The Brief: Top Texas News for July 11, 2012
The Big Conversation:
With Rick Perry emerging as the most public face of the fight against Medicaid expansion, how many Republican governors will follow his lead?
Perry's announcement on Monday that Texas would reject two central tenets of federal health care reform fanned the political firestorm that erupted after the U.S. Supreme Court last month upheld most of President Barack Obama's federal overhaul. Perry's move made Texas the largest state whose governor has rejected the Medicaid expansion set forth in the law, by which states would receive federal dollars for covering more low-income individuals.
Republican Gov ...
Comments (10)
Cal Morton via Texas Tribune on Facebook
No, he cannot, because his stance makes no sense, and is obvious to all others... he's a clown.
Rudy Gonzales
What else can be said about Texas' Streaking Texas Turkey! Playing politics with the lives of Texans, when he should be responding to the needs of uninsured residents. It is pure unabated politics. Rick Perry trying his best to out-conserve every other TEA-Republican hack in an effort to further amplify his stench. Neither he or any other governor are looking out for their constituents. Texas has 25% uninsured and everyone will pay more in hospital and insurance costs from those who go to the emergency rooms. The audacity of right-winged extremist to use ordinary citizens as pawns in their skewed notions to negate Supreme Court sanctions. Perry not wanting to be party to "Socialized" medicine is codified use of the word. The federal government will now step in and effect federal law, which will be taken back by the state once the program is effectively set in motion. Perry is effectively abrogating his duties, failing his elected position and getting paid twice. When Hospitals are not paid for emergency room services, they transfer those costs to the paying customers, who in turn receive increased premiums. Everyone has a liability and Perry is transferring what could be fixed everyone tomorrow. All the money rejected today will be utilized by other states who execute the Health Care Law,(ACA) until the feds set up Texas' program. In the meantime more Texans will file and go bankrupt and more Texans will get increased premiums while hospitals pass on losses, which in turn makes everyone lose. For this Texans can thank Rick Perry. Asking everyone to Please call early and often between now and July 30th. Call Rick Perry's office number is 512-463-2000 or 512-462-1782 and voice you thoughts and opinions on not accepting money which we all pay into for improving Texans health.
Audrey Fisher via Texas Tribune on Facebook
Only if they don't know where the $$$ to fund Perry remain a deep secret, both here in TX and other idiot states: http://www.burntorangereport.com/diary/12473/perrys-refusal-to-expand-medicaid-will-cost-texas-property-taxpayers-a-bundle
jpt51
Last year out state’s top leader boasted cutting billions in education and left the current state budget for Medicaid $5 billion short. Now our good governor is turning his back on $76 billion of help for the uninsured. What do you call Gov. Perry when he has the audacity of cutting services yet is willing to break the Texas Constitution by committing a quarter billion over ten years, for billionaire and campaign contributor Red McCombs? Last summer Governor Perry led a national conference touting there isn’t enough faith in God. How is Governor Perry following Jesus’ command to help the poor and infirmed when he practices crony politics?
Matt Miller has a great column in today's Washington Post on this topic.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/gop-to-the-uninsured-drop-dead/2012/07/10/gJQA4xZfbW_story.html?tid=pm_pop
adam kohler
This entire move shows you how little logic has gone into the rejection of this policy. It actually holds everyone more responsible for their health care rather than some getting a free ride. I am fiscally conservative and the health care plan actually makes a lot of sense to educated, thoughtful people. I cannot stand that we will be paying money so that other states get benefits and we are stripped of them by the imbecile of a governor. I really want our government to start solving problems rather than rejecting every plan that comes from the other side. It is childish and should be punished!!!!!!!!!!
T D
Perry has been dealt a losing hand by the Supreme Court and just decided to double down.
When you get the hospitals and doctors against you, you're in political trouble.
Adele Roberson
DEAR RICK PERRY :
IT'S CONSTITUTIONAL.
GET OVER IT.
Tom Cuddy
Does anyone else think how ironic the Tea Bag Tendency and its chief haircut, Gov Perry, advocating a degree of sovereignty more in line with the Articles of Confederation than the Constitution these same Tea -ists so fervently hold to be the Third Testament. The whole point of our Constitution is that the states would no longer be sovereign.The 'states' would not be states but provinces with considerable home rule ( especially in regards to owning humans.) I wish they would get that right. Perhaps if Perry endorsed returning to The Articles he could have a Texas Navy!!!
Adele Roberson
The Obama administration must immediately make a concerted effort to explain the Affordable HealthCare Act to the people in this country. People are busy and they are lazy and they will not read anything and just react to what some damn fool Republican is screeching on Talk Radio.
On the radio today a man was talking about how terrible the HeathCare Act was and that he had comany that placed temporary workers with companies. typists clerks, etc. He said he had two hundred temporary workers and eight workers in his office.He said he never insured his employees because he could not redeem his costs from the companies that hired his temp workers. He obviously was upset and he said he was not going to insure any of his workers and he understood that he would be have to pay the penalty (tax) as much as $3,000.00 per employee. The Talk-Show Host did not snap to it but I realized this man was saying 208 times $3,000.00. That figure seems extreme... No wonder he appeared on the edge of a nervous breakdown. These people need information, right now, even if they have to be spoon fed. Possibly a TV seminar could be arranged
Dale Curry
So before Slick Rick has all the Tparty zealots frothing over the Medicaid "expansion" as more socialism; make sure you get the facts. Remember, this man and his party havens not fully fund existing Medicaid coverage to the tune of billions that will ave to be dealt with in the next session. This governor and his ilk in the legislature Tax Swap '06 lead to a $22+ billion revenue shortfall last lege session. From public schools to healthcare, from colleges/universities to Wildfire response it has been one catastrophe after another. Since this expansion would impact the working poor (those working below poverty levels with no employer insurance), this government has essentially said, the care more about perpetuating their lies and rhetoric than helping than helping their citizens to survive, not to mention the economic impact of turning away $76 billion.