Stouffer: Our lives depend on stopping government control of health care

Many in the nation’s heartland feel the federal government is at it again. This time, the plan is to take over 20 percent of the nation’s economy in what many call “rationed health care.” Fortunately, you have been rising up and telling your elected officials “no” or “slow down.”

While many agree we need health care reform, most folks think putting patients back in control of decision making, improving record keeping and access to quality care are the most important. The solution currently being debated leads us to universal care similar to what is in place in Europe.

If the government struggled with “Cash for Clunkers,” just wait until they are in charge of health care for you and your family.
The president has spent the past month doing everything he can to promote this idea. And, for the first time in this role, he is meeting a little resistance from Congress. This has been beneficial for you, because the thousands of pages that comprise the different health care bills in the U.S. House and Senate are being read — not by the people who will vote on them — rather, by you. And, what you are reading in these bills is ANYTHING but reform.

With Congress on August break, they are returning to their districts and getting an earful. Even the mainstream media is starting to acknowledge this, despite the fact they are trying to portray concerned citizens as an angry mob, driven by mysterious right-wing forces. This is not the case at all This is our country trying to slow down “government gone wild.”
Congressmen Sam Graves, Blaine Luetkemeyer and Ike Skelton, and U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill are coming back to their home districts this month. I think it is imperative that we all make our voices heard, before it may be too late.
In his latest Stouffer Report column, Sen. Bill Stauffer, R-Napton, whose district includes Carroll, Chariton, Cooper, Howard, Lafayette, Macon, Ray, Saline, and Clay counties, addresses the current federal health care debate.

Congressman Graves will start his “Main Street Matters” Listening Tour in mid-August, with more locations to come later in the month. Congressman Graves is the ranking member on the U.S. House Small Business Committee, and his topics will include his opposition to cap-and-trade, the federal stimulus and rationed health care.

Congressman Skelton has yet to schedule any town halls or other direct meetings with the general public, so I would encourage you to contact his office by calling 816-228-4242 or 660-826-2675. He has held a roundtable talk with health care professionals, but no one from the public was invited.

Senator McCaskill has scheduled a series of town hall meetings in parts of the state. So far, St. Louis and Southeast Missouri are the only locations on her agenda. Senator McCaskill, however, plans to send her district representative to Higginsville, Odessa and Concordia in the month of August. I would also recommend calling Sen. McCaskill’s office, at 816-421-1639, and let her know there is a lot more of Missouri she has either forgotten or does not want to visit.

The longer the vote on health care is delayed on Capitol Hill, the better it is for our country. There are four or five different health care bills in different committees in both the U.S. House and Senate. Each bill features something different.
I pray you will read these bills and go to the town hall meetings, call your elected representatives, e-mail them, write letters — whatever it takes — to keep this unneeded takeover of our country from happening. Our very lives, literally, depend on it.