Op-Eds

The BP oil spill is an ongoing tragedy for the Gulf Coast region, its economy and the environment. Our first priority must be to stop the leak and do everything possible to preserve the livelihoods of those in the area. I feel strongly that BP must bear the financial burden for this disaster because hard-working people like you shouldn't have to pay a dime.

For more than 60 years, my late father Bill spent every day looking into the faces of family farmers and ranchers hoping to realize their dreams as they walked into his bank in St. Elizabeth, Missouri. My father understood the importance of community banking the first day he started in 1940, and he passed that understanding to me when I later joined him in the family business. In a town of 300 that lacks both a stoplight and significant financial resources, the community always came first in the role of our small bank.

As our economy continues to struggle, hard-working families across our state have faced tough choices by simply working to balance their household budgets. The basic notion of not spending more than you take in is what keeps many families financial heads above water. It's unfortunate that Congress doesn't seem to understand that and is drowning in debt.

As you know, in the next few weeks, there will be a lot of talk in Washington about reforming our system of health care. As the American people struggle to make ends meet, too many also live with the challenge of affording basic health care for themselves and their families.

Millions of Americans will file their taxes on April 15. On a day when countless Americans are protesting high taxes at Tea Parties, it is a startling reminder of just how much of their hard-earned money the government takes out of their paychecks.

Families and small businesses all across our country are making sacrifices, yet our government continues to spend like a drunken sailor. In the 9th Congressional District, people understand the importance of living within their means and want to know if Washington understands the concept.

I appreciate President Obama's desire to see a bipartisan stimulus package to help all the American families who are hurting. Unfortunately, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are using the so called stimulus package to give new meaning to big government spending.