You may have seen the article in the El Dorado Springs Sun. If you didn’t, it’s about Mark “Awful” Alford launching a “Heartland Hotline”—a phone number he says will connect him to rural Missourians.
But let’s be real: this is just damage control.
Mark “Awful” Alford has been voting against the best interests of folks in Missouri’s 4th District for years. And now that people are catching on, he’s scrambling to pretend he cares.
He wasn’t born here.
He wasn’t raised here.
He didn’t farm here.
He doesn’t live the life rural Missourians live every day.
This hotline is about optics, not outreach. It’s not a lifeline—it’s a cut cord, just like the connection he’s had to our rural communities all along.
And while Alford’s campaign is bankrolled by big-money donors from Washington, Kansas, and beyond—I’m building this campaign with grassroots support from real Missourians who live and work here, just like I do.
So ask yourself:
Do you want Missouri represented by someone bought and paid for by out-of-state interests?
Or do you want someone who knows your struggles, shares your values, and won’t sell you out for PAC money?
Let’s bring real representation back to Missouri’s 4th.
By Ricky Dana
Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, Missouri-4
Original policy concept publicly posted on this blog: July 31, 2025 at 10:35 AM CST
Our family farms are the beating heart of Missouri’s economy—but too many of them are struggling to keep the lights on, keep the land in the family, and keep food on the table for the rest of us.
As your next Congressman, I’ve been working on a farm tax credit plan designed to ease the burden on family farmers and help protect Missouri agriculture for future generations. I’m keeping the specifics locked down for now—for a very good reason.
Too often, good policy ideas get hijacked by politicians who had nothing to do with creating them. This post is here as a digital marker: a public timestamp to show who was working on this first. Remember this date: July 31, 2025. If others start parroting this idea later, you’ll know exactly where it came from.
This policy is built by and for rural Missourians. It’s not about giveaways. It’s about fairness—helping farmers who work hard every day and ensuring our food systems stay local, strong, and rooted in family-owned land. No handouts for corporate megafarms. No favors for foreign land buyers. No patience for lobbyists writing the rules.
It’s about time we had someone in Congress who’s actually from here—someone who knows the difference between a tractor and a talking point. I’m that person, and I’m not waiting around to bring real change home.
If you’re ready to fight for Missouri’s farmers with someone who’s lived that life, I’d be proud to have your support.
– Ricky Dana
Candidate for U.S. House, Missouri’s 4th District
By Ricky Dana, Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, Missouri-4
Original policy concept publicly posted on this blog: July 31, 2025 at 10:35 AM CST
Housing costs are skyrocketing. Wages aren’t keeping up. And in too many Missouri towns—rural or urban—families are struggling to find a safe, affordable place to call home.
The worst part? We keep hearing there’s no solution unless we raise taxes or add to the national debt.
I don’t buy that—and neither should you.
That’s why I’m proposing the Build Missouri First initiative: a real plan that delivers housing for working Missourians without borrowing a dime from our kids’ future.
Here’s how we get there:
🏡 Unlock Public Land for Housing
Missouri counties hold thousands of vacant, tax-delinquent, or federally owned lots—just sitting there. No homes, no tax base, no purpose.
We can work with HUD, the Missouri Treasurer, and local land banks to repurpose that land for housing. No purchase cost. Just smart use of what we already have.
It’s time we put that land to work for the people.
🏗️ Build Modular—Faster, Smarter, Cheaper
Traditional construction is slow and expensive. But modular housing—factory-built and assembled on site—is:
✅ Up to 50% cheaper
✅ Built in weeks, not months
✅ Easier to scale in rural areas
Missouri can create local modular housing plants by repurposing old warehouses or unused factories. That creates jobs and homes at the same time.
We also partner with community colleges and trade schools to train workers for these high-demand jobs—boosting our workforce while solving the housing crisis.
🔑 Lease-to-Own Instead of Handouts
We don’t need more dead-end rent traps. We need ownership.
This plan uses a lease-to-own model:
Residents pay below-market rent
After 10–15 years, they own the home
Their payments help pay back construction costs and fund maintenance
It’s sustainable. It’s fair. It works.
🏘️ Modernize Zoning for a Modern Missouri
Outdated zoning rules drive up home prices. Let’s fix that.
With state incentives and infrastructure grants, we can help towns update their zoning to allow:
Smaller lots
Accessory dwelling units
Duplexes and triplexes
Faster permitting
That means more housing, less red tape.
🤝 Power of Partnerships (Not Federal Debt)
We don’t need more bloated federal programs. We need partnerships.
We’ll bring in private foundations, local credit unions, community banks, and major retailers to help with zero-interest loans and rural housing grants—especially for seniors, veterans, and working families.
No national debt increase. Just neighbors helping neighbors.
🔨 Labor for Housing
Many Missourians are willing to put in the work.
That’s why we’ll launch a sweat equity program—where residents can earn down payment credits by helping build or maintain their future homes.
Paint it. Landscape it. Live in it.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t a handout. It’s a hand-up.
We can solve Missouri’s housing crisis without raising taxes, increasing the debt, or waiting on Washington to get its act together.
We just have to build smarter—and build for us.
I’m Ricky Dana. I’m not a career politician. I’m a Missouri-grown problem solver. And I believe we can build the future our families deserve—starting with a home they can afford.
I know what it’s like to walk dirt roads, tend fields, and live life in small towns—because it’s my life too. I was born in a rural hospital in Waverly, raised in Marshall, and rooted in District 4.
Years of Control, No Improvement
Net farm income in Missouri dropped to $3.66 billion in 2024, a 16 percent decline from 2023, even as costs remain high. Twelve rural hospitals have closed since 2014, and 43 percent of those left risk shutting their doors.
Missing Town Halls, Missing Answers
So far this year, Rep. Mark “Awful” Alford held only one in-person town hall—in Belton on June 16, 2025—where about 100 people attended. Most communities never got a chance to ask him direct questions about rural healthcare or farm supports.
Putting Party Over Farm Families
Last July, he voted 218–214 for Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax-and-spending bill, even though it cuts funding for rural health clinics and farm disaster relief you rely on.
Photo Ops Instead of Policy
He shows up for ribbon cuttings and cameras—but when it’s time to repair county roads or expand broadband, he’s nowhere to be found.
Time for Real Local Representation
I’m Ricky Dana. I live here year-round, work here every day, and understand our challenges because they’re my challenges too. You deserve a representative who shows up for more than a photo op.
Let’s Make Real Change Together
Elect a true rural Missourian. Elect Ricky Dana for Congress.
Another week in Washington—and another round of votes that hurt the families who feed America.
The man sitting in Missouri’s 4th District seat wasn’t born here. He wasn’t raised here. He built his career in city newsrooms and now lives in suburban Lake Winnebago, far from any soybean field or cattle ranch. And every time he votes, that becomes painfully clear.
Here’s what he supported this week:
🎯 H.R. 4016 — Defense Spending Over Everything
He voted YES to give over $831 billion to the Pentagon—while family farms struggle, rural clinics close, and roads crumble across our counties. That money could have built broadband. Could have supported ag tech. Could have kept our hospitals staffed. But no—it went to war machines and defense contractors.
🎯 H.R. 3351 — Big Business Wrapped in “Small Business” Packaging
This bill claims to help small businesses, but the fine print gives a leg up to chain franchises and financial giants. It won’t help the feed store in Cole Camp or the mechanic in Warsaw. It helps the banks, not the barn.
🎯 H.R. 3095 — ZIP Code Nonsense Instead of Real Help
Rural families need mail service, not ZIP code reshuffles. This does nothing to help delivery delays, carrier shortages, or crumbling post offices across rural Missouri. Just another distraction from real problems.
🎯 H.R. 1919 — Blocking Innovation in Rural Finance
This vote stops modernization of digital payments—tools that could help farmers sell direct, access credit, and grow their markets. It’s all fear-mongering and no solutions.
🎯 H.Res. 590 — Budget Tricks That Cut Us Out
This procedural vote paves the way for budget rescissions. Translation: less funding for education, rural health clinics, and agricultural research. It’s a backdoor way to shortchange us again.
And here’s the truth:
He didn’t grow up working the land.
He’s never pulled a calf, hauled hay, or stood at a kitchen table balancing feed bills.
He’s not from here—and he doesn’t vote like he understands those of us who are.
I was raised in Missouri’s heartland. I worked with farm families across the state. I know what matters to us—and it’s not lobbyist-driven votes and suburban priorities.
We need a representative who fights for farm families, not big donors.
Who understands rural life because they’ve lived it.
And who’s ready to make Washington work for us—not the other way around.
Missouri voters deserve leaders who put rural communities first. But U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt has repeatedly sided with special interests over the needs of Missouri’s small towns and farms.
Cuts to Medicaid Provider Taxes
In June 2025, Schmitt voted “Yes” on the budget reconciliation bill that caps medical provider taxes at 3.5%.
That cap threatens to cut hundreds of millions from Missouri hospitals, especially in rural areas that rely on Medicaid reimbursements.
Local healthcare leaders warn that lowering provider taxes makes it harder for rural hospitals to cover costs—putting emergency care out of reach for many Missourians.
Stripping Funds from Rural Communities
In July 2025, Schmitt voted for the rescissions package that clawed back over $1 billion from public broadcasting and cut foreign aid.
That move hits small-town PBS and NPR stations—and the farms and families they serve—hardest.
These cuts fund big-city media critics, not rural Missouri schools, hospitals, or broadband projects that depend on community TV and radio grants.
Why It Matters
Dozens of rural Missouri counties already lack a hospital.
Local radio and TV are critical for weather alerts, farm news, and school closings.
Missourians can’t wait years for cuts to be undone or for distant donors to care.
About Me: Ricky Dana
I was born in Waverly and grew up in Marshall, Missouri. I’ve worked the land, raised horses, and served rural Missouri through my work with the Lincoln University College of Agriculture. I’ve spent my career helping farm families, expanding healthcare access, and supporting public outreach in our rural communities.
Here’s what I’m fighting for:
Expand Medicaid now to keep rural hospitals open and staffed
Protect public broadcasting that serves our farms, schools, and small towns
Bring high-speed internet and reliable healthcare to every county in Missouri
Write policy based on Missouri values—not orders from D.C. lobbyists
I’m not funded by billionaires or coastal donors—I’m backed by you. And I’ll always put Missouri first.
My opponent just voted for the Rescissions Act of 2025 in the House on July 18, 2025—cutting $7.9 billion in foreign aid and $1.1 billion from public broadcasting (NPR/PBS) for a total of $9 billion. Full vote details (Roll Call Vote 2025203).
I am one of you, born and raised here in rural Missouri, and I will always fight for all Missourians, especially our farm families and small towns.
I already have trade-agreement plans in progress to move more of Missouri’s cash crops and livestock to buyers at home and abroad. In 2023, Missouri was the 8th-largest agricultural exporter, shipping $5.6 billion in farm goods overseas (USTR), and our agriculture industry is a $93.7 billion engine that employs nearly 460,000 people (MO Dept of Ag).
With smarter deals, we can grow that number—bringing billions more back into our rural communities.
Tax Relief for Family Farms
I will introduce legislation to remove all federal income tax on family-farm sales of cash crops, garden vegetables, and livestock. Under Article I, Section 8, Congress has the power to levy and adjust taxes, and the 16th Amendment allows income taxes on any source of income. This change keeps more money in local pockets for equipment, seed, and hiring.
To ease local property-tax burdens, I will create a production-based tax credit that farms can apply against their county and municipal property and real estate taxes.
Property Tax Credits for Farm Families
Our farm families feed Missouri—and the world. To support them, I’ll champion legislation for production-based property tax credits. Farms that meet certain output levels can claim credits against their county and local property and real estate taxes.
Credit Amount: Up to 25% of county/local property tax paid on agricultural land.
Eligibility: Producing at least 1,000 bushels of grain (or equivalent livestock output) annually.
Example Benefit: A 200-acre farm paying $60 / acre ($12,000/year) could receive up to $3,000 in credits annually.
These credits deliver immediate relief—keeping farms competitive, family-owned, and thriving.
Improving Rural Health Care
Our district is incredibly lean on health services—all but seven Missouri counties have shortages of primary care providers, and 18 rural hospitals have closed since 2014 (The Beacon News).
Urgent Care Clinics: Open 5 new offices across MO-4. Startup cost ~$850,000–$1 million each (Experity Health).
Mobile Clinics: Deploy 10 rotating units with Missouri extension offices, community centers, and churches. Startup ~$150,000–$200,000 each; annual operating ~$275,000 (Chief Healthcare Exec; Mobile Health Map).
Building Infrastructure & Broadband
We’ll repair rural roads and bridges so farmers can get goods to market faster. We’ll also subsidize high-speed internet so families can do primary-care checkups online when clinics aren’t nearby.
MO-4 has ~788,949 people (Census Reporter), about 316,000 households. If 75% (~237,000) need service at $75/month, that runs ~$213 million/year.
Funding the Plan
We’ll pay for these initiatives by:
Closing the carried-interest loophole and raising the top marginal rate on incomes over $5 million—part of the “Buffett Rule,” which analysts estimate could raise about $36.7 billion per year nationwide (Wikipedia).
Enacting a 1 percentage-point increase in the corporate income tax rate, which could generate approximately $14 billion per year over the next decade (https://www.crfb.org/blogs/cbos-revenue-savings-options?utm_source=chatgpt.com).
Redirecting unused federal relief funds and unspent infrastructure monies to jump-start clinic construction and broadband build-out.
Even setting aside 0.5% of that annual revenue—roughly $250 million—would cover the yearly cost of rural health care, broadband subsidies, and infrastructure projects in Missouri’s 4th District.
Rough Cost Estimate for MO-4
Initiative
Quantity
Unit Cost
Initial Cost
Annual Cost
Urgent Care Clinics
5
~$1 million each
~$5 million
Break-even in ~2 years
Mobile Clinics
10
$150K–$200K each
~$1.5 million
~$2.75 million
Broadband Subsidy
237,000 households
$75/month
N/A
~$213 million
All figures approximate; final costs depend on clinic size, subsidy levels, and rollout pace.
Conclusion
Rural Missouri deserved an advocate who lives here, farmed here, and raised horses here. I am one of you, and I will fight every day to:
Bring billions into our economy through trade-agreement legislation that opens new markets for our cash crops and livestock.
Cut federal income taxes on family-farm sales and create production-based property tax credits with the Family Farm Tax Relief Act.
Expand health care across MO-4 by funding new urgent care clinics and rotating mobile units under the Rural Health Care Expansion Act.
Build modern infrastructure and broadband access with the Rural Infrastructure & Connectivity Act.
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Locally grown produce at a Missouri farmers market – fresh, safe, and close to home.
I live in a small farming community in Missouri. Lately, I’ve seen prices shoot up at the grocery store—and I’m not alone. My neighbors feel it too. Tariffs pushed by the Trump administration have made it harder to grow food, ship it, or sell it for a fair price.
What Farmers Are Saying
Many Missouri farmers are frustrated. One corn grower north of Kansas City said the rules keep changing, so it’s hard to plan. Things like fertilizer, seeds, and supplies now cost more because of these trade policies. Source:American Farmland Owner
Deals Lost to Other Countries
China used to be one of the biggest buyers of U.S. farm products. But not anymore. One Missouri farmer lost a multimillion-dollar deal with a buyer in China. The buyer backed out because of tariffs. China also blocked soybeans and other crops from U.S. companies. Sources:
Many can’t. Costs for fertilizer and fuel are way up. Interest rates are high too. At the same time, prices for crops like soybeans have dropped by a third. That makes it harder for farmers to make ends meet. Source:Missouri Independent
Food Prices and Safety Concerns
Families are paying more at the store. Meats, eggs, and other basics have gone up over 5% in the past year. On top of that, there have been many food safety warnings. The CDC is tracking at least 17 outbreaks of foodborne illness—mostly from Salmonella. And in many cases, we’re not even told what brand is responsible. Sources:
We should be able to find fresh, local food at local stores. Why are our stores filled with food that traveled 1,000 miles, while nearby growers struggle to sell what they raise? I’d trust beef, eggs, or vegetables from my neighbors before something shipped in from another country.
Local food means fresher meals, fewer safety risks, and less dependence on big corporations. It’s better for our families, our health, and our economy.
Over the past few weeks, the Supreme Court has made decisions that help Donald Trump’s administration strengthen executive power. In multiple key cases, six conservative justices have outvoted the three liberals, weakening courts’ ability to check the president. Many of these rulings came in one-page orders without full explanations, hiding how and why the court sided with the White House. When judges stack power on one side, our system of checks and balances breaks down and the rule of law erodes .
Education Department Ruling
On July 14, 2025, the Supreme Court cleared the way for President Trump to cut nearly half of the Education Department’s staff. A lower court judge had blocked Trump’s plan to fire about 1,400 workers and move functions like student loans and special education to other agencies. By lifting that block, the court let Trump reshape a cabinet agency without Congress’s approval. Critics warn that students with low incomes or special needs could lose vital support if these duties leave the department .
What about Missouri Schools?
This change affects about 892,246 public school students in Missouri (fall 2023) and could leave only about 880,200 by fall 2025. With fewer workers, the department will struggle to enforce civil-rights rules or run programs like Title I funding, special education, and student loan help. Families in both rural and city areas may lose key support, making schools less fair and hurting Missouri students now and in the years ahead
Blocking Nationwide Injunctions and Birthright Citizenship
On June 27, 2025, the Court used a 6–3 vote to limit judges’ power to block Trump’s policies nationwide. In the birthright citizenship case, it ruled that judges can only protect the people who sue, not everyone in the country. That halted lower court orders that had paused Trump’s executive order ending citizenship for babies born to non-citizen parents. The decision did not rule on the policy’s legality, only on who can block it, effectively letting Trump push forward until more courts weigh in .
Other Key Cases
This term, the Supreme Court also backed other Trump moves. It let his administration resume deporting migrants to third countries without a hearing on harm. It upheld a ban on transgender people serving in the military. It allowed the government to freeze or cut payments to groups that carry out federal work. In each case, conservatives used a fast-track “shadow docket” process, leaving people with fewer legal options and speeding up the president’s agenda .
Undermining Congressional Power
The Court has also let Trump bypass rules set by Congress for independent agencies. It allowed him to fire two Democratic labor board members and paused a judge’s order to reinstate three Consumer Product Safety Commission officials. These watchdog agencies were created by lawmakers to protect the public. By siding with the president, the Court weakens Congress’s power to set terms and duties of these officials, giving the White House more control over agencies meant to stand guard over our rights .
Why This Matters
These rulings reshape Washington’s balance of power. By lifting blocks and narrowing who can challenge policies, the Court hands more power to the president and sidelines Congress. This breaks the Constitution’s plan for three branches to share authority. Justice Sonia Sotomayor called the birthright decision a “travesty for the rule of law.” Legal experts warn that deciding by bare-majority orders without transparency erodes trust in all branches of government .
Public Support for Reform
Many Americans see the danger and want change. A recent Pew Research Center survey found 87% of adults favor term limits for members of Congress, and nearly 80% support age or term limits for Supreme Court justices. This broad agreement crosses party lines and shows voters know rules on service length help keep democracy healthy. Reforming term rules for judges and lawmakers is key to restoring balance and trust in government .
Conclusion and Possible Outcomes
If Supreme Court justices decide cases based on personal views instead of the Constitution, we risk:
Unchecked Power: The presidency could act without real limits.
Weakened Laws: Agencies and programs may be dismantled without Congress.
Loss of Trust: When courts side with power, people stop believing in justice.
Risk of Anarchy: With no faith in the system, some may break rules, leading to chaos.
Only 35% of Americans say they trust the judicial system, the lowest level ever recorded . To protect our republic, we must restore judges who follow the Constitution, not personal views. We need term limits for Supreme Court justices and all elected officials. This will help keep power balanced and ensure our courts serve the people — not one man’s power grab.
Support Our Campaign
Help restore checks and balances. Get involved today!
While I am running as a Democrat, I want to speak honestly and respectfully: I am not running as part of the Mainstream Missouri Democratic Party. I’m running as a Common Sense Rural Democrat—grounded in the values, concerns, and daily realities of rural Missouri.
My priorities are shaped by the lived experiences of the people in places like:
Marshall (Saline County)
Sedalia (Pettis County)
El Dorado Springs (Cedar County)
Warsaw (Benton County)
Lamar (Barton County)
Butler (Bates County)
Osceola (St. Clair County)
Clinton (Henry County)
Hermitage (Hickory County) — as well as other rural communities, cities, and towns across our district that face the same challenges and deserve to be heard.
I have great respect for the work many in the state party are doing, but their platform is primarily shaped by urban and suburban priorities. That approach doesn’t fully reflect the specific needs of our rural communities and farm towns—places where roads, schools, hospitals, and family farms are the backbone of daily life.
At times, I may sound more like an independent voice—and in many ways, I am. But I am squarely focused on one thing: serving the people of Missouri’s 4th District, regardless of party or political opinion. I don’t answer to a political machine or an urban party platform—I answer to the people who live, work, and raise families right here in rural Missouri.
I’m a Missouri Grown Candidate—raised here, rooted here, and running to represent all Missourians with honesty, fairness, and common sense.
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