They love their country, but the people living on the Bible Belt are bitterly divided over Donald Trump and the future of the US.
Folks are raging here in Branson, a small family holiday destination in southwest Missouri. The hum of righteous fury seethes under every smile and "how y'all doing", bubbling to the surface the minute a touchstone topic is mentioned. Patriotism. God. Abortion. Taxes. Money. Lies.
The people of Branson are sick of the selfish narcissism and corruption of top politicians. Next Tuesday, they'll express their frustration at the ballot box, and the results will be crucial for US President Donald Trump and the future of America.
Branson is a city of 12,000 people, tucked away in the natural beauty of the tree-covered Ozark Mountains but filled with larger-than-life attractions — Dolly Parton's Stampede horse show, Ripley's Believe It Or Not, Silver Dollar City theme park, rock 'n' roll shows, minigolf, go-karting and a population 14 per cent older than the national average.
Branson and other communities like it will be the stage for one of the country's most important senate races in the midterms, as America decides how Congress should look, and whether Mr Trump will be able to pass the legislation he wants. It's a vote that will be a referendum on the President, and even he has acknowledged it.
Trust is in short supply. But one thing most people agree on here is that Mr Trump is on the right track.
"I like him, I think he's great," Barb Miller, from nearby St Peters, tells news.com.au. "He's forthright, he speaks his mind, he's not afraid to say what he thinks."
As for accusations of misogyny, affairs and boasts of sexual assault, Mrs Miller dismisses these as "a bunch of baloney", and her travelling companions are equally certain the President has been unfairly maligned.
"People change, Jesus forgave people, we should forgive them," says her husband Bill.
"If it did happen, that's way in the past," adds Rich Lukens. "Trump has done a lot more for the country than Obama even thought about.
"I don't think he's doing it for the money; he's got enough money."
"He's in it for America," interjects Bill.
"Yeah, he loves America."
'THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE PRETTY'
David Mason, an executive chef of several Branson restaurants, tells news.com.au he isn't Republican or Democrat, "but I find myself voting Republican for the last probably 12, 13 years."
He thinks local politics is a "red hot mess", but the President?
"Love him. Absolutely. Wish he'd shut up sometimes — just shut up! — you know, but the things he's done, it's all positive.
"We knew that when we put him in office, it's not his personality. He's boisterous, he does stupid things with his voice. This Twitter thing? Take his frickin' phone away from him! He likes being in the spotlight.
"The Democratic party has done nothing since he's been in office except try to impeach him. Let it go! You know, run in four years. Let it go. It's like every day there's something else against the Republican Party. It's like, they don't have anything better to do? You're in office, shouldn't you be voting or something? Shouldn't you be trying to get a bill passed, or a law passed? All you're doing is being consumed with taking this President down."
Trump has been stoking this fire as election day draws near. He's holding 11 rallies in six days ahead of Tuesday in close-run states, including Missouri. He has announced that 15,000 troops will be sent to the southern border to stop the migrant "caravan" approaching the US through Mexico, and has released an advert labelled racist that shows a migrant talking about killing police.
His actions confirm what these Americans already believe. Mr Trump cares passionately about the country.
'DISGUSTING … THERE'S SO MUCH WASTE'
Mason doesn't believe the President's methods will curb immigration, but he is unperturbed by the rhetoric.
"All these people from El Salvador, this big train coming up, this isn't going to be pretty. And military action is the way that they're taking it, the way that Trump's taking it. I mean you've gotta stop it somehow, if not, we're all going to be eating tacos and enchiladas the rest of our lives. I like southern food. I like fried chicken."
The chef employs numerous Mexicans at his restaurants, and is proud to say he pays above minimum wage and provides health insurance.
"But they're green cards," he explains. "They eventually move their families here, legally and stuff, so I'm in favour of everybody calming down and doing the right thing the way you're supposed to — but they're not playing nice down on the southern borders, so something has to be done."
Vice President Mike Pence. Photo / AP
Becky and Steven Eldenburg — a nurse and physician from Sedalia, Missouri — also believe in doing the right thing.
"I'm not against Medicaid but I don't think they should get it for nothing," says Eldenburg, who has voted both Republican and independent. "It should be, if you do this, then you get this, and if you aren't doing this, then you don't get it anymore. So I think there are people who do need Medicaid but I think there are people who don't that get it."
Her husband has "mixed" feelings on Trump, but he's Republican all the way. His biggest gripe is "something for nothing", the "free handouts without having to work for it, enabling people." There needs to be "some effort to move up".
Kelly Zevnick, a 53-year-old waitress at Clockers cafe, has more sympathy for people who do the wrong thing.
"People who have crimes on their record, it's hard for people to get work. It's hard for people to get housing, you know, and it's just you can't get a break, it's like, what are those people going to do? Are they going to start turning to more crime?
"My nephew, he's got a mental disability and he can't find housing. I think we need to do more about that.
"There's so much housing and so much waste, you know, property going to waste that could be used to house all these people instead of people complaining about it."
Zevnick doesn't complain about the taxes most other locals decry as too high, and says she's "grateful to have a job". But she doesn't vote.
"I would have voted back in the old days. You know, before I was even born, there were some pretty awesome presidents," she says.
She believes America today is "disgusting … there's so much waste and I don't know ...humanity".
As for Trump, she sees him as a "womaniser" and "a slut, basically", but can't see a point to voting against him or the GOP.
"I think they're all a bunch of blowhards that just have their own intentions in mind," she tells news.com.au. "Once they get in there, it's all something completely different.
"People can say whatever, you know, they think people want to hear and I think as far as Trump goes, I think he's a big blowhard, but I think financially, if anybody could turn the country around, he can.
"He is just a sl*t. But he's got money, he can do whatever he wants, you know. Financially, I think if anybody can pull the country out of it he can. He's doing a good job I guess.
"He's a very wealthy entrepreneur, he's got the business sense of it down. But he might be causing a whole bunch of problems — you know, start a revolution."
The President's business acumen is something most Missourians admire.
"He's the first president to run the presidency like a business instead of a politician," says one man, admiringly.
"Absolutely, it's a business," agrees Mr Mason.
One person they do not like making money is Senator Claire McCaskill. The Democrat has voted against her party on 40 per cent of policies and vows to be nonpartisan and consider each piece of legislation on its merits. She's pleased almost no one.
Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill, pictured with former Vice President Joe Biden, is defending her seat in one of the most important races in the US. Photo / AP
McCaskill is careful with words. She has not explicitly come out as pro-choice in this religious and conservative state, choosing instead to avoid the issue of abortion, and she did not mention treatment of women when she opposed Brett Kavanaugh.
Mary Voehl, a 64-year-old accountant, says McCaskill's rival Josh Hawley "stands more for the values I have".
She likes "his stance on life, and he's honest" because she is "more conservative, I do value life and I don't believe that having a baby's a choice."
Voehl believes McCaskill "rides around in this fabulous airplane and people's expense, she does what she wants, not what the people want."
Mr Mason thinks the senator has only voted against her party "because she has an agenda — to get rich, to put more money in her pocket, in her coffers, and everybody knows it".
While she supported the military, "I think she did that on purpose, I really do, just covering her bases with Republicans.
"The common man, you're screwed. She's going to put the screws to you. She'll say that she's going to go to Capitol Hill and this is the way we're going to vote, and she'll vote the other way. You know, because the Democrats tell her what to do, she's a puppet."
The executve chef believes Mr Hawley is also "a puppet" controlled by his party, but prefers him to Ms McCaskill. "It's two shifty people, it's just the lesser of two evils," he says.
"I go either way, it doesn't matter to me. I just like the best person, the most honest person that can look me in the eye and shake my hand and not pull a dagger out from behind their backs and get me with their other hand.
"People are pretty happy if you just do the right thing but she keeps getting richer and richer."
MAKING AMERICA GREAT
There are Democrats here, visiting from the state's more liberal areas, particularly metropolitan centres such as Kansas City.
Jerome Hutchinson and his friends are from St Louis, but they don't feel unwelcome in Branson, despite the Confederate flags in cars they spotted on the drive in, and the "Make America Great Again" merchandise displayed in local store Dick's 5 and 10.
"I haven't experienced anything, although I know there's racism here. I'm not walking around waiting for somebody to call me a name," Hutchinson tells news.com.au.
"What hurts the most about 'Make America Great Again' is saying that America is not great, I have a problem with that," says his friend Samson, 46.
"America is great because we are the people that make it, all of us," Vicky, 49, says. "But hopefully we can all come back to that greatness, if anyone has moved away from the peace and the love and caring."
She believes everyone has a right to an opinion. Her biggest disappointment is that "we change what is acceptable depending on who's at the top", and the fiercely partisan politics so pronounced here among the neon signs and tourist tat, while the trees beyond serenely display changing greens, golds and reds.
"It seems like the love of money is greater than morality," she says. "What's really challenging now is just to watch the divide that's taking place. It doesn't align with what we see America as being and so our desire is to see America align again in a melting pot of a place in which all people are embraced regardless of social class, economic class, gender, race.
"People have genuinely shifted, people are finding themselves taking a side beyond even where they may have been before. Hopefully that's what the 'Make America —' that people will go back to the morality and the caring about people, if that's what 'Make America Great Again' means, then I totally agree with it, but if it's a general, then I disagree."
Jerome has a clear idea of what the slogan implies.
Jerome Hutchinson, right, and his friend Samson say they feel welcome in Branson, despite the Confederate flags on display in other cars. Photo / Supplied
"It's 'Make America Great like it was back in the slavery days.'"
