Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

~~~

~~~

Monday, August 12, 2013

The GOP's Health Care Vision for the U.S.A. Playing Out in Texas

UPDATE BELOW:




Everything's big in Texas.  Even its horrid statistics concerning its citizens' lack of health care coverage:


Texas ranks 46th in the country for health care. It's in a race to the very bottom, dragging its sick men, women, and children with it.


Six million people or 24 percent of all Texans—and 30 percent of those ages 18 to 64—have no health insurance.  


Twenty-two Texas counties are among the nation's 30 worst for health insurance coverage.

 Gov. Rick (Oops!) Perry has refused the Affordable Care Act's expansion of Medicaid, 1.5 million Texans will needlessly remain uninsured after January 1.

Texas will join Arizona, Alabama, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wyoming in refusing the guarantee that insurance companies follow the ACA's new regulations:

 Though Texas will join 26 other states in defaulting to a federal marketplace for purchasing health insurance -- a major component of the Affordable Care Act -- it is one of only six that will not enforce new health insurance reforms prescribed by the law.

h/t dailykos



I've noticed how quiet the conservative blogs are on this "following-the-law" issue, while other conservative/libertarian  blogs have been very diligent in pointing out the misfeasance of Pennsylvania's AG for handing out marriage licenses "in direct contravention of the laws of the Commonwealth."

It is curious how indignant these law and order types are about gay marriage license issues (which harm no one), but are silent as corpses on an issue that will harm men, women, and children.

What's playing out in Texas is nothing more than deliberate and vindictive obstruction in order to make some sort of spiteful political point, while Texans go uninsured, which will result in medical and financial disasters. 

This is the GOP's vision for America.  Even when there are programs in place to help Americans through difficult medical issues, this political party would rather have Americans suffer life-altering consequences than implement many parts of the ACA.  The GOP leadership wants the ACA to fail, even if it means ruining American lives. 

Texas' Republican Senator Ted Cruz threatens to shut down the U.S. government unless Congress votes to defund Obamacare.  

That's not a political solution to anything; that's extortion. 

And it's criminal.  



UPDATE:

Whenever I visit a conservative blog, I usually find a typically ignorant comment slamming the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (god save it!*).  And the ignorant continue this stupidity because they haven't the intelligence to find out for themselves the facts, and they don't look for facts because the facts collide with their ignorance, also known as "cognitive dissonance."  But's that's just one of the reasons low-information, low-intelligence folks are attracted to the GOP.

What has this to do with my post on Texas' abominable health care for its citizens?

This:


"Massachusetts also had the lowest percentage of the population without health insurance in 2011, at a mere 4.3% — a whopping 10.8 percentage points below the national rate. 

The high rate of insured residents has much to do with a 2006 law signed by then-Gov. Mitt Romney. 

The law provided near universal health care coverage to all Massachusetts citizens. 

Among cities with populations of 100,000 or more, three Massachusetts cities — Boston, Worcester and Cambridge — had the lowest proportion of residents without health insurance at 5.5% or less, compared to a national rate of more than 15%."


Massachusetts, a very liberal, very small state compared with Texas, does a whoppingly better job than the very conservative large state of Texas. Massachusetts takes care of its citizens; Texas tells them to go to hell and suffer.

BTW, Massachusetts is among this country's 10 richest states, a stat that most conservatives would be proud of. But no conservative I know of will ever admit to how Massachusetts leads all the very red, very conservative southern states in quality of life issues.  

Blinders, you see, keep them blind and happy with their miserable lot under conservative government.

Good luck with that.

*from Charlie Pierce.

48 comments:

Dave Miller said...

Shaw, as I've seen it, the supposed "Law and Order" party is only concerned with following the laws they like and punishing those who disobey.

If they disobey an unliked law, they consider themselves patriots because they have deemed that particular law unconstitutional.

When others do the same and act against the laws they cherish, they are called criminals, lawbreakers, illegals, etc.

I've often wondered how the mind makes this distinction.

Doctor Tomato said...

shaw...the little crybabies are at it...again...they're so pissed...that FT...won't trash you...they way theY do...all the time...keep doin...what you're doin...it drives them...CRAZY!...LOL! low-intelligence people...talk about other people...and those over at AOW's blog...are the bottom...of the bottom feeders...always bitchin'...about you post...and wsrite...LOL!...magnificent!

Anonymous said...

I was truly inspired this weekend to see Obama interrupt and press conference and agree with the public statements of the reverends Jessie and Al in denouncing the attack on the white teenager by the three black thugs.

Really good to see them take a stand against racial violence.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Anonymous, we're truly inspired to read your comment and know that you and other like you have absolutely no understanding whatsoever of why Mr. Obama said what he said.


It's not surprising, since you see everything through a lens of hatred of this president, and your intellectual perception of complex issues is completely lacking.

Your witty little sarcastic comment is duly noted.

Yawn.




Ducky's here said...

This is just more of the Republican tailspin.

They cannot free themselves from the likes of Cruz unless there's a looming indictment such as with Michele Bachmann.
Strictly the cuckoo bananas party.

I've heard a few positive reports of initial implementation of ACA but with nutlogs like Cruz and Gohmert
(Texas got the most of them,
they sure do have a host of them)
you simply have to struggle to get the straight news which may be part of the strategy of these fringe right maroons.

BB-Idaho said...

Is that Ted Cruz or Joe McCarthy?
The resemblance is startling.

Shaw Kenawe said...

BB-Idaho, I have said the same. The resemblance IS startling!!!!!!!1

FreeThinke said...

It’s much too bad that folks today
Seem often to be furious.
The world would be more fun, I say,
If they, instead, were curious.


~ FreeThinke

The Sword of Truth said...

As if there are no fringe left maroons. Or did you mean morons. Either or, same difference.

Anonymous said...

Is the NYT a conservative blog?

A Limit on Consumer Costs Is Delayed in Health Care Law:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/13/us/a-limit-on-consumer-costs-is-delayed-in-health-care-law.html?partner=MYWAY&ei=5065&_r=1&&pagewanted=print

Shaw Kenawe said...

TSoT,

Give us an equivalent example of a Ted "defund Obamaca care, or else" Cruz;

a Todd "that whole thing shuts down" Aiken;


a Michele "the vaccine made her retarded" Bachmann;

an Alan "there are communists in the House" West;

a Rick "Ooops" Perry;

a Donald "My People Are Finding All Sorts of Amazing Things about his birth certificate" Trump;

a Herman "999" Caine.

or the new "morans" emerging everyday--like the one who's ready to impeach Mr. Obama, except for the fact he has no "High Crimes and Misdemeanors" to name as reasons to to do so;

or any liberal pol who's been caught passing around racist emails or jokes about President Obama and his family.

We all understand that both political parties have their "outliers," but it's abundantly evident that this particular president has caused this particular GOP at this particular time to completely lose whatever it had left of its hold on sanity.

Not one's writing columns about the "crazy" Democrats in major newspapers; and, I will add, a good deal of the columns have been written by the moderates in the GOP.

Efforts to make it a "They Do It Too!" fail in this instance because, Anthony Weiner notwithstanding, the GOP is in a class all by itself when it come to aiding and abetting its lunatics.


The Sword of Truth said...

Hatred drives fury. Fury feeds the source of hatred. Ideology is satisfied. Cycle continues. Known and understood by the sanctimonious left universally.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Here's just ONE example of what I mentioned above.

Shaw Kenawe said...

As for Anthony Weiner, the saner folks in the Democratic Party are leaving him and his idiocy:

From TPM:

"I think we can say Anthony Weiner is officially done. Three quarters of New York City voters now have an unfavorable impression of him. I’m pretty much used to no scandal information ever tanking candidates quite as much as commentators imagining. But this seems like the exception. I think there was a real chance he would have been elected Mayor pre-rescandal. But take two killed him. Politically."

Good.

He doesn't deserve to be elected, and instead of encouraging the jerk, the Dems dumped him.

And David Vitter, who actually bought "favors" from a prostitute in Louisiana, is still a U.S. Senator.

The Sword of Truth said...

Through the Looking Glass.

It has nothing whatsoever to do with "they do it to."

Except in the world without mirrors.

It will remain as it is. A continuing journey in the wasteland of acrimony and hatred.

Thanks to primarily... well, attitude.

With the twin ldeological extremist legions blazing the way to NOWHERE.

The Sword of Truth said...

Gohmert, a noboy, a pimple on a elephant.

The Sword of Truth said...

Is this Weiner week. Again? How tiring.

Shaw Kenawe said...

TSoT,

You seem to spend an awful lot of time coming to liberal blogs and telling us that we're mirror images of the cons.

I notice you rarely, if ever, post on the con blogs.

Why is that?

Why the attention here with your criticisms and not there?

Why not spread your Sword of Truth "wisdom" on their blogs?



Shaw Kenawe said...

Does the Democratic Party have an equivalent Rep. Steve King?

Rep. Steve King Says Latino Immigrants Are From A ‘Violent Civilization,’ Will Bring ‘More Violence’ To America


That will totally encourage the Latino/Hispanic community to embrace conservatives. LOL! What a complete asshat!

The Sword of Truth said...

I do when I believe it might help. However, many suffer from terminal intellectual blindness on the far right.

It is the fringes on both sides that are destroying this nation's ability to have productive dialog. Yet thus remains the focus.

Do you see it? It is staring you in the face.

Hoping the left has fewer intellectuly blind members. Time will tell.

The Sword of Truth said...

Agreed.

Nancy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders. All is relative.

Shaw Kenawe said...

No, TSoT, you won't get away with that comparison.

Pelosi and Sanders may have political positions you and other detest, but they are not lunatics who slam whole populations of people, like your conservative compatriots do.

Pelosi has been in politics for years and became the first female Speaker of the House, something no sane person would ever imagine Sarah Palin or Michele Bachmann achieving.

Bernie Sanders is no lunatic. You may hate his politics, but under no estimate is he a lunatic either.

Your attempt to show equivalence reveals your right-leaning biases.

I actually knew this from the beginning. You don't go hawking your "They Do It Too" propaganda at conservative blogs, do you.

Why just on liberal blogs? You didn't answer me on that.

I'll attempt an answer instead:

You're a con in "They Do It Too" clothing, that's why.

Your so-called criticism on "A continuing journey in the wasteland of acrimony and hatred" would be believed if you took that statement and placed it in the comment section of a number of conservative blogs.

That you don't do so shows me and others your "Sorta Truth." Sorry.

Nice try, though.

The Sword of Truth said...

Partisanship, by it's very nature blinds one to thoroughly considering, let alone understanding all viewpoints.

It serves to continue the US against THEM mentality.

Both ideological extremes are quilty of this. Denying this truth is either naive or stupid.

Take you pick.

Shaw Kenawe said...

C'mon, Sword, tell us who the equivalent of this TeaPublican is in the Democratic Party:

"So we have Alaska’s Tea Party senate candidate Joe Miller (as if Alaska didn’t have enough problems with Sarah Palin threatening to run) claiming at the FAMiLY leadership summit on August 10, that President Barack Obama is “engaged in a form of systematic spiritual and religious apartheid.”

Latino immigrants are violent and President Obama is engaged in a form of "systematic spiritual and religious apartheid."

Please. Show us who in the Democratic Party is that insane.

Shaw Kenawe said...

"The Sword of Truth said...
Partisanship, by it's very nature blinds one to thoroughly considering, let alone understanding all viewpoints.

It serves to continue the US against THEM mentality.

Both ideological extremes are quilty of this. Denying this truth is either naive or stupid."

But you're not selling this over at the conservative blogs, are you.

Again, you won't give us an answer to that very simple question.

If you're not posting your platitudes over at the cons' blogs, you're being hypocritical.

You are the one who seems to be blind to your own partisanship.

Anonymous said...

From

http://io9.com/5974468/the-most-common-cognitive-biases-that-prevent-you-from-being-rational

"We love to agree with people who agree with us. It's why we only visit websites that express our political opinions, and why we mostly hang around people who hold similar views and tastes. We tend to be put off by individuals, groups, and news sources that make us feel uncomfortable or insecure about our views — what the behavioral psychologist B. F. Skinner called cognitive dissonance. It's this preferential mode of behavior that leads to the confirmation bias — the often unconscious act of referencing only those perspectives that fuel our pre-existing views, while at the same time ignoring or dismissing opinions — no matter how valid — that threaten our world view. And paradoxically, the internet has only made this tendency even worse."

Evidence matters not! Only cognitive biases. All along the political spectrum now.

Shaw Kenawe said...

Charlie Pierce:

"With the imminent departure of Michele Bachmann from the World's Greatest Legislative Body today, we have inaugurated a new semi-regular weekly feature in which we study the possible successor to la Bachmann as Royal Regent of the Crazy People. (Louie Gohmert is, of course, emperor for life.) They're out there abroad in the land now, talking to their most fervent voters, and working without a net, which is producing a flock of contenders. But we had to settle on one, so let's spend a moment with Blake Farenthold, the pride of the 27th Congressional District of Texas, who finds himself quite disappointed with how the gridlock in Washington has frustrated the true business of Washington -- i.e., getting rid of that Kenyan in the White House."

Anonymous said...

The Sword of Truth said...
Hatred drives fury. Fury feeds the source of hatred. Ideology is satisfied. Cycle continues. Known and understood by the sanctimonious left universally.

...said the sanctimonious Sword of Truth...

LOL Anonymous said...

shaw...tsot is a con...trying to pass himself off as neutral...he's probably rn...easy to detect...

Dave Miller said...

TSOT... as someone decrying the state of political debate and claiming that both sides do it, I think Shaw has made a reasonable request.

Why not go to some of the more conservatives site we frequent, like Jo Jo politico and Geeez and tell them their views are part of the problem?

At lease here, you get polite dissension, at those blogs you will be called names, ridiculed and perhaps even be called unAmerican... all in the name of standing up for America.

Tell us why you have not done so?

The Sword of Truth said...

Your extreme biases and rampant partisanship is showing Shaw. As well as is all the rest of you individuals who claim to be so UNDERSTANDING and DIVERSE.

A joke and a lie.

Shaw Kenawe said...

"The Sword of Truth said...
Your extreme biases and rampant partisanship is showing Shaw. As well as is all the rest of you individuals who claim to be so UNDERSTANDING and DIVERSE.

A joke and a lie."

Okay,TSoT. It's very evident why you've come here. You had no intention of being a "neutral" observer, but rather only another con/libertarian in disguise and one whose only goal is to taunt me and others who do not believe a word you've written.

Dave Miller is correct.

If you were truly a non-partisan commenter, you would have peddled your pomposity at conservative blogs as well.

It's too bad you weren't truly interested in a dialog but only interested in scolding.

On the conservative blogs, as Dave attested, when a liberal comments, the cons attack and call us names, even when their own rules prohibit doing so.

But perhaps you're not aware of this, since you don't visit those blogs to scold their blatant partisanship.

Oh well.

The Sword pf Truth said...

It is unfortunate you fail to understand. Oh well.

Dave Miller said...

Part of the difference SOT is that we openly admit we are partisans here, even while decrying a lot of what currently passes for politics here in America today.

Both Shaw and I, and some of the others here have in fact been critical of Dems, libs, and President Obama while he is in office.

You wont hear us saying we do not want to be critical of our "Dear Leader" for fear of giving the other side ammunition.

That is strictly the purview of certain right leaning blogs... the same ones that ban name calling and personal attacks unless they are directly at dissenters or left leaning commentators.

You said "I have"... you have what? Gone to other blogs or commented that they too are part of the problem in politics because they lean blatantly to the right?

Anonymous said...

The Sword of Truth is RN, that was exposed on another blog last week. I don't know why you put up with that scum bag, he is playing you from both sides and loves to sit back laugh and watch people go off. He has posted here as anon, and other monikers, he loves to stir the pot. You seem to enjoy it maybe that's why you put up with him

Shaw Kenawe said...

"The Sword of TruthMon Aug 12, 11:50:00 AM EDT
Cribbing Forest Gump's Mama here... "Liar is as liar does", or in a different vein, "it takes one to know one."

Which is it Jersey McJones? OPS, both would apply simultaneously I suppose."

Is this the comment you mean, TSoT? This was on RN's blog, and it isn't mocking his partisanship, but it IS mocking Jersey McJones, a liberal.

There's a fine example of your idea of "balance."

Anonymous said...

You know JMJ is RN's alter ego. RN loves to post the "other side." Funny but deeply sick.

The Sword of Truth said...

Check you e-mail Ms. Shaw...

I bid you a good day.

Oh my Mr. Dave.But you fail to realize one thing. I am OPINIONATED. I am not partisan having taken to task many a right wing ideologue.

Are you able to say the same, having done so with extreme left wing ideologues? I think unlikely.

Yet you and Shaw criticize ME?

LAMAO!

Shaw Kenawe said...

This is for the Anonymous who posted a comment @4:07 PM, Aug. 12:

Taken from a far right blog:

Where's Anonymous now?????


"Jesse Jackson Speaks Out Condemns African Americans Who Beat White Boy on Bus

I am pleasantly surprised to hear that Jesse Jackson has spoken out against the three teenage African Americans who beat a white boy on a bus.


Jackson said, “We are trying to make contact with the family of the kid because we should discourage people attacking people, whether it’s black, white, white, black, black, that people should stop attacking people. We must learn to live together respectfully in a civilized way. And it becomes white, black, black white, it just makes matters worse, it does not make matters better.”
I am fully agree with Jesse Jackson. Everyone should respect one another regardless of skin color. More black civil rights leaders need to come forward to denounce this type of behavior when it is committed by blacks. In my opinion it is wrong for them to ONLY speak up when something tragic happens to a black person at the hands of a white individual. If everyone speaks up more often when beatings occur whether it's white on white, black on black, white on black, black on white maybe they would stop or at least decrease substantially."

Les Carpenter said...

Hey Anon how ya doing?

Showing once again your pathetic ignorance and propensity to fabricate stories?



Les Carpenter said...

Or, which is more likely, it is you who plays the part

The Sword of Truth said...

Yes.

The Sword of Truth said...

King, not a paragon of intellectual integrity.

The Sword of Truth said...

Yes, and.. Really/

The Sword of Truth said...

Is it evident? Apparently not so much.

Anonymous said...

Stupid conservatives, Part 2,756, 987:

"AnonymousAugust 13, 2013 at 3:07:00 PM EDT
By the way guys,talking about Nincompoops that "Sword of Truth" Guy, who has been writing on Shaws blog degrading Liberals and getting under Shaw’s skin and who Dave Miller is calling names and telling him to go to Geeeez or Joe Politico’s blog. Well that Idiot is a Flaming Liberal aka Truth 101, who has returned from the past trying to make us Conservatives look bad, Don’t let him fool anyone."

Anonymous said...

Hint to Anonymous on AOW's blog, it doesn't take much to make "Conservatives" look bad. We only have to read your moronic comments to understand that.

Bwahahahahahaha!

Anonymous said...

I don't have any problem judging.