Column: Baker will bring change
Oct. 3, 2008
It has been an absolutely shameful week for politics.
Sarah Palin's interviews are going so bad that Saturday Night Live is now using Palin's own words in skits and they are still hysterical. John McCain tried to "suspend" his campaign so he could put on his cape and fly into Washington to save America from this financial apocalypse.
However, despite McCain's super straight-talk powers and President George Bush begging on his knees for Congress to pass the $700 billion bailout, Congress still succumbed to partisan bickering and failed to pass the financial rescue plan on the first attempt. This caused the Dow Jones to drop by nearly 8 percent, the lowest since the Great Depression. This week has re-affirmed the fact that politics is a circus and we need change.
Now, it is easy to forget after the chaos of the economy and intensity of the presidential election that there are other very important and critical races going on. If you registered to vote in Missouri's 9th Congressional District, which includes Columbia, you'll have the opportunity to vote in what former Bush advisor Karl Rove called one of the most important congressional races of the year. Since U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, R-Mo., decided to run for governor of Missouri, the race for the 9th District has been one of the hottest contested races in the country.
State Rep. Judy Baker, D-Columbia, is the Democratic nominee running for the 9th Congressional District and I have had the great opportunity to get to know her personally. In my opinion, she is hard working, strong and an incredibly nice, warm person. She is sincere and cares deeply about Missouri and the 9th Congressional District. She is also married to a pastor, John D. Baker, and graduated from seminary school, so she proves that it is possible to be Democrat and a person of faith.
She has three children, two of whom are attending MU, so she has a personal investment in the University of Missouri. The thing I respect her about her the most is that she is not afraid of a challenge. I tagged along with her all across the 9th District when she announced her candidacy for Congress last December. She decided to get in the race when Hulshof was still planning on running again. It would have been a very tough race, but she didn't care. She wasn't looking for political opportunity but was trying to do what was right.
Baker has an expansive background in health care and has done a great job representing MU and the 25th District. I would suggest researching more on her and her accomplishments.
With the complete failure of Congress to overcome partisan bickering in spite of this chaotic economy it is important that we hold our representatives accountable and elect members that have a fresh new vision for America. This year has been about change, and it includes not only the presidency, but also our entire government. Baker is one of those people that will go to Washington to bring back the government to the people. I believe that if we Americans truly deliver and vote for change, we are only going to see better times ahead.
Trevor Turner is a member of the MU College Democrats.
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