It’s highly amusing to watch Arizona Governor Jan Brewer crack the whip on her own party to compel them to expand Medicaid under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. The Republicans control Arizona’s House of Representatives (36-24) and Senate (17-13). Getting those lunatics to vote for Obamacare hasn’t been easy.
Since January, Arizona Republican leaders have met Brewer’s call to expand Medicaid with hostility. The party chief in Maricopa County, which includes Phoenix, compared Brewer to Judas in legislative remarks. Protesters brandishing signs blasting “Obrewercare” heckled her at rallies.
The Medicaid votes came in a special session called by Brewer with less than three weeks until the start of the new fiscal year. Brewer ordered the session June 11 because she was tired of “game playing” by opponents, [Brewer spokesman Matthew] Benson said. Her adversaries in the House protested by initially refusing to take their seats and sitting instead in the spectators’ gallery.
“She wanted Obamacare so badly that she could not wait to impose high taxes and a huge government program on the people of Arizona,” said Representative Adam Kwasman, a Republican from Oro Valley. “Shame on the members of this House and shame on the governor.”
Of course, Adam Kwasman is high on his own supply. It’s fun watching the GOP be force-fed their own bullshit.
Arizona is ground zero for the GOP’s implosion and has been since McCain championed immigration reform. The lunatics run the party but the monied interests pull the strings behind most of the politicians. It’s something to behold. I lived there for more than 20 years. Though it was fun watching the Evan Mecham impeachment (I sat in the gallery with my then-wife and then-infant daughter, now a law school graduate), by the time I escaped I’d long since had more than enough of it.
Unfortunately, the Democratic party in Arizona is badly ossified. Obama did a great job of organizing things in 2008. Can’t speak to 2012 because I was no longer there by then. Sooner rather than later, a 50 state strategy would pay dividends in Arizona. Don’t know if our party is smart enough to figure this out. Without it, could take another 20 years for the state to turn blue.
Don’t know if our party is smart enough to figure this out.
Did they put any effort in AZ in ’12? I thought they only put the ’08 effort in .. in an attempt to possibly embarrass that WATB of a Senator.
As I said, I wasn’t in Arizona in 2012. But I don’t think the campaign did much to contest it. They focused resources on the true battleground states. Arizona’s potentially not far off from becoming one but it’s going to take a committed long-term effort to revitalize the party. Where are you Howard Dean?
Obama fired him, remember?
Paraphrasing: The Democratic party in Arizona is badly ossified. The 50 state strategy would pay dividends in Arizona and everywhere. Don’t know if our party is smart enough to figure this out.
Howard Dean vs. Israel/DSW would make a good discussion. As it is Replite Democrats are very weak in the states, and don’t seem to be able to contend no matter how nuts the GOP is.
It’s highly amusing to watch Arizona Governor Jan Brewer crack the whip on her own party to compel them to expand Medicaid under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
Sounds like the hospitals/insurers/providers have more clout with nutso Brewer than the nutso legislature. Given Brewer’s previous behavior(remember the finger waggin’ at the President?) there is no other reason than the health care community, such as it is, telling Brewer to get it passed or else.
I’m sure that’s exactly what it is. Bottom line, Brewer knows who butters her toast. It’s not her fear of the voters. It’s her fear of the folks with deep pockets.
IIRC Brewer has a son who has medical problems. He and his family would greatly benefit from Medicaid. Reps only understand hurt, when it happens to them.
Speaking of “High on Their Own Supply”…
Yesterday, the stunningly coiffed governor of my home state signed into law a bill that legalized a bunch of stuff that was already legal. The legislature had to act, though, because their own Wurlitzer had convinced them that the War on Christmas was real. So they passed and got signed into law this bill that does absolutely nothing at all.
But that’s not the best part.
The best part? This bill cites Christmas and Hanukkah specifically as holidays which public school teachers are allowed to honor in December of each year. In short, they respected an establishment of religion, in direct contravention of the First Amendment. So, not only does this new law do nothing, but it somehow manages to be unconstitutional in the process.
As far as I’m concerned, Texas just locked up the Wackolympics gold for all time. For sheer insanity and stupidity, I do not believe this can be topped. By anything. (Though it’s certainly easy to surpass this for evil, of course.)
I feel so proud, if “proud” is another word for “nauseous.”
There isn’t enough popcorn . . .
I thought I’d check out Kwasman on Google, and I found he’s also cosponsored a bill requiring healthcare providers to check patients’ immigration status.
This of course didn’t surprise me. Arizona Republicans are well known for their commitment to a small, limited government that makes sure not a single person crosses a 2.000 mile border without written permission.
Seriously?these people are insane! http://linkapp.me/z5FPK
The Medicaid votes came in a special session called by Brewer with less than three weeks until the start of the new fiscal year. Brewer ordered the session June 11 because she was tired of “game playing” by opponents, [Brewer spokesman Matthew] Benson said. Her adversaries in the House protested by initially refusing to take their seats and sitting instead in the spectators’ gallery.
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