Clemens and Crowell Unsure If Seniors' Well-Being Trumps Their Right Wing Rhetoric

Sen. Dan Clemens (R-Marshfield) and Sen. Jason Crowell (R-Cape Girardeau) aren't sure they can support legislation proposed by their colleague, Sen. Norma Champion (R-Springfield).  She wants to prohibit insurance companies from selling Medicare products by cold-calling seniors, and adopt guidelines established by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Are Clemens and Crowell concerned about the legislation because they think seniors can be better protected with another plan?  Or that seniors ought to hear more from telemarketers?  Nope. Are they concerned that the insurance companies don't like the proposal?  Nope -- insurance companies like the idea of consistent rules from the state and federal governments.

Clemens and Crowell concerned are just not sure they can support a bill that would create rules that happen to have been recommended by federal agencies.  As quoted in the News-Leader:

• Clemens: "It makes me nervous because I don't want to get aligned with the feds whatsoever."
• Crowell: "Just as a philosophy, I have a problem with basically incorporating what the federal government does."

Just as a philosophy, I think lawmakers should do what's best for seniors and their families.

When state legislators' top concern isn't the well-being of people, but the fact that some state rules might be the same as related federal rules, they need to rethink why they're in public office.