An excellent Wall Street Journal op-ed article this week titled “ObamaCare’s ‘Baby Elephant’”, points out many of the fallacies in Governor John Kasich’s argument for voluntarily expanding Medicaid in our state.
One example is the premise that we can expand Medicaid when the subsidies are high and then “sunset” our participation later when the subsidies may be reduced or disappear. This argument is folly because Washington evidently has the ability to impose “maintenance of effort” rules that can prohibit states from opting out later.
Another specious argument Kasich is using is based on the fact that sometimes the emergency room is used by individuals to access primary care services. If they can’t pay, as the argument goes, private healthcare payers later pick up the bill through cost shifting. The brilliant solution? Save money by having the entitlement funding stream that is bankrupting our country pay for it instead.
If someone orders a baloney sandwich and the restaurant brings him filet-mignon, that’s on the restaurant. Put a triage nurse out front of the ER and refer primary care patients to a clinic down the hall. If the hospital allows an $80 expense to become an $800 expense by inappropriately deploying its resources – why should our children and grandchildren foot the bill?
Another great guffaw in the governor’s Medicaid sales pitch is the “Valerie told me so” argument. Kasich brags how he had a late-night phone call with Valerie Jarrett. About this he said, “I want to thank Valerie Jarrett today for being willing to work with us. Now I want to be clear to you, we don’t know what the details of this are going to be yet. We don’t know what the cost is going to be.” I’m sure constituents will be thrilled to hear “conservative” John Kasich is now cozying up to President Obama’s top adviser. But he doesn’t know the details? He doesn’t know the cost? And yet, he is still recommending this?
Watching this comedy of errors unfold, one wonders what ever happened to “fiscal hawk” John Kasich? If such a person ever really existed, he has long since departed his post.
I’d primary him…but sadly I’m only 21 haha. I think even a protest candidate would be able to draw at least 30% of the primary vote, and that would send quite a message.
How about Josh Mandel?
I would give up the governor’s mansion to have Mandel primary Kasich.
“Now I want to be clear to you, we don’t know what the details of this are going to be yet. We don’t know what the cost is going to be.”
That sounds more like a conversation with Nancy Pelosi. . .“But we have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what’s in it….” Really Gov. Kasich? That is no way to conduct business on behalf of the Great State of Ohio (let alone, taking advice from Valerie Jarrett)!
Valerie Jarrett ?? Hasn’t anyone read The Amateur In the White House? keep her out of OHIO
we don’t know what the details of this are going to be yet. We don’t know what the cost is going to be
JEEZ! He’s sounding more and more like Pelosi! What a crackpot! What a maroon! What an incompetent! He’s not representing Ohio when more than 65% of the people of Ohio didn’t want Obamacare to begin with. He should be impeached if he breeches our state constitution by allowing Obamacare in Ohio.
I have come to the conclusion that the Republican party and now Gov. Kasich are so enamored with power that they are perfectly happy being the second tier of the ruling Democratic Party. There are now two parties in this country, the Rulers and the Ruled.
Sad ….. but I WILL NOT COMPLY WITH EITHER …… PLEASE JOIN ME!
Kind of a side issue:Anytime a Republican compromises a little the neo-cons always have to whine/complain(it’s a cave in)total socialism is basically a fiasco,certain times,certain sensible reason’s it applies.Obama care is the rule of the land-accept it! there are people with-out insurance that go to the emergency room for care,can’t pay/are treated-this causes premiums to go up on the insured?You have to pay the piper one way or the other.Having your own insurance/is personal responsibilityRepublicans live in fantasy land on many issue’s-People spoke on 11-06-12.I voted for Romney/Ryan>they Ran on refunding Medicare,complained about Obama taking the funds for Obama care?Now most are complaining about conservative’s adopting the Medicare expansion=Hypocrites.
The enemy in this is not the problem. Their ambitions are obvious! The failure is the egos of the Republicans-maybe they are conservatives who haven’t got the guts to do the right thing. It is a sweet gig even when you are running second place. They will be remembered as the cowards that gave up our great country to bullies! The list of those this describes is endless, some on one thing others on another, but they all share the same problem power corrupts. No more than the dogs at the table hoping to get crumbs for their constituents, rather than leading through this tyranny. And most of them continue to ask me for $$$$$. I will censor my response to them on that!