The Missouri Times has a pretty standing policy against endorsements. It’s our job to tell you what the people you elect do, not what to think about it.
However, we are making an exception in the state senate seat that is home to our offices in Jefferson City.
State government is more important to the citizens of the 6th district than perhaps any other district in the state. Its state senator is the last line of defense for state employees whose livelihoods and the businesses who depend on those state employees to receive a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
The Missouri State Senate is the single most important institution in state government. Whatever radical policies, be they right wing or left wing, that you would hate state government to adopt you can really only thank the rules and traditions of the Missouri State Senate that Missouri hasn’t enacted them already.
It’s why from Tarkio to Hayti or Clark County to Carthage Terry Spieler should never buy her own drink.
The time we live in cries out for adults. Our state, and our state government is filled with snowflakes in both parties who pander to the extremes on Facebook or Twitter for their own gratification.
Missouri needs grown men who have enough steel in their spines to be the ones with the courage to stand up to the radicals and say no.
While this state will continue to move to the right as long as the people of this state continue to elect supermajorities of republicans, as it should, it should move to the right with common sense policies that are well thought out and make sense for the people of this state, not just for the social media of this state.
Falling prey to radicalism has been the near death of the Missouri Democratic Party, and ultimately will be what begins the regression of the Missouri Republican Party.
There is a temptation for republicans from the real Missourah parts of the state to cave into the radicals from the suburbs. The suburbs that consist of nameless faceless zombies living in deserts of cul de sacs and vinyl siding all worshiping their last radical Facebook post are what will destroy our rural Missourah way of life faster than any democrat ever dreamed of.
Bless their city slicker hearts, but for districts like the 6th we elect folks who know their neighbors, folks who own their own business, and folks make fun of people who spend all day on Facebook.
We elect folks who are tough like Senator Mike Bernskoetter.
The proof of that is that while many of his colleagues chose to break the traditions and customs of the senate. They chose to smear its history and all of those who have served in it by voting for PQs. Senator Mike Bernkoetter has had the backbone to stand up for Missouri, and the Missouri Senate and tell the radicals no.
While others bowed to the partisan fervor of the day, he chose Missouri over Facebook. He chose our state’s traditions over twitter likes. He chose Dick Webster and Jim Mathewson over some coward on social media too afraid to post his thoughts under his real time like a man.
He was the man that when the Governor, the Attorney General, and the President Pro Tem of the Senate chose the mob, Senator Mike Bernskoetter chose the Missouri Senate.
That’s why the Missouri Times chose to endorse Senator Mike Bernskoetter.
There is nothing wrong with his opponent, Scott Riedel. His service to our country as a combat veteran is something that everyone reading this owes a debt of gratitude to him for.
However, state government is very complex, as Mr. Riedel learned in discussing marijuana policy on the Austin Petersen and John Marsh morning show early in his campaign.
The Missouri Times has chosen to offer one of our rare endorsements to a man who has a backbone of steel, strong enough to stand up for everyday Missourians, and against the tide of radicalism.
It’s that toughness that leads The Missouri Times to offer one of this newspaper’s rare endorsements to Senator Mike Bernskoetter’s re-election.
