Texas is facing a budget deficit of at least $18 billion.
Texas Republicans say pulling the state out of Medicaid is an option for the 2011 legislative session to address this deficit.
While some Republicans maintain the fiction this can be done without making people homeless, the chairman of the Texas House Appropriations Committee, Jim Pitts, at least tells the truth.
“Some Republicans who talk about Texas potentially opting out of Medicaid are quick to say the changes wouldn’t throw people out on the street — but not House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jim Pitts. Pitts didn’t advocate the change in health care for the poor at a meeting of the Ellis County Tea Party, just noted that it will be discussed by lawmakers. But unlike others who have painted a rosy picture of a potential health-care restructuring without filling in the details, Pitts gave a stark answer when an audience member asked about an ill friend who is on Medicaid. The questioner reacted with concern when Pitts said the state is looking at getting out of the program. What will my friend do then? Will you throw him out in the street? “If we did exactly what we’re doing today, we wouldn’t be throwing him out in the street. But if we have any savings in getting out of Medicaid, we will have to throw some people out in the street,” said Pitts, R-Waxahachie. He noted, “I’m not telling you that your friend would be.”
If pulling out of Medicaid takes place and when, as a consequence, people are out on the streets, who do you think will pay for that? The medical costs and likely police costs of such persons will be paid for by cities and counties.
As you see from the newspaper article above, even Tea Party followers are concerned that they and the people they know in life will be impacted by these cuts. (Though what did they ever expect?)
Texas has a so-called Rainy Day Fund that could help address this budget crisis. There is over $8 billion in this fund right now.
And let’s be clear, the reason this big deficit did not occur in the last legislative session in 2009 was because of federal stimulus money and money from other federal funds.
Here are some ideas—
* We could have a tax structure that meets the needs of the second largest state in our federal union. An income tax would make a lot of sense.
* Texas Republicans holding public office could truthful about the fact that we take plenty of federal money all the time, and Texas could work in partnership with the federal government instead refighting the Civil War.
* Rank and file Texas Republicans could acknowledge to themselves that they use public services all the time in daily life and that many Republicans in Texas use Medicaid program.
* Hispanics in Texas taken as whole could start to meet the personal responsibility of voting and of taking full part in the politics and the public policy debates of our state.
* Progressives in Texas could begin to really fight instead of being resigned to Republican rule. We are not meeting our obligations to Texas and to the nation. Where is the organizing and the energy from our side that we saw from the Tea Party people in this last election?
* We could all understand that taxes are a necessity in life and that we have obligations to others in this world. Realizing these things in no way conflicts with the need to have a job and to meet your obligations to yourself and to your family.
* All Texans could decide that we want to live in a decent state where we do not toss people out on the street because they get sick.
MIght be setting the bar a little “too” high for our republican neighbors here in the Lone Star State. The stars at night ARE big and bright. But, (to quote Mark Twain) “95% of the people are idiots and the other 5% of us are in danger of contagion.” (Personally, I think it’s more like 47-48%. Maybe 60-62 in the South)
I thought Perry said we had a “balanced budget” before the election??? What happened in the last three weeks???
I just watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas”
Reminds me of what the politicians are doing, cutting things, taking away things for those who need help.
The ones who are doing the cutting, have over an abundance and should be helping others.
Instead they are comfy in their homes having gifts surrounding them and yet they vote to: take away help for people to get food, taking away homes/shelters, jobs, medical care, ending unemployment help.
They have no clue what many are going through and some of them don’t care.
What they forget is that, at some point they will have to answer to God.
In why that his Children were not helped, when he gave them so many gifts and gave them the power to help others.
In the mean time, ignore what is going on with others, pull the covers over your head. Even though, you have the power to change things. You and the rest of the elites are doing just fine.
Just like in the cartoon, in Whoville.
You might be the Grinch having the power to make it harder on people that have less, but you can’t take the meaning of Christmas away.
“The ones who are doing the cutting, have over an abundance and should be helping others.”
Typical Country Club mentality: once a person is in, he then tries his best efforts to block access to other “less deserving” people.
He then shamelessly complains about having “lost his country” to the “elites”…
I was reading Huffington Post, one of the comments was Quote:
Save the billionaires / Save the billionaires / Save the billionaires
Funny, but oh Lordy it sure does feel that way.
A state income tax is bullshit. I am not game for that.