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There is a spectrum
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 01.21.2010 / 1:55 PM PST
It should go without saying, but not all Nixa residents think alike. Though most are politically conservative, there is a spectrum of opinion. This ideological diversity is apparent on many issues. Here are just a few examples:
Census 2010: A letter in the Springfield News-Leader complains, “Knowing that you are a very liberal paper, it does not surprise me that […]
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Conservative Populism on the March
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 12.29.2009 / 1:44 AM PST
The passage of the health care bill by the United States Senate is evoking strong reactions in the Evangelical Epicenters. One of the loudest protests comes in the form of a YouTube video by former Branson performer Ray Stevens. Entitled “We the People,” the video features Stevens in a variety of costumes, including a Revolutionary War uniform, complete with […]
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“They Are Me”: Going Rogue in the Ozarks
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 12.03.2009 / 2:31 PM PST
More than any politician in America, Sarah Palin embodies the tradition of conservative populism. Like Ronald Reagan and Barry Goldwater before her, she speaks for a segment of middle America that defines itself over against a liberal establishment of bicoastal elites.
Last night Palin took her populist roadshow to the College of the Ozarks, praising the “example it […]
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Rachel Maddow Ridicules Ozarks School
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 10.23.2009 / 4:23 PM PDT
On December 2nd, former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin will speak to a capacity crowd at the College of the Ozarks, just 30 miles south of Nixa. According to an October 20th press release, “The ticket line quickly filled, consuming all tickets available to the public.”
MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow wasted no time in ridiculing a place […]
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Paranoia and Common Sense in the Evangelical Ozarks
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 10.05.2009 / 3:21 PM PDT
Paranoia and common sense were present in equal measure last week in the Missouri Ozarks.
On the one hand, public discourse reached a new low with the showing of a “birther” infomercial on Springfield’s KSPR TV. Alleging that Barack Obama is not a natural born citizen, the commercial asserted that his presidency is illegal. Produced by the evangelical group LivePrayer.com, it took […]
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A More Civil Conservatism
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 09.21.2009 / 4:29 PM PDT
In the wake of Joe Wilson’s recent outburst, it is easy to forget about a kinder, gentler tradition in conservative politics. Rooted in a philosophy of limited government and conservative morality, this tradition emphasizes the importance of civility and courtesy in political argument. Think William F. Buckley, not WorldNet Daily.
Republican Congressman Roy Blunt exemplified such civility in […]
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Nixa is Complicated
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 09.08.2009 / 2:52 PM PDT
Dante Chinni’s latest piece (”Why schools in Nixa, Mo., won’t show Obama’s speech“) has sparked a lively debate about politics in the Ozarks, with some readers accusing Nixa of harboring “racists” and “nutcases.” More than one Nixa resident was offended by these labels. One person took “issue with many of the comments (’racist,’ not a ‘normal human being,’ ‘crazy,’ ‘unreliable,’ […]
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Booing McCaskill in the Ozarks
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 09.01.2009 / 12:55 PM PDT
Near the end of her tenth and final town hall meeting, Senator Claire McCaskill admonished a heckler: “Do unto others as you would like them to do unto you.” Despite the Bible Belt setting, the audience was in no mood for the words of Jesus.
Belligerent from the start, some in the crowd booed McCaskill before she even opened her mouth. Adding […]
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Going Green in Nixa
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 08.21.2009 / 5:41 PM PDT
Last year my son’s elementary school began the semester with a patriotic extravaganza, complete with a visit from the Missouri National Guard, three Humvees, and a Huey helicopter. It was all part of the 2008-2009 theme: “Espy Elementary: An All-American School.”
This year Espy is going green, led by newly-hired Principal Michelle Wilkerson. Gone are the bulletin board […]
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Uncertain About Obama’s Birth
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 07.31.2009 / 5:44 PM PDT
A recent poll reports that just 77 percent of the country believes that Barack Obama is American born. The same poll found that opinion on the matter is divided by region. Only 47 percent of Southerners are sure that Obama was born in the USA, compared to 90 percent of Midwesterners. How do Ozarkers feel about the matter? Because the […]
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Cap and trade bill could really hurt Midwest
Posted by Ryan Bowling | 07.24.2009 / 11:37 AM PDT
This week I wrote an article for the Xpress about the federal cap and trade bill, also known as the Waxman-Markey House bill, that could really put a damper on the whole “go green” effort. Well, unless by green they actually mean the color of money.
In a memo recently shared with city leaders by the […]
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Sam’s Club and the Vanishing Ozarks
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 07.23.2009 / 3:10 PM PDT
This morning I attended the grand opening of the area’s latest Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart’s membership-only warehouse store. Down the road from Nixa in nearby Springfield, the brand new big box sits across from local favorite Andy’s Frozen Custard (see “My Ozarks Heart Attack“) and the sprawling Library Center. Since Nixa has no public library, residents often pay to use […]
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God, Country, and Service
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 07.04.2009 / 5:47 PM PDT
Yesterday we attended the massive “I Love America” celebration sponsored by James River Assembly. We were not alone. According to the Springfield News-Leader, this year’s event broke all records, attracting over 120,000 spectators. The fact that the Ozarks’ largest fireworks show was put on by a mega-church reflects the close connections between God and country in this […]
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Common Ground on Sex Education?
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 06.16.2009 / 1:58 PM PDT
Last weekend we visited my in-laws in Kansas. During our visit, the Wichita Eagle ran another front page story on the May 31st murder of Dr. George Tiller, the late-term abortionist who made Kansas an epicenter for the American anti-abortion movement.
Sharing the front page was a piece on the 150th anniversary of abolitionist John Brown’s raid on Harper’s Ferry, Virginia. Visitors […]
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Gun Culture in the Evangelical Epicenters
Posted by John Schmalzbauer | 06.02.2009 / 2:11 PM PDT
The high profile shooting of Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller is likely to revive the national debate over guns. Proponents of gun control will use this incident to make a case for further restrictions. Such rhetoric will further heighten the fears of Ozarks gun owners and sportsmen.
Even before Sunday’s shooting, some Ozarkers worried that President Barack Obama would […]
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