Lee’s Summit, July 6, 2010 – An important vote will be on the ballot on August 3 – a state referendum on Obamacare called Proposition C.   While many states have passed legislation against Obamacare, Missouri is the first state to go to the polls.

I have been speaking out on this issue since federal legislation was proposed in Congress.  I continued to speak out as Missouri debated a ballot referendum.  My view that the federal health mandates are intrusive, fiscally irresponsible, and an unmanageable burden on the state of Missouri may be well known to you by now. 

On August 3, it’s your time to speak.  A “yes” vote is a vote against Obamacare.  A “yes” vote says that you don’t want the requirement to purchase health insurance to be enforced in Missouri.  A “yes” vote says that you believe the feds being involved in our private health care decisions is unconstitutional.

Many other reasons come to my mind to vote “yes.”  Are you just tired of ever bigger and bigger government?  Do you believe that, while health care is a problem, the 2000 pages of requirements and mandates and government programs is just not the way to fix it? Do you think, as I do, that the backroom deals and shady processes used to pass the mandates is just plain wrong?

If passed by a vote of the people, Proposition C will prohibit, by Missouri statute, persons, employers, or health care providers from being forced to participate in any health care system.  An individual can still participate in the federal health care plan if he or she so wishes.  The intent of the General Assembly is to give our citizens a chance to voice their opinion – not to be shut down and dismissed when trying to speak.

The state statute would put the federal government on notice that we will not enforce the federal laws in Missouri.  However, the federal government is still expected to try to enforce the law using the Internal Revenue Service – not an agency that we want involved in our health decisions.  Therefore, if passed, the new law forces a showdown between the state and feds on the constitutionality of the federal actions. 

You may want to make a note somewhere:  A “yes” vote on Proposition C is a vote against what Washington is trying to do with our health care.  I’ll be voting “yes” on August 3.

State Representative Will Kraus can be reached at (816) 246 5023 or will.kraus@house.mo.gov