Here I am Dr. Ted Rights with my wife Susan on our 45th wedding anniversary.

Little did I imagine that less than a year later I would be asking for your vote and support to represent you in congress .

I am a medical doctor, a general practitioner, with a degree in public health.  I have never run for public office and had no intention of doing so until I stayed up late to watch the final debates leading up to the health care reform bill. As we anxiously awaited the tally I prayed that we would not miss this best opportunity to give my suffering patients the health insurance protection they need and couldn’t afford. Imagine my dismay when our representative voted to resist and repeal the new law. How can this be? Surely we all care about our country. Fix this bill. Don’t smash it!
The next morning I called Jeff City to find out who was opposing Sam Graves for Congress. “No one” I was told. Well in that case I will volunteer because somebody has to speak up for those being crushed by Big money and Big lobbies. Do you believe that political gamesmanship has got to go? Do you believe that we should start working together to solve our common problems? Then join me. Elect me to replace a career politician.

My goal is to allow the voices of goodwill and reason to prevail! No more name calling, and no more fear mongering! Our congressional system is broken, owned by corporations, manipulated by special interest groups, sold to the highest bidder. Democrat and Republican alike have allowed self-interest to trump the public good. There are still lots of problems to be addressed. [Tort reform and high dollar drugs for example] but this was a good start.

The above article was written 17 months ago and not much has changed. Republicans still want to declare the Affordable Care Act unconstitutional or they want to deny it funding. The Democrats want it to be left unchanged.  I say no. This is where someone has to come in and reclaim the middle. This is where someone has to stand up for the average man.