By State Representative, Leon D. Young
Leon D. Young
Talk about political dishonesty and total callousness, the recent decision by the Walker administration to deny Medicaid access to 65,000 of the state’s most vulnerable residents clearly foots the bill. The plan that was endorsed the Joint Finance Committee last week on a strict party-line vote, 11-4. (All Republicans voted in favor and all the Democrats against.) Moreover, and unfortunately, the proposal doesn’t need any further legislative approval, since the GOP-controlled Legislature gave the Secretary of Health Services, Dennis Smith, the authority to promulgate administrative rules of this nature in a vacuum.
In an effort to control rapidly increasing health care costs in this program, the Walker gang wants to decrease benefits for a quarter of a million poor, elderly and young children who totally rely on this program for their medical needs. Secretary Smith, who formerly oversaw Medicaid programs for the federal government under then President George W. Bush, has been empowered to serve as the death panel czar. Medicaid program recipients, on BadgerCare Plus and Family Care, now run the outright risk of losing their eligibility or being dropped because they can’t or won’t make the higher premium payments.
Republican proponents contend that they have no other options to deal with the health programs besides raising taxes. Moreover, some Republicans have even suggested that they believe that individuals dropped from the Medicaid program will simply go out and get private insurance instead. I don’t know what planet these GOP lawmakers come from, but it’s obvious that they are completely delusional.
There is never any shortage of state money for warehousing individuals (in state prisons) or giving millions away to political business cronies. Interestingly enough, Republicans only trot out the austerity card, as convenient political cover, when they plan to further victimize and punish the poor. How disingenuous can you be?
Weekly Shout-out: November 15, 2011 is an important date. It marks the first day that recall petitions can be circulated against Scott Walker. The recall initiative has 60 days in which to collect at least 510,000 signatures (statewide) to force a recall election. Get out there and sign those petitions!!!