Associated Press
Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R)
Prominent conservative activists and groups have told Republican governors, more than once, in no uncertain terms, not to implement the Affordable Care Act. There are federal laws that are not optional, but when it comes to creating exchanges and expanding Medicaid, the right hasn't been subtle: their future prospects in GOP politics will be dependent on their resisting "Obamacare."
To their credit, some of these governor don't seem to care.
Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter (R) announced Tuesday that, pending approval of the state legislature, Idaho will build a health insurance exchange as stipulated by Obamcare.
Otter made clear that the decision is not an endorsement of the law, arguing in a press release that the decision would mean Idaho would create the exchange rather than having the federal government do it for the state.
In a statement, Otter said, "This decision does not signal support for the law or how it is being implemented. However, it does reflect my continued determination for Idaho to be actively engaged in making the best possible choices -- to the degree we are allowed -- in the interest of more accessible and affordable health care for our citizens."
The right doesn't want to hear this, but for Otter, this should be -- and is -- a no-brainer. Either Idaho sets up its own health care exchange or Republicans invite federal control over how the state system will be structured. Love the law or hate it, governors have an incentive to take advantage of controlling their own insurance options, rather than leaving it to Washington.
In the case of exchanges, there really isn't much of a point to putting up a fight, anyway -- they were, after all, a Republican idea in the first place.
And yet, we still have plenty of GOP governors balking, with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) becoming the latest last week. Why is Christie refusing to create his own exchange? Probably because he has national ambitions, and is afraid of primary ads that accuse him of cooperating with the law Republicans have been told to hate.
It's infinitely easier to respect the policy decisions of governors who put patients over politics. Otter is doing the smart thing, as is Nevada's Brian Sandoval.
Gov. Brian Sandoval (R-NV) told the Associated Press on Tuesday that he plans to accept Obamacare's optional expansion of the Medicaid program to extend coverage to additional low-income residents in his state. Sandoval is the first Republican governor to commit to expanding Medicaid, as GOP leaders across the country have continued to resist that crucial provision of the health care reform law despite several reports confirming the economic benefits to Obamacare's proposed Medicaid expansion.
The governor acknowledged that even though he remains a staunch opponent to the Affordable Care Act, expanding the eligibility level for Nevada's Medicaid program will help tens of thousands of people who would not otherwise been able to access health coverage. About 22 percent of his residents are currently uninsured, and participating in the Medicaid expansion will allow Nevada to add 78,000 low-income residents to its Medicaid rolls: "All in all, it makes the best sense for the state to opt in," he said.
In Texas, meanwhile, Medicaid expansion is also the obvious, responsible thing to do, but Gov. Rick Perry (R) refuses to even consider it, for reasons that only seem to make sense to him. Democrats in the state legislature hope to go around the governor, appealing to state Republicans' sense of fiscal responsibility -- state Sen. Rodney Ellis (D) said fiscal conservatives have an incentive to reach an agreement "because the alternative is going to cost us much more economically and dig a much deeper hole in our budget."
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When was the Election held for "Prominent conservative activists"? I did not see it on the ballot. That my friends is real voter suppression.
Your vote does matter, but don't sell it so cheaply.
Voters ID "Prominent conservative activists", listed soon on hand made signs in your area.
YA. Cant. Fix. Stupid.
Sure you can... just some local anesthetic and some garden shears and viola! Off come the offending items. If they're especially bothersome, forego the anesthetic and knock em over the head.
Oh, you meant REPAIR... My bad.
The garden shears approach bleeds too much.
Just strap them down and use a hot iron.
The hot iron is for cauterizing afterwards. We wouldn't want some fool trying to reattach things, now would we?
OUCH!
I'm in pain, just reading about this topic..
why do you republicans keep on resisting to the bitter end? just accept the fact that "we the people" want and need health care , so stop supporting the insurance companies and start supporting "us the people".
If Governors let the federal government set up the exchanges doesn't that pave the way for a national health care system or single payer. I mean the ground work will be done mostly for a federal single payer system since the feds will have set up a system for most states.
With 3% overhead costs it will save citizens enough of their hard earned money for the ins to include dental as well as medical...and still come out ahead..
Seems everywhere you turn Republican overreach will bring about the very policies they are trying to prevent. You go governors.
What's in it for states to set up exchanges? They still have to operate under Fed rules and offer only policies approved by the Feds.
I can see the merit of accepting the Medicaid option, since a good part is picked up by the Feds.
By the way, where' the outrage over the new tax to support coverage for those with pre-existing conditions?
It's more expensive for the States if they don't set up their own exchanges.
What is amazing about the Republiturds insisting they do not want to implement the insurance exchanges in their State is that it is going to COST that State MILLIONS OF DOLLARS that is going to come out of the State budget and local taxes (local taxpayer pockets). Why so many Republiturds want to bankrupt their own State is absolutely amazing.
You're assuming a fact not in evidence: that they have brains to comprehend this idea.
This is the party that will throw us over a fiscal cliff rather than raising taxes on the top 2% and balk at raising the debt limit, resulting in increased interest payments over the years; there's nothing amazing about it; just more of the same.
I (Rick Perry) refuse to impliment Medicaid expansion because : 1) the alternative is going to cost us much more economically, 2) that will dig a much deeper hole in our budget, and 3) Uh, I can't remember the third reason - uh, wait...wait...don't tell me...dang.
Oops...
too funny!!!
I am from Texas and I can tell you this state is probably the most backward state in the union. Perry is a joke.
I think Mississippi and Alabama have you beat on stupid, Louisiana is crazier, and Georgia is dumber, while Florida is more criminal. And given the enormous amount of stupid, crazy, dumb and criminal there is in Texas, that shows you how far gone the rest of the old Confederacy is.
Texas may come in as third in being backwards. Kansas and Oklahoma are trying their damnedest to come in first. We here Oz are being held captive by the wicked warlock of the Midwest, Gov. Brownback. He took money away from education and had a panel discuss education without inviting any teachers or educators. The Oznuts want to teach creationism in public schools or take evolution out of public schools or both. It is hard to keep up with the highjinxs in Topeka these days. Our state secretary tried to keep the president off of our ballot in November. The loving Republicans in Kansas took sleep apnea equipment off medicaid. I suppose they are expecting that to decrease the excess population, but it actually adds millions in the cost of the heart, lung and brain damage that sleep apnea causes. Medicaid only pays for an eye exam every four years now, so blindness is increasing. The state will gladly pay to pull your teeth, but pay no cost for replacing the lost teeth with dentures. Really helps digestion when you can only eat a soft diet, but damn it makes for some ugly smiles and a great deal of embarrassment for the toothless. Oh, we also have a wonderful revenue plan that sets up spies at every major corner to watch for those dangerous criminals who forget to buckle up. Then, Mr. Friendly cop, waiting down the road, pulls you over to write the ten dollar ticket while someone being threatened waits twenty minutes for an officer to arrive to help. Yes, Texas is great and usually wins the redneck prize for executing the mentally disabled, but Kansas is doing its best to catch up.
"afraid of primary ads that accuse him of cooperating with the law Republicans have been told to hate."
Any governor who plans to run in 2016 against Hillary needs to realize they cannot win with just the toothless trailer trash( aka 'teh base') vote.
Unless the Republicans fix their primary circus, they will continue the march toward the nomination with a series of clowns in front.
Much like they did in 2012.
Joan...
Love Sacramento! Used to spend a few weekends a month down there, when I was stationed at Beale AFB ('71-'74)...
K Street Mall still there? There was this great fondue place there, offering cheese fondue for bread and veggies, boiling oil for lobster and steak and chocolate fondue with fruit for dipping for dessert...
... mem'ries, mem'ries..
no matter what republitards do, they CANNOT win in 2016...
Hilary for POTUS
Or, one can hope, in 2014. Let's clean out some red state legislatures while we're creating a more sensible Congress.
So these governors are saying, in essence, "This law sucks...but it will help people out, so I'll do it." If it will help people out, why do they still think the law sucks?
because Obama, of course.
Because SOCIALISM!
Ohio's Kasich is another one resisting. Forfeit federal funds, and let the Feds do it, when a common GOP position is for smaller federal government, less Federal involvement in the state. And, wouldn't Ohio know the Ohio insurance market better than the Feds? Kasich, Boehner, Rob Portman, Mike DeWine and some other Republicans are becoming an embarrassment to our state.
The rreason these Republicans are doing exactly what they claim they don't want, Fed take over of states [rights, programs] is that they are so blinded by Obmama being relected Prresident due to their own incompetence, moronic sense of worth, insanity as defined by Einstein, small mindedness like Neanderthals, and obviously hateful core values. What happended to the family values party? Would you beleive it never was there, and to those workikng Americans who bought into their sick rhetoric, I hope yu leartned your lesson; never vote Republican....
BTW: What these governors are doing is to set up a natinal single payer sysatem. Hopefully, this database can be combined with the Medicaid, Medicare and FEHB databases to negotiate for services and drugs. Would have tremendous leverage for cost control, therfore better rates and co-pays for those in the programs; a win for all working Americans!
ONE question ? If Republican govennors go along with Obama care ...A.C.A. How can the GOP keep the hatered for the American Citizens going . that would break all the rules .
Let me explain why Gov. Goodhair does what he does. First, if you are on academic probation for most of your university career and animal science at A&M is your major, then you are not particularly endowed with grey matter. That means that he can't think things through to the consequences.
Second, if he rejects the new Medicaid proposal and it costs the state a lot more money, he'll just cut the education budget another 10% or more if necessary like he did last time in order to make up for the shortfall. To him that is a win. Remember his attitude toward academics while at A&M? It hasn't changed and he still resents people who are brighter than he is which includes a good bit of the population, even in Texas, so he is going to destroy education just to get even. A man who works the religious wing the way he does and runs his life on faith and corruption isn't going to do anything for the good of the state, especially if his buddies can't make a bundle off of it.
If by some trick , The stupid tea zombies could overturn the Affordable Care Act , Just who would benefit ? Big Insurance ? , Stock Holders In Insurance ? Who Do These Insane Traitors Work For ?????
not insurance companies. they love having millions of new customers.
i honestly believe that the only benefit(?) would be to their egos.
of course, more sick, bankrupt, hungry people would probably work for less and that's a good thing. right, mr koch?
i'm tired of snark - IT'S JUST IDIOCY AND GREED. if the rest of us get anything at all there's a microscopically small chance that some billionaire won't be able to have ALL the toys and that just pisses them off.
if this lunacy continues i'm afraid that it will reach the tipping-point for some of our crazier fellow citizens when all they own turns to crap. you know the ones. the guy with fifteen AK47's and 100,000 rounds of ammunition. the real problem with this is that he's going to shoot all the wrong people.
Start with a biggot, add the repub T-baggers and you get ---- politicians who aren't representing their constituencies. They don't give a rap if Barack even gives them money, they'd still hang together just like the KKK. Proves to me that stupidity isn't cheap. Giving up millions of dollars that would save their tax payers all that money just because they don't like Barack don't make sense to me. Wait 'till their citizens that voted for them gets the bill. Wheeeew
My my.
NOT insuring people is more expensive than insuring them. We need to get people covered, especially those who can least afford it.
Many states with republican governors would accept high speed rail funding , a great idea for the future, because it was Obama's program. These guys have the mentality of children
Yeah, in California, our gov. asked for the money they didn't want, and the Dept. of Transportation gave it to us. We'll be starting our high speed Rail construction soon. I can't wait. SF to LA less than 3 hours. Great!!!
The party of Oppression and obstruction!
Grumpy Obstructionist Patricians
Goofy Oddball Phools
Garrulous Offensive Parasites
Greedy Obsequious Panderers
Godless Obscene Pretenders
Goons Offering Profanity
Guilty Of Profiteering
Groveling Old-school Phonies
Growing Obsolete Politics
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam is not going along. He doesn't understand, so he will let the Federal Govt run it. Some people here think that it will go away. They don't understand.