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except when the post starts "MO Expat", all content published on Missives from Missouri is written and supplied by the noted legislator. Said missives will not necessarily reflect the views of Kyle Hill, the operator of Missives from Missouri, and as such the operator does not assume responsibility for its content. More information
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19 December 2009

Schupp: Happy Holidays!, Listening Post on 21 December, Prescription Help?

Featured Article:

Click to view Holiday Card from Rep. Schupp.

REMINDER:

Just a reminder that Rep. Schupp will be hosting office hours this Monday, December 21, from 9-10 am. Constituents are encouraged to bring their issues, concerns and questions to Rep. Schupp  during Monday's Listening Post.

These listening posts are scheduled the first and third Monday of each month through December from 9:00 to 10:00 am at Champion Bank in the conference room.

This will be the last listening post before the 2010 legislative session.

Champion Bank is located at 11401 Olive Blvd.

Need Help with Prescriptions?? A Message from Pfizer

It has been reported that in 2008, Pfizer Helpful Answers helped 21,000 Missourians receive 142,000 Pfizer prescriptions for free or at a savings.  The value of this was approximately $17,500,000 (at wholesale cost).

If you are, or know of a person truly in need of help with affording medication, please contact The Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA). This program is run by PhRMA and is a gateway to over 475 public and private patient assistance programs for a variety of prescription drugs.

http://www.pparx.org/prescription_assistance_programs

Pfizer Helpful Answers:  This is Pfizer's family of patient assistance program for the uninsured and underinsured who need help getting Pfizer medicines.  These programs provide Pfizer medicines for free or at a savings to patients who qualify.  Some programs also offer reimbursement support services for people with insurance.

http://www.pfizerhelpfulanswers.com/pages/misc/Default.aspx

15 December 2009

Rep. Tishaura Jones joins young elected officials calling for energy action now

Tishaura, along with other Young Elected Officials, press President Obama,
Congress for clean energy jobs legislation in Copenhagen


COPENHAGEN – On the first day of the critical week of United Nations climate negotiations, young elected officials in Copenhagen and in the United States called on President Obama and Congress to secure a strong agreement that will grow clean energy jobs and address climate change.

Five young elected officials presented the statement (printed below) to the United States delegation in Copenhagen on Monday in advance of President Obama’s address all UN delegates on Friday, December 18.

“We have to make this planet a better place to live for our children long after we’re gone. What better way to solve two problems at once, the economy and the environment, than with clean energy jobs?” said Tishaura Jones, State Representative (D-63).

“Our message to President Obama and Congress is simple,” said Andy Katz, Director of the East Bay Municipal Utility District in California, and the Chair of Sierra Club California. “Revitalize our economy with clean energy jobs. Young Americans have the most at stake – and the highest price – if we fail to solve the climate and clean energy crisis.”

The statement attracted support from over 95 young elected city council members, mayors, and state representatives from 30 states.

“While the rest of the economy is struggling, clean energy jobs are a real bright spot,” said Rep. Jeremy Kalin (North Branch, MN), chair of CLEAN, the Coalition of Legislators for Energy Action Now working with the White House and the United States Senate. “Action in Copenhagen and in Congress is critical to scale up the job opportunities.

“Our dependence on oil is a serious threat to America’s national security, which is why both young people and veterans have called on making America more secure by taking control of our energy future," said Rep. Alex Cornell du Houx (Brunswick, ME), an Iraq war veteran in Copenhagen with the Truman National Security Project.

“The world is looking to the United States to lead again on climate solutions,” said Representative Kate Knuth (New Brighton, MN), attending the conference as a policy mentor to a youth delegation from the Will Steger Foundation.

“America cannot afford to be on the sidelines of the new, clean energy economy,” said Deputy Town Supervsior Dominic Frongillo (Caroline, NY). “Congress and President Obama can help regain our competitiveness and ensure the most advanced wind turbines, solar panels, and electric cars say ‘Made in America.’”

The statement presented to the United States delegation reads as follows:

“We, young elected officials of the United States, believe freedom, independence, and self sufficiency are at the heart of America, and should be at the heart of our strategy for energy independence in the 21st Century.

As elected representatives with a personal stake in our future, we believe it’s time for a bold, new vision for America’s future. We call on Congress to start investing in new, safe energy technologies like wind and solar power that will rebuild our manufacturing base, create jobs, and grow our economy. We need to put millions of Americans back to work refitting our homes and buildings for energy efficiency with jobs that can’t be shipped overseas.

The United States can lead once again by forging a bold, binding, and just agreement in Copenhagen that will secure a safe and abundant world for future generations of Americans.”


Tishaura O. Jones, 37, is a Missouri State Representative and Deputy Minority Whip

14 December 2009

Ruestman: Government Continues to Grow

You probably thought you'd seen it all when the liberals in Washington introduced socialized medicine and Cap and Trade, but they're not done.

New legislation introduced by Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold titled The Clean Water Restoration Act greatly expands the powers of the Environmental Protection Agency to allow them to regulate ALL water.  Currently, the EPA has jurisdiction over all "navigable" water; however, the new bill removes the word "navigable".  This means the EPA would have authority to regulate anything from mud puddles to melting snow on your land.

In 2005, the Supreme Court handed down a decision in Kelo vs. City of New London which allows the government to seize land from one private party to give to another private party.  It is appalling to learn that in the State of New York people are being forced to sell their property for a development aimed at giving the New Jersey Nets a new home with nearby shopping.  It seems that now your property only belongs to you until local elected officials determine tax dollars could be made by giving your land to developers.

California recently raised taxes 10 percent.  Due to years of poor decisions and bad spending habits by their politicians California is facing bankruptcy.  They now are shoving a huge tax increase down the throats of their constituents.  How do they explain this?  They say to consider it a "forced, interest-free loan" to the government.

Despite shocking evidence of unethical practices in research indicating global warming, President Obama and several high-ranking officials went to the environmental conference in Copenhagen last week.  The results of such a conference can only serve to chip away at America's sovereignty by agreeing to environmental protections determined by some other nations.  China, one of the world's largest polluters, is participating in the talks but will likely not sign the pact.  Without complete consensus, including China, the agreements are worthless.

It is time for all Missourians to take notice of what is going on around them.  We must begin to push back against these atrocities.  As we enter 2010 I encourage everyone to pay close attention to what is in the news.  The only true way to make a change is with your vote.  Think about it.

If you have problems, questions or wish to express concern over an issue, please do not hesitate to contact me or my Legislator Assistant, Jonathan, at my Capitol office either by phone 573-751-9801 or by e-mail at Marilyn<dot>Ruestman<at>house<dot>mo<dot>gov.

MO Expat: About Missives From Missouri

Welcome to Missives From Missouri, a blog aimed at letting the average Missourian (and Missourian at heart) in on what their elected representatives are up to.  This is achieved by allowing all 197 members of the Missouri General Assembly (163 House Representatives and 34 Senators) the opportunity to send us the weekly reports and press releases they send home to their constituents and media outlets.

I like to call these entries missives.  The word missive has been in the English language for almost 600 years, derived from Latin and Middle French words meaning "letters to be sent".  Today, missive is not used as often as its synonyms like "report", "letter", "dispatch" or "Facebook status", but when it was commonly used, the word conveyed a sense of authority, usually church, political or scholarly in nature.

I wish to stress that this blog does not nor cannot replace face-to-face contact with your elected officials.  If you wish to discuss an issue with them, it is easy to e-mail your representative or senator, or phone their office in Jefferson City.  If you are unsure who your representative and senator is, just click "Find Your State Leaders" on the left of this page and type in your ZIP Code.  Also, while you have the ability to comment on any missive (provided you have an active Blogger account) you will have a much better chance of receiving a response by directly contacting your representative or senator.

I also wish to stress that each missive and press release posted is as e-mailed to me and written by your elected representatives and senators. This blog only contains the opinions and viewpoints of those officials, as e-mailed to their district's constituents and media outlets, and will not necessarily reflect the opinions of the operator of Missives from Missouri, Kyle Hill.  All I'll do on this blog is upload each missive and press release.  But if you really want to know what I'm thinking, head over to my other blog, The Missouri Expatriate.

This blog is provided as a public service to all Missourians, and it is my hope that Missives from Missouri will be of service to you.  If you are a media outlet or fellow independent blogger looking for a particular missive, please do not deprive your readers, listeners, or viewers of where you found the missive.  If you are posting online content from which you used this blog as a source, I ask that you link to us, particularly the missive quoted. This service is as important to your readers, listeners and viewers as it is to you, and we're both in it to preserve government transparency and an open representative democracy.

I look forward to continually fulfilling this service to the residents of my native Missouri.

Regards,
Kyle Hill (AKA The Missouri Expatriate)