Senator Jim Talent has taken to the floor of the U.S. Senate to criticize what he claims is an effort by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association to undermine efforts to create Association Health Plans, which would allow small businesses to pool their employees to improve health insurance prices. Talent says Blue Cross Blue Shield is offering cash and prizes to people who complain about health care proposals, such as Association Health Plans. To enter the contest to win an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., one only has to send an e-mail to his or her Congressman to complain about any potential changes to health care coverage. Talent points out this campaign has been given a snappy, populist-sounding name: “The America Speaks Sweepstakes.” During his time in the U.S. House, Talent successfully pushed through the Association Health Plans idea, but the proposal died in the Senate each time. It has now passed the House and is one of several ideas being debated in the Senate.
Tigers Hopeful For Bowl Bid in ’03
The first Top 25 coaches’ poll was released yesterday and despite being ranked in some pre-season prognostications, Mizzou failed to make the cut in this one. They checked in with the 43rd highest vote total, sandwiched between Clemson and Oregon. The Big 12 put four teams in the Top 25. Oklahoma has the top spot, while Texas and Kansas State occupy the fourth and fifth positions. Oklahoma State is ranked 24th. Colorado received the 27th highest vote total, Texas A&M is 29th and Nebraska is 31st. Mizzou will play all of those teams except Texas and Oklahoma State. The Tigers open the regular season on August 30th when they face Illinois at the dome in St. Louis.
Cards Fall To Expos
The Cardinals couldn’t get the sweep on the Expos, losing 3-2 in Montreal. Woody Williams was the starter and gave up three runs off seven hits. Vladimir Guerrero was responsible for all three of those runs with a two-run homer in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth. With the loss, Williams dropped to 14-4 on the season, failing to join Atlanta’s Russ Ortiz as the National League’s only 15-game winners this season. Despite the loss, the Cardinals two games behind Houston in the N.L. Central. They’ll face the Mets at Shea Stadium tonight.
Royals Swept By Sox
The Royals tied the games three times, but never lead in an 11-inning 8-6 loss to he White Sox. After Carlos Lee hit home runs in the first and third innings, Kansas City rallied for two in their half of the third with RBI singles from Carlos Beltran and Raul Ibanez. Lee made it 3-2 with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth and Beltran made it 3-3 with a run-scoring grounder. The Royals were down 5-4 in the ninth when Michael Tucker drove in Carlos Febles with an infield single to send it to extra innings. In the eleventh Sandy Alomar drove in two while his brother, Roberto, drove in another. Kansas City’s only retaliation was Carlos Beltran’s 15th homer of the year. With the sweep, the Royals lead over the White Sox is now just one game. The Royals picked up reliever Al Levine for cash from the Devil Rays yesterday. He had an ERA of 2.90 with Tampa Bay this season.
Gephardt Picking Up Union Support In Presidential Bid
A big union pick-up for St. Louis Congressman Richard Gephardt’s presidential campaign. The Teamsters Union is poised to endorse Gephardt’s candidacy. The timing is important. The endorsement comes just prior to a meeting between the Democrats running for president and the AFL-CIO in Chicago.
