Economy

Missouri Senator Claire McCaskill says she wants more financial information from the American auto industry before she'll support giving them government assistance.

JEFFERSON CITY - For more than a year now, home foreclosures are a major issue in the country and area campaigns.

JEFFERSON CITY — Teddy Fleck, the Libertarian candidate for lieutenant governor, said he stands for lower taxes, smaller government and returning power from the federal government back to individual states.

Fleck, of Springfield, was a Republican for 27 years before changing parties.

"They're all big government anymore, and they don't represent the people," Fleck said of his reason for defecting from the GOP.

The 46-year-old served 13 years in the U.S. Army, eventually reaching the rank of sergeant first class. Since 1992, he has worked as a truck driver.

SPRINGFIELD — Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Friday accused Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama of hiding his true intentions when it comes to tax policy, calling him "Barack the wealth-spreader."

Speaking to thousands of supporters in the parking lot of a sporting goods store, Palin said that Obama has tried to hide his support for wealth redistribution from voters. A significant part of Palin's roughly half-hour speech focused on contrasting the Democrat's economic and tax polices with those of the Republican ticket.

MEXICO - Missouri is a leader in biofuels, an industry that's been a boom for farmers and an expensive item for taxpayers.

ST. LOUIS - Change may be the 2008 Presidential election buzzword, but it has different meanings to different people.

150 MU students gathered at MU's Allen Auditorium for a presidential forum last night.

COLUMBIA - On the eve of the last presidential debate, MU students are still asking questions about the economy.

In his bid to become the next governor of Missouri, Rep. Kenny Hulshof survived a bitter primary that at one point saw the candidates bashing each other for supporting public funding for drugs such as Viagra.

Then came the catastrophe on Wall Street. Now the economy has become the overriding issue that is tightening gubernatorial races across the nation.

"It's going to be the No. 1 reason someone keeps their job or loses it," said Del Ali, who has conducted polls in several gubernatorial races.

Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan issued a press release last Friday stating that she is defending Missourians' voting rights who faced or are currently facing foreclosure.

COLUMBIA - In a time where many have economic worries, a panel of experts came together Tuesday night to try to ease those worries.

COLUMBIA - National auto sales figures for last month show buyers bought about 25 percent fewer cars than the same month last year.

JEFFERSON CITY - The Missouri Budget Project says Missouri cannot sustain a budget beyond 2009 with current tax cuts in place and must increase taxes to stay afloat, but a pro-business lobbyist group said this is the same incorrect message the project released in April.

COLUMBIA - The August consumer spending report has been released, and spending is at the worst it has been in six months.

JEFFERSON CITY — President Bush is scheduled to appear at a fundraiser for Republican gubernatorial candidate Kenny Hulshof next week.

The Oct. 3 fundraiser is to be held at Hunter Farms in St. Louis County.

Hulshof campaign spokesman Scott Baker confirmed Friday that Bush is to attend.

An invitation from Hulshof's campaign lists Gov. Matt Blunt, Sen. Kit Bond and  former Sen. John Danforth as honorary chairman for the fundraising dinner.