AZ Legislature: The biggest reason why Medicaid should not be a block grant
Rep. Paul Ryan’s Road to Ruin budget plan (which was passed without one Democratic vote by the US House of Representatives recently) would change both Medicare and Medicaid so much that the programs would be unrecognizable.
He proposes to change Medicare to a voucher program– which could lead to increased costs for patients and more medical bankruptcies— and he proposes to change Medicaid into a block grant program and give the states authority to spend the funds as they see fit. Yikes!
Can you imagine what the Arizona Legislature would do with a Medicaid block grant? I can think of a few things…
- Give more corporate tax breaks.
- Privatize Medicaid and allow costs to run rampant (since taxpayers will be footing the bills. This will teach us discipline.)
- Legislate morality by denying women’s reproductive health services.
- Let the free market decide where community health centers and hospitals would be located. (Good-bye, El Rio.)
- Provide services everywhere in Arizona except Pima County. (It could happen. Look at all of the anti-Tucson and anti-Pima County legislation they passed this year.)
Our state Legislature is unscrupulous, and our governor is working beyond her pay grade– way beyond.
If you don’t think giving these wing-nuts more healthcare money to waste is a bad idea, check out this story from today’s Arizona Daily Star…
AHCCCS ready to start cutting services Sunday
They really don’t care what happens to the sick, the poor or the young. After all, that would be socialist.
33 comments on “AZ Legislature: The biggest reason why Medicaid should not be a block grant”
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Tucson Progressive 
Yet another skewed, inaccurate article by the Tucson Citizen. First, citizen taxpayers not paying for abortions (women’s reproductive rights) does NOT constitute legislating morality.
Second, even if it did (which it does not), the government legislates morality on a daily basis. Just because someone doesn’t have the same view as you, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Nor does it mean that I should pay for your “morality.”
I find it ironic that the same people that are anti-death penalty are often pro-abortion. It’s ok to kill fetuses but not murderers. And of course, if I was to cut a calf out of a cow, that would be animal abuse! Hypocrites.
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“After all, that would be socialist.” Why would we be afraid of socialism? After all, look at all the famous socialists…Hitler, Stalin, Mao, Castro, Mussolini…
Of course, there are wonderful, caring socialists….let’s name them. And done.
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Maybe you should learn for yourself the difference between a socialist and a fascist. They are two decidedly different things; at least outside of right wing propaganda they are two different things.
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Wow…that comment was out of…never mind.
How did I err? Please enlighten us as to how those leaders I pointed out were not socialists? And if you come up with the lame “communism isn’t socialism” excuse, I’ll cite ten similarities for any difference you might have.
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Please enlighten us as to how those leaders I pointed out were not socialists?
Your good friend Adolph must have a had a weird sense of loyalty, as did the French Resistance Fighters, a large number of whom were communists. Your friend Adolph spent a lot of time hunting down, imprisoning and killing communists and the communist French Resistance fighters spent a lot of time trying to kill Fascists.
It’s a shame you weren’t around at the time to set them straight. You could have saved them both a lot of trouble by explaining to them that they were actually one and the same. And if Franco only knew that he was actually a communist, well, that whole Spanish Civil war thing could have been avoided.
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Once again, you’ve done two things.
You’ve compared me to a mass murderer who hated a race instead of making a valid argument with facts.
That’s typical for liberals these days, unfortunately.
Your comment, other than attacking my character, was nonsensical. At it’s base, you argue two of a certain type of government (ie democracy, fascists, etc) are exempt from attacking each other.
Perhaps you remember not so long ago when China and the USSR were enemies?
Please use some logic and facts to dispute my claims.
I don’t mind you attacking me, though. It only proves my earlier argument that you’re using inflammatory tactics in lieu of providing an actual argument.
And I’m fairly certain I can take it. 🙂
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I think you’ve strayed from the point here. But anyway, I was using what is called “sarcasm” as a rhetorical technique to point out your errors. Now, when it comes to “personal attacks”, you should know that to infer that I am a liberal is quite an insult. Just like fascists and communists, there is a world of difference between communists and liberals.
For example, a liberal believes that the right wing is the “loyal opposition”, deserving of a seat at the table and a voice. I do not believe this. I believe the right wing deserves help to overcome their collective mental health issues, but not a seat at the table.
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Can a Fascist implement communism?
Of course he can. Therefore, your argument is inherently flawed.
What a nutcase you are….LOL….under your definition that’s only sarcasm.
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@Leftfield: Facism + Socialism = Communism. Facism is simply Communism-Lite, only without the gulags and slightly fewer mass murders as a result of forcing people at gunpoint to accept and embrace the “cultural revolution”.
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“@Leftfield: Facism + Socialism = Communism. Facism is simply Communism-Lite…”
This may be your opinion, but it is an opinion unjustified by any available information outside of right wing websites and radio. Sorry, but outside of the holler, fascism is considered a right wing philosophy. Actually, it would be more correct to call the Tea Party a form of fascism-lite.
Just for grins, according to the big guy, socialism is a state of transition between capitalism and communism; communism being a utopian ideal wherein the state has withered away altogether. It’s the ultimate in “small government”.
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This is your momentLeftfield!! Go for it. This poster just walked into your trap!! LOL
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Trap, eh?
You’re right…I fell for it.
Socialism is the ultimate in small government? Socialism, which uses the government to collect and redistribute wealth amongst all it’s participants, and controls such additional things as health care, retirements and welfare to name a few….is the ultimate in small government?
That’s what you’re saying, huh?
That was quite a trap.
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Millions of dead Russians, Chinese et al……Tens of millions of them are screaming from the grave and saying that you a a naive putz.
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Who might be the naive putz and why?
Insults in lieu of explanation and facts…please go on and use some support.
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Who might be the naive putz and why?
Why? Because your friend fraser was referring to me when he talked about a “naive putz”. It’s a term of endearment.
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Lol….worst post of the day. Congrats.
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“Those who see in National Socialism nothing more than a political movement know scarcely anything of it. It is more even than religion; it is the will to create mankind anew.”
Hitler, leader of the National Socialist party…”Nazi”
“The unity of political and military command in the hands of the Fuehrer-he who once was simple soldier and volunteer Adolf Hitler-gives to the operations an enthusiastic, irresistible, revolutionary and therefore National Socialist rhythm that begins with the highest generals and goes to the humblest soldiers.”
– Mussolini, 1941
“The socialist system will eventually replace the capitalist system; this is an objective law independent of man’s will. ” – Mao at the Meeting of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in Celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Great October
Socialist Revolution” (November 6, 1957)
“Capitalism is using its money; we socialists throw it away.” – Castro
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It’s quite funny how most definitions that I’ve found online describe fascism as a “right wing” ideology with pervasive government control over the people.
Yet, Tea Party “wing nuts”, considered right wing extremists, are vocal about LIMITED government…while those on the “Progressive” left, the liberal side want the federal government involved of every aspect of life.
For those unfamiliar with this left verse right battle, the issue isn’t “morality” and what it’s definition is to both sides…the issue is the taxpayer (of which the government gets its the lion share of its funding) pays for all these “moral” decisions…and should they responsible for it or not.
Which sounds like Fascism?
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“The socialist system will eventually replace the capitalist system; this is an objective law independent of man’s will. ”
I’m not really sure why you think posting these quotes supports your opinion about fascism and socialism being the same.
I think you’ve fallen (albeit willingly) for the right wing canard that because the German Fascists of old used the word “Socialist” in their party title, this means they were “Socialist” in the usual sense of the word. Thnk of it this way: you probably have a “home”, but someday soon you will likely be sent to a different kind of “home”. I hope this helps clear up your confusion.
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Not even a little bit does it clear up my confusion.
How was Hitler not a socialist? In what way? Explain your hypothesis, don’t just make asinine comments.
I provided those quotes, by the way, to show that not only are they thought of by rational people as socialists, they to described themselves as socialists.
Don’t just throw grenades….provide some actual facts to refute why Hitler WAS NOT a socialist?
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Heavens! OK, here are links to Wikipedia articles about fascism and socialism. Read them and you will learn about the vast differences between the two. Now, if you don’t like Wikipedia, just google up any one of a number of dictionaries online.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
BTW – I hate to muddy the waters even further, but I consider fascism to be a form of capitalism. You see, socialism is an economic model, just as capitalism is an economic model. People often confuse democracy, a political model, with capitalism, and likewise socialism with totalitarianism. In fact, there are democratic models of socialism, just as there are totalitarian models of capitalism.
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Actually….I never said Fascism and Socialism was the same. I think you’re comparing apples and oranges, quite frankly.
Although Fascism may be used to implement socialism. And a democratic republic may be used to impement socialism as well.
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Nor does it mean that I should pay for your “morality.”
Why not? I have to pay for your lack of morality every day.
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Ah…and just how do I have a lack of morality?
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What a typical liberal. Lob nonsensical insulting comments with no basis or support, and often on the wrong side of truth.
Don’t worry, though. We’re all very used to it.
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We’re all very used to it.
Well, good. That will save you a lot of trouble in the future.
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Unfortunately, I have to bid you farewell for the day. I must work to pay help pay for all the many wonderful programs that this president has initiated for the oppressed. Those many, many, many programs that make the government so so small.
It was fun…and thank you so much for making your (albeit non supported) claims.
You’ve done one very great thing here today, Left. You’ve, yet again, showed the light for those who were dark who choose to open their eyes.
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Kevin, You just made Leftys day, kind of like a comment orgasm for him. He’s such a Liberal isn’t he/she? We really don’t know since no one can vouch for him/her.
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Communist is on the side of liberalism and certainly far closer to being liberal than conservative.
If he gets orgasms from not defending his viewpoints when challenged to present facts, I sincerely pity the man.
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Pffft, you think this is bad? Wait until obamacare kicks in and you really lose your medicaid funding. You wont even be able to see a doctor, because people who dont pay taxes will have more of a right then you.
Educate yourself:
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Fascist!!! You and your right wing nuts should pay for everything that I need. And don’t you DARE call it socialism. It’s not….it’s…um…it’s…something else.
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See Leftwing? THIS is sarcasm.
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Amazing how quickly this discussion moved from the topic to political rhetoric commie vs socie vs facist.
Getting back to the topic–non inflation indexed block grants for both Medicare and Medicaid will cause healthcare costs to quickly outpace the block grants, leaving either the privately insured the burden of paying for all who cannot cover their co-pays or the dreaded state run death panels which will decide what treatment those on Medicare or Medicaid will get. Not surprising to this voter that this has been the plan of the Republicans all along. All their ranting about Obamacare Death panels and here they are producing a plan that will leave many ill and elderly untreated. The Republicans ultimate plan is to get rid of Medicare and Medicaid entirely. The real debate is –Is health care a right or a privilege. Vermont has decided it is a right in their effort to start a single payer state health insurance system. There are many of us who also believe it is a right and the only way to pay for it is a single payer National system, similar to Medicare which has worked well since the 1960’s, is not bankrupt and can be keep solvent if all were included in a single payer system.
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