Virginia Right: There is an email from Susan Stimpson the former Republican Candidate for Lt. Governor in Virginia circulating concerning the Republican’s plan to expand the ObamaCare Medicaid program in the Commonwealth. My fellow blogger Sandy Sanders covered this story today here.
We all remember the deal the Republicans made in the last session to get Democrats to go along with the Transportation Tax increase pushed by Governor McDonnell and the Republicans. At the time, it was reported that Republicans agreed to set up a commission on the Medicaid expansion that would actually be empowered to expand Medicaid under the ObamaCare program. Many believed that this was a first move towards that goal.
Susan Stimpson believes that agreement is about to come to fruition despite many Republicans words to the contrary and she sent out an email this morning urging citizens to call the Republican Party of Virginia and express their concerns to Chairman Pat Mullins.
Apparently, the calls are coming in as requested by Stimpson, however, Mullins says that he and Speaker Howell are against the expansion.
According to Chairman Mullins:
“ObamaCare is an expensive, unaffordable train wreck that threatens to bring everything that’s wrong with the federal government into our health care system. I have said repeatedly that expanding Medicaid in Virginia is a terrible idea. It threatens to create a massive new unfunded liability for the Commonwealth that would at the same time put hundreds of thousands of Virginians into a system that people in both parties know is badly broken. Speaker Howell has been rock solid on this issue, and I commend him for his leadership. Just this weekend he told our state central committee that Medicaid expansion in Virginia is not going to happen. I stand with Speaker Howell in opposition to the expansion of Medicaid under ObamaCare and I call on all members of the General Assembly to do likewise.”
The letter below from Stimpson enumerates the names and numbers of State Legislators that Stimpson asked Virginian’s to contact that are involved with this “super committee”. While I understand Speaker Howell and Pat Mullins claim that they don’t want to expand Medicaid, it is hard to deny the record of various government “super-committees” – remember sequestration?
Republicans have a trust issue in Virginia – especially with the Conservative wing of the party. Denials of intent are well and good but the creation of this committee in and of itself should give Virginians cause for concern. The Republicans controlled the House, Senate and Governor’s Office and we still got a huge tax increase and a super committee that places the pockets of Virginians in even deeper jeopardy.
And despite the denials of impending Medicaid expansion, most of us are still not reassured that ObamaCare will not be coming to a Medicaid Expansion Center near you.
The full letter from Susan Stimpson is published below for reference.
Fellow Virginia Republican,
Remember earlier this year when Governor McDonnell and the Republican leadership in the General Assembly cut a deal with Senate Democrats — leaving Obamacare expansion on the table in return for the votes Republicans needed to pass the largest tax increase in Virginia history?
Republican leaders told us it was just a good will gesture necessary to broker a compromise (massive tax increase) and that expanding Medicaid, a key component of Obamacare, would never happen. Governor McDonnell claimed the budget language was a “firewall” to expansion. The commission isn’t a firewall, it’s a torch.
Instead of keeping their constitutional responsibility to ensure Obamacare expansion would never become reality, legislators abdicated to a super committee of five senators, five delegates and two “experts”. The decision rests with these 10 legislators. Republican leaders claim this will save money in future years and lessen the devastating fiscal impact of such an expansion.
While conservatives in Washington are attempting to draw a line in the sand by trying to defund Obamacare, and the full effects of this disastrous law begin to become clear, what are Virginia Republicans doing?
This week Governor McDonnell said “If they say ‘done,’ Medicaid expansion goes into place.”
And listen to Republican Senator Emmett Hanger, a member of the commission and proponent of Medicaid/Obamacare expansion, bragging about the Obama administration being close to accepting proposed reforms: “I’d say we are a little more than halfway there.”
Of course what our Republican leaders don’t seem to recognize is that once any entitlement is created or expanded, it is almost impossible to reverse. If they don’t have the guts to fight expanding its implementation, do you really believe they would ever end it? And the Obama administration will make whatever concessions necessary in the short term to achieve their goal; Obamacare in every state. Liberals never give up, and they will see the erosion and elimination of reforms. Obamacare expansion will be a budget buster for Virginia leading to more massive tax increases.
But if recent history is any indication, they don’t care. Didn’t they take note of the last election where two longtime incumbents were ousted because of their vote to raise taxes on a transportation bill that doesn’t even address roads?
When I ran for Lieutenant Governor I spoke out when no one else would against the GOP-led tax increase. And I am warning you now that Republican leaders are on the precipice of expanding Medicaid and Obamacare in Virginia. It’s happening right before our eyes. For more detail, read this blog post by RPV State Central member Steve Albertson.
I urge you to call Pat Mullins and demand he denounce this move towards Obamacare expansion. And call the individual members of the Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission and urge them not to expand Obamacare. Call your own delegate and senator.
The majority of Americans and Virginians disapprove Obamacare. They know it is already wreaking havoc on our own healthcare, on our small businesses and our families. If you agree with me, please contact our GOP leaders and the members of the commission. Let’s fight this together.
Sincerely,
P.S.: It’s time for our Republican leaders in Virginia to stand for the principles of our creed. If we can’t trust them to fight Obamacare expansion in Virginia, can we trust anything they say?
Chairman Pat Mullins – (804) 780-0111
Speaker Bill Howell – Capitol: (804) 698-1028 District: (540) 371-1612
Senator Tommy Norment – Capitol: (804) 698-7503 District: (757) 259-7810
Senator Walter A. Stosch – Capitol: (804) 698-7512 District: (804) 527-7780
Senator Emmett W. Hanger, Jr. – Capitol: (804) 698-7524 District: (540) 885-6898
Senator John C. Watkins – Capitol: (804) 698-7510 District: (804) 379-2063
Delegate R. Steven Landes – Capitol: (804) 698-1025 District: (540) 255-5335
Delegate Beverly J. Sherwood – Capitol: (804) 698-1029 District: (540) 667-8947
Delegate John M. O’Bannon, III – Capitol: (804) 698-1073 District: (804) 282-8640
Delegate James P. Massie, III – Capitol: (804) 698-1072 District: (804) 377-0100
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