In Louisiana, What a difference a Democrat makes..Boston Globe

[Stuart G]

Last edited Tue Aug 9, 2016, 10:18 AM - Edit history (1)

https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2016/08/08/louisiana-what-difference-democrat-makes/SsWMOft2LgMDOdpIMa8J3M/story.html

By Michael A. Cohen August 08, 2016

Last January, Louisiana voters elected John Bel Edwards governor (the only Democrat governor in the Deep South). On just his second day in office he signed an executive order that made Louisiana the 31st state to expand Medicaid, which is a crucial part of Obamacare. Edwards’s predecessor, Bobby Jindal, rejected the measure on the grounds – and I’m not making this up – that expanding access would “jeopardize the care of the most vulnerable in our society.”

At the time, Edwards noted that Louisiana “consistently ranked one of the poorest and unhealthiest states” and that improving Medicaid access would break the cycle of the state’s residents having to choose “between their health and their financial security.” Indeed, Louisiana is fourth from the bottom, among states, in life expectancy.

Seven months later, the impact of Edwards’s executive order is being felt across the state. Though applications for the new Medicaid benefit did not begin until June, already 265,723 Louisianians have signed up. The law is having a transformative effect, according to a recent article in the Los Angeles Times. “Patients burst into tears at this city’s glistening new charity hospital when they learned they could get Medicaid health insurance,” Noam Levey reported. One doctor said telling patients that they were eligible for health care coverage – something most of us take for granted — was like telling them, “I cured cancer.”

(farther down in article)..

This is a great public policy story — one that shows how a targeted effort using government resources for the most vulnerable can produce positive, even life-changing results. But the political part of the story is less great in the 19 states that have continued to reject calls for expansion. Not coincidentally, all 19 have either a Republican governor or a Republican state legislature. While many of these states have argued that the costs will be prohibitive, it’s long past time to discard this dishonest talking point

_________________________________________________________________________________________

This one article in my opinion is one of the most important ever written about the differences between the two parties and how they approach problems...And..guess which one helps people the most?

[liberalmuse]

1. Highly recommended reading!

Thank you for posting.

[Cracklin Charlie]

2. Kick for later

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

3. "Democratic" Governor, not "Democrat" Governor. Sigh...

[a la izquierda]

22. That makes me insane. Nt

[skip fox]

4. As a Louisiana citizen

I can once again say I am proud of my governor.

[Roy Rolling]

10. We all are...except LAGOP

This is just the beginning. JBE is the real deal.

[whatthehey]

5. And, knowing little about the man,

I can still absolutely guarantee that the purist real Democrat "base"© revile him for some departure from ideological orthodoxy or other and have said there is little/no difference between him and a Republican.

How can I be so sure? Because a Eugene Debs wannabe wouldn't have won a red state.

[loyalsister]

12. How would you like to have a governor who groomed a republican

to take over as AG and run for governor 8 yrs later? (All he had to do was change the letter from an R to a D). Or maybe the fact that he has overseen 90% of the states executions and sent in the national guard to attack protesters with tear gas? Maybe the lackluster appeal for Medicaid expansion would do it? That, unfortunately is my governor. The Democrat who we hope will be his successor supported a right to farm bill that essentially eliminated regulations on corporate farms.
What does it take for criticism directed at a Democratic governor to be legitimate?
If someone has a compliment or a complaint about the governor of their state, regardless of party, I respect it. Because partisan lines blur in the south and I appreciate citizens who have principles and evaluate their office holders on their merits.

[whatthehey]

15. Depends on the alternative, no?

In 99% of cases only the D or the R nominee has a shot at statewide office. The only question a rational GE voter asks then is who is the better choice. Primaries are the time to get a better standard bearer for the party, but even then those on the further edge need to remember that in states that are not unalterably single party, an ideologically pure candidate will have more trouble winning, and a losing candidate however pure achieves nothing. Cooper for my own example is not my ideological clone, but all I care about given the settled nature of the candidacy is is he better than McCrory, the only other viable option. That's not a tough question to answer is it? Was yours?

[loyalsister]

16. Obviously he's "better"

But, only slightly.

A DEMOCRAT who actually recognizes that the Death penalty is racist and started out early courting disaffected voters and paying attention to the poverty across the state. The governor, state party leadership, and current candidate successfully pushed a real Democrat out of the race before it began, by using his connections to suck up the fundraising for his chosen opportunistic republican turned democrat early. Even though he's a gun loving, bigot who quickly jumped on board with the Planned Parenthood investigation.

The state party won't get another dime or an ounce of energy from me, although I will donate time to candidates who have some integrity and actually care about the injustices that are happening across the state rather than turning a blind eye and chasing the RW who won't support them and hates the people Dems here used to advocate for.

[whatthehey]

28. So...to hell with the expansion of health care the state just achieved?

Or would the R have signed that too?

[loyalsister]

33. It has not been expanded here

.

[lillypaddle]

6. Kick

"Democrat" governor - I swear, I've heard it wrong so many times, half the time I can't remember which is correct. However, in this case, he is a Democrat and he is a governor, right? Democrat governor seems correct.

[Stuart G]

7. I checked this out again, that is the title of the article in the Globe..

That is what was written..

[SunSeeker]

9. No. Democrat is a noun. If used as an adjective it should be Democratic.

If used as an adjective to describe the noun governor, it should be "Democratic governor." Sad that the right wingers' obnoxious mangling of grammar has infected the Globe.

[calimary]

17. ABSO-FUCKIN'-LUTELY!

This is a particular bugaboo of mine. It's a sleazy little under-the-radar chop against us Dems by the CONS - who think that somehow if they fuck with our name, that can be just another little sting that can add up, along with everything else they try to pull on us. It's cumulative, and yeah, it's just a little thing. But those little things add up. It's psy-ops, really. And I resist it EVERY time.

It's Democratic Party. Democratic Congressperson(s). Democratic Senator(s). Democratic candidate(s). Democratic nominee. Democratic President. Democratic legislation. Etc.

And sometimes I like to sting back. Well, correction - ALWAYS I like to sting back. That's why, awhile ago, I decided to make it a personal mission to rename the CONS. They think THEY can decide what WE are called? They think THEY can designate what OUR name is? Well, FUCK THAT!!!!! It's OUR name and WE determine what we're called. If that's what they think, then turnabout is fair play. That door swings both ways, and therefore that means I can decide what to call them! Taste of their own medicine. See how they like it. Even if it's just a subtle, little, seemingly inconsequential thing. They need to be stopped, and their bad behavior checked, EVERY TIME.

So I decided on" republi-CONS". "CONS" because all they offer is a CON job. All they EVER offer is a a CON job. That's what they are, and, to me, that's what they'll ALWAYS be. They are CONmen and CONwomen, every last sneaky-ass, scheming, phony, selfish, mean-spirited, double-talking, double-dealing, detestable, Un-Christian, and frankly, Un-American one of them. Small "r" for just a wee bit more disrespect. I refuse to capitalize the name of their party, because I have no respect for them whatsoever. Therefore, for me, it'll always be republi-CONS. And republi-CON party. republi-CON CONgressperson. republi-CON Senator. republi-CON candidate(s). republi-CON nominee. republi-CON legislation. And forget about republi-CON President. For the MOST satisfying past eight years and at least for this next round, too!

Until and unless they give that shit up, and use our PROPER name, I won't do it for theirs, either. Accent on the "CON" part. Always.

On edit - I just tweeted him, three times, to correct him.

[SunSeeker]

18. Thanks for tweeting the journalist. Sad that a Globe writer needs to be told that. nt

[calimary]

20. See, that's the problem, right there. I don't think he even realized it.

With many, it's just so ingrained by now that they do it that way without even thinking. It just becomes automatic. I think that's because it's been going on, for so damned long, with NOBODY correcting it or making an issue of it. And if THAT condition is allowed to continue, unchecked/uncorrected, it soon becomes "reality" for most observers who don't pay a lot of attention. We HAVE TO be vigilant on these things. Otherwise, they pass into common usage, and before you know it, "Democrat Party" and "Democratic Party" become perceived, and worse - used - interchangeably. We HAVE TO make an issue of it if we're gonna make any changes in that oh-so-subtle sabotage. That's what I think it is. It has to be caught, and corrected. AS SOON AS it is caught.

It's like you would do with your kid. You don't let him or her continue with bad behavior. Otherwise it becomes ingrained, and the message you sent them by NOT doing something about it, is - it's okay. And for me as a loyal lifelong Democrat, it is NOT okay.

And sometimes I challenge them - by smacking 'em in the intelligence and education department. One example was when I chided someone - awwww... poor thing, doesn't even know the difference between a noun and an adjective. Guess they were asleep in that third grade grammar class, and never learned it.

[SunSeeker]

21. Agreed. nt

[Eleanors38]

26. That "Democrat" thing is a result of the GOPers re-naming, with little resistance by the Democratic

Party. It is a sign that Republicans have cowed the Party to such a degree that they have renamed it. Not a good thing.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

8. Kick

[Motley13]

11. Are you listening Rick Scott?

The greatest thief from medicare is against medicaid expansion.

Nearly 1/4 of population under 65 have no health insurance in Florida, we only trail Texas & that is where one of the top 5 worst governors comes from.

[calimary]

23. Indeed! I was just gonna interject - Are you listening, Greg Abbott?"

I have friends there. One of them has complained that "that damn Obamacare" is this or that, and she has adult-age kids over age 26 who don't make enough to get insurance. I tried to point out to her that if her dickhead governor would allow THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT (I NEVER use the term "Obamacare" because the CONS came up with it and it's meant to be derisive. I REFUSE to buy in on that, even inadvertently!) is designed to help EXACTLY - people like YOU guys. She resists. Loves Greg Abbott. I can't figure out why. She loves that stupid partisan dingdong cowboy-wannabe Governor Oops even more. Thought he was a GREAT politician and would make a terrific President. But then he did his "oops" thing on the debate stage and that was that, and she never brought him up again. He even embarrassed her!

But Greg Abbott is another thing altogether. You'd think, since he himself is in a wheelchair, he'd be more sensitive and empathetic to people who need affordable health care! I've got to guess it's political - he doesn't want to do anything that would in any way further something that President Obama instituted! Sheesh - putting fucking politics over the health of the people in your state whom you presumably are elected to serve... Well, that's a CON for ya.

[TexasBushwhacker]

24. Abbott actually spent years suing the Obama administration

over Obamacare when he was Attorney General, so he's never going to allow Medicaid expansion.

[Eleanors38]

27. Abbott? Naw, he's talkin' toilets here.

[SunSeeker]

13. As usual, a Dem cleaning up a massive mess left by a Republican.

Obama cleaned up Bush's mess.

Jerry Brown cleaned up Schwarzenegger's mess.

The list goes on and on....

[IronLionZion]

14. It's important to elect Democrats everwhere

because of stuff like this. If we don't have enough liberal justices to uphold liberal laws, or enough Dems in congress to pass liberal laws, then it falls to the states as the last frontier.

Health insurance coverage is higher in states run by Democrats. As the people in those states see better outcomes and have healthier more successful constituents. People in neighboring states will notice the difference.

[Sgent]

19. He's been GREAT

although he would be hounded out of office as a DINO (or worse) elsewhere.

I still have issues with him -- he is staunchly anti-choice for one, but combine this with fiscal management, GLBT rights, etc. and he is still so much better than an R.

[LynneSin]

25. There are progressives that would call John Bel Edwards a 'DINO' - I say BULLSHIT

He might be a moderate democrat and perhaps that's what is needed to win Louisiana. But you know what else happened in that state after John Bel Edwards was election - LGBTQ citizens of Louisiana saw their civil rights IMPROVE greatly. While Jindal scorned the LGBTQ folks in Louisiana, Edwards made Louisiana a better state.

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2016/04/louisiana_transgender_protecti.html

[Scalded Nun]

29. I hope the Louisiana voters stay vigilant

We all heard the same glorious success story from KY and a lack of voter turnout put a tea-bagger governor back in and he has been doing all he can to trash Kynect.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

30. Shouldn't that be "the only Democratic Governor in the Deep South"?

Gee, Michael Cohen, journalist...you're not writing for the Natchitoches Penny Saver. You're at the frikken Boston Globe.

[Tarheel_Dem]

31. K&R for Governor Edwards and the newly insured people of LA!

[MH1]

32. Not a dime's worth ... oh wait ...

yeah gee I guess maybe that is worth a little more than a dime to those people who now have healthcare.

[Beartracks]

34. "the costs are prohibitive"

Guess what, red-state citizens: Your Republican governors and/or Republican legislatures have actually calculated the value of your lives, and decided that you just don't bring enough worth to your home states. Republicans in these 19 states that have refused to expand Medicaid, apparently believe that your state is richer IF YOU"RE NOT IN IT.

=======================

[Thinkingabout]

35. Edwards has more work to do to clean up the mess left by Jindal, and he can and will do this.

The State Legislators also knows there needs to be lots of changes and this come from a Republican. What a mess. Glad Edwards has accepted Medicaid expansion, a big help for those who was not previously insured.

[mountain grammy]

36. I have a friend in his fifties with a family history of colon cancer

When he got the Medicaid expansion he had his first colonoscopy. Sure enough, malignant polyps. Caught very early and removed.. No further treatment required. Now the dumb shit is supporting trump.

[raven mad]

37. Thank you.

I sent this to a wonderful brother who when through the summer of storms and he agrees (I like to check local opinion, sorry). He thinks this gentleman will make a real difference.

I live a long way away from my brother, and am sometimes scared for him (he's younger).

[Hortensis]

38. Good story, but where's all the rest of the benefit?

It's no doubt too early to measure in Louisiana, but expanding healthcare isn't only about getting healthcare to those who need it. By a very long shot. All of society benefits by the tremendous and wide range of synergies that improved health creates, including economically.

In any case, good for you, Louisianans.