Carnahan can hold her own

by DEBBIE MADDEN

I can’t get too excited about election time this year. It’s not that the candidates aren’t qualified. Or have a list of accomplishments a mile long and a to-do list of good deeds they want to get done while they’re in office. It’s really the party mentality that turns me off. I have heard more on who is campaigning for who and why which party needs to get what senator into office to aid the cause. Enough of all this. Maybe we should worry less about who is pushing the politicians and instead make an informed decision based on the candidates and what they can or will do for those they serve.
Jean Carnahan, yes the infamous widow from Missouri whose husband beat out now-Attorney General John Ashcroft posthumously and was appointed Senator, is up for re-election. I know when you put it that way it sounds like maybe Carnahan doesn’t really belong in office. And it is a little like a soap opera in the drama of the situation. But a soap opera this is not. The temerity of Carnahan’s situation is real and considering the odd details of how she became a Missouri senator, she’s doing pretty good.
I think Carnahan has made an honest effort to help the people of Missouri. One of the first things she did as senator was introduce the Quality Classroom Act to reduce class size and add more teachers in math, science and reading in public schools. Her work on this legislation was an integral part of the final bill that was passed and will help Missouri schools as well as all schools across America.
Carnahan is an advocate of better healthcare for everyone. She not only co-sponsored the Patients’ Bill of Rights, which will force HMOs to be more responsible to their insured, she supports a prescription plan for Medicare that would benefit the recipients more than the insurance companies. Under her opponent Jim Talent’s plan insurance companies would bid on the right to provide prescription drug benefits for seniors. This would create a middleman, one that wants to make a profit, essentially costing taxpayers and the recipients more in the long run. Carnahan is also co-sponsoring legislation that would end discrimination by insurance companies against those that suffer from mental illness.
Sometimes Carnahan is slow to make decisions on issues, I don’t see this as a detriment. Carnahan understands that issues of great importance must be thought out. She knows not to make a decision simply based on her party’s agenda. If you are a unilateralist maybe you should vote for Carnahan’s opponent but if you want someone to represent you that puts thought into her decisions and is willing to be bi-partisan, Carnahan would be your best choice.