Proposition C.

The Missouri Health Care Freedom, Proposition C will appear on the August 3, 2010 statewide ballot in Missouri as an legislatively-referred state statute. The proposed measure aims to block the federal government from requiring people to buy health insurance and bans punishment for those without health insurance.

Backers of such measures are opposed to President Barack Obama’s new health care plans. The measure does not advocate a particular plan but measure advocates say the measure will "protect the individual’s right to make health care decisions." Opponents of the measures and some constitutional scholars say the proposals are mostly symbolic, intended to send a message of political protest, and have little chance of succeeding in court over the long run.

On May 4, 2010 the Missouri State Senate voted 26-8 in favor of referring the proposed measure to the ballot. On May 11 the House gave final approval to refer the measure to the ballot following a 108-47 vote.

According to the Missouri Secretary of State the official ballot title reads as follows:

Official Ballot Title:

Shall the Missouri Statutes be amended to:

* Deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful healthcare services?

* Modify laws regarding the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies?

It is estimated this proposal will have no immediate costs or savings to state or local governmental entities. However, because of the uncertain interaction of the proposal with implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, future costs to state governmental entities are unknown.

Fair Ballot Language: A "yes" vote will amend Missouri law to deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful healthcare services. The amendment will also modify laws regarding the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies.

A "no" vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding private health insurance, lawful healthcare services, and the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies.

If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.

Support

Sen. Jane Cunningham, a sponsor of the proposed measure, argues that the measure is about protecting personal liberties and allowing Missouri residents to choose whether to accept federal health care without any penalties. "Missourians will lose absolutely nothing if this amendment passes. They can choose the government plan or they can choose anything else they want," said Cunningham. But some lawmakers argue that the health care legislation crosses into states’ rights and oversteps its own federal power. Sen. Jim Lembke said,"If the federal government is going to make all the decisions for us, why are we here?"

In May 2010 media reports said that local consultant Patrick Tuohey filed paperwork to establish a committee in support of the proposed health care freedom measure. The official group in support of Proposition C is Missourians for Health Care Freedom.

Donors

According to the quarterly finance report filed July 15, Missourians for Health Care Freedom received several donations from June 18 through June 30. According to reports, the group received $22,768.07 in monetary contributions.[13] According to the finance report, the group has had a total of $9,700 in expenditures.[14]

Below is a chart that outlines major cash contributions to Missourians for Health Care Freedom:

Contributor Amount

Citizens for Brad Lager $5,000

Missourians for Goodman $5,000

Ray Vinson, Executive for

US Auto Protection $5,000

William Canfield, retired $5,000

Fred Sauer, Orion

Investment Co. $5,000

Missourians for Mayer $2,500

Ron Richard 2010 $2,500

Opposition

Opponents argue that the approved federal health care legislation is similar to a mandate, requiring lawmakers to cover treatment for autistic children - approved in March 2010 by the Missouri State Senate. In response to supporters’ arguments Sen. Victor Callahan said,"Social Security per se is not in the Constitution. I don’t see it in the Constitution but it appears to be on my check every two weeks."

Opponents of the proposed measure and supporters of the approved federal health care reform created a group on Facebook called "Vote No on Missouri Prop C." The group, however, does not list an official website. According to the group’s logo, the moto reads, "Protect Health Care For All Missourians: No! on Prop C."

One a the hardest things ta get across to a new swimmer is that if ya relax, most folks will float.

The trick is to get a good amount of air in the lungs and just relax. The feet go down and the head will tilt forward into the water. If ya just relax and be still, you’ll float till ya need ta take another breath. To do this you just raise your head and give a little kick to raise ya up a bit. That gives ya time to take another gulp of air and resume the relax position.

This survival technique is simple and nearly always works.

Most of us find it hard to take a minute and get a deep breath to relax. I’m sure it was this concern that prompted the clerk over the weekend to politely ask me to go jump in the lake.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

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Weekly Columns

artCentral

ART NOTES from Hyde House

by Sally Armstrong, Director of artCentral

As I write, we have begun the first day of our annual kid’s artCamp here at artCentral, and all 18 students scheduled for today have arrived and are busy working in three classes. A group of five are studying Manga art drawing upstairs in the Tommey classroom with their teacher, artist Sean Fitzgibbon, Fayetteville, Arkansas, son of artist John Fitzgibbon of Webb City. Sean’s students are learning the basics of cartoon drawing with the Manga theme characters, and are hard at work. Downstairs are a group of eight students learning the various aspects of charcoal drawing with local artist and teacher Tom Jones instructing. Boys and girls are in each group, and their ages range from 10-14. Outside in the Pottery House in the upstairs classroom are a group of students engaged in slab clay construction with veteran teacher Randy Wright. She was formerly the art teacher at Columbian and current doing private art instruction in her home studio as well as practicing her own art of silver casting and ceramics. Each day this week and also next week we are expecting between 15-25 students daily who will be involved in 29 classes that are being offered. Our students number 42 thus far this year. Sincere thanks go to several of our local foundations for grant money that enables us to offer these classes to our students. Most recently I received a generous grant contribution from the Ruth I. Kolpin Foundation, and to them we are most grateful. Without the assistance of these local funds we could not continue to offer the type of classes that we do, and for the cost that we charge the students we could never engage the quality of instructors that we have. I am pleased to announce a special art show that will be held July 25th, this Sunday only, from 2:00-5:00 here at the Hyde House. Art by our students will be shown, refreshments served, and all are invited to attend! I hope that the families and friends of these students, as well as our membership will support this special showing of student art, which will remain in the gallery for the following week as well for any additional folks to view. Please come and support your youth, and see what has been created by these students!