Over Objections of (Republican)Legislature, Alaska’s Governor Says He Will Expand Medicaid

New York Times ^ | 7/16

[nickcarraway]

After failing to persuade his Legislature to expand Medicaid, Gov. Bill Walker of Alaska said Thursday that he planned to unilaterally accept the federal funds available to cover more low-income residents under the program.

Mr. Walker, an independent who took office in December, said in a news conference in Anchorage that he could not wait any longer to offer health coverage to the roughly 42,000 people his administration projects will be eligible under the expansion. Expanding Medicaid — an option for every state under President Obama’s Affordable Care Act — was a campaign priority for Mr. Walker, who couched it as a “common-sense decision” for the state’s economy and for the health of its people.

Gov. Tom WolfComplicated Politics of Medicaid Expansion Are Playing Out State by StateFEB. 10, 2015 National Briefing | Northwest: Alaska: Medicaid Expansion RejectedNOV. 15, 2013 Mr. Walker said he had sent a letter to the state’s Legislative Budget and Audit Committee on Thursday, giving it a required 45-day notice of his intention to accept the federal expansion funds. The committee can issue a recommendation, but Mr. Walker said he had the authority under state law to proceed even if the committee did not approve.

“This is the final option for me,” he told an audience at the Alaska Native Medical Center that included hospital executives, health care providers and others who had pushed for Medicaid expansion. “We are not going to step away from this opportunity to help fellow Alaskans, period.”

[nickcarraway]

I guess Alaska is a blue state now?

[Impy]

A LOT of people here voiced support for this LIBERAL PIECE OF GARBAGE, an ex-RINO whom the democrats PULLED their own nominee for, illegally, and put their LT Gov candidate on his ticket.

And why? Cause Palin endorsed him. Because she was mad that the conservative Republican Governor Sean Parnell repealed her pet oil tax.

I told them “this pig is a liberal”, they spouted BS about “crony capitalism” and continued to support this democrat in everything but name dirtbag. I wonder if any of them are big enough to admit they were foolish and that I was right now that this guy has gone full Obama. Doubt it.

[nickcarraway]

Palin endorsed Walker?

[terycarl]

If a poor person, who has no insurance, falls and breaks his leg, he is taken to the hospital,his leg is fixed, and he is sent home. the taxpayers pay for it.

If a poor person on medicaid falls and breaks his leg, he is taken to the hospital, his leg is fixed, and he is sent home. The taxpayers pay for it.

Someone, please, tell me what the difference is????????

[Timber Rattler]

Yeah, she did.

[nickcarraway]

Wow, she should be reminded of this.

[Impy]

Yeah, it was big news here. Lot of people automatically sided with her. She was wrong and her reason was wrong, that tax was hurting the state’s largest industry, and the people voted statewide to uphold Governor Parnell’s repeal of it. But she saw it as part of her legacy as Governor. Hurt my opinion of her a lot more than her endorsement of McCain in the 2010 primary.

The endorsement probably was in the difference in the very close election.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/3218561/posts

There’s one thread on it I can find. There were others.

On one of them, not that one, a Bill Walker supporter said to me something like “Good good let the butt hurt flow through you!!!” after I correctly pointed out who Walker was.

This thread is about something us but the issue comes up

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3222346/posts#23

[nickcarraway]

I guess I can kind of give a lot of people who listened to her a pass, because they trusted her. But she put her good name on the line, so I guess it’s damaged.

[nickcarraway]

I kind of gave her a pass for endorsing McCain - just because she was on the same ticket as him. But then she should have endorsed her own Lt. Gov. If she couldn’t endorse him, then why the commitment to McCain?

[Impy]

Different situations.

She endorsed McCain over JD Hayworth they say out of loyalty or because it would have “looked bad” if she didn’t. I could have respect neutrality out of respect for McCain. But endorsing him and campaigning for him, going to the mat for him, IN THE PRIMARY when the rest of the tea party was trying very hard to beat him, not cool. Not for any reason. That was thumbing her nose at the tea party.

Alaska was much worse, endorsed the de facto dem over a conservative Republican in the general election for a terrible non-conservative reason. I guess she felt personally betrayed that Parnell was more conservative than her on this oil tax issue, it was clearly important to her, she was proud of the supposed accomplishment in enacting it.

Unfortunately, the 2 endorsements are not inconsistent with each other. Some misguided personal honor code of hers I suppose. Unless you choose to believe she has a big RINO streak.

Generally, I have liked her endorsements.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Red Socialist Governor.

[Artie]

“After failing to persuade his Legislature to expand Medicaid, Gov. Bill Walker of Alaska said Thursday that he planned to unilaterally accept the federal funds available to cover more low-income residents under the program.”

In about one year or less, the Governor will be “mystified” as to the ever increasing expenses that a medicaid expansion brings about. The governor should be forced to sit in a drugstore on the first of every month...

[AuH2ORepublican]

I remember well, you did yeoman’s work earning FReepers about Walker (I chipped in myself, but not as tirelessly as you did). Somehow, even after being informed that (i) the Alaska Democrat Party endorsed Walker, and forced the Democrat Party’s gubernatorial nominee to stand down and be removed from the ballot, (ii) Walker’s runningmate was the Democrat Lieutenant Governor nominee in a “fusion ticket” and (iii) Democrats and liberals in Alaska universally supported Walker, many FReepers refused to support conservative Republican Governor Parnell over liberal RINO-cum-DIABLO Walker because “Parnell is an incumbent, so he must be a tool of the establishment” and “Sarah says to vote for Walker because of mean Parnell cut taxes without her permission.” Screwtape must have been smiling from ear to ear (or he would if worms had ears).

[Impy]

I found the “Butt Hurt” remark. Tons of posts on this thread.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3218783/posts?page=94#65

I’ll not ping the guy cause I don’t care to ever interact with him again but I doubt he’ll be admitting his error.

Freepers that were actually from Alaska mostly opposed Bill Walker cause duh, they knew what he was.

[GOPsterinMA]

Good move.

[AuH2ORepublican]

“Freepers that were actually from Alaska mostly opposed Bill Walker cause duh, they knew what he was.”

---

Not only did thwey know that Walker was a liberal RINO that became a liberal “Independent” shilling for the Democrats, they also knew that Sean Parnell was a solid conservative and a good governor, that Sarah Palin’s oil tax was not some sacred law that could never be repealed, and that Sarah Palin sometimes makes mistakes.