Posted on 01/17/2007 1:21:11 PM PST by Sub-Driver
Wonder if the Maryland plan also included illegal aliens. Seems to be the trend...
Schwarzenegger’s ShakedownMuch has been written about TerminatorCare, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s (R) plan to guarantee health coverage to all Californians by employing every lousy idea the Left has ever conjured.
But much of what has been written about TerminatorCare is wrong. Media accounts and even some policy wonks have reported that Schwarzenegger, through the magic of Medicaid, would have taxpayers in other states pay for only half the cost of his plan. Would that that were so [sic].
Instead, Schwarzenegger actually proposes to use an old Medicaid trick that would put non-Californians on the hook for much more than half the cost. First, he would boost state payments to providers, which triggers federal matching funds. But then he would tax the providers so much that he would recover the state’s initial outlay plus most of the federal matching funds, which he would then use to finance the rest of the plan. At the end of the day, California would spend zero extra dollars on provider payments, yet the ruse would net an additional $1.3 billion from taxpayers in other states.
After one cuts through the budget gimmicks, one finds that Californians would contribute only $1.3 billion to the plan, while taxpayers in other states would contribute $4.5 billion — or over three times as much.
The Austrian bows to no one when it comes to budget gimmicks. A Rat at heart, his first instinct is to find a way to cook the books.
But I must admit the formula is so CONvoluted that I'm having trouble absorbing it and all of it's far-reaching ramifications. But, of course that's what I suppose it was designed to do.
That's what lawyers and lawmakers do... CONfuse the issue, then re-clarify it on such complex terms that only they can ressurect their evil intent from the far-reaching verbage!!!
My 19 year old son worked as a seasonal grocery stocker for Walmart in Nov/Dec 2006. He was make $8.75/hour. Not bad for a high school dropout. He took advantage of his 20% Christmas discount to buy a 32 inch HDTV and an XBox360. Most retail employees in the area are getting federal minimum wage of $5.15 and no discounts. Had he been hired full time, he could have enrolled in the medical coverage plan. Few other employers in the area make such a good set of benefits available to employees.
If your son is still not employed he might want to go back to Wal-Mart. Even as a "part time" employee they will pay for the cost to get a GED. And as a "part time" employee he would be able to take advantage of the Wal-Mart health care benefits after a "year" of employment. At his age and if he is a good employee I can't think of a reason for him not to become a full time employee soon.
Now now, in defense of the law makers they did not single out Wal-Mart. Infact the "Wal-Mart" doesn't appear in any of the bills language.
Of course, this was their attempt at pulling a fast one and specifically targeting Wal-Mart as they set the number of employees that would require a company to provide the insurance at a level that ONLY Wal-Mart reached.
Wow, more common sense and logic from a Justice Dept. /sarc
His "seasonal" employment ended Dec 30th. He was been waiting for his final check in the mail. An envelope arrived from the store manager today. We thought it might be his last paycheck. Instead, it was a form to fill out as the "highlighted associate" of the month. Methinks the manager didn't get the word that his last day at work was Dec 30th. I suggested he fill it out and ask the manager about his scheduled hours. Getting the GED is on his priority list. His preferred method is online classes. Why not? He has a good computer and connectivity.
Don't get too excited. The Federal Court wasn't saying this is wrong, they were saying "only WE can do this." (referring to the fed.) Although this law is pure socialism, I tend to support State's rights of soverignity in these matters. If my State screws me I can always (as a last resort) move to a non-socialist State. If the Fed screws me, I'm gonna stay screwed.
Please do not attempt to defend the lawmakers in this case - they knew exactly what they were doing and they did it at the behest of the unions. Giant Foods used to have a headquarters in Maryland and their union was plugged into the Rat Party big time. This was first and foremost a "screw Wal-Mart" bill and everyone in Maryland knew it.
Go back to my post and read the next sentence.
These politicians just don't get it. How about abolishing Medicaid, which will force transient and "low-income" people to buy their own health insurance and be responsible?
Medicaid IS the problem itself. This is what politicians don't understand. When something is free or subsidized, people are going to take advantage of it, including employers.
Personally, I don't blame Wal-Mart. Why should they care if their employees are using state assistance? Their goal is to make a profit, like all businesses. They didn't create Medicaid or the rules associated with it. If politicians don't want this to happen then get rid of Medicaid entirely and let the market work its magic.
No one would (could?) say how many Walmart employees were actually on Medicaid. When those on Medicare or their parents' or spouse's medical insurance as well as healthy young people who just do not want to pay anything for health insurance are factored out, I'll bet there aren't that many Walmart employees using Medicaid at all. The whole thing is about Walmart not being union.
There was no requirement in the bill for actually increasing the amoung spent on each employees' insurance, or the number of insured; just more money spent in total. They could have sent executives' families to "health" enrichment resorts.
This was just one of the fake issues that the left, especially the Baltimore Sun, used to beat up our former Republican governor. I hated to see him lose reelection, but his personal life will probably be much better without the constant beating he took as Gov. in this ever bluer state.
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