In a recent taxpayer-funded newsletter mailing to constituents of Missouri’s 5th Congressional District, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver detailed the statistical improvement in the nation’s job market over the past year. Nationally, there’s been modest level of renewed private industry hiring, which he illustrated accurately with a bar chart.

What our Congressman left out, however, is the story of what’s been happening in Jackson County and Cass County, Missouri. Unemployment rates in our backyards as of June 2010 were higher, not lower, than a year earlier, U.S. Department of Labor figures show, and payrolls in the Kansas City metro area dropped for same 12-month period in nearly every major sector of the economy except for heath care.

Looking at Missouri as a whole, some 16.2% of the labor force — one out of every six workers — was either unemployed, discouraged or employed fewer hours than they would like as of June 2010. That compares to just 10.8% of the workforce as of a year earlier. This percentage is generally believed to be much higher in urban areas of the 5th District, but the federal government does not report such specific data separately on a regular basis.

Are we better off than a year and a half ago? Four years ago? Not by a long shot.

Unemployment rate Nov. 2006 Jan. 2009 June 2010

Jackson County 5.4% 9.2% 10.3%

Cass County 4.3% 8.8% 9.3%

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

Who’s hiring? Not many.

Kansas City metro area employment June 2009 to June 2010

Total change in non-farm payrolls -1.2% 11,700 jobs lost

Information technology -5.3%

Financial services -4.1%

Other services -3.1%

Construction/mining -2.0%

Business and professional services -1.7%

Retail-wholesale trade, transportation and utilities -1.4%

Health care and education +1.7%

Government -0.6%

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

How is the “Recovery Act” being spent in the 5th District?

More than $400 million on government programs and projects……..1,148 jobs created

Source: Congressman’ Cleaver’s August 2010 newsletter

In his newsletter, Rep. Cleaver says he considers a job “the best social program” and that he

has worked to create jobs “from my days as Mayor” of Kansas City (1991 to 1999). The reality is that between 1990 and 2007, a net total of 14 private sector jobs were created in Jackson County while government employers added 4,657 jobs, three-quarters of which were at the local level. Jacob Turk thinks the 5th District, and America, needs a different approach.

Change in Jackson County jobs

Selected economic sectors 1990-2007

Manufacturing -12,720

Trade, transportation and utilities -7,720

Information technology -5,356

Health and education +4,081

Total private industry +14

Federal government -3,958

State & local government +8,605

We think Rep. Cleaver deserves credit for helping to bring and maintain a few companies and jobs within the region, such as the Smith Electric Vehicles in Kansas City, Dow Kokam in Lee’s Summit and Ford in Claycomo, as outlined in his newsletter.

But what is missing is a discussion of what to do about the much longer list of companies – large and small — that in the past year have announced plans to lay off hundreds of people, cut back operations or plan to relocate out of the 5th District, including H&R Block, American Airlines, DST, Cerner, JP Morgan Chase, Hoefer Wysocki, Assurant Health Care, and HNTB.

America and Kansas City are at a crossroads, says Jacob Turk: “We can take our leadership in a new direction by looking for fresh answers. We need to squarely face the economic challenges, bureaucratic obstacles and Democratic machine politics that have consistently destroyed jobs in our region for decades and come to a genuine consensus to better shape our region’s future.”

Jacob Turk, Republican candidate for the 5th District, believes that our next representative must

 Listen to all

 Lead with integrity

 Protect life and property

 Champion opportunity

There are 68 days left for all of us to free the economy from the irresponsible fiscal policies of the Cleaver/Pelosi, (they are interchangeable because Cleaver votes for Pelosi instead of us 98% of the time), Congress which have led to 9.4% unemployment in Cass County and 10.3% in Jackson County of our families and neighbors. It is much worse in the urban core of Kansas City with over 50% unemployment in some areas. Almost everyday the news contains the evidence of a summer of failure to recover. It is time to stop the spending and let us keep our money to bring the economy back. Tax and spend has never worked. Letting the people keep their money and pick the winners and losers in our economy to produce jobs and recovery has always worked.

More bad numbers on existing home sales yesterday. Worst in 15 years. This follows a Bankrate.com report Monday that shows closing costs on home sales are up 36% to an average of $3,741 compared to a year ago, primarily due to new government fees and regulatory costs. This is the real impact of the Cleaver-Barney Frank alliance and the poison fruit of the campaign contributions they’ve taken over the years from Freddie Mac/Fannie Mae and all the other financial interests Cleaver is supposed to be watching for us.

We need to make permanent the expiring tax cuts before Cleaver’s desire to raise our taxes turns into the reality of a 2nd recession as if the pain of his 1st recession is not bad enough. Many raised and new taxes are coming in January unless we put a Congress in place that understands we cannot tax and spend our way to prosperity. I understand.

My pledge to not take PAC or special interest money is a serious one. If we the people are to have a Representative then we all need your support. Please become of our 1000 for $100 today. Whatever the amount now is the time to make your contribution. Time is short. Victory can be all of ours if you step up today.

What part of respecting the military and those who actually earned medals do progressives not get? The Supreme court time and again has said lying is not protected speech. We must honor our men and women who did the hard work of protecting us and not allow others to grab the praise our veterans have earned.

For immediate release August 10, 2010

Jacob Turk, candidate for Missouri’s 5th Congressional District and August 3rd Republican primary winner, knows that the toughest part of any journey can be the final stretch. The U.S. Marine veteran and former small business owner of 12 years is covering ground throughout the 5th District as he talks with the citizens, all of whom he respects and is eager to listen to.

Turk has taken the time to meet one-on-one with thousands of voters of all ages and backgrounds in all parts of the 5th District — from the city sidewalks of Troost to the subdivisions of Independence to small business owners in Belton.

“Ordinary people are tired of business as usual in Washington, and empty promises of change that translate into favors for a politically connected, chosen few,” Jacob says “These favors for ‘insiders’ and the privileged few are not what the people want. Our community doesn’t want photo ops that show how well-connected their representative is to the political elite, or cosmetic cures to long-standing issues that have divided the District, stifled job growth and curtailed entrepreneurship over the past 20 years.”

If elected, Jacob Turk pledges to:

Get rid of the $2,900 a month Congressional “mobile office” of our current incumbent Congressman,the most expensive vehicle allowance in Congress.That’s because Jacob knows people prefer to talk openly about problems affecting their neighborhoods and discuss possible solutions, not stand in line for a closed-door audience in the back of a bus.

Continue to refuse Political Action Committee money and lobbyist attempts at influence. Jacob believes that accepting campaign contributions from lobbyists such as failed financial firms Fannie Mae and Bear Stearns, as our 5th District’s current Representative did while he was supposed to be watching out for us on the Congressional Financial Oversight Committee, was part of the reason why our nation and region has faced such a real estate, mortgage and banking mess which caused the chronic joblessness we face every day – over 9% of our friends and neighbors are out of work.

Maintain the highest standards of personal integrity. This year several Congressional leaders who have spent decades in office have been the subject of ethics investigations and faced legal action. Jacob believes 5th District voters deserve better than an entrenched political establishment that reigns unchecked, that even blatantly votes against the will of the people claiming to “know better” then their constituents.

Revisit, repeal and reform the new federal health mandates to take care of the least among us while protecting the best health care system in the world. Missouri voters provided a clear second opinion on government run and controlled health care by voting Yes on Proposition C on August 3rd with a resounding 71% in favor of saying “no!” to Federal mandates on health care. — Jacob, too, believes that leeching the healthy and raising income taxes on individuals and small business owners is not the proper path to health care reform.

Focus on long-term private job sector creation, not government gimmicks

Between 1990 and 2007, a net total of only 14 private sector jobs were created in Jackson County while government employers added 4,657 jobs, according to the US Dept. of Labor. Jacob Turk believes this pattern must be reversed. Despite recent promises of the Green Impact Zone, the reality is that Washington has added no new jobs in the region for a generation, despite what the “slight of hand” rhetoric of the current incumbent would like you to believe. Real people have real suffering due to the failure of this Congress to let small businesses create jobs. The giveaways must end and Congress must get out of the way!

America and the entire 5th District are at a crossroads, says Jacob: “We can take our leadership in a new direction by looking for fresh answers, by listening to all the citizens making a life, running businesses, driving these streets and raising their children in the greater Kansas City area of the 5th District, from the Mighty Mo River all the way out to Blue Springs and Lone Jack, south to Raymore & Peculiar and everywhere in between. It’s great to hear what’s on people’s minds from all sides of the spectrum – Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents all have contributions to make to this important conversation about our collective future. Especially those who feel alienated. We need to come to a genuine consensus to better shape our region’s future.”

Jacob Turk believes that our next 5th District Representative must

Listen to all

Lead with integrity

Protect life and property

Champion opportunity

Leadership. Not politics.

Apparently, our Congressman does not realize how bad the economy is with unemployment on the rise, factory orders down and the Dow on the slide because so many of you shared your thoughts on the new mailer we the people (taxpayers) paid for that Cleaver sent out. According to the very well produced (expensive) piece Cleaver used his franking privileges for, disaster was averted and the economy is looking up! What?

After over a trillion and half of our grandchildren’s money has been confiscated and spent on every special interest group and inane project Congress could think up, people can’t find work, families are hurting and there is no end in sight. In fact, come January we will all get a pay cut – the 2003 across the board tax cuts will expire and the death tax will be reinstated just when our economy and budgets can least afford it.

It is clear those currently in charge of Congress, Pelosi, Reed and Cleaver, do not understand the sound fiscal policy and spending restraint needed to bring back jobs to desperate Americans. The new taxes will send this economy into a tailspin creating another manufactured crisis with real consequences to real people.

We can turn the economy around, folks. It starts today as all of us work together to win our race in November which will send the positive message to small businesses everywhere that help is on the way even before we can vote to reinstate the tax cuts. That positive result will start the process of bringing jobs back as those owners know they will have an advocate to free them from this overreaching government so they can start hiring families again because the reality every small business owner knows is the burden of responsibility not only for the employee but for every family member of that employee. Let’s join together to win this race and begin letting the economy heal.

I had the privilege to organize and emcee a Physician’s Rally to save health care for all of us on the Plaza Saturday. On very short notice, 18 doctors, nurses, and medical students showed up along with 85 concerned citizens to stand up against the government juggernaut intent on lowering the quality of health care, limiting access, and raising costs for everyone. For some reason Pelosi and Cleaver are committed to destroying the best medical care in the world rather than fix the cost and access problems in the current healthcare delivery system for those who cannot afford the care they need.

There is no doubt we have problems to fix, and the American people want them fixed, but they recognize a political power grab  when they see one and know all of our health will be put at risk to feed the Progressive agenda. The simple solutions of individual coverage, selling health coverage across state lines, tort reform to get lawyers out of the operating room and giving the tax benefits currently going to corporations for medical insurance to the people were tossed aside so Cleaver can control your doctor and what treatments you are entitled to.

It is time to stand up, get out and create victory in November to repeal and replace this monstrosity with a system that cares for the least of us while preserving the best medical care in the world. Government does not breed excellence, the people do.

Physicians Rally in KC to Save Healthcare

Together we did it!

For the first time more Republicans voted in the 5th District primary than Dems. It is always 2 to 1 Dems vs Republicans and sometimes 3 to 1. We received 67% of the vote in a 5 way primary. With a count of 22,863 our shared campaign is No. 2 in all time votes in a 5th District Republican primary and this is AN OFF YEAR ELECTION!

The significance of over 34,000 Republican votes in the primary with only 33,000 votes for Cleaver cannot be overlooked. It reflects our hard work of 4 and 1/2 years coupled with a favorable political climate which adds up to a perfect storm of opportunity in November, but we have to have your help in time and money to create victory on November 2nd. Our campaign rests on your shoulders. You must spread the word to all you know!

This is the people’s time. Donna and I thank each of you for all your efforts on our behalf. We will go as far as you take us. We are all in.

Are you in?

We are in the push to the August 3^rd primary and we need your participation NOW. I have 4 opponents in the primary so, if I am your choice in this race, I need you and yours to come out to vote for me in the Republican primary.

Do you want victory August 3^rd and then to win the fight with Cleaver in November? There are those in our community who only read the KC STAR – we must inform them of who this Turk is and why they need to vote for me. How do we do this? Simple: get a piece of literature in their hands and call them. We will be distributing literature and making phone calls everyday we have volunteers willing to help. That is where you come in.

Here is the action plan. Please let us know which of these you can do!

1. Contribute. It takes money to reach people – money for media, billboards, signs, calls, literature. You get the idea. If you are not already, please become one of our 1000 people for $100 today. Any amount helps – $25, $50, $100, $500 or more. If we all do a little, it adds up to a lot. Please make a financial contribution of any amount to this very important race for YOUR voice in DC. Click here to donate.

2. Volunteer. Give some time for either our literature drop or phone bank. When you are available we need you, either here in Lee’s Summit for our phone calling or anywhere in the District for our lit drop. Voting is not enough to win – please get up, get out and give some time. Click here to volunteer.

3. Name recognition.

a. Put a bumper strip on your car. Name recognition is the #1 factor on election day, and a LOT of folks see your car every day. Now, before you say, ‘I don’t put bumper strips on MY car’ consider the state of our country’s economy, the overreach of our Federal government into every aspect of our lives and our men & women in harm’s way right now who give us the opportunity to save liberty. Options? Tape it in your window, put it on a magnetic strip so you can take it off and on. Just get it on somehow! Click here for a vinyl bumper strip.

b. Get a sign for your yard now! People are looking around to see who to vote for and your sign will help them make the decision for Turk. Click here to get a sign.

1. Pass on the word. Take 10 or 20 or 100 of our business cards and hand them to your family, friends, the guy next to you at the gas pump or in line at the grocery store. Just say, ‘I am supporting Jacob Turk on August 3^rd and I hope you will too.’ That’s it. We have to get cards in the hands of thousands of people and we can only get there with you involved. Click here for a supply of your own.

2. Create a buzz. Write a letter to the editor and submit it online to every paper in the District you know of. Mention your support of Jacob Turk on a blog. Call into talk radio about Turk/Cleaver and why you are feeling victory this year. Media buzz & pressure increases coverage.

3. Multiply your vote. Get other folks to commit to go out on August 3^rd and vote for Jacob Turk. Hold each other accountable on election day to make sure everyone gets out to vote!

4. Bring it home. Take August 3^rd off as a vacation day and work a poll for Turk. If you are retired or out of work right now, please volunteer with our campaign for election day. Click here to do so.

We have a plan, we need you to play a part. As a grassroots campaign it takes an army of citizens to beat the machine politics of Emanuel Cleaver. And this is the year we CAN win this seat for the people.

Are you in?

Dear Fellow Americans,

With the 234^th birthday of United States of America coming up on July 4, there is no better time to honor those who sacrificed so much to make America the beacon of freedom it is to the world today.

There are some trying times in front of us and for our country. It is our turn to join together, work and sacrifice to ensure the country we have known and the freedoms we hold dear endure. This election year is crucial to the preserving of traditional America. If we do not rise and act to elect to our Congress men and women who want America’s traditions of individual freedom and opportunity to continue, then they may not. The current Congress has shown us they are on a path to make America more like Europe, and less like The United States of America.

What makes the American people stand out above the rest is our willingness to fight: to not back down, not give up, and to do what it takes to win when we know we must. Now is that time. And we need you to join this important fight!

This year – 2010 – is our chance to help elect a U.S. Congressional Candidate, Jacob Turk, who has true integrity and the strength to stand up for what is right. He will defend our freedoms against encroaching government and will protect what we hold dear.

Stand up with Jacob today , join the Team for Turk in 2010, and declare that our independence will stand strong and not fall, so our nation will continue to be the city on the hill shining a beacon of freedom for all nations.

Thank you for your continued support!

Fighting for Freedom,

The Turk Campaign

Donna and I were privileged to attend Memorial Day observances at Mt. Moriah hosted by the Marine Corps League, the Liberty Memorial and the Kansas City Vietnam Veterans Memorial. As veterans we respect and honor all who serve, yesterday, today and tomorrow. I just finished reading Flags Of Our Fathers which touched on the horrendous price paid on a small rock in the Pacific for our continued liberty while at the same time humanizing the boys who paid the ultimate price against a brutal enemy. I am left with the thought ‘Freedom is not free’ in a deeper sense.

Our free country only survives because so many men and women did not. Out of choice, obligation or happenstance they have formed the protective shield around our shores with their very lives and broken bodies. A sacrifice so solemn, so deep as to allow us to determine where our country goes from this moment on. There have never been guarantees of continued liberty by the giving of the last measure by so many at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Iwo Jima, Hue, or Al Anbar Province. Only a measure of time to keep our Republic.

The soldier gives us a chance, we will never fall from without. We can only fall if we fail to honor the blood of so many by withdrawing from doing the hard work of ensuring we have elected leaders who understand freedom is not free, who know the Constitution is more than just words, the flag more than cloth, the military more than just another social experiment. We as citizens, as civilians have to make the dangerous work of our American sons and daughters count by choosing wisely, working tirelessly, never ceasing until our Republic is secure from the Progressive onslaught threatening the very foundations of freedom so many have died to ensure.

Everyday always remember. Everyday always honor. It is, simply, up to us. No sacrifice was too great for them. No sacrifice is too great for us. Commit today to all you can by getting up, getting out, getting our country back.

Thank you to every veteran living and dead, thank you to every soldier, sailor, airman, and Marine standing on the wall for me.

I will stand on the wall for you.