GOP caucus rejects Medicaid expansion

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Houston Chronicle

GOP caucus rejects Medicaid expansion
Republican House Caucus members want the options given other states
By Peggy Fikac | March 4, 2013

AUSTIN - Texas House Republicans voted to oppose expanding Medicaid under the federal health care law's current strictures Monday, but leaders said talks continue on how to cover more uninsured people with the hope of flexibility from the feds.

"A one-size-fits-all federal approach is not working," said Rep. Brandon Creighton, of Conroe, the House Republican Caucus chairman.

Monday's caucus vote, which occurred behind closed doors, was overwhelming, Creighton said. Republicans hold a strong legislative majority, including 95 members of the 150-member House.

GOP lawmakers stressed that vigorous discussions are under way about how to craft a solution that would make health coverage available to uninsured Texans.


Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/GOP-caucus-rejects-Medicaid-expansion-4327829.php

[pinto]

1. Sad state of affairs and possibly just political theater, perhaps? See also here ->

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1078&pid=6757

[sakabatou]

2. "Let our poor keep eating cake!"

[Iliyah]

3. My uncle told me that the same party

were totally against SSI and Medicare. Reagan said Medicare was socialist crap and it won't work. Well well, a great many of the GOP base loves SSI, Medicare and even Medicaid. These socialist programs really do work and my gosh really do help. Also, employees pay into these socialist programs and therefore we deserve them. Fuck you to the non-compassionate GOP party.

[David__77]

4. They will undermine their competitiveness with this.

They don't realize it. Well, a few do, which is why they're crying for "flexibility."

[another_liberal]

5. Make Medicare a universal, one payer program . . .

It's high time to stop letting fools like these screw around with what health care is and isn't available to hundreds of thousands of poor people. Make Medicare a universal, one payer program maintained by the federal government for all Americans. Then these idiots can go back to fighting against evolution being covered in their benighted school textbooks and mandating at least one gun for every person in every household.

[Dustlawyer]

6. America, this is what a Republican government looks like! Pretty pathetic huh?

[geek tragedy]

7. The Roman Senate from Mel Brooks's History of the World

Senator: Oh, fellow Members of the Roman Senate, hear me! Shall we continue to build palace after palace for the rich? Or shall we aspire to a more noble purpose, and build decent housing for the poor? How does the Senate vote?

Senators: Fuck the poor!

Senator: Good.