As Gov. Rick Snyder pressures Senate Republicans to hold a
vote on Medicaid expansion when they briefly return to the Capitol on
Wednesday, the folks at the Mackinac Center are treating House Republicans who
supported the plan as the GOP’s Most Wanted.
vote on Medicaid expansion when they briefly return to the Capitol on
Wednesday, the folks at the Mackinac Center are treating House Republicans who
supported the plan as the GOP’s Most Wanted.
In a multi-part series on their Capitol Confidential web
page, the Mackinac Center is running mug shots of pro-Medicaid Republicans and
publishing their attempts to explain why they had the audacity to vote for the Obamacare extension
of Medicaid to those living at or below 133 percent of the poverty level.
page, the Mackinac Center is running mug shots of pro-Medicaid Republicans and
publishing their attempts to explain why they had the audacity to vote for the Obamacare extension
of Medicaid to those living at or below 133 percent of the poverty level.
I like the response given by Rep. Margaret O’Brien of
Kalamazoo County, who said conservatives who are obsessed with giving President
Obama a black eye have ignored the policy implications of voting against the
governor’s “Healthy Michigan” plan, which features the extension of Medicaid to more than 400,000 poor adults.
Kalamazoo County, who said conservatives who are obsessed with giving President
Obama a black eye have ignored the policy implications of voting against the
governor’s “Healthy Michigan” plan, which features the extension of Medicaid to more than 400,000 poor adults.
“Voting ‘no’ might contribute to the accelerated
demise of Obamacare . . . but this is far from a sure thing, especially as
Michigan tax dollars would subsidize other states health care,”
O’Brien said.
demise of Obamacare . . . but this is far from a sure thing, especially as
Michigan tax dollars would subsidize other states health care,”
O’Brien said.
“However, voting ‘no’ would definitely have resulted
in many negative consequences for Michigan. It would have ignored hardworking
taxpayers with low incomes and missed an opportunity to secure real reforms in
a system in much need of improvement for the taxpayers who support it.
in many negative consequences for Michigan. It would have ignored hardworking
taxpayers with low incomes and missed an opportunity to secure real reforms in
a system in much need of improvement for the taxpayers who support it.
“Simplifying this issue into a verdict regarding
President Obama’s health care plan ignores the challenges of increasing health
care costs, the highly regulated health care system and the hardworking
families without health insurance,” she said.
President Obama’s health care plan ignores the challenges of increasing health
care costs, the highly regulated health care system and the hardworking
families without health insurance,” she said.
Apparently, of special interest to the Mackinac crew –
and the tea party people who are eating up this series of stories — is that O’Brien represents a key district,
one that is just 54 percent Republican. After the 2011 gerrymandering, that’s
about as close as one can get to a Michigan swing district.
and the tea party people who are eating up this series of stories — is that O’Brien represents a key district,
one that is just 54 percent Republican. After the 2011 gerrymandering, that’s
about as close as one can get to a Michigan swing district.
According to Capitol Confidential, Inside Michigan
Politics editor/publisher Bill Ballenger said he thinks time could be on
the side of House members who voted for the expansion, but only if the bill
never gets enacted.
Politics editor/publisher Bill Ballenger said he thinks time could be on
the side of House members who voted for the expansion, but only if the bill
never gets enacted.
“If the expansion never takes place, I think there
will probably be enough time between now and the next election for Republican
primary voters to more or less forgive a vote like this one,” Ballenger
said. “But if the expansion were to happen, I think some of the House
Republicans who voted for it could be in trouble.”
will probably be enough time between now and the next election for Republican
primary voters to more or less forgive a vote like this one,” Ballenger
said. “But if the expansion were to happen, I think some of the House
Republicans who voted for it could be in trouble.”
Meanwhile, the Republican governor has launched a road show, giving a series of speeches blasting his GOP colleagues in the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville,
R-Monroe, has convened a GOP work group to study the bill this summer and he is
sounding like a September vote is a certainty.
R-Monroe, has convened a GOP work group to study the bill this summer and he is
sounding like a September vote is a certainty.
If the Republican supermajority in the Senate votes for
the Medicaid bill, I suspect the Mackinac folks’ heads will explode.
the Medicaid bill, I suspect the Mackinac folks’ heads will explode.
