BE OUR GUEST: IN MISSOURI, IT'S THE ISSUES, FOLKS; GOP MAJORITY WOULD TAKE ACTION

Continuing ads by candidates attacking each other and months of news articles concerning corruption in government on the local, state, and federal level seem to overshadow what's really important in this election year.

While allegations, such as corruption and influence peddling against House Speaker Bob Griffin are certainly cause for concern, more important matters, such as basic policy issues should be the voters' main concern and focus this election. It's the issues, folks! That's what's important in this election.

In the Missouri General Assembly, a healthy two-party system has emerged, giving voters a real choice in terms of public policy philosophy and governance. Democrats generally favor government-based solutions, viewing success through more funding for new programs overseen from Jefferson City. Republicans generally favor increased individual opportunity by means of a limited government, viewing success through reduced bureaucracy and return of services and programs to the most local level.

For six years, the Missouri House Republican Caucus has crafted policy issues and legislative proposals only to have them blocked by a Democrat-controlled legislature. The policy distinctions on crucial issues are clear.

-- Health Care - Republicans proposed health care reforms through the private sector, making health care insurance portable from job to job, providing access for those with pre-existing conditions and ensuring economical coverage for those suffering from a medical condition. The reforms would have been market-based, not government-based, and would not have required any tax increases.

The Democrat leadership blocked the Republican health care plan in order to support Gov. Carnahan's government-controlled proposal. A coalition of Republicans and conservative Democrats blocked the governor's attempt to socialize health care in Missouri, but it's an issue that certainly will re-surface this year.

-- Welfare Reform - Republicans proposed a plan that would have returned welfare control to the local level, removed bad incentives in the program, encouraged families to form and stay together, eliminated programs, streamlined bureaucracy, reduced paperwork, avoided duplication of effort and encouraged self-sufficiency rather than government dependency. The Democrat leadership rejected it in favor of Gov. Carnahan's plan to establish more government, social programs and more welfare spending.

From crime to education, Republicans consistently proposed legislation with more local control, less government bureaucracy and no tax increases without a vote of the people compared to the tax-and-spend plans of the Democrat leadership.

Democrats have controlled the Missouri General Assembly for more than 40 years and have re-elected the same House speaker for 14 years. However, there now are more Republicans in the House and Senate than at any time during the last four decades. Republicans need a net gain of only 4 seats in the Missouri Senate for a majority and a net gain of 14 in the House to have majority status.

A Republican majority in each or both of the chambers is a real possibility this election and would change the course of public policy in Missouri. In addition to legislation already mentioned, Republicans in the Missouri House have committed to introducing the following legislation and to working diligently for its passage, if given a majority by the voters Nov. 8.

-- Ensure that laws applying to Missourians will apply equally to legislators.

-- Cut the number of committees in the Missouri General Assembly.

-- Cut the Missouri House budget and conduct a thorough review of all legislative accounts for waste, fraud and abuse.

-- Conduct a review of all state agencies for waste, fraud and abuse to eliminate unnecessary programs and regulations.

--Introduce legislation to cut personal and corporate income tax rates while increasing the dependent deductions for Missouri's families.

In 1994, it's the issues, folks. A Democrat majority would continue the trend of more state government programs and a continuation of 40 years of one-party legislative control in Jefferson City. Those wanting more individual and local government control of public policy and a change in leadership in Jefferson City can cast ballots for a Republican legislative candidate. As an added bonus, a Republican majority would end the reign of Speaker Bob Griffin -- something that Democrats in Jefferson City seem neither willing nor able to do.

Pat Kelley is the Republican floor leader of the Missouri House of Representatives and a state representative from Lee's Summit.