-
Has Sebelius Violated the Anti-Lobbying Act?
June 10, 2013 | 34 comments
-
California Schemin’
June 3, 2013 | 16 comments
-
An IRS Scandal Inseparable from Obamacare
May 28, 2013 | 23 comments
-
Has the IRS Already Seized Your Medical Records?
May 20, 2013 | 6 comments
-
The Grand Old Poseurs
May 13, 2013 | 72 comments
The Right Prescription
Eight GOP Governors Squander SCOTUS Victory
The Court ruled Obamacare’s Medicaid provision unconstitutional, but these wimps still caved.
Since the Supreme Court ruled on Obamacare last June, the White House and its allies in the media have diligently promoted the myth that the decision was an unqualified victory for the supporters of “reform.” In reality, the Supremes dealt the Obama administration an important defeat on one of the two primary issues decided, namely whether the federal government has the right to withhold all matching funds from a state that fails to expand Medicaid according to the dictates of the unpopular health care law.
Medicaid is a joint state-federal program, yet a provision of Obamacare required the withholding of all federal funds from noncompliant states. The plaintiffs argued that this was so coercive that it amounted to an unconstitutional “commandeering” of the states. Seven of the nine justices agreed. This victory, despite the Court’s ruling that the individual mandate is somehow a tax, was viewed by many as an opportunity for GOP governors to thwart implementation of an integral component of the law.
To the disgust of Obamacare’s opponents, however, eight GOP governors have nonetheless decided to comply with the law’s Medicaid provision. Arizona’s Jan Brewer, Florida’s Rick Scott, Michigan’s Rick Snyder, Nevada’s Brian Sandoval, New Jersey’s Chris Christie, New Mexico’s Susana Martinez, North Dakota’s Jack Dalrymple, and Ohio’s John Kasich have all caved. Even worse, several of these people have been vocal opponents of Obamacare and govern states that participated in the lawsuit that produced the Court’s favorable ruling.
It’s difficult to decide who among them deserves the most scorn, but an excellent candidate is Rick Scott. Governor Scott was ostensibly one of Obamacare’s most stalwart opponents. He founded Conservatives for Patients’ Rights, an organization allegedly dedicated to promoting free-market alternatives to the expansion of government-run health care and, as Kyle Peterson recently pointed out, wrote an opinion piece for The American Spectator specifically denouncing Obamacare’s provision for Medicaid expansion.
Moreover, it was Scott’s state that led more than two dozen others all the way to the Supreme Court in the successful bid to have Obamacare’s Medicaid provision struck down. Nonetheless, on February 20, Scott announced that he had “wrestled” with the question in the aftermath of the November election and ultimately decided that Obamacare’s expansion of Medicaid “is a compassionate, common sense step forward.” Like many politicians, in other words, Scott wrestled with his conscience and the latter lost the bout.
Sadly, Scott’s venality is not unique among these GOP “leaders.” The flip-flop of Ohio’s John Kasich is another profile in political cowardice. It is not too much to say that Kasich won the governorship of his state by aligning himself with the Tea Party movement and vociferously denouncing Obamacare in countless stump speeches, talk radio, and television appearances. Yet, in early February, he caved on the Medicaid issue, saying that “It makes great sense for the state of Ohio because it will allow us to provide greater care with our own dollars.”
But Kasich, Scott, and the rest of these GOP opportunists know full well that participation in Obamacare’s Medicaid scheme does not “make sense.” They know it will lead to fiscal disasters in every state that falls for this scam. The federal government will inevitably cut back its financial contribution to the vast expansion of Medicaid, leaving the states holding the fiscal bag. Scott, Kasich, and their six accomplices will be out of office by then, of course, leaving their hapless successors to clean up the disaster.
In fact, the groundwork for a federal cutback on matching funds is explicitly laid out in Obamacare. Avik Roy explains, “For the first three years of the expansion, federal taxpayers will pick up the full cost.… This 100 percent funding rate will phase down to 95 percent in 2017, 94 percent in 2018, 93 percent in 2019, and 90 percent in 2020.” And, considering the deep fiscal hole into which Obama is digging us, we hardly need to call on Nostradamus to predict that Washington will welch on its 90% commitment.
This will leave the states with millions of new Medicaid enrollees and virtually no assistance from Washington to cover the cost of their increasingly expensive health care, thus leaving them with a choice between kicking poor people out of the program and cutting other basic services. As Betsy McCaughey pointed out last week, “Medicaid is already consuming a third or more of many state budgets. States would literally have to stop funding roads, public schools, and other essential services to pay for Medicaid.”
What makes this so infuriating is that these Republican governors are waving the white flag after winning a hard fought legal battle in order to escape this very dilemma. The Supreme Court ruled, by a 7-2 majority, that Obamacare’s Medicaid mandate was unconstitutional. Comparing a conditional grant like the federal contribution to Medicaid to a contract, the majority put it thus: “The legitimacy of Congress’s exercise of the spending power… rests on whether the State voluntarily and knowingly accepts the terms of this contract.”
Now, putting their own political prospects ahead of the fiscal health of their states, Governors Scott, Kasich, Brewer, Snyder, Sandoval, Christie, Martinez, and Dalrymple have “voluntarily and knowingly” accepted the terms of the contracts. Most of these eight governors probably expect to be working in Washington as elected officials or lobbyists when the bill comes due, and at least one has his eye on the White House. With Republicans like these, who needs Democrats?
Photo: UPI
About the Author
David Catron is a health care revenue cycle expert who has spent more than twenty years working for and consulting with hospitals and medical practices. He has an MBA from the University of Georgia and blogs at Health Care BS.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (78) | Leave a comment
More Articles by David Catron
More Articles From The Right Prescription
http://spectator.org/archives/2013/03/04/eight-gop-governors-squander-s
Follow us:
ADVERTISEMENT
Current Issue
- A Panoply of Beauties
- Confessions of a Soft-Drinking Newspaperman
- Walk the Line
The Spectacle Blog
Democrat Dan Maffei Blames Budget Cuts for Girl’s Rape, Mother’s Murder
Robert Stacy McCain | 6.18.13
SPONSORED LINKS
FLASHBACK TO: 1995
-
Pope Culture
A man of faith in a godless age is hitting Americans where it hurts.
-
Why the GOP Does Not, Like, Totally Suck
Mr. and Mrs. American Spectator Reader, let P.J. O’Rourke talk sense to your kids.
-
Dames at Sea
-
In the Absence of Guns
In Britain, defending your property can get you life.
-
The Metaphysical Martini
-
Counting the Costs of Clintonism
The debacle of this president’s administration is both a cause and a symptom of the decline of American values. Unless Congress impeaches him, that decline will go on unchecked. An eminent jurist surveys the damage and assesses the chances for the recovery of our culture.
-
Chuck McHagel
It won’t take long for conservatives to scratch this presidential wannabe off their 2008 scorecard.
-
The Legacy of Old John and Mother Fresh-Roasted
-
It’s the Best Time of the Year
The American Christmas, like the songs that celebrate it, makes room for everybody under the rainbow. Is that why so many people seem to be hostile to it?
-
The Bush Crack-Up
Was the President done in by the economy, or by the politics of the economy?
Clip of the Day
ADVERTISEMENT
Otis, my man!| 3.4.13 @ 7:11AM
We're doomed
Frank Drackman| 3.4.13 @ 7:18AM
Rick Scott is a ball-less bald headed Homo, a Suit, who turns my usual Daddy Warbucks Persona into a Molotov Cocktail Throwing, Ho-Chi-Minn Sandal Wearing, Marx Reading, Mao Quoting, Trotsky worshiping, Wild Eyed Radical.
Its nothing personal with that Cereal Fellater, if the bottom line ands up to $.00000000000000000000001 in the Black he'd sell his own daughter into White Slavery.
I can forgive Jan Brewer, since she's a drunk(not that there's any thing wrong with that)
Snyder, Christy, Kasich, cause they're in Blue States, Sandoval and Martinez cause they Hablo with Pablo, and Dalrymple....
You ever been to North Dakota? Capitol's named after a German, Mosquitos the size of Pigeons, and their one Tourist Attraction??? MOUNT RUSHMORE, umm wait that's in South Dakota.
THE STURGIS BIKE RALLY..umm thats in South Dakota too.
WORLD FAMOUS WALL DRUG..umm another South Dakota tourist trap, I mean site...
ITS WHERE THEY FILMED 'FARGO"..
umm most of which takes place in Minn-a-Soda...
Frank
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 10:23AM
Welcome back, Frank.
Occam's Tool| 3.6.13 @ 6:43PM
"Fargo" was filmed in Brainerd, MN. Only establishing shots were done in Fargo. Frank is, as usual, correct.
Medora and the Badlands are a good tourist spot, or so I am told---I will be going there this summer, I think. I like Fargo and Grand Forks---both are decent places. Nice people. I told my wife that the next weekend I have off (the 16th) I would like to go to the Plains museum and see the Warhol exhibition. Maybe go to the Zoo if the weather improves by then...
Boredom is good, my friends.
Occam's Tool| 3.6.13 @ 7:05PM
However, I expect GOP office holders to be ball less. Only Rand Paul sticks by his principles, and he's soft on Defense.....
Stormzeye| 3.4.13 @ 7:25AM
Frank, you're awfully good early in the morning..........I know, "That's what she said", right?
Bob Grant| 3.4.13 @ 8:11AM
Or what "he" said. Notice the requisite homo reference.
Kwan| 3.4.13 @ 7:33AM
To win a war you first have to acknowledge that you are in a war. No doubt these governors have advisors that are telling them this is a good move for their political futures. What we don't need at this critical time in the nation's history, is a bunch of rope-a-doped Republican chumps helping Obama in his mission to bankrupt the country. What is called for is not politicians concerned about their political futures, but politicians concerned about the nation's future, who see Obama as a threat to that future and take the appropriate steps to defeat his destructive agenda.
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 10:35AM
What did Nakita Kruschev say: "They will sell us the rope that we will hang them with".
This is the exact same thing.
It's that first coupla rocks of Crack, just to get ya hooked.
We'll be the Next Great Power who was brought down from within by Corruption, Greed, Sloth, and Wave after Wave of Foreign Labourers who will serve to Dilute, and Ultimately Destroy the Culture that made it The World Power that it was.
It's Inevitable.
Kwan| 3.4.13 @ 4:25PM
Amen. Once the plague of Marxism overtakes a country prosperity and freedom ultimately becomes a distant memory.
Pecos Pete| 3.4.13 @ 8:02AM
Some 20 something political interns in the various governors' offices sat around a conference table. There was one gray-beard chairing the meeting.
Question: "How do we zig-zag around this Medicaid thing and get the Governor reelected?"
One bright young intern, from Harvard of course, answered: "We take the money now, making the Governor look compassionate, knowing that the law will be declared unconstitutional before the crap hits the fan."
The gray-beard chair answered: "Only problem with your suggestion is that there can be no assurance the law will be declared unconstitutional. But, what the heck, it's worth a roll of the dice. Done deal."
Al Adab| 3.4.13 @ 8:36AM
Isn't Martinez yours? Apparently the vision of so much money flowing into state coffers from DC was enough to buy off these eight even when some of their States are involved in the obiecare lawsuit. Did they all simply decide to surrender after the election?
One question is right on point here. With republicans like these shouldn't Conservatives re-evaluate their position within that party? CPAC should not invite Christie or Jeb Bush either for that matter. Why do Conservatives continue to pander to or blindly follow, the GOP lead?
Pecos Pete| 3.4.13 @ 9:43AM
Al: Martinez is "mine" governor. She folded. It's gonna be ugly for New Mexico once the Fecal Govt. decides to reduce their "contribution" for Medicaid. But, in the meantime, the democrat controlled legislature is fighting over the spoils.
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 10:41AM
I don't care how bad things get down there.
You need to Promise Me that you'll look out for Tim.
And, bye "Look Out For", I don't mean: Look out the window to make sure he's not Burning up on the Grill.
CJW| 3.4.13 @ 10:23AM
I agree that this was solely to help these governors win re-election just as Christie slobbered all over Obama. They did not want to defend in their campaign that they refused "federal money" to help the "poor."
Von Mises Jr| 3.4.13 @ 11:16AM
It is just kicking the can down the road. Mom Jeans and Nurse Ratchet promised full coverage of the Medicaid Expansion for three years with 90% in perpetuity. They are saving their State Budgets and hoping for re-election by passing the costs to the Feral Government.
In a way, it is the logical choice. If the Red States of AZ, FL, NM and other States with Republican Governors such as OH and NJ do not accept the Expansion, then their subjects will be taxed for the benefit of CA, IL, MA and NY comrades benefit.
But the problem is that they are advancing the fiscal situation for their individual States while at the same time escalating the collapse of the Feral Government. At least from the Red States perspective, they are embracing Federalism protecting their subjects in the short-term while foolishly undermining Federalism in the long-term for national socialism.
CJW| 3.4.13 @ 12:06PM
Perfect analysis.
Of course, Obama knew that the governors would have no practical choice but to accept the Medicaid program regardless of its constitutionality. It is another step in getting to the single payor system along with the Obamacare that will force many employers to drop their plans.
Butch| 3.4.13 @ 2:28PM
Hospitals are a big part of this. I don't know about your state, but in mine, the hospitals have a great influence on the state politicians. They want that Federal money to offset the costs of having to treat the indigent. I thought they were already doing that $10 aspirin tablets and such, but I guess they always want more, and they're willing to provide excellent cannon fodder to these governors' democrat opponents if they don't come through for them. We have lost the future by trying to "hang in there" to save it, and that assumes the best of motives for these Repubs.
Maxwell| 3.4.13 @ 8:03AM
Aaahhhh, my main man Chris Christie, Mr. Anti-gun himself, the one Ann Coulter is / was in love with & thought of as the next coming of what ever said he fought against it (another fat lie). I just have one simple question ( as always with the questions), why doesn't he just join the Democrats? I am truly stuck behind the enemy lines here in Jersey until I move South.
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 10:25AM
Where ya moving to?
Cape May?
Maxwell| 3.4.13 @ 11:22AM
Not far South enough! But I appreciate you thinking of me! Must find a place where liberals are not allowed & it is warm.
RCV| 3.4.13 @ 12:05PM
Singapore
CJW| 3.4.13 @ 12:09PM
Is that one of the 57 states?
Santiago| 3.4.13 @ 4:13PM
May I suggest Chile? It's ranked several notches above the USSA in Heritage's Economic Freedom Index. And it's warm, dry, and has excellent medical care. :)
Occam's Tool| 3.6.13 @ 7:07PM
Cullman, Alabama. Even the Dems are Conservative there.
Sixgun| 3.4.13 @ 6:09PM
Max... try living in the Socialist Republik of Kalifornia, and I quit listening to Ann Coulter when she pushed hard for the inclusion of Sodomites at CPAC. Her constant cheerleading for Gov. Christie put her permanently on my list of opportunistic RINOs.
Bob Grant| 3.4.13 @ 8:08AM
They'll all cave at some point as they will not be able to resist the dime bag heroin known as Federal Dollars.
Our Pusher-in-Chief's not totally stupid.
Hardcard| 3.4.13 @ 8:14AM
South of Jersey ain't much better, ricky scott is in Florida and that's as south as you can get, these clowns and traitors are dirty and the obamao jdingo has the photos, just ask SCJ john roberts it's the chicago way, saul alinsky lives.
Maxwell| 3.4.13 @ 11:20AM
Hard, when I saw Fla. accept the Obama Bucks I just shook my head in disbelief!
Bob Grant| 3.4.13 @ 11:43AM
Why the disbelief? It's Florida for cripes sakes!
The obamacare medicaid provision is just another version of the Third Rail in politics. And you never touch the Third Rail, so the republicans caved like obama knew they would.
They will all eventually cave. John Roberts and the knuckleheads who DIDN'T vote for obama's opponent last November sealed obamacare's fate.
Butch| 3.4.13 @ 2:36PM
Florida's only "as south as you can get" geographically. As anybody from North Florida will tell you, "South Florida's North; North Florida's South." Maxwell, the entire Florida Panhandle over to Daytona is good-old-boy South (Bubba Watson even drives the original General Lee). South Florida is Yankees, many retired and obsessed with health care. The dividing line is about the I-4 (I think) corridor from Tampa to Orlando.
Santiago| 3.4.13 @ 4:16PM
Sorry, but if you really want to escape, Florida is not as south as you can get. Try Puerto Williams, Chile.
Sixgun| 3.4.13 @ 6:11PM
I like the sound of Chile...
Santiago| 3.4.13 @ 6:44PM
There are advantages to living in a quiet, forgotten patch at the end of the world.
Butch| 3.4.13 @ 7:21PM
I'm considering it, Santiago. Heard a lot of good things about it, and the people I know from there are all all right.
CJW| 3.4.13 @ 7:27PM
I believe Chile gave workers the option to privatize their "Social Security" so that many employees have large IRA type accounts.
Santiago| 3.5.13 @ 9:58AM
It's not an option in Chile, it's mandatory. Everyone (except the self-employed, and that changes in 2015), contribute 10% of their monthly earnings to the AFP, the Spanish acronym for Pension Fund Administrators. The AFPs are private, (there are 5 I believe), and they take your money and put it 1 of 5 mutual funds, which range from a very aggressive fund to a money market account. It's not a perfect system, some AFPs charge more in commission than others (I personally don't like paying an "expert" to "manage" mutual funds), but everyone has their personal account, and can see how much $ it has at any moment, plus when you die 100% of whatever is in it goes to your heirs. There are (quite valid) complaints that the pensions it pays upon retirement are stingy, but there are also studies indicating reasons why the average pension is less than desireable (for example, women, who naturally tend to formally work fewer years of their lives, are supposed to retire 5 years before men, and they are the ones who typically have an inadequate retirement). It has it's pros and cons, but at the end of the day investing only 10% of your income to retire is really a minimum.
This and other features of the Chilean system contrast greatly with the local neighbors (I'm looking at you, Argentina) in terms of governmental and economic policy. The difference between here and the other side of the Andes is like night and day really.
Santiago| 3.5.13 @ 9:42AM
Well if you like wine, penguins, and a relatively easy place to do business, I'd say it's not a bad option. It's certainly not the only option, but so far it has worked for me.
Jacob McCandles| 3.4.13 @ 8:38AM
Mr. Catron has written a good piece here. The point I would like to make is this: the destructive effects of medicaid will begin as soon as the program is expanded. Although the government spending/deficit problem is a big one, the most glaring, immediately destructive effect will be on hospitals, doctors, and other folks who deliver medical care.
Hospitals and doctors will have to make drastic changes that patients will NOT appreciate.
Frank Drackman| 3.4.13 @ 8:53AM
well MY Governor Nate"The Skate" Deal ain't takin no dirty Yankee Money, we tried that once, and look what happened...
And I wouldn't rule out the Governor as a Cabinet Secretary in a Jeb Bush/Rubio administration, he's a hard nosed no nonsense Executive, and he looks like one of the Hillbillies from "Deliverance", which was filmed in his old Congressinal District BTW...
Frank
Purp| 3.4.13 @ 8:58AM
Yeah, and he's doing to Georgia what poor Ned Beatty got in deliverance... hahahaha
Bob Grant| 3.4.13 @ 9:18AM
Ok. That was funny.
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 10:43AM
Ya know, that might've been the event that brought Purp to the place he is, today.
On his knees, in front of the Glory Hole.
Ya never know.
SUBVET| 3.4.13 @ 11:28AM
I think ole ned was bent over a log.......
CJW| 3.4.13 @ 12:18PM
Purpie the Village Idiot posted:
1. "Hurricane Sandy and Chris Christie was the Lord's way of pressing his thumb on the scale to tilt in the direction of President Obama. It was His punishment of Republicans for their lying and trying to cheat (Voter Suppression) their way to political victory, while espousing faith, freedom and constitutional credentials."
2. purpie believes God killed over 100 persons and destroyed millions of dollars of property to help Obama win.
3. In Sept Purpie wrote that Amassador Stevens was at fault and caused his death.
4. Purpie also wrote that the unborn are biological entities not deserving of protection until God allows them to be born.
5. purpie believes that a 20% cut in the tax rate will INCREASE his 0% rate to 8%.
6. purpie also posted one of the female bloggers here should just lay back and enjoy the rape.
7. purpie is a racist who posted that "You can't even beat a black man....haha," implying blacks are inferior.
Purp-arnie represents the Loon Left that should be mocked and ridiculed, and not engaged in debate.
Sixgun| 3.4.13 @ 6:13PM
I hear a pig squealing...
cicero| 3.4.13 @ 9:41AM
The doctors and hospitals all line up behind our President, and cheer as he signs the bill. Next thing they know, the promised money to provide the mandated care is not forthcoming, anymore. Oh, what to do. I know, they can all become lawn maintenance workers. After all, they won't work for the money available.
But the government workers, who got another 10% raise, tell the health care workers that it is their duty as professionals to provide care to the poor (all of the citizens, after the tax increases needed to pay for the $20 trillion deficits). It is their moral obligation.
My profession bought into that about 50 years ago. We were handed a moral obligation to represent the poor, for about 10% of the normal fees in the communities. The judges, prosecutors, police, and court staffs all got 100% of their wages when holding forth on a case involving an endigent. It was just the "professioanl" who had such an obligation. Now that the medical profession has gotten itself harnessed to the moral obligation wagon, it will be interesting to see if they find a way to unhitch themselves. Moral superiority is a pretty dull knife.
Jacob McCandles| 3.4.13 @ 11:21AM
Seeing a physician will get less and less common. Doctors in private practice overwhelmingly hated Obamacare. They will deal with the results in different ways, but they will have to deal with it.
1. Quit practicing medicine
2. Sell the practice and become an employee (fixed hours more common).
3. Hire physician extenders (nurse practicioners and physician asst). These folks follow recipe books and do not have a background of knowledge to practice good medicine.
4. See more patients per hour.
None of these things are good for patients. The coming "doctor shortage" will be worse than expected because newly graduating medical students want families and time off etc., especially the women. The government will respond in 2 ways:
1. Change the laws that define who can practice medicine. "we don't need no stinkin' doctors!"
2. Make it easier for foreign medical grads to come here and start practicing. Who needs to be able to relate to or understand your doctor anyway?
this is all bad....
Grzmlyk| 3.4.13 @ 2:00PM
Come on, jeez, you are harshing the mellow of the compassionate liberals who really believe there's a pot of gold at the end of every rainbow that goes through Washington DC.
Everything will work itself out, silly: Barack Hussein Obama is our Dear Leader, after all. So pretty much anything is possible. I mean, we can't go broke if we can print money, right?
Besides, you are forgetting one other way the government might respond:
It will force people to become doctors.
I'm kidding! No, what they'll do is just "weed out" all of those non-believers, people over 50 and those with pre-existing conditions.
Once you whittle the population down to the people who are beautiful and/or connected to The Party, not only will Utopia will be at hand, but there won't be a glut of people who don't really matter clogging up the medical system.
Hey, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few (million) eggs.
Occam's Tool| 3.6.13 @ 7:12PM
Jacob: I left (couldnot sell) and became a Government Employee (hee, hee, hee). In 16 years I out. By the way, I, at age 50, am younger than average for a psychiatrist. And there are very few coming up behind me...(think: agitation in Alzheimer's, schizophrenia, mental retardation, etc.)
I used to give a shit about that. Now I take care of my patients and wait for age 70 to hit, putting away gold and tobacco stocks...
Occam's Tool| 3.6.13 @ 7:09PM
Believe it or not, we used to serve in Charity Hospitals. When I was in private practice, I gave tens of thousands away in charity care.
7-08| 3.4.13 @ 9:51AM
What this calls for is a second party.
Pecos Pete| 3.4.13 @ 10:04AM
7: Best comment today, on all threads.
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 10:45AM
Seriously?
I think what he means is: A THIRD Party.
This is why you never win.
7-08| 3.4.13 @ 1:42PM
I said what I meant and I meant what I said; Republicans and Democrats give each other head
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 1:52PM
Doesn't that just buttress what I said?
Pecos Pete| 3.4.13 @ 2:11PM
What's buttress mean? Be nice.
Bob Grant| 3.4.13 @ 3:05PM
Someone who serves drinks at a gay bar? A flying buttress?...who knows.
Sixgun| 3.4.13 @ 6:18PM
flying buttress = someone who serves drinks on a gay airline
TLP| 3.4.13 @ 3:06PM
It means: Support.
And, stop riding me.
I mean: Tim.
Stop riding Tim.
Sixgun| 3.4.13 @ 6:19PM
That's funny right there (Lord, please forgive me for making that comment right there. Amen), I don't care who you are. I suggest the Constitution Party...or the party of my choice, the American Independent Party.
fmm| 3.4.13 @ 9:53AM
Another case of self interest and fear of retribution from the low information voters winning out over logic and facts. It has been known for some time that Christie is a democrat at heart but seems all of these governors are. It is easy to be a liberal democrat because it takes no effort and no committment to anything but self. Being a conservative takes understanding and committment to factual things beyond self. The real sadness in this is that any of these people will do well in positions after their governorships no matter which way they go on the issues, but they still can not do the right thing.
JimH| 3.4.13 @ 10:12AM
I don’t know what the other governors said, but here in Florida, our Gov. Skeletor justified it by saying that since the Feds were giving the money away he would be foolish to not take it. He went on to say that if they reduced their contribution he would no longer participate. So he is willing to accept taxpayers money from other states in the hopes of improving his terrible poll numbers.
canuckistani| 3.4.13 @ 10:36AM
Perhaps the fact he is a grifter from the Health Insurance racket like the leech Catron has been for two decades, he knows the inside scoop is more troubling than the policy genies on here can ever imagine.
Paying almost twice for lesser outcomes than the rest of the entire OECD is sh!tty business in any textbook or board minutes. That Kaiser embezzlement of Nixon has created a leviathan of epic proportions that has damaged the country. It will years before the ship will righted and costs come more in line with global norms - outcomes, too.
With even Rubio on board with amnesty, Scott is showing a strong pragmatist vision of the coming term. He should be applauded, not vilified by the brain trustees on here.
Jacob McCandles| 3.4.13 @ 11:24AM
I'm not sure what you are talking about, but since you used the term "global norms" it's a pretty safe bet you are full of sheet.
Grzmlyk| 3.4.13 @ 12:09PM
What this moron wrote is the closest thing I think I've ever seen to a digital fart.
Nothing whatsoever of substance - just noxious-smelling gas and the written equivalent of what ought to be an embarassing sound.
Hey, moron: You may enjoy the smell of your own gaseous eruptions, but nobody else does.
Occam's Tool| 3.6.13 @ 7:16PM
Try tort reform, for one, Canuck.
And, by the way---eliminate gun shot deaths and motor vehicle deaths that do NOT get to the ER on time, that is to say, that the medical profession doesn't get a chance to treat because of factors out of the profession's control---we have the BEST results in the world, NOT the worst. We save neonates that Europe doesn't count as viable, therefore, doesn't count on their infant mortality rates.
Where would you rather be treated for Cancer---the USA or the UK, Canuckistani. Do let me know if it is the UK when you get it.
Grzmlyk| 3.4.13 @ 11:27AM
Boy, you don't get it.
There isn't a dime's difference between a Democrat and a Republican when it comes to action. Rhetoric? Sure, these asses can bray all day about fiscal prudence, yada yada yada.
But they're all statists who whore themselves before the wallet of Uncle Sam and the most craven of their constituencies.
The tide of the times rolls only leftward, in case that's not patently obvious. A week from today, we'll be further left than we are today. A week from that date, we'll be further left than we were the week before. And so on to oblivion, which can't come soon enough, as far as I'm concerned.
Of course, I could be wrong; this may just be another example of Emmett Tyrell's assertion that liberalism is dead.
Hardy har har.
Purp| 3.4.13 @ 3:51PM
If you work for a living, you whore yourself out every day to do someone's bidding - don't you?
In your world, Democracy is dead.
Tyrell's an old fool.
Sixgun| 3.4.13 @ 6:25PM
Amen.... what used to be left-wing 10 years ago is now middle-of-the-road, and what used to be middle-of-the-road 10 years ago is now right-wing fanaticism.... ever leftward.
Hardcard| 3.4.13 @ 12:00PM
Go to Belize............. you spelled turd wrong !!!
Petronius| 3.4.13 @ 12:11PM
Just one thing. Donations by insurance companies. Duh.
Louis Jenkins| 3.4.13 @ 1:23PM
It's amazing. Rep. Governor's lining up to get free money from the Feds. Regardless of their upbringing, when it comes to money they all speak the same language.
Purp| 3.4.13 @ 3:52PM
Only to ReichWingers is that free money ...
Hardcard| 3.4.13 @ 2:51PM
also you spelled nikita wrong but at this point what difference does it make. Hey you didn't make that!!!
Kingofthenet| 3.4.13 @ 5:20PM
So Governor Rick Scott has now found a way to be politically WRONG on every side of this issue.
He was wrong to oppose ACA politically when it was legislation in the Congress. It passed. And the decline and fall of US civilisation didn't occur, despite his warnings to the contrary.
He was wrong to fight it in court. It was upheld, with the Medicare expansion proposal becoming voluntary.
He was wrong to bluster and waver about whether Florida would participate in the Medicaid expansion. Hospital Corporations around the State became nervous about being dumped with the bills and applied pressure for him to comply.
Now he's politically wrong, according to his own legislative party, for having finally decided he would participate. They have locked the bill up in committee to register their opposition.
It would be hard for a Chief Executive to compile a more inept record on any issue.
Bob Grant| 3.4.13 @ 7:41PM
May I refer you to the current occupant of 1600 Pennsylvanian Ave. There, you will find your more inept Chief Executive.
And as Frank Slade would say: "He's just gettin' staaarted!...Who Ah!".
homme nike air max BW | 3.5.13 @ 1:17AM
This victory, despite the Court’s ruling that www.shoxinfr.com/nike-shox-r2-c-7.html the individual mandate is somehow a tax, was viewed by many as an opportunity for GOP governors to thwart implementation of an integral component of the law.