BadgerCare is an important program in my community, and it is an important program in so many other communities around the state of Wisconsin.
The families of Wisconsin have been on BadgerCare since 1999, and the program has only seen success and expansion. It is a program that includes not just individuals, but our spouses and our children.
In Milwaukee County, one of every two children are enrolled. If these programs are reduced or even worst end, that would mean half of the children in Milwaukee County will not have coverage, that is 143,000 children without any health coverage. In order for our children to do attend and have access to school, they need to stay healthy. It has been proven, when children are immunized and have access to health care, they do better in school. We need this program not just on an individual basis, but for our hardworking families as well. In the current state that are economy is in, there is no way of telling what could happen next.
Realistically, in Milwaukee County jobs are unstable, and families are hurting left and right. Hard working individuals are losing their jobs and are losing their health care coverage. With the chance that an individual can be jobless, BadgerCare is a program that will be there for them and their families across the state of Wisconsin.
This program isn’t a handout, but a hand up to determined families and individuals across the state. We are fortunate to have this program, and we are aware of its significance. This program is not taken for granted and we humble ourselves when we ask for such government assistance. What I find most troubling is that Scott Walker does not realize the significance of this program nor is he in touch with the families that rely on this program the most.
If elected, Scott Walker would slash BadgerCare to give money to his cronies. In order to give tax cuts for the rich and big business, Walker would cut BadgerCare.
If Walker has it his way, he would create a timeline for BadgerCare. This timeline imposes a two-year time limit on BadgerCare recipients and this would then end coverage for as many as 350,000 Wisconsinites. This means coverage will end for children, expectant mothers and the hardworking individuals in Wisconsin. When Badger- Care was originally created, a bipartisan program created under then Gov. Tommy Thompson, no time line for BadgerCare was ever envisioned and the program was intended to be there for however long the people of Wisconsin needed it. To be willing to cut back on this program and to put a timeline on this program just proves how out of touch Scott Walker really is.
Time and time again, Scott Walker has proven that he just cannot be trusted. He doesn’t care for any other groups but his cronies. He will serve their best interest, even if it is at the hands of jeopardizing some of Wisconsin’s hurting families.
We are just trying to live from one day to the next. We are trying to make sure our children are healthy so that they can attend class. We are trying to make sure that we ourselves stay healthy so that we can either continue working a job that doesn’t give us health coverage or so that we can continue looking for a job that will help us feed and clothe our children. We are just trying to live, and no man or woman in office should be able to place a timeline on BadgerCare and hurt 350,000 adults and children across the state of Wisconsin.
