Media Trackers Ohio published a revealing article yesterday in which they outlined how the Kasich administration worked closely with the progressive group, UHCAN Ohio, to plan out Ohio’s Medicaid expansion. UHCAN Ohio was the primary opponent of the Healthcare Freedom Amendment all throughout the petitioning process and their Executive Director, Cathy Levine, testified in opposition to the amendment in front of the Secretary of State Ballot Board in 2010. During the amendment campaign Levine was repeatedly interviewed and made media appearances to speak out against the Healthcare Freedom Amendment. The Kasich administration worked with progressives but never reached out to tea party groups, Ohio Liberty Coalition, The Ohio Project committee, or the 1851 Center for Constitutional Law? Why not? Doesn’t governor Kasich support the principles of the tea party?
While the Kasich administration publicly insisted no decision had been made, UHCAN Ohio Executive Director Cathy Levine “was in regular contact with the governors’ [sic] office, sharing different budget assumptions, as to ensure they would all land near the same place.”
“The administration was totally transparent about how they were developing their numbers and analysis,” Levine told Kliff. “We went back and forth so we could try to close those differences. They worked very hard on their end on an honest analysis of those numbers.”
Read the entire article, Gov. Kasich Enlists Socialized Medicine Lobbyists to Help Implement Obamacare, at Media Trackers Ohio
John Kasich speaking about "limited government" at April 2009 Columbus Tea Party
John Kasich Signing the Ohio Healthcare Freedom Amendment Petition (Oct. 2010)
Kasich’s decision does not surprise me, but his cozy relationship with the leftists does. He did not want to meet with any Tea Party folk for one reason – he has known for awhile what his decision was going to be and he did not want to get a lot of negative feedback, publicity, and phone calls before he made it. This is all about his reelection and getting the short-term “fix” of federal dollars (OUR federal taxes that we have sent to Washington and then beg to get back after DC bureaucrats takes their cut) to balance his budget and allow him to buy peace with progressives. This takes some of the steam out of their efforts to defeat him in 2014. Could this be why Strickland decided not to run?
I repeat my call in a prior post – we must make Kasich pay in 2014 with a primary opponent. I hope and pray that there is a courageous soul out there – preferably with name ID – who will oppose him in the May 2014 primary. And under no circumstances should a conservative vote for him – even if it means a “D” is elected. At least they haven’t betrayed liberty-loving people.
“Reward without work is a recipe for decline.” – Adam Lerrick, professor at Carnegie Mellon and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, in the Oct. 22, 2008 WSJ.
BTW, read the article in today’s WSJ (Feb 12, 2013) about all the abuse of the “Obamaphones.” What a surprise. And we are all paying for it on our phone bills.
I left out another part of Kasich’s calculation, which I figured out from an article in yesterday’s (February 11, 2013) WSJ. Business owners who employ a lot of low wage people love his decision. If they are currently offering health insurance to them, they can drop it and the employees will be picked up by the expanded Medicaid and save the cost of the insurance premiums. If they are not currently offering health insurance, they won’t be forced by Obamacare to cover them now, because Medicaid will be picking them up. It is quite possible that neither group of employers will have to pay penalties because: (a) apparently, low income people are exempt from the penalties and/or (b) since Ohio is not operating an insurance exchange, some say the law precludes penalties in our state (this one is not clear yet).
So, King John has sold liberty down the river for: (a) the favor and support of leftists and moderates (see first post) and (b) the favor and support of big businesses. Jefferson and Franklin were so right about how democracies can go wrong. This is Exhibit A.
The governor is, obviously, believing that the Progressives/Communists will help him in his reelection bid. Sad to say that some were touting him for a run for the WH in 2016. It seems that there are few politicians that we can trust. Even our local politicians are in the field for the money and power. Humble and loyal people just don’t seem to have a chance of making it in government. I first became disillusioned with the governor when he worked with the OEA members to revamp education. If that isn’t an oxymoran I don’t know what is. Even our local Tea Party caters to the elected reps. I wouldn’t count on one of them for information.
A run for the WH in 2016…, with this behavior, I doubt he gets reelected in 2014 here in Ohio!
You’re so right!
Politics is derived from the words “poly” meaning many, and “tics” meaning “blood sucking parasites.”
Enough said.
The Republicrat saga continues!! Independent voters need to call for open primaries and begin breaking the 2 party hold over Ohio.
Agreed!
Taking Federal money for ‘anything’ is what got this country and most States and local governments into the fiscal, economic and societal mess we’re in now. It’s a simple concept; there’s no free lunch.
Federal welfare, whether it’s corporate, State or individual, is like morphine. Used properly, in a carefully controlled and monitored environment, morphine can be a helpful ‘temporary’ pain reliever while healing. But if abused and used continually, addiction, dependency and the destruction of self-reliance, dignity, self-esteem and ‘productivity’ are guaranteed.
I believe in…
…a hand ‘up’, not a hand ‘out’
…teaching people ‘to’ think, not ‘what’ to think
….equal ‘opportunity’, not equal ‘outcome’
…relying on and believing in organized spirituality, family and friends, not government
These virtues are all enemies of Socialist Progressives and a Centralized Government ideology.
John, you are right on target. Morphine is a great analgy. The drug has affected their brains. They are not thinking rationally.
Oh, how I feel betrayed! I never thought Kasich would sell his soul but I guess anything has a price. Based upon what I am reading and hearing discussed about his opportunistic and turncoat behavior I will not support him in 2014.
That’s exactly how I feel, George!
Me neither!