Redistricting Could Make Graves District More Competitive

Proposals to carve up Kansas City and give the Republicans a 7-1 majority in congress could accomplish that goal. Or they could backfire by making Sam Graves’ and several other districts more competitive and force them to spend more resources defending their seats.

President Donald Trump is pushing for Missouri and Texas to redistrict congressional seats in a way more favorable to Republicans this year, in the belief that California and New Jersey are planning to make their districts more favorable to Democrats. Typically, Missouri, like other states, redistricts every ten years following the census.

In 2022, State Senator Bill Eigel proposed such an approach. According to his figures, Democrats would keep the 1st District, which went 61% Biden. All the other districts would go for Trump. The 5th district would be divided, with Clay County joining the 6th District, Jackson County joining Jefferson City, and Independence joining Columbia.

However, the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th districts would all be more competitive than in years past according to Sen. Eigel’s figures. In particular, the proposed new boundaries of the 6th district would go +17 for Trump, which is much more competitive than past races. Since 2008, the last time the 6th district had a competitive race, Rep. Sam Graves has regularly carried the current 6th District with 70% of the vote.

Opinion -- No War With Iran

By Josh Smead

Two Republican presidents in my lifetime have claimed that the threat of weapons of mass destruction justifies attacking or invading nations on the other side of the world. So I ask: Are we now at war with Iran?

Congress failed us 24 years ago by granting President Bush sweeping war powers after 9/11 — powers that bypassed a formal declaration of war. Now, President Trump is abusing that same authority.

If America is going to attack another nation, especially when nuclear weapons could be involved, we must follow the Constitution. Congress must vote. The American people deserve that accountability.

Our future depends on reining in these aging men who won’t live to face the full consequences of their warmaking. The President must be held fully accountable for confirming and destroying any nuclear threat. While the buck should stop at the Oval Office, it’s the rest of us who bleed when wars begin.

Josh Smead is a Democratic candidate for Congress for the Missouri 6th District.

 

Josh Smead Running for 6th District Congress

Josh Smead, a Democrat, has thrown his hat in the ring against 6th District incumbent Sam Graves. He was born and raised in Harrisonburg (VA) and moved to Missouri in 2017.

In his bio page, he wrote, “Missouri has played a key role in American history, from its place in westward expansion to its deep-rooted values of hard work, resilience, independence, and patriotism. I love living in a state where people believe in personal responsibility, taking care of their neighbors, and expecting results. The ‘Show Me’ mindset is real—Missourians want action and accountability. As a father and business owner, I appreciate the opportunities this state provides to build a future, raise a family, and contribute to something much greater than myself. My hope is that we can all agree on protecting these values, honoring our history, and making Missouri an even better place for future generations.”

He promised to travel across the district over the next year to meet with people. He has a Facebook page and YouTube channel that is critical of Graves and his votes, particularly his support of President Donald Trump’s “Big, Beautiful Bill” that passed the House by one vote.

He has an extensive policy section on his website. The Grain Belt Express has come under withering fire from Missouri legislators and Senator Josh Hawley, but Smead says it offers stable, low-cost power delivered to dozens of Missouri communities while strengthening the grid against blackouts and extreme weather. He is pro-choice, saying that Missourians deserve sovereignty over their own bodies, not career politicians in Jefferson City and DC. He pledged to protect family farms, expand access to markets, and support sustainable practices.

 

Editorial -- Sam Graves Attacks on College Grads Not Factual

Congressman Sam Graves is entitled to his opinions about whether President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness, in which he forgave $10,000 from every person making up to $125,000, and $20,000 if they were on Pell grants, has merit or not. However, he is not entitled to his own facts. 

In his column that appeared in the September 1st Nodaway News-Leader, he wrote, “The President has arbitrarily made the determination that truckers and plumbers should foot the bill for lawyers and executives.”

As a Northwest alum, Congressman Graves’ comment is simply not true. Most of us are not lawyers and executives. Some people went on to work in business, but Northwest is one of the top teachers colleges in the area and they offer many different ag programs as well. They supply many of the teachers who teach our kids. Northwest does not offer law degrees, and while they have a high rate of job placement, they do not produce a lot of CEO’s either. They produce people who work hard and play by the rules.

Most of the other schools in Cong. Graves’ district are the same way. Missouri Western offers a strong nursing and criminal justice programs. Truman State is one of the top liberal arts schools in the state and has a broad variety of programs. William Jewell has been cited in US News & World Report, the Princeton Review, Forbes, and Washington Monthly as one of the top colleges in the country. 

All of them offer a wide variety of degrees and programs for their students. Jewell, for instance, offers 40 different programs. Truman offers over 50. Northwest offers over 200. Missouri Western offers 77. Most of them do not involve becoming CEO’s or lawyers like Congressman Graves claims. 

Congressman Graves actually has a point when he raises concerns about increasing the deficit. Like many things in Washington, plans are put forth without any kind of plan on how it is going to get paid. We would have preferred that such a plan, which costs the taxpayer around $300 billion, be paid for somehow. Do we get a return on investment when people who no longer have student loan debt hanging over their heads invest in the economy? Do we raise taxes on the wealthy? Do we cut defense spending, or welfare programs, or find it somewhere else? While the government can print its own money, they still have to worry about inflation, which has slowed down, but is still too high. 

But there was no need for Congressman Graves to attack those of us who graduated from college by stereotyping us as lawyers, execs, or rich people. We have enough division in this country.

Nodaway County Candidates Forum

During the Nodaway County Fair, the Maryville Chamber of Commerce sponsored a candidates’ forum and drew a big crowd into the courtroom. Common themes were the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, the willingness to work across the aisle, and the ability to get Washington DC and Jefferson City to listen to this corner of the state. 

US SENATE

Paul Venable, Constitution Party

Mr. Venable, who also came to the Worth County candidates forum late in June, paid a return visit to the area. He said that everything is about blue vs. red, “But who is fighting for us?” He asked. 

He said the problem is that the Constitution is not read or used. For instance, he said that the Constitution does not authorize foreign governments to own land, referring to the Smithfield operation. He said that too many foreign corporations were getting away with owning land and hiring people who were not Americans. 

He said the solution to the country’s problems is going back to the Constitution. For instance, Congress has specific powers, but drugs were not one of them. “What I feel about not them might not be the same as the people and the legislatures,” he said. Meanwhile, he said, nobody was protecting the borders. 

Another case in point was abortion. He said that the recent Supreme Court decision reversing Roe was correctly decided because it was an issue for the states. On a personal level, he said children were a blessing; he noted that he has a child with Down’s Syndrome who can milk goats and help on the family farm and is productive as anyone else. 

If elected, Mr. Venable said he would seek to remove President Joe Biden from office under Amendment 14, Section 3, which states that no person may hold any office under the United States shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the country or given aid and comfort to its enemies. “If we don’t act, we could get to unrecoverable Constitutional violations,” he said. 

Dave Sims, Republican

Mr. Sims said the country needs to elect persons who care about We the People, not career politicians. He said that if elected, he would have regular town hall meetings with the people. 

“My campaign is all about bringing people together,” he said. He said that while Joe Biden was causing division, he was a peacemaker and would vote like one. “My dad always taught me to listen to both sides,” he said. When he was little, Mr. Sims said he didn’t appreciate that, but that now he has taken his dad’s lesson to heart. 

On a personal level, Mr. Sims said that his brother had a Down’s Syndrome child, and that not being a woman, it was hard to imagine what pregnancy was like. He said that the recent Supreme Court decision was correctly decided, since it gave the abortion issue back to the states. 

“I’m not a career politician,” said Mr. Sims. “I support term limits. When the Founding Fathers served, they went back home when they were done and let someone else serve. I believe in following the Constitution.”

US CONGRESS, 6TH DISTRICT

Brandon Kleinmeyer, Republican

Mr. Kleinmeyer pledged to uphold conservative values and research issues before voting on them. “There is too much partisan behavior in Washington,” he said. If he’s elected and the GOP retains its majority, he said they could block Joe Biden from making things worse. “My values do matter, but I can’t ignore yours,” he said. 

He recently took a four day trip across the 6th District, which now constitutes the entire northern part of the state. “Everyone has their own values,” he said. “I have to see where the peoples’ values lie and work with it. I would cross the aisle for good reason, not for weird reasons like Red Flag laws.” If elected, Mr. Kleinmeyer said he would turn his website into a forum so he could hear from his constituents. 

On Roe, Mr. Kleinmeyer said that the state level was the right place to decide the abortion issue. “It’s complicated, and I’m not a woman,” he said. “We, as federal candidates, should not even be involved. The only reason it’s even an issue is so that liberals can get a platform.” While he says he supports exceptions for rape, incest, and the woman’s life being in danger, he said, “It’s not a federal issue anymore, and that’s a good thing.”

Mr. Kleinmeyer added, “If you don’t like the abortion laws of your state, change whose running the state.”

One hot issue for Mr. Kleinmeyer was taxes. He said that as a tax professional by trade, he wanted to overhaul the tax code. He noted that under Donald Trump, there were a lot of good measures put in, but that they were temporary. “With inflation, the last thing we need is our taxes going up,” he said. 

Charles West, Democratic

Charles West, who visited Albany back in June, paid a return visit to the area. He said he was born on a family farm and raised cattle, pigs, and horses. He works on factory floors at union shops. “It’s not about me; it’s about everyone,” he said. He said that he drove 1,200 miles in two days as part of his job and while campaigning for the seat. “It costs me $100 every time I fill up,” he said. 

While the US actually has some of the cheapest gas in the world, it could always do more, starting with pressuring corporations to use the 9,000 leases that are unused. “We have all these corporations that are making $100 billion a quarter,” he said. Recently, The Guardian noted that big oil companies have been making an estimated $3 billion a day since 1970. “Step up and put pressure on the big oil companies,” he said. “Work together for once.”

Mr. West pledged to do what was right for the people he would serve, not answer to those in power. “Everyone has their own values. I’ll work with everyone. This can go for everything,” he said.

He said that incumbent Republican Sam Graves, who is seeking reelection this year, has been in power for too long, having served for 22 years. “He’s never worked for us,” charged Mr. West. “He’s as extreme as you can get. That’s why we need a change.” 

On the abortion issue, Mr. West said he was 100% pro-choice. He said that the day Roe vs. Wade was overturned, he got tearful calls from his daughter and fiancee, who were fearful that their rights were being stripped away. “It’s not a liberal issue, but a human issue,” he said. Mr. West said the meaning of the 14th Amendment, which gives civil rights to all persons “born in the US,” was clear. If elected, Mr. West said he would work to codify Roe vs. Wade into law. “Nobody tells me what I can do. Everyone is telling a woman and her doctor what they can and can’t do,” he said.

After running successfully for school board in 2020, Mr. West won and ran again successfully in 2022. “I’ve worked hard my whole life,” he said. “You’ll see my signs next to Trump signs. I’ll work with everyone from the working class to the upper class. That’s what I do on a daily basis,” he said.

Henry Martin, Democratic

Having seen the Berlin Wall fall and having worked in the Great Flood of 1993, Mr. Martin said, “When bad things happen, when good people stand by, we’re just as responsible,” he said. Mr. Martin is making his third run for Congress this year. “Some appeal only to one side or the other. Governance happens when we compromise,” he said.

Mr. Martin has been practicing what he has been preaching. He doesn’t know a stranger and engaged in a good conversation with John Dady, one of the most conservative candidates that evening, before the forum started. 

He said that he wanted to increase pressure on the corporations for inflation. “We’re blaming the politicians, but we’re not putting pressure on the corporations. Pressure them to justify their price increases,” said Mr. Martin.

“My job is to be loyal to the people in this room,” said Mr. Martin. “I don’t always agree with Joe Biden. My values don’t matter; it’s a matter of what the people want done. That’s my responsibility. When it concerns the district, I will speak truth to power.”

One of Mr. Martin’s main causes was ending gerrymandering. He said that it had gotten so precise, the most extreme candidates were winning. He said that as an educator, he had to reach a consensus. “That’s the kind of person I am,” he said. “Build coalitions and find common ground”

On the reversal of Roe, Mr. Martin said that he opposed it and wanted to see abortion safe, legal, and rare. In addition, he wanted to see contraception made free. Like his primary opponent, Charles West, he said he wanted to codify Roe vs. Wade into law if elected. He said he did not want to go back to the days when women would drink turpentine to end their pregnancies. “The Constitution is supposed to protect rights. This is completely wrong,” he said.

“I’m an individual willing to represent this area from Platte County to Worth County,” said Mr. Martin. “Every one of you matters. We are supposed to be governed, not ruled. When only one view is represented, the rest of us are subjects.”

John Dady, Republican

Mr. Dady describes himself as a spiritual warrior. “I’m my own man. I agree with a lot of what Donald Trump did. I’m against the China agreement and NAFTA,” he said, referring to the free trade agreements that the US signed in the 1990’s. 

He said the problem in this country is that there is too much apathy. “I’m a fighter. I will not try to negotiate with someone who is against the Constitution,” he said. “Extremism is messing with our food supply and power generation. We cannot supply power for the Green New Deal. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez should go back to bartending.”

Mr. Dady said that the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe was the correct one and that based on personal experience, he was opposed to abortion except when the life of the woman was in danger. He said that if claims of rape or incest were allowed, such claims and cases would skyrocket.

If elected, Mr. Dady said he would cut taxes to where the first $100,000 in income was not taxable. “The government wouldn’t even miss it,” he said. “We spend our own money better than the government.” Another change he said he would like to see was to limit bills to 10 pages. “My cat could do better than that,” he said.

STATE SENATE DISTRICT 12

Delus Johnson, Republican

Mr. Johnson touted his 100% voting record from the American Conservative Union while serving in the Missouri House. He said that as a businessman, he wanted to reduce business operating expenses if elected and streamline the corporate registration process. He pledged to support the 2nd Amendment, which he called the biggest deterrent to crime. He said he was opposed to red flag laws and that he was pro-life, saying that life begins at conception.

He said that he supported efforts in the Missouri Senate to filibuster over the redistricting process in an effort to get a 7-1 Republican majority for the state. He said he would also filibuster against any tax increases, even if the Senate President supports it. 

Despite his hardcore conservative credentials, Mr. Johnson said that he had a proven track record of building coalitions as House Majority Whip and would use his position to bridge gaps if elected. 

Mr. Johnson said he wanted to reign in the size of state government. “When I left, the budget was $26 billion a year,” he said. “It’s doubled in five years.” In addition, he said he wanted to give businesses every possible tool to thrive, cut down on regulations, and increase teacher salaries.

Endorsed by the Missouri Right to Life, Mr. Johnson pledged to review bills to ensure that there was no language helping stem cell research or allowing abortions, except to save the life of the mother. “If there is something in a bill that destroys life, I will filibuster it,” he pledged. 

Rusty Black, Republican

Mr. Black talked about his background. He was a teacher at Nodaway-Holt for 5 years and Chillicothe for 28 years for a total of 33 years. In addition, he lives on a small farm and raises cattle. He said that he would be a conservative voice, and that he would be a team player. He opposed the filibusters in the Senate this year. “Too many good bills died,” he said. If elected, he pledged he would have an open door policy for his office and treat people with courtesy and respect.

He talked about the No Patient Left Behind bill that passed the legislature, which allows family members to visit patients in hospitals. 

Mr. Black said he supports returning Career Ladder and predicted that the $38,000 minimum salary grant that was passed this year would stay for a while. “We fully funded the Foundation Formula and transportation. If we can keep money coming in, we will keep moving forward.” 

He said that he was 100% pro-life and that he wanted to help bring money back home to the area. “If we work together, we can do it,” he said, citing the recent highway funds.

J. Eggleston, Republican

Mr. Eggleston said that he was one of the most conservative voices in the House this year, but that he would not have joined the Conservative Caucus’ filibusters. He said he was a part of it at one time and respected their support for Constitutional principles. “But then new people came along and it got too argumentative,” he said. “I’m not about strife. I want to be your voice.”

He said that his goal was for people to be heard, understood, and listened to. “I’m committed to treat people the way you would want to be treated. It’s worked well for my business and in the Capitol,” said Mr. Eggleston, who represents District 2 and is being term limited out this year. “I’ve found people return that respect. It can’t be my way or the highway.”

Asked about the teacher salaries, Mr. Eggleston said the budget was bloated and had grown over the years, especially with the federal government printing money to deal with COVID. “Now, we have to streamline government,” he said.

He said that he was pro-life and touted the endorsement of Missourians for Life. Mr. Eggleston said that as a grandfather, by the time a fetus is 44 days before the due date, or 44 minutes before birth, they are every bit a person. On a personal level, he said he lost one child due to an ectopic pregnancy and another due to a miscarriage. “We consider them ours like we do the rest of our children,” he said.

Mr. Eggleston said it was an incredible honor to be the 2nd District State Representative and said he was proud of the stand he has taken against corrupt politicians; the committee he chaired in the House expelled three. “I’m going to look out for the people back home, like I’ve done for the last eight years. I will never forget where I came from,” he said.

MISSOURI HOUSE DISTRICT 1

Michelle Horner, Republican

Horner said that as a mother whose son took his own life in 2020, she wanted to fight for children. “I’ve fought for 13 years to get rid of No Child Left Behind,” she said, referring to the high stakes testing regime passed by the Bush Administration in the mid-2000’s. “One thing God put us here to do was to protect our children.

She said it wasn’t a matter of Critical Race Theory, but about us. “This is our future. This is our time. If nothing changes, there will be no more small towns. It starts on the local level,” she said.

If elected, Horner said she would never compromise the US Constitution and would take into consideration what people wanted. “This is personal because of my son. Nobody knew how to help him. I had no place to go. Not even a support group with other parents. We can put people in schools and law enforcement to help,” she said.

She said that she was pro-life and that it came back to personal responsibility. “We have a responsibility to know that a life could happen. When I found out I was pregnant, I loved my son at first sight,” she said.

Jessica Piper, Democratic

Jessica Piper pledged to build bridges with people and to always represent the area. “I’m a dirt road Democrat, so the way I vote would be different from what the Democrats in Kansas City or St. Louis would vote,” she said.

Based on personal experience, she said she wanted to see more healthcare services, especially mental health services. “There is a huge lack of mental health services here,” she said. “It’s very difficult to access. We’re lacking funding, rural hospitals are closing, and people are having to drive farther.”

She said she never wanted to use religion to write laws. She said that if that happened, the next question was, “Which religion?” “There are many people here who are not religious; I have to represent them too,” said Piper. 

Piper attacked what she saw as the hypocrisy of state policy towards abortion. “There are 14,000 kids in state custody,” she said. “What are you going to do for the born?” She said that the problem with not allowing abortion in the case of rape is that rape was the most underreported crime in the country. “There are many women suffering from trauma. I’m for local control whether it’s regarding the uterus, families, businesses, or schools,” said Piper. “Abortion should be between a woman and her doctor.”

She said that after 20 years of the Republican Party in power at the state level, it was time for a change. “Our schools are falling apart and are being forced to go to four day weeks. We have bad roads, CAFO’s. And it’s happened over a long period of time. It’s time to try something different.” 

Alan Bennett, Republican

Mr. Bennett talked about his service in the US Army for 31 years. He also taught for one year and worked for the Missouri DOT, where he helped inspect local roads. “I don’t have all the answers, but I want to find ways to make things happen,” he said. 

As a conservative Christian, Mr. Bennett said that he would be guided by the Bible, the Constitution, and then his Constituents. His slogan is, “Representing You.” On mental health, he said he wanted to have programs that coordinate families with law enforcement agencies. He said that he would start on any given policy by talking to people. “I’m representing you, and that’s how I’ll vote,” he said.

He said the recent Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe was correctly decided and that he supported the current Missouri law banning abortion except in cases of medical emergency.

Mr. Bennett pledged to be a problem solver in the House. He spent his career in the Army briefing colonels and generals. He pledged not to fall prey to big donors, special interests, or blindly follow the party line. He pledged to continue his calling to public service. “It’s what I’ve done all my life,” he said.

Jeff Farnan, Republican

Jeff Farnan has logged many miles on the trail looking for votes, having knocked on over 3,409 doors so far as of two weeks ago. He has worked for the Spec Shoppe and served on the Jefferson School Board. He said he was pro-life and pro gun and pledged to keep the area safe with strong police. He pledged to listen to people who had concerns, even when he didn’t agree with them. He pledged to reach across the aisle. “If a Democrat has a good idea, I’m all for it,” he said.

On mental health, Mr. Farnan said he wanted to see more funding for school counselors. “Many are only part time,” he said. “A good counselor can change a troubled kid.”

He said he was running because this was a great place to live and he wanted to keep it that way. “I’ve worked hard all my life at everything I do,” he said.

Holly Cronk

Cronk has been organizing Maryville, a place she has called home for the last 37 years, a lot in recent years. When COVID hit, she and a group of people sat down and made masks for people free of charge, funded only by donations. She did a lawn service, organized the Maryville Farmers Market, and has fundraised for many projects around town.

“We all share the same values,” she said. She pledged to listen to the people who put her in office. 

She said that mental health services have been at a crisis level in the area especially since COVID hit. She says it starts with families, and then ways to access. She praised the formation of the Mental Health Task Force, which will bring people together to work on mental health issues.

Cronk said she was 100% pro-life and that less than 0.5% of abortions are due to rape or incest. She said that most people have them for the wrong reasons. “The choice was already made in the bedroom,” she said. She said the issue started with personal responsibility.

She said that she was pro-gun. She said her dad was a gunsmith and that both she and her kids owned a gun. “When the AR-15 came out in the 1950’s, it wasn’t an issue,” she said. “Making me helpless is not the answer. Outlawing guns is not the answer. What’s next, outlawing knives?” She said that mental health was the answer, not gun restrictions. 

She is endorsed by the Missouri Chamber of Commerce PAC. “They endorsed me for the work I have done,” she said. She said she wanted to make this area a great place to live so that people would not have to go to St. Joseph or Kansas City.

Jasper Logan, Republican

Mr. Logan talked about his work on the Trump and Hawley campaigns. He said that if elected, he would stand for limited government and personal freedom. He pledged not to answer to the House leadership, but to the district. “I’ll vote the way I tell you I will. I answer to you,” he said. 

He said the solution to mental health or any other program was deregulation, not throwing money at problems. As an example, he said he wanted to get rid of Missouri’s Certificate of Need regulation, which is used to govern approval of healthcare applications.

He said he supported the reversal of Roe vs. Wade, calling abortion an “atrocity.”

Mr. Logan said he enjoyed hearing about what matters to people while on the campaign trail. “I won’t back down when it comes to my votes,” he said.

Farm Bureau Endorses Graves for Reelection

Trustees of the Missouri Farm Bureau Northern Regional Endorsement Committee have endorsed Sam Graves (R), for re-election in the 6th Congressional District. The committee met with the congressman in Hannibal on August 23 before making the decision. During the meeting, his opponent, software developer and college instructor David Blackwell (D), talked to the trustees via Skype.

Now in his seventh term, Graves has served in Congress since 2001. He is a member of the House Committee on Armed Services and chairs the House Subcommittee on Highways and Transit. Graves is a sixth-generation farmer from Tarkio.

Ralph Griesbaum, chairman of the Northern Regional Endorsement Committee, said Graves is a Farm Bureau member who understands the organization’s priorities. He has a 93 percent voting record with Farm Bureau.

“Since first being elected to Congress, Sam has been a staunch supporter for agriculture,” Griesbaum said. “In his position on the Highways and Transit Committee, he has worked tirelessly to obtain federal funding for our rural roads and bridges.”

PAC trustees on Regional Endorsement Committees are selected by their county Farm Bureau organizations. The trustees interview candidates running in the general election, review voting records and written questionnaires and seek their positions on issues.

Graves Challenger Kyle Reid Calls for Return to Constitution

Kyle Reid, Republican candidate for the 6th District Congressional Race, said in an interview with the Sheridan Express Friday that he wanted the country to return to the Constitution. “The main issue is the separation of powers,” he said. “There is too much overlap in our government and too much regulating that should be the proper role of Congress,” he said. He cited Obamacare and the EPA as examples. “There are too many people in Washington who are making rules who don’t have the authority to do so,” he said. Reid said that the only appropriate regulations granted to Congress to make involve piracy and counterfeiting. “The rest is left to the states,” he said. Reid said that today, people in both parties took an overly broad view of the Constitution in what he sees as an attempt to usurp authority. “And they are proud of it,” he said.

Reid is one of three Republicans seeking to unseat 14-year incumbent Sam Graves of Tarkio. He said that if elected, he would seek to make two changes to the Constitution – repeal the 17th Amendment, which allows for direct popular vote for Senators like they do for the House. “The original intent was that the Senators represent the states,” he explained. The other was the passage of an amendment banning abortion in all but the most extreme circumstances. “Or at least keep the courts out of abortion issues,” he said. Reid said that in Roe, as in many other instances, the courts did too much legislating from the bench instead of sticking to their proper role in interpreting the Constitution. He said that he was also against eugenics, which he said was “racist,” “reprehensible,” and “abhorrent to everyone I have talked to in this district.”

As a representative, Reid said that the ends do not justify the means and that he would serve in strict accordance with the Constitution. As a candidate, he said that he had gotten dozens of surveys from different interest groups, which he said would be better served by polling the people that they claim to represent. As a representative, he said that his role was to be a servant of the people and to follow their wishes. “My job is to represent my constituents, not myself,” he said. Instead, he said that Washington was stuck in a situation where too many people were voting the way they wanted to and not representing the people who elected them. And he said that he sees his duty as representing the entire district. “I will oppose any ideas that play off people against each other,” he said. A prime example given by Reid was the TARP bank bailout, which he said was opposed 9-1 by the people, but passed by Congress. “You have to ask who our legislators work for,” he said. “That’s why it’s important for people to let Congress know where they stand.” Reid said that as a servant of the people, he would keep people informed of what was going on before it was voted on and not after the fact. “I want to give the people a chance to weigh in and make them aware of what’s coming,” he said. “A lot of politicians say they are for the little guy, but the small guys don’t hire lobbyists to represent them. I don’t have all the answers, that is why I would rely on my constituents.”

Reid lives in Louisiana, Missouri, which is right on the Mississippi River near Hannibal. He said that they have the same worries as people in Northwest Missouri do about the EPA coming in and taking over water regulation. He feared that the EPA would seek to force farmers to get permits from the EPA for practices that farmers have always done. He said that incumbent Sam Graves’ “Stop the EPA” bill did not go far enough and that it should be abolished entirely, calling it “federal overreach.” There is a widespread concern in this area about the EPA taking over the regulation of city wastewater at massive expense to local cities and water customers.

One of the few areas in which Reid sees a role for government is in immigration. “We spent taxpayer dollars on a wall that was never built,” he said. He said that he was “100% against” amnesty, saying that it was simply “rewarding bad behavior.” Before NAFTA, Reid noted that a huge portion of Mexico’s economy was dependent on cash from people sending money back home. He said that in Guatemala and Honduras, 10% of their GDP was from money that immigrants to the US send home. Reid said that it was the duty of the states to call out the National Guard to secure the borders. “That was what happened in the beginning,” he said. “There were lots of open borders and hostile people” when the country was first founded, according to Reid. Instead, Reid said that the current policy was the government fighting terrorists abroad when “our southern border is wide open.” Reid said that the real threat to national security was from people who could just walk into our borders. He noted that in Afghanistan, two thirds of the people fighting there were not even native Afghanis; they are from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, whom we send billions of dollars of military aid to.

Reid opposes the recently-passed Federal Farm Bill, which he called a “monstrosity.” He said that it was “crony capitalism” and “corporate welfare,” where the government and not the free markets pick the winners and losers. “They rolled conservation and food stamps into this bill in order to get Democratic votes,” when Reid said, “they otherwise never would have voted for this.” Reid said that farm policy was best left to states and the markets. He said that the present situation was one where the government was imposing huge tax burdens on small businesses and that the only winners were the ones with enough money to hire a lobbyist to represent them in Washington.

On education, Reid said that he opposes high-stakes standardized testing and that he would like to see the Education Department abolished. Ronald Reagan, he noted, had campaigned to abolish the US Department of Education back in 1980 after President Jimmy Carter had made it a cabinet position. However, he said that was a broken promise as Reagan did not have enough votes and the focus shifted from abolishing it to trying to make it better, which Reid said has failed. “And we have the same thing with the GOP and Obamacare,” he said. Reid said that No Child Left Behind was a “disaster” for school policy and that the government under Obama had offered waivers, only to back it up with the threat of revoking waivers if states and local schools did not comply with new standards. “If we’re going to fund education, it should come with no strings attached,” he said. “We all want our kids to be well-educated, but throwing money at the problem is not the answer.” Instead, Reid said that the solution was to returning schools to local control and that he did not buy the notion that our children are lagging behind other countries in certain subject matters, as has been frequently reported in the news over the last 20 years.

Reid said that as a hunter and target shooter, he was against “any scheme to regulate any owning of firearms by our citizens.” He said that the intent of the 2nd Amendment was to keep the people on an equal footing with the government and that he didn’t buy arguments that the Founding Fathers did not envision the kind of firearms available today. “They would have wanted these firearms in the hands of the people to fight the British,” he said.

He said that there were several causes of the present sustained decline of rural populations. “I travel through towns in the 6th district, and it is quite upsetting for me to see small businesses that are all boarded up,” said Reid. He said that one thing holding back smaller communities was economic policy and tax structure. He called for the “fair tax” and to gut the IRS. He said that the key to reviving small towns was to make it easy to start one’s own business. Instead, he said that we have four-year colleges, which he said prepare students to work at large corporations in the big cities instead of coming back home and taking over the family farm or family business. “And then you have corporate takeover of niche markets and centralization,” he said.

“I’m a country boy at heart,” said Reid. He said that small towns were havens of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility and places where everybody knows everybody. “Instead, you go to the big cities and most people can’t name three or four of their neighbors,” he said. He said that the population has shifted from rural to urban since the country was founded, and the way to reverse the trend was to support policies which encourage young people to stay at home.

Reid is married to Tiffany; they have three sons and one daughter. He is an electrician, farmer, mechanic, and a welder. They live on a farm near Louisiana, MO, where they raise cattle, pigs, chickens, goats, and horses. “We try to feed ourselves and have some left over for our neighbors and the local farmer’s market,” he said. In the background, a rooster was crowing regularly as Reid shared his views. “I take no corporate, business, or PAC money,” he said. “I am just a concerned citizen who is throwing his hat in the ring.”

Brian Tharp Follows Calling to Run for 6th District Congressional Race

6th District Republican Congressional candidate Brian Tharp said in an interview with the Sheridan Express Saturday that he felt a calling to challenge incumbent Republican Sam Graves in the August 5th Primary election. Tharp said that his faith was central to his campaign; he walked in the Duck Days Parade and played Christian music. He said that in order to reverse what he said was the overly corporatized Congress, people had to do something no matter how big the odds. “Faith means a lot to me,” said Tharp. “It’s a big part of our company as well.” One of his favorite songs is the song by Matthew West entitled, “Do something!” He plays it at parades that he goes to. He said he welcomed the other two candidates and said that he felt his job as a candidate was to work with different people, educate people, and get them to vote.

“I’ve knocked on thousands of doors this campaign all over the district, and people want some kind of hope that someone will represent them in Washington,” said Tharp. He is one of three Republicans challenging Graves. “About 99% of the people I’ve talked to have wished me well and hope that will happen.” He said that Graves was too out of touch with the district. “When the Energizer plant in Maryville closed, that cost us hundreds of jobs,” said Tharp. He said that he would have actively sought to work with Energizer to try and keep the plant open. “And then people move away,” he said.
Tharp said that he was a champion of the small business over the big corporations. “93% of the jobs in Rural America are created by small businesses,” he said. “But if our representative is controlled by the big corporations, it’s not going to happen.” Tharp has owned a trailer manufacturing business for the last 10 years that he started from scratch. “But I have never been able to access our representative,” he said. “I’m concerned that things will not get better until we have someone who is more accessible to the people. We lose families every time these places close shop.”

As a specific example, Tharp said that Graves supported a research bill to give tax breaks to large corporations to do research over the next 10 years. “Most would have done the research anyway,” he said. “That is simply putting profits above children. We’ve bailed out Wall Street, banks, and GM in the name of ‘creating jobs,’ but that hasn’t happened.”

The end result, said Tharp, is a massive national debt that he says is spinning out of control. “People need to feel that their interests are being represented in Congress over corporate and special interests,” said Tharp. “People don’t feel like they are being represented anymore.”

Tharp said that he was against any kind of amnesty for illegal immigrants. “It’s like a sign that I saw during a trip to Yellowstone – Don’t feed the bears.” He said that as long as the Obama administration was sending the message that it was OK to come to the US in that manner, it would simply draw more and more people into this country. “Our country can’t support them,” said Tharp.

Brian's parents own a multigenerational farm in Hunnewell, Mo, where his mother and stepfather live; that town is located in Shelby County.  Brian and his wife, Shannon, also own a farm in Atchison County, where they live.  Brian said that he wanted small family farms to get more support in any farm bill.  He said that the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill was "long overdue' and that he hoped that it would support all farmers equally, not just crop farmers or livestock farmers.

On education policy, Tharp said that he was against Common Core and that he wanted to return schools to local control. “We have to do everything we can to support our schools,” he said. “A lot of states depend on federal funding, but the federal government should not be telling states how to handle education.”

Tharp said that he was pro-life with the exception of emergencies or situations when the woman’s life needed to be saved. He said that the way to reduce the number of abortions was to educate young people about God, Christian values, abstinence, and using protection. “I see a lot of room for improvement in those areas,” he said. On the 2nd Amendment, he said that as a concealed carry permit holder, he strongly supported the right to bear arms and opposed any kind of gun control.
Tharp lives near Rock Port and Fairfax. He is married to Shannon; they have been married for 16 years. They have two children; Gretchen (13) and Fischer (12). His wife is an occupational therapist and he owns a trailer business. He spent two years at Missouri Western, graduated from Central Missouri State University, and got his Master’s at Washington University in St. Louis. He completed doctoral studies in Public Policy at Jackson State University.

6th District Congressional Candidate Bill Hedge Promises to Build Consensus

Democratic Congressional Candidate Bill Hedge promised to be a consensus builder if elected in contrast to what he said was the divisive politics which was currently part of Washington. “John Wooden once said that great things were possible if nobody cares who gets the credit,” he said. He said that the current problem in Washington was that there were too many people who would rather obstruct constructive legislation rather than let someone else get the credit. Hedge served as a long-time teacher and principal at Central High School in St. Joseph as well as a professor at Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville. He currently serves as the pastor of St. Francis Baptist Temple in St. Joseph and said that his Christian faith guided what he believed in. “I will not be bought; I have been purchased by a Jewish carpenter,” he told the Sheridan Express. One example was the passage of the 2012 Farm Bill in the Senate, which he said would give a lot more relief to farmers who got crop damage due to the drought. It is now in the House. “This affects everyone from the farmers to people who buy foods at the supermarket,” he said. As an example of the kind of approach he would favor, he pointed to the Affordable Healthcare Act, which was recently upheld by the Supreme Court. “We’re the richest country in the world and we can’t afford to give our people healthcare?” he asked. He said that he realized that the bill was not perfect, but that Congress should focus on fixing it instead of trying to get rid of it. He said that as a retired teacher and professor, the government should make education funding its top priority as opposed to Congressional plans to phase out most federal education funding over the next 10 years. He said that it didn’t make sense that teachers helped students become the entrepreneurs of tomorrow but that the government was not willing to provide for the country’s long-term future. “All the other professions in this country are taught by teachers,” said Hedge. And yet he said that there were too many in Washington that simply paid lip service to teachers and who refused to fund schools what they needed in order to function effectively. Others, he said, wanted to simply get rid of all the teachers. “How silly is that,” he asked. Instead, he said that they would rather fund undeclared wars abroad. Hedge said that Obama was moving in the right direction, in a policy in which countries like Afghanistan would be able to stand on their own two feet. He said that the FBI and the CIA were doing a good job protecting the country against threats and that our country had the ability to monitor threats with technology so that wars of occupation would be unnecessary and the government would be able to move resources to education and other domestic programs. Regarding small business, Hedge said that they were the backbone of the US economy, yet too many politicians were seeking to export more jobs overseas. “This is one of those issues where we have to do what is best for the American people,” he said. “We need to bring these jobs back into this country where they belong.” He said that in order for the country to move forward, people had to put aside their own interests for the common good. “I have values and morals to stand on and this is who I am,” he concluded. As his father told him growing up, “Once you get an education, no one will be able to take it away.”

Letter to the Editor -- Five Trillion Dollars!

Dear Editor,
Five Trillion Dollars! That is the amount the national debt Obama has increased (so far) since he was immaculated in January 2009. This is in addition to the tax revenue we taxpayers paid. To be fair to Obama, he needed the Congress to vote for the national debt increase prior to his insane spending spree.
Many Republicans joined with Democrats in Congress to raise the debt limit. Unfortunately, our Sixth Congressional District Representative, Sam Graves, was one of those Republicans who crossed the aisle joining the Democrats to vote for a humongous two trillion dollar debt limit increase last summer. Two Missouri Congresspersons voted "NO" on this huge Obama debt limit increase. Praise to Congressman Todd Akin, now a candidate for the US Senate, and Congresswoman Vicki Hartzler for their conservative stance to stop our country’s runaway spending.
Fortunately, Republican Bob Gough is opposing Sam Graves in the August 7th Primary election. I urge Republicans to vote for Bob Gough for the Sixth District Congressman.
Bob Holliger
Independence, Mo

Graves Primary Opponent says House Leadership Promoting “Fiscal Carnage”

Bob Gough, Republican Candidate for the Missouri Sixth Congressional District and primary opponent to Sam Graves, addressed the Kansas City Pachyderm Club last Tuesday describing his campaign and the increase of the federal debt by $2.1 trillion last summer.
Gough stated that "Obama used the politics of fear and division to create ruinous debt that must be repaid by our children and grand-children. A federal debt of 16 trillion dollars is unsustainable and we are now at the point of having to borrow money just to pay the interest on money already borrowed. But Obama and Congress doubled-down on our existing debt to increase our debt by 2.1 trillion dollars.
"Our Sixth Congressional Representative voted for this huge debt limit increase. Now, House Speaker John Boehner is conducting a new campaign to again increase our national debt limit in December or January of next year. The Sixth District needs an independent Representative that will say 'no' to more debt limit increases."
Gough said that our Representative is a team player with Speaker Boehner who supports President Obama on fiscal issues. He said that he would not be a team player when our leadership is promoting fiscal carnage caused by debt.
The newly redrawn Sixth Congressional District is the largest Congressional District in Missouri. It comprises the Northern one-third of the State of Missouri. The District includes the Kansas and Nebraska border on the West, North to the Iowa border, and East to the Illinois border.

Sam Graves Receives Tea Party Challenge

Tax fighter advocate Bob Gough of Lee's Summit has filed for Congress in the newly created Sixth District, which includes Southeast Lee's Summit, portions of Eastern Jackson County, and portions of Kansas City North of the Missouri River. The District includes large portions of Missouri North to Iowa and East to central Missouri.
Bob Gough founded the Jackson County Taxpayer Association in 2000 and has been an advocate for taxpayers for many years. He joined with other tax payer advocates to defeat a recent ballot measure for an eighteen percent increase in the Lee's Summit school tax.
Bob Gough is member of several community organizations including the Kansas City Pachyderm Club, President of the Missouri State Federation of Pachyderm Clubs, Lee's Summit Masonic Lodge, American Legion, Elks Lodge, Silver Strings Dulcimer Players and the Lee's Summit Republican Club.
Bob Gough served his country in the US Army in an infantry training Brigade. He has a BS degree in Mathematics and was a high school mathematics teacher. Bob and his wife Helen have been married for thirty years. Together they have three children and three grandchildren.
Gough's campaign will focus on the fiscal damage he says was caused by last year's increase of the federal debt by $4 trillion. "I am proud to be part of the Tea Party movement. At the urging of Obama, Congress voted to increase our national debt by $2.4 trillion and to authorize Obama to increase it by an additional $1.6 trillion. Our Sixth District Congressman voted for Obama's huge debt increase bill.
"Our elected officials are using the politics of fear and division to create ruinous debt that must be repaid by our children and grand-children. Four members of Missouri's Republican congressional delegation voted for this huge debt increase. Vicky Hartzler and Todd Akin voted against the Obama debt limit increase. I am proud to stand with them on this important issue."

Letter to the Editor -- Cheap Oil will not return.

Sam Graves and the Republican Party continue to hammer away on their demands to drill for oil off shore and in the Alaskan National Wildlife Reserve, ANWR. The issue is being used to convince Americans that plentiful oil supplies are available, and we can continue our complacency regarding the need to conserve energy, and to find new sources of fuel. Sam speaks with determination on the subject, hoping to dupe American voters into believing that if we vote Republican, our energy worries will soon be over. Nothing is further from the truth!
We have learned that Sam Graves has accepted $61,583 from the oil industry, and supported the oil industry in 91% of selected votes. Sam suggests that gas prices will return to previous levels as soon as drilling in the ANWR and off shore is approved. It is general knowledge that any oil obtained by that route would not be available to consumers for up to 10 years!
Scientists tell us the total world-wide supply of oil was 2 trillion barrels before humans started using it. Since mid-nineteenth century the world has consumed nearly 1 trillion barrels of oil. The half that remains is the hardest to get, lowest quality oil. The United States passed its peak oil production, about 11 million barrels a day, in 1970, and has dropped steadily since then. In 2004 it ran just above 5 million barrels a day. Yet we consume roughly 20 million barrels of oil a day. Cheap oil prices will not return!

Shirley Yurkonis
Savannah, MO

Show-Me State of Mind for August 20th, 2008

Why Does Graves Oppose Wind Energy?
Consumers are suffering under high gas and diesel prices, and the other cost increases that they cause. We need to provide relief for consumers now by creating a balanced energy policy.
First, we must create more of our own energy domestically. That's why I have called for immediately increasing drilling in Alaska and in our coastal waters, where oil companies already have millions of acres of leased land which they refuse to explore.
But, we can't forget about another form of renewable energy that is growing right here in Northwest Missouri: wind power. The wind turbines in Rock Port and King City are already producing electricity that will power thousands of homes and decrease our dependence on foreign fuels.
Wind farms are great for our country, as well as our communities. They create jobs and spur economic development in smaller cities and towns while generating local revenue. For example, King City's school district expects to receive more than $200,000 per year in additional funding as a direct result of the wind turbines.
Even though they can do so much for Missouri, our wind farms are at risk. In 135 days, the Production Tax Credit for renewable energy will expire. Experts say this will put the renewable energy industry into a tailspin, costing the U.S. 112,000 jobs and $19 billion in investment.
The partisan stalemate in Congress over renewing the tax credits is already making it more difficult for wind project developers to line up financing. Farmers and small business owners in the District tell me at least one major wind farm developer has now placed its entire project on hold awaiting the renewal of the credits. Of course, this is exactly what Exxon and Big Oil want to see. They don't want anyone to cut into their record profits or billions in tax giveaways.
Although he claims to support wind energy, Congressman Sam Graves has voted against the Production Tax Credit five times! Why? Well, maybe it has something to do with the fact that he has received more than $63,000 from the oil and gas industry since 2000. We need a member of Congress who will stand with our rural communities who are producing energy here at home, instead of with Exxon and Big Oil.
Kay Barnes is a candidate for U.S. representative for Missouri's 6th Congressional District

Show-Me State of Mind for August 13th, 2008

Our Congressman Needs to Take Gas Prices Seriously
Americans are suffering under high gas prices. But instead of developing a realistic and commonsense energy policy, Washington has spent the last eight years lining the pockets of oil company executives.
Our country needs a real energy policy - a balanced policy that will wean us from our addiction to foreign oil and create jobs right here in Missouri. I believe we should increase domestic exploration of oil, including domestic drilling. I think we should start with the 68 million acres of federal lands that have been leased to oil companies but not used. Between 1999 and 2007, the number of drilling permits issued for development of public lands increased by more than 361 percent. The oil companies need to explore these lands, and they need to do it now.
The real problem is that Washington has relied on oil companies like Exxon to develop its energy strategy, and oil companies profit when prices are high. Less than two weeks ago, Exxon announced the highest quarterly profit of any U.S. company...ever! Just before breaking the news, Exxon cut another check - this one for $1,000 - to Congressman Sam Graves' campaign war chest. Let's not forget that Graves has received more than $63,000 from oil and gas companies since 2000.
You think that might be why he has consistently voted for more tax breaks for oil companies? And against incentives for renewable energy, such as the Production Tax Credit, that would create jobs here in Northwest Missouri?Big Oil has made big bucks with the help of buddies like Sam Graves. And you're paying for it at the pump.
Sam Graves' energy policy is to take orders from Exxon and the oil companies. And it's a policy that's worked great - for them. But what about us?
Kay Barnes is a candidate for U.S. representative for Missouri's 6th Congressional District

Show-Me State of Mind for July 30th, 2008

Something We Can Do About Gas Prices...Now! Have you noticed how gas prices go up and down like a yo-yo, sometimes even throughout the day? This is because high gas prices are caused by more than just supply and demand. Wall Street energy traders and speculators are manipulating the market.Experts tell us that oil speculation and trading has raised the price of oil as much as 25 percent. Even Congressman Sam Graves seems to agree. He claims to "have played an active role in ensuring that traders are not cheating the system."But then, Graves turns right around and admits that his energy approach will not bring short-term relief to consumers. "There isn't much you can do [about high gas prices] in the short term, to be quite honest with you," Graves said to the Kansas City Star on July 14.

We know better. Almost everyone, from economists and the airlines to consumer groups - everyone but the oil companies - agree that we can lower gas prices by cracking down on speculators.But Graves' bills have applied only to natural gas and specifically exempted oil speculators. So first Graves tells us he's helping to lower gas prices. But then he won't support the legislation that actually cracks down on speculators. And finally, he tells us there's nothing we can do about high gas prices. With double talk like this, is it any wonder that Americans are furious with Washington? We all know that oil companies make more profits when gas prices are higher. And speculators drive prices up.

Sam Graves, one of the top recipients of campaign contributions from Exxon and Big Oil, just reported thousands more in contributions from oil companies. And again, he is caving in to the special interest lobbyists for Big Oil who write these checks.The fact is, we can do something to provide relief for consumers in the short-term. We must crack down on energy traders and oil speculators. I call on Congressman Graves to do what I would do in Congress: support the real "Close the Enron Loophole Act," which would prohibit oil speculators from making money off the backs of hardworking consumers by manipulating oil prices. While Graves misleads voters and protects his Big Oil company and speculator buddies, who are making a fortune at the expense of hard working families, Missourians are calling for change.
Kay Barnes is a candidate for U.S. representative for Missouri's 6th Congressional District

Letter to the Editor -- Repudiate Graves

Missouri's Sixth Congressional District has a chance this fall to repudiate the failed policies and incompetence of the Bush-Cheney-Graves agenda. We must elect Kay Barnes to the US Congress. She offers a fresh agenda, independence from the special interests and a fighting voice for working families.
Sam Graves has sided repeatedly with corporate interests against the needs of the working people of the district. He helps big oil companies earn huge profits while we pay $3.50 for a gallon of gas. He claims to be pro-farmer and yet helps big corporations stop farmers from keeping back seed corn and has sided with corporations against ethanol production with farmers. Our choice is clear, Kay Barnes for Congress.

Robert Wheeler
Keytesville, MO

Opinion: Sam Graves' campaign flyer gaffe

Opinions Represent the views of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Sheridan Express.

By the Kay Barnes campaign.

They say time flies when you're having fun. Well, apparently Congressman Sam Graves has been having such a good time in Washington representing special interests for the past eight years that he must want voters to forget as much of it as possible.
Sam Graves has been distributing re-election flyers touting that the incumbent Congressman has been in Washington for six years, when this is actually his eighth year in Washington.
"It's no wonder that Sam Graves wants us to forget how long he's been in Washington," said Steve Glorioso, Kay for Congress spokesman. "The Bush-Graves Administration of the last eight years has been a disaster. Whether it's passing tax breaks for companies that outsource jobs, opposing the Production Tax Credit for renewable energy, protecting companies that knowingly hire illegal immigrants, or cutting funding for veterans, seniors and children, each of Graves' four terms has wreaked havoc on Northwest Missouri's economy and people."
Glorioso added, "Maybe Graves thought that six years wouldn't seem as bad as eight. But looking at his abysmal record, it's hard to tell which of Sam Graves' disastrous two-year terms he wants us to forget."
Which two years does Graves want us to forget?

2001-2002: The Damage Begins
Presided over first Bush/Graves recession
Gave tax breaks to companies that outsource jobs
Sponsored wasteful pork-barrel project to combat "Goth" culture

2003-2004: Irresponsible Values
Opposed middle class tax cuts
Blocked minimum wage increase
Opposed better equipment for combat soldiers

2005-2006: Turned His Back on Our Priorities
Raided the Social Security Trust Fund and raised Medicare Premiums
Cut Veterans' funding
Protected employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants

2007-2008: Putting Missourians At Risk
Presided over second Bush/Graves recession
Denied health insurance to millions of children
Blocked the Production Tax Credit for renewable energy five times

Show-Me State of Mind for July 23rd, 2008

Farmers Need a Strong Ally in Washington
More than ever, farmers need a strong ally in Washington. The soaring price of gas - which has nearly tripled since Congressman Sam Graves was sworn into office in 2001 - has hurt farmers more than almost anyone. The price of diesel fuel and fertilizer are at record highs, making it more difficult for farmers, especially our family farmers, to make a living.
We need to get serious about our energy policy. The first thing we must do is to stop playing politics with the Production Tax Credit. The PTC is essential for the growth of our renewable energy sources here in Missouri, which help decrease our dependence on foreign oil and benefit the economy.
The Production Tax Credit is set to expire in less than six months. Congressman Sam Graves can make all the excuses in the world, but the bottom line is that he has voted against extending it no less than five times in the past year. All this after he's supported giving tens of billions in generous tax subsidies to big oil companies. Is it any wonder that Graves is one of Exxon's top recipients of campaign contributions?
Graves' vote against the interests of his own District is just another example of how oil companies and other special interests have a stranglehold on Washington. It is unacceptable that our family farmers have a Congressman who supports more tax giveaways for oil companies and opposes incentives for wind, a technology which can do so much for Northwest Missouri.
We all know that oil companies are directly increasing the costs of production farming. We need someone in Washington who will stand up to them.
Kay Barnes is a candidate for U.S. representative for Missouri's 6th Congressional District

Barnes: "Are you better off than you were eight years ago?"

Tuesday evening, July 15th, Kay Barnes announced the grand opening of a campaign office in her hometown of St. Joseph. Speaking to a group of supporters from Buchanan County, Barnes echoed the call for change she sounded 14 months ago when she announced her candidacy in front of her mother's home in St. Joseph.
"In 2001, when President Bush and Congressman Sam Graves were sworn into office together, they inherited a strong economy and a budget surplus. Bush and Graves told us they had a plan to continue growing the economy, pay down our national debt, secure our borders, and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Well, as I give you some facts about the last eight years, I invite you to ask yourself the question: Are you better off than you were eight years ago?" Barnes asked.
Barnes listed the following facts:
"The cost of living has spiraled out of control: gas prices have almost tripled; food prices have soared; and health care premiums have almost doubled -- from about $7,000 per family in 2000 to $12,000 per family today.
"Wasteful spending on pork barrel projects like the "bridge to nowhere" in Alaska has doubled. Fiscal irresponsibility has turned record surpluses into record deficits and caused the value of the dollar to plummet.
"Five million more illegal immigrants have entered the United States.
"Six straight months of job losses and rising unemployment has followed the weakest job expansion since the Great Depression. Under Bush and Graves - more than 3 million manufacturing jobs have been lost."
Barnes concluded: "Now, let me ask you: Are you better off than you were eight years ago? Most American's aren't. George Bush is already headed out the door, and Sam Graves has got to go with him."