by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
Missouri voters will go to the polls on August 4th for the state's official primary election where we choose candidates who will be on the ballot in the November general election. The November general election is less than one hundred days away, and, as of this point, neither of the two major parties have even chosen their official candidate for President. Things are about to go into "rush" mode.
In addition to choosing candidates for the general election, the Missouri primary ballot this year also contains a proposed constitutional amendment that is garnering a lot of interest. Amendment 2 would expand Medicaid in the state, a move that proponents say would cover "veterans and hardworking Missourians" earning less that $18,000 per year - and help keep rural hospitals and clinics open, as well as protect thousands of health care jobs across the state. The proponents also argue that because thirty-seven other states and the District of Columbia have already expanded Medicaid, right now Missouri tax dollars are flowing out-of-state to assist citizens in other states to receive medical care - and that passing Medicaid expansion in Missouri would return more than a billion dollars of what was Missouri money to begin with to our state's coffers.
The Missouri Legislature has been firm in its resistance to giving citizens of the state any sort of relief in dealing with medical expenses. This current proposed amendment has come to the ballot through a citizen's initiative. It was crafted as a constitutional amendment - and not a bill - in order to restrict our legislature's ability to mess with the intent of the people. Proponents tried to get it placed on the November general election where they hoped that a bigger turnout would help to get it passed, but Governor Parson was successful in his attempt to get it placed on the primary ballot where the Republican governor hoped that lower turnout would work against the amendment's passage.
But Parson's political maneuvering may not be enough to stop Missourians from passing the amendment. Oklahoma, also a very conservative state, passed Medicaid expansion in their state's primary election last month.
Currently, in addition to Missouri, twelve other states still have not passed Medicaid expansion. Those include: Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Two states in the old Confederacy, Arkansas and Louisiana, have expanded Medicaid, as has Mitch McConnell's Kentucky.
The campaign to expand Medicaid in Missouri has been hard-fought and expensive. There have been heavy broadcast and print efforts, both pro and con, and this week I have received three separate mailers on the measure - all in support.
The election is Tuesday, August 4th. Absentee ballots are available through each county clerk's office and applications for absentee ballots can be found on the Missouri Secretary of State's webpage. Absentee ballots may be submitted by anyone over 65-years-old, at high risk for contracting COVID-19, or confined due to illness - without notarizations, and others may submit a mail-in ballot with notarization.
Missouri voters who rely on rural clinics and hospitals for their medical treatment should take this matter very seriously - and so should voters who have family members who have had trouble getting insurance. August 4th Missouri will have an opportunity to get more and better medical coverage to more people - and right now, in particular, the health of each of us affects the health of all of us.
Missouri, vote "Yes" on Amendment 2 on August 4th!
Citizen Journalist
Missouri voters will go to the polls on August 4th for the state's official primary election where we choose candidates who will be on the ballot in the November general election. The November general election is less than one hundred days away, and, as of this point, neither of the two major parties have even chosen their official candidate for President. Things are about to go into "rush" mode.
In addition to choosing candidates for the general election, the Missouri primary ballot this year also contains a proposed constitutional amendment that is garnering a lot of interest. Amendment 2 would expand Medicaid in the state, a move that proponents say would cover "veterans and hardworking Missourians" earning less that $18,000 per year - and help keep rural hospitals and clinics open, as well as protect thousands of health care jobs across the state. The proponents also argue that because thirty-seven other states and the District of Columbia have already expanded Medicaid, right now Missouri tax dollars are flowing out-of-state to assist citizens in other states to receive medical care - and that passing Medicaid expansion in Missouri would return more than a billion dollars of what was Missouri money to begin with to our state's coffers.
The Missouri Legislature has been firm in its resistance to giving citizens of the state any sort of relief in dealing with medical expenses. This current proposed amendment has come to the ballot through a citizen's initiative. It was crafted as a constitutional amendment - and not a bill - in order to restrict our legislature's ability to mess with the intent of the people. Proponents tried to get it placed on the November general election where they hoped that a bigger turnout would help to get it passed, but Governor Parson was successful in his attempt to get it placed on the primary ballot where the Republican governor hoped that lower turnout would work against the amendment's passage.
But Parson's political maneuvering may not be enough to stop Missourians from passing the amendment. Oklahoma, also a very conservative state, passed Medicaid expansion in their state's primary election last month.
Currently, in addition to Missouri, twelve other states still have not passed Medicaid expansion. Those include: Kansas, Wyoming, South Dakota, Wisconsin, Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and Florida. Two states in the old Confederacy, Arkansas and Louisiana, have expanded Medicaid, as has Mitch McConnell's Kentucky.
The campaign to expand Medicaid in Missouri has been hard-fought and expensive. There have been heavy broadcast and print efforts, both pro and con, and this week I have received three separate mailers on the measure - all in support.
The election is Tuesday, August 4th. Absentee ballots are available through each county clerk's office and applications for absentee ballots can be found on the Missouri Secretary of State's webpage. Absentee ballots may be submitted by anyone over 65-years-old, at high risk for contracting COVID-19, or confined due to illness - without notarizations, and others may submit a mail-in ballot with notarization.
Missouri voters who rely on rural clinics and hospitals for their medical treatment should take this matter very seriously - and so should voters who have family members who have had trouble getting insurance. August 4th Missouri will have an opportunity to get more and better medical coverage to more people - and right now, in particular, the health of each of us affects the health of all of us.
Missouri, vote "Yes" on Amendment 2 on August 4th!
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