Bitter Tea – (originally published July 2012 by Disabled Citizens United)
Now that the Supreme Court has ruled that the Affordable Care Act is constitutional and that the expansion of Medicaid – without duress – is a proper way to cover millions of low income Americans, some tea party backed Governors and legislatures are threatening to opt out of such an expansion.
Will the Governors actually forgo such Federal largess just to pander to a bunch of bitter tea partiers whose number one goal isn’t what is best for most Americans, but to undermine, humiliate and defeat a Democratic president?
A president who, in spite of GOP/Tea Party obstruction, managed to enact real and substantial healthcare reform.
Reform that now stands to give millions of low income Americans, many for the first time in their life, real healthcare protection — as well as take a lot of pressure off severely cash strapped state budgets.
Fancy that.
The truth is, before the tea party took over the GOP, these Governors, had they not had to pander to the tea baggers, would have welcomed such a beneficial expansion of Medicaid.
Now these Governors vilify it and say they won’t allow it in their state.
Really? With so many poor people, with so much healthcare coverage to gain, is that even politically viable?
We think not. As such, it is time for the Republican Party to collect what left of its senses, lay down its beastly teabags and get to work with the President and their Democratic colleagues to bring about real substantial healthcare reform that benefits all Americans, rich or poor alike.
This much is sure, if they don’t, they will be giving tens of millions of poor Americans a damn good reason to get registered and vote these obstructionists rascals out!
Denying millions healthcare coverage, at little to no cost to the state, amounts to political malpractice. And if the GOP follows through on its self-destructive threats to “opt out”, it’s quite conceivable that there will be an electoral blood-letting of epic proportions in 2012 and beyond.
Further, if Obama and the Democrats are smart they will make the case for the common sense expansion of Medicaid everywhere they go during the 2012 campaign. And here’s the kicker, disabled voters, who understand the Medicaid program best, have the greatest ability to help them make that case — emphatically.
Now is the time to enlighten your friends and families, particularly in those GOP-led states, as to what Medicaid has meant to you and how it has protected and promoted your good health over the years.
In the words of the old time Christian spiritual, this is our time “to testify!” And to testify in a way that helps others understand that Medicaid was good healthcare for us — and it will be good for them, if it is properly implemented.
This is the simple truth. Medicaid is much better than no healthcare coverage at all – which is all the GOP is offering.
That, and of course, a cup of very bitter tea.