Paid Letter: Why electing Democrats could revitalize Southeast Missouri's economy

What would make our economy stronger in Southeast Missouri?

Electing more Democrats.

I don’t say that to rile you up. I say it because it’s true. Under Democratic leadership, economies grow. Under Republican leadership, they shrink.

In recent decades, our elected Republicans have largely decided not to invest in our communities. It isn’t patriotic to refuse federal funding, it’s destructive. All three of our federal representatives here in Southeast Missouri (Senators Eric Schmitt (R), Josh Hawley (R); U.S. House Representative Jason Smith (R)) have all refused to bring your federal tax dollars back to your community. In just the last few years, that’s potentially billions of dollars we’ve missed out on that other states and districts have received.

The state of Missouri and our southeastern district have been governed by a supermajority of Republicans at the municipal and state level for the past 22 years. Politics are local, and all the governing occurring in our daily lives in Missouri is controlled by Republicans. Thanks to the Biden/Harris administration, there is plenty of funding to expand internet access here, but our local officials won’t do the work, and many have said they reject the idea of accepting federal funding. We could have access to more jobs, healthcare and education with better internet access.

The decades-long defunding of our local communities has been Republican-led. Our state sits on an $8 billion surplus, but our schools are last in the nation for student funding and teacher pay and our state government owes millions of dollars in late payments to care facilities all over the state. Our Medicaid enrollment wait-times are nearly the longest in the nation, foster children have gone missing, and we were just ranked among the "Most Corrupt States in the Nation", again.

This year, the GOP’s nominee for Governor is campaigning on ending property taxes — something that County Commissioners and City Councillors in our District have told me would bankrupt their area. Counties across Southeast Missouri have been losing population and they are now in a dire situation when it comes to funding their City & County government. But the situation isn’t any better in counties that have more residents and resources. In Ste. Genevieve they are facing a budget crisis because the Republican-majority state legislature changed a regulation that has caused their local tax revenue from mining to evaporate. In many counties, sales tax revenue is non-existent because businesses have largely left the area. For some, there’s one Wal-Mart or a Dollar General that provides their only source of sales tax revenue. Property taxes keep these funding-starved areas running on a shoestring budget. Conservatives have starved our communities of funds that should be invested here.

The truth is, my friends, that the economy does better under Democratic leadership. Four years is a long time, but let’s honestly remember that we were not better off when Trump was president. Job loss was apocalyptic, lines for food banks went on for miles, and many businesses and services had to close. Culture-war topics don’t create more jobs or bring down the prices of food, they distract us from focusing on the critical topics that matter for the common good.

Is the Democratic party perfect? Nope. Are they more effective at governing? Absolutely. In the words of Bill Clinton’s speech at the DNC, “Since the end of the Cold War in 1989, America has created about 51 million new jobs. I swear I checked this three times. Even I couldn’t believe it. What’s the score? Democrats: 50, Republicans:1.”

Vote for Democrats up and down your ballot by Nov. 5, because you deserve better.

RANDI McCALLIAN, Democratic nominee for Missouri’s 8th Congressional District, Newburg, Missouri

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Randi McCallian for MO-08; Treasurer: Shelly Trumpolt, P.O.Box 281, Edgar Springs, MO 65462