Missouri Farm Bureau
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Kevin Craig - "Liberty Under God"
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| General |
Obviously this is a huge subject. |
| We
support the military action in response to the terrorist attacks of
September 11, 2001. We encourage the President and Congress to
continue the efforts to eradicate terrorist activity and to protect
U.S. citizens from that danger. We
believe the circumstances call for extraordinary measures, however we
cannot overemphasize the importance of restraint in taking measures
that infringe on the freedoms and liberties that are the foundation of
this country. |
Knee-jerk reaction to the murder of 3,000
people on 9-11 has the potential to destroy America and the idea of
"Liberty Under God." Terrorism
did not begin on 9-11. Nor did the mistakes of the federal government.
The federal government gave military aid to terrorists when Afghanistan
was invaded by the Soviet Union, who had also been the
beneficiary of U.S. aid. When Iran attempted "regime
change" in Iraq -- at no cost to U.S. taxpayers -- the
federal government came to the aid of Saddam Hussein. This should
prompt us to be open-minded when it comes to blaming the federal
government for terrorism, which is an evil that should not be
taxpayer-funded. |
| We believe a
national defense system consisting of land-based, ship-based and
airborne radar as well as missile systems designed to destroy hostile
missiles should be implemented to protect our nation, troops stationed
overseas and allied countries. |
The Bush system is not truly
"national." Missouri Farmers cannot support U.S. imperialism,
and a global sea-based system is a cover for
foreign intervention which America's
Founders strongly opposed.
We should not have troops stationed overseas in 135
countries.
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| We believe the
agriculture industry should play a role in protecting the security of
our nation; however, producers
should not be hindered with burdensome regulations. We urge the
Department of Homeland Security to better coordinate with USDA on
issues affecting agriculture. In addition, farmers should have the
opportunity to review and comment on all proposed regulations that
impact agriculture. |
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| We urge Farm
Bureau to work with the Department of Transportation and other federal
and state agencies in developing and facilitating education and
implementation of new Homeland Security requirements impacting
agriculture. |
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| We urge the
President and Congress to support a United States foreign policy that
will reflect a national strategy of peace through strength. |
Security
comes first from God. Our national motto is "In
God We Trust," not "In Military Strength We Trust." |
| We favor a
strong national defense that is second to none, believing that its
funding has been cut too deeply. We believe that our military
arsenals, that have been depleted over the last few years, should be
replenished. |
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| We favor better
management and increased efficiency in the Defense Department. |
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| We believe our
forces should have superior force protection for those in harm’s
way. |
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| We believe the
United States should take definite steps to stop the aggression of
unfriendly foreign governments and/or terrorist organizations toward
the U.S.A. or its citizens. |
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| The
U.S. military should not be used as a worldwide police force. |
Globo-cop |
| We believe
military personnel of the USA should always be under the direct
command of U.S. military commanders. |
What if the civilian military commander
(the President, Secretary of Defense, etc.,) are loyal to the United
Nations above the Constitution of the United States? |
| We have strong
concerns about sending American forces to any country torn by civil
strife, however, once our forces are deployed in a foreign country, we
believe they deserve the full support of the American public and they
must be given clear authority to use whatever force is necessary to
protect their personal safety. |
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| We support the
P. L. 480 program to promote peace in the world. |
How
American Food Aid Keeps the Third World Hungry |
| We believe the
R.O.T.C., National Guard and Reserve Units are important to the
well-being of our nation and urge all eligible persons to participate;
however, we recommend that efforts be made to improve the efficiency
and effectiveness of these units. In the event that the effectiveness
of our military defense manpower becomes dangerously low, there should
be no delay in reinstating the draft. |
The Draft
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| Agroterrorism |
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| As the nation
and the world prepare to embark on a war against terrorism there are
concerns and speculation regarding how agriculture and other sectors
of the economy will be affected. An attack aimed at the safety of our
food supply and agricultural infrastructure could cause widespread and
long-term damage. We must continue to increase surveillance and ensure
that adequate resources are available for USDA and other agencies to
combat any posed biological threat or mobilize against any occurrence. |
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| We support
funding for the development of ways to better safeguard agriculture
and America's food supply from the potential impact of agroterrorism. |
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| We believe
agricultural producers should be exempt from any liability as a result
of agroterrorism. |
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| Veterans
Affairs |
Veterans |
| We oppose the
decreasing support of military veterans while assistance to illegal
immigrants is increasing. |
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| We believe the
U.S. military veterans should receive the benefits and support they
were promised to include full funding for veterans' hospitals. |
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| We support the
recommendation that all concerned Missouri Farm Bureau members request
their members of Congress to demand a full accounting of all
unaccounted for POWs and MIAs as a consideration in specific trade
negotiations. |
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