Protecting Your Freedom
Shane Schoeller is committed to protecting your freedom. The rights to own property and firearms are essential to the personal and economic freedom we enjoy as Americans. Shane will be persistent in defending your private property and 2nd Amendment rights. Shane Schoelleralso believes that to protect our freedom we must support local law enforcement in their fight against the manufacture, distribution, and consumption of all illegal drugs (especially meth), illegal immigration, and domestic violence.
Property Rights
The Founding Fathers were very concerned with protecting individual property rights, so much so that they made a point to include the Takings Clause in the Fifth Amendment. Today Missourians are often unable to defend their property against eminent domain abuse, and find themselves treated unfairly when their property is taken away. It is particularly troubling when a taxpayer's property is then conveyed to a private developer on the pretense of some public benefit. When eminent domain is justified, Missourians should feel confident that they will be treated fairly throughout the entire process, and that they will receive a fair price for their land.
Domestic Violence
The domestic violence rate in Greene County is higher than any other county in our state. I am committed to strengthening Greene County's law enforcement community as they work to reduce domestic violence and protect the victims. It is equally important victims know they will be protected and supported when they leave their abusive situation. It is important the state support the Springfield Family Violence Center (1-800-831-6863), and I will work to get them the funding they need to protect victims of domestic violence.
Methamphetamines
Meth production and personal use is a growing problem for local law enforcement and our State Highway Patrol. To help protect our communities we must eliminate local production and reduce personal use at every opportunity. This cannot be accomplished if we do not give local law enforcement and State Highway Patrol the necessary resources to combat a growing problem that threatens all socioeconomic levels due to its quick addiction, ease of obtaining and relatively low cost to purchase compared to other drugs. I will take every opportunity to fight this problem for our state and local law enforcement so they can continue to do more to fight this problem.
Life
I am Pro-Life and the only candidate in the 139th to receive the Missouri Right to Life endorsement! As a society, we must protect and value all human life, however young or old. I am opposed to abortion except as necessary to save the life of the mother, or in cases of rape or incest. We must help mothers who are struggling with a life or death decision like abortion. I support public funding for institutions like the Springfield Pregnancy Care Center, which educate and support mothers struggling with whether or not to carry their baby to full term.
I do not support embryonic stem cell research, including the controversial process known as somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This process is human cloning, and I do not believe that human cloning should be legal, much less supported with your tax dollars. I do support adult stem cell research, which has yielded numerous successes in medical research to help aid the fight against disease and illnesses.
Protecting Your Family
Shane Schoeller is committed to protecting your family. Shane will work to let you keep more of your hard-earned income through lower taxes and increased savings limits for tax-protected investments, such as college and healthcare savings accounts. Protecting your family also means supporting our small business owners. Whether a farmer, local grocer, or restaurant owner, small businesses create jobs locally and should have a friend, not an enemy, in state government. Shane Schoellersupports lower taxes and will fight against the red tape and over-regulation that stifles small business. As evidence of his commitment to fighting higher taxes, Shane has signed the iron-clad Americans for Tax Reform "Taxpayer Protection Pledge."
Free Enterprise
We must continually encourage free enterprise by supporting the economic energy source that powers our nation's economic engine: small businesses. Small businesses continually have created new job opportunities, and thereby led the way in economic growth throughout American history. To ensure this continues it is necessary that we firmly say "no" to oppressive taxes and burdensome regulations that hinder the free market and discourage entrepreneurship.
Taxes
I do not support new taxes! Our state government must be held accountable. It must prove it is being a faithful steward of your tax dollars. A faithful steward of your money means continually evaluating where your taxes are spent and ensuring a tangible return with positive results.
Bureaucrats in Jefferson City are often too quick to point to binding state statutes when asked about questionable spending practices. Therefore, the legislature must regularly examine how state government is spending your tax dollars. Is the program meeting the intended objective? This means going beyond state audits and examining each program on a case-by-case basis. If the program is not necessary then it should be eliminated from the budget. If the program is necessary, then legislators should ask whether the dollars are being spent well to meet the program's intended objective.
It is your money and your state government. Together we must hold our state government accountable for each tax dollar it spends. This will ensure when a real need arises the necessary funds will be available.
Agriculture
Our farmers are the backbone this district, and of the entire state. In an industry continually affected by outside conditions beyond their control, it is imperative state government help facilitate stable commodity prices.
Farmers have always been at the forefront of embracing technology and innovation in improving their farming practices. We must continue to invest in our agricultural community through innovative research at our public universities, so that Missouri farmers will remain competitive in this global market. It is in our state's best interest to continue partnering with our farming community and further strengthen the agricultural industry.
Health Care
Southwest Missouri benefits from a strong, dynamic health care system. We can further strengthen the health care system by increasing the diversity of coverage options. Ideas like health care savings accounts and group health insurance plans are proving successful, because they give patients more options for how to pay for their care.
It is essential too that we continue to support our state's safety net program, Medicaid, to help those who cannot purchase health insurance. We cannot forget our duty to help those who cannot afford needed medical treatment.
Protecting Your Future
Shane Schoeller is committed to protecting your future. Shane believes our schools must give our children unparalleled educational opportunities to achieve their dreams. This promise of a better tomorrow also means a strong infrastructure built on better roads, cleaner water, cheaper and more reliable energy, and more affordable homeownership. Shane Schoellerwill be a good steward of our resources to build a brighter future with greater opportunities for all Missourians.
Education
Education is the cornerstone of strong, healthy communities. All Missouri students deserve a quality education in the public, private, or home setting. High academic standards must be set for each child. We must give parents, teachers and administrators the flexibility to reach those standards without onerous regulations that hinder or prevent a quality learning experience.
Infrastructure
A strong infrastructure is a vital to assuring we live in well-built, healthy communities in Walnut Grove, Fair Grove, Willard and Springfield. The essentials components of a strong infrastructure are well-built public roads and bridges, an affordable and reliable public energy supply, a continuous and clean public water supply, accessibility to information through our public libraries and the Internet, and affordability of homeownership. When it comes to infrastructure, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Together, these elements will generate continued economic growth in our state.
Water Quality
Excellent water quality is an issue that concerns everyone, whether it is through personal, business, or recreational use. We are continually learning more about how to protect our water sheds to ensure our nature's streams, rivers, and lakes are protected from unnecessary pollutants. We must be firmly resolved to pass on to our children a clean supply of water. To help meet this goal, we need to commit to education and common sense guidelines.