Missouri House Representative, Cynthia Davis, has been featured twice on MSNBC's worst person in the world list (she made #1).  Yes, this is the woman who said 16 year olds are old enough to work for their food and they should not be eligible for free school lunches.  My favorite quote, "Hunger is a great motivator."

Stephen Colbert also had a lot of fun with Ms. Davis's remarks on his show, The Colbert Report.  He tips his hat to Ms. Davis and suggests Missourians, "take her food away."

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/232637/july-01-2009/tip-wag---cynthia-davis---fox-news

Now Davis is attacking kids with autism.  She's bought hook, line, and sinker the propaganda insurance companies want every lawmaker to believe:  that covering treatment for autism will cause insurance premiums to skyrocket.  The truth:  fifteen other states have passed similar legislation and they report an average of less than a 1% increase in premiums. 

Davis says school districts should shoulder the burden.  Wouldn't that cost tax payers MORE money? 

Davis also believes parents should just do the therapy themselves.  Just like with a stroke patient, the earlier the treatment begins for a child with autism the better the outcome.  For both an intensive intervention plan includes speech, occupational, behavioral, and physical therapy.  Do we suggest families of stroke patients perform therapy on their loved ones?  No!  Of course family members are happy to do some exercises a therapist recommends and work day and night to help their loved one, but a stroke patient needs those hours and hours with trained therapists just as a child with autism does.

I would love to ask Ms. Davis what she would have me do.  I have a 4 year old and a 5 year old with autism.  Should I cut myself in half to deliver the hours of intensive therapy my children need?  What would she have my boys do while I go back to school to get the training I would need to treat them? 

This woman (who got in trouble for paying her mortgage with campaign funds) says the proposed bills to make sure autism therapy is covered by health insurance companies in Missouri are nothing but, "feel good legislation".  Tell that to the families who have lost their homes and filed for bankruptcy due to medical bills to treat their children.  Too bad they don't have campaign funds to dip into.  

(My best Stephen Colbert imitation)  I guess I can see her point.  After all, children don't vote.  Ms. Davis has more important legislation to propose that would ensure senior citizens don't have to pay property taxes (they vote A LOT). 

The following is my appeal to Missouri voters to support Senator Scott Rupp, the man Cynthia Davis intends to run against in the Republican primary this fall.  Senator Rupp also happens to fully support and sponsor the Senate bill for insurance coverage for autism therapy.  Plus, my son, Simon, really likes the Senator and he's a really good judge of character.

  Senator Scott Rupp

Senator Scott Rupp with my 5 year old son, Simon.