the same interview, Owen Brugh also noted the advantage of local talents: “I was really surprised by
the amazing knowledge base we have among our volunteers... we discussed not just what needed to be
fixed but what we wanted our community to be.”
3
4
Property and sales taxes – which are paid by almost all families – take away at least 6% of income.
37
Chapter Four – Can a Volunteer Government Work?
Section 4-C
Examples of Success, Past and Present
“When a major crime attracts public attention, the residents of the place where the crime was
committed come together, appoint a commission to find out who did it, and establish a fund to
pay the expenses of the investigation. I have seen examples of this. What this shows is, first,
that the investigative capacity of the police in America is limited and, second, that Americans
know what associations can do for them... ”
- Alexis de Tocqueville, from his travel notebook “B”, October 15th, 1831
From its beginning, Missouri has exhibited local activism. One primary
example is that of road-building corporations, notably during the plank road
boom.1 Militias were another early form of civic association, particularly with
regards to protecting cities.2 Volunteer fire departments served throughout the
entire state until the mid-1800s, and many districts remain volunteer to this day.3
Comparing the era of community volunteers to the era of paid professionals
is hard, because the expectations for service have increased over time. However,
it’s sufficient to note that Missourians not only survived, but thrived during the
“volunteer” years. Although troubles did crop up, these events by no means
described a period of popular distress.
Yet, by the 20th century, professional standards and government programs
dominated. Why? Because a new vision was gripping America: life in a utopian
society governed under scientific methods, as crafted by a board of “experts”.
This dream took hold in many aspects of life, especially in schools. The
actual benefits, however, were often quite limited, while the costs rose year after
year.4 By the 1960s, people began to question the value of these institutions.
Communities fought for local autonomy and self-reliance, creating volunteer
groups like the famous neighborhood watches.5
Today, Missouri has a mix of both old and new volunteer organizations.
Some of these supplement existing government agencies,6 some work in tandem,7
and some replace government service altogether.8
1
Missouri communities financed 49 incorporated plank road builders between 1847 and 1853.
St. Louis’ police force consisted of a rotating squad chosen from its militia members between 1808-46.
3
Kansas City and St. Louis both created paid fire departments in 1868 and 1857, respectively. Today,
about one-sixth of all of Missouri’s fire departments remain voluntary.
4
See the charts on page 7 and pages 22-24 for data on government expenditures and social results.
5
Neighborhood watches started to appear in the 1970s, and currently patrol about 40% of the nation’s
housing. A 2008 Department of Justice study found that these watches reduce crime on average by 16%.
6
The Adopt-A-Highway program has 47,000 volunteers working with the state highway department,
which saves an estimated $1 million per year. Cities across Missouri also have volunteer units assisting
their police forces, including the St. Joseph PD, Columbia PD, and Springfield PD.
7
Over 700 low-cost health clinics operate in Missouri, alongside thousands of volunteers in hospitals, and
other professionals who donate time, like the 1,073 St. Louis dentists do for Give Kids a Smile.
8
Missouri has more than 50 home-school cooperatives educating about 29,000 students. Missouri also
has about 150 volunteer fire districts.
2
38
Examples of Success, Past and Present
With a dark mood among Missourians toward raising taxes, many
government agencies reached the end of their financial sustainability several
decades ago. They came to realize that their promises had exceeded their
capabilities. Facing hard times, governments have attempted to mend ties with the
“amateur” volunteer base that they had alienated for so many years.
This trend is strikingly apparent in a report by the federal Bureau of Justice
Assistance, which extols the virtue of volunteer service in police departments.9
This included civilians performing routine patrols, traffic duty, crime scene
evidence-gathering, and cold case investigations. The report pointed out that
Independence, Missouri’s police department had 60 volunteers donating their time
out of a total of 430 workers, or nearly 1 in 7. The report also estimated that the
national average value of civilian volunteer police work was $21.36 per hour.
Even at the height of their power and influence, government programs –
supported by compulsory taxes – were never able to provide the sweeping range of
community service that volunteer efforts provided. Blood drives, charity
fundraisers, food pantries, homeless shelters, veterinarian clinics, conservation
clubs, historical societies, and information watchdogs are just some of the areas
where volunteers fill in the wide gaps between government-led efforts.
The historical narrative, and indeed this chapter, end with a final thought:
Early in our history, Missouri communities demonstrated an ability to
prosper without the help of their government.
Missouri government, however, has never been able to prosper without the
help of its communities.
The report’s summary states that due to shrinking tax bases, “More than ever, volunteerism in the law
enforcement arena has become a need and not a luxury.”
9
39
Part One – The Case for the Volunteer Movement
Chapter Five
CHAPTER 5: Bibliography
“The candle, that is set up in us, shines bright enough for all our purposes... If we disbelieve
everything, because we cannot certainly know all things; we shall do much what as wisely as
he, who would not use his legs but sit still and perish, because he had no wings to fly.”
– philosopher John Locke, An Essay Concerning Human Understanding, 1689
Listed below are the sources for the previous chapters. Wherever feasible,
official government statistics were presented. If a clear and complete government
statistic has been neglected in favor of other avenues of information, please inform
us at www.missourivolunteermovement.com so that we may correct it.
Footnote Sources
Footnote
Chapter 2 Footnotes,
“Why Missouri Needs the Volunteer Movement”, page 2
Date
Accessed Link
Source
1
8/26/15
https://www.stlouisfed.org/publicati
ons/regional-economist/october2012/state-and-local-debt-growingliabilities-jeopardize-fiscal-health
2
8/26/15
http://mercatus.org/publication/ranki
ng-known-state-subsidies-privatebusinesses
8/26/15
http://showmeinstitute.org/publicatio
ns/commentary/corporatewelfare/1249-riding-to-the-houndsof-corporate-welfare
none
http://taxfoundation.org/article/stateand-local-sales-tax-rates-2014/
3
4
-8/26/15
8/26/15
8/26/15
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/10
/business/11leonhardtavgproptaxrates.html/
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind
_inc.pdf
40
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis,
“State and Local Debt: Growing
Liabilities Jeopardize Fiscal Health”,
October 2012 by Lowell R. Ricketts and
Christopher J. Walker
Mercatus Center – George Mason
University, “Ranking Known State
Subsidies to Private Businesses”,
10/15/14 by Veronique de Rugy
Show-Me Institute, “Riding to the
Hounds of Corporate Welfare”,
1/5/15 by Brenda Talent
see pages 5-6, 11-12 and 61-62
The Tax Foundation, “State and Local
Sales Tax Rates in 2014”,
3/18/14 by Scott Drenkard
The New York Times, “State-by-State
Property-Tax Rates”,
4/10/07 by Moody’s Economy.com*
Federation of Tax Administrators,
“State Individual Income Taxes”,
February 2015 by unknown author*
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 2 and 3
Section 5-A
Chapter 2 Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
5
8/26/15
6
7
8
9
---8/26/15
http://www.rbloggers.com/missouri-comparisonof-registered-voter-counts-tocensus-voting-age-population/
none
none
none
http://www.washingtontimes.com/ne
ws/2014/nov/5/voter-turnout-inmissouri-pegged-at-3523-percent/
http://ozarksfirst.com/election/misso
uri-voter-turnout-down-from-2008
R-Bloggers, “Missouri: Comparison of
Registered Voter Counts to Census
Voting Age Population”,
8/13/12 by Earl F. Glynn
see pages 3-4, 7-8, 15-16 and 63-64
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 65-66
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 15-19
The Washington Times, “Voter turnout
in Missouri pegged at 35.23 percent”,
11/5/14 by AP
Ozarks First, “Missouri Voter Turnout
Down from 2008”
12/5/12 by unknown author
U.S. Dept. of Justice, Bureau of Justice
Statistics, “Prisoners in 2013”,
9/30/14 by Dr. E. Ann Carson*
The Statistics Portal, “Countries with
the largest number of prisoners per
100K of the national population as of
June 2014”
June 2014 by unknown author*
8/26/15
10
8/26/15
http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/
p13.pdf
8/26/15
http://www.statista.com/statistics/26
2962/countries-with-the-mostprisoners-per-100-000-inhabitants/
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics.
Section 2-A Footnotes,
“The Moral Cost of Involuntary Taxes”, pages 3-4
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
8/26/15
2
8/26/15
3
4
-8/26/15
8/26/15
Link
Source
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/loc
al/2014/08/10/rioting-breaks-out-inferguson/13880305/
http://www.kansascity.com/news/go
vernmentpolitics/article5023527.html
none
http://www.semissourian.com/story/
1957133.html/
News Channel 5, “Riot and Looting in
Wake of Teen’s Death”,
aired 8/10/14
Kansas City Star, “As U.S. executions
decline, Missouri bucks the trend”,
12/27/14 by Tony Rizzo
see pages 5-6 and 67-68
Southeast Missourian, “Mo. agency
faces audit over cleanup oversight”
4/8/13 by AP
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Taxpayers
foot bill for cleanup of polluted site in
south St. Louis”,
7/22/12 by Jeremy Kohler
and Tim Logan
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
metro/taxpers-foot-bill-for-cleanupof-polluted-site-insouth/article_954af589-af4d-5b73abef-539801ea87d7.html/
41
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 3-5
Section 5-A
Section 2-A Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
5
8/26/15
http://auditor.mo.gov/Repository/Pre
ss/2014023457179.pdf
6
8/26/15
http://www.semissourian.com/story/
1149691.html/
8/26/15
http://www.theatlantic.com/magazin
e/archive/2000/07/from-the-leash-tothe-laboratory/378269/
none
State Auditor, Report 2014-023,
“Brownfield Remediation Tax Credit
Program”,
April 2014 by Thomas Schweich
Southeast Missourian, “Group pushes
for law to end shady dog deals”,
4/23/06 by Mark Bliss
The Atlantic, “From the leash to the
laboratory”,
7/1/2000 by Judith Reitman
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 7-10
7
--
Section 2-B Footnotes,
“The Economic Drainpipe”, pages 5-6
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
2
Link
Source
8/26/15
http://www.psrspeers.org/Investments/2014CAFR/2014-Summary-Report.pdf
8/26/15
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
govt-and-politics/missouritaxpayers-to-pay-more-for-stateemployeepensions/article_24196dde-45355537-9ceb-60d0559a5ac8.html
http://www.foxbusiness.com/market
s/2014/09/30/audit-missouri-publicemployee-pension-plans-morefinancially-sound-than/
http://www.auditor.mo.gov/repositor
y/press/2014092829132.pdf
Public School & Public Education
Employee Retirement Systems of
Missouri, “PSRS/PEERS 2014
Summary Report to Members”,
2014 by unknown author*
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Missouri
taxpayers to pay more for state
employee pensions”,
9/21/12 by Virginia Young
8/26/15
8/26/15
3
4
-8/26/15
none
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/stat
es/29000.html
8/26/15
http://www.missourieconomy.org/in
dicators/gsp/index.stm/
42
Fox Business, “Audit: Missouri publicemployee pension plans more
financially sound than national norms”,
9/30/14 by AP
State Auditor, Report No.2014-092,
“Statewide Survey of Public Employee
Retirement Systems in Missouri”,
September 2014 by Thomas Schweich
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 67-68
U.S. Census Bureau, “Missouri
QuickFacts”,
4/22/15 by unknown author*
Missouri Economic Research and
Information Center (Dept. of Economic
Development), “Gross Domestic
Product Data Series 2013 Estimates”*
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 5 and 6
Section 5-A
Section 2-B Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
4
8/26/15
https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/
2009-06%20(FY%202009).xls
8/26/15
https://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/
201406%20%28June%20FY14%29.xlsx
8/26/15
https://oa.mo.gov/commissionersoffice/news/state-missouri-issues92-million-bonds-fulton-statehospital
https://archive.org/details/2014MOS
tateDebt
Office of Administration, “Monthly
General Revenue Report Month Ended
June 30, 2009”,
7/1/09 by Lynn Dean*
Office of Administration, ”Monthly
General Revenue Report Month Ended
June 30, 2014”,
7/1/14 by Brittany Kueckelhan*
Missouri Office of Administration,
“State of Missouri issues $92 million in
bonds for Fulton State Hospital”,
11/19/14 by unknown author*
Missouri Office of Administration, pgs.
1-2, “State of Missouri Summary of
State Indebtedness as of July 1, 2014”,
7/1/14 by unknown author*
Committee on Legislative Research,
Oversight Division, “Report of Certain
Debt of the State of Missouri and
Certain Non-State Debt 2014”,
December 2014 by Kyle Bosh, et. al.
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 69-71
Show-Me Institute, “Riding to the
Hounds of Corporate Welfare”,
1/5/15 by Brenda Talent
8/26/15
5
8/26/15
http://www.moga.mo.gov/oversight/
over20151/PDFs/2014%20Bond%2
0Report%20Final%20Draft.pdf
6
7
-8/26/15
none
http://showmeinstitute.org/publicatio
ns/commentary/corporatewelfare/1249-riding-to-the-houndsof-corporate-welfare
http://www.stltoday.com/business/lo
cal/analysis-boeing-bid-couldimpact-moregardless/article_858990d6-25a45e18-957f-685c7f5874b3.html/
none
none
http://watchdog.org/69654/livinglarge-on-taxpayer-dime-hundredsof-mo-government-employeesmake-at-least-100k/
http://watchdog.org/72832/moslawmakers-enjoy-nice-pay-andperks-similar-to-peers-in-otherstates/
8/26/15
8
9
10
--8/26/15
8/26/15
43
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Analysis:
Boeing bid could impact Mo.
regardless”,
12/15/13 by David A. Lieb (AP)
author
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 61-62
Missouri Watchdog, “Living large on
the taxpayer dime: Hundreds of Mo
gov’t employees make at least $100K”,
2/15/13 by Johnny Kampis
Missouri Watchdog, “Missouri
lawmakers among best paid part-time
officials in the nation”,
3/5/13 by Johnny Kampis
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 6, 8 & 9
Section 5-A
Section 2-B Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
10
8/26/15
http://www.newsleader.com/story/news/politics/2015/
02/19/missouri-lt-gov-kinder-wantsto-receive-dailyallowance/23666745/
Springfield News-Leader, “Missouri
Lieutenant Governor Kinder Wants to
Receive Daily Allowance”,
2/19/15 by AP
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics.
Section 2-C Footnotes,
“Breaking the Political Monopoly”, pages 8-9
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
8/26/15
2
3
-8/26/15
4
8/26/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
default.aspx?eid=750002907
5
6
-8/26/15
none
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
Default.aspx
8/26/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
default.aspx?eid=750002497
8/26/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
Default.aspx
8/26/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
default.aspx?eid=750002497
8/26/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
default.aspx?eid=750002907
8/26/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
default.aspx?eid=750002497
7
Link
Source
http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes
/moconstn.html
none
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/
Default.aspx
Missouri Legislature, Missouri
Constitution, 8/28/14
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 74-79
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 4, 2014”,
12/3/14 by Jason Kander*
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
Primary Election – August 5, 2014”,
8/25/14 by Jason Kander*
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 63-64
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 4, 2014”,
12/3/14 by Jason Kander*
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 6, 2012”,
12/5/14 by Jason Kander*
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 4, 2014”,
12/3/14 by Jason Kander*
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 6, 2012”,
12/5/14 by Jason Kander*
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
Primary Election – August 5, 2014”,
8/25/14 by Jason Kander*
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
Primary Election – August 7, 2012”,
8/27/14 by Jason Kander*
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics.
44
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Page 11
Section 5-A
Section 2-D Footnotes,
“Making Elections Matter”, pages 11-12
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
Link
Source
---
--
Personal interviews & observations
2
--
--
3
8/26/15
Personal observations & reference
materials
Columbia Daily Tribune, “Ex-ACORN
workers plead guilty to fraud”,
4/6/08 by AP
8/26/15
8/26/15
see note
4
5
8/26/15
http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/arch
ives/2013/06/28/jj-rizzos-aunt-anduncle-plead-guilty-to-voter-fraudcharges
see the previous section (2-C),
footnote 7 for links to four sources
on the 2012 & 2014 elections
https://casetext.com/case/us-v-state35
8/26/15
http://watchdog.org/25408/missourififteen-missouri-counties-havemore-voters-than-census-population/
8/26/15
http://www.rbloggers.com/missouri-comparisonof-registered-voter-counts-tocensus-voting-age-population/
http://www.ncsl.org/research/electio
ns-and-campaigns/primarytypes.aspx
8/26/15
8/26/15
6
http://m.columbiatribune.com/news/
ex-acorn-workers-plead-guilty-tofraud/article_7706f884-ac02-54f8a1a7-e9b009eb8155.html
http://www.kmbc.com/ACORNWorkers-Indicted-For-AllegedVoter-Fraud/12353984
--
http://law.justia.com/codes/georgia/2
010/title-21/chapter-2/article-12/212-501
none
KMBC-TV, Kansas City, “ACORN
Workers Indicted For Alleged Voter
Fraud”,
aired 11/1/08
The Pitch, “J.J. Rizzo’s aunt and uncle
plead guilty to voter fraud charges”,
6/28/13 by Ben Palosaari
See the primary & general election
results in section 2-C, footnote 7 for
data on Rep. Rizzo’s re-elections
U.S. District Court, Western Division
Missouri, Case No. 05-4391-CV-CNKL, “The United States of America vs.
The State of Missouri [and] Robin
Carnahan, Missouri Secretary of State”,
4/13/7 by Judge Nanette Laughrey
Missouri Watchdog, “Fifteen Missouri
counties have more voters than census
population”,
10/26/10 by Earl Glynn
R-Bloggers, “Missouri: Comparison of
Registered Voter Counts to Census
Voting Age Population”,
8/13/12 by Earl Glynn (Franklin Center)
National Conference of State
Legislatures, “State Primary Election
Types”,
6/24/14 by unknown author
2010 Georgia Code, ¶21-2-501,
“Number of votes required for election”
2010 by Georgia legislators and staff
see Volunteer Handbook pgs. 72-73
Section 2-D Footnotes - Continued
45
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 12 and 13
Section 5-A
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
7
8/26/15
http://www.kansascity.com/news/go
vernmentpolitics/article4200576.html
8
8/26/15
http://www.larouchepub.com/pr/200
4/040505missouri_testim.html
9
8/26/15
https://editions.lib.umn.edu/electiona
cademy/2012/03/15/monopoly-orbroken-market-eith/
The Kansas City Star, “With no money
to replace them, can we count on old
voting machines?”,
11/29/14 by Dave Helling
Executive Intelligence Review,
testimony to the Elections Committee,
“Against Electronic Vote Fraud: Return
to Paper Ballot, Missouri Told”,
5/6/04 by Edward W. Spannaus
Humphrey School of Public Affairs,
Election Academy, “Monopoly or
Broken Market? Either Way, St.
Charles, MO Can’t Buy New Voting
Machines”,
3/15/12 by Doug Chapin
Section 2-E Footnotes,
“Secrets, Lies & Bureaucracy”, pages 13-14
Footnote
Date
Accessed
Link
Source
1
--
none
--
none
--
none
--
none
Jefferson County Leader, Classifieds,
pg. 67, “Grandview R-II School District
Statement of Revenues, Expenditures
and Changes in Fund Balances
Modified Cash Basis – Government
Funds For the Year Ended June 30,
2014”,
10/23/14 by Schowalter & Jabouri, P.C.
As above, “Festus R-VI School District
Statement of Revenues... [as above]
...For the Year Ended June 30, 2014”,
10/23/14 by Daniel Jones & Associates
Jefferson County Leader, Classifieds,
“Reorganized School District R-VII of
Jefferson County, Missouri Statement of
Revenues... [as above] ...For the Year
Ended June 30, 2014”,
11/23/14 by Daniel Jones & Associates
As above, “DeSoto School District #73
Statement of Revenue... [as above]
...For the Year Ended June 30, 2014”,
11/20/14 by Daniel Jones & Associates
Missouri Accountability Portal,
“Expenditures”,
5/14/15 by Office of Administration
2
8/26/15
http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov/MAP/E
xpenditures/Categories/Details.aspx?
cat=400&year=2015
Section 2-E Footnotes – Continued
46
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 13 and 14
Section 5-A
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
3**
8/26/15
Missouri Accountability Portal,
“Expenditures”,
5/14/15 by Office of Administration
4
--
http://mapyourtaxes.mo.gov/MAP/E
xpenditures/Vendors/VendorSearch
Results.aspx?ven=procurement+card
+payment&search=0&year=2015&r
ow=51946
none
5
8/26/15
6
8/26/15
7
8/26/15
http://missourieducationwatchdog.co
m/are-bond-issues-being-voted-onin-your-school-district-read-whatshappening-to-parents-who-askquestions-in-sikeston/
8
8/26/15
**
8/26/15
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/loc
al/2015/01/28/ferguson-florissantproposition-i-piper/22471201/
http://armericansforprosperity.org/m
issouri/arent-you-taxed-enough/
9
8/26/15
10
8/26/15
11
8/26/15
12
8/26/15
http://www.pitch.com/kansascity/mi
ssouri-department-of-transportationmodot-amendment-7-kevin-keithdiscrimination/Content?oid=498549
4
http://www.auditor.mo.gov/repositor
y/press/2014097995769.pdf
http://mcds.dese.mo.gov/quickfacts/
School%20Finance%20Data%20and
%20Reports/Financial%20Definitio
ns.pdf
http://dmh.mo.gov/ada/rpts/docs/stat
us2014/missouri.pdf
http://www.mshp.dps.missouri.gov/
MSHPWeb/SAC/crime_data_960gri
d.html
http://www.mosac.mo.gov/file.jsp?i
d=50753
47
A State prison guard of over 10 years of
service; name will remain anonymous.
The Pitch, “Former employees say
Missouri Department of Transportation
leaders preyed on older workers”,
11/11/14 by Steve Vockrodt
State Auditor, Report 2014-097,
“Summary of State and Local Audit
Findings – Sunshine Law”,
October 2014 by Thomas Schweich
Missouri Education Watchdog, “Are
Bond Issues Being Voted on in Your
School District? Read What’s
Happening to Parents Who Ask
Questions in Sikeston”,
3/19/14 by Gretchen Logue
KSDK-TV News, “School district asks
for no tax increase bond issue”,
1/28/15 by Brandie Piper
Americans For Prosperity – Missouri,
2014 Municipal Tax Projects Initiative,
2/27/14 by Patrick Werner*
Missouri Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, “School Finance
– Financial Definitions”,
11/1/11 by unknown author
Dept. of Mental Health, pg. E-1, “Status
Report on Missouri’s Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Problems”,
2014 by Randall C. Smith, et. al.*
Missouri State Highway Patrol,
Statistical Analysis Center, “Crime
Data”, date and author unknown
Dept. of Corrections, pg.65-66, “A
Profile of the Institutional and
Supervised Offender Population on
June 30, 2013”
1/14/14 by George A. Lombardi
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 14 and 15
Section 5-A
Section 2-E Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
13
8/26/15
http://www.showmedaily.org/2014/0
7/missouris-highways-bridgescrumbling.html/
http://reason.org/files/20th_annual_h
ighway_report.pdf
The Show-Me Institute, “Are Missouri’s
Highways and Bridges Crumbling?”,
7/17/14 by Joseph E. Miller
Reason Foundation, “20th Annual
Report on the Performance of State
Highway Systems (1984-2009/10)”,
July 2013 by Dr. David Hartgen, et. al.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Foundation, “Missouri’s Road Quality”,
2014 by unknown author
Streetsblog Network, “Cities With the
Most Highway Miles: a ‘Who’s Who’ of
Decay”,
4/20/12 by Angie Schmitt
Dept. of Transportation, pgs. 138, 141143, “Comprehensive Annual Financial
Report for the fiscal year ended June
30, 2013”,
9/27/13 by Roberta Broeker & Brenda
Morris
8/26/15
8/26/15
http://www.uschamberfoundation.or
g/enterprisingstates/
8/26/15
http://streetsblog.net/2012/04/20/citi
es-with-the-most-highway-miles-awhos-who-of-decay/
8/26/15
http://www.modot.org/about/general
_info/documents/FY13CAFRFINAL
PUBLISHED.pdf
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics
Section 2-F Footnotes,
“Buried in Plain Sight”, pages 15-16
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
2
Link
Source
8/26/15
http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes
/statutesAna.html
8/26/15
http://www.biblestudy101.org/Lists/
statisticsHB.html
8/26/15
http://www.deafmissions.com/tally/b
kchptrvrs.html
8/26/15
http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes
/stathtml/61000000101.html
Missouri General Assembly, “Missouri
Revised Statutes”,
8/28/14 by legislators & staff
Bible Study 101, “Statistics About the
Bible”,
by W. P. Tisdale
Deaf Missions, using The Bible (ASL
translation), “How Many Chapter and
Verses Are There in the Bible?”,
2003 by Matt Keller
Missouri General Assembly, RSMo,
Chapter 610, “Governmental Bodies
and Records”,
8/28/14 by legislators & staff
48
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Page 16
Section 5-A
Section 2-F Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
3
8/26/15
http://legalemployeehandbook.com/
missouri-employee-handbook
8/26/15
http://www.lw.com/bookofjargonapps
http://www.moga.mo.gov/mostatutes
/stathtml/11500006391.HTML
Legal Employee Handbook... At Your
Fingertip®, “Attorney Drafted Legal
Employee Handbook – Missouri”,
by Fingertip Enterprises, LLC
Latham & Watkins, LLP, “Book of
Jargon® & Apps”, ©2015
Missouri General Assembly, RSMo,
Chapter 115, Section 639.1, “Three
hours off work to vote – interference by
employer a class four offense”,
8/28/14 by legislators & staff
Missouri Digital News, “Capitol
Perspectives: Omnibus Bills”,
9/23/11 by Phil Brooks
St. Louis Business Journal, “Liquor
franchise bill approved by Missouri
House”,
5/8/13 by E. B. Solomont
Chicago Tribune, “Oops! Missouri
Goofs, Repeals Rape Law”,
9/11/85 by United Press International
4
8/26/15
5
8/26/15
http://www.mdn.org/mpacol/COL00
8.HTM
8/26/15
http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/
blog/2013/05/liquor-franchise-billapproved-by.html
8/26/15
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/19
85-0911/news/8503010686_1_repealscrime-bill-house-speaker-bob-griffin
http://www.mdn.org/2007/STORIES
/MIDWIFE.HTM
6
8/26/15
7
8/26/15
8/26/15
http://www.columbiamissourian.co
m/a/95952/midwives-law-barredviolates-missouri-constitutionphysician-groupssay/article_1d15247f-7517-5039a7e0-9b3e59585888.html
http://lakeexpo.com/news/top_storie
s/political-fix-nixon-vetoes-stateand-local-omnibusbill/article_8fbb546e-bb5d-11e18677-0019bb2963f4.html
49
Missouri Digital News, “Midwivery
outline amendment added to kick boxing
bill”,
5/5/07 by Sarah D. Wire
Columbia Missourian, “Midwives law
barred: violates Missouri Constitution,
physician groups say”,
3/7/2007 by David A. Lieb
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Political Fix:
Nixon vetoes state and local omnibus
bill”,
6/20/12 by Elizabeth Crisp
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 17 and 18
Section 5-A
Section 2-G Footnotes,
“The Rising Kleptocracy”, pages 17-18
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
8/26/15
2
8/26/15
3
8/26/15
4
8/26/15
5
8/26/15
8/26/15
8/26/15
Link
Source
http://www.stltoday.com/news/opini
on/columns/tonymessenger/messenger-welfare-ofthe-people-should-drive-courtreform/article_e278e88a-51cb-5e31842a-d77de0acfe41.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ne
ws/the-watch/wp/2014/09/03/howst-louis-county-missouri-profitsfrom-poverty
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
crime-and-courts/a-web-of-lawyersplay-different-roles-in-differentcourts/article_b61728d1-09b0-567f9ff4-919cf4e34649.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ne
ws/the-watch/wp/2014/09/03/howst-louis-county-missouri-profitsfrom-poverty
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
metro/missouri-national-guardsoldiers-took-items-from-joplinwreckage/article_6bb55f45-ed3e532f-8d37-77d6a14394a3.html
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
crime-and-courts/st-louis-officersaclu-clash-in-court-over-worldseries/article_4e3dc68f-70cc-524a9d1f-d7f4df258d0d.html
http://www.thenewspaper.com/news/
24/2476.asp
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Messenger:
Welfare of the people should drive court
reform”,
1/23/15 by Tony Messenger
6
8/26/15
http://ksmu.org/post/auditor-tomschweich-public-corruptiongovernor-s-withholdings-andupcoming-pension-audit
7
8/26/15
8
8/26/15
http://poetsandquants.com/2015/02/1
4/400k-bloch-school-prof-resignsamid-rankings-scandal/
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/stlo
uis/the-little-city-thatcouldnt/Content?oid=2455246
50
The Washington Post, “How
municipalities in St. Louis County, Mo.,
profit from poverty”,
9/3/14 by Radley Balko
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “A web of
lawyers play different roles in different
courts”,
3/28/15 by Jennifer Mann, et. al.
The Washington Post, “How
municipalities in St. Louis County, Mo.,
profit from poverty”,
9/3/14 by Radley Balko
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Missouri
National Guard soldiers took items from
Joplin wreckage”,
5/31/12 by Matthew Hathaway
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “St. Louis
officers, ACLU, clash in court over
World Series ticket scandal records”,
4/10/14 by Jennifer Mann
The Newspaper.com, “Missouri: Police
Caught Driving Impounded Cars”,
7/20/08 by unknown author
KSMU, Ozarks Public Radio, “Auditor
Tom Schweich on Public Corruption,
Governor’s Withholdings and
Upcoming Pension Audit”,
9/27/14 by Scott Harvey
Poets and Quants, “Bloch School Prof
Resigns Amid Scandal”,
2/14/15 by Ethan Baron
Riverfront Times, “The Little City That
Couldn’t”,
7/5/06 by Malcolm Gray
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Page 18
Section 5-A
Section 2-G Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
9
8/26/15
https://www.fbi.gov/stlouis/pressreleases/2012/former-schuylercounty-tax-collector-sentenced-onfederal-charges-related-to-herembezzlement-of-568-000
https://www.fbi.gov/kansascity/press
-releases/2009/former-buchanancounty-official-sentenced-forstealing-119-000
http://watchdog.org/74328/10000for-land-records-a-sign-of-not-veryopen-mo-government/
FBI, St. Louis Division, “Former
Schuyler County Tax Collector
Sentenced on Federal Charges Related
to Her Embezzlement of $568,000”,
5/4/12 by the U.S. Attorney’s Office
FBI, Kansas City Division, “Former
Buchanan County Official Sentenced for
Stealing $119,000”,
4/14/09 by U.S. Attorney’s Office
Missouri Watchdog, “Investigating
government in Missouri? That’ll be
$10,000, please”,
3/13/13 by Johnny Kampis
Missouri Watchdog, “Ferguson officials
charge inflated fees for access to public
documents”,
9/30/14 by Brad Matthews
EAG News, “FBI narrows probe of
Missouri school superintendent dubbed
‘The Candy Man’”,
8/11/14 by Sam Zeff
KCUR, 89.3 FM, “Missouri State
Auditor Rates St. Joseph School District
Performance ‘Poor’”,
2/17/15 by Sam Zeff
Missouri State Auditor, Report 2015006, “St. Joseph School District”,
February 2015 by Thomas Schweich
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Another
scandal hits Fox School District”,
6/6/14 by Leah Thorsen
8/26/15
10
11
8/26/15
8/26/15
http://watchdog.org/174278/feeferguson-public-documents/
8/26/15
http://eagnews.org/fbi-narrowsprobe-of-missouri-schoolsuperintendent-dubbed-the-candyman/
http://kcur.org/post/missouri-stateauditor-rates-st-joseph-schooldistrict-performance-poor
8/26/15
8/26/15
http://www.auditor.mo.gov/Reposito
ry/Press/2015006351484.pdf
8/26/15
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
education/another-scandal-hits-foxschool-district/article_634af6059853-5b82-89bc-39de04797e7a.html
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
education/critchlow-to-retire-assuperintendent-of-foxdistrict/article_7e400652-395a579e-bd75-cf5abe8779c0.html
http://missourieducationwatchdog.co
m/lessons-from-fox-school-districtin-trust/
8/26/15
8/26/15
8/26/15
http://www.ksdk.com/story/news/loc
al/2014/11/18/money-demandedfrom-former-foxsuperintendent/19254847/
51
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Critchlow to
retire as superintendent of Fox district”,
7/15/14 by Leah Thorsen
Missouri Education Watchdog,
“Lessons from Fox School District in
Trust”,
8/13/14 by Anne Gassel
KSDK News Channel 5, “Money
demanded from former Fox
superintendent”,
aired 11/18/14 by Elizabeth Matthews
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 18 and 19
Section 5-A
Section 2-G Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
**
6/22/15
http://www.myleaderpaper.com/eedit
ion/jefferson_county_leader/page/pa
ge_c5c4a167-c1ca-5a49-bc925e2bd815260c.html
http://www.stltoday.com/new/local/e
ducation/rockwood-schools-havecozy-ties-with-constructionfirm/article_0ec71637-867f-52259650-1f5b7629aab7.html
http://www.stltoday.com/new/local/e
ducation/ex-riverview-gardens-bossdies-before-paying-penaltyliens/article_cdb083e2-7e32-553f8398-701aaa84d576.html
http://www.showmegaming.com/sho
wme_gaming/2009/07/embezzlemen
t.html
Jefferson County Leader, page 7, “Buhbye: Fox C-6 paying $3.6 million for
128 employees to leave district”,
6/18/15 by Kim Robertson
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Rockwood
schools have cozy ties with construction
firm”,
9/26/11 by Elizabethe Holland
8/26/15
8/26/15
8/26/15
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Ex-Riverview
Gardens boss dies before paying
penalty, liens”,
5/15/12 by David Hunn
Missouri Gaming Commission, Show
Me Gaming, “Embezzlement”,
6/18/15 by AP
Section 2-H Footnotes,
“The Public School Racket”, pages 19-21
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
Link
Source
8/26/15
http://www.house.mo.gov/billtrackin
g/bills141/billpdf/truly/HB2002T.P
DF
8/26/15
http://mcds.dese.mo.gov/quickfacts/
District%20and%20School%20Infor
mation/2015%20District%20Enroll
ment%20PK-12.xls
http://www2.census.gov/govs/school
/13f33pub.pdf
Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, page 15, “Truly
Agreed To And Finally Passed CCS For
SCS For HCS House Bill No. 2002”,
2014 by Missouri legislators & staff*
Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, “District
Enrollment PK-12 2015”,
1/30/15 by unknown author*
U.S. Census Bureau, page 5, “Public
Education Finances: 2013”,
June 2015 by the Educational Finance
Branch*
U.S. Census Bureau, page 13,
“Educational Attainment in the United
States: 2009”,
February 2012 by Camille L. Ryan and
Julie Siebens*
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Graduate
from college in 4 years? Unlikely in
Missouri, Illinois”,
8/28/11 by Tim Barker
8/26/15
2
8/26/15
http://www.census.gov/prod/2012pu
bs/p20-566.pdf
8/26/15
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
education/graduate-from-college-inyears-unlikely-in-missouriillinois/article_03eec54f-76a7-5aefa361-5182f1762a20.html
52
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 19 and 20
Section 5-A
Section 2-H Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
3
8/26/15
http://www.air.org/sites/default/files/
downloads/report/SAAL_MO_web_
0.pdf
4
8/26/15
http://dese.mo.gov/data-systemmanagement/core-datamosis
8/26/15
https://dese.mo.gov/sites/default/file
s/MODataAccessandUsePolicy.pdf
8/26/15
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/r
ecovery/factsheet/stabilizationfund.html
8/26/15
http://www.moagainstcommoncore.c
om/data-collection
8/26/15
http://www.emissourian.com/news/u
nion_news/article_aa82c7fa-185e5514-8cff-533b6033978a.html
8/26/15
http://www.clever.k12.mo.us/news/F
ood_Service_program_information
8/26/15
http://www.mobilitytechzone.com/n
ews/2008/06/08/3486667.htm
8/26/15
http://bolivarmonews.com/home/ne
w-technology-uses-finger-to-idstudents/article_5355c1b1-f03554db-ae6a0938b37ce622.html?mode=jqm
http://missourieducationwatchdog.co
m/the-danger-of-centralized-databases-and-use-of-biometricidentification/
http://epic.org/apa/ferpa/
American Institutes for Research,
“Highlights From the 2003 Missouri
State Assessment of Adult Literacy”,
2003 by Justin Baer & Christine Leow*
Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, “Core
Data/MOSIS”,
date and author unknown
Department of Elementary and
Secondary Education, pgs. 1, 5, 7-8,
“Missouri Department of Elementary
and Secondary Education Data Access
and Management Policy”,
June 2007 by unknown author
U.S. Department of Education,
Overview: principles – parts b and d,
“State Fiscal Stabilization Fund”,
3/7/09 by unknown author
Missouri Coalition Against Common
Core, “Data Collection”,
date and author unknown
The Missourian, “School District to Try
Biometric Fingerprint Scanners in
Cafeteria”,
6/20/12 by unknown
Clever R-V School District, “Food
Services Information”,
date and author unknown
Mobility Tech Zone, “School demands
one from the thumb”,
6/8/08 by Nancy Hull
BHFP Mobile, “New technology uses
finger to ID students”,
8/16/06 by Katie Duncan
5
8/26/15
6
8/26/15
6,7
8/26/15
http://carolinajournal.com/exclusives
/display_exclusive.html?id=10019
53
Missouri Education Watchdog, “The
Danger of Centralized Data Bases and
Use of Biometric Identification”,
1/3/14 by Gretchen Logue
EPIC, “EPIC vs. The U.S. Department
of Education”,
date and author unknown
Carolina Journal Online, “Parents
Chafe At National Student-Tracking
Database”,
3/28/14 by Karen McMahan
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Page 20
Section 5-A
Section 2-H Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
8
8/26/15
http://voicesofdemocracy.umd.edu/h
orace-mann-the-necessity-ofeducation-in-a-republicangovernment-speech-text/
http://archive.org/details/philosophy
ofeduc00harruoft
Voices of Democracy, “The Necessity of
Education in a Republican
Government”,
Autumn 1839 speech by Horace Mann
Internet Archive, “Philosophy of
Education”,
1906 by William Torrey Harris
Project Gutenberg EBook, “Democracy
and Education”,
1916 by John Dewey
Illinois State Board of Education, “No
Child Left Behind (NCLB)”,
2002 by unknown author
Missouri Education Watchdog, “Day
One of Senate Hearing on ‘Fixing’
NCLB”,
1/23/15 by Anne Gassel
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
“Cheating our children: Suspicious
school test scores across the nation”,
3/25/12 by John Perry, et. al.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Cuts in gifted
education hurt kids’ potential”,
7/5/11 by Aisha Sultan
8/26/15
9
8/26/15
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/852/
852-h/852-h.htm
8/26/15
www.isbe.net/nclb/htmls/highlights.
htm
8/26/15
http://missourieducationwatchdog.co
m/day-one-of-senate-hearing-onfixing-nclb/
8/26/15
http://ajc.com/news/news/cheatingour-children-suspicious-school-testsco-1/nQSTS/
8/26/15
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/r
elationships-and-specialoccasions/parenting/aishasultan/cuts-in-gifted-education-hurtkids-potential/article_e488425d1616-5790-b3a2-0e459aee4fdf.html
http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/n
o-child-left-behind-early-lessonsstate-flexibility-waivers
8/26/15
10
8/27/15
http://www.alternet.org/education/co
rporations-profit-standardized-tests
8/27/15
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
education/new-test-technologymark-start-of-stateexams/article_b82fbceb-bd3b-589c98e8-c88014a7c0b9.html
http://www.moagainstcommoncore.c
om/
8/27/15
54
U.S. Department of Education, “No
Child Left Behind: Early Lessons from
State Flexibility Waivers”,
2/ 7/13 testimony by Secretary Duncan
Alternet, “8 Things You Should Know
About Corporations Like Pearson That
Make Huge Profits from Standardized
Tests”,
8/6/13 by Alyssa Figuera
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “New test,
technology mark start of state exams”,
3/30/15 by Jessica Bock
Missouri Coalition Against Common
Core, “2015 Missouri Legislative
Session Opens with Promise of Equal
Opportunity”,
1/8/15 by Anne Gassel
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 20 and 21
Section 5-A
Section 2-H Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
10
8/27/15
11
12
13
--8/27/15
http://news.heartland.org/newspaper
-article/2014/07/29/missourigovernor-signs-bill-repeal-replacecommon-core
see the charts on pages 22 and 23
see the chart on page 7
http://www2.census.gov/prod2/statc
omp/documents/CT1970p2-12.pdf
Heartlander Magazine, “Missouri
Governor Signs Bill to Repeal, Replace
Common Core”,
7/29/14 by Hailey Vrdolyak
see sources & data for charts, pg. 61-65
see sources & data for charts, page 59
U.S. Census Bureau, “Statistical
Abstract of the United States, Colonial
Times to 1970, Part II”,
September 1975 by William Lerner
Ozarks First, “Missouri Voter Turnout
Down from 2008”,
12/5/12 by unknown author
Corporation for National & Community
Service, “Volunteering and Civic
Engagement in Missouri”,
2013 by unknown author
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Riverview
Gardens taps new superintendent”,
1/18/13 by Elisa Crouch
8/27/15
8/27/15
14
8/27/15
8/27/15
8/27/15
http://www.ozarksfirst.com/election/
missouri-voter-turnout-down-from2008
http://www.volunteeringinamerica.g
ov/MO
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
education/riverview-gardens-tapsnewsuperintendent/article_7e9f5625e0c1-5532-8c47-59b81ed4d9a3.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/201
1/09/21/kansas-city-schools-lose_n_973770.html
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
education/new-test-technologymark-start-of-stateexams/article_b82fbceb-bd3b-589c98e8-c88014a7c0b9.html
http://watchdog.org/171613/norman
dy-school-district-father/
14, 15
8/27/15
15
8/27/15
http://www.auditor.mo.gov/repositor
y/press/2013-085.pdf
8/27/15
http://www.showmedaily.org/2013/0
9/what-is-the-cost-of-not-educatingstudents.html
8/27/15
http://www.auditor.mo.gov/repositor
y/press/2014012302267.pdf
55
Huffington Post, “Kansas City Schools
Lose State Accreditation”,
9/21/11 by Chris Blank
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, ”New test,
technology mark start of state exams”,
3/30/15 by Jessica Bock
Missouri Watchdog, “Father fights for
son’s education in troubled St. Louisarea schools”,
9/19/14 by Bre Payton
Missouri State Auditor, report 2011-82,
“Kansas City 33 School District”,
October 2011 by Thomas Schweich
Show-Me-Institute, Show-Me-Daily,
“What Is The Cost Of Not Educating
Students?”,
9/6/13 by James Shuls
Missouri State Auditor, report 2013-85,
“St. Louis Public School District”,
September 2013 by Thomas Schweich
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Page 21
Section 5-A
Section 2-H Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
15
8/27/15
http://www.kmbc.com/news/auditraises-serious-questions-abouthickman-mills-schooldistrict/24804966
http://www.auditor.mo.gov/Reposito
ry/Press/201401232267.pdf
KMBC-TV News Channel 9, “Audit
raises serious questions about Hickman
Mills School District”,
aired 2014 by Haley Harrison
Missouri State Auditor, “Hickman Mills
C-1 School District”,
March 2014 by Thomas Schweich
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Francis
Howell district voters to decide Tuesday
on property tax hike”,
7/31/15 by Mark Schlinkmann
8/27/15
8/27/15
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
govt-and-politics/markschlinkmann/francis-howell-districtvoters-to-decide-tuesday-onproperty-tax/article_ff72e51c-e08b5ca1-9fb5-9082d66d7a1e.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/pol
itics/how-bill-gates-pulled-off-theswift-common-corerevolution/2014/06/07/a830e32eec34-11e3-9f5c9075d5508f0a_story.html
http://www.alternet.org/education/co
rporations-profit-standardized-tests
16
8/27/15
16,17
8/27/15
17
8/27/15
http://getschooled.blog.ajc.com/2015
/04/16/arne-duncan-and-delta-airlines-leader-call-for-national-policyto-include-preschool/
7/29/15
http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/i
mproving-human-capitalcompetitive-world-%E2%80%94education-reform-us
7/29/15
http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/ro
bust-data-give-us-roadmap-reform
5/19/15
http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/n
o-child-left-behind-early-lessonsstate-flexibility-waivers
18
The Washington Post, “How Bill Gates
pulled off the swift Common Core
revolution”,
6/7/14 by Lyndsey Layton
Alternet, “8 Things You Should Know
About Corporations Like Pearson That
Make Huge Profits from Standardized
Tests”,
8/6/13 by Alyssa Figuera
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, “Arne
Duncan and Delta Airlines leader call
for national policy to include
preschool”,
4/16/15 by Secretary Arne Duncan &
CEO Roy Bostock
U.S. Department of Education,
“Improving Human Capital in a
Competitive World – Education Reform
in the U.S.”,
3/3/11 speech by Secretary Duncan
U.S. Department of Education, “Robust
Data Gives Us the Roadmap to
Reform”,
6/8/09 speech by Secretary Duncan
U.S. Department of Education, “No
Child Left Behind: Early Lessons from
State Flexibility Waivers”,
2/ 7/13 testimony by Secretary Duncan,
to the U.S. Senate
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics
56
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 25 and 26
Section 5-A
Section 2-I Footnotes,
“Fighting the Master State”, pages 25-26
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
Link
Source
8/27/15
http://www.showmedaily.org/2011/0
4/airport-expansion-failed-inthe.html
2
8/27/15
http://watchdog.org/67422/planegate-blows-mo-governorsappointment-sky-high/
3
8/27/15
http://themissouritimes.com/5627/ni
xon-senior-advisors-testify-aboutthe-dor-before-privacy-protectioncommittee%E2%80%A8/
http://www.newstribune.com/news/2
013/jun/26/mo-official-testifiesabout-real-id-compliance/
http://www.realnightmare.org/about/
2/
The Show-Me-Institute, Show-Me
Daily, “Airport Expansion Failed in the
Past: Why Will This Time Be Any
Different?”,
4/20/11 by Christine Harbin
Missouri Watchdog, “’Plane Gate’
blows MO governor’s appointment sky
high”,
1/24/13 by Johnny Kampis
The Missouri Times, “Nixon senior
advisors testify about the DOR before
Privacy Protection Committee”,
7/23/13 by unknown author
News Tribune.com, “Mo. official
testifies about Real ID compliance”,
6/26/13 by AP
ACLU, Real Nightmare, “Real Answers
(FAQ on Real ID Act)”,
date and author unknown
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “McClellan:
Dress code needs a cab ride out of
town”,
6/18/14 by Bill McClellan
8/27/15
8/27/15
4
8/27/15
8/27/15
8/27/15
8/27/15
5
8/27/15
6
8/27/15
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
columns/bill-mcclellan/mcclellandress-code-needs-a-cab-ride-out-oftown/article_8ee917c7-a352-512da680-7c5457cdb00a.html
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
crime-and-courts/muslim-cab-driversays-he-was-fired-over-religiousdress/article_2b227b15-7250-5406b569-bd9da6c44b9b.html
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/
columns/bill-mcclellan/middlefinger-lands-a-motorist-incourt/article_5c342c36-9d2a-58d3a0ca-0939505cf95a.html
http://news.yahoo.com/flashing-carheadlights-protected-firstamendment-103216345.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ne
ws/the-watch/wp/2014/09/03/howst-louis-county-missouri-profitsfrom-poverty
http://www.riverfronttimes.com/new
sblog/2009/03/18/state-officialsthink-libertarians-want-to-kill-police
57
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Muslim cab
driver says he was fired over religious
dress; appeals to St. Louis judge”,
6/9/14 by Jennifer Mann
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, “Middle finger
lands a motorist in court”,
6/26/11 by Bill McClellan
Yahoo News, “Is flashing your car’s
headlights protected by the First
Amendment?”,
7/15/13 by Amy E. Feldman
The Washington Post, “How
municipalities in St. Louis County, Mo.,
profit from poverty”,
9/3/14 by Radley Balko
The Riverfront Times, “State Officials
Think Libertarians Want to Kill Police”,
3/18/09 by Kristen Hinman
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 26, 27, 32 & 33
Section 5-A
Section 2-I Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
6
8/27/15
http://www.prisonplanet.com/missou
ri-governor-stands-behind-miacsmear-report.html
http://www.infowars.com/secretstate-police-report-ron-paul-bobbarr-chuck-baldwin-libertarians-areterrorists/
Prison Planet.com, “Missouri Governor
Stands Behind MIAC Smear Report”,
3/20/09 by Paul Joseph Watson
Infowars, “Secret State Police Report:
Ron Paul, Bob Barr, Chuck Baldwin,
Libertarians are Terrorists”,
3/11/09 by Kurt Nimmo
8/27/15
Chapter 3 Footnotes,
“The Goals of the Volunteer Movement”, page 27
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
8/27/15
Link
Source
http://www.mo-cpr.org/
Missouri Citizens for Property Rights,
“Improper Use of the Courts Used to
Squelch the People”,
2010 by Ron Calzone
Chapter 4 Footnotes,
“Can a Volunteer Government Work?”, page 32
Footnote
Date
Accessed
Link
Source
1
--
none
2
8/27/15
http://eh.net/encyclopedia/turnpikesand-toll-roads-in-nineteenthcentury-america/
3
8/27/15
http://www.preservenet.com/theory/I
llich/Deschooling/intro.html
Part One, Chapter Two of this
handbook
Santa Clara University and the
University of California-Santa Barbara,
“Turnpikes and Toll Roads in
Nineteenth-Century America”,
by Daniel B. Klein and John Majewski
The Preservation Institute,
“Deschooling Society”,
1970 by Ivan Illich
Section 4-A Footnotes,
“Answering the Three Big Worries”, pages 33-35
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
2
-8/27/15
Link
Source
none
http://oa.mo.gov/sites/default/files/2
01406%20%28June%20FY14%29.xlsx
See Volunteer Handbook page 28
Missouri Director of Revenue,
Administration Division, “Monthly
General Revenue Report Month Ended
June 30, 2014”,
7/1/14 by Brittany Kueckelhan*
58
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 33& 34
Section 5-A
Section 4-A Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
2
8/27/15
http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/financialstatre
port14.pdf
3
8/27/15
http://www.kansascity.com/news/loc
al/article332471/Missouri-incometax-policy-dates-to-Depression.html
http://cber.bus.utk.edu/staff/mnmeco
n338/foxipt.pdf
Missouri Department of Revenue, page
17, “Financial and Statistical Report –
Fiscal Year Ended June 30th, 2014”,
date unknown by Nancy Holtschneider
and Courtney Shiverdecker*
The Kansas City Star, “Missouri income
tax policy dates to Depression”,
11/24/13 by David A. Lieb
University of Tennessee, “History and
Economic Impact”,
3/13/02 by William F. Fox
Missouri Council for a Better Economy,
“Earnings Tax Study – City of St.
Louis”,
3/1/11 by the PFM Group
St. Louis County Municipal League, “A
Chronological History of Local Sales
Tax in St. Louis County”,
11/9/11 by Tim Fischesser
Cato Institute, “Money and School
Performance: Lessons from the Kansas
City Desegregation Experiment”,
3/16/98 by Paul Ciotti
See Volunteer Handbook pgs. 2-26
Participatory Budgeting Project,
“Examples of PB”,
2015 by unknown author*
8/27/15
8/27/15
http://www.mc4be.com/STL_Earnin
gs_Tax_Report.pdf
8/27/15
https://www.brentwoodmo.org/Docu
mentCenter/Home/View/976
4
8/27/15
http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa298.html
5
6
-8/27/15
none
http://www.participatorybudgeting.o
rg/about-participatorybudgeting/examples-ofparticipatory-budgeting/
https://www.opendemocracy.net/tran
sformation/peter-levine/you-canadd-us-to-equations-but-they-nevermake-us-equal-participatory-b
none
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/st
atistical-abstract.html
8/27/15
7
8
-6/15/15
9
8/27/15
8/27/15
10
8/27/15
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/reas
ons-greece-economiccrisis/story?id=32130617
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/17
/world/europe/eurozone-greece-debtgermany.html?_r=0
http://www.bbc.com/news/business33505555
59
Transformation, “You can add us to
equations but they never make us equal:
participatory budgeting in Boston”,
4/8/14 by Peter Levine
see Volunteer Handbook pages 7 & 22
U.S. Census Bureau, “Statistical
Abstract of the United States”,
for various years from 1900-2014*
ABC News, “Some of the Reasons
Greece Got Into Its Economic Crisis”,
2015 by Susanna Kim
The New York Times, “Germany’s
Tone Grows Sharper in Greek Debt
Crisis”,
7/16/15 by Melissa Eddy
BBC News, “Greece debt crisis: What’s
the deal?”,
7/13/15 by Robert Plummer
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 34-36
Section 5-A
Section 4-A Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
8/27/15
http://www.ibtimes.com/greek-debtcrisis-how-did-greece-get-herewhere-it-going-1992390
11
1/18/16
http://factfinder.census.gov/faces/tab
leservices/jsf/pages/productview.xht
ml?src=bkmk
12
8/27/15
http://dor.mo.gov/pdf/financialstatre
port14.pdf
8/27/15
http://www.itep.org/whopays/states/
missouri.php
13
8/27/15
http://www.lobbyingmissouri.org/
13, 14
8/27/15
http://democracychronicles.com/mis
souri-political-corruption/
14
8/27/15
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/24
/weekinreview/24kirkpatrick.html?_r
=0
International Business Times, “Greek
Debt Crisis: How Did Greece Get Here
And Where Is It Going?”,
7/1/15 by Owen Davis
U.S. Census Bureau, American Fact
Finder, “2010 Demographic Profile
Data”,
2010 by unknown author*
Missouri Department of Revenue, page
17, “Financial and Statistical Report –
Fiscal Year Ended June 30th, 2014”,
date unknown by Nancy Holtschneider
and Courtney Shiverdecker*
The Institute on Taxation and Economic
Policy, “Missouri State & Local Taxes
in 2015”,
date and author unknown*
St. Louis Public Radio, “Lobbying
Missouri”,
2/3/15 by Danny Debelius, et. al.
The Washington Times, “Ethics on
Missouri lawmakers’ 2015 agenda”,
1/4/15 by Summer Ballentine
The New York Times, “Does Corporate
Money Lead to Political Corruption?”,
1/23/10 by David D. Kirkpatrick
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics
Section 4-B Footnotes,
“The Pros & Cons”, pages 36-37
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
2
Link
Source
7/29/15
http://www.ed.gov/news/speeches/i
mproving-human-capitalcompetitive-world-%E2%80%94education-reform-us
1/18/16
http://scholar.harvard.edu/files/goldi
n/files/human_capital_handbook_of
_cliometrics_0.pdf
3/17/15
http://www.participatorybudgeting.o
rg/stories/owen-brugh/
U.S. Department of Education,
“Improving Human Capital in a
Competitive World – Education Reform
in the U.S.”,
3/3/11 speech by Secretary Duncan
National Bureau of Economic Research
& Harvard University, Handbook of
Cliometrics – Human Capital,
2/23/14 by Claudia Goldin
Participatory Budgeting Project,
Interview with Owen Brugh,
December 2013
60
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 36-38
Section 5-A
Section 4-B Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
3
3/17/15
http://www.participatorybudgeting.o
rg/stories/owen-brugh/
4
8/27/15
http://www.itep.org/whopays/states/
missouri.php
Participatory Budgeting Project,
Interview with Owen Brugh,
December 2013
The Institute on Taxation and Economic
Policy, “Missouri State & Local Taxes
in 2015”,
date and author unknown
Section 4-C Footnotes,
“Examples of Success, Past and Present”, pages 38-39
Footnote
Date
Accessed
1
Link
Source
8/27/15
http://eh.net/encyclopedia/turnpikesand-toll-roads-in-nineteenthcentury-america/
2
1/19/16
http://www.slmpd.org/images/Updat
ed%20History%20for%20Website.
3
1/19/16
https://www.stlouismo.gov/government/departments/pu
blic-safety/fire/fire-departmenthistory.cfm
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kansas
_City_Fire_Department
Santa Clara University and the
University of California-Santa Barbara,
“Turnpikes and Toll Roads in
Nineteenth-Century America”,
by Daniel B. Klein and John Majewski
St. Louis Metropolitan Police Dept.,
“History of the Metropolitan Police
Department, City of St. Louis”,
by unknown author
City of St. Louis, “Fire Department
History”,
by unknown author
1/19/16
1/19/16
http://dfs.dps.mo.gov/programs/reso
urces/mo-fire-depts.php
4
5
--1/19/16
6
1/19/16
see Handbook and Chart Sources
http://journalistsresource.org/studies/
government/criminal-justice/usjustice-department-neighborhoodwatch-reduce-crime
https://www.stjoepd.info/volunteer.h
tml
1/19/16
1/19/16
https://www.gocolumbiamo.com/Pol
ice/Join_Our_Team/ColumbiaPolice
Volunteers.php
http://www.springfieldmo.gov/609/
Volunteers-in-Police-Service
61
Wikipedia, “Kansas City Fire
Department”,
by unknown author
Missouri Dept. of Public Safety, “Fire
Department List & Registration”,
by unknown author*
Handbook pgs. 7, 22-24, 62-72
Journalist’s Resource, “U.S. Justice
Department: Does Neighborhood Watch
reduce crime?”,
3/26/12 by John Wihbey
St. Joseph Police Dept., “Volunteer
Opportunities”,
by unknown author
Columbia Police Dept., “Columbia
Police Volunteers”,
by unknown author
City of Springfield, “Volunteers in
Police Service”,
by unknown author
Bibliography
Footnote Sources for Pages 38 & 39
Section 5-A
Section 4-C Footnotes – Continued
Footnote
Accessed
Link
Source
6
1/19/16
http://www.modot.org/services/com
munity/adoptahighway.htm
7
1/19/16
http://www.needymeds.org/free_clin
ics.taf?_function=list&state=MO
1/19/16
https://www.citizensmemorial.com/g
iving/volunteering.html
1/19/16
http://www.kccareclinic.org/volunte
er
http://www.givekidsasmile.org/Patie
ntStatistics.aspx
http://a2zhomeschooling.com/though
ts_opinions_home_school/numbers_
homeschooled_students/
http://www.homeeddirectory.com/ho
meschooling-supportgroups/missouri
http://dfs.dps.mo.gov/programs/reso
urces/mo-fire-depts.php
MO Dept. of Transportation, “Adopt a
Highway”,
by unknown author
Needy Meds, “Clinic List for
Missouri”,
by unknown author
Citizens Memorial Hospital, “CMH
Auxiliary & Volunteer Program”,
by unknown author
KC CARE Clinic, “Volunteer”,
by unknown author
Give Kids a Smile, “Patient Statistics”,
2015 by unknown author
A2Z Homeschool, “Number of
Homeschoolers in the USA”,
8/31/15 by Ann Zeise
Home Educators’ Resource Directory,
“Missouri: Support Groups”,
by unknown author
Missouri Dept. of Public Safety, “Fire
Department List & Registration”,
by unknown author*
Bureau of Justice Assistance,
“Volunteers in Police Service Add Value
While Budgets Decrease”,
2011 edited by Cornelia Sigworth
1/19/16
8
1/19/16
1/19/16
1/19/16
9
1/19/16
https://www.bja.gov/Publications/VI
PS_add_value.pdf
* Source data compiled by Jon Schuessler (co-author) to derive footnote statistics
62
Chart Sources – page 7
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Chart Sources
Section 2-B Chart Sources,
“Chart of Missouri Government Finances, from 1870 to present”, page 7
Date
Accessed
Link
Source
6/15/15
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistic
al-abstract.html
6/15/15
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculato
r.htm
U.S. Census Bureau, “Statistical Abstract of
the United States”,
for various years from 1870-2014
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “CPI Inflation
Calculator”,
for various years from 1870-2014
7/20/15
http://www2.census.gov/govs/school/13f33
pub.pdf
7/20/15
http://www.census.gov/govs/local/historica
l_data_1995.html (for other years,
substitute ‘2000’ or ‘2010’ for ‘1995’)
U.S. Census Bureau, page 5, “Public
Education Finances: 2013”,
June 2015 by the Educational Finance Branch
U.S. Census Bureau, “Annual Survey of State
and Local Government Finances”,
1995, 2000, & 2010
Data Table 1: Non-federal Government Debt per Capita
Year of
Census Data
Missouri Statewide
Population
1880
1890
1902
1912
1922
1932
1937
1942
1957
1960
1970
1981
1984
1990
1995
2000
2005
2008
2012
2,168,380
2,679,185
3,142,000
3,315,000
3,449,000
3,660,000
3,740,000
3,818,000
4,210,000
4,319,813
4,677,229
4,937,000
4,997,000
5,117,073
5,356,000
5,595,211
5,793,000
5,986,000
6,007,000
CPI-based
Inflation ratio to
2015 dollars
22.18
25.29
26.38
24
12.57
17.35
17.03
15.48
8.54
8.03
6.13
2.75
2.35
1.82
1.56
1.38
1.22
1.14
1.04
Total government debt at
state & local level*
$
60,240,000
$
51,468,000
$
50,447,000
$
64,622,000
$ 118,276,000
$ 336,124,000
$ 373,624,000
$ 302,914,000
$ 707,000,000
$ 858,000,000
$ 2,269,000,000
$ 4,555,000,000
$ 6,295,000,000
**
$13,225,000,000
$19,285,862,000
$31,332,000,000
$41,300,000,000
$46,287,614,000
Total debt
per capita
(2015 $s)*
$ 616
$ 486
$ 424
$ 468
$ 431
$1,593
$1,701
$1,228
$1,434
$1,595
$2,974
$2,537
$2,960
**
$3,852
$4,757
$6,598
$7,865
$8,014
* Debt includes both long-term debts (e.g., pension liabilities) and short-term debts (e.g., bond payments), minus
liquid assets (stock holdings, cash accounts, etc.)
** No reliable data was found
63
Chart Sources – page 7
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Data Table 2: Non-federal Government Revenues & Expenditures per Capita
Year of
Census Data
1880
1890
1902
1912
1922
1932
1937
1942
1957
1960
1970
1981
1984
1990
1995
2000
2005
2008
2012
State & local property,
sales & income tax
collections
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
11,832,000
16,447,000
21,735,000
35,491,000
91,445,000
106,653,000
122,028,000
206,966,000
**
$ 450,045,000
$ 1,115,280,000
**
**
$ 7,299,000,000
$ 8,973,965,000
$11,362,202,000
$13,873,458,000
$15,915,401,000
$16,434,188,000
Total property, sales
& income tax per
capita (2015 $s)*
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
121
155
182
257
333
506
556
839
**
$ 861
$ 1,462
**
**
$ 2,596
$ 2,614
$ 2,802
$ 2,922
$ 3,031
$ 2,845
Total government
expenditures
(state & local)
Total
expenditures per
capita (2015 $s)*
**
**
$
40,912,178
**
**
$ 213,279,000
**
$ 246,261,000
$ 834,000,000
$ 1,005,000,000
$ 2,579,000,000
$ 6,950,000,000
$ 8,122,000,000
**
$20,127,159,000
$27,953,327,000
$37,186,119,000
$44,750,733,000
$50,762,612,000
**
**
$ 343
**
**
$ 1,011
**
$ 998
$ 1,692
$ 1,868
$ 3,380
$ 3,871
$ 3,820
**
$ 5,862
$ 6,894
$ 7,831
$ 8,523
$ 8,789
* Refer to the previous table, Table 1, for inflation ratios and population figures
** No reliable data was found
64
Chart Sources – page 12
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Section 2-E Chart Sources,
“Chart of Missouri Voter Participation, from 1870 to present”, page 12
Date
Accessed
Link
Source
6/15/15
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistic
al-abstract.html
6/15/15
http://www2.census.gov/prod2/statcomp/d
ocuments/CT1970p2-12.pdf
8/27/15
http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electio
nInfo
8/27/15
http://s1.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Election
ResultsStatistics/AllRacesGeneralNovemb
er2010.pdf
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/defaul
t.aspx?eid=750002497
U.S. Census Bureau, “Statistical Abstract of
the United States”,
for various years from 1870-2014
U.S. Census Bureau, “Historical Statistics of
the United States: Colonial Times to 1970,
Part II”,
September 1975 by William Lerner, et. al.
U.S. House of Representatives, Office of the
Clerk, “Statistics of the Congressional
Election”,
for various years from 1920-1936
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November ”,
December 2010 by Jason Kander
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 6, 2012”,
12/5/12 by Jason Kander
Secretary of State, “State of Missouri –
General Election – November 4, 2014”,
12/3/14 by Jason Kander
8/27/15
8/27/15
http://enrarchives.sos.mo.gov/enrnet/Defau
lt.aspx
Data Table 3: Voter Participation from 1872-1930
Main
Election
Year
Voting-Age
Population
(VAP)*
Highest Vote
Total for an
Office
Votes
Cast per
VAP
Mid-Term
Election
Year
Voting-Age
Population
(VAP)*
Highest Vote
Total for an
Office
Votes
Cast per
VAP
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
**
**
541,207
607,0001
673,0001
729,0001
775,0001
**
**
**
**
**
66.6%
76.6%
78.0%
77.0%
81.8%
74.3%
87.0%
83.1%
74.9%
79.7%
75.0%
81.5%
67.7%
63.2%
69.1%
1874
1878
1882
1886
1890
1894
1898
1902
1906
1910
1914
1918
1922
1926
1930
**
**
574,0001
640,0001
705,718
752,0001
799,0001
**
**
311,278
436,835
449,019
531,403
619,570
631,144
601,059
675,902
618,227
577,706
**
**
54.2%
68.3%
63.6%
70.7%
77.5%
75.0%
68.4%
73.7%
65.2%
58.9%
976,362
986,480
947,063
48.3%
46.5%
42.6%
822,548
860,0001
898,0001
932,0002
965,0002
1,969,0893
2,070,0001
2,171,0001
541,583
673,906
683,656
643,969
715,927
699,210
786,793
1,332,800
1,307,985
1,500,721
65
841,0001
879,0001
916,609
948,0001
981,0004
2,020,0001
2,120,0001
2,221,259
Chart Sources – page 12
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Data Table 4: Voter Participation from 1932-2014
Main
Election
Year
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
1988
1992
1996
2000
2004
2008
2012
Voting-Age
Population
(VAP)*
2,258,0001
2,331,0001
2,403,726
2,410,000
2,570,000
2,635,000
2,664,000
2,665,000
2,705,000
2,792,000
3,228,0003
3,386,000
3,578,000
3,708,000
3,821,000
3,851,000
3,981,000
4,178,000
4,335,000
4,521,000
4,605,0004
Highest Vote
Total for an
Office
1,609,894
1,828,635
1,833,729
1,572,000
1,579,000
1,892,000
1,833,000
1,934,000
1,818,000
1,810,000
1,866,000
1,954,000
2,100,000
2,123,000
2,085,000
2,392,000
2,158,000
2,360,000
2,731,000
2,925,000
2,757,000
Votes
Cast per
VAP
71.3%
78.4%
76.3%
65.2%
61.4%
71.8%
68.8%
72.6%
67.2%
64.8%
57.8%
57.7%
58.7%
57.3%
54.6%
62.1%
54.2%
56.5%
63.0%
64.7%
59.9%
Mid-Term
Election
Year
1934
1938
1942
1946
1950
1954
1958
1962
1966
1970
1974
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
Voting-Age
Population
(VAP)*
2,294,0001
2,367,0001
2,570,000
2,530,000
2,643,000
2,650,0001
2,665,0001
2,665,000
2,749,0001
2,913,000
3,344,0002
3,498,000
3,635,000
3,766,000
3,836,0001
3,902,000
3,967,000
4,271,000
4,429,000
4,563,000
4,647,0004
Highest Vote
Total for an
Office
1,320,336
1,245,032
925,319
1,086,000
1,279,000
1,185,000
1,174,000
1,222,000
1,045,000
1,284,000
1,224,000
1,546,000
1,528,000
1,430,000
1,353,000
1,763,000
1,577,000
1,854,000
2,128,000
1,943,899
1,426,000
Votes
Cast per
VAP
57.6%
52.6%
36.0%
42.9%
48.4%
44.7%
44.1%
45.9%
38.0%
44.1%
36.6%
44.2%
42.0%
38.0%
35.3%
45.2%
39.8%
43.4%
48.0%
42.6%
30.7%
* Voting-age population includes all people of eligible age, even if they are not registered or are ineligible to vote
(convicted felons, aliens, etc.) This is because the ineligible population is very small (about 1-2%) and using total
VAP makes year-to-year comparisons more reliable from the reports available. Until 1920, only males could vote.
Until 1972, only people of 21 years or older could vote.
** No reliable data was found
1
The VAP for this year was estimated on a linear scale between the two nearest reported figures.
2
The VAP for this year was derived from the vote count and the reported VAP turnout percentage.
3
Women were allowed to vote from 1920 onwards, which effectively doubled the VAP. People 18 years and older
were allowed to vote from 1972 onwards, which increased the VAP by nearly 10%.
4
The VAP for this year was projected from the VAP growth of the previous four years.
66
Chart Sources – page 22
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Section 2-H Chart Sources,
“Growth of the Common Public School System in Missouri, from 1870 to Present”, page 22
Date
Accessed Link
Source
6/15/15
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statistic
al-abstract.html
6/15/15
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculato
r.htm
7/20/15
http://www2.census.gov/govs/school/13f33
pub.pdf
7/20/15
http://www.census.gov/govs/local/historica
l_data_1995.html (for other years,
substitute ‘2000’ or ‘2010’ for ‘1995’)
U.S. Census Bureau, “Statistical Abstract of
the United States”,
for various years from 1870-2014
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “CPI Inflation
Calculator”,
for various years from 1870-2014
U.S. Census Bureau, page 5, “Public
Education Finances: 2013”,
June 2015 by the Educational Finance Branch
U.S. Census Bureau, “Annual Survey of State
and Local Government Finances”,
1995, 2000, & 2010
Data Table 5: Total Government Expense Per Student
Year of
Census
Data
1872
1879
1882
1883
1899
1900
1910
1920
1928
1938
1956
1968
1975
1978
1989
1995
2000
2008
2013
Mo. School
Enrollment
389,956
450,000
511,329
527,452
668,018
719,817
707,031
672,483
679,597
705,612
743,000
1,003,000
965,000
900,000
811,000
878,000
914,000
900,000
877,934
Mo. Federal, State &
Local Government
School Expenditure
$
1,904,997
$
3,068,454
$
3,767,049
$
4,288,135
$
7,048,826
$
7,816,000
$
13,067,000
$
28,707,000
$
52,795,000
$
50,379,000
$
222,219,000
$
822,000,000
$ 1,146,000,000
$ 1,383,000,000
$ 3,141,000,000
$ 4,915,424,000
$ 6,647,003,000
$ 9,806,720,000
$ 9,911,964,000
CPI-based
Inflation Ratio
(2015 Dollars)
27.49
21.96
22.9
23.26
26.74
26.9
24.32
11.89
13.98
16.87
8.7
6.9
4.42
3.65
1.89
1.56
1.38
1.14
1.02
67
Avg. School Expenditure
per Enrolled Student in
2015 Dollars
$
134.29
$
149.74
$
168.71
$
189.10
$
282.16
$
292.09
$
449.47
$
507.56
$
1,086.05
$
1,204.48
$
2,602.03
$
5,654.84
$
5,249.04
$
5,608.83
$
7,319.96
$
8,733.56
$ 10,035.96
$ 12,421.85
$ 11,515.90
… in
$1,000s
$ 0.13
$ 0.15
$ 0.17
$ 0.19
$ 0.28
$ 0.29
$ 0.45
$ 0.51
$ 1.09
$ 1.20
$ 2.60
$ 5.65
$ 5.25
$ 5.61
$ 7.32
$ 8.73
$ 10.04
$ 12.42
$ 11.52
Chart Sources – page 22
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Data Table 6: Staff Employees (FTE)* per Student and Average Days per School Year
Year of
Census
Data
# of School
Employees
1872
1890
1903
1910
1920
1950
1955
1959
1970
1982
1990
1992
1995
2000
2008
2013
8,8621
13,7851
17,0361
18,365
21,126
41,000
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
163,573
168,094
Full-Time
Equivalent*
(FTE) School
Employees
8,8622
13,7852
17,0362
18,3652
21,1262
37,300
44,413
45,026
75,367
110,900
98,900
100,400
114,866
123,022
143,342
141,422
Enrolled
Student
Population
389,956
620,314
731,410
707,031
672,483
644,000
713,0003
813,0003
1,077,000
832,0003
818,000
842,0003
878,000
914,000
900,000
877,934
*
School FTEs*
per 100
Enrolled
Students
2.27
2.22
2.33
2.60
3.14
5.79
6.23
5.54
7.00
13.33
12.09
11.92
13.08
13.46
15.93
16.11
Year of
Census
Data
Avg. # of
Days in a
School Term
… in
weeks
1879
1883
1890
1899
1903
1910
1920
1968
1978
2014
100
113
128
141
148
155
165
177
177
177
14.3
16.1
18.3
20.1
21.1
22.1
23.6
25.3
25.3
25.3
A Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) figure counts part-time employees as fractional
full-time workers.
**
No reliable data was found.
1
This is the number of teachers only; other staff were excluded in the report.
2
This FTE was estimated by directly substituting employee totals (to err on the side of over-estimation).
3
This is an estimated enrollment, based on the average of the previous and subsequent years.
68
Chart Sources – page 23
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Section 2-H Chart Sources,
“Social Problems in Missouri: Suicide, Mental Illness, Crime and Poverty,
from 1870 to Present”, page 23
Date
Accessed
6/15/15
6/15/15
Link
http://www.census.gov/prod/www/statisti
cal-abstract.html
http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculat
or.htm
Source
U.S. Census Bureau, “Statistical Abstract of
the United States”,
for various years from 1870-2014
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “CPI
Inflation Calculator”,
for various years from 1870-2014
7/20/15
Data Table 7: Suicides
Census
Year
1860
1870
1890
1900
1915
1920
1931
1940
1950
1960
1970
1980
1990
1994
2001
2007
2013
Missouri
Population
1,182,012
1,721,295
2,679,185
3,106,665
3,349,000
3,404,055
3,645,000
3,784,664
3,954,653
4,319,813
4,677,229
4,916,766
5,117,073
5,308,000
5,635,000
5,870,000
6,044,000
Committed
Suicide
29
42
204
254
675
407
683
603
475
504
524
585
717
733
727
792
960
Suicides per 100,000
of Population
2.45
2.44
7.61
8.17
20.15
11.95
18.73
15.93
12.01
11.66
11.20
11.89
14.01
13.80
12.90
13.49
15.88
69
Chart Sources – page 23
Bibliography
Data Table 8: Mental Health
Census
Year
1870
1890
1903
1910
1923
1928
1938
1940
1942
1948
1958
1960
1968
1975
1980
2008
2010
2012
2013
Missouri
Population
1,721,295
2,679,185
3,162,000
3,293,335
3,471,000
3,584,000
3,753,000
3,784,664
3,818,000
3,920,000
4,246,000
4,319,813
4,606,000
4,797,000
4,916,766
5,909,000
5,988,927
6,007,000
6,044,000
Entered or In Centers
for Mental Illness
628
3,505
7,399
8,887
9,986
10,874
16,319
16,859
16,646
18,687
15,115
15,069
19,767
18,515
18,622
72,993
73,731
78,254
77,539
Mentally Ill per
1,000 of Population
0.36
1.31
2.34
2.70
2.88
3.03
4.35
4.45
4.36
4.77
3.56
3.49
4.29
3.86
3.79
12.35
12.31
13.03
12.83
70
Section 5-B
Bibliography
Chart Sources – page 23
Section 5-B
Data Table 9: Prisoners and Poverty
Census
Year
Missouri
Population
1860
1870
1890
1903
1910
1923
1928
1938
1940
1942
1945
1948
1950
1955
1958
1960
1965
1970
1975
1981
1980
1985
1988
1990
1993
1995
1999
2000
2005
2008
2010
2012
2013
1,182,012
1,721,295
2,679,185
3,162,000
3,293,335
3,471,000
3,584,000
3,753,000
3,784,664
3,818,000
3,869,000
3,920,000
3,954,653
4,137,000
4,246,000
4,319,813
4,498,000
4,677,229
4,797,000
4,937,000
4,916,766
5,017,000
5,077,000
5,117,073
5,260,000
5,356,000
5,547,000
5,595,211
5,793,000
5,909,000
5,988,927
6,007,000
6,044,000
Entered or In
Prison Under
Court Sentence
367
1,978
3,513
**
4,366
3,638
5,418
6,815
6,291
5,066
3,635
4,310
3,950
5,658
4,894
5,539
5,385
5,156
**
9,369
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
40,865
**
49,039
**
49,204
50,327
Prisoners per
1,000 of
Population
0.31
1.15
1.31
**
1.33
1.05
1.51
1.82
1.66
1.33
0.94
1.10
1.00
1.37
1.15
1.28
1.20
1.10
**
1.90
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
7.30
**
8.30
**
8.19
8.33
71
Received Public
Assistance for
Poverty
1,150
2,444
3,519
3,648
3,539
4,014
**
121,727
130,396
**
**
**
177,609
175,717
**
169,804
**
174,400
299,000
**
364,000
337,000
392,000
441,000
591,000
576,000
408,000
423,000
766,000
889,000
901,000
929,943
**
Public Aid Cases
as a Percentage of
Population
0.10%
0.14%
0.13%
0.12%
0.11%
0.12%
**
3.24%
3.45%
**
**
**
4.49%
4.25%
**
3.93%
**
3.73%
6.23%
**
7.40%
6.72%
7.72%
8.62%
11.24%
10.75%
7.36%
7.56%
13.22%
15.04%
15.04%
15.48%
**
Chart Sources – page 24
Bibliography
Section 5-B
Section 2-H Chart Sources,
“Missouri Academic Scores from 4th grade to Graduation, 1992 to 2014”, page 24
Date
Accessed
6/11/15
6/11/15
7/13/15
Link
http://www.act.org/newsroom/data/1994/s
tates/html
(use this link for other years, but replace
‘1994’ with ‘1998’, ‘2000’, ‘2004’or
‘2008’)
http://www.act.org/newsroom/data/2014/p
df/profile/Missouri/pdf
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest
Source
ACT, Inc. (American College Test), “Press
Release: ACT Average Composite Scores by
State...”,
1994, 1998, 2000, 2004 & 2008 by unknown
author
ACT, Inc., “ACT Profile Report – Missouri”,
2014 by unknown author
NCES (National Center for Educational
Statistics), ”Digest of Education Statistics”,
for various years from 1995 to 2014
Data Table 10: ACT and NAEP scores in Math and Reading
Test
Year
Composite
Average
ACT score
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2003
2004
2005
2007
2008
2009
2011
2013
2014
**
21.2
**
21.5
**
**
**
21.5
**
**
21.6
**
21.6
21.6
21.8
4th-grade
Average
NAEP
Math
Score
221
2233
225
2273
228
2323
235
**
235
239
**
241
240
240
**
4th-grade
Average
NAEP
Reading
Score
220
218
216
216
2183
220
222
**
221
221
**
224
220
222
**
Composite
Average
4th-grade
NAEP
Score
220.5
**
220.5
221.5
223
226
228.5
**
228
230
**
232.5
230
231
**
% of 8thgraders
with Basic*
Math Skills
**
**
64
642
67
682
71
**
68
72
**
77
73
74
**
% of 8thgraders
with Basic*
Reading
Skills
**
**
**
742
772
802
782
**
76
742
**
79
79
78
**
Composite
% of 8thgraders with
Basic* Skills
**
**
**
69
72
74
74.51
**
72
73
**
78
76
76
**
* The NAEP standards define a “Basic” proficiency in a skill as “achieving partial mastery of the knowledge and
skills that are fundamental for proficient work at the 8 th grade level”.
** No data for this year
1
The NAEP standards of proficiency changed this year
2
This is an estimated percentage based upon the 8th-graders’ average NAEP score in reading
3
This is an estimated average score based upon the previous and subsequent years of data
72
PART TWO
The Case for the Volunteer Party
When my country,
into which I had just set my foot,
was set on fire about my ears,
it was time to stir.
It was time for every man to stir.
-- Thomas Paine, The Crisis, 1776
72
APPENDICES
Appendices
Appendix A
Appendix A
The 2015 Volunteer Party Platform
Preamble
We, as people of Missouri, have come together in common cause against a
government that has betrayed us. It has sold us out to the national parties and
allowed them to steal seats in our legislature without the need for a single vote. It
has impoverished us with taxes, only to hand our earnings over to corrupt officials
who swindle public funds for the sake of private interests. It has demoralized the
citizenry, squandered our industry and silenced our voices.
Thus we have witnessed policemen turn into our oppressors rather than our
protectors; we have seen our education fall short even as its administrators
multiply; and we have watched our prisons overflow to the point that they are no
longer safe. It is in this atmosphere of crisis, and in the spirit of liberty, that we
question the current system of involuntary, general-purpose taxation.
How can a government expect its people to pay taxes for the ‘public good’,
when it commits to a broad range of activities that could be morally objectionable?
Should a person who is religiously opposed to the death penalty be forced to pay
taxes which fund state executions? Should the devoted libertarian pay taxes to a
state that uses ‘eminent domain’ to strip families of their homes? All men and
women of principle – whether they are environmentalists, educators, social
crusaders, business owners, labor advocates, humanists, spiritual believers or
parents – will find it very difficult to pay taxes for the state’s general use without
bearing the title of hypocrite.
Nor does any good that a tax may accomplish erase any of its evils. The
security and comfort of thousands cannot atone for the suffering of even one
innocent. We cannot – no, we MUST not – be part of a system that would punish a
person who refuses to pay for acts that violate one’s principles.
We know that the current establishment has no answer to the culture of
despair it has helped to create. The broken heart of this generation will not be
mended with a policy adjustment. No slogan, no catchphrase, save the cry of
FREEDOM, will bring ease to the troubled souls who labor to a master’s tune.
80
The 2015 Volunteer Party Platform
Appendix A
Declaration of Principles and Resolutions
Therefore we, as citizens, set forth the following platform for the creation of
the Volunteer Party of Missouri:
Voluntary Taxation
The central concern of the Volunteer Party is, and shall always be, allowing
citizens to contribute to the public welfare as they see fit. As long as government
may feed itself with impunity upon the people’s labor, property and commerce, it
will seek to be the master, not the servant.
1) The people should not be required to pay blindly, in good faith, to any
agency that routinely engages in waste and deception.
We are RESOLVED, to protect both by statute and constitutional
amendment, any citizen from taxation without his or her consent and
pledge; and that no tax may receive pledges that exceed five years in
length, which may be renewed upon expiration.
2) A tax for general revenue, without a predetermined purpose, is a
shackle upon the conscience of the people and a temptation to
unscrupulous men.
We are RESOLVED, that all taxes collected from the people by the
state shall be required by law to be spent by a specific agency, in a
prescribed manner, for a certain use, as stipulated publicly before the
tax is levied.
3) Workers who surrender the fruits of their livelihoods under the threat
of imprisonment and bankruptcy are toiling in bondage to the state.
We are RESOLVED, to abolish the compulsory state income tax and
to resist the federal income tax, both by statute and constitutional
amendment.
81
The 2015 Volunteer Party Platform
Appendix A
Election Reform
It is incredible that the entrenched political parties, the Democrats and
Republicans, allowed nearly half (46%) of the state’s House candidates and over
half (59%) of the state’s Senate candidates to run unopposed in the last November
election. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of these unopposed candidates have also had
no opponent in their party primaries, which means that the winners for 64 of the
180 seats (35%) were already decided before a single vote was even cast! This is
not a functioning republic. It is taxation without representation.
1) Legitimate law-making and taxation will only occur when the General
Assembly becomes a true representative council of the people, and not
a hand-picked group of political party favorites.
We are RESOLVED, to support laws that will curb political party
influence, and to repeal the laws and body rules which have
institutionalized parties and favored them over independents.
2) The current method of plurality voting asks for the minimum amount
of information from voters when more could easily be obtained, and
this results in negative voting strategies which undermine the
democratic nature of elections.
We are RESOLVED, to support alternative voting systems that ask
for more feedback, such as a voter’s ranking or preference for each
candidate.
3) Missourians deserve better than a 3-hour span, not of their choice, to
exercise their prerogative to vote, free of hardship.
We are RESOLVED, to create a holiday for each election, in which
only necessary enterprises may remain open, and all needed
employees shall not be required to work more than four hours, and
any hours so worked shall receive extra compensation.
82
The 2015 Volunteer Party Platform
Appendix A
Transparency
We live in a dark time when most government information is some form of
propaganda. Records are rarely clear, and they are never complete. Sometimes
they are difficult to find at all. The public cannot responsibly pledge its taxes or
elect its sponsors under such a cloud of confusion. It is not acceptable for an
official to be able to hide hundred-dollar dinners under the bland name of “travel
expenses”. Nor is it tolerable that the affairs of our legislature are hidden beneath
a heap of words, and the average bill is roughly the length of a novel. A
government that wishes to lead with the confidence of its people must be honest,
articulate and precise.
1) Records of how taxes are spent – budgets and accounts – should be
one of the most important records kept by a government agency, yet
even public schools utilize budgets that are often hidden, vague and
lacking in details.
We are RESOLVED, to demand that all public funds be accounted for
in a standard format; that this format records the specific service or
good purchased and how it was, or will be, used; and that these
records shall be readily available both in physical and electronic
format, and issued to a pledge-holder upon request.
2) Laws should be passed in the spirit of simplicity, as a form of good
governance, and not for the purpose of trading political favors or
deceiving the public.
We are RESOLVED, to restrict legislative action to passing statutes
for a single purpose, without multiple laws, e.g., “riders”, passed in a
single vote.
3) A citizen should be able to know all of the laws under which they are
governed, which is currently impossible, even for citizens who are
lawyers.
We are RESOLVED, to reduce Missouri’s statutes in both their length
and their number, and to remove as much as possible all vague,
redundant or contradictory language.
83
The 2015 Volunteer Party Platform
Appendix A
Personal Freedom
Our country is founded upon the principles of liberty. The most important
of these is trusting in individuals to make their own choices, and to face the
consequences for good or for ill. If we are not allowed by our government to make
the “wrong” choice, we are not free; nor are we trusted. We are managed, like
children. A people kept prisoner – no matter how pleasant the cage – are a
frustrated, self-destructive people. We must, therefore, learn to trust in each
other’s ability to choose, and demand that our government do the same.
1) Privacy is not a privilege granted by government; it is an individual
right. State and local governments should not lay claim to personal
information without consent of the individual; nor should they be able
to demand it as a condition for receiving general services, especially
in public education.
We are RESOLVED, that government tracking and monitoring of
citizens is forbidden as a felony, and that schools do not ask children
for private information without the consent of their parents.
2) Eminent domain, in many instances, has become legalized theft for
the benefit of corporate franchises and government revenues. A state
which uses its power to enrich itself or others upon the misfortune of
its citizens, while claiming it is for the greater good, is both a thief and
a hypocrite.
We are RESOLVED, to outlaw the government seizure of private
property for the benefit of commerce, public enterprise, or any
purpose other than the direct and immediate needs of public health
and safety.
3) The purpose of law is to protect others, not to manage their choices.
Whenever non-harmful actions are penalized or become crimes,
freedom is imperiled.
We are RESOLVED, that no law shall punish or financially impugn a
citizen for actions which cause no direct harm to the safety of
another’s person or property, particularly with regard to the choice of
parents in the education of their children.
84
Appendices
Appendix C
APPENDIX C
Witness Accounts of the 2012 St. Charles County Caucus
During the 2012 campaign season, three major candidates – Ron Paul, Rick
Santorum and Mitt Romney – were vying to become Missouri’s choice as a
Presidential candidate for the national Republican Party. On March 17th, a
Saturday, the St. Charles branch of the Republican Party convened. The meeting,
called a “caucus”, was scheduled to elect delegates who would vote at the state’s
party convention.
The local party committee in St. Charles had made no secret of their support
for Rick Santorum. The committee, however, did not have the authority to directly
pick delegates who would support Santorum at the state convention. By the rules
of a Republican caucus, the delegates must be selected by a vote of the members
present.
And lots of Republican voters were prepared to show up with a different
candidate in mind.
The St. Charles committee knew this, and prepared a surprise for Romney
and Paul supporters. The caucus began with a “straw poll” before members could
enter, which delayed the start of the meeting by over an hour. The poll was not
part of the caucus rules (in fact there are very few rules in place until after the
meeting starts). Its purpose was unclear, since the results were kept secret by the
committee.
The committee began the meeting by demanding that all recording devices
be turned off. Two policemen were present to enforce the rule – which they did by
confronting, and later arresting a man who openly refused to turn off his camera.
The “no-camera” rule was against caucus procedure, and the crowd was agitated,
but eventually they calmed down and the caucus got underway...
What actually occurred can best be verified by those present, because the
committee did everything in its power to prevent the caucus from being recorded.
Several hidden camera phones were used during and after the caucus, and the
recordings were later posted on YouTube. The videos’ quality was far from ideal;
they do corroborate, however, with witness accounts of the day.
90
Witness Accounts of the 2012 St. Charles County Caucus
Appendix C
From the eyewitness testimony of Bryce Steinhoff, an organizer for the local
supporters of Ron Paul who attended the St. Charles county caucus. The following
testimony was presented under the title, “St. Charles Caucus HIJACKED –
Bryce’s Report” on March 17th, 2012 on Facebook:
The St. Charles County Republican Central Committee hijacked the St. Charles County
Caucus today!
Due to long lines, the caucus didn’t convene until nearly 11 AM (it should have begun at
10 AM, but that wait was by far the most bearable of the day).
Bryan Spencer, chairman of the caucus subcommittee of the St. Charles Central
Committee, told me personally, very strongly, at the committee meeting on March 8th that he
would work to challenge the St. Charles delegation on a technicality if any one group came in
and “hijacked” the caucus by taking all the delegates or otherwise not allowing for a
proportionate distribution. This narrow definition of “fair” as described by Spencer simply
isn’t his definition to decide. It is the very purpose of the caucus for the body to decide what
is fair – how delegates would be apportioned. It is clear that Spencer and the committee were
fearful of a Paul or a Paul and Romney majority at the caucus – and so they hijacked it instead
by ignoring all rules, the orders of the day, and general fairness in chairmanship.
Bryan Spencer tried to enforce an arbitrary “house rule” ban on recording devices and
eject a caucus body member who refused to stop recording. The caucus body of many
hundreds erupted into howls of disapproval for what seemed like an eternity. Spencer
dispatched on-site police officers to remove him or arrest him for trespassing...
Spencer and temporary caucus chairman and Central Committee Chairman Eugene
Dokes refused to continue the caucus until the recording devices were stopped and the crowd
settled down. During this time I, along with many others, attempted to motion for the rule
against recording devices to be lifted. No motions or points of order were recognized by
either Dokes or Spencer. A large number of additional police officers and highway patrolmen
entered the gymnasium during this time to help keep the peace.
...Once we quieted, Dokes carried on with facilitating the prayer and pledge which went
off without incident. After this point, Dokes proceeded to entirely ignore the published MO
GOP Caucus Agenda and appointed a parliamentarian, the credentials committee, and the
rules committee. All three of these are very clearly supposed to be appointed by a newly
elected Caucus Chairman. The crowd booed loudly at the gross misconduct by the chair and
I, along with others, called for points of order and for the orders of the day. No motions were
recognized from the floor.
At this point, Dokes opened the floor for nominations for Caucus Chairman. The Central
Committee shills nominated Matt Ehlen while the crowd nearly-unanimously chanted “Brent
Stafford”. After not waiting for further nominations, Dokes called for a voice vote. There
were no audible ayes and an uproar of no’s, but Dokes declared that the ayes had it and
awarded the position of Caucus Chairman to Ehlen. Dokes refused to recognize many, many
calls for a division of the vote, which would have required him to count the votes for the
purpose of transparency and clarity.
Matt Ehlen, illegally “elected” and de-facto appointed chair, then proceeded to demand
order, which was rightly met with rejection from the body.
91
Witness Accounts of the 2012 St. Charles County Caucus
Appendix C
Bryan Spencer and Matt Ehlen warned that the caucus would be disqualified and no
delegates would be awarded if the ruckus continued, but united supporters from all campaigns
continued to show extreme disgust with the actions of the Central Committee. A motion to
adjourn (at least I think there was a motion; I didn’t hear it) was put forward by Spencer and
his cronies. It should have required a 2/3 vote since there was still business to be conducted,
but regardless Spencer put it up for a voice vote and declared the caucus adjourned.
At this point Brent Stafford attempted to declare the chair vacant, as is proper
parliamentary procedure when a chairman continually disrupts order and steps down.
Stafford attempted to facilitate the election of a new chairman to preside over the caucus, but
attempts were futile and Spencer and clan demanded that the body evacuate the gym or face
arrest.
We rallied as many of the caucus body as possible to hold a rump convention in the
parking lot, where we planned to re-credential the body and hold the caucus fairly according
to the agenda released by the MO GOP. We were greeted outside by a large police presence,
including at least one helicopter. When word had gotten around and the body that remained
congregated in the designated location for the rump convention, Brent Stafford stood on a
chair and began instructing the new rump convention body how to turn in credential
information.
While this was happening, two police officers approached Brent and placed him under
arrest for trespassing, a charge which was entirely unfounded.
Police continued efforts to eject the body from the public school grounds and much of the
body gathered at nearby Wapelhorst Park to talk, rehash, and rally behind our common goals
– transparency and fairness in the process. The entire process uncovered great unity among
many camps, particularly the Romney and Paul camps, much to my delight.
During this process at least one other person, Kenny Suitter, was detained or arrested for
refusing to turn off his recording device.
Let me be clear: The St. Charles Republican Central Committee, led by Eugene Dokes
and Bryan Spencer (and I suspect Cheryl Bates), broke a wide variety of rules, refused to
follow the established parliamentary procedure, Robert’s Rules of Order, and hijacked the
caucus...
I beg and plead that the Missouri Republican Party reschedule the caucus and assign a
specially-appointed committee not consisting of any Central Committee members... Please
call the Missouri GOP (573-636-3146) and demand that our caucus be rescheduled.
Additionally, call the St. Peters City Police (636-276-2222) and let them know your disgust
with the unwarranted arrests performed during peaceful assembly on public property.
92
Witness Accounts of the 2012 St. Charles County Caucus
Appendix C
From the eyewitness testimony of Dr. Daniel A. Domer, licensed veterinarian, who
attended the St. Charles Caucus. The testimony was given via Email shortly after
policemen dispersed the gathering:
As you may have heard, the Saint Charles county, Missouri GOP caucus was a disgrace.
I was personally present and can vouch for the accuracy of what’s reported in the links I’m
sharing below. Instead of repeating these descriptions of the events, legality, and rules of
order, I’ll simply add my $0.02:
As a friend (and fellow caucus attendee) counted, the police number grew from merely
two at the beginning of the proceedings, to 20 after the police radioed for backup. These were
very physically intimidating men, including one very tall man wearing a brown uniform and
helmet (motorcycle?). It’s funny what psychological impact this gives. It goes from a feeling
of police being present as a form of protection and formality, to the sense that they are there to
keep you in line as a bystander while the political process continues without your consent.
The only description I can give is that it is the political equivalent of being overpowered,
made helpless, and violated... It’s one thing to read a description or watch a video, and
something completely different to be present, to witness and feel events unfolding. I’m glad I
was there. And I saw that, yes, of course “it can happen here”.
It was disappointing to hear the Santorum supporters behind me speak of Paul people
hijacking caucuses and wondering aloud whether or not Paul voters would support Obama if
Paul weren’t the Republican nominee. It was tragic to see the acting caucus Chair completely
ignore the crowd’s objections, nominations, and cries for basic parliamentary procedures. It
was a bit of a shock to see the police presence grow in the auditorium. It was bewildering to
hear the newly-appointed Chair say, “I will now entertain a motion to adjourn,” then adjourn,
declare the caucus over, with zero delegates being awarded. It was disheartening to be
ordered outside or risk being arrested for trespassing, even though the high school auditorium
was rented for another hour or two. It was sad to move outside and pass a boy holding a sign
reading “This is was a free country.” It was further bewildering to step outside and see the
police helicopter flying above. It was again shocking to hear the loudspeaker behind the
crowd outside, ordering everyone off the public school property. It was unfortunately not
surprising that the police arrested Brent Stafford (easily considered the caucus body’s choice
for chairman, as reported in the links) as he was trying to gather some order over the situation
outside. I was beside him and saw it take place. Now was he really trespassing, or was he
just an obvious target chosen to demoralize the remaining people?
A group of us met at a nearby park and developed a plan to address the events of the day,
including getting the two arrested people out of jail and finding a way to send delegates from
Saint Charles county, possibly by rescheduling the caucus. I don’t have much else to share...
93
Witness Accounts of the 2012 St. Charles County Caucus
Appendix C
In the end, as you might have gathered from the preceding testimony, the
party committee declared the caucus over without any votes awarded for state
delegates, and then demanded that the members vacate the premises or face arrest.
Brent Stafford, the man nominated to be caucus chairman by the Romney and Paul
camps, was arrested for trying to follow parliamentary procedure (he had hired a
professional parliamentarian to advise him) and re-establish the caucus. Twenty
police officers and a helicopter were used to “walk” the crowd off the school
grounds, and the caucus was officially over.
The two men who were arrested, Mr. Stafford and Mr. Suitter, were later
released, but the local party pursued the charges of trespassing against both men
(Stafford’s case was eventually dismissed two years later). The St. Charles police
department never gave a satisfactory account of its presence or its behavior at the
caucus, where the officers unquestioningly obeyed the dictates of the local party
committee.
Media coverage largely quoted only the interviews with the party committee
members, who, naturally, blamed the unusual outcome of the caucus on the crowd
– particularly Ron Paul supporters. YouTube videos, however, and eyewitnesses
told a different story, and eventually the bad internet publicity induced the national
Republican Party leadership to personally oversee a re-scheduled caucus. The new
St. Charles County Caucus followed parliamentary procedure and the party bylaws to the letter, and Brent Stafford was elected chairman. The meeting and the
votes went on without incident, and St. Charles was able to send its delegates to the
state convention.
By then, Rick Santorum had already withdrawn from contention for the
Republican Presidential nomination.
94