Protecting your Freedom |Protecting your Family | Protecting your Future
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 Schoeller also 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
Our nations Founding Fathers established our country on the belief that protecting individual property rights mattered. They mattered enough that they made a point to include the Takings Clause in the Fifth Amendment. I support strengthening our private property rights as Missourians. The inability for the average citizen to defend their property against eminent domain is unacceptable. We need to continue working to curtail the current definitions of eminent domain to a very defined and limited scope of use for roads, public utilities and railroads.
When eminent domain is justified, no property owner deserves to be treated unfairly in the process. Missourians should feel confident that they will be treated fairly throughout the entire process, and receive a fair price for their land. I will continue to support stronger property rights laws to protect Missourians from eminent domain abuse.
Domestic Violence
The domestic violence rate in Greene County remains the highest of any county in our state. I am committed to strengthening Greene County’s law enforcement community as they work to reduce the domestic violence that too many families are experiencing and protect the victims. It is important when our state is contacted for help regarding a victim of domestic violence that the victim is given every opportunity for protection. It is important they understand that they will be protected and supported when they decide to leave their abusive situation.
The Springfield Family Violence Center (1-800-831-6863) is an excellent example of where public funding makes an actual difference by ensuring the victims are protected once they enter their doors. I will continue to work to get them the funding they need to protect victims of domestic violence. When a call is made to the state Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-392-3738, every caller should have the confidence that the matter will be appropriately handled in the Children’s Division of the Department of Social Services.
When failures occur in the system it has often led to worse abuse and sometimes the death of the child. Neither outcome is acceptable. Knowing improvements must be made and working with the grandparent of Gavin Jordan who lost his life despite repeated phone calls to the Child Abuse Hotline, I wrote and sponsored House Bill 2440. The goal of the legislation is to focus on areas of improvement to both prevent and protect children from abuse when Children's Division within the Department of Social Services is contacted. To learn more about HB 2440, click here.
Methamphetamines
Meth production and personal use remains a problem for local and state law enforcement authorities. To help protect our communities we must continue working to eliminate local production and reduce personal use at every opportunity. This cannot be accomplished if law enforcement is not given 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.
To help law enforcement I supported passage of House Bill 1549 that will provide training for the Missouri State Highway Patrol in the apprehension of illegal aliens. Now the Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol can coordinate with the United States Department of Homeland Security concerning the enforcement of federal immigration laws. This will allow for effective training of each patrol officer when an illegal alien is apprehended that may be transporting meth to our through our state.
I also voted to help pass Senate Bill 732 that will beginning this January help in the coordination of documentation relating to the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine. All computer records relating to these sales will be available for each pharmacy to use each month to ensure local meth producers can no longer shop pharmacy to pharmacy and repeatedly purchase over the counter pharmaceuticals that contain key ingredients needed to make meth. I will take every opportunity to fight this problem for our local law enforcements officer so they can continue to do more to eliminate this problem to protect our children and families.Life
I am proud to be Pro-Life. 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. That is why I supported House Bill 1055 that was passed into law. Here is an article I wrote about HB 1055 that the Springfield News-Leader published last year.
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 firmly say “no” to oppressive taxes and burdensome regulations that hinder the free market and discourage entrepreneurship. To learn more about the legislation I actively supported as a part of the Job Creation and Economic Development Committee, click here.
Taxes
I do not support new taxes! Our state government must be held accountable and learn to live within its means. It must prove it is being a faithful steward of your tax dollars. A faithful steward means continually evaluating where and how your taxes are spent to ensure a tangible return to you as a taxpayer. Often times the intention for new taxes are good but each time a new tax is added that brings in revenue apart from the normal taxes you already pay it allows for less fiscal responsibility in the general revenue budget. The general revenue taxes that were spent on the item the special tax was used for, are then freed up to be spent on either enlarging current government programs or creating a new government program. Neither outcome is acceptable.
Bureaucrats in Jefferson City are quick to point to 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 and if not how can they be better spent.
It is your money and your state government. Together we must hold our state government accountable for each tax dollar it spends. This way, when real needs arise the necessary funds will be available. To learn more about the legislation we passed that both helps to protect you from higher taxes as well as lower your taxes, click here.
Agriculture
Our farmers are the backbone in this district, and of the entire state. Last year alone the USDA Economic Research Service Fact Sheet on Missouri Agriculture showed the top 5 agriculture commodities in our state, soybeans, cattle and calves, corn, hogs & turkeys brought in total receipts of $6,919,680,000 billion. That is almost $7 billion dollars in our Missouri economy, which means they lead our state in having the greatest economic impact!
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 healthcare system. We can further strengthen the healthcare system in our region and state through ensuring each patient has the freedom to choose a health insurance plan that fits his or her needs and the doctor and hospital of their choice. To help in this endeavor it is important that patients have access to pertinent information when choosing their insurance plan, physician and hospital.
To achieve this, it is important to unleash the restrictive nature of government where healthcare is concerned. This means developing a system of healthcare that assures patients have options while reining in our state bureaucracy to ensure the level of care a person desires to meet their healthcare needs is met.
1. Tax Fairness
To do this we must first ensure tax fairness by giving all Missourians the same tax benefits given to business owners for their employees. It is inequitable to give some Missourians tax breaks for their health insurance coverage and not give it to all Missourians.
2. Freedom of Choice
It is important that all Missourians be given the freedom to choose their own doctor and hospital to ensure they receive the level of care they desire to meet their healthcare needs.
Direct the State of Missouri, Department of Insurance to allow Missourians to buy insurance that has been approved by other states for themselves. More options in health insurance coverage means patients have a better opportunity to find a plan that best fits their healthcare needs.
3. Limit Government Mandates
Allow Missourians the freedom to refuse some or all of state mandated insurance coverage options. Mandated coverage has the best of intentions but it does drive up the premiums paid for by the insured. By allowing this option there is a better chance for creating more affordable insurance packages that meet the needs of person who is purchasing the coverage.
4. Healthcare Savings Accounts
For those who may not have the means to purchase health insurance and do not qualify for Medicaid we can create Healthcare Savings Accounts through better use of the disproportionate payments commonly referred to as DSH payments that our hospitals receive. This will allow the uninsured to have access to insurance that fits their needs rather than a well-intentioned government plan that fails to give the level of coverage needed.
5. Transparency
We need to be especially diligent in providing Missourians information about their healthcare. The more educated patient are the better decisions they will make about their care when they visit the doctor’s office, go in for an out of hospital medical procedure or a stay in the hospital. The better informed they are through this increase in access to information the more likely they will make good decisions that save the healthcare system down the road from unnecessary medical visits that could have easily been avoided.
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.
A great debate is occurring in our state about the future of our education system. It is important to emphasize that as a state we are funding our education system above the amount our State Constitution mandates. The State Constitution requires that we give our public education system for elementary and secondary education a minimum of 25% of the total general revenue dollars in our state budget. We have exceeded that mandate by almost 10% and in the past two years that I have served, we have increased their budget by $262,588,810.
Yet money alone does not assure we have quality schools. If we increase their budget while simultaneously increasing the level of mandates and paperwork, we have limited their ability to tailor to the needs of their students in the classroom. I am committed to giving our teachers in the classroom the flexibility they need to teach each student to the best of his or her ability. When our teachers are free to teach and with the resources they need to teach, they are given the opportunity to prepare each students to be their best upon graduation.
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 as well as quantity 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. The legislature has yet to pass legislation that strikes the right balance in this for the entire state. It is important to pass legislation that is able to ensure the important balance of caring for our water supply while preserving an individuals private property rights is essential to any legislation package that is passed.