Category: News from Dana for District 4

Let me be blunt: Mark “Awful” Alford’s recent posture on PBS isn’t just ignorant—it’s utterly idiotic.

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is shutting down entirely after Congress and the Trump administration slashed $1.1 billion in funding. Most of its staff will be laid off by September 30, 2025, and only a skeleton crew will remain into early 2026 to wind things down.

That means over 1,500 public radio and TV stations—including the ones Missourians have relied on for decades—will be left without support. These stations serve rural areas where commercial media can’t or won’t reach. This is a direct attack on rural access to education, emergency information, and real journalism.

And what did Mark “Awful” Alford say when asked about this? He mocked it. He dismissed PBS as “left-leaning bias” and made a joke that “Big Bird needs to leave the nest.” This is who’s representing Missouri’s 4th?

He clearly has no idea how many of us grew up on Channel 6 out of Warrensburg and other PBS stations across the state. When my little sister and I were growing up on the farm, PBS was the only channel we could get clearly. Every morning we’d sit together and watch Sesame Street, Reading Rainbow, Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, and 3-2-1 Contact. In the evenings, we watched NOVA, Nature, Frontline, and The American Experience.

PBS is a big reason I was reading, writing, and doing math at an eighth-grade level while I was still in first grade. I still outthink most people around me when it comes to facts and logic—and I credit that to growing up with real, high-quality public programming. It wasn’t dumbed down. It wasn’t commercialized. It was designed to teach us something real.

My mother—may she rest in peace—wanted us to learn. She never got that chance for herself. She married a cruel man, the man on my birth certificate, who beat us and controlled everything. PBS was our only escape. It taught us about the wider world and gave me a lifelong love of travel and learning. Mark “Awful” Alford clearly doesn’t understand or care about any of that.

Alford doesn’t care about rural Missouri. He just wants to look tough by “sticking it to the Democrats.” He doesn’t care who gets hurt in the crossfire. He doesn’t care about our farmers, our families, or our future. And he only shows up when it’s time to chase your vote.

I’ve talked to Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, and Independents all over this district. Most people say, “Who is Mark “Awful” Alford?” or “Yeah, I know him—he’s a real jerk.” That’s the reputation he’s earned from every side.

I was born in a rural hospital and raised in a farming community. I believe this administration is trying to silence education and silence the news—because the less you know, the easier you are to control.

Well, I say no. Whether it’s formal schooling or learned wisdom, Missourians are educated. We think for ourselves. Our farmers and families have relied on PBS for decades. PBS doesn’t run ads. They recognize donors out of transparency and commitment—not to sell you anything. It’s always been about free, public access to real content.

Mark “Awful” Alford votes against Missouri every single chance he gets. He never stands with us. He just shows up for election season, takes PAC money from out of state, and votes the way they tell him to. That’s not representation—that’s exploitation.

When you send me to Congress, I will never sell my vote. I’ll read your emails. I’ll respond. I’ll keep open lines of communication. I’ll vote in Missouri’s best interest—always.

I know what our rural communities go through. I’ve lived it. Mark “Awful” Alford hasn’t. He’s never known what it’s like to depend on one channel to learn about the world. He has no business pretending to represent us.

I will always stand with all Missourians—no matter who you vote for. I’ll listen. I’ll post online polls. I’ll run call-in lines that summarize bills and let you press a number to share how you’d like me to vote. My email will always be open. When there’s time before a vote, I will ask—and I’ll vote how the district asks me to vote. That’s what representation means.

We deserve better. And I’m ready to deliver it.

Sources:

WRIC: Corporation for Public Broadcasting says it is beginning to shut down

KSHB: Federal cuts hit public broadcasts, including Kansas City PBS

Vulture: Corporation for Public Broadcasting shuts down, affects PBS and NPR

The Guardian: Corporation for Public Broadcasting to close after funding eliminated