Wells talks on health care, new Missouri voter ID

Tim Wells, a Democrat, and candidate for the 125th District seat in the Missouri House of Representatives, talks of political concerns with a group of area residents waiting for the arrival of U.S. Senate candidate Claire McCaskill on Friday at the community center in Nevada.

By Steve Moyer

Nevada Daily Mail

Waiting for Claire McCaskill, who is running for the Senate seat currently filled by Republican Jim Talent and who was running a few minutes late, local Democratic leader Tom Pyle asked Tim Wells, candidate for the Missouri House of Representatives seat currently held by Republican Barney Fisher, to speak to the assembled Vernon County Democrats.

Wells said health care for Missourians is one of his primary concerns.

"The cuts in Medicaid last year resulted in 48,000 children being taken off of Medicaid, 300,000 adults who lost their coverage and the loss of the handicapped work program," Wells said.

"A lot of things have happened in the area of Medicaid," Wells said. "The spenddown rates have increased faster than people's income. People with insurance are going to be paying more to take up the slack. My personal insurance has a $2,500 deductible at my business, Counseling Associates. I have four associates and because they aren't my employees, but my associates we can't go together and get group insurance rates. I have a $2,500 deductible and it costs me something like $700 a month."

Wells said education is important to him and he supports more control by local school districts.

"We have a system in the state of Missouri where the state runs the school system," Wells said. "Local school districts should control local decisions. If you treat people like professionals they will act like professionals. If you don't treat people like professionals they won't act like professionals."

Wells said he's the son of the son of a preacher but felt the government shouldn't intrude into things spiritual.

"I believe it is the responsibility of the church to convert people to Jesus Christ, not Jefferson City," Wells said. "It is the job of the church to teach morals, not Jefferson City."

Wells said that, for example, he supports family planning, yet teaching abstinence only doesn't work for everyone.

He said he holds strong feelings about abortion and the sanctity of life, but, "You cannot do away with abortions if you don't teach family planning," Wells said. "Abstinence is the best way not to get pregnant but abstinence only (family planning education) doesn't always work. I've seen couples in counseling who were truly committed Christians and they were there because they became pregnant."

Wells also discussed the new voter ID requirements and other issues for a short time, saying he would support a repeal of the state's new voter ID rules before a volunteer reported McCaskill's bus was pulling up out front and he concluded his remarks.