Let the Games Begin! Half-Truths and Whole Lies in Politics Will Plague Us Until November

Well, it looks like they are back at it. The allegations and mudslinging has begun, and the first attack I’ve seen here came from Vicki Englund, candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives in the 94th District.  As you might have seen in my comments below that was taking hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars each year, it appears that Ms. Englund has forgotten her own words written just last July.  , she said that no political decision is easy, that facts are not just black and white, and the legislators need to focus on the economy.  However, when it appears that one of her unnecessary pet projects would not receive the tax dollars that should be going to our schools, veterans, disabled, and elderly, she has decided to ignore her own words.

In addition to being a graduate of the Mehlville School District (K-12), the product of a state university (UMKC), a small business owner (Haefner Law Office, LLC), and an attorney, I am the son of Rep. Marsha Haefner, who is the current State Representative for District 100 (and is the candidate for the newly formed 95th District). Since Rep. Haefner was elected, I have seen her be attacked from both sides of the aisle, as she votes however her district would benefit the most from, not solely along party lines.  for those of you that missed it.

Rep. Haefner has been recognized by both Republicans and Democrats as being a leader, and is in fact one of only four leaders of the freshman class, which is comprised of legislators from all over the state.  She has received accolades for her work when she was named “” Her dedication to the citizens of Oakville and Missouri is unwavering, and her ethics are impeccable.  The only attacks that can be made on her are by misleading the voter as to what she has accomplished.

In her time in Jefferson City, Rep. Haefner has focused on fiscal responsibility, and has personally saved the state of Missouri millions of dollars that were being squandered.  It is offensive to me, as her son and as a voter, that anyone would try and paint a picture in which she has done anything but represent Missouri and Oakville the best way she possibly can with a budget that is much smaller than the needs of the state.

Over the next few months, we will all be inundated with political ads, attacks, and misrepresentations of the truth. My only advice is to always look at the source when getting your information. Not all Republicans hate women, not all Democrats are anti-business. 

Your representatives are people, and by and large, they are all just trying to do what they believe is best for Missouri and their district.  I have yet to meet a legislator that was elected with the intent to destroy or harm the state or its citizens.  We might have different ideas as to how to make the system better, but I think the vast majority of your elected officials are doing what they think is best for their constituents.

If you want to know where your candidate stands on an issue, ask them.  If, however, you get your information on what a candidate stands for from an extremely skewed version of what the truth is, just read those attack articles and flyers that will be coming in increased numbers from now until November. 

Ms. Englund is far from the only person who will be feeding misinformation and half-truths to the voters in the next few months.  My only hope is that the informed voter will show up at the polls and vote for the candidate who they believe will best represent them, not the misleading propaganda that will surely come our way.