Davis: Healthcare Freedom

Michael Reagan Visits the Capitol

Michael Reagan came to the Capitol recently to talk with the legislators and to share some stories about his father, President Ronald Reagan.  While he was in the Speaker's office he told us a remarkable story about a conversation he had with Margaret Thatcher after his father's funeral.

Here is my recount of the conversation:  Margaret Thatcher said to him, "It's a shame your father didn't win the primary in 1976 against Gerald Ford."  Michael said, "No it's not."  The world leaders were not in place to create the dynamic that effected such a substantial change in the world at the time.  It took Ronald Reagan, but also took Pope John Paul, Margaret Thatcher and Mikhail Gorbachev all serving as world leaders simultaneously.  Had Ronald Reagan won the primary in 1976, he would have been term limited out of office by 1984---way too early to have been a change agent with the others.  Isn't it great when everything just works out perfect?  I was inspired to know that we all are called to serve when the time is right.  This was my last session in the House, but it was very important for me to arrive right when the majority and minority switched seats.

Healthcare Freedom

"Proposition C" is on the August ballot.  If you vote next Tuesday, you will see a question of whether we should change the Missouri state statues to allow people the freedom to purchase or to not purchase the national medical insurance offerings.  The current federal law will force everybody to buy some sort of insurance or face a penalty.

I was the first one to introduce this measure in the legislature.  After my proposal passed out of the House, the Senate refused to take it up.  This frustrated a lot of citizens because it became obvious that the senators were listening more to the lobbyists than to their constituents. Feeling the heat from the voters, the Senators threw together a "watered-down" fragment of the original resolution and shoved it back to the House with a "take it or leave it" attitude.

The version the House sent to the Senate would have changed the Missouri Constitution.  The senate changed it to a referendum asking the voters if they want to change a state statute.  The Constitution is supreme over the statutes and can only be changed by a vote of the people, whereas the statutes are changed ever year by the legislators.

I am supporting this measure, primarily because I believe in healthcare freedom. This will be a referendum on how Missouri voters feel. However, the state senators ought to be embarrassed for failing to offer their constituents a true constitutional amendment.  The secretary of state's office told me this will be costing the taxpayers about $300,000 to put it on the ballot and the price tag is the same whether it is an amendment to the constitution or merely a referendum on whether we ought to have a statute change.

Our nation was built on the principle that people ought to be free from the oppression of governmental intrusion into our lives.  How we administrate our own medical expense payments ought to always be a personal choice.  If our founding fathers could have seen the debates we are having today, they would be astounded!

Every time the legislature passes more insurance mandates, they are buying into the philosophy of the Obamacare proponents in Washington DC.

Insurance mandates are the opposite of Healthcare freedom.  Here is a link to "The Show Me Institute" article written to demonstrate the damage done in the same session by trying to foist insurance mandates on us while at the same time attempting to get Healthcare Freedom into our constitution: Show-Me Institute -  Negative Consequences

Although well-intentioned, this mandate will necessarily raise the cost of premiums for Missourians, making it more difficult for individuals and small businesses to keep their health insurance plans…A mandate of any amount increases health insurance costs, and this bill's substantial commitment would assuredly have a noticeable effect." (Caitlin Hartsell researcher and public health graduate –Washington University)

As you can see, many legislators are philosophically conflicted.  Therefore, it was nearly impossible to be both in favor of healthcare freedom and against it in the same session.  Amazingly, most voted for both.

Your thoughts are important to me, so please let me know what you think about the federal healthcare policy. You can send me your opinion by clicking here: Cynthia Davis

Don't Forget to get out and vote August 3!

Local Election links:

St. Charles sample ballot (contained in various city sections) and other information can be found by clicking on this link: St. Charles County Sample Ballot

Link to St. Charles County Elections Department: St. Charles County Elections Department

To view the Missouri State ballot click on this link: State Ballot Measure

A Little Bit of Humor

THE BUSY DOCTOR

A young doctor had just opened office and felt really excited. His secretary told him a man was here to see him. The young doctor told her to send him in.

Pretending to be a busy doctor, he picked up the phone just as the man came in. "Yes, that's right. The fee is $200. Yes, I'll expect you ten past two. Alright. No later. I'm a very busy man."

He hung up and turned to the man waiting. "May I help you?"

"No," said the man, "I just came in to install the phone."