Alaska Cuts off Nose to Spite Face – Injury Not Covered By Insurance
I think of the new health care reform bill as a chocolate covered snail. Yes, there’s a lot I’d change, but there is the chocolate…
So, while Alan Grayson and Bernie Sanders soldier on drumming up support for the best solution – Medicare for all – let’s just focus on the chocolate for a moment. This is how the bill affects Alaskans.
In Alaska, the health care reform bill will:
Improve coverage for 431,000 residents with health insurance. Give tax credits and other assistance to up to 127,000 families and 18,300 small businesses to help them afford coverage. Improve Medicare for 61,000 beneficiaries, including closing the donut hole. Extend coverage to 91,000 uninsured residents. Guarantee that 16,500 residents with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage. Protect 400 families from bankruptcy due to unaffordable health care costs. Allow 63,000 young adults to obtain coverage on their parents’ insurance plans. Provide millions of dollars in new funding for 169 community health centers. Reduce the cost of uncompensated care for hospitals and
other health care providers by $58 million annually.
Not the best, but not bad. The alternative would have been much much worse. It’s our duty to keep pushing to improve it, but this is a first step. When you go to lunch and order a steak, and you find out that your choices are a hamburger, or nothing… your answer depends on how hungry you are. And with tens of thousands of Americans dying every year because of inadequate health care coverage, we’re pretty hungry.
But leave it to Alaska Republicans to tell us that we’re really not. As our stomachs growl, and we think about the good things that are coming, they tell us they don’t want anything. As a matter of fact, they’re thinking about suing the federal government to make sure that we do NOT get the things listed above.
They WANT the donut hole to stay?
They WANT you and your children to be denied insurance if you have a pre-existing condition?
They WANT 400 Alaskan families to file bankruptcy?
And they point their bony finger and send the waiter away. They’d rather go hungry than let you have the burger. They’d rather have America go hungry than allow the President to claim the good that does exist in this less-than-perfect bill.
House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Kenai, said the Alaska House had been poised to debate a resolution Friday asking Alaska’s congressional delegation to oppose the health care overhaul.
“We didn’t have enough members to vote on it, so we asked for it to go back to Rules,” Chenault said at a news conference this morning.
Chenault said the state measure will be changed in the House Rules Committee to reflect the new realities. The revised legislation may encourage Gov. Sean Parnell to consider challenging the federal legislation in court, Chenault said, as did the previous version.
Chenault said he envisioned a lawsuit brought on the grounds that some states may have gotten more out of the bill than others, in part as an inducement to get the support of their representatives in Congress.
With Alaska famously at or near the top in receiving federal dollars in proportion to other states over the years, wouldn’t that have been a cause for those other states to bring their own lawsuits against Alaska, Chenault was asked.
“They certainly have that option,” Chenault said.
In Washington today, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said the administration didn’t think a lawsuit would be successful.
“There’s pretty long-standing precedent on the constitutionality of this,” he said.
Mike Chenault: Yeah….New York! You pay for us every year up here in Alaska, and you get nothin’. Haha. What’re you gonna do? SUE US? (Alaska points at its own chin) Bring it on!
Ouch.
*Note to self – Do not bang head on desk while palms are still on face.
Chenault…what a deek. He’s the same rep who sponsored the bill to establish the death penalty in AK…and if you remember, he was one of the leg. members who sued to stop the Branchflower investigation. I wish my neighbors in Kenai would wake up and oust this guy, but,they seem to like him.
WTF?!?
I’m getting to the point where I’ve given up trying to understand the thought processes of certain people.
Is there a sale on stupid going on? What is wrong with these people?
You are not alone. The Republican legislature in Kansas is gearing up to opt out of the health care reform just enacted!!
I am so angry, I am vibrating. How dare these self-righteous, narrow-minded, misguided, ignorant you-know-what’s think they can just keep an entire state out of the first real hope working Americans have had to find justice against the tyranny of the health care industry (insurance companies, drug companies, lobbyists, et cetera). It doesn’t matter whether you live in Kansas or Alaska, when the federal government passes a sweeping reform that benefits the American people, the American people deserve to get those benefits. Period.
The Republicans and Tea Baggers have lied, bullied, and created fear for far too long. Republicans have been lining their pockets and campaigns chests at our expense for far too long.
When we as individuals and small businesses stand against those who stand for Big Business? We really have to make a choice and press for them to sit down and shut up? (Who knew a phrase Sarah Palin could come in so handy?)
I join you and others in outrage that these blowhards are fighting this bill instead of trying to improve it so there are more benefits, not less.
I say we join together to ensure these folks are removed from power for a long, long time.
And Palin’s shrill voice can be heard challenging those who voted for the bill.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0310/34873.html
Let the nation know that Sarah Palin and her ilk want to return to insurance company “death panels”.
McCain is talkin up the fact that AZ governor Jan Brewer has come out against the reform saying the state cannot afford it. And look what Idaho’s gov did! But it’s too late for other states to squeeze through bill now that it’s been signed, this article was written Mar. 18.
http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/valleyfever/2010/03/governor_jan_brewer_doesnt_lik.php
“Brewer is among several governors and lawmakers taking a stand against the legislation, including Idaho Governor C.L. “Butch” Otter, who signed a bill yesterday that would force the Idaho attorney general to sue the federal government if citizens are forced to buy health insurance.
Similar legislation is getting drafted in 37 other states. Note: We said “drafted” here, ’cause every state has Republicans in their Legislatures. This doesn’t mean such measures will be passed and signed into law in all those states, though the GOP-controlled Arizona Legislature will probably push something through.
Check out Brewer’s entire letter to the Congressional bigshots here. “
Geez, we seem to have quite the number of insane politicians. Where are the sane ones? We need to red ticket some of these politicians right out of state.
This BS reminds me of the Govs who didn’t want the Stimulus Funds, yet they sure used them in projects while giving no credit to the Obama administration or Dems.
They like to bash the stimulus package as a failure, while not admitting things would have been far far more severe had it not been done. And that would be thanks to their party!
Same bashing thing with the auto and banking industry without considering where our country would be today if that hadn’t been done. Creeps. Like anyone really wants to spend our federal tax dollars this way. It was a tough choice, a time of crisis……and their party helped create it! Gah!
So if I hear one more Republican politician say anything about spending our children’s future I may scream, they fricken started putting us back into debt in what 2001?. They need to STFU and give this President and the Dems a fair chance.
Say no I bang my head a lot when I read some of the repugs talking points and you sure can tell who listens only to faux noise. Not an ounce of brains between them.The banging is against my hands so don’t worry about hurting myself.There are a lot of big things that will take effect right away and if people would only listen and read they might just consider this bill is a good start.I don’t even know what to say about the sore loser McShame.I think he is senile and needs to be taken out of the senate.
Now this is what needs to get out to the media and American public to prove the Repubs are WRONG about the majority not wanting reform, a 1000 person of all age standing O over it, in Arkansas of all places.
Plus, all sorts of good things are going to kick in before the Nov. elections, so fat chance the Repubs hot air will get them anywhere except lining their own fundraising pockets as long as they can by mongering.
Rachel goes over it, this is good, please pass it around! Can videos be put on facebook?
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/36001021#36001021
WA states AG (R of course) filed a suit against the health care bill also – and brought down the wrath of the governor – and little ol’ me. I sent an email last night to the AG letting him know what I thought of his stupid lawsuit (although I was a bit nicer than that – I think
) and sent another in support of Governor Gregoire for fighting back against him. She said: “I don’t know who he represents. He doesn’t represent me. I don’t think he represents a million and a half Washingtonians that will be helped by this. I don’t think he represents small business that will be helped by this. I don’t think he represents Medicare people who will be helped by this.” Gregoire is going to file her own legal challenge to McKenna’s lawsuit, saying that he doesn’t represent the state. He filed the suite without even telling any of the state leaders until after he signed off on it! Talk about attitude!
Sorry, rant over. Everyone else has similar stories. Just hard to face after the euphoria of Sunday and today. The Repubs are such idiots!
Can you site the sources for these figures? I would like to use them but would like to be able to site the source.
With federal dollars coming in for expanded Medicaid, there will be more jobs and more money flowing around Alaska’s economy–not to mention more working folks with access to health care.
Republicans, go home and pick your nose. You’d at least be doing something constructive then.
How’s that opting out of Medicare and Social Security working for ya???
The GOP knows the precedent is there,and nothing will be accomplished by lawsuits except wasting tax payer dollars.They also know their base is clueless.
I have never heard such BS, as I have heard today on the health care bill.
All the negative remarks by the Reps., but no solutions as to what they would do. Except of course—-complain and fight the bill. As for State’s sueing the Fed Govt—This is like a candle in the wind. Don’t they know that our President taught constitution law for many years? He knows what he is doing. So ——-get lost Governers. As my Dad always said, “People in Hell want Ice water”.
this is what Fox News is spewing to the people who watch them for the “truth”, as my brother put it. Here’s is their truth about this bill, that they are making people repeat, including my brother who has a good job with great insurance:
“80% of people like what they have..and 60% are against this bill.”
I called my brother ignorant and reminded him that he better hope he never gets wrongfully terminated from his job, like I did. And the rotten thing is, he is part of the reason I got fired. Never MIND that the 80% he’s quoting BOR here saying is not 80% of the citizenry of the US… it’s 80% of insured. Does that include those on Medicare? Of course it does. 60% against? Who are they, I want to see.
Screw you Fox News. And screw you to all those ignoramuses that think fighting this progression is helpful.
I am so pissed off at the rhetoric. Someone needs to get the facts out there and FAST. People have become stupid all of a sudden…when did this happen? How did my brother become so stupid? He thinks that Fox news tells the truth. I’m just sick.
So along with not wanting the federal dollars, and the easing of the state’s financial burden of poor and indigent ER services they, along with several other states want to waste state and federal dollars in law suits to either over turn, declare unconstitutional, or refuse to obey the new laws?
Kind of the RepoTaliban’s cowardly version of strapping on the dynamite and blowing themselves up. Damn the collateral damage full speed ahead.
Does it dawn on even one of them that forcing the women to have unwanted children, based on their belief in the “sanctity” of the fetus, and then refusing quality pre- and postnatal health care for the mother and child is truly insane?
And that not realizing that is is insane, proves that they are insane? Also, too.
Sarah Palin’s children are covered under federal health insurance through the Indian health service from womb to grave! They will never have to face what millions of other Americans face in regards to lack of health care. What a hypocrite!
17 R’ipley in CT Says:
March 23rd, 2010 at 3:18 PM
this is what Fox News is spewing to the people who watch them for the “truth”, as my brother put it. Here’s is their truth about this bill, that they are making people repeat, including my brother who has a good job with great insurance:
“80% of people like what they have..and 60% are against this bill.”
As Rachel Maddow pointed out, if you combine the number from Fox’s poll who are against the Senate bill because it did not go far enough, with the ones who are OK with it. That’s something like 56% pro health care and only 40+% who are against any government involvement in health care.
And there is still the overriding 80+% who believe quality health care is important.
As well as, the fact that the government already has several million people enrolled in its own various health care systems, including murders and —-
wait for it—-
baby killers.
Real baby killers, convicted ones, get better health care than probably 50% of the law abiding citizens of this country —– absolutely free, and they pay NO taxes on anything.
Marnie: I know this all…. and the number’s don’t lie. For NORMAL thinking people! The problem is that Fox News lies. And they present things in such simplistic, neanderthal ways (for their regular viewers to more easily understand and repeat) that things completely false get propagated. When is someone going to take that entertainment television noise to task? How about Shep Smith? He can have a modicum of normalcy. It’s just ridiculous.
I am just about to stop paying attention to this all for a while… it’s making my blood pressure rise and making me hate. In this case, temporary ignorance will be bliss. I just can’t take the stupidity and the egregious attempts (and successes) to make smart people stupid. And the meanness is appalling. Mean people suck. Actually, I think this has a lot to do with the underlying racism again. They don’t want minorities to have health care. Stupid.
*sticking up middle finger at Bill O’Really*
Does the republican party have any grownups in office.
Laurie,
Might the question be better worded as “Does the Republican Party have any grownups, period”
Well, a couple, maybe (Colin Powell comes to mind)
Being a pretty optimistic fellow, I think that these possible lawsuits and resolutions are going to be really good for the public acceptance of the HCIR legislation. As I see it, there are three groups of citizens:
1. Those who firmly oppose the legislation whether or not they understand it;
2. Those who are convinced to support it, despite having widely varying degrees of enthusiasm;
3. Those whose opinions are still flexible (and I include here many folks who have insurance through their employers and may be wondering what all the fuss is about).
I believe that group 1 is a good bit smaller than than the media would have us think. Group 2 includes a fair number of liberals who may have actually opposed the bill because they considered it insufficient. Now that it is law, however, I believe the number of them who would support Republican efforts to repeal the law, or attack it judicially, will be much smaller.
As for group 3, I think the publicity will help them understand that this bill is not by any means radical in the ways it is portrayed; it is only remarkable in that it establishes, for the first time, that every US citizen should be able to purchase somewhat affordable health insurance.
The various threatened legislative resolutions will, I believe, turn out to be a whiff of blah. Who pays attention to state legislative resolutions? People whose viewpoint is reinforced by them — in this case, Group 1. Everyone else pretty much ignores them. Actually, those like the prospective AK one are particularly ridiculous — the majority party in a state’s legislature asking (or maybe demanding) that the members of the state’s Congressional delegation should reflect the desires of the state legislative majority, rather than those of their actual constituents. (Okay, in AK’s case, with only one rep, it’s slightly less ridiculous, but anyhow).
The lawsuits — ah, the lawsuits. I have no crystal ball to predict how SCROTUS (Supreme Court (Rightwing) of the US) will rule on Consitutional challenges, but one thing about lawsuits is the plaintiff AGs are going to actually have to explain what it is they’re complaining about. “It’s Socialism” isn’t going to work, nor is “Government Takeover of 1/6 of the Economy”, nor are several other popular Teabagger/Repo memes, because they are demonstrably false, and all courts hate it when plaintiffs make obviously false claims. I don’t think “The President is half-black”, though true, is going to work in a courtroom setting, either.
So they’re going to have to attack specific provisions on Constitutional grounds. I only know of two reasonable candidates — the excise tax and the individual mandate, but who knows. Without rambling further (sorry), the main thing is that if these issues start getting lots of media attention, the majority of US citizens paying attention will realize that neither one has anything to do with them personally, and some of them may start to wonder what the fuss is about. Hey, I said I’m an optimist.
Since health care was passed, every Repug with access to a microphone has lied one way or another, or contradicted a statement they previously made. They are so messed up.
I’m not worried.
Just in case, I fired off a POM to my entire state legislature saying “Please stop playing politics with the lives of the people who elected you. Give the Health Care Bill a chance” and respectfully informed them that I am a health care provider and that I vote in EVERY election. Made me feel a little bit better anyway. These people make me sick. I am constantly on Chenault’s case because I think he is a blustering idiot. I did not vote for him but by golly I will be heard (even if I am just a pebble in his shoe). Can’t wait to hear Murkowski’s blathering next, NOT.