Dear Editor,
Worthy of our attention is Missouri’s AG Eric Schmitt turning his back on the welfare of Missouri citizens.
Schmitt turned his back on enslaved and sexually abused children at Agape Boarding School since he took office. After receiving many documented instances and complaints from parents, everyday citizens, and local agencies, he did nothing. And yet, when his handicapped son needed help, he pulled out the stops to make sure his son’s rights weren’t trampled on.
And after stating in a St. Louis Post Dispatch 2021 interview, “I believe people can decide what’s best for their children”, he used our tax dollars to sue Missouri school boards and health departments, pitting children, neighbors, and parents against one another.
And after agreeing with Gov. Parson that “…the decision is between a woman and her doctor…” with a stroke of his pen, Schmitt decided a women’s reproductive rights is not her own. Even victims of rape and incest must carry pregnancies to term. He supports the ban or limits on hysterectomies, ANY birth control, treatment of ectopic pregnancies and miscarriages. Fun Fact: In Missouri, a rapist can file for parental rights (MO Statute 411.227).
Schmitt sued China over the spread of COVID but didn’t have a problem opening Missouri farmland to China ownership to the tune of over 150,000 acres.
In a May 2022 speech, Schmitt espoused white nationalism and the “great replacement” conspiracy theory – saying immigrants are trying to replace us. I find that ironic because his ancestors immigrated from Germany. His speech has been labeled as a “hate speech” from the non-partisan Polarization and Extremism Research Lab.
Eric Schmitt would not represent Missouri's values as a U.S. Senator. If he can support putting immigrants on a plane, he would have supported putting Jews in a boxcar.
Jacqueline Farr
Chair
Benton County
Democratic Party
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Dear Editor,
As we approach the November 8th midterm election, many of the low and moderate income Americans are concerned about inflation and the price of gas. This is understandable, but the blame is more on Republicans than Democrats. While the gas prices we paid soared, the five big oil companies made $59 billion in profits in just the 2nd quarter of this year. On top of that, $88 billion has been spent on stock buybacks and dividends to benefit their wealthy shareholders.
We've seen food prices increase drastically while billionaires in the global food and agribusiness became $382 billion richer during the pandemic. We're paying more than most countries in the World for prescription drugs while 3 of the largest pharmaceutical companies in America increased their profits by 90% last year and during the same time, the 6 largest insurance companies in America made over $60 billion in profits.
The income and wealth inequality is worse than any time in American history! We have 3 citizens with more wealth than in the bottom half of our nation! Is there even one Republican in Congress who wants to raise taxes on billionaires? No! Is there one Republican wanting to raise the federal minimum wage to at least $15 an hour? No! Many other nations have universal healthcare, believing it is a human right. Many Republicans are serving the big corporations, not serving the American people.
Democrats have many programs and ideas. The $300 a month child tax credit that slashed the child poverty rate by over 40% expired. Democrats want to extend it. They want to increase Social Security benefits, expand Medicare to include dental, hearing and vision, make childcare more affordable, cap the cost of pharmaceuticals and work to provide a good living for working people and provide needs for the elderly.
Another major issue is the right of women to make their own medical decisions and to allow doctors to practice medicine. This issue also extends to contraception methods. Women have the right to have choice!
On election day I urge you to vote for Trudy Busch Valentine, candidate for U.S. Senate, a lifelong Missourian to represent us in Washington DC. She is a mother, a nurse and an advocate for children. Eric Schmitt is the Republican candidate. When he was in the Senate he voted twice to let foreign countries buy Missouri land. When the governor vetoed this proposal, Schmitt voted to successfully override the veto. He turned his back on Missouri farmers. Today Chinese businesses own 146,000 acres of Missouri farmland. Since 1985 Missouri has lost nearly 90% of our hog producers and thousands of local jobs that this created on rural Main Street.
Benton County is in the 4th District and we have a chance to be represented by a progressive Democrat, Jack Truman, who can help get us back to helping others, providing healthcare, supporting unions, working for fair pay and supporting quality education. The people need representation in Missouri, not the big corporations.
We need a change in the nation and in Missouri. Remember that no one knows how you vote once you're in the ballot box. Vote your conscience. Vote for helping others! Vote Democratic!
Valerie Larm
Warsaw
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Dear Editor
A couple of weeks ago you asked is anyone upset with how things are going in our wonderful USA. YES!!! I’m livid! If I was a lot younger, I’d probably be in D.C. prison with the other illegally held prisoners.
Many don’t follow the news and those that do depending on which news channel know what I’m referring to. The January 6th committee is a sham and technically illegal itself. Sure, they have two RINOS on the committee, however, they agree with all the progressive liberals! Appalling!! Before Trump started running for the presidency June 16, 2015, everyone loved him, including Hollywood! As his campaign progressed and the crowds got bigger to hear him, the progressives were threatened, plans of all types were implemented to make him look like a bad person.
We the People knew better, in fact, many of us were hoping he was going to run in 2012, however, he did not. So, we went through the next four years with Obama and his administration including Joe Biden, unbelievable!!! Do we even know if his re-election was stolen? After what happened in the 2020, it makes me wonder.
Trump says it best,” It’s not me they want it’s you”. He’s not wrong, they prove it every day. It’s disturbing to watch and hear every day how our nation is being destroyed! No one in the Biden administration is abiding by their oath of office including Biden!!! Who’s really pulling the strings? Obama, Clinton, Soros all three???
Many didn’t like Trump. He was too arrogant, the way he talks, etc. Personally, I don’t give a damn about any of that! He did the real job of President that hadn’t been done since Reagan! Everyone after Reagan was in it for themselves and the hell with our country! Now, many that might read this will never agree, but if they’d stop and truly think back their eyes might get opened.
We now have the consistent brainwashing tactics about climate change, global warming, we must turn to electric vehicles and not use fossil fuel. Recently California was told to not charge their electric cars, keep thermostats on 78 when the outdoor temperature was 115. These tactics started with Carter. I listened to him on a newscast and told myself he was full of it! Reagan ran, I switched parties. I knew the great job he had done as governor of California. Have you ever watched the weather records of how it was way back when compared to now? You can’t tell God how to control the climate and you should know it recycles over time. Meteorologists say climate change and global warming aren’t real, I agree!
I detest the windmills! Our avian life is killed by them every day and the batteries for them are causing damage to the environment. Why is conservationist and environmental agencies not questioning this? Same with solar panels, birds land on them and instantly die due to the heat on them, which also puts out an additional 10 degrees of heat to the atmosphere.
It's sad how the MSM (mainstream media) has been bought off and never tells the truth. They continued the Russia hoax, Trump’s sham impeachments, etc. The Biden’s are corrupt. Quid pro quo and it’s okay, had Trump or his family done what the Biden’s have done they’d probably be in prison now.
I’ve read past Letters to the Editor, those that say how great it was with Trump with facts and then a couple that rebuked the positive letters saying how false those facts were. Instantly you know they had been listening to the daily lies during Trump’s presidency. When Trump was our president gas prices were down, manufacturing was coming back to the USA, we were almost energy independent, he believed in peace through strength, he knew how to negotiate, he donated his salary, etc., his negotiations kept Putin at bay, North Korea, Iran and other enemies at bay. His negotiations enabled the Abraham Accords which created peace in the Middle East. Illegals weren’t coming in by the thousands. Our country was becoming again the country I grew up knowing.
Many years of activist judges and liberal education in our schools have enabled everything against God to happen in our country. We don’t see American Pride like it use to be anymore, we now see and hear about people wanting to change their sex, homosexuality is being infiltrated in children’s cartoons, parents are allowing their children to have their sex changed! It’s okay to steal from businesses, hit people to the ground, kill anyone you want, disobey the police and kill them if you want, you’ll be out of jail in no time. Most of these actions are happening in cities that are considered blue. My God our country has lost its mind! America has to believe in law and order again!
I personally admire the people in Sri Lanka that overtook their government for not doing its job. We must change as much as possible November the 8th. Know the facts and decide if you’re ready to live in a socialist country. America’s the last country in the world with the freedoms we have, let’s not let that happen. Think about 87,000 IRS agents, gun control, more controls on our money and believe me Crypto is how it’ll be controlled. WAKE UP AMERICA LET’S TAKE OUR LIVES BACK AND HELP MAKE OUR COUNTRY GREAT AGAIN!!!
Lynne Markham
Grain Valley, MO
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Dear Editor,
A Republican friend forwarded a Democrat green new deal talking point noting the plan was going to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40% by the end of the decade. At first glance, this seems an impossible task. However, we must remember government speaks often differs from what most of us easily comprehend.
With a little digging, he found the 40% reduction period included the 20% emission reductions already accomplished between 2005 and 2020. Not bad for all the "bad" fossil fuel production of energy. In my mind, the end of the decade is 12/31/2029. In government speak, the end of the decade really means 12/31/2035. So another 20% reduction over another 15 years reaches the same reductions as the last 15 years and most importantly meets 40% goals stated.
But it happens over 40 years, not the soon to be 7 years left in this decade. I'm thinking, if emissions were reduced by 20% in the prior 15 years, why could they not be reduced another 20% in the next 15 years without a total abandonment of fossil fuels?
China and India produce almost three times the pollution of the United States because of their reliance on coal with very few pollution controls. There seems to be very little movement by these countries and many others to change any of their pollution activities.
Jim Weaver
Senior Citizen
