Medicaid Cuts: GOP Governors Fight Against Federal Rules In Budget Clashes

Washington Post:

Faced with severe budget problems, Republican governors are escalating their fight against federal rules requiring states to maintain current levels of health-care coverage for the poor and disabled.

The growing resistance to the federal government over the hugely expensive Medicaid program poses a critical test for President Obama, who has the power to relax the rules for states.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[JDZSB]

07:18 PM on 06/16/2011

This federal government takes money from Americans who work for a living and then gives it to "people" that the "government" thinks need to be subsidized to the point that the federal government has to borrow 42 cents of every dollar it spends. The current interest on our national debt (at the current low interest rates) is around 250 Billion dollars a year while the Obama administration is spending 1.5 Trillion dollars per year more then incoming revenue covers. If I didn't know this to be true, I would not believe that our government is that stupid and incompetent, but, it is true, and our leaders cannot agree on what to do about it because of politics. The Dems have not had an approved budget for two years and do not care, they just keep spending and printing money and rewarding their friends. I give up. This country is going down.

[Stephen R Concklin]

07:12 AM on 06/21/2011

So people with disabilities who are deprived of participation in meaningful employment by our economic system of "free markets" should not have medical care at all? I can only guess your next solution for the problem that people with disabilities seems to present to you. Stay healthy. Disability is an equal opportunity status.

[ZeraLee]

03:17 AM on 06/16/2011

Republicans feel they have a right to spend the "free" money as long as they can ignore the responsibilities that come with it.

The people have a right to know just how much the republicans will hurt them, given the chance.

[imusintheevening]

02:24 AM on 06/16/2011

The photos of Jan and Chris are illuminating. They are nasty,ugly folk.

[msgirlintn]

01:39 AM on 06/16/2011

The Government does not need to lessen the restrictions on Medicaid for these states. These tea bagger Repubs are trying once again to take from those that need it the most, and give tax breaks to the top 2% of the country who need it the least. The tea bagger Repubs have shown time and time again that they do not care about low income people in this country. So why in the world would low income people even think about voting for a tea bagger 'Republican?

[MyrtleJune]

11:26 PM on 06/15/2011

IF they would stop lining the pockets of the corporations, there would be no budget crunch. What really poor money managers gopers are.

[prodemlib]

09:58 PM on 06/15/2011

Typical TeaGOPer methods. Pushing the poor further down the food chain and expecting them to sacrifice to balance the budget, while at the same time further enriching the wealthy.

[Peanut Santiago]

01:09 AM on 06/16/2011

The following refers to Tea Bagger and other right wingnut type Repugs.
This is not aimed at the more moderate and reasonable types.

I read over at Faux News and other Repug forums.

Gotta keep up with what the "other side" thinks.

Too many comments have to do with not wanting the government to take taxes because it is their money.

"MY money, hands off."
"I have NO interest in spending MY money for lazy strangers."
"The rich earn their money and deserve to keep it."

****They are about 50/50 having social security and medicare.

However, it is interesting that they mainly mention defense and police protection that should be paid by the federal government.

Maybe it is me, but they sound like whiny kids who want to have their cake and eat it too.
They seem to have no idea that it takes tax money just to run a modern/civilized society and have it function smoothly.

The Repugs seem to think that they should pay a bare minimum in taxes.....but "somebody" will provide for what needs to be done....like roads, fire protection, and school.
They just do not specify how things will be paid for.

Another thing....they seem to have NO worries about dirty air and food, dangerous medicines, or dangerous work conditions.

****They WILL ask for help if something happens to them like a natural disaster though!

[prodemlib]

09:36 PM on 06/18/2011

eventually, there will be so little money coming into the coffers that we are going to have to turn our entire nation over to big corporations (total privatization). This was how our nation was basically run up until post-Depression. Too many people suffered needlessly, with elderly people living in squalor, chicken coops, and without basic electricity, sanitation or running water. People suffered and died because basic health care was unavailable for the masses. The company "owned" you because you had to live in company housing & shop in the company store at wildly inflated costs. Children were often given up by their parents because they could not afford to take care of them..many times being sent off to relatives or on "orphan trains" to be used as unpaid labor.

This is NOT the America I want to live in, but it seems to be the America that the TeaGOPers want to recreate.

BTW, I faved your comment

[richj45]

06:50 PM on 06/15/2011

Using Brewer and Christie pictures on this site is far worst crime then anything Weiner has done... Bachman and Romney while sharing the same anti people point of view are least more presentable..

[Garyatty10]

06:45 PM on 06/15/2011

They declared war on us, we were not at war with them. Condi Rice. That is the state of politics now. The GOP declared war on dems, middle class and poor, and the dems have yet to respond. Where is a coordinated, simple message that dems can take on TV to counter the GOP. Where is the passion? Where is the leadership? The GOP knows how to fight, knows how to message are passionate and their leadership has the party in lockstep. No wonder they are winning in destroying this country.

[mcmutter]

06:31 PM on 06/15/2011

another box of twinkies ? Mr Christie ....

[Peanut Santiago]

01:11 AM on 06/16/2011

Gastric bypass.
And no more limousines to walk 100 yards.

[Peanut Santiago]

01:13 AM on 06/16/2011

Ya know, that isn't nice.

Calling Big Boy a fattie.

Then again, he wants to take FOOD out of the mouths of poor pregnant women, babies, and little kids.

It isn't nice, but lard buttt deserves it.
What he eats could probably feed himself and two poor kids.

[MikeRubin2]

06:20 PM on 06/15/2011

Dismantling Medicare has gone from being a third rail to being a mainstream GOP idea and litmus test for Republican politicians in one year. Does anyone doubt Fox's power to shape the electorate when fully half of that electorate turns to NO other news source? It's not a coincidence that the right's most-trusted brand is Fox News and the left's is Google.

[mcmutter]

06:24 PM on 06/15/2011

do some reading ... Josef Goebbels is the model for propaganda and FOX news ....

make the lies outrageous .... repeat it a million times .....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Goebbels

[MikeRubin2]

06:58 PM on 06/15/2011

Indeed. Fox's mantra is "say something often enough, long enough, and loudly enough, and it will a truth."

[Peanut Santiago]

01:19 AM on 06/16/2011

2010.....the Repugs were yelling about "death panels" because obamacare would hurt medicare.........

2011.....the Repugs push vouchers and want to destroy the present day medicare program........

Am I one of the few with a memory?

*****Though I believe this will come back to haunt the Repugs.

Obama is NOT doing well with the economy.....but all these proposed cuts to social programs in general and medicare and social security in particular just may hand Obama the election.

****The Repugs are scaring the voters with their medicare cutting.....even Repug voters......

[Estreet1964]

06:19 PM on 06/15/2011

The way that republican governors and legislatures seem to be colluding to pass this radical agenda that attacks workers, the poor, the elderly, and women in general is despicable.

It is a conspiracy that is so callous and destructive that the Justice Department should probably look into going after them under the RICO codes.

Of course we know that Obama's man at Justice, Eric Holder, isn't about to investigate let alone prosecute people who are powerful, rich, and connected.

[liberal]

06:13 PM on 06/15/2011

Vote the b@$t@rds out of office.

[blackhole2008]

05:33 PM on 06/15/2011

GOP want samll govt. and small budgets because money is power, and they want the power to be in the hands of the few.

[blackhole2008]

05:35 PM on 06/15/2011

"wants small"

[richj45]

06:53 PM on 06/15/2011

if they truly want small government why do they want Christie to run..

[Charlene Estes]

05:05 PM on 06/15/2011

Why not raise taxes on the rich?

[LiberalLee]

05:22 PM on 06/15/2011

Make their owners PAY?
Oh the horror of it...

[judiNJ]

05:49 PM on 06/15/2011

Now THERE'S a good idea.... Oh, wait, the Republicans say, "nnnnnooooooo"....

[Veganie]

04:57 PM on 06/15/2011

republicans' don't feel too bad, we're a long way from universal health care; over 25 million Americans are still uncovered. That means about 15,000 will still lose their lives each year because they won't be able to afford to see a doctor or get needed surgery, however another 30,000 will live, is that ok with you.

[MikeRubin2]

06:21 PM on 06/15/2011

It pleases them to the core, actually. Being too poor to afford medical care is punishment for being too poor, and the "too poor" aren't really a good xtian's problem, anyway.

[Veganie]

08:50 PM on 06/15/2011

You are a very alert and intlligent person . . . Fanned