Nov 30

Missourians Helping Missourians 2014

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November 30, 2014

by Mike Ferguson

(St. Charles, MO) – Here we are, officially in the holiday season.

For most, that means Thanksgiving leftovers of turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes and whatever that thing was your cousin made with Jello (that no one ate). It also means being on the lookout for bargains while gift shopping.

But, for more Missourians than you may realize, this time of year is crucial because it’s when food banks collect the majority of their donations. Monica Palmer from Feeding Missouri (formerly known as the Missouri Food Banks Association) says stereotypes don’t apply when it comes to hunger. As many as one in five Missourians may be struggling to afford both food and their monthly bills.

That’s because thousands are still underemployed, can only find part time work or have seen their expenses increase when their income has remained stagnant. While gas prices are down at the moment, health insurance and other costs have gone up for many workers. While some of those helped by food banks and local food pantries are unemployed, Palmer says others could be the person in the office or cubicle next to you.

It could be your child’s classmate and it could be the senior citizen who sits in the pew near you in church.

Because of efficiencies in collection and distribution, donations and volunteers, one dollar can feed nine or ten people through a food bank. Right now, many communities have food drives in place and they are crucial to feeding Missourians now and year around.

Palmer says you can help even if you don’t have extra cash to donate. Volunteers are crucial to keeping costs down and maximizing the impact of every dollar, canned food, boxed food, fresh food and beverages like milk and juice that is donated.

Learn more at www.FeedingMissouri.org

Permanent link to this article: http://americanviewpoints.tv/missourians-helping-missourians-2014/

Nov 23

Money And Health Care: Protecting Missouri’s Senior Citizens

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November 23, 2014

by Mike Ferguson

(St. Charles, MO) – It’s healthcare enrollment time again.

Whether you like the changes to the nation’s laws regarding health insurance or whether you oppose them and hope for repeal, you and your family are impacted by the new system. Health insurance and the laws affecting them are complex. Anyone can be confused by the new system but con artists often target a specific part of society: senior citizens.MWSnap027

That’s why it’s important for the entire family to stay informed and involved when it comes to the health care decisions for seniors. Many of those who grew up without the web, email and other technologies often find themselves being contacted by convincing thieves who trick people into sharing personal and financial information.

This week, Chris Thetford from the Better Business Bureau’s St. Louis office describes common scams and the signs to watch for to protect yourself and your elderly relatives. He also has advice on what to do if you think someone in your family has been targeted.

Another difficult decision for seniors and their families to make is how to arrange care for those who can no longer fully care for themselves.MWSnap028

As the “Baby Boom” generation transitions into the retirement years the decisions regarding long term care will impact millions of Americans.

Dr. Milta Little is the President of the Missouri Association of Long Term Care Practitioners. She has the information that can help your family get started with the conversations that are often difficult but are important. She also explains the options to consider and where to find the resources to help with your decision.

On the web:

Better Business Bureau: www.BBB.org

MO Association of Long Term Care Practitioners: http://www.maltcp.org/

Permanent link to this article: http://americanviewpoints.tv/money-and-health-care-protecting-missouris-senior-citizens/

Nov 16

What’s Next For Missouri? Assessing The Election Results & What It Will Mean In 2015

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November 16, 2014

By Mike Ferguson

(St. Charles, MO) – The proverbial dust has settled from the General Election. As is generally the case across the country, Republicans in Missouri have much to celebrate and Democrats have much to mourn, politically, at least.

Aside from the numbers of seats won and lost be each side, what will it mean to you?

This week, Missouri Republican Party Chairman Ed Martin offers his views on what the increase in Republicans to an already veto-proof majority State Legislature will mean for issues like taxes, education, Medicaid and economic development.MWSnap023

Coming from a different viewpoint, Lindenwood University professor, Joe Cernik, addresses the same issues. Cernik is the Chair of the Public Affairs Department.

Martin, for instance, explains why the proposal to expand Medicaid coverage in Missouri is unlikely to pass. He believes voters sent, at least in part, a message of being against the national health care law known commonly as “ObamaCare”. Cernik believes Democrats lost, in part, because they didn’t tout the law and it’s impact on Missourians – and Americans.

Martin makes a case for more tax cuts and spending cuts while Cernik says that approach hasn’t worked in neighboring Kansas.

* Cernik’s views are his own and may not necessarily reflect that of Lindenwood University.MWSnap024

On the Web:

Missouri Republican Party: www.Missouri.gop

Lindenwood University: www.Lindenwood.edu

Permanent link to this article: http://americanviewpoints.tv/whats-next-for-missouri-assessing-the-election-results-what-it-will-mean-in-2015/

Nov 09

Politics, Economy, the Environment and Your Electric Bill in Missouri

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November 9, 2014

by Mike Ferguson

(St. Charles, MO) – While the elections have dominated the news these last few weeks, our state government is working on an energy plan for the future. Regardless of what the plan ends up including or excluding, it will impact you.

It’s called simply the Missouri State Energy Plan and you can still voice your opinion on what should and should not be included.

Among those working to influence the final plan is Renew Missouri. Executive Director P.J. Wilson explains.MWSnap022

“Our hopes at Renew Missouri is that the state plan includes a really serious look at energy efficiency and renewable energy as resources. We know that when power companies invest money in energy audits and extra insulation and that kind of thing for their own customers, that’s by far the cheapest thing they can invest in. It’s way cheaper than any form of new power generation.”

The goal of the state plan is to reduce carbon emissions while ensuring reliable access to power. Former State Representative Carl Bearden isn’t sold on assertions from environmental advocacy groups that man-made climate change requires abandoning current energy sources like coal. He wants those making the final decisions to keep the needs of businesses in mind during the process.

“As a lawmaker, a legislature, you want to know the laws you’re passing are based on solid science or solid evidence and, so far, as far and environmental [issues] go, whether it’s global warming or whatever the name du jour is, it’s simply not there in sufficient quantities to convince people.”MWSnap021

Bearden is now the Executive Director of the conservative advocacy group United For Missouri.

He worries that requiring more sourcing from renewable energy for power and mandating less use of coal will result in job losses due to higher energy costs. Wilson disagrees, saying the green energy technology for sources like solar and wind now make renewable energy as efficient as coal-powered energy.

The effort to create a state energy plan is the result of a federal initiative to reduce carbon emissions. Each state has an individual goal.

Bearden says in an interview on “Missouri Viewpoints” that he supports the use of renewable energy for electricity as long as government mandates are not part of the process. To him, the private market will attract both investors and customers to green energy once it delivers power at the same or at a lower cost than coal.

Wilson says he hopes the state plan will include retiring current fossil fuel-based energy plants and not replacing them with a newer one. He wants the state to, instead, focus on bringing renewable energy generation on line to take the place of coal.

On the web:

Renew Missouri: www.RenewMO.org

United For Missouri: www.UnitedForMissouri.org

Permanent link to this article: http://americanviewpoints.tv/politics-economy-the-environment-and-your-electric-bill-in-missouri/

Oct 31

Election 2014: Perspective From Both Missouri’s Right and Left

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October 31, 2014

by Mike Ferguson

(St. Charles, MO) – Tuesday is the big day. Are you informed and ready to vote?

This year presents Missouri with a unique election cycle. While there is a statewide office up for election, Republican Auditor Tom Schweich faces no Democratic opponent and will, in all probability, be elected since he faces only third party opposition.

There are some proposed state Constitutional amendments on the ballot as well. See our previous shows for a look at Amendments 6 and 10.

That makes the importance of this Election Day focuses on local races; particularly races for the State Legislature. The outcome of those local races add up to big decisions on how the state will operate in 2015 and beyond.

This week, Ryan Johnson from the conservative Missouri Alliance for Freedom and Sean Nicholson from the liberal Progress Missouri offer their perspectives on what’s at stake and why they each think their side will make gains on Tuesday.

On the web:

Missouri Alliance for Freedom www.MissouriFreedom.com

Progress Missouri www.ProgressMissouri.org

Permanent link to this article: http://americanviewpoints.tv/election-2014-perspective-from-both-missouris-right-and-left/

Oct 24

Election Preview: Amendment 6

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October 24, 2014

by Mike Ferguson

(St. Charles, MO) – Should Election Day become for of an election period of time? Instead of requiring voters to cast their ballots on the first Tuesday after the first Monday of November, we could see a change in Missouri that would allow us to cast that same ballot on a day we choose.

That’s what Amendment 6 is all about. If passed by voters, it would allow a six day early voting period prior to the General Election. Many states already have some form of early voting. Missouri has absentee voting, which requires the voter to have a reason for why they are unable to get to the polls on Election Day. Early voting does not require a reason.

What’s proposed with Amendment 6 is allowing early voting for six business days, up to the Wednesday prior to the General Election. Aaron Baker from Missourians For Free and Fair Elections speaks in favor of the plan on this week’s “Missouri Viewpoints”.MWSnap017

Glenn Koening from the Missouri Association for Social Welfare argues against Amendment 6, even though MASW supports the concept of early voting. He points out that the proposal does not allow for voting on weekends and doesn’t require that early voting be offered. The State Legislature and the Governor would have to approve funding for early voting to enable that to happen. If the budget is too lean, the elections would remain a one-day event.

MASW supported a plan to allow six weeks of early voting, including weekends. Baker says the problem with that is the cost and the impact it would have on local election officials.

 

 

MWSnap018

As proposed, Amendment 6 is estimated to cost about $2 million up front and hundreds of thousands of dollars each year early voting would be used, although there’s no exact cost known at this point.

On the web:

Missouri Association for Social Welfare: www.MASW.org

Amendment 6/ Missouri Secretary of State’s page: http://sos.mo.gov/elections/2014ballot/

* Missourians for Free and Fair Elections does not have a website

Permanent link to this article: http://americanviewpoints.tv/election-preview-amendment-6/

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