40 Republicans vote against it, plus one Democrat, and it’s the Democrat’s fault? How does the onus of obstructionism not fall heavier on the shoulders of Republicans?
Shockingly, this storyis not all it is made out to be by right-wingers.
Link.
First, a little background: The senate provision has to do with boosting federal support for Louisiana’s Medicaid program, which everyone agrees is in deep crisis. Louisiana stands to lose $450-$500 million in federal Medicaid funding next year and 1 billion the year after that.
Why? Because the feds are counting one-time aid given to the state after Hurricane Katrina – like housing support and insurance grants – as an increase in household income, causing federal formulas to kick in that will slash Washington’s share of Louisiana Medicaid support from the usual 70-73% (up to 80% this year) to 63%.
And
Gov. Bobby Jindal’s administration has said the cuts will be “cataclysmic” for Louisiana, where 26% of residents – mostly children – depend on Medicaid for coverage. To fill the dap, Jindal has announced the state will be forced to slash mental health programs. Louisiana also cut Medicaid reimbursements to doctors by 10% – causing 66% of doctors in one survey to say they’ll stop taking new patients.
and not just Jindahl
Another leading Republican to support the measure was U.S. Rep. Joseph Cao, who represents Louisiana’s 2nd Congressional district. On November 6, 2009, Rep. Cao introduced House Resolution 4047 which also called for adjusting the Medicaid formula for “disaster affected states.”
The bill was co-sponsored by Reps. Scalise, Alexander, Cassidy, Sessions, Mica and Boustany – all Republicans from Gulf Coast states. While the resolution introduced by Rep. Cao more broadly included any state with a natural disaster, it would have overwhelmingly benefited Louisiana.
things that make you go hmmmmm…