Presidential candidates

So Oprah endorses Obama, however she is silent the many times that Alan Keyes runs on the Republican side, so I take this to mean that an African American isn't worth endorsing unless he plays to the socialist agenda.
YES !!!!!!!!! I said the "S" word. I listen to all the pundits and I listen to the speeches, and I watch the debates, however unlike many I LOOK at voting records as well. The leading Democrats well all the democrats have a socialist agenda, redistribution of wealth schemes and a general takeover of a trillion dollar industry known as health care.
Now to the other side of the political spectrum John McCain a large government republican that doesn't like the first amendment so he helped pass McCain/Feingold which brought about an end to money being donated to political campaigns. Also a firm believer in wide open borders and failing to defend the Constitution.
Besides the McCain/Feingold support the rest of the candidates excluding one all stand for large government, social spending run amok, and another "oath of office" down the drain.

Ron Paul a true by definition Republican. Smaller government, fiscally sound, trying to end social spending run amok, the list goes on but I haven't the time to list them. Voted for invasion of Afghanistan to reign in Taliban militants for the attack on NYC. Firm supporter of a strong military after all he is a retired military officer.
Until I see the other candidates from the Libertarian Party, Constitution Party or any other candidate Ron PAul is my choice for very obvious reasons

Missouri Liberty Coalition

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080106/NEWS01/801060392/1001/RSS01

Coalition wants accountability from city

Many attendees at group's first meeting say Springfield needs new leadership.

Mike Penprase
News-Leader


In the wake of recent audits of city government and City Utilities, residents who attended Saturday's first meeting of the Missouri Liberty Coalition said it was time to hold officials' feet to the fires of frustration.

About three dozen attended the meeting Saturday afternoon at the Library Station in north Springfield.

It was called by Tom Martz, a past Libertarian legislative candidate and advocate of the city audit. Participants ranged from retirees to young men wearing Ron Paul T-shirts.

Longtime Springfield resident Ray Clouse said he believes it's time to press for accountability from Springfield officials.

And he's ready to do something about it.

"I don't mind getting dirty," Clouse told the crowd at the library.

"If I get slapped with a mudball, I'll wipe it off."

The Springfield native and resident since 1943, except for four years in the military, pronounced the city's government is at the lowest point he's seen.

"It's pitiful," Clouse said.

Many at the meeting expressed dissatisfaction with City Council members and talked about how to get rid of them, except for one.

Get people with integrity on the council, and don't wait for an election to bring them on, Mike Paris said.

It might be time to start a recall effort, he said.

"Should the focus of this thing be you fight individual battles, or remove them all?" he asked.

Councilman Doug Burlison is the only council member deserving support, Martz said before Burlison appeared at the meeting.

Taking a break outside the session, Burlison said it's obvious a lot of Springfield residents are frustrated with how the city is run.

Burlison said he didn't know what to expect from the meeting Martz and others set up.

"I thought I was walking into the wrong room, to be honest with you," he said. "I think it's really an indication there are a lot of people out there in a silent majority."

Radio personality Vincent David Jericho congratulated people who showed up for the meeting.

Martz said efforts to open up city government by getting more people on boards, committees and other bodies might affect his own political aspirations.

"I don't think I'll be on any of those, ever," he said.

But he is considering a run for City Council, he said during the meeting.

After the meeting, he said he began considering that move for months before he and others formed the nonpartisan coalition.

Some people who came to the meeting to see what would happen said the coalition could be effective if people get involved.

While Greg Sokerka said before the meeting he'd reserve judgment on getting involved, by the end of the 2 1/2-hour session he said it appears the group can get something done.

"It's gone real well for the first get-together," he said. "Informative."

bureaucratic nightmare

you came to town and purchased a castle built in 1915. This castle was built, owned, and operated by once what was thought of to be a secret society of individuals. The strangeness doesn't end here however because the oddities continue once I was allowed to tour this place and talk to the new owners.
The Knights of Pythias built these castles to care for the widows and orphaned children of their membership and upon touring the local castle the building "codes" of which they applied are far superior to our government forced "building codes and standards". I wonder how this could be since the federal government nor any state government forced building regulations when this structure was built.
For those of us that tend to believe that government regulations are needed for people to continue to be safe I recommend they tour a Pythian Castle some where near where you live.

Back to my story SORRY for the government rant.

Since the Knights of Pythais left the building it has been in federal government hands, US military control, local government hands, and eventually sold off as excess. It was auctioned off for about 5G's or so quite possible even less, but at 40,000 square feet it isn't a cheap building to maintain. The building was listed on the open market by a Realtor and sold to a couple of ladies from CA back a few years ago.
These ladies poured their hearts and soul into this place and restored it as much as possible back to the time frame it was built. Since the outside of the structure is Granite Block along with the supporting walls there was no need to worry about a cracking foundation or structure. The castle received a new coat of paint on the inside walls, the hardwood floors were refurbished, the ballroom and theater brought back to there grandeur. At some point in time after all this was finished the building was opened for tours, weddings, theater, and ballroom dancing. It appears the main point of contention in this time line is did the owner have a "business license" to operate this facility in any manner, In other words did she get permission from the omnipresent imperial government to earn money from her own private property.
The city steps in and shuts her down, and in the never ending story her building has been proclaimed to be a dangerous structure uninhabitable. In the past this building was used as a hospital during WW II because of how structurally sound this building is, not because it is unsafe. From my understanding of the issue from one side of the coin it appears the city keeps extending the playing field every time it appears that the owner is going to score a touchdown, making it much harder on the players to remain in the game.