Social Policy

Missouri Hospital Under Attack For Barring Gay Partner Visitation Rights

A change.org petition is in the works as angry comments continue to accumulate on the Facebook page for Research Medical Center in suburban Kansas City. Yesterday, news broke that it forced a gay man from the bedside of his sick partner. In an interview with FOX 4 News, Roger Gorley says that he w ... More >>

Republican Rep. Keith Frederick Introduces Bill to Make Obamacare Illegal in Missouri

Missouri Republicans have come up with many different ways to express their disdain for President Barack Obama and his health care plan. Notably, GOP leaders are continuing to fight the mandatory coverage of contraception as outlined in federal health-care policy. But this week, one House Republic ... More >>

Contraception: Tim Jones Still Fighting Birth Control Mandate After Ruling, Cites Free Speech

Should employers and insurers in Missouri be allowed to deny coverage of birth control if it violates their religious beliefs? A federal judge, as we reported earlier this week, ruled that they cannot be exempt -- in a decision overturning a Missouri law that directly contradicted President Barack O ... More >>

Abortion Ban Bill: John McCaherty Wants To Limit Sex Selection And Genetic Terminations

Representative John McCaherty, a Republican lawmaker, can't actually ban abortions in Missouri, because of that whole Roe v. Wade thing -- but that is not stopping him from trying his hardest to add limitations through a new bill that is sure to inspire controversy. "We can't legally...stop her fro ... More >>

St. Louis Archdiocese Fight Against Contraception: Mandate Lawsuit Dismissed

Last May, the Archdiocese of St. Louis and Catholic Charities went up against the United States government with a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of a health care contraception mandate -- and this week, a federal judge decided to dismiss the case. But the battle is not over. So say offic ... More >>

GOP State Senator Rob Schaaf on Missouri's Obamacare Deadline: "Deadline Schmedline."

November 16, folks. That's the deadline for Missouri to decide whether our state government will set up the "insurance exchange" required by the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. Obamacare), or whether the feds will swoop in and set it up for us. It's only one week away, so Daily RFT called Republican sta ... More >>

Why Did A Federal Judge Throw Out a St. Louis Catholic's Challenge to "Obamacare"? FAQs

Got questions about a federal judge's dismissal of a local Catholic's lawsuit against "Obamacare"? Daily RFT's got answers! Q: So, who sued who?Frank O'Brien and his company, O'Brien Industrial Holdings (near South Kingshighway and I-44) sued our federal government last March. Q: Why?

Who's the "Imposter"? Chris Koster or Nonprofit Behind Attack Ad?

Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster cannot be trusted. That's the gist of a television ad entitled "The Imposter" that began airing last week across the state. See also: Missouri Democrats Unhappy With Koster's Brief Over Health CareEd Martin Pledges to Thwart Obamacare From His "First Minute in ... More >>

Madison County Wants Your Dead Birds

If you're looking for a new hobby that's both beneficial to society and a little bit morbid, Madison County health officials have an offer you don't want to miss. Between now and October 15, they want you to be on the look out for dead birds. For science, of course.

Judge Michael Wolff Enters Health Care Debate

This morning's readers of The New York Times editorial pages who are interested in the current Supreme Court hearings on President Obama's health care bill might find themselves stumbling over a letter to the editor penned by one of our city's finest wordsmiths. Michael A. Wolff, who delivered many ... More >>

Springfield Asks Feds to Shut Down Larry Rice's Day Shelter

​Claiming to be fed up with handling complaints leveled at Larry Rice's Veteran's Coming Home Center, Springfield City Manager Greg Burris has formally requested on behalf of Springfield civic leaders that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rescind the deed to the center.The move wou ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Who's the most pro-Mexican GOP candidate?

Would This Image Keep You From Smoking?

Saint Louis County Department of Health​No? Okay. But what if you saw it 26 times in one day? Then 52 the next? And 78 times by day three -- all the way up to 130 images by day five?The Saint Louis County Department of Health's youth anti-tobacco initiative, Air-O-Dynamic, hopes the Grim Reaper im ... More >>

State Senator Jane Cunningham Hints at Death Panels, Blocks Bill for Insurance Exchanges

​State Senator Jane Cunningham (R - Chesterfield) assures Daily RFT that she is not the "black helicopter type." Still, when reading House Bill 609 that would set up a health insurance exchange in Missouri, she came across language that reminded her of the "death panels" critics of federal health ... More >>

Ask a Mexican: Why do Mexicans come to this country illegally instead of legally?

Missouri to Drug Test Welfare Recipients

Give us your tired, your hungry, your poor; we'll drug test them!!​The third time proved to be the charm.After floating bills the previous two years (Exhibit A, Exhibit B) that would allow officials to drug test federal welfare recipients in Missouri, lawmakers in Jefferson City finally got enough ... More >>

Missouri House Votes to Allow Drug Tests for Welfare Recipients

Official Seal of the Missouri Legislature​The Missouri House yesterday passed along a bill to the Senate that they hope will allow for the drug testing of welfare recipients. H.B. 76, sponsored by Ellen Brandom (R-Sikeston), passed the House by a whopping 121-37 vote margin and would allow any wel ... More >>

Videos: New York Soda Anti-Soda Ad Grossout

The latest weapon in New York City's ongoing war against unhealthy food and drink? Grossing the hell out of people.New ads from the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene attack sodas with very literal interpretations of their sugar and calorie contents.This first one isn't that gross, actua ... More >>

Survey Sez: Missouri "Sharply Divided" on Health Care Reform

Missouri is still divided on Obamacare.Courtesy of Minnesotamajority.org​ Almost a full year after President Barack Obama signed the Affordable Care Act (a.k.a. health care reform, a.k.a Obamacare) into law, Missouri remains sharply divided on its merits, according to a new survey from a local ... More >>

Leaf It Alone: What can be done to stop the thievery of agave leaves?

Ed Martin Maintains Online Presence, Rhetoric

​Ed Martin is not going away. But really, did you think he would? After barely losing his bid for Congress, the Republican from Missouri's Third District launched a new website this week to focus on two efforts near and dear: killing the federal health care overhaul and monitoring local elections. ... More >>

Return to Sender: What would comprehensive immigration reform look like if the feds got moving?

Fair-y Tales: Russell Pearce and other illegal immigrant populists rely on misleading, right-wing reports to scapegoat immigrants and terrify penny-pinched Americans

Aging LGBT Folks Get Federal Boost

​Yesterday, the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging launched with a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It's the first group of its kind: a federally funded/administered assistance-and-advocacy support network for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans as they ... More >>

Health Help From Puppets

​Navigating the health care system in this country is tough enough for people who grew up here. Toss in a language barrier and things can get downright hairy.So the St. Louis Christian Chinese Community Center is reaching out to recent Asian immigrants and elderly Asians through an ancient and tra ... More >>

Asylum Denied: Only a fraction of Mexicans get U.S. asylum.

Seized: Inside the brutal world of America's kidnapping capital

Obamacare Litigation Update: Missouri's Vote Today Could Actually Count

Today, Missouri voters will weigh a measure that would reject a key provision of President Barack Obama's health care reform package -- the provision mandating that individuals either find insurance coverage, or pay a fine. Missouri votes on a referendum to stop Obama's plan today.â ... More >>

What's a Little Marriage Fraud Between Amigos?

Badlands: From Ground Zero of the Immigration Crisis Along the Mexican Border

St. Charles County Council Endorses Arizona's Immigration Law, Pisses Into the Wind

Image SourceWhen you gotta go, you gotta go.​The St. Charles County Council voted 6-1 Monday night to approve a "nonbinding resolution" that endorses Arizona's harsh new immigration law and calls on the Missouri legislature to enact a similar measure.Mark Schlinkmann had the scoop yesterday aftern ... More >>

State Rep. Maria Chappelle-Nadal Has A Grande Problem With Mark Parkinson's Immigration Law

Image sourceMaria Chappelle-Nadal is smiling but really she's outraged.​Last week, we reported on HB 2449 and Rep. Mark Parkinson's plan to propose a strict new immigration law in Missouri similar to the one recently enacted in Arizona. On Monday, the Republican from St. Charles explained that he ... More >>

A Q&A With State Rep. Mark Parkinson, Supporter of an Arizona-style Immigration Law for Missouri

Image viaMark Parkinson: "95 percent of my constituents wanted me to get tough on illegal immigration"​Last week, Daily RFT reported on HB 2449, a bill introduced in the state House of Representatives that would stiffen penalties for people who "harbor" undocumented immigrants in Missouri and make ... More >>

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder Plans Federal Lawsuit to Stop Health Care Reform

​Whoa. Just finished watching the video clip of Fox New's Greta Van Sustern interviewing Missouri Lieutenant Peter Kinder this week. And I just got to say, apart from the time the Addams Family met the Munsters on Family Feud, has a more physically unbecoming pairing ever graced a television show? ... More >>

Ask a Mexican! Special Minuteman Project Edition

Missouri Representatives "Draw A Line in the Sand" On Federal Health Care Reform

Image Via Do not snort this line​The Missouri House of Representatives has launched a preemptive strike against Obamacare, passing legislation intended to make sure the Show-Me State is not affected by any federal health care reform efforts.Yesterday, the House approved a state constitution ... More >>

Mo. State Senators Think They're in D.C., Argue Federal Budget, Health Care Reform

Mr. Schmitt goes to Washington, err Jefferson City.​Attention State Senator Eric Schmitt (R-Glendale): The Missouri Capitol may look like the U.S. Capitol. (Indeed, the building in Jefferson City is modeled after the one in Washington D.C.) But let us remind you of one little thing: You're a state ... More >>

Republican Senators Line Up Bills to Drug Test the Poor

All of you on drugs, please step aside.​A slate of Republican state senators have each introduced bills that would require certain welfare recipients in Missouri to be drug tested before receiving state aid. The senators, all from rural Missouri, include:Jack Goodman, Mt. VernonGary Nodler, Joplin ... More >>

Immigration Activists Can't Take Joke; Protest "Illegal Alien" Halloween Costume

​I subscribe to an email list-serve for immigration issues. The email thread can -- at times -- be helpful for discovering news bits on legislative concerns, law enforcement initiatives and social matters important to the foreign-born community. So when the following email showed up four time ... More >>

St. Louisan Looking for Cheap Health Care Ends Up In Mexico

toddalbert.comChina may be cheaper, but Mexico is closer...​Ahh, it's a beautiful sunny day and all is well and good in the anti-health-care heartland that is St. Louis. It seems like just yesterday that a few ass clowns were inciting a near-riot at a town hall meeting on health care and today com ... More >>

¡Ask A Mexican! Lovin' Legals: The results of the Mexican's essay contest for wabs who love the legals but hate the illegals

A Mexican slant: What's up with Spanish words in italics?

"Our families immigrated here legally and respect the laws, customs, rules and norms of this great nation.

And we expect everyone else to do the same."

Best Children's Theater

Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis

Unhealthy Relationship

John Ashcroft gets a shot in the arm from the pharmaceutical and insurance industries, as well as other lobbying groups opposed to a true Patients' Bill of Rights

Will the Real John Ashcroft Please Stand Up?

Missouri's junior senator says he is a pro-consumer health-care reformist. But the insurance companies, HMOs and big business, which give him millions, think he's on their side.

State of Pain

Fayzen Woods simply wanted to get rid of her toothache. Then she had to deal with Missouri's Medicaid mess. That's when the real suffering began.

WHEN PRO-LIFE MEANS MORE ABORTIONS

Breaking Down the Wall

A quiet revolution is taking place as religious groups begin ministering to the poor using government money -- and succeeding where government couldn't. But eternal vigilance may be the real price.

Letters to the Editor