Talent Holds Rally In Houston, Not McCaskill Country

During the final two weeks of the campaign, Senator Jim Talent continues to travel extensively throughout our state, discussing his many accomplishments in the Senate for the people of Missouri and letting people know how he is changing Washington to work for them. One of those visits this week by Senator Talent was held at a familiar location - the same feed mill in Houston, MO, where Claire McCaskill held her campaign kickoff. Steven Drake, the mill owner, and many other Talent supporters joined Senator Talent as he spoke about the many issues in this campaign on which that he and his opponent.

At the rally Senator Talent said, "Elections are about the future. And in deciding this election Missouri voters will examine the records of both candidates and determine who has the willingness and ability to change the system in Washington for Missouri values."

Claire McCaskill opposed the bipartisan Combat Meth Act, the Energy bill which included Talent's legislation for ethanol and biodiesel, the Medicare prescription drug bill for Missouri seniors, an amendment to protect traditional marriage, a ban on partial birth abortion and the Terrorist Surveillance program.

"I believe that when the voters compare my record with my opponent’s they will determine that I’m the only candidate who supports the common sense, conservative values of Missouri," Senator Talent said.

With less than two weeks until the election be sure to check Senator Talent’s campaign web site for announcements and events in your area.

McCaskill Continues to Break Campaign Promises, Takes Thousands from Pro-Abortion Groups

In the days leading up to Election Day, Claire McCaskill has chosen to deceive the people of Missouri about her stance on vital issues and repeatedly break campaign promises.

During debates McCaskill attempted to hide her liberal record, which includes opposing both a ban on partial birth abortion and opposing a constitutional amendment to protect traditional marriage between a man and a woman. However, when the founder and president of a radical pro-abortion group Emily’s List offered to be the special guest at a McCaskill fundraiser Claire was happy to oblige. In just one year McCaskill has received nearly $745,000 in “bundled” funds from the pro-abortion groups.

In addition to being supported by radical left-wing groups at a fundraiser this week, McCaskill also broke another promise to Missourians when she dipped into her family fortune to loan her campaign $500,000. Earlier in the campaign McCaskill vowed that she would not run her campaign on her husband’s nursing home fortune, a vow that was broken, according to the McCaskill campaign, to buy additional television ads. Similar to her failed 2004 gubernatorial campaign, McCaskill is again using her family’s massive fortune that was amassed on the backs of hard-working taxpayers in Missouri to further her political career.

Guest Column by John Pelzer and Gary Marble
What You Should Know About Prop B Minimum Wage

Did you know - that you are voting on an indexed minimum wage increase which increases ANNUALLY, not just in 2007? Minimum wage could reach $10 an hour in a matter of a few years.

Did you know - that the annual increase is not based on Missouri’s consumer price index, rather it’s based on the CPI of the nations largest urban areas? Since the national urban rate of inflation is substantially higher than Missouri’s, we are essentially “importing inflation” to calculate our state’s minimum wage.

Did you know - that 86.3% of workers who would get a pay raise if this passes are teenagers or spouses living in homes with family incomes exceeding $57,000? This law does not help low-income families. A Missouri “Earned Income Tax Credit” would target those in need much better.

Did you know - that if this ballot measure passes, Missouri will have the highest minimum wage in the Midwest within 2 years? This will cost Missouri untold loss of economic expansion and new job location. It will be a boon to our neighboring states.

Did you know - that an independent study of the Show Me Institute predicts that passage of the Minimum Wage will cost small businesses in Missouri $339 million, and cost over 18,000 low-income workers their jobs? Over 13,500 (77%) economists with the American Economics Association believe minimum wage hikes create job loss.

Did you know - you WILL have “sticker shock”?! You will pay more for meals, clothing, groceries and other staples of life. The money to pay this enormous price tag has to come from somewhere.

Did you know - that the St. Louis Post Dispatch (David Nicklaus), the Kansas City Star (Tom McClanahan) and the Columbia Daily Tribune (Henry Waters III) have all editorialized in OPPOSITION to Proposition B? These newspapers are not exactly considered conservative publications, but they all know Prop B is bad for Missouri and its low-wage workers.

*All of the above facts are substantiated in two recent studies on the effect of a minimum wage increase in Missouri, one by the Employment Policy Institute in Washington D.C., and the other by the Show Me Institute in St. Louis.
*John Pelzer is Director of Governmental Affairs for the Missouri Restaurant Association and Gary Marble is President of Associated Industries of Missouri.
*The Missouri Republican Party has not taken a position on this issue.

Liberal ACORN Group Under Fire for Hundreds of Faulty Voter Registration Cards

In a troubling situation which seems to be spreading, thousands of fraudulent voter registration cards have been found by election officials in St. Louis and Kansas City. The Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN) has been submitting the fraudulent voter registrations which have now become the focus of a federal investigation. This massive number of possibly faulty cards has prompted an investigation by the U.S. Attorney’s office and the FBI.

In recent weeks ACORN was also the subject of allegations of a coordinated campaign between Give Missouri A Raise and Claire McCaskill’s Senate campaign. Several workers spoke out when they were allegedly paid to register people to vote on behalf of Missouri’s Right to Work while simultaneously asking Missourians to support Claire McCaskill for the U.S. Senate. The Missouri Republican Party filed a complaint with the Federal Elections Commission about the illegal activity.

Sex Offender Registry Updated and Operational

An updated Internet site created by the Missouri Highway Patrol is now available for all Missourians concerned about sexual offenders who may be living in their area. Governor Matt Blunt, the father of a 20-month old son, promoted the web site as an additional tool for Missourians to protect themselves and their children from sexual predators.

The web site enables users to see a physical description of the convicted offender as well as details about their addresses and vehicles they drive.

Governor Blunt said, “We are making Missouri’s Sex Offender Registry a more powerful tool to protect families, children and neighborhoods. I commend the Missouri State Highway Patrol for their efforts to make information on sex offenders accessible to more Missourians than ever before.”

The sexual offender web site can be accessed by clicking here.

Find out how our Republican leaders are serving Missouri by visiting their websites