Wanna know how to win public opinion for the ACA? Change the wording

[xmas74]

Official Ballot Title:

Shall Missouri law be amended to deny individuals, families, and small businesses the ability to access affordable health care plans through a state-based health benefit exchange unless authorized by statute, initiative or referendum or through an exchange operated by the federal government as required by the federal health care act?

No direct costs or savings for state and local governmental entities are expected from this proposal. Indirect costs or savings related to enforcement actions, missed federal funding, avoided implementation costs, and other issues are unknown.

http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2012ballot/


This will be on our ballots come November in Missouri. Most will only see the part about denying people access to health care. The wording has already been fought by the Republican Party here in Missouri-they lost.

Well done.

[Patiod]

1. How about "costs will include the continued burden of uninsured Missourians?"

Our asshole governor is pulling the same shit and as a self-employed person, I NEED those exchanges.

[xmas74]

2. The fight was big enough as it was.

The Republicans wanted the "repeal Obamacare" crap on the ballots for November. Robin Carnahan, a dedicated Democrat from a family well known in Missouri politics, wrote it. (She's the outgoing Sec of State.) She wrote it in such a way that most would focus on that first sentence-and they do. The Repubs actually fought the wording in court and lost, which is a huge benefit for the people of this state.

I suspect if she had taken it a step farther and included the truth you stated then it might have been kicked out.

We'll talk the day after elections. Sad but true, Missouri might end up being a good place for the exchanges. I wouldn't be surprised if this passed and I think she did a fantastic job of writing this bill. To vote against it would make the voter look like an asshole and most of the independents (which really is Missouri more than anything) will only read that first sentence. If they go any further they'll see this:
"No direct costs or savings for state and local governmental entities are expected from this proposal. Indirect costs or savings related to enforcement actions, missed federal funding, avoided implementation costs, and other issues are unknown."
Quite a few will notice that it's not a tax increase and vote yes. I think that's how yesterday's bill about prayer passed-they noticed it wasn't a tax increase and it was worded in such a way as sounding as though they would lose their religious freedom w/o it. (Dumb, I know.)

[BadgerKid]

3. I think you'll get the exchanges either way

since if the amendment passes, the federal government will provide an exchange.

In my opinion, Missouri, and other states declining to build their own exchange, is passing up a chance to take credit for "creating jobs" since the exchange builders are otherwise going to be designated by the feds as either federal employees or hired contractors and are going to "socialize the costs" by utilizing US taxpayer money.

[xmas74]

5. The governor, attorney general, sec of state, etc

in Missouri want to build the exchange. It's all about the Republican (and heavy Tea Party) controlled House and Senate in Missouri wanting to make an example and prove how powerful they are.

The Repubs demanded that this bill be written because our attorney general, Chris Koster, refused to sue. He refused to fight to have "Obamacare" repealed. He actually said that our state would be on board to begin exchanges. The Repubs didn't like it at all.

(Interesting side note: Koster actually jumped parties a few years ago. When he was Cass Co. prosecutor he was a Republican-I knew him back then. Right before he decided to run for attorney general of Missouri he joined the Democratic Party. Though he's a bit of a DINO he does sometimes try to make the right stand and I don't think he's been forgiven for it.)

The Repubs demanded the bill be on the ballot and handed it over to Robin Carnahan, our Sec of State, to write and place on the ballots. This bill is what she wrote.

(This goes to show you how dumb a few of the loudest Repubs can be. Did they really expect Robin, the daughter of Mel and Jean, to write a bill that would be resoundingly in their favor? I don't think so. Robin's father, Mel, was the governor running for a US Senate seat against Ashcroft.He was killed in a plane crash in 2000 and went on to win the election just a few weeks later.)

[procon]

4. These Republican controlled states won't succeed

The Republicans are fools to think that they can fight the entire healthcare industry that stands to reap lots of money with in the influx of millions of new patients. From pharmaceutical companies, to hospitals, clinics, and doctors, to the unions representing nurses and all the other ancillary medical technicians and support staff, they all want their piece of this juicy pie. Then there's the construction trades and the manufacturers of medical supplies and equipment, all of them wanting to get the new business from the increased demand for their goods and services.

The lobbyist for these groups are beating down the doors to the recalcitrant red state Republicans who think they can hold out against all the combined forces looking to increase their profits. They'll be singing a different tubne when they get a first hand taste of their beloved capitalism at work.

[xmas74]

6. The fight in Missouri is interesting right now.

The House and Senate is Republican controlled while our governor, attorney general, and sec of state are all Dems. The fights do get pretty nasty, considering our governor and atty general are on board to set up the exchanges.