# KY Governor: "Nice health insurance you have there, would be a shame if something happened to it". **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 3, 2018, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239 "2018-07-03T17:15:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2018, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/81 "2018-07-05T19:59:46Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Cheap labor, and FREE labor. Every corporate shill’s wet dream. But they (the State) would still be 300 million short over the next 2 years. And even if the court had not blocked it, Bevin’s plan would cost **more** , not less. I mean, you (not you, personally, or course) tell me a plan costs more than you can spend…I get that. We should get the government we can afford. You tell me we need to do things differently in order to pay for it, and those things may have consequences for real people. Sucks, but I get it. But if doing it differently costs MORE…WTF? And in a huff, you impose work rules that will not _address_ costs, WTELF? Sounds like the cost was never the issue. Just a red herring. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2018, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/82 "2018-07-05T20:02:58Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > But they (the State) would still be 300 million short over the next 2 years. And even if the court had not blocked it, Bevin’s plan would cost **more** , not less. > > I mean, you (not you, personally, or course) tell me a plan costs more than you can spend…I get that. We should get the government we can afford. You tell me we need to do things differently in order to pay for it, and those things may have consequences for real people. Sucks, but I get it. > > But if doing it differently costs MORE…WTF? And in a huff, you impose work rules that will not _address_ costs, WTELF? > > Sounds like the cost was never the issue. Just a red herring. They don’t care if they hurt everyone. They don’t care about the cost. They don’t care if they further bankrupt the entire state. They don’t care. ---
**Author:** ![Buford\_was\_no\_angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Buford\_was\_no\_angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buford_was_no_angel)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2018, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/83 "2018-07-05T21:30:10Z")
Another Kentuckian checking in. The only remotely nice thing I can say about Governor Bevin is I agree with someone earlier who said this isn’t about race. Bevin isn’t Jeff Sessions or Roy Moore. If he were a virulent racist I don’t think he would have chosen a black woman as a running mate or have adopted black children. I would like to be right about this. That being said, he is one of those politicians who believe poverty is a moral failing (I think I may be repeating someone else in this thread who has said that). And of course, these criteria he and the General Assembly have put in place are a way to humiliate the working poor. And as demonstrated above, most poor folks in our Commonwealth aren’t “too sorry” to work. My grandfather was a smart man, maybe my best friend. I am thankful that he didn’t live to see Matt Bevin and Donald Trump. Anyway, he often told me that a person who is dumb and knows he’s dumb is harmless but a moron who thinks he is smart is terribly dangerous. Matt Bevin is the latter. He’s smarmy and condescending and laughably clueless. Matt Bevin is pretty much an honest to goodness piece of shit as a human being. To quote another old saying, he keeps letting his alligator mouth overrun his jaybird ass ---
**Author:** ![2Bits](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/e95f7d/32.png) [@2Bits](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2Bits)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/84 "2018-07-06T13:20:28Z")
Not just Kentucky. Here’s what the Michigan house of rep.s just passed: > **[Medicaid work requirements approved by Michigan House](https://www.mlive.com/news/2018/06/medicaid_work_requirements_app.html)** > > The House approved it 62-47. ---
**Author:** ![sps49sd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@sps49sd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sps49sd)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2018, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/85 "2018-07-06T14:00:09Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Vote less stupid next time. > . That isn’t easy, usually. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2018, 10:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/86 "2018-07-08T10:14:24Z")
> [@Typo\_Negative](#): > > I wonder why this didn’t occur to me before, but how does the work requirement, particularly \*volunteer \*work, help make up the shortfall? People who don’t/can’t volunteer would lose their coverage due to noncompliance. The volunteering wasn’t important at all. Any arbitrary hurdle would do, but calling it a “work requirement” and talking about “volunteering” makes it sound virtuous. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/87 "2018-07-09T16:12:51Z")
Boston: Come for the Chowder, Stay for The Reason or Boston: Hey, It’s Better Than Kentucky! ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/88 "2018-07-09T16:15:30Z")
> [@Lord\_Feldon](#): > > People who don’t/can’t volunteer would lose their coverage due to noncompliance. The volunteering wasn’t important at all. Any arbitrary hurdle would do, but calling it a “work requirement” and talking about “volunteering” makes it sound virtuous. Maybe. Or having able-bodied people actually do something productive in society in order to receive benefits from that society is another way it sounds. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/89 "2018-07-09T16:47:14Z")
Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/90 "2018-07-09T16:57:31Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Maybe. Or having able-bodied people actually do something productive in society in order to receive benefits from that society is another way it sounds. Or we could make sure everyone has what they need to, you know, survive without asking ourselves, what’s in it for me? ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/91 "2018-07-09T17:25:56Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > Or we could make sure everyone has what they need to, you know, survive without asking ourselves, what’s in it for me? Sure, I’m all for that. Let me know when I can collect my salary and benefits without doing anything and I will gladly jump on board. Until then, I don’t think expecting people to at least try to better themselves by a paltry 80 hours a month is that big of a burden. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/92 "2018-07-09T17:31:20Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Sure, I’m all for that. Let me know when I can collect my salary and benefits without doing anything and I will gladly jump on board. > > Until then, I don’t think expecting people to at least try to better themselves by a paltry 80 hours a month is that big of a burden. The point isn’t to have anyone better themselves. The point is to punish people for being poor because they can. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/93 "2018-07-09T17:37:00Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Sure, I’m all for that. Let me know when I can collect my salary and benefits without doing anything and I will gladly jump on board. Then I’m sure you’ll soon join liberals and progressives in supporting UBI and universal health care! Hell, if you feel particularly radical, support socialism! I’m sure those groups would be glad to have you! > [@](#): > > Until then, I don’t think expecting people to at least try to better themselves by a paltry 80 hours a month is that big of a burden. As with other related topics, there seems to be an underestimate here of how valuable time is and how little the poor tend to have. Kind of like the “just save” argument. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/94 "2018-07-09T18:16:36Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > The point isn’t to have anyone better themselves. The point is to punish people for being poor because they can. Making someone do something for a few hours a week to earn something is “punishing them”? Strange, guess I’m punishing my children when I make them do chores for allowance money. Strange thoughts some of you have. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/95 "2018-07-09T18:19:04Z")
> [@Leaper](#): > > As with other related topics, there seems to be an underestimate here of how valuable time is and how little the poor tend to have. Kind of like the “just save” argument. Abled-bodied poor people have so little time to work or volunteer or look for work or go to school? What are they doing all day that takes up all that valuable time? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/96 "2018-07-09T18:34:36Z")
_raises hand_ This able-bodied person discovered that volunteer organizations in Miami were happy to take her work, but those in Philadelphia weren’t: all they would accept was my money. I expect I’m not the only person who’s run into that problem. It wasn’t lack of time or of desire to volunteer on my side: it was them who weren’t interested. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/97 "2018-07-09T20:16:08Z")
> [@andros](#): > > Are there no prisons? Are there no workhouses? I have, “a modest proposal”. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/98 "2018-07-09T20:20:13Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Abled-bodied poor people have so little time to work or volunteer or look for work or go to school? What are they doing all day that takes up all that valuable time? Juggling conflicting schedules in several part time jobs (with no benefits or security) because their bosses make sure they never get a full week? Or being in the same boat because instead of being “employees” they are “associates” or some other made up bullshit title? Or being forced to put in extra UNPAID hours because “be thankful you even have a job”? Where to even begin… ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/99 "2018-07-09T20:23:09Z")
> [@SteveG1](#): > > Juggling conflicting schedules in several part time jobs (with no benefits or security) because their bosses make sure they never get a full week? > > Or being in the same boat because instead of being “employees” they are “associates” or some other made up bullshit title? > > Or being forced to put in extra UNPAID hours because “be thankful you even have a job”? > > Where to even begin… So, you are saying that they are so busy working several part time jobs, that they cannot find the time to work 80 hours in one month? Something…seems strange about your argument. ---
**Author:** ![SteveG1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@SteveG1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SteveG1)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2018, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239/100 "2018-07-09T20:28:42Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > So, you are saying that they are so busy working several part time jobs, that they cannot find the time to work 80 hours in one month? > > Something…seems strange about your argument. I was “locked in” on the volunteer/school portion. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ky-governor-nice-health-insurance-you-have-there-would-be-a-shame-if-something-happened-to-it/817239.md?page=6)