DEFENDING MISSOURI PROTECTING YOUR VOTING RIGHTS & LOCAL FREEDOM
Missouri families deserve a champion who will fight to keep our elections secure and our personal freedoms intact. For too long, out-of-state special interests and hidden dark money have dictated our local policies, leaving hard-working citizens behind while favoring the ultra-wealthy. It is time for a drastic shift that places the power back where it belongs: in your hands. We must act now to safeguard the pillars of our democracy and ensure every Missourian can live without government interference in their private lives. Securing a Future for Every Working Family The strength of Missouri lies in our public schools, our healthcare access, and the financial stability of our middle class. These essential foundations are under attack by budget cuts that prioritize corporate giveaways over our children’s education and our seniors' dignity. We cannot afford to wait for change while our rural hospitals close and our schools are left underfunded. We are at a crossroads that requires bold, transparent leadership to reclaim the Missouri dream. By investing in our local infrastructure and ensuring the wealthy pay their fair share, we can create a state where freedom is a reality for everyone. Join our movement today to defend our rights and build a community that values people over profits.
As a Common Sense Democrat, I will work to restore hope and make life better for all the people of Missouri. By eliminating (Dark Money/Super Pac's) the people will once again be able to elect politicians that work for the people.
About the Candidate
I grew up on a family farm near Wright City, MO. Growing up I participated in 4-H, the National FFA Organization, Future Teachers Association, Band and belonged to the local Methodist Church. After high school graduation, I attended the University of Missouri-Columbia and graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Agriculture. After college, I returned to our family farm and taught high school Industrial Arts and Wood Shop for 3 years. My goal was always set on farming. I had the opportunity to purchase a farm near Hatton, Mo in 1983. Not the best timing, LOL. Farming in the 80's was tough! High interest, low commodity prices and unpredictable weather cycles led me to find a job in Columbia and continue farming. I married my wife in 1985 and we have two grown children. We moved to our family farm in Audrain County (near Centralia) in 1987 and have lived here since. My wife has always worked off the farm to help support our family. I continued farming and opened a small business near Centralia on Hwy. 22. I earned my Real Estate License and Brokers License and sold homes, farms and small land tracts. Selling requires a person to listen to what the customer needs and wants are, and then try to provide the best solution for them to realize their goal. Sometimes this required helping them with bank financial papers, working with title companies, maybe county officials, county health department, state regulators, and even the DNR. I have enjoyed spending most of my life working with individuals and families to help make their lives better.
People ask, why are you running for office? My first response is that I am angry with the direction our state and nation is headed. Our government seems to be only interested in taking care of the ultra wealthy with tax breaks while sticking the working class with the bill! Our conservative friends claim they want smaller government, but only remove regulations for large corporations (like data centers). while being more concerned with regulating our personal life choices! But the more I think about it, the real reason I am running is that I want to help the people of Northeast Missouri have a better life, for themselves and for their children.
Education. I am older (69), but I remember when education was a priority in this country. Our government funded school buildings, teachers, and school supplies because they knew that investing in its citizens was an investment in the betterment of our country. Today, Missouri's legislature and governor shorted the state's obligation to fund public schools properly by $190 million dollars! However, our governor found $50 million and the legislature found another $10 million for private school vouchers! In NEMO, our public schools are the heartbeat and identity (sporting teams, Blue & Gold FFA jackets, etc.) of our rural communities. When the state underfunds the public education system, our local school boards have to make tough decisions (cut staffing, no pay raises for teachers, not keeping up with needed improvements for infrastructure or asking the community for higher property taxes).
Healthcare. Again our conservative friends in Jefferson City & Washington, DC keep hammering to lower funding for our healthcare system. Without proper funding rural areas are hit hardest. Rural clinics and rural hospitals continue to close, and as public healthcare funding is reduced, and more will continue to close! Proper healthcare should not be only for those that can afford care. My wife and I (as many of you) have worked hard, scrimped and saved to have a home, savings, and hopefully a dignified retirement. We are fortunate, our family has been blessed with good health. We have worked hard to afford insurance all our life. But there is always that fear of losing insurance coverage or exceeding the paid benefit allowance and losing everything we have worked so hard for. Today, insurance premiums and deductibles continue to rise excessively making insurance unaffordable for many families. Our healthcare system is broken. We must look for a system to cover all Americans! Bankruptcies for healthcare should not be acceptable in America!
Affordability. Today the cost of groceries, gas, healthcare, childcare, property taxes are rising at a rate not seen since the 70's. Our national debt continues to spiral out of control while our state's $5 billion surplus in 2023 is being rapidly depleted. MO state auditor, Scott Fitzpatrick warns that ongoing revenue spending now outpaces incoming tax collections. Remember that our conservative friends (federal & state) have cut taxes for the wealthiest in the past 2 years causing an increase to our state's deficits! The priorities of government spending need to be realigned to help the working folks and not just large corporations and the wealthy. The top tier of taxes in the 1950's, under President Eisenhower, was over 90%. President Nixon lowered the top tier rate to 70% in the 1970's. The Reagan administration drastically reduced the top tier rate to 28% in the 1980's. Today with the current administration, many of the wealthiest and corporations pay $0 in taxes. Seems the only ones paying taxes today are those working for a paycheck! Something is terribly wrong!
Politicians Working for the People! When elected, I will bring and support a bill to Missouri's legislature to end dark money in Missouri's politics. Hawaii has just passed such a bill. Montana and a handful of other states are currently working on similar bills. It is time citizens unite to end the Supreme Court's Citizen United!
Personal Choice's. The government needs to stay out of our personal life choices!
Inclusion. I will work hard for all people! No matter what sex, people's color, sexual preferences, disability, ethnicity and our immigrants legal or not.
Gun Control. I have my hunting guns, but with that being said, we need common sense controls to stop the mass killings in this country!