COVID-19 & Healthcare

Gov. Brewer’s beneficence really motivated by immigrants?

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Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Arizona media has given Governor Jan Brewer props for her decision to support Arizona's participation in the expanded Medicaid provisions of the Affordable Care Act ("ObamaCare"). Governor Brewer was cast as a beneficent leader bestowing mercy on the unfortunate in need of medical care.

Now we learn that Brewer's beneficence may have really been motivated by immigrants (but of course). Sarah Kliff at Ezra Klein's Wonkblog writes, Arizona could make the Medicaid expansion an immigration fight:

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s decision to participate in the Medicaid
expansion was a puzzling one: Why would one of the nation’s most
conservative governors opt into an Obamacare program that most of her
Republican colleagues have rejected?

New budget memos
from the state provide some insight: Opting out of the Medicaid
expansion had the potential to give immigrants better access to health
care than American citizens.

This small quirk in the Affordable Care Act that Arizona stumbled on
could significantly reshape the politics for governors weighing whether
to sign up for the health law’s Medicaid expansion.

The dilemma raised by Brewer’s budget advisers is this: Turning down
the Medicaid expansion would mean giving low income, legal immigrants
access to private insurance subsidies unavailable to American citizens.

Of austerity and cookies (video)

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Tax-wallstby Pamela Powers Hannley

These days, you can't turn on the TV or radio without hearing a "news" story or pundit "analysis" about the battle over deficit reduction by budget cuts or revenue generation.

Republicans want to balance the budget on the backs of the middle class and the poor by cutting "entitlements" (ie, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment, Pel Grants, food stamps, and whatever programs are left of Johnson's War on Poverty). Heaven forbid that they would consider taxing the rich, taxing financial transactions, raising the income cap for Social Security benefits, or anything like that. 

Austerity is their battle cry. After the jump, watch this video featuring John Nichols of The Nation explaining the hoax of austerity.

PDA People’s Inauguration live– NOW

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by Pamela Powers Hannley The People's Inauguration– sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America (PDA)– is live streaming now here. Great stuff– War on Poverty, immigration reform, organizing the unemployed, Robin Hood Tax, eminent domain for economic development. Jesse Jackson, Randy Parraz, Congressman John Conyers, and labor leaders just spoke. Randy Parraz: "Change is coming to … Read more

PDA sponsors ‘People’s Inauguration’ in DC on Jan 19: Watch live streaming

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Pc iii logo-1by Pamela Powers Hannley

Progressive Democrats of America (PDA) is hosting Progressive Central: The People's Inauguration on January 19 in Washington DC. 

Progressive pundits and politicians from around the country– including our own Congressman Raul Grijalva– will be there. If you're like me and will be in Tucson tomorrow, check out the live streaming of Progressive Central on the PDA home page, beginning at 8 a.m. (Eastern Time).  Bisbee's own Loneprotestor will be in DC– so look for video from her on this blog. I attended Progressive Central in Charlotte while attending the Democratic National Convention, and it was inspiring. More details from after the jump.

Today’s Buckmaster Show: AHCCCS expansion and other topics

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by David Safier I was the final guest on today's Bill Buckmaster Show — audio here. The newsworthy event of the show came from Ethan Orr, the first guest. He's the new Republican LD-9 state rep who tries to come off as something of a moderate until he's pressed for details, when his conservative leanings … Read more