In its decision last year on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court majority ruled that Medicaid expansion can proceed, but it must be entirely optional for states. Almost immediately, right-wing groups delivered a stern message to Republican governors: to accept expansion would be an outrageous betrayal of conservative principles.
Some GOP governors are doing it anyway, and yesterday, Ohio's John Kasich joined the group (video via ThinkProgress).
"I, as all of you know, am not a supporter of Obamacare," Kasich explained at a press conference. "But I think this makes great sense for the state of Ohio."
And in this case, the governor is correct. The way the Affordable Care Act is structured, Medicaid expansion is a great deal for states, and should be a no-brainer for governors who care about lowering health care costs, insuring low-income families, improving state finances, and helping state hospitals.
The only reasons Republican governors would balk is if (a) they're afraid of their party's base; (b) they plan to run for president and don't want this to be used against them in a primary; and (c) both.
But Kasich's decision still came as something of a surprise, largely because he's considered a darling of the far-right and a model of contemporary fiscal conservatism. Indeed, it's exactly what makes his decision so problematic for the right.
The governor is effectively ending the charade -- Democrats have been arguing for quite a while that Medicaid expansion is the only fiscally responsible path forward, and now their argument has been endorsed by Kasich, who happens to be a far-right governor, a former chairman of the House Budget Committee, and a former Fox News analyst.
No wonder the right is incensed.
That leaves Kasich, who built his political identity arguing for smaller government, at odds with the same movement conservatives who propelled him to victory in Ohio and have eyed him for a presidential run in 2016.
"I think it's definitely going to weaken him with the conservative base," said Chris Littleton, the Ohio director for American Majority Action. "It's not a good idea to expand your No. 1 budget item in the middle of this kind of instability. The conservative grass roots and average voters are not going to support this in any way, shape or form."
The issue for Kasich and others in his position is pretty straightforward: do they choose ideology or reality? For the right, the only thing that matters is fighting against "Obamacare" -- whether it makes sense or not from a policy perspective is irrelevant. The goal is to preserve the integrity of a right-wing philosophy that's entirely detached from practical considerations.
For governors, it's not as easy to ignore the substance. Unlike right-wing activists, governors actually have responsibilities.
Indeed, it's why Kasich isn't the only one -- the Ohio governor's decision to endorse Medicaid expansion comes on the heels of identical decisions from Republican governors in Arizona, New Mexico, North Dakota, and Nevada.
This is obviously good news for the residents of those states, but it further complicates the goals of far-right activists who still hope to persuade other Republican governors to turn down Medicaid expansion on principle. GOP governors who haven't decided now realize that if they follow orders from the base, their rationales will have already been debunked by John Kasich, Jan Brewer, Susana Martinez, Brian Sandoval, and Jack Dalrymple.
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"My opinion of the Kenyan Usurper has not changed.
Neither has my position on Free Money. Next question?"
Kenyan? You're still on the birther nonsense? Just shows you to be an idiot.
The Kenyan comment is meant as tongue in cheek. DAY is using it as a rhetorical tool.
....and my opinion of you has not changed either. You're still a racist scumbag.
Mr. Moyer, I doubt it. You're giving him too much credit.
Mr. Jacoby, has anyone mentioned lately that you are a drooling moron?
Being a so called conservative 99.9% of the time they are very much for free funding for their families and dead set against all others receiving one red cent or public assistance of any kind. They think the poor deserve to be poor as it is all their fault for being lazy and being poor they don't contribute the same amount of taxes as the more fortunate so it is obvious to the more fortunate that whether they even need any help they and their families are much more deserving. All you conservative Christians mysteriously forget that your God says that " you ARE your brothers keeper ". Not "you are your brothers keeper only when you see fit and you think they are in your opinion deserving ". In the teachings of the church " You will burn in Hell " for if nothing else judging your fellow man much less for turning your back on Your fellow man and knowingly and willingly letting their suffering continue. If hell does exist it will be overflowing with greedy non caring conservatives. I don't think one of you clowns rectums can spew any realistic defense when you stand before your maker. anyone that would knowingly let needy families, children or anyone in need go hungry while you and yours over eat, over spend and over indulge deserve nothing less then the full wrath of your God.
Hmmmm.......some Republicans choosing practicality over ideology. I can imagine the extreme right wing "policy-makers" are having fits. What WILL they do with these "traitors"?
Either they will sideline him, or having sunk to the lowest dumbest appeasement of their "base" they will think about what he said and try to win over the tea-bagger/religuoulos zealots with rhetorical flourish......
Or - ideally - it will split their base into two segments: The insanely radical right and those (who I honestly believe are a larger slice of the Republican pie) that understand that practicality and moderation are the key to moving this country forward to a place where the vast majority can once again be proud to call home.
You really do live in Fantasy Land, don't you, Mr. Jacoby? I hatge to be the one to take a pick ax to your balloon, but there are no Republicans left who "understand that practicality and moderation are the key to moving this country forward to a place where the vast majority can once again be proud to call home."
The question is can the Tea Party survive on ideology alone...Social issues are great and all but they don't keep the lights on in the Statehouse. Unless they are expecting money to fall like manna from the sky they are going to have to deal with economic reality eventually and if they screw it up they are going to be kicked back out to the political fringes where they came from
Over the last few days the Wall Street Moneybags have been telling the GOP to ditch the social issues, or Daddy Warbucks will hide his wallet!
"I'm not giving you your allowance until you clean up your room"
And so far, that's not working out well either....
The goal is to preserve the integrity of a right-wing philosophy that's entirely detached from practical considerations.
Here in Indiana, we do not have to worry about a governor who puts practical considerations above his reich wing philosophy. He is pushing for income tax cuts for corporations and the uber class. At the same time, he wants to increase state spending on education - of course not on public education but on funding non-public, non-accountable schools.
Needless to say, Governor Pence may be the 2nd stupidest person on the face of this planet (and we are still looking for number 1) but his agenda is warmly received by his teabagger supporters.
King, Gohmert, Bachmann and Virginia Fox as possible stupidest person on planet. Lets just call them all tied for First!
tier one stupid.
then there's the tier two etc...
and they are always trying to reach the top tier.
I don't know about on the planet but in Indiana 1st was Murdoch...Thank God and Greyhound he's gone
Pence is bad but he is not as secure in his seat as the Gov's in some of the other states like PA and OH. Indiana is getting pretty purple in a lot of places even out here in the bushes
I also am from Indiana. It is a tie for number 1.... All the people that voted Pence Into office.
I'm assuming that the political landscape in Ohio is such that Kasich can win re-election - That's the main reason the GOP will back him up on this (Or, perhaps more accurately, won't challenge him on it). - They don't want to lose the state, and anyone more conservative would.
What a wingnut in Alabama thinks about Kasich is irrelevant.
I'm sorry, but I can't imagine Jan Brewer debunking anything.
she looks as if she has debunked her fair share of whisky and cigarettes and past out outside more then once.
Oh snap!
Kasich: a Dalrymplite and proud of it.
I think we just saw the start of Kasich's re-election campaign. Expanding Medicaid won't negate all the other bone-headed things he's done as governor.
Seeing the same $hit here in Florida with felonious douchebag Rick Scott trying to rebrand with "teacher raises and school spending" as election time nears.
Aint going to happen Ricky boy , you are as popular as toxic sludge
Actually, I think we'd prefer the toxic sludge.
You can bet if Scott is re-elected, the first thing he will do is kill those teachers raises he is supposedly bringing back.
there's an election soon
Usually, i'm quite disappointed in Kasich decisions, but for once I can actually be poud of him. Nicely done gov you've made a pragmatic decision.
I suspect that his desire for re-election is a far stronger motive than is his desire to serve the interests of Ohio residents requiring services covered under Medicaid.
Don't forget he is decreasing income taxes and increasing sales taxes - a tax cut for the rich paid for by the medicaid beneficiaries.
I don't trust any republican...He lied to get elected...and now he is covering his ass with a "gift" from our government...@!$%# him....
I think those repugs have figured out a way to get their hands on that gov money.
Is it me, or are more Republicans inching away from the extremists of the Tea party nuts? Quietly, almost stealthily, but walking slowly closer to the middle? Call me suspicious, but I find it really hard to trust a Leopard that has changed his spots.....makes me wonder (the way quiet children make me wonder): "What mischief could they be up to now???"
Spoken like a true parent. I don't trust them for a minute, there's always something cooking on the GOP's "dirty tricks" stove.
EXACTLY! Those were my exact thoughts. They are up to no good. It is no coincidence that all these rethug govenors are suddenly " seeing the light". I am fairly certain it is " say what we need to say to get re-elected and do what we want once we get in". Also, ALEC is alive and well in these repug state legislatures and writing right wing ideology . These rethugs are going to say whatever they have to say (and try to refrain from stupid) to get re-elected. We have to get out the vote in 2014 and 2016. Straight Dem. tickets.
I'm worried about what Pat McCrory is going to do in NC...
Seems like he is trying to find an excuse to not do it but the super majority of Republicans in the legislature aren't letting him...
http://www.wral.com/nc-gov-wants-delay-on-expanding-medicaid-exchange/12064467/
We Kansans welcome the election to dethrone Brownback. He has done more damage to Kansas in two years than all others before him. He had a conference on education with no educators. He has a science committee with no science background. He wants to cut education, but he used state funds to fly from the State House to his home country. The trip is a quick drive by auto, but he must think he is too good to ride for fifty minutes. I think there is going to be some House and Governor mansion cleaning come 2014. They can go drink the Kool-aid with a lot of other right wingnuts.
It is truly imperative that Dems take back state govs!
I suppose hope springs eternal, but intelligence springing up in Kansas sufficient to accomplish such a thing is a definite loooooooooooong shot.
The repubs. will do and say anything to get elected. After they get voted in is when they start all their crap. I pray that Rand Paul and that beach loving Mitch Mcconnell are both voted out of KY. I would like to know how many times lover boy Mitch has been married and if he is voted out does that mean his newest wife will lose her job that he got for her.
We had two state reps run on a dem ticket and got elected. No sooner are they sworn in they switched sides to give the state senate a GOP majority. Now we are facing all the regressive BS bills the rest of the country has been facing from these guys. So much for being the last bastion of solid Dem state and the glory that came from living here. Panama here I come I got to get out of this hell hole. Are there any immigrants stupid enough to want to take my spot in this country. I'll gladly give it to you, and while I'm at it I toss in my beach front property in kansas
You'll do better in Ecuador than Panama since the kind of Americans you want to get away from are the ones moving to Panama (not to mention that by all accounts the cost of living in Ecuador is a lot lower).
The only reason Kasich has given the go ahead on Obamacare is because he, as governor, would have to come up with a State plan if he refused Obamacare. He's not smart enough to do that. He doesn't want to waste time with that, he's too busy coming up with doing away with State Income tax because in Ohio, the rich or 1% pay the biggest share of taxes due to the fact that there are so many poor, unemployed, uneducated people. He is planning on increasing the sales tax so that more poor people can pay everytime they have to make a purchase and the rich can continue to increase their profits. None of that matters anyway...O-H-I-O has a great college football team and that's all that matters.
Exactly.
So one Worm has turned a little bit. Let's see what the rest of his right-wing Governor compatriots do now?
Please, Governor Kasich, feel free to educate your neighbour, Gov. Tom Corbett of PA. We need the ACA here in the commonwealth, and especially Medicaid.
It's bad enough to have so many poor people, but let's give them medical attention. A sick population is no help to the economy.
While you're t it, tell Gov. Corbett to stop messing with the electoral college here in PA. We plan to vote him out anyway.
Watch out for these states, especially the red states, and make sure they use these funds for medical care and not just to plug their budgets in other areas. I don't trust them. I don't believe for a moment they have "seen the light".
"I, as all of you know, am not a supporter of Obamacare," Kasich explained at a press conference. "But I think this makes great sense for the state of Ohio." If it makes sense for Ohio it must make sense for the rest of the states. If that's the case, why is he against it? Doesn't make sense to me.
I hope none of you fall for any of this b.s.
We have been through some real crap here in CA. We had to get a Democratic supermajority to set things back on track… Good luck to you all.