Where America Went Wrong: How We Lost Our Moral Compass
America was once seen as a city on a hill—a land of opportunity rooted in Christian values and a shared moral code. But today, many Americans feel something has gone terribly wrong. We’ve become politically divided, morally confused, and culturally fragmented. Families are struggling. Communities…
Missouri’s $1.5 Billion Stadium Boondoggle: Rural Communities Pay, Ungrateful Kansas City Billionaires Profit
On June 14, 2025, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 3 (SB3) into law, locking in up to $1.5 billion in taxpayer money—plus an estimated $50 million annually for 30 years—to fund stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. For the farmers, small business…
Missouri’s Misguided Stadium Subsidies: A Betrayal of Taxpayers
Missouri’s elected officials, led by Governor Mike Kehoe and a Republican-dominated General Assembly, are barreling toward a fiscal fiasco that prioritizes the profits of billionaire sports team owners over the needs of everyday Missourians. In a state grappling with crumbling infrastructure, underfunded schools, and struggling…
Missouri’s Budget Blunder: Federal Dependency Threatens Chariton County’s Rural Heartland
Missouri’s state budget has been propped up by a flood of federal dollars, creating a mirage of prosperity with record-high spending on schools, roads, and healthcare. But for the farmers, small business owners, and families of Chariton County—living in tight-knit towns like Keytesville, Salisbury, Mendon,…
Saving Missouri’s Family Farms: Future Policies to Protect Chariton County’s Rural Heritage
In the heart of Chariton County, Missouri, family farms define the landscape and spirit of towns like Keytesville, Salisbury, Mendon, and Brunswick. These small operations, passed down through generations, face relentless threats: soaring input costs, unaffordable land prices, and corporate agribusinesses dominating markets. Brian Reisinger,…
Missouri’s Education Crisis: Karla Eslinger and DESE’s Abysmal Failure
Missouri’s public education system is crumbling, and the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), under Commissioner Karla Eslinger, is at the epicenter of the collapse. Tasked with overseeing nearly 900,000 students across 550 school districts, DESE is mired in bureaucratic excess, funding chaos,…
Highway Safety During Planting Season in Chariton County, Missouri: Protecting Farm Equipment Operators and Drivers
As planting season brings Chariton County, Missouri’s rural highways to life in April and May, tractors, planters, and other farm equipment crisscross roads like Route 5 and Highway 24, moving between fields to sow crops. This critical period, driven by tight weather windows, increases the…
Missouri’s Rural-Urban Income Divide: Rusty Black and Tim Taylor’s Urban Bias Leaves Chariton County Behind
Missouri’s rural communities, including Chariton County, face a persistent income gap compared to urban centers like Kansas City and St. Louis, threatening the heartland’s way of life. From 2005 to 2023, rural median household incomes in Missouri rose from roughly $35,000 to $55,000–$60,000, while urban…
Farm Fire Safety in Spring: Preventing Agricultural Fires Across Missouri
As the spring planting season ramps up across Missouri, so do the risks of fire on farms and rural properties. Chariton County has already experienced several large field and brush fires in recent weeks. While many associate wildfires and farm-related fires with the heat of…
Why Missouri’s Rural Senators and Reps Are Ignoring a Fairer Constitutional Amendment Process
Missouri’s Constitution is the backbone of our state’s governance, meant to echo the will of all its people—not just those in the biggest cities. Yet, the current process for amending this vital document is stacked against rural Missouri, amplifying urban voices while rural counties get…