A good man: Here are reasons to re-elect U.S. Sen. Jim Talent.

About 46 years ago, with no previous immediate family or personal involvement in politics, I began to study our government and the elective and judicial processes.

As a local Jaycee president and eventually vice president of the Missouri Jaycees, through Jaycee programs I became aware of Americanism and the threat by outside ideologies to our freedoms.

Even though I had an uncle who was a Democratic state senator in Arkansas and an active grandfather in that overwhelmingly Democratic state, neither my father, his associates nor myself and friends had even been politically involved until my Jaycee days.

However, through study, business, sports and other activities I became a natural conservative in principles and actions. By this, I mean I believed strongly in the duties, rights and responsibilities of the individual in one's life goals and achievements.

Milton Friedman's economic principles, and free-to-choose economic politics were early influences on me.

Eventually, I became a supporter of U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater (the conscience of a conservative) and served as a delegate to the Republican National Convention in San Francisco in 1964. I also served as a delegate to the 1968 convention where I first met Ronald Reagan.

Later I gained experience as a candidate for Congress in which I was defeated (at the age of 35 and politically naive about campaigning), followed by six years serving in the Missouri Legislature as the state representative from Cape Girardeau. Since then I have acquired some knowledge and insight into the workings of government and the politics that surround candidates.

I have never voted a straight Republican ticket and have had the experience of serving on the Missouri State Reorganization Conference Committee in the 1970s (three Democrats and two Republicans -- myself a freshman legislator) and a conference committee on the state budget (five House members who negotiated a compromise budget with five state senators).

Last year I served with 19 other members statewide to make proposals to reform and improve Missouri state government.

Probably even more enlightening has been my experience in the media industry through which I've become friends of many Missouri elected officials and observed many campaigns, debates and the sometimes inaccurate portrayals by supporters, opponents and, unfortunately sometimes, the media of elected officials or candidates.

I've listed this abbreviated biography to say the following:

U.S. Sen. Jim Talent is one of the finest public servants I have ever met.

He has the attributes and qualities that all clamor for, but too few times does one get the opportunity to vote for such.

He's honest, hard-working, bright, a family man with good Christian principles and has shown his ability to work with others to solve or address problems important to our state and country. You've read, heard or seen his issue positions, but I speak of the character of Talent.

Jim is needed in Washington at this time of partisan bickering and demagoguery. Missourians -- you and I -- have the opportunity to vote to see that he is returned to utilize his many years of experience in this critical time in history.

I highly recommend the re-election of Jim Talent to the U.S. Senate.

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Comments made in 1955:

"I'll tell you one thing, if things keep going the way they are, it's going to be impossible to buy two weeks' groceries for $20."

"Have you seen the new cars coming out next year? It won't be long before $2,000 will only buy a used one."

"If cigarettes keep going up in price, I'm going to quit. A quarter a pack is ridiculous."

"Did you hear the post office is thinking about charging a dime just to mail a letter?"

"If they raise the minimum wage to 75 cents, nobody will be able to hire outside help at the store."

"When I first started driving, who would have thought gas would someday cost 17 cents a gallon. Guess we'd be better off leaving the car in the garage."

"Kids today are impossible. Those ducktail hair cuts make it impossible to stay groomed. Next thing you know, boys will be wearing their hair as long as the girls."

"I'm afraid to send my kids to the movies any more. Ever since they let Clark Gable get by with saying 'damn' in "Gone With the Wind," it seems every new movie has either 'hell' or 'damn' in it."

"I read the other day where some scientist thinks it's possible to put a man on the moon by the end of the century. They even have some fellows they call astronauts preparing for it down in Texas."

"Did you see where some baseball player signed a contract for $75,000 a year just to play ball? It wouldn't surprise me if someday they'll be making more than the president."

"I never thought I'd see the day all our kitchen appliances would be electric. They are even making electric typewriters now."

"It's too bad things are so tough nowadays. I see where a few married women are having to work to make ends meet."

"It won't be long before young couples are going to have to hire someone to watch their kids so they can both work."

"Marriage doesn't mean a thing anymore; those Hollywood stars seem to be getting divorced at the drop of a hat."

"I'm afraid the Volkswagen is going to open the door to a whole lot of foreign business."

"Thank goodness I won't live to see the day when the government takes half our income in taxes. I sometimes wonder if we are electing the best people to Congress."

"The drive-in restaurant is convenient in nice weather, but I seriously doubt they will ever catch on."

"There is no sense going to a big city anymore for a weekend. It costs nearly $4 a night to stay in a hotel."

"No one can afford to be sick anymore, because $35 a day in the hospital is too rich for my blood."

"If they think I'll pay 50 cents for a hair cut, forget it." -- Web Talk

Gary Rust is chairman of Rust Communications.