[lit-ideas] Re: When Unspeakable Evil Just Isn't Enough....
- From: Eternitytime1@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 24 Apr 2005 20:45:03 EDT
Hi,
Yes, it is true. SB539 has passed the Missouri House and will be signed by
Blunt. (son of prominent Roy Blunt, a US Representative--who was once a
Missouri governor, as well. He adores Bush, I think, because he sees himself
as
part of a MO dynasty... He is also a Naval Academy graduate (he is pretty
young, it is true) and all of his advertisements only stated that he was the
son
of a schoolteacher [his mom]...and so, for a while, people were unsure
during his campaign if he was his father's son. Most of the $ for his
campaign
came from those wanting his father's influence, though.)
Anyway, the bill, with the current budget bills, cuts health care/Medicaid
for more than 100,000 Missourians including:
Adults in poverty - limited to the old 1996 AFDC assistance level - or
between 18-23% of the federal poverty level (incomes les than about $300 a
month
for a family of three), impacting more than 70,000 parents;
Limits assistance for the elderly and permanently disabled to 74% of the
poverty level, impacting 30,000 Missourians;
Eliminates General Relief Medicaid Assistance, impacting 3,000 Missourians
with disabilities;
Eliminates the MAWD - Medical Assistance for Workers with Disabilities,
impacting 17,000 Missourians;
Institutes premiums for CHIP/MC+ kids for those with incomes above 150% of
the federal poverty level, impacting 23,000 kids;
Institutes co-payments for every service;
Diminishes services provided to people who still qualify for Medicaid (with
the proposition that Medicaid be completely eliminated in three years)
The bill is devastating.
It also creates a Medicaid Commission that will begin meeting this summer
and is charged with developing a plan to replace Medicaid beginning in 2006.
That, however, is not mandated so who knows if what happens and is suggested
will actually happen.
The bill passed on a close to party lien vote. Most republicans voted for
the bill and were under intense pressure from the Governor and Representative
Jetton to do so. Only 6 republicans voted against the bill, all the democrats
voted against the bill and 2 republicans
abstained. The republicans who voted against the bill include:
Bean, Black, Kraus, Schneider, Parker and Nance
Those abstaining:
Marsh and Stevenson.
These folks chose to go against their party pressure to take a position that
Health Care should not be a Partisan Issue. I do not know how that will be
viewed by those in their party, though.
The info in the LA Times article that Judy posted is definitely what is 'out
there' and happening:
"The result: Medicaid now covers 53 million Americans. The program pays the
bills for nearly 60% of all nursing home residents and finances 37% of all
births. Because most states have added prescription drug benefits, Medicaid
covers the hefty pharmacy bills for many patients with AIDS, many transplant
recipients and many senior citizens on dialysis or undergoing chemotherapy."
There will be people dying. Nursing homes WILL kick people out, too. What
will happen to them? Where will they go?
I thought the question of what a leader really is was relevant to discussion
on Lit-Ideas. What is the function of a community leader? What is the
function of our state reps and senators--much less our government?
This was stated in the LA Times article:
**State Rep. Trent Skaggs, a Democrat from Kansas City, considers the new
rules cruel, especially at a time when more than 45 million Americans lack
insurance. He worries parents will stop working so their income will drop low
enough to qualify their family for free care.
Rather than raise costs for minimum-wage clerks, Skaggs suggests increasing
insurance premiums for lawmakers who get health coverage through the state.
He recently introduced a measure that would have cost the average politician
$115 a month â?? the measure failed on a close vote.
"That made a complete mockery of the idea that leaders sacrifice first,"
Skaggs said. "Times are tough, but not so tough that we have to sacrifice?"**
It is reflective on not just what is happening in our state government--but
also in so much of what we are doing. I don't know if it is primarily these
younger men/women who are now in positions of power who have no real grasp of
what leadership has been (traditionally) or if it is the 'business culture'
(not the 'healthy business' culture but the stereotypical one) or what is
happening.
I see this happening so much in our society--and it has had the effect of
not creating loyalty amongst individuals within alot of
organizations/groups/businesses/service organizations, even. It is very much
no longer that we are
going to help each other--one for all and all for one. There is, still, some
bewilderment in that regard--but if there is anything trickling down...it is
that sense that no one cares. It's like one is either the victim or the
victimizer--and thus identifying with either/or and becoming like either
one--and no one ever realizes (any more) that there IS a third alternative...
I'm pretty sad today about this. It's pretty awful. One in five
Missourians are going to be critically affected--and the rest of us, I imagine,
will
have to make decisions as to what to do about our neighbors (me/Julie),
customers (Julie's husband), co-workers, etc. Some of us will harden our
hearts and
become like the vicimizers and others will sacrifice (that word, again)
ourselves and our families in order to help our neighbors and friends and
those
we meet who are in need.
We need, again, to see the third way...
Thinking of the similarities of the new Star Wars movie <g> and how popular
culture so often shines a mirror on reality--but not knowing of the solution
in spite of that,
Marlena in Missouri
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