On Monday March 5th I was in St. Louis joining about 15 other former Senator Tom Eagleton staffers giving a presentation to St. Louis University Law students and other family, friends and acquaintances of the late Senator. After leaving the Senate, Eagleton taught at St. Louis University Law School for many years with Professor Joel Goldstein who invited us back to tell stories about the legacy of Senator Tom Eagleton.

When I read in the newspaper that Buck O’Neil was inducted into the Hall of Famous Missourians on February 27...a big smile came over my face.

The legislature in Jefferson City is correctly looking for ways to curb spending in order to balance the Missouri state budget. The governor presented his budget to the legislature that the House is now considering, and it is not unusual for the Republican House members to disagree with the Democratic governor’s recommendations. Some big numbers in budget cuts are being discussed because both the Governor and the legislature refuse to look at ways to increase revenues, especially since the federal stimulus money is no longer available.

My mom died on January 30, 2012. For her last three weeks of life, I spent most of my time with her. It was both a wonderful experience and one that was also very painful. Although in some pain and unable to get out of bed, my mother was the same independent and strong willed person I had known my entire life.

In February, HCF will be losing three long time board members because of term limits: Mamie Hughes, Judge William Mauer and Rev. Fuzzy Thompson. These three individuals have played a significant role in shaping this foundation and making sure that we stay close to the people we serve. HCF will be eternally grateful for their leadership and compassion.

I have never met Dr. Donald Berwick. Dr. Berwick was the former interim head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), who resigned from the position on December 3rd because his nomination by President Obama to be the permanent head of CMS was blocked by the Senate Republicans.

The American response to health reform has seemingly reached a “cooling off” period until the Supreme Court rules on the constitutionally of the individual mandate. This wait and see attitude is potentially very dangerous. The law requires most aspects to be implemented by 2014. It is very difficult to imagine that Missouri and Kansas will be ready to implement key provisions of health reform when there is little open discussion taking place at the state level.