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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFalling like dominoes: Red-state govs expanding Obamacare
Posted with permission.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/falling-dominoes-red-state-govs-expanding-obamacare
Falling like dominoes: Red-state govs expanding Obamacare
09/02/14 09:19 AMUpdated 09/02/14 11:57 AM
By Steve Benen
As of a week ago, about half of the nations states had embraced Medicaid expansion through the Affordable Care Act, while the other half seemed to be motivated almost entirely out of partisan spite. But in recent days, theres been a burst of unexpected activity on this issue.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) struck a deal with the Obama administration that will allow Medicaid expansion to cover another half-million low-income Americans in the Keystone State. A day later, Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) said he expects to follow suit in the coming weeks.
Ruby-red Wyoming generally resists any voluntary federal program, but it, too, is starting to come around on Medicaid expansion. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R), a fierce Obamacare critic, recently did the same.
And even Utah is moving forward with its Medicaid-expansion plans, though not without an unintentionally amusing debate.
Representative Mike Kennedy, a Republican from Alpine, made the comments in a Health Reform Task Force meeting, in reaction to a story from another doctor . Sometimes access actually can mean harm, said Representative Mike Kennedy, a family physician.
Ive followed this debate closely for quite a while, and I have to admit, this is the first time Ive seen an elected official argue out loud and on purpose that medical care may be bad for people. But in this case, a Utah state Republican and physician tried to defeat Medicaid expansion by sincerely making the case that hospitals can make Americans sicker.
Sometimes access to health care can be damaging and dangerous, the GOP lawmaker said. And its a perspective for the [Legislative] body to consider is that, Ive heard from National Institutes of Health and otherwise that were killing up to a million, a million and a half people every year in our hospitals. And its access to hospitals thats killing those people.
Ridiculous arguments notwithstanding, there is a larger trend here thats hard to overlook.
Justin Green, writing in the conservative Washington Examiner, noted over the weekend that the Republican fight against Medicaid expansion may soon be over.
{T}he trend is quite clear: Red states are gradually accepting Obamacare, and no states are reversing their decisions, Green said.
To date, 10 Republican governors have embraced this ACA policy, but that total is slowly growing as the arithmetic becomes increasingly undeniable.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,233 posts)Skidmore
(37,364 posts)get the majority in the House and Senate in November. The best of both worlds for them. Endorse a popular policy with the notion that they can jerk it back later and not actually havve to implement it in its totality. Don't trust these jerks or their motives.
Thinkingabout
(30,058 posts)a good thing. The cost of healthcare is dropping, when the cost of healthcare is spread among all citizens per person it just may drop more. What is more important those who has not been able to afford healthcare and will seek healthcare when needed.
Wounded Bear
(58,649 posts)The ACA is NOT a losing issue. Blocking it is!
Simple. If you deny people health care, they get pissed off and it's starting to dawn on people who is really keeping them from getting it.
loyalsister
(13,390 posts)Rather than the governor, it's the state legislature that is holding us back. The entire house and some senate seats are up for re-election. I hope we can surprise everyone, and get more Dems elected by running on Obamacare. At the very least, the republican candidates are probably going to face some tough questions.
Scuba
(53,475 posts)mopinko
(70,099 posts)with kelly westlund's help.
she is neck and neck with sean duffy with zero paid media so far.
i dont think she missed a county fair or parade all summer.
shoe leather. it just takes shoe leather.
and good progressive politics.
chip in y'all
https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/demunderground
Blue Idaho
(5,049 posts)Idaho will be the last state in the Union to adopt Medicaid expansion. Yeah, our elected officials are that spiteful and that stupid.
ffr
(22,669 posts)There shouldn't be a Republican with a chance in hell of winning in 2014. How come this isn't the case???
Can't we get people excited about the good that comes from electing Democrats?
GOTV in November!
I've wondered if the PA gov is scrambling to pass Medicaid expansion because he's way behind in the polls. Sooner or later a lot of people are bound to wake up to the fact that they're being screwed for purely political reasons.
The simple truth is, Republicans fight tooth and nail against EVERYTHING that helps average Americans.
If people would watch CSpan instead of faux and see how these people vote, the would be very fewmRs in office.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)themselves and their families.
Iwillnevergiveup
(9,298 posts)and isn't it for life????
Arugula Latte
(50,566 posts)LynneSin
(95,337 posts)and if this dimwit manages to pull out a victory I could see him pulling the rug out from underneath everyone in this matter after the election.