The quotation from Deuteronomy comes from Ann Wagner’s statement on Immigration, in which she declares, “America has one of the most generous immigration systems in the entire world. As your representative, I advocate for fixing our broken immigration system to make our country safe, secure, and prosperous.”
Budgeting is the most basic responsibility of any institution, whether it is for a family, a business, or government. This has never been truer than today, as our nation’s finances are in a grave state.
With a national debt of more than $20 trillion, this is a crisis that threatens the prosperity and opportunity for future generations of Americans.
My personal observation: The National Debt has a controversial relationship to general prosperity. During its first term, the Roosevelt administration ran large annual deficits of between 2 and 5% of GDP. By 1939, the debt held by the public had increased to $39.65 billion or 43% of GDP.
This was a period of growing prosperity for all.
One of the primary responsibilities of the United States government is to provide for the common defense, as established in the Constitution.
Trish Gunby has no rebuttal. Apparently District Two has no interest in foreign policy.
Here Wagner plays it totally safe. She could have said something about relationships with Russia and China and the new focus on the Pacific balance of power. She could say something to make the cult leader angry, like supporting NATO.
Across the Second District and our nation, the economy and jobs remain the top concerns for American families. For too many years, Washington cultivated an environment of high taxes, overregulation, and crippling debt that sidelined capital and hurt job creation throughout our economy. When people stop me in the grocery store, they always mention two things: they want to keep more of their hard-earned paychecks and they want to know that their jobs are safe.
Typically Wagner treats the economy as if it needed minimal attention by the government. Once inflation cools down everyone will be wealthy. Trish Gunby counters:
• Support the fundamental dignity and self-determination of workers above all
• Stand beside organized labor in its efforts to strengthen the working classes and make workplaces safer
• Raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hr
• Institute and enforce antitrust laws that end monopoly control of industry and encourage fair market competition
• Fund universal childcare and paid family leave, so that parents can work and be present for their children
• Extend credit to small businesses in underserved communities to power organic job growth
The St. Louis region is home to some of the best K-12 education options in America—this includes private schools, public schools, public charter schools, magnet schools, online academies, and homeschooling. A good education is the foundation for a prosperous and secure future, and a student’s future should not be limited by their zip code or household income.
When we need a weather report, Wagner gives us an optimistic view of the climate of education. She doesn’t bring up the federal government here, but she believes it intervenes too much in local education.
Education in St.Louis has critical needs, as Trish Gunby notes:
• Strengthen public schools and universities to establish a cost-effective and high-quality education pipeline
• Address the cost of higher education and relieve the crippling debt burden it leaves behind
• Resist efforts by extremists to censor teachers’ lesson plans and schools’ reading materials
• Engage younger students with various trade and vocational programs to present a wider range of job opportunities after high school
• Fully fund universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year olds
• Support subsidized breakfast and lunch programs so that students can capably learn on a full stomach
Due to the ongoing development of our domestic resources, the United States is closer to becoming energy independent. For too long, we have relied on oil imports and watched as Americans were forced to pay increasing prices at the gas pump. I believe we must fully cultivate our oil resources by ending drilling moratoriums, increasing onshore and offshore production, and approving permits that would assist in transporting oil from North Dakota’s Bakken.
Energy independence must go hand-in-hand with clean energy. No more coal. More investment in gas, wind and solar.
From Trish Gunby: Next-generation jobs will require even bolder American infrastructure initiatives that allow us to compete globally and heal our planet into the next century. By expanding investment in renewable energy and green technologies, the United States can do what it’s always done: Set the global standard for innovation.
As a former United States Ambassador, I saw firsthand what strong ties with our allies and partners mean to an enhanced national security, free and fair trade, the protection of American interests abroad, and the promotion of democracy and human rights. As a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, I am committed to ensuring that our nation remains safe, secure, prosperous, and ready to respond to threats like terrorism, natural disasters, and mass atrocities.
Again this could be a Democratic platform statement, because it is so general, an outlook on climate. Positive comments on our alliances, but no observations on the shift toward the Pacific in foreign emphasis. We know President Trump categorically opposes foreign alliances.
Maintaining our nation’s roads, bridges, railways, waterways, and runways is critical to economic prosperity and global competitiveness. As the representative of a district that hosts a section of the Mississippi River—which provides thousands of jobs and transfers billions of dollars of commodities—I am committed to enhancing the economic impacts that a well-functioning transportation system provides to Missourians.
From Trish Gunby:
• Ensure the billions of “Build Back Better” dollars coming to Missouri are appropriated for the communities that need investment most
• Remove each and every lead pipe tainting the American water supply
• Invest in affordable housing initiatives as a pathway to intergenerational wealth
• Extend internet access to every American household
• Expand public transportation to revive the St. Louis region and connect communities
As a proud Army mom and the daughter of a Korean War veteran, I hold the men and women who serve in our great nation’s armed forces in the highest regard. As your representative in Congress, I am committed to ensuring our veterans receive quality health care and the benefits they have earned.
If you or someone you may know is experiencing issues with the federal government regarding benefits or medical care, my staff in Ballwin can assist as well as answer any questions. Please click here for additional information.
Good for Ann. I hope she lobbies for better funding of the VA, too.
I have the distinct privilege of serving on the United States House of Representatives Committee on Financial Services, which oversees the nation’s financial industry including banking, insurance, capital markets, and housing.
The St. Louis region is a national hub for the financial services industry, with over 84,000 people employed in insurance, banking, real estate, or other business lines throughout the region. I am honored to work on a committee which holds such great importance for Missouri’s 2nd Congressional District.
Hmmm. What has your committee done lately? How about those prominent businesses that are leaving St. Louis because of crime?
Gunby:
• Raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hr
• Institute and enforce antitrust laws that end monopoly control of industry and encourage fair market competition
• Fund universal childcare and paid family leave, so that parents can work and be present for their children
• Extend credit to small businesses in underserved communities to power organic job growth
America has one of the most generous immigration systems in the entire world. As your representative, I advocate for fixing our broken immigration system to make our country safe, secure, and prosperous. I believe in strong border security and believe that state and local law enforcement should cooperate with federal immigration authorities to ensure that our laws are respected and enforced. I am blessed to have been born in the United States, and I think Congress should be guided by Deuteronomy 10:18: “The Lord defends the rights of orphans and widows.”
Good stuff, Ann.
What about proposals that help immigrants? Gunby says,
• Pursue rehabilitative prison reforms, to reduce recidivism and encourage reintegration into society
• Support a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and undocumented people, to strengthen the American economy and keep families intact
• Support the rights and autonomy of people with disabilities by reinforcing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and enforcing the ruling in Olmstead
Protecting the unborn is one of my most precious duties as a member of Congress. I believe that life from conception to natural death is our greatest gift–and a gift that our country far too often takes for granted. One of my very first trips to Washington, D.C., was to take part in the annual march from the St. Louis Arch to the U.S. Capitol in support of the sanctity of life. I proudly support legislation that respects the dignity and right to life of every human being, and I will continue fighting for the rights of the unborn in Congress (emphasis added).
Here the dividing line with Democrats is much more pronounced. From Trish Gunby:
Even though a significant majority of Americans agree that abortion is health care, the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health has permitted the government to surveil and police pregnancy. While I’m devastated at losing the agency I’ve had over my body for 50 years, I’m not in mourning—I’m fighting back. If we allow extremists to take away our bodily autonomy, everything else is on the table. It’s time to make some noise and demand Congress pass laws to keep politicians out of our exam rooms, once and for all.
• Pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, a federal law which will restore your right to choose and repeal Missouri’s barbaric “no exceptions” abortion ban
• Pass the Access to Birth Control Act to protect access to contraception and promote family planning
• Boost Title X funding for reproductive health programs in under-insured, low-income communities
As a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, the individual right to own a gun is very important to me. I believe that our Founding Fathers meant for all law-abiding citizens to have the right to bear and maintain firearms. Whether it is for hunting or marksmanship, firearms are an integral part of American sportsmanship and recreation. Furthermore, individuals should always possess, as a last resource, the right to defend themselves and their families.
Ignoring the hundreds of mass shootings every year.
Gunby’s response:
• Expand background checks to cover sales made in-person or online through any retailer, reseller, or gun show vendor
• Ban the manufacture, possession, and sale of untraceable “ghost” guns and non-sporting assault weapons designed for military warfare
• Encourage safe weapons storage through tax incentives for gun safes, ammunition cases, etc.
• Create a national “Active Shooter Alert” system to limit damage to communities
• End the gun lobby’s civil immunity from lawsuits brought by survivors and the families of victims of gun violence
Here is the complete platform for Trish Gunby, taken from her website.
Trish Gunby
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Even though a significant majority of Americans agree that abortion is health care, the Supreme Court’s disastrous decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health has permitted the government to surveil and police pregnancy. While I’m devastated at losing the agency I’ve had over my body for 50 years, I’m not in mourning—I’m fighting back. If we allow extremists to take away our bodily autonomy, everything else is on the table. It’s time to make some noise and demand Congress pass laws to keep politicians out of our exam rooms, once and for all.
• Pass the Women’s Health Protection Act, a federal law which will restore your right to choose and repeal Missouri’s barbaric “no exceptions” abortion ban
• Pass the Access to Birth Control Act to protect access to contraception and promote family planning
• Boost Title X funding for reproductive health programs in under-insured, low-income communities
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At the heart of our democracy is your right to vote. That’s why I spent years fighting with West County Community Action Network (WE CAN) to obstruct the implementation of photo voter ID laws in Missouri. Unfortunately, the GOP has not relented in its attempts to deny voters their rightful voice in government. Paired with categorically false claims about election integrity, their efforts have unbalanced our democracy and spurred the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. To restore trust in our institutions, we must restore access to the ballot – and remove extremists who’ve turned our elections into circuses.
• Pass the Freedom to Vote Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act to limit the influence of money in American politics and restore key provisions of the landmark Voting Rights Act (1965)
• Overturn the Supreme Court’s disastrous Citizens United ruling which opened the floodgates for corporate and dark money to hijack our democracy
• Expand options for early and mail-in voting
• Implement automatic voter registration
• Oppose voter suppression efforts that target lawful voters, like roll purges and mandatory photo ID
• Make Election Day a federal holiday
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As the wife of a physician and the mother of a nurse, I’ve seen the toll this pandemic has taken, firsthand. But the gaps it’s exposed in the American healthcare system are nothing new. For generations, Americans have had their backs against the wall, scraping together funds for life-saving operations, chemotherapy and more through the generosity of their neighbors or platforms like GoFundMe. Now, the time has come to roll out a universal, proactive healthcare system that covers every American citizen, regardless of preexisting conditions, and frees them from the grip of greedy insurance companies and crippling medical debt.
• Enact a national, single-payer health insurance program that offers comprehensive medical coverage without premiums, deductibles, and surprise bills
• Lower the cost of life-saving drugs by allowing Medicare to negotiate with pharmaceutical companies and shortening the period in which drug makers have monopoly protections
• Treat mental health and addiction as illnesses, not crimes, and expand funding for counseling and rehabilitative services
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If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that workers are worth more. For too long, we’ve taken the labor of the middle and working classes for granted while letting billionaires grow richer at their expense. Well, no more. As they did in the early 20th century, it’s time to empower labor unions to rebalance the playing field for the people that form our economy’s backbone. And in Washington D.C., we must break up monopolies and amend our tax code so that bloated corporations and the 1% have to pay their fair share like the rest of us.
• Support the fundamental dignity and self-determination of workers above all
• Stand beside organized labor in its efforts to strengthen the working classes and make workplaces safer
• Raise the federal minimum wage to $15/hr
• Institute and enforce antitrust laws that end monopoly control of industry and encourage fair market competition
• Fund universal childcare and paid family leave, so that parents can work and be present for their children
• Extend credit to small businesses in underserved communities to power organic job growth
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The decisions we make today most affect future generations. Thankfully, passage of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law means they won’t be left with crumbling bridges, roads and, housing to hold them back. Still, next-generation jobs will require even bolder American infrastructure initiatives that allow us to compete globally and heal our planet into the next century. By expanding investment in renewable energy and green technologies, the United States can do what it’s always done: Set the global standard for innovation.
• Become a global leader in green technologies and renewable energy production to reverse the effects of climate change and future-proof our economy
• Ensure the billions of “Build Back Better” dollars coming to Missouri are appropriated for the communities that need investment most
• Remove each and every lead pipe tainting the American water supply
• Invest in affordable housing initiatives as a pathway to intergenerational wealth
• Extend internet access to every American household
• Expand public transportation to revive the St. Louis region and connect communities
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The key to the American Dream is a quality public education. Yet despite having the highest hopes for our students, they often bear the burden of budget cuts, tuition hikes and, foolish political games. Disinvestment in public schools and dangerously lax gun laws have left an indelible mark on recent generations. But instead of asking our students to climb higher and farther to clear barriers to success, imagine what they could accomplish if we allowed them to focus on just one thing – being the best they can be.
• Strengthen public schools and universities to establish a cost-effective and high-quality education pipeline
• Address the cost of higher education and relieve the crippling debt burden it leaves behind
• Resist efforts by extremists to censor teachers’ lesson plans and schools’ reading materials
• Engage younger students with various trade and vocational programs to present a wider range of job opportunities after high school
• Fully fund universal preschool for all 3- and 4-year olds
• Support subsidized breakfast and lunch programs so that students can capably learn on a full stomach
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Back in 2018, before running for public office, I cut my teeth as the founder of a social justice ministry at my church. It was a grassroots effort that opened my eyes to the vastly different experiences Americans have based on their race, gender, sexual orientation, and more. But there was one common takeaway: This country doesn’t work the same way for all of us, and it’s our responsibility as devotees to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” to build a safer, fairer world for our neighbors.
• Ensure LGBTQIA+ individuals feel safe and secure in their homes, schools, workplaces and communities
• Ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)
• Reimagine our approach to criminal justice through national standards for policing and use-of-force, to create more effective and accountable law enforcement
• Pursue rehabilitative prison reforms, to reduce recidivism and encourage reintegration into society
• Abolish the death penalty, which disproportionately affects low-income and minority offenders
• Legalize cannabis and expunge the records of those previously charged with related offenses.
• Support a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and undocumented people, to strengthen the American economy and keep families intact
• Support the rights and autonomy of people with disabilities by reinforcing Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and enforcing the ruling in Olmstead
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When I first put my son on a school bus in 1998, I couldn’t have fathomed the tragedies his generation would endure. Now, parents are conditioned to fear for their student’s life with every midday news bulletin, and active shooter trainings have become as commonplace as fire drills. It is a moral and legislative failure that we have allowed gun violence to become the number one cause of death for American children. But while it’s too late to bring back the innocent victims of Sandy Hook, Stoneman Douglas, and Uvalde, we can prevent the next attack by building on the recently passed bipartisan gun safety bill.
• Expand background checks to cover sales made in-person or online through any retailer, reseller, or gun show vendor
• Ban the manufacture, possession, and sale of untraceable “ghost” guns and non-sporting assault weapons designed for military warfare
• Encourage safe weapons storage through tax incentives for gun safes, ammunition cases, etc.
• Create a national “Active Shooter Alert” system to limit damage to communities
• End the gun lobby’s civil immunity from lawsuits brought by survivors and the families of victims of gun violence