Show Me Stopped Clock Syndrome

Even Jay Nixon can't get it wrong all the time:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s elder abuse law could soon be expanded to protect older citizens from financial exploitation.

The House voted 147-2 in favor of legislation that makes it a crime for those with authority over an elderly person to take advantage of that person’s state of mind for financial gain.

The provision would apply to people who have guardianship, power of attorney or some other financial management role for seniors.

This must be done, and the sooner the better.

Not to get too personal, but I had to rescue a relative from predatory relatives.  This relative has Alzheimer's, and before we knew folks were stealing from her all of our family heirlooms were gone.  She was the youngest surviving of eleven siblings.  Over $25,000 in cash disappeared from her bank.  My grandfather's old fiddle was never seen again (my heart still breaks!).  Anything of value was stolen and she forgot they had been there before an hour had passed.

This happens far too often, and the state makes it pretty difficult to step in and protect some of our most vulnerable citizens.  When people become more desperate, they prey on the weak and the easily confused.  Missouri's system is sorely lacking in resources and enforcement.