One of the crutches that the Republican Governors have been leaning on in their quest to deny poor people access to quality healthcare was kicked out from under them yesterday.
The Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that President Obama’s health care law allows the federal government to provide nationwide tax subsidies to help poor and middle-class people buy health insurance, a sweeping vindication that endorsed the larger purpose of Mr. Obama’s signature legislative achievement.Yes, The Affordable Care Act is here to stay! Yay! Yay!! Yay!!!
The ruling saved some 6.4 million insured from a whopping 43% increase in premiums.
Removal of the subsidies would have created an insurance “death spiral,” driving healthy consumers out of the marketplace and leaving only sick patients who require expensive care.But it would have also done something else. You know that dishonorable Governors like Sam Brownback of Kansas, Rick Scott of Florida, Nikki Haley of South Carolina, and all the others were just eagerly awaiting this ruling from the Supreme Court. A ruling against Obamacare would have given them hope and a powerful argument that the program would be repealed. Now, thanks to the Brave 6, these governors will come under renewed pressure to do the right thing for their constituents.
It’s also past time for Republicans in state legislatures to make the Affordable Care Act work for their citizens. Thousands of low- and-middle-income residents in Missouri and Kansas continue to be priced out of health insurance because their GOP-controlled legislatures (and in Kansas, Gov. Sam Brownback) refuse to expand Medicaid eligibilityThey will also be sued by Members of the Support the Dream Defenders group. But wait, there's more. Our National Shaming Project is about set to kick off. We do all of this for one reason and one reason only: #LetOurPoorPeopleLive!
Help WantedWe need help to get moving on our #NationalShamingProject. We will need to send letters to the editor in many states, and we need someone to coordinate that. We need to send out press releases regarding our Kansas lawsuit (see last week's diary) and our forthcoming North Carolina lawsuit. In addition, it would be great if someone would make early contact with Rachel Maddow's staff, the AP, etc. Whoever accepts this position can name the position themselves: Publicity Manager? Director of Marketing? Whatever. Except we do not care for the word "czar." Whoever accepts this position can also rest happy that we have a socialist organization in which remuneration for the Admins is exactly the same as for Editors and Press Backscratchers. ;o) |