Missouri Republican Party Chairman David Cole’s Message is Good News for Conservatives

Across the state, Missouri Republicans are on the ascendancy. Following the national trend, we are out-recruiting, out-fundraising, and out-messaging a Democratic Party that controls the White House and boasts super-majorities in Congress. More importantly, we are winning the national debate because we have effectively taken our fight to the local and state levels.

In the St Louis area, several prominent Republicans, including former Senators Norm Coleman (MN) and Jim Talent and Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder turned out this week in support of Ed Martin, who has formed an exploratory committee to challenge Russ Carnahan.

In western Missouri, two strong Republican candidates—Bill Stouffer and Vicky Hartzler—have announced their intention to run for the 4th Congressional seat, and others have expressed interest. One of these Republicans will face Ike Skelton, a long-time Congressman whose recent hard-left voting record and alliance with Nancy Pelosi puts him at odds with the people of his own district.

Roy Blunt , one of the candidates who is seeking to replace retiring GOP Senator Kit Bond, also received some good news this week. Despite a relentless barrage of false attacks from his likely opponent Robin Carnahan and her liberal allies, a recent Rasmussen poll shows the race tied. The poll also shows Missourians frustrated with the direction of the country and supportive of Roy Blunt’s conservative positions on the issues.

This is happening because Missourians understand what is at stake—and we are not willing to turn our lives and livelihoods over to the federal government. By presenting common-sense solutions and demonstrating responsible governance, Republicans are taking our country back.

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
03/06/2009

”A proposed bill promising major changes in the U.S. abortion landscape has Roman Catholic bishops threatening to close Catholic hospitals if the Democratic Congress and White House make it law.” [Read the full article here]

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This bill called the Freedom of Choice Act (FOCA) would make federal law out of the abortion protections established in 1973 by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe vs. Wade ruling. The wording in the bill defines abortion as a “fundamental right” that no government can “deny” or “interfere with.” This wording would help overturn abortion restrictions such as parental notification, laws banning certain procedures and constraints on federal funding.

The legislation has Roman Catholic bishops threatening to shut down their hospitals instead of being forced to comply with the law. If this were to happen it would have a drastically negative effect on Missourians. In Missouri we have 20+ Catholic hospitals. If these hospitals were forced to close it would be devastating not only to our states healthcare but also to the job market in Missouri. According to the Catholic Hospitals Association, Catholic hospitals make up 13 percent of the country’s nearly 5,000 hospitals, employ more than 600,000 people and one of every six Americans hospitalized in the United States is cared for in a Catholic hospital.

All of this being said, MCV-PAC finds it astounding that Missouri Rep. Wm. Lacy Clay and Rep. Russ Carnahan — both St. Louis Democrats — are both co-sponsors of this legislation that will hurt all Missourians. There is a bright side though, Republican Representatives, Sam Graves, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jo Ann Emerson, Todd Akin, and Roy Blunt all signed a letter on January 21st that called on President Obama to withdraw his pledge to sign the so-called “Freedom of Choice” Act (FOCA). That letter can be found here http://republicanleader.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=109040

“People have worked 30-some years to protect the rights of the unborn and FOCA would undo many of their efforts,” Luetkemeyer said.

MCV-PAC will keep an eye on Rep. Clay and Rep. Carnahan to see if they continue to support policies that will damage Missouri’s healthcare.