I've never seen ballot language quite so deceptive and dishonest as that of Proposition C, which will appear on the Aug. 3 ballot. It's hard to believe it is even legal.

The language will appear this way:

Official Ballot Title:

Shall the Missouri Statutes be amended to:

• Deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful healthcare services?

• Modify laws regarding the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies?

It is estimated this proposal will have no immediate costs or savings to state or local governmental entities.  However, because of the uncertain interaction of the proposal with implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, future costs to state governmental entities are unknown.

But the Fair Ballot Language on the Secretary of State's website reads:

Fair Ballot Language:

A “yes” vote will amend Missouri law to deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful healthcare services. The amendment will also modify laws regarding the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies.

A “no” vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding private health insurance, lawful healthcare services, and the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies.

If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.

First, why isn't the fair ballot language, you know, on the f***ing ballot? It is less confusing than the official language and also makes clear the absurdity of Prop C's wording. Essentially, two completely different and unrelated issues are being voted on simultaneously. A vote against one is in effect, a vote for the other. You can't vote "no" or "yes" on both the Federal mandate part and the liquidation part. That's wrong.

If you're an anti-Obama Tea Partier, you're likely going to take the bait and vote yes, thinking that your vote is somehow going to undue the Federal mandate to purchase health insurance under the new health care reform laws. It won't. That language is there expressly to get you to vote yes on something you might otherwise be against. But it is ultimately toothless because the state has no authority to override a Federal mandate. What your yes vote will do, though, is benefit the insurance industry on an obscure technical and legal matter that will make it easier than current laws do for that industry to liquidate assets.

If Missourians want to give private insurers a break on their business dealings, that's fine. But let's make sure voters understand that's what it is they are voting on. The Prop C language does not do that. In fact, it intentionally muddies the waters to obscure this fact. Everyone involved in pushing this deceptive language on the voters of Missouri should be ashamed.