tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60574536964781203562024-03-13T05:12:00.133-07:00Van Buren County Tea PartyMeetings held at 7:00 PM 3rd Tuesday of every month in the Van Buren County Court room.Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-49529507140725116462012-03-28T11:42:00.000-07:002012-03-28T11:42:18.081-07:00What’s at stake with our County Government?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">There is little doubt that many in <city><place>Des Moines</place></city> have had an agenda for years to reduce our 99 sovereign counties to a much smaller number of regional governments. They often use the justification of saving tax money, both local and state. In reality this will simply further remove the individual citizens from their local Government. This is the same plan that has been consuming local schools and forcing consolidation. The result from this has been less local control and spending far more money than before. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">State and Federal mandates imposed on local Governments have driven up the cost to the tax payers at an alarming rate. No branch of local government is immune to these mandates, not the sheriff, auditor, treasurer, recorder, or any other office in the court house. While most are totally unfunded, the state partially funds some of them so they have enough skin in the game to claim the need for savings by consolidation. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Van Buren County is at particular risk of this agenda, being one of the poorest counties in the state, combined with our declining population and businesses, maintaining the “status quo”, with allowable growth is particularly painful and adds to our decline.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">At the recent budget hearing our <place><placetype>County</placetype> <placename>Supervisors</placename></place> reluctantly agreed to have an open conversation with the citizens of Van Buren County on how to deal with our ever increasing budgetary dilemma. It is imperative that the citizens of Van Buren County and our elected officials reach a common understanding as to what level of services are really needed and how to fund them.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It is our goal to compile as many money saving idea’s as possible and schedule an open<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>meeting with all of our local elected Government officials, to start the dialogue to try to solve our monetary problems locally.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are soliciting input from everyone and hope for as many concerned citizens as possible to attend the meetings on this issue. We all have a great deal at stake here. If you want lower property taxes, this is your opportunity to accomplish that. If you have a particular local Government service that you think must be maintained, increased, or decreased, this is the venue to voice those concerns.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Click on the heading to this post and feel free to offer your suggestion to the comments at this posting. You may add your suggestions anonymously or include your name and contact information so that we may contact you if necessary to best represent your suggestion. Either way it is at your own discretion. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We urge every citizen of Van Buren County regardless of your political persuasion, to engage their family, friends, and neighbors on these most important issues, around the dinner table, in the coffee shops, and every local event. If we fail to take responsibility for our own local Government now the State will assume more authority over us, and we will have no one to blame but our selves.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-39231210386705129552012-03-20T20:30:00.000-07:002012-03-20T20:30:00.435-07:00Somewhere between freedom and tyranny is.....The Sweet Spot<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/o8vzdFo_cuI/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/o8vzdFo_cuI&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/o8vzdFo_cuI&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-20890901365569408832012-02-01T12:45:00.000-08:002012-02-01T12:45:39.662-08:00THE VOTE PUMP<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/u24nH03NccI?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-49429220805687978122012-02-01T03:19:00.000-08:002012-02-01T03:23:28.388-08:00Supervisors cut 37% from allowable growth<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In a startling 3-0 vote Van Buren county supervisors voted to approve a 2.5% pay increase for elected officials. This was almost 37% less than the 4% recommended by the compensation board. When asked “given our decline of population and businesses and the states desire to reduce property taxes, what will be the tipping point from allowable growth to austerity”, board chairman Nixon replied “we are not there yet”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">While individual department budgets have yet to be released the supervisors have been asking department heads to keep increases below 2%. Most have been willing to follow that lead with the exception of the County Conservation who requested a 6% increase. The department that runs the ever profitable “Greif store” was asked to go back and work toward the 2% goal. With negotiations still underway with the “collective” bargaining units the final outcome of the budget is still up in the air. An increase in property taxes seems inevitable.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The good news is we are not in debt and most endowments given to the county are not immediately spent but put in trusts to provide annual cash flow to their desired area’s based on interest earned.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-80243599631537330622011-11-11T08:17:00.000-08:002011-11-11T08:17:58.676-08:00In Honor of our Veterans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/2kX_3y3u5Uo/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2kX_3y3u5Uo&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2kX_3y3u5Uo&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-43289928868607278592011-10-31T07:20:00.000-07:002011-10-31T07:20:56.468-07:00For the protection of the home owner<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Van Buren County health department recently decided to increase the bonding requirements of contractors installing rural septic systems from $1,000 to $10,000. Even though there was no enforcement for the $1,000 bond they would begin to enforce the $10,000 bond for the “protection of the home owner”, or so they claimed. One contractor took exception to these efforts claiming he had liability insurance and should not be required to be bonded as well.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">The Van Buren county T.E.A. Party started looking into this matter by reviewing the authority of local public health under <state><place>Iowa</place></state> code chapter 1036. <state><place>Iowa</place></state> code clearly states that.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;"><a href="" name="0-0-0-70507"></a><b>137.104 Local boards of health — powers and duties.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;">Local boards of health shall have the following powers and duties:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;">1. A local board of health shall:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;"><i>a</i>. Enforce state health laws and the rules and lawful orders of the state department.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;"><i>b</i>. Make and enforce such reasonable rules and regulations not inconsistent with law, the rules of the state board, or the <state><place>Iowa</place></state> public health standards as may be necessary for the protection and improvement of the public health.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;">While bonding requirements seemed a bit of a stretch as “necessary for the protection and improvement of the public health”, we also found the following.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(2) Rules of a county board shall become effective upon approval by the county board of supervisors by a motion or resolution as defined in <a href="http://search.legis.state.ia.us/nxt/gateway.dll?f=xhitlist$xhitlist_x=Advanced$xhitlist_vpc=first$xhitlist_vps=1$xhitlist_mh=1$xhitlist_xsl=querylink.xsl$xhitlist_sel=title;path;content-type;home-title;item-bookmark$xhitlist_d=%7bIowaCode%7d$xhitlist_q=%5bfield%20331.101.13%5d" target="main"><b>section 331.101, subsection 13</b></a>, and publication in a newspaper having general circulation in the county.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-indent: 9pt;">(4) Before approving any rule or regulation the local board of health shall hold a public hearing on the proposed rule. Any citizen may appear and be heard at the public hearing. A notice of the public hearing, stating the time and place and the general nature of the proposed rule or regulation shall be published in a newspaper having general circulation as provided in <a href="http://search.legis.state.ia.us/nxt/gateway.dll?f=xhitlist$xhitlist_x=Advanced$xhitlist_vpc=first$xhitlist_vps=1$xhitlist_mh=1$xhitlist_xsl=querylink.xsl$xhitlist_sel=title;path;content-type;home-title;item-bookmark$xhitlist_d=%7bIowaCode%7d$xhitlist_q=%5bfield%20331.305%5d" target="main"><b>section 331.305</b></a> in the area served by the local board of health.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We then set out to prove the bonding requirements had been adopted in a lawful manner. When asked for copies of the local rules and regulations covering this we were at first given copies of the <place><placetype>County</placetype> <placename>Board</placename></place> of Health meeting minutes from Sept. 1991 and April of 2011. To the credit of the local Dept. of public health, with sufficient time they were able to produce the 1991 rules and regulation as well as copies of the required newspaper notifications. The local Board of Health had taken all the necessary steps in 1991 to pass their regulations, but do not appear to have taken those steps in 2011 for the changes.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Upon review of the 1991 “Van Buren County on-site wastewater treatment and disposal system rules and regulations” we discovered under section 3b “$1000 bond or letter of credit is required to be filed with the Van Buren County board of health for each calendar year”, and under section 3c “any individual who has on file with the Van Buren County board of health……risks forfeiture of his or her bond or letter of credit to the Van Buren County board of health”. While forfeiture is due to lack of compliance to permitting the salient point is that the money does not go to the home owner, as was repeatedly claimed, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>but to the local Dept. of public health. This forfeiture is in addition to simple misdemeanor charges and state fines.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We then set out to find if the <place><placetype>County</placetype> <placename>Supervisors</placename></place> had passed the Health Boards regulation. To date the only evidence provided is county ordinance 96-1 that was passed in 1996 enacting <state><place>Iowa</place></state> administrative code 567, enforcement under <state><place>Iowa</place></state> code 455B.172(4), and penalties under <state><place>Iowa</place></state> code 137.21. Ordinance 96-1 does not even reference the local board of health regulations.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">Great credit is due the county public health dept. and auditors office for providing the information as requested.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">UPDATE: It seems the county supervisors and county board of health do not think they are required to follow state law in approval of local board of health regulations, we will see what the county attorney advises them to do.</div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-30393243531258905542011-09-21T07:18:00.000-07:002011-11-01T11:08:59.223-07:00Critical Thinking in our schools<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"><strong><u>Click on the highlighted wording for additional links and information.</u></strong></span></span></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">The video “<a href="http://www.iowafuture.org/2011/08/04/iowa-did-you-know/">Iowa did you know</a>” shown at the Aug. 2011 school board meeting indicated a new way of teaching our kids was being implemented across the state. Our school system is to abandon what they deem “low level factual recall” that has served us for generations, for a new methodology called “critical thinking”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN;">While on the surface this may not seem like much, if you research the definition and origins of the term it is quite frightening. While the use of this term is permeating our society and has many applications and meanings our education system is using it as it was intended by the group that crea<span style="background-color: white;">ted it. Key aspects of the definition from the </span><a href="http://www.educateiowa.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2089&Itemid=4606#ct">Iowa Department of Education</a> web site are<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">: “</b></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Critical thinking utilizes abstractions and non-rules based strategies to guide decisions, behaviors and actions….suspension of judgment while collecting evidence to make determinations”</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">. This methodology has real limitations when dealing with math and science, a stone cannot long be suspended in air no matter how much critical thinking you do because of the law of gravity, but on social issues this eliminates all social norms and opens its self to wide array of conclusions.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">“critical thinking” is a subset of what is known as “<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critical_theory">critical theory</a>” which originated at the “<a href="http://frankfurtschool.us/history.htm">frankfurt school</a></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">” in </span></span><country-region><place><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Germany</span></span></place></country-region><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. This school was founded by students of non-other than Karl Marx and was instrumental in the founding of the Communist party in the </span></span><country-region><place><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">USA</span></span></place></country-region><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. These Marxists were dumbfounded when the </span></span><country-region><place><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">US</span></span></place></country-region><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> did not descend into anarchy, seeking a socialist revolution after the two world wars and set out to find out why and correct the problem. It was their conclusion that we were not accepting of their beliefs because of our culture, and they set out in the 60’s to change it, and these efforts continue to this day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Key to this was reforming the family structure. Our patriarchal system created a population that respected authority so they sought to marginalize the influence of fathers on the family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our morals and patriotic standing with our country and its founding principles were also to blame and are to be undermined by the “</span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">abstract and non-rules based strategy</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">…of the… <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">suspension of judgment</b>”. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">There are a multitude of writings by highly educated people utilizing “critical thinking” to depict the founding fathers as “rich white men” who’s only motivation was personal gain, and only the total suspension of judgment lends any credibility at all the writings that support <a href="http://www.pro-polygamy.com/">polygamy</a>, <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2011/sep/19/improbable-research-bestiality-horses-intelligence">bestiality</a>, <a href="http://www.captainsquartersblog.com/mt/archives/009860.php">adult incest</a>, or even <a href="http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=32409">sex with children</a>. How long before anyone who questions these issue’s on moral grounds is depicted as having some form of phobia that disqualifies them to discuss the issue.</span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Van Buren school systems curriculum is permeated with this term, and is even used in board policy. Ironically enough this term is used in the policy #<a href="http://www.van-buren.k12.ia.us/pages/admin/Board%20Policies/WebSeries%20600/608.DOC">608</a> that sings the praises of differing views and open debate but ends by stating:</span></span><span class="mw-headline"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 27pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;">Individuals or groups outside the public schools should not be allowed to:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 27pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;">2.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Determine which viewpoints will be presented or avoided in <span style="background-color: white;">public</span> schools.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 27pt; tab-stops: 27.0pt; text-align: justify; text-indent: -27pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Individuals and groups would that be like parents and tax payers? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 14.05pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; font-family: Symbol; font-size: 10pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><img alt="*" height="13" src="http://www.blogger.com/PicExportError" width="13" /><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In 1963 the communist party of the </span><country-region><place><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">US</span></place></country-region><span lang="EN-GB" style="color: black; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> put on <a href="http://www.uhuh.com/nwo/communism/comgoals.htm">congressional record </a>their goals. Here are just some of their achievements:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">17. Get control of the schools….Soften the curriculum..</div><div style="background: white;">26. <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="background: yellow;">Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal, natural, healthy."</span></span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">28. <span style="background: yellow;">Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools</span> </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">29. <span style="background: yellow;">Discredit the American Constitution</span> </span></div><div style="background: white;"><span style="background-color: white;">30. <span style="background: yellow;">Discredit the American Founding Fathers.</span> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Personal opinions on these issues not withstanding, there can be no question regarding their success’s since 1963.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">Here is additional information on the <a href="http://www.ukapologetics.net/frankfurt.html">frankfurt school</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;"><br />
</div><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">This has all happened under our noses and a result of allowing bureaucrats to push the communities out of the education process. </span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">The real question is what does this all mean? Has the education system hijacked the Marxist cause and used it for good? Has the education system been duped into doing the biding of the Marxists? Is it all just a coincidence that multiculturalism-intended to devalue our culture, political correctness-intended to silence dissent, and the green movement-intended to destroy our economy, have all been weirdly adopted by our education system? Is it a coincidence that so many of the 45 goals of the communist party have been realized? Does anybody know the real truth, or are we all left to utilize our own variation of "critical thinking" to form our own opinions? </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/xQf_QfitmKE/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQf_QfitmKE&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xQf_QfitmKE&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-52684587762792013622011-09-14T03:37:00.000-07:002011-09-14T03:37:07.065-07:00Unofficial-school board election results<span lang="EN">September 13, 2011 <br />
<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"></span></span></u></b><br />
<b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"></span></span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"></span></span></u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"></span></span></span><a href="http://ottumwacourier.com/local/x1642550908/Van-Buren-County-election-results"><b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span lang="EN">Van Buren County election results</span></span></span></u></b><u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"></span></span></u><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"><span style="color: blue; font-size: medium;"></span></span></a><br />
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JEFF HUTTON<br />
<a href="http://ottumwacourier.com/"><u><span style="color: blue;"><span lang="EN">Ottumwa Courier</span></span></u><span style="color: blue;"></span></a><a href="http://ottumwacourier.com/"><span lang="EN"> </span></a><br />
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KEOSAUQUA — Harmony School District<br />
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Director District 1<br />
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Kirk Murguia 187 votes<br />
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v William Rice (Inc.) 190 votes<br />
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Director District 2<br />
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Julie Creath 165 votes<br />
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v Tracy Hudson (Inc.) 190 votes<br />
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Director District 5<br />
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v Cody Warth (Inc.) 303 votes<br />
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Van Buren School District<br />
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Director at-large (vote for 1)<br />
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Clint Kobelt 58 votes<br />
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v Kara McEntee (Inc.) 194 votes<br />
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Timothy Roush 149 votes<br />
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Director District 2<br />
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Doug Dick 193 votes<br />
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v Jean Dorothy McIntosh (Inc.) 203 votes<br />
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Director District 4<br />
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v Stan Whitten (Inc.) 356 votes<br />
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Director District 5<br />
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v Charles Kirt Horn (Inc.) 300 votes<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-58938756348505107832011-08-31T08:49:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:49:24.529-07:00Jean Dorothy McIntosh-Incumbent-Van Buren Community School District Director District #2<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/RLnxn5WgIPk?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Please leave comments on interview and candidate.Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-85409997754006565872011-08-29T14:10:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:34:48.901-07:00Clint Kobelt-Van Buren Community School District Director at Large candidate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/64WZtxhAl20?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/5TSAaY8G4b0?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Post your thoughts on the interview and candidate.<br />
<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><u>Special apology to Clint from the interviewer for the epic failure in reusing cheat sheet.</u></span></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-53403220820957096932011-08-23T06:18:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:43:22.896-07:00Tim Roush-Van Buren Community School District Director at Large candidate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/hmbshJ8aCRM?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Post comments on the interview and candidate.<br />
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Special thanks to Chris Bennet.Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-18987991430634347052011-08-23T06:08:00.000-07:002011-08-31T08:44:30.638-07:00Kara McEntee– incumbent Van Buren Community School District Director at Large candidate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/rqSCJ5-eA2A?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/F822qalrQgA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
Post your thoughts on the interview and candidate.Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-48881642583092823902011-08-09T11:20:00.000-07:002011-08-09T11:20:30.666-07:00School Board election update<div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The Regular School Election for the Harmony and Van Buren Community Schools will be held on </span><date day="13" month="9" year="2011"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Tuesday, September 13, 2011</span></date><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Polls will be open from 12Noon until </span><time hour="20" minute="0"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">8:00PM</span></time><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">.</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Candidates that have filed and will appear on the ballot in the Van Buren Community School District are: Director at Large-Clint Kobelt of Keosauqua, Kara McEntee (I)of Keosauqua, and Timothy Roush of Milton, Director District #2 (to fill a vacancy)-Doug Dick of RR Douds and Jean Dorothy McIntosh(I) of Douds, Director District #4-Stan Whitten(I) of RR Keosauqua, Director District #5-Charles Kirt Horn(I) of Stockport.</span></div><div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div align="left" class="MsoTitle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Appearing on the ballot in the Harmony Community School district is Director District #1-Kirk Murguia of Bonaparte and William Rice(I) of RR Bonaparte, Director District #2-Julie Creath of Farmington and Tracy Hudson (I)of RR Farmington, Director District #4-Cody Warth (I)of Bonaparte.</span></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-87120073778407219402011-07-25T13:34:00.000-07:002011-07-25T14:00:28.483-07:00Questions for School Board candidates<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are quickly approaching the next local election cycle, that being for School Board. The Van Buren Tea Party will be offering video interviews to all school board candidates that get on the ballot. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">It is our intention to ask a standardized set of questions in each interview and post the interviews in their entirety, or in an unedited sequence as we are limited in video time with you tube.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We would like to keep these questions within the core principles of the Tea Party, fiscal responsibility, constitutional government, and free markets. This may be difficult given the multitude of problems facing our local schools, as well as the limitations placed on the local school board.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">We are seeking input on what questions you would like to see asked at these interviews. Feel free to add your questions below this posting as anonymous. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">R.B.</div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-56830453777312175522011-07-19T05:54:00.000-07:002011-07-19T05:54:23.538-07:00We the People<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/JVAhr4hZDJE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6057453696478120356.post-18148275186039150822011-07-15T14:35:00.000-07:002011-07-15T14:35:15.561-07:00The consent of the governed<span lang="EN">The Declaration of Independence states that “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. that consent is most plainly expressed at the ballot box on election day. It is our civic duty to exercise that right, otherwise that consent is granted to our elected officials by a very few, the power to tax, spend, regulate, and govern over all of us is controlled by an elite group who vote. This is the cycle that has repeated itself time and again simply because “we the people” have failed in our responsibility to our selves, our families, and our community. The Declaration of Independence goes on to state, “whenever any form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or abolish it”. No institution of Government could possibly fit this description any better than our school boards. Schools no longer serve to educate our kids to the highest standard we can afford. Schools instead focus on indoctrinating the kids in socialism, the green movement, and a bizarre form of tolerance, all the while showing intolerance to anyone who questions the programs. Thanks to the unions we now spend more money than we can afford to employ as many administrators and union members as possible, with no regard for their performance on the job. It is only through the actions of we the people that this cycle will be broken. We must find the best possible candidates for these positions by paying attention to what they stand for. We must educate our friends and neighbors as to which candidates have all of our best interest in mind. We must get out the vote. We must pay attention to when the elections are held and tell everyone all day long of their responsibility as citizens of a free state to help in getting the right people elected. If we cannot “alter” what is going on within the existing process, we will be forced to abolish it by other means.</span>Van Buren County Tea Partyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11006591971141883909noreply@blogger.com0