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The Great Seal of the State of Missouri was officially adopted by the General Assembly on January 11, 1822. Judge Robert William Wells, who was also a congressman, designed the seal. The center of the seal contains the bald eagle symbol of the nation on the right side, and, on the left, symbols representing the state. A grizzly bear represents strength and bravery; a crescent moon represents the newness of statehood and the potential for growth. Surrounding these symbols is the motto "United we stand, divided we fall". Two mighty grizzly bears support this center shield. A scroll carries the state motto, "Salus Populi Suprema Lex Esto", or "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law." Missouri's date of statehood, 1820, is placed in Roman numerals below the scroll. A star representing each of the other states of the Union (Missouri became the 24th) graces the top portion of the seal.
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Missouri Can Do Better!
 Missourians deserve better. It's time we "Chucked" Purgason
Eric Reeve will represent all Missourians, it doesn't matter who you know or how much money you make.
You deserve to have a voice in the senate.
Eric Reeve will be your voice and represent your interest.
How about including all 719,000 uninsured Missourians?
If you took your car to a garage to be fixed and the mechanic told you he was only able to fix 25 percent of the problem, would you be satisfied?
What if the mechanic told you because he only fixed 25 percent of the car's problem, you saved a bunch of money, would that make you feel better?
This is exactly what Gov. Blunt and the Republicans are doing with their, "Insure Missouri and Missouri Health Net" programs.
Nobody, and man, I mean nobody, revels in their mediocrity as do the Republicans.
Under Blunt's current Missouri Health Net program, a parent with two children earning $292 a month - just $3,504 a year - doesn't qualify for the program.
The Missouri Health Net Program did away with dental, podiatry and women's health screenings.
Under the governor's Missouri Health Net program, Missouri has lost $1.1 billion in federal Medicaid funds and our money is now improving health care services for folks in other states.
The void created by enacting the Missouri Health Net insurance crisis has led to our own Lake of the Ozarks hospital realizing an increase of 64 percent in costs for services rendered to the uninsured.
In addition to more uninsured people flooding our emergency rooms, the hospital has no hope of recouping those expenses normally paid for by Medicaid.
Missouri has approximately 719,000 uninsured residents and of that number, it is estimated 70,000 are children.
The new Health Net program promises affordable insurance to 130,000 to a projected maximum of only 200,000 middle class Missourians.
Here's where the smoke and mirrors comes into play.
They knocked 170,000 poor people off of Medicaid and replaced them with 130,000 middle class folks.
The Missouri Health Net is full of rips and poor folks needing help are falling through its gaping holes.
Let me propose a Democratic idea and suggest how our lawmakers can make meaningful progress in fulfilling their obligations to help Missouri's uninsured.
Reinstate Medicaid and develop a Missouri version of SCHIP utilizing the bargaining power of the state in purchasing affordable, high-quality health care.
At the same time, cut costs and create new tax credits for businesses offering health care to employees.
The new health care program should include preventive care/screenings, prescription drugs, emergency services, physician services, all hospital services, diagnostic services, medical equipment, dental, inoculations and obstetrics.
It must include all of the state's 719,000 uninsured with special attention for the care and well being of the state's poor children.
These are lofty goals for the future of Missouri.
They require innovation, leadership and capabilities on the part our state legislators. Proposing solutions which only address 25 percent of the state's insurance crisis is unacceptable.
There is no problem of greater importance than this issue of make time.
I say we should suspend the state funded insurance programs currently enjoyed by our lawmakers.
Then we should require that they themselves enroll in the insurance program they create for the poor and disabled people of their state.
I guarantee we would see a quick resolution to Missouri's insurance crisis.
Click here for entire article
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