Posted on 02/05/2017 2:16:38 PM PST by Jim Robinson
State Sen. Ed Hernandez, chair of the Senate Health Committee, warns of a major financial hit on millions of Californians if Obamacare is repealed. Claudia Buck The Sacramento Bee
BY DAN WALTERS dwalters@sacbee.com
Eric Bauman, a registered nurse who aspires to become the next chairman of the California Democratic Party, says it’s time for California to become a “healthcare sanctuary” by providing universal, state-operated medical coverage.
Citing efforts by a Republican-controlled federal government to repeal Obamacare, Bauman wrote in an op-ed article, “we cannot miss the historic opportunity the moment presents us: enacting single-payer healthcare into California. Let’s take that step and make California a healthcare sanctuary state.”
He thus joins a long-list of California political figures – Democrats, mostly, but also two Republican governors – who long have advocated universal healthcare, similar to that in Canada and many European countries.
How long?
History records that in 1918, the Legislature, with the support of Republican Gov. Hiram Johnson, proposed a constitutional amendment authorizing the state to provide healthcare to anyone who couldn’t afford care on their own.
Nearly 75 percent of the state’s voters rejected the measure, but variations surfaced during the remainder of the century, including several unsuccessful efforts by Republican Gov. Earl Warren in the 1940s.
The 21st century also has seen periodic efforts, including legislation that voters narrowly overturned in a 2004 referendum and two bills passed by majority Democrats that Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed.
Repealing Obamacare, without a replacement system, would hit California particularly hard because the state vigorously embraced it to reduce one of the nation’s highest medically uninsured rates.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
It could, especially under Obama. But, under Trump, how would CA pay for it? Especially, since they seem bound and determined to extend it to anyone who comes across the border.
End of the story says it needs an enormous tax increase to make it a reality.
Voters in my state of Colorado rejected a universal health care measure on the ballot with 70% of the vote.
Same state went narrowly for Hillary Clinton.
It ain’t ready for prime time.
CA is in the toilet and no $$$.
Make the Movie Stars fund it...they love people so much and they are so rich..//sarc//
This would be truly awesome...let Americans see how it would really work, and bankrupt CA at the same time.
You really can’t fixed stupid can you...
I can’t wait...people in 49 states can cancel their health-insurance, and then when something bad happens, they can run to California and leave the CA taxpayers with the bill...nothing will kill liberalism faster than the CA millionaires actually having to pay for what they are advocating.,,,
“Let’s take that step and make California a healthcare sanctuary state.”
Sure. Why not? Don’t live in California or even the U.S. and need a heart transplant, just move to California and you can get a free heart!
Don’t live in California or even the U.S. and kidneys are failing, just move to California and you can get a free kidney or dialysis while you wait for one!
Don’t live in California or even the U.S. and have cancer or Hep C or a rare genetic illness that cost millions to treat? No problem! Just move to California and it’s all free!
Yeah, I think this is going to work out REAL well!
Good question!
Someone smart once said (paraphrasing): “A country could chose to be a social-welfare state; or it could chose to have open borders. It can’t chose both.”
California can do whatever it wants. I’m sure it’ll end up the same way that Vermont’s did. And with Pres Trump in the WH, I doubt the Feds will be rushing in to save the day.
Old saw: every one loves “free” health care but every one balks at paying for it.
Can’t fix stupid.
And add that they welcome any immigrant to join in for free.
They also haven’t figured out Trump won’t stand for bailing them out.
There is no such thing as a free lunch.
They will also need to pass a law keeping taxpayers from fleeing.
I think that Margaret Thatcher put it pretty well: "the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money".
How to bankrupt the state in one easy step.
In a hole, keep digging.
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