Springfield Business Journal_2020-08-03

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 23 AUG. 3-9, 2020 NEWS OPI ION Editor’s note: This column is Part II in a three-part series on character development in culture and the workplace. I s it important to be a person with honor? Unfortunately, today’s culture focuses on how much money is in your bank account, what kind of car you’re driving, if you have the latest brand name of clothing, and how many likes and followers you have on social media. All of those things have some level of impor- tance, but when people talk about you or your business practices or, even more importantly, when your life comes to an end, will they say, “He had an incredible portfolio and was considered a wealthy man.” Please don’t misunderstand. Believe me when I say that I want to secure a substantial bank ac- count and drive a very nice ve- hicle. I also hope that people would remember me as being a person of honor and a man who has a moral obligation to do more than just talk about it. At the West Point U.S. Mil- itary Academy, cadets learn about and prepare for the eth- ical demands of officership by living under the dictates of an honor code, which states, “A Cadet will not lie, cheat or steal, nor tolerate those who do.” Its pur- pose is to foster a commitment to moral and ethi- cal excellence to prepare them to be leaders. The Cadet Honor Code is a foundation of character de- velopment. We need to teach this to our young people at home, school, sports and at church. These young people will be future leaders of our community and nation one day. It’s up to us as parents, teach- ers, coaches, and community and business leaders to set the example. I’m proud to know some local leaders who have done great things for Spring- field. Calvin Coolidge once said, “No person was ever hon- ored for what he received. Honor has been the reward for what he gave.” Springfield is blessed with some great business leaders who have given back to our community. Respect starts with me as an individual. I must first have self-respect, and I want to be respectful of others. I am a black belt in Shotokan karate and was a national champion, Junior Olympic coach and a sensei. Shotokan is a strong traditional martial art, and I loved that you learned immediately that respect was a priority, regardless of your rank. Call me old fashioned, but it upsets me to see the lack of respect for elders, parents, teach- ers and, most recently, law enforcement. I know of teachers who have been physically threatened by middle school students, and when reported, school officials were too scared to enforce disci- pline. People have every right to protest but not to stand 6 inches away from police screaming ob- scenities in their face. We have lost respect for people in office and even people with different po- litical views. Our American flag and the great na- tion it represents has been disrespected beyond belief. This is unacceptable. We will never be able to strive as a communi- ty or nation until we start respecting one anoth- er – starting with our youth. If an elderly person comes in and there isn’t a chair, you get up and of- fer your seat. We need to show respect to our parents, teach- ers, coaches and America. We, as adults, should show respect for our flag, law enforcement and, regardless of who’s in office, for the office of the presidency. It’s like the mili- tary. You salute the rank, not the man. Author Roy T. Bennett said, “Attitude is a choice. Optimism is a choice. Kindness is a choice. Giving is a choice. Respect is a choice. Whatever choice you make, makes you. Choose wisely.” Jeff Collins is a motivational speaker and founder of the Missouri Winter Games and co-founder of Champions Committed to Kids. He can be reached at  jeff@mowintergames.org. Honor and respect lead the way to a prosperous future Medicaid expansion is right choice Dear editor, As an advanced practice nurse in a rural prima- ry care clinic, I feel fortunate to treat our nation’s heroes. But if it wasn’t for their sacrifices for our coun- try, many of these brave men and women would be in the same perilous situation that far too many of their fellow Missourians face – forced to choose between seeking life-saving medical care and pay- ing rent or putting food on the table. This was an untenable choice before the global pandemic and one that now could pose even dead- lier consequences. On Aug. 4, Missourians will finally have the chance to do what our state’s elected leaders have refused to do for nearly a decade. As president of the Missouri Nurses Association, and on behalf of another group of heroes – our health care work- ers on the frontlines of the COVID-19 outbreak – I urge you to join me in voting yes on Amendment 2. Expanding Medicaid to include individuals earning up to $18,000 annually will deliver health care to thousands of hardworking Missourians whose jobs don’t provide health insurance. That includes health care workers, such as home health aides, and other essential workers, such as restaurant staff, delivery drivers and retail employees. Among the 230,000 Missourians to benefit, narrowing the coverage gap through expansion will provide access to care to an estimated 50,000 parents, 18,000 near-retirees and 10,000 veterans who don’t qualify for Veterans Affairs health care. This voter-driven initiative qualified for the bal- lot in the spring after nearly 350,000 Missourians signed petitions to let the people decide. Those signatures were almost entirely collected before the coronavirus outbreak, with campaign supporters submitting more than twice the num- ber needed. In the ensuing months, and with the glaring backdrop of a global public health crisis and a dev- astated economy, support for Amendment 2 has only grown, both deeper and broader. More than 300 organizations have pledged their support, including AARP, the Missouri Catholic Conference, national patient advocacy groups and business groups, such as the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and its local affiliations in Columbia, St. Louis and Kansas City. The strong backing from business groups rein- forces that Medicaid expansion is not only good for the state’s health but also its bottom line. Independent research on behalf of the Missouri Foundation for Health suggests that Medicaid ex- pansion will create an average of more than 16,000 new jobs statewide in its first five years, thanks to the influx of new federal tax dollars at a higher reimbursement rate – a 900% return on the state’s investment. That infusion of federal money could actual- ly save the state more than $1 billion annually, research shows, and free up state money for pri- orities, such as education, transportation and pub- lic safety. In rural Missouri, where 10 hospitals have closed since 2014 and many more are hanging by a thread, Medicaid expansion could help stem a crisis in care that sees some residents of our state routinely having to drive 25, 50 or even 100 miles for medical care – extra time that in some circum- stances can mean the difference between life or death. As a health care provider, there’s nothing worse than seeing a patient have to decline needed treat- ment of medication due to their lack of insurance coverage. If the past few months have shown us anything, it’s that access to health care is more important now than ever. It’s past time for Missouri to join the 37 oth- er states to embrace Medicaid expansion, includ- ing our neighbors in Oklahoma, who did so in late June. On Aug. 2, vote yes on 2. –Terry Reese, of Branson, president of the Missouri Nurses Association Send letters and comments to sbj@sbj.net COMMITMENT TO CHARACTER Jeff Collins Letter to the Editor We will never be able to strive as a community or nation until we start respecting one another.