As Missourians overwhelmingly pass Proposition C, a challenge to the federal health care law, Democratic Senator McCaskill says “message received.”
“This vote very closely reflected the number of people who voted in the Republican primary versus the Democratic primary. But nonetheless, message received. I appreciate the fact that voters are sending a message. It doesn’t really, I don’t think, have any impact on the law itself; but it is a message,” McCaskill said.
Prop C aims to prevent the federal government from penalizing Missourians who don’t comply with the federal health care law. McCaskill says people may have gotten too caught up in the issue of the mandate, instead of the positives she sees in the law.
“I think I have to work very hard at making sure that Missourians understand all the positives things that are in the bill. As time goes on they will realize that. As seniors start getting help with the donut hole, as young people are allowed to stay on their parents’ policies until the age of 26. As prevention appointments become free, as people have to arm wrestle their insurance companies less for the insurance that they want,” McCaskill said.
So what does “message received” really mean? Does she intend to change her actions in regard to health care reform in the senate?
“Doing the right thing on health care is a work in progress. I certainly appreciate that people have expressed their opinion. That’s appropriate and I think I need to listen and pay attention. If some of the ‘sky is falling’ actually begins to occur and there are huge problems then, obviously, I’d be part of a team of people that would want to fix them,” McCaskill said.
71% of Missouri voters voted “yes” on Prop C, a total that even surprised the State Senator who helped get it on the ballot. The measure will likely face a court challenge, and some think the case could possibly go as far as the U.S. Supreme Court, alongside similar measures from other states.
