The Biden administration’s Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan aimed to forgive up to $475 billion in student loans, a move critics argue lacked clear congressional authorization. Attorney General Bailey, recognizing the constitutional implications, led a coalition of seven Republican-led states in a lawsuit against this plan. The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with Missouri, ruling that the Education Department had overstepped its authority, thereby blocking the SAVE plan in its entirety. ​

This legal victory underscores Missouri’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that executive actions do not bypass legislative processes. As Attorney General Bailey aptly stated, “Though [President] Biden is out of office, this precedent is imperative to ensuring a president cannot force working Americans to foot the bill for someone else’s Ivy League debt.”

Governor Mike Kehoe’s administration complements these efforts by promoting policies that prioritize fiscal responsibility and personal accountability. Rather than endorsing sweeping debt cancellations, Missouri focuses on expanding workforce development programs, supporting trade schools, and strengthening community colleges. These initiatives provide affordable pathways to employment without imposing undue burdens on taxpayers.​

The state’s proactive approach serves as a model for others grappling with the complexities of student debt. By challenging unconstitutional federal mandates and promoting practical solutions, Missouri reaffirms its dedication to conservative values and the principles of limited government.​

As the national debate on student loan forgiveness continues, Missouri’s leadership exemplifies how states can assert their rights and protect their citizens from federal overreach. Through steadfast commitment to the Constitution and prudent policymaking, Missouri ensures that the ideals of personal responsibility and fiscal integrity remain at the heart of American governance.

Sarah Graff

Sarah Graff serves on Moberly’s city council and is a candidate for state senate to replace a term-limited Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin in Northeast Missouri.

The post Opinion: Missouri leads the charge against Biden’s unconstitutional student loan forgiveness appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Right now, Congress is considering changes that could limit access to or reduce funding for these programs. That would hit southeast Missouri hard. In Missouri’s 8th District, 13.4% of residents rely on SNAP, and 22% are enrolled in Medicaid. These aren’t just statistics — they’re our neighbors. Many of them are working in low-wage jobs while trying to support their families, while others are veterans or seniors.

SNAP is a smart investment. For every meal the charitable food network provides, SNAP delivers nine. It’s efficient, targeted, and boosts our local economy; every $1 used of SNAP generates about $1.50 in economic activity, supporting small-town grocery stores, farmers, and local jobs.

Medicaid works the same way. Nearly two-thirds of enrollees are already working —many in the essential roles that keep our communities running. For kids, seniors, and those with disabilities, Medicaid is often the only access to healthcare they have. Without it, we’d see increased strain on emergency rooms and rural hospitals, not to mention greater long-term costs for taxpayers.

We want to recognize Congressman Jason Smith for the care he’s always shown for our most vulnerable. He’s stood with working families before, and we believe he understands how important these programs are to the 8th District. I’m asking him — and all of us — to stay the course. Of course, we support efforts to root out waste, fraud, and abuse; but these programs are a hand-up, not a hand-out.

Let’s protect SNAP. Let’s preserve Medicaid. Let’s help Southeast Missouri not just survive — but thrive.

Joey Keys

Joey Keys is the President and CEO of Southeast Missouri Food Bank

The post Opinion: SNAP & Medicaid are vital to our SEMO community appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Here in the Show-Me State, we know that actions speak louder than words. That is why I’m optimistic that Congressman Smith will work to deliver on President Trump’s promise to cut taxes for America’s family caregivers who assist their older parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents, and other loved ones so they can live independently in their own homes.  Already, Smith is leading the effort to evaluate tax proposals and build consensus around policies that will provide the most significant economic relief for Missourians and Americans across the country.

After years of record inflation and an out-of-control cost-of-living crisis, simply renewing the expiring 2017 tax cuts won’t do enough to put money back into the pockets of working Missourians and make America’s economy great again for the working class. The 119th Congress will need to not only renew but also expand the Trump tax cuts with the addition of new policies. And few of the proposals under consideration carry such broad support or stand to have such a widespread impact on Missouri’s working families, rural seniors, and taxpayers as the proposed tax relief for family caregivers.

Family caregivers across the country provide an estimated $600 billion in unpaid labor each year – a cost that would at least partially fall on taxpayer-funded programs if it weren’t for America’s 48 million family caregivers who help seniors live independently in their homes. In Missouri alone, more than 800,000 family caregivers hold up our broken long-term care system providing an estimated $11.6 billion in unpaid labor as they care for older parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents, and other loved ones. Additionally, family caregivers typically spend over $7,200 a year out of their own pockets on care-related costs as they help loved ones with everything from medications and medical care to meals, bathing, transportation, and much more. These out-of-pocket costs in the face of skyrocketing prices of groceries, gas, and other everyday goods compound the need for tax relief.

Simply put, Missouri needs our family caregivers, and they need a tax credit. Thankfully, Congressman Smith is prepared to lead the fight to turn President Trump’s tax promise into law and deliver for the “Show-Me” state by showing our family caregivers some much-needed tax relief.

Vinnie Clubb

Vinnie Clubb is a REALTOR and active member of the Wayne County community.

The post Op-Ed: Keep Fighting for Missouri’s Working Class: Family Caregivers Need Tax Relief and Congressman Smith is Ready to Lead the Charge appeared first on The Missouri Times.

Last weekend, a group of neo-nazis stood on an overpass in Town and Country to display their hatred of people like me and many of my neighbors. On October 7th—the anniversary of the day Israel was attacked—state representative candidate Eric Morse followed suit by trying to tie his Jewish opponent, Dr. George Hruza, to the hate group in a press release. The cruel irony: Dr. Hruza is the son of a Holocaust survivor.

We have a candidate running here in St. Louis County that is obsessed with his opponent (including his ethnic and immigrant background, it seems) all the while insinuating that he is the only “anti-racist” in the race. Whether it’s falsely stating his opponent (a legal immigrant who escaped the horrors of Soviet communism) is “modeling his governing philosophy after those who trample on the human rights of people…” or making memes mocking Hruza with captions like, “Name this Band…Ghostface Killaz…,” Eric Morse has proven he is unfit for public office. It’s not funny; it’s offensive and terrifying.

Morse claims that bigots hide behind black masks and white hoods. Apparently, they also hide behind smiling profile pictures and deceptive Democrat-blue logos.

St. Louis County has a clear choice this November: standing with a hate-aligned candidate or against him. Dr. George Hruza is the only candidate in this state representative race that has made his campaign about local issues—not backhanded, racially-charged virtue signaling. This isn’t about partisan politics; this is about human decency in our community.

Rachel Reby Eidelman

Rachel Reby Eidelman is a resident of St. Louis County.

The post Opinion: The Eric Morse code: fight bigotry with more bigotry appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The UAW wants to organize workers in the south, including Missouri. If recent history is any indication, the union will tell all manner of falsehoods to get what it wants. We have a great auto manufacturer in Troy, and it would be horribly detrimental to our community if we were to lose it because of union expansion.

While the UAW offers job security to workers who join their ranks, nothing could be further from the truth. The UAW’s future is dim and while its leadership lines its pockets with members’ dues, workers face the real-world consequences of the UAW’s unreasonable demands. Just ask the 18,000 autoworkers at the Detroit Three who face layoffs with no end in sight. Just in July, Stellantis announced the temporary layoffs of an additional 1,600 workers in Warren, Michigan.

Consider the fact also that the UAW has spent lavishly on travel, hotels, and executive salaries over the past several years. For example, from 2013 to 2018, the UAW spent $43 million on hotels and resorts and $4 million on restaurants and bars.

Two past UAW Presidents have been convicted of felonies involving financial mismanagement. Meanwhile, current President Shawn Fain is under investigation by a federal court-appointed watchdog. Fain has been accused by two union officials of retaliating against them when they refused to take actions that would have benefited Fain’s fiancé and her sister.

Auto companies in Missouri are an important part of our economy. They provide jobs and support families throughout the state. These companies are an economic engine for communities that fund roads, schools, and other essential public services. According to a new economic impact report from Autos Drive America, in Missouri alone, they have provided $309 million in revenue to the state and localities, $459 million in revenue to the federal government, and $3.2 billion in economic contribution to Missouri’s GSP.

These companies are also essential to meeting Americans’ transportation needs while continuing to invest millions in their American facilities and workforce. They are conducting cutting-edge research and building new, advanced safety technologies like driver assist features and vehicle connectivity to promote driver and passenger safety now and into the future. They provide health, dental, vision, life, and disability insurance to their employees and cover an average of 90% of health care premiums, while offering an average of 25 days of paid time off on top of paid holidays. They are vital to our economy and provide good jobs to Missouri workers.

When the UAW prices labor out of the market, corporations will look to expand overseas. Right or wrong, the CEO of Ford recently said the company will need to reconsider expanding in the U.S. because of the overly burdensome demands of the UAW.

We should work together to ensure Missouri workers maintain their freedoms in the workplace. We don’t need interlopers from Michigan, soaked in corruption, coming here to tell us what to do.

Gary Grunick

Gary Grunick is a Retired Air Force Colonel. He has been a municipal and an appellate judge. Gary also chaired the Lincoln County Republican Central Committee.

The post Opinion: The Dangers of Union Expansion in Missouri appeared first on The Missouri Times.

It’s no wonder; nothing about going to the doctor is particularly fun.

The unknown of what the bill will look like, the big question mark about what insurance covers and what it doesn’t. What will the doctor say? What if they find something? Even the task of having to load up the kids in the car or find someone to watch them while you go to your appointment alone is enough to bump an appointment to the bottom of the to-do list.

All these fears are totally valid, but doing anything hard or scary can be a lot easier when we do it with a knowledgeable and trusted friend. Gateway to Hope is that friend. For so many Missouri women, Gateway to Hope has been the both the expert and the counselor in the room.

From preventative care and screenings to financial resources and guidance, the people at Gateway to Hope really care. They will put together a roadmap to help women with a breast cancer diagnosis handle costs, care, and answer every question without judgement. They’ll even have a plan to cover travel costs and utility bills.

With a local partner like Gateway to Hope, women don’t have to wait for the right time or the right amount in their bank account to get checked out, and they shouldn’t. The earlier the screening, the sooner breast cancer can be detected, and the greater the survival rate. Taking control of your breast health can completely transform fear into hope, and that is what Gateway to Hope is all about.

Getting plugged in is as easy as signing up on the Gateway to Hope website. Missouri women are far too strong to be pushed around by fear. I hope you’ll join hundreds of other women in the state in committing to your breast health this year.

Rep. Melanie Stinnett

Melanie Stinnett is the state representative of Missouri House District 133 in Greene County.

The post Opinion: Gateway to Hope – A friend who is there through the fear appeared first on The Missouri Times.

While the national press has focused on efforts in Tennessee and Alabama, the Toyota plant in Troy, MO, is also a target. The UAW’s efforts failed in Alabama, and we hope they are also unsuccessful in Troy – our own backyard.

Recently, a Ford Motor Company executive stated that due to the UAW strike last year, the company must “think carefully” about where it will build vehicles in the future. That strike has and will continue to create long-term obstacles for job growth in the auto industry. Workers lost nearly three-quarters of a billion dollars in unrecoverable wages from the strike. And since the strike, the Big Three automakers have announced 18,000 layoffs.

The union’s preferred method of organizing – card check, rather than the secret ballot – exposes workers to public pressure, intimidation, and even harassment. This tactic has worked for the unions in other states. Forcing workers to publicly declare their support for or opposition to the union (which is how card check works) breeds division, conflict, and coercion among workers.

But that’s not all. Unions want to silence employers by attempting to pressure them into accepting neutrality agreements that bar the employers from expressing their perspective about the union. This allows the union to prevent workers from receiving all the information, facts, and context in the organizing election, meaning important information may never reach the workers in Troy. They would be denied the right to make an informed decision – one that affects their careers for the rest of their work lives.

Associated Industries of Missouri opposes the UAW’s self-serving efforts to expand its membership in the “Show Me State.” Ultimately, we believe it will kill job growth by making the state less competitive and will cost workers their freedom in the workplace.

Ray McCarty

Ray McCarty is the president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, the state’s oldest general business association.

The post Opinion: Resist union expansion in Missouri appeared first on The Missouri Times.

The Foreign Pollution Fee Act would impose a carbon border tax on materials and products imported to the U.S. from a list of countries with environmental policies we don’t like. It would add to the regulatory burden everyday Americans face through liberal tax increases. This approach raises questions about its impact on American competitiveness and the well-being of our communities.

One of the most concerning aspects of this tax is its potential to drive jobs overseas and exacerbate inflation at home. Rather than penalizing countries like China and Russia for their environmental practices, the burden falls squarely on American families. As The Wall Street Journal has written, “In the name of punishing China, the legislation would punish American consumers and businesses.” That’s because this tariff, and like all tariffs, it is a tax that will ultimately be paid for by American manufacturers and consumers.

This misguided strategy not only hinders domestic job growth but also adds fuel to the fire of inflation, a concern that continues to weigh heavily on the minds of Americans across the nation. Senate Republicans find themselves at a crossroads. They should be championing the cause of lower taxes for working families. Instead, there seems to be an increasing willingness to collaborate with Democrats on a European-style tax regime that threatens to crush American consumers.

Perhaps the most compelling argument against the Foreign Pollution Fee Act comes from the pages of recent history. Former President Trump, a staunch advocate for America First policies, recognized the pitfalls of such liberal tax schemes. During his first administration, he successfully defeated a similar proposal, rightly labeling it a “bad deal” for Americans. As we navigate the complexities of today’s economic landscape, the wisdom of his stance should not be forgotten.

Senator Josh Hawley has been a great advocate for working Missourians. He and his Republican colleagues should avoid making common cause with the liberal politicians championing the virtues of inflationary Bidenomics.

The Foreign Pollution Fee Act and its carbon border tax present a clear and present danger to American jobs and prosperity. Senate Republicans, in upholding their commitment to conservative principles, should be unwavering in their resolve to lower taxes on working families. Collaborating with Democrats on ill-conceived tax schemes is not the solution.

Rep. Aaron McMullen

Rep. Aaron McMullen (R) represents District 20 in the Missouri House of Representatives.

The post Opinion: Carbon border tax seeks to continue Bidenflation, hurt Missouri families appeared first on The Missouri Times.

While tax laws are complex, the answer is simple: the Bidens wanted to avoid paying more than the law required them to. Had they taken 60 percent of $11 million as wages, they would have owed taxes on $6.6 million in wages. Including federal income taxes, social security taxes, Medicare taxes of 2.9 percent, and potentially the 3.8 percent Net Investment Income Tax created with the enactment of Obamacare in 2010, as well as state taxes in Delaware. It is typical of Washington elites to avoid an extra $191,000 to Medicare and likely a similar amount in NIIT to the federal Treasury.

The percentage taken out climbed each year, not because they paid themselves more, but because the S Corp took in less. This is presumably because the optics of getting paid to do campaign speeches, which is what both Bidens were doing beginning in 2019, would have been pretty bad. So, they capitalized on the opportunity to make a bunch of money giving speeches right after leaving office, paid taxes according to the law on that income, and then mostly lived off that until he moved into 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 2021.

Today, when President Joe Biden is out the campaign stump, he accuses regular citizens for not paying their “fair share” as if they are shirking a patriotic duty by paying what the law allows rather than some arbitrarily assigned number by moralists seeking reelection in order to spend other peoples’ money.

Biden is also overseeing the largest expansion of the IRS’s enforcement activities in the history of the nation, with billions of dollars being used to audit and investigate companies of all sizes and types…including S corporations, partnerships and other pass-through entities.

Let’s hope the IRS remembers how it treated private citizens Joe and Jill Biden when they were filing their taxes as a business owners when it goes looking for farmers, shop owners, landscapers, and other patriots who they might think are not paying “their fair share.”

Let’s also hope that our leaders in Congress take action to protect business partnerships from IRS targeting and vilification. Fortunately, for Missouri, we have Congressman Jason Smith serving as Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. We need strong leaders like Chairman Smith to speak out against the onslaught of audits and enforcement actions by the IRS and protect business partnerships.

Rep. Jamie Burger

Rep. Jamie Burger (R) represents State House District 148 in Scott County, MO.

The post Opinion: Would the Joe Biden of 2017 be a target of the Joe Biden IRS of 2024? appeared first on The Missouri Times.

As most Missourians know, not long ago there were 10 abortion clinics in Missouri and now there are none. Regulations requiring abortion clinics to be medically safe and other reforms have led to Missouri being a truly pro-life state.

However, troubling new allegations from Kansas City have surfaced.

Last late month, Project Veritas posted a video of Kansas City Planned Parenthood executives openly discussing their plans to traffic minor children across state lines without the knowledge of their parents or school. The “bypass” method allows an unrelated adult to assist with the transportation without the knowledge of a relative or other authority.

The executive even brags that a doctor’s excuse will be provided after the fact for the student’s school. She confidently states, “this is not our first rodeo.”

More troubling to me, the employees never asked the man escorting the purported 13-year-old what his relationship was to the young girl.

Planned Parenthood’s actions in the state of Missouri and beyond have always been troubling. Now, with this new video, there’s evidence that the organization is continuing to endanger our children by engaging in what appears to be illegal activity.

The video helps confirm what we already knew: Planned Parenthood should not be subsidized by taxpayers.

Rep. Cody Smith

Cody Smith (R) is the state representative for Missouri House District 163.

The post Opinion: Missouri taxpayers should not be subsidizing Planned Parenthood appeared first on The Missouri Times.