Of the 68 percent who think developing a plan to tackle Health Care Reform issues is important, the prevailing belief is that Medicaid expansion must be rejected.
Filed under Entitlements, Federal Government, health, Legislature, Medicaid, Mississippi, Obamacare, Politics, Spending, State Government
The Secretary of State’s Office will conduct a thorough review of absentee ballots cast in some cities in the upcoming Municipal Primary Election. This review comes on the heels of several complaints from municipal clerks, elected officials, and citizens regarding a high number of absentee ballots cast thus far in the primary.
“A high number of absentee ballots cast this early in the primary causes concern for our Municipal Clerks and our Agency and may lead our citizens to question the integrity of their election,” says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann.
The Secretary of State’s Office has also received complaints from some municipal clerks stating some individuals have allegedly been solicited to cast an absentee ballot.
Related articles
BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett
Let’s say you’ve been working just a few miles from home for the past several years. Your employer has allowed you to use a company truck to get you back and forth. So, you’ve budgeted your life accordingly. You’ve given your spouse the family vehicle to drive. You want her to have a dependable ride.
Due to the down economy and a bigger tax burden, your current employer decides to cut back the use of the company vehicle to “official use only”, then they cut your hours.
You’ve decided it’s time to move on. You got lucky, and found someone who offered you a job, but it’s a 30-minute drive from home, and no company vehicle.
There is a public transit system available to get you close enough to walk to your potential new job, but it leaves 15-minutes later than you need in order to get there on time. If you’re asked to work later than the normal working hours you may miss the afternoon transit entirely. Further adding to the dilemma is that the public transit is many times off schedule, and often routes and times change, meaning you will have to try and keep up with those changes daily in order to work out a way to get to and from work.
In many ways, this is the conundrum uninsured workers now face.
The form of transportation represents health insurance: employer provided, private insurance, and Medicaid Expansion. After all, transportation is basically insurance for being able to get where we need to be when we need to be there.
In our analogy, the problem with the company truck the employer is providing is that it only gets you so far, and as more regulations and taxes tighten the bottom line it becomes necessary for companies to cut it altogether, hoping you’ll find another ride. The problem with the privately purchased “vehicle” is that it may cost you too much for you to live at the level you are currently accustomed.
The final version of transportation in our story–public transit–is not dependable and many times causes a worse outcome than if you had just stuck it out with the first job.
Now imagine you’ve opted to go with public transit in our little analogy and you board the bus and find that it is already fully occupied with people. Where do you sit? What if tomorrow it is they who are late getting to the bus stop and it’s already full with you and an ‘expanded’ number of new riders?
Simple right? Add more buses. But, where do we get the money for that? Well, we increase taxes on more companies. Unfortunately, the added costs in taxes to these companies causes more cuts that add more riders to the bus.
What about drivers (doctors)? We have to pay the bus drivers. But, we have to keep costs down so we can’t pay them too much. Not paying market value in turn means we have a lesser pool of potential bus drivers willing to take the job. Should they accept the job of driving the bus, they are now being asked to drive longer hours and make more stops to cover the growing number of riders. AND, they are doing it for less pay.
The wheels on the bus go round and round, but we’re stuck in an expanding and simultaneously deteriorating problem.
FIND MORE ARTICLES BY KEITH PLUNKETT HERE.
The old saying in government is that if you want more of something then subsidize it, if you want less of something then tax it. That is what we’re seeing with Medicaid expansion. The subsidy carrot is being dangled in front of states through Medicaid expansion to incentivize the herding of more people into a system that already fails to deliver healthy outcomes to those it currently serves. As that system founders under the weight of expansion, then more taxes will be necessary to fund the increasing size of the system, meaning less jobs, therefore more people in the system, and less coverage resulting in less healthy outcomes . . . . repeat, ad nauseum.
Medicaid already underserves the people it is supposed to benefit, and that is before any expansion. Pushing more people into a system that, in many cases, provides worse health outcomes than for those that have no insurance at all is akin to poisoning through small doses.
To use another analogy, Mississippi Democrats are proposing pouring a bushel of fresh apples on top of a bushel of spoiled ones. We know what happens to the good apples in that scenario.
Think that’s too harsh? Consider the results of a study published in the Annals of Surgery in 2010.
The study examined outcomes for 893,658 individuals undergoing major surgical operations from 2003 to 2007. Patients were divided by the type of insurance they held—private, Medicare, Medicaid, and uninsured—and adjusted the database in order to control for age, gender, income, geographic region, operation, and health conditions to allow for correction in differences. Three measurements of surgical outcome quality were examined: the rate of in-hospital mortality; average length of stay in the hospital (longer stays in the hospital are a marker of poorer outcomes); and total costs.
Keep in mind, this is but one study. There are many, many more that show the same basic outcome; Medicaid is a death trap.
Anyone that says the uninsured deserve to be on Medicaid, deserves to have their head examined. If they do, they better hope they’re not on Medicaid when they have the examination performed. Studies show it might not end very well for them.
The way to fix this problem is by first admitting that having 300,000 uninsured working poor in Mississippi is something that should be addressed. Unfortunately, we are hamstrung by a federal government that won’t take steps to innovate. There is little Mississippi can do to change that. It’s not like we have the money to fund new approaches to health care delivery. As it is we’re spending close to 40 times more in Mississippi on Medicaid than is spent on job creation.
If the federal government were willing to turn the Medicaid program into a block grant program to all 50 states, much like was done with Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) in 1996, then that opens the possibility of some serious innovation. It worked with AFDC.
Until that–or something like that–occurs, we are stuck with a top-down, one-size-fits-all approach that is literally killing off the indigent in our state and across the country. In the meantime, rejecting expansion of a system that kills in the name of health is the moral thing to do. Reauthorizing Medicaid at it’s current level is the only current option, but even that needs serious work.
About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett
Related articles
U.S. Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) photo from congressional bioguide from 109th COngress (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
An envelope sent to an office of Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) included a substance that has tested positive for Ricin, two sources say.
It was not immediately clear when the envelope was received or whether it was sent to his Washington, D.C., office or a field office.
via Politico
Related articlesFiled under Federal Government, Law Enforcement, Mississippi
BY: B. Keith Plunkett @Keithplunkett
Personhood Mississippi announced Tuesday they are planning to take another shot at a Personhood Amendment in Mississippi defining life as beginning at conception. The sponsors filed paperwork with the Secretary of State’s office to begin the process of collecting signatures to get the measure on the ballot. The last initiative was defeated by 58 percent.
Countless hours will go into preparing the new initiative, gathering signatures and promoting the movement across the state. Much money will be spent. Much heartache, argument and self righteous piousness will be endured.
And in the end, it will all be for nothing . . . again.
Just saying that will no doubt get me labeled as a sinner and a charlatan, despite the fact that my wife and I have two handsome sons and would not consider for one moment snuffing out the life of an unborn child. Therein lies a big problem for Personhood Mississippi. The allegiances of even those who support pro-life, pro-family policies will be doubted and demonized if we ask too many questions.
Unwillingness to prepare for serious discussions about in-vitro fertilization, ectopic pregnancies and contraception led to the downfall of the last Personhood Initiative beginning within the medical community. Personhood proponents continue even today to further the idea that “outside agitators” came in to Mississippi and confused the masses. As if the people of the state can’t think for themselves.
Further discussion regarding allowances of abortion in the case of having to save the life of the mother, or of rape and incest brought on more division within the ranks of the pro-life movement itself. At every turn, the representatives of Personhood Mississippi communicated that the 2011 ballot initiative was all or nothing. No exceptions. You’re with us or against us.
In our Mississippi PEP 2013 Conservative State of the State Survey, conservatives ranked abortion regulation as one of the least important issues facing the state. Further complicating the pro-life movement in Mississippi is the fact that the small number of conservatives who think it’s important can’t agree on the level of regulation.
That is why the initiative failed and why it is likely to fail again. Because there is no room for compromise among the separate factions of pro-lifers. If they can’t agree then how in hell do they expect to clearly communicate the message to the general public?
For those of us conservatives who would like to see the window of opportunity now afforded by Republican control of state government used to it’s full potential, a new Personhood Initiative is an unnecessary distraction. This is a battle that will bring opposition resources (read liberal friendly resources) to our state to do battle when we least need it, during an election.
Despite the calls for unity the Republican party is in trouble. The Mississippi GOP is hurting for money and is having turnover problems with staff. The resources and manpower aren’t available to have this kind of fight.
If Republican leaders are paying attention then they realize there is a split developing and it will only be widened should Personhood make it back to the ballot. All of this will be happening in either 2014–when Congressional races and a Senate race is going on–or in 2015 when the Governor’s mansion, many statewide offices and many legislative offices are again up for grabs. The abortion issue would be a distraction in both races, but could be a candidate killer in the 2015 cycle.
If candidates are forced to prove their pro-life bonafides on the campaign trail through support of Personhood then our entire conservative movement in Mississippi will suffer the repercussions. Because, like it or not, conservatives are tied to the Republican brand.
Demographic data from the last Presidential Election show that Republicans lost the 18-29 year olds by a margin of 24 points. The 18-29 year old group had the highest turnout ever for that age group in a national election at 49%. If you look at Mississippi’s numbers in terms of voting 18-29 years olds you’ll find they vote higher than the national average. Mississippi voters 30 years and older vote less than the national average.
Mississippi 18-29 year olds make up almost a third of of the total population at close to 550,000. In terms of racial makeup the numbers of non-whites in this category track about 5 to 7% greater than the state average, meaning Republicans could be at the tipping point in this demographic category in less than 10 years and maybe as little as 5 if they don’t do something to begin communicating conservatism effectively.
I’ve spoken with many college age conservatives over the course of the past two years, and Personhood is a non-starter for almost all of them. In the general view of most, abortion is a personal medical decision where the government should not roam. In other words, they take the often stated rarely implemented “getting big government out of our lives” position seriously.
It is my belief that Personhood Mississippi will find more difficulty this time around gaining the number of signatures necessary. People are still a little punch drunk from the last fight. Personhood certainly won’t get my signature. Demonize me and judge me if you like. But, I believe Personhood Mississippi showed they’re lack of political effectiveness during the last debate.
As a conservative, I believe we should be focused on getting things done for future generations that need good policy decisions to help them get jobs that will allow them to provide for their families. If we do that then abortion on demand becomes less of an issue through attrition. As to the other issues regarding abortion, I believe medical privacy puts that squarely on the shoulders and conscience of the individual and their doctor.
I am pro-life. But this is not a battle that Republicans, nor Conservatives, nor pro-lifers will likely win. And, even if Personhood passes it could cost us the war. That is a chance I am unwilling to take.
About Keith: Keith Plunkett has worked on communications issues with a range of public officials from aldermen to Congressmen, and a variety of businesses, governmental agencies and non-profits. He serves or has served as a board member of several non-profit, civic and political organizations. Contact him by going to HorizonMediaMarketing.com or follow him on Twitter @Keithplunkett
Filed under Abortion, Ballot Initiative, contributor, health, Keith Plunkett, Mississippi, Personhood, Politics, Republican, State Government
Sen. Giles Ward, R-Louisville, brought up the June ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court that upheld key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.
“The ruling surprised a lot of people, including me,” Ward said. “But the Supreme Court got one thing right – this entire legislation is a tax.”
Ward went on to say the proposed expansion of Medicaid found in the law’s language was one the state couldn’t afford, saying nearly 400,000 people would be eligible to receive benefits from the expansion but the cost would be too much.
via MEDICAID EXPANSION | The Clarion-Ledger | clarionledger.com.
BY: Chris McDaniel @senatormcdaniel
The federal government, prior to 2008, had never increased the public debt by as much as $1 trillion in a single year. Since then, while experimenting with the witchcraft known as Keynesian economics, it has increased the debt by at least $1 trillion each and every fiscal year.
Although Congress has spent trillions, federal policies have resulted in faltering consumer confidence, high unemployment and disappointing job creation. Evidently, intervention in the free market is not working as advertised.
There are two primary and interrelated reasons the government’s economic plans have been ineffective.
First, politicians underestimated the psychological impact of excessive debt and government entanglement.
Certainty is a friend to investment and business growth, but it cannot be found amid discussions of cap and trade, taxpayer-funded bailouts, nationalized healthcare, tax increases, uncontrolled spending and record debt. Congressional activity – by words and deeds – has heightened uncertainty about the economic future.
The President’s economic theories, like those of Congress, are premised on the supposition that government spending will provide additional market demand, which would thereby lead to elevated prices and more private-sector hiring. It was the administration’s prediction that spending and public-works projects would help “prime the pump” until “full employment” was attained.
But it has not worked; it will not work – the administration’s desires cannot be realized because government fabricated uncertainty has clogged the so-called pump. Instability generated by government action has rendered private long-term planning speculative, so consumers feel compelled to reserve their cash and reduce investments necessary for economic growth.
Second, micromanaging a large and diverse economy from a central location (Washington, D.C.) is clumsy, inefficient and dangerous.
Centralization is, of course, less efficient than capitalism in terms of development and resource allocation. Because vast national economies like ours are complex, government agencies cannot easily correct perceived shortcomings. To control prices and the flow of money from the private sector to the public sector is virtually impossible without limitations on freedom.
The historic success of Western Civilization, generally speaking, was based on the transfer of power from the state to the individual, but with government usurping authority in an attempt to manage the impossibly complex process of economic planning, development and control, its involvement – by necessity – will negatively affect individual liberty.
Although bureaucrats – best described as well-meaning idealists – promise utopia, they often fall short of their intended objectives. The more they improvise to avoid the eventual failure of their plans, the greater the disruptions are to prosperity. And as their plans fail with predictability, one intervention inevitably leads to another, creating economic distortions which require further interventions to correct them.
The result is an unwelcome cycle of government action that robs citizens of their wealth and basic freedoms, undermining economic recoveries by altering human behavior on a large scale. Investors respond, in turn, by removing capital from the private sector. Instead of a revival of private spending and investment, increased public intervention becomes the norm as central planners seek to stimulate a sinking economy by spending more and more of the taxpayers’ money, ignoring the incontrovertible fact that not all spending is equally productive.
For an economic recovery to be successful, policies must aim to stimulate private investment, not frighten it into submission.
It must first be explained how an economy can work correctly before policymakers can enact meaningful reform designed to spur a recovery.
A good place to start is the outright rejection of Keynesian economic theory.
About Chris: Chris is an attorney, conservative commentator and a Republican politician in the Mississippi Senate who has represented the 42nd District, which encompasses part of South Mississippi, since 2008. He resides with his family in Ellisville, Mississippi.
Plans for Mississippi’s state-run insurance exchange now are on hold pending the results of November’s general election, according to Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney.
The decision is a complete turnaround from statements Chaney, a Republican, made Wednesday when he announced his intentions to continue work on the insurance exchange in spite of political pressure from Tea Party members and other conservatives to halt its progress.
“Presently, we are far enough along in creating a free-market exchange, without provisions of the Affordable Care Act, that we do not have to make any final decision until after the November election, at which time we can make an intelligent and informed decision,” read Chaney’s statement to The Clarion-Ledger on Thursday.
Opponents of the federal health care law have been putting pressure on leaders in several states to not move forward with health care exchanges in an effort to derail implementation of portions of it.
Chaney’s new stance on the insurance exchange plans – which would allow Mississippians to shop an online insurance marketplace for comparable rates and provisions – was met with praise by Republican Gov. Phil Bryant.
“The Governor appreciates the decision of (Chaney) to delay implementing a state health insurance exchange until after the November elections,” said spokesman Mick Bullock.
via Insurance exchange tabled | The Clarion-Ledger | clarionledger.com.
Related Articles
Mississippi lawmakers are poised to pass an immigration bill this year, but it has been watered down to the point that it no longer encompasses the core of the Arizona law.
As the Mississippi bill has made its way through the House, lawmakers have cut the portion allowing law enforcement to perform roadside immigration checks. They have also removed contentious parts that would require school officials to check the immigration status of students enrolling in schools, and would make it a state crime not to carry identification papers — provisions that have been blocked by federal judges in other states.
The shift has been striking to Suman Raghunathan, given the wave of anti-illegal-immigration bills passed in the last two years.
“I think the pendulum has stopped a little closer … to the middle this year,” said Raghunathan, policy director of the Progressive States Network, which opposes state immigration enforcement laws.
The change has been jarring for some Republican legislators.
Virginia state Delegate Rich Anderson , a Republican, was so intrigued after Arizona passed its immigration enforcement law that he used his own frequent-flier miles to visit the state to speak with the bill’s sponsors.
Yet this year, Anderson couldn’t even pass a bill that would inform Virginia magistrates about the immigration status of people arrested so they could use the information when determining whether to grant bail. So he doubts anything close to an Arizona-style bill would stand a chance.
“The timing is not right in Virginia,” he said.
Tennessee state Rep. Joe Carr, a Republican who has authored several anti-illegal-immigration laws in recent years, is not optimistic that his bill granting police the ability to check the immigration status of suspects during routine traffic stops will pass the Republican-controlled Legislature this year. He said legislators in Tennessee and other states have grown wary of Justice Department-led lawsuits against states, and they’re hoping November’s presidential election will change that tone.
“We think we’re going to have a much more friendly atmosphere in the federal government in a few months, so there’s no reason to participate in an overly expensive endeavor,” Carr said.
via States’ anti-illegal immigration bills hit roadblocks – USATODAY.com.
Start-up schools are created when a sponsor organizes a school under a charter. They typically require additional facilities and personnel, divert funds from existing public schools or result in additional costs to taxpayers. Funding has become a major issue in Mississippi‘s debate over charter schools.
There are a plethora of studies of charter schools. Sometimes the results have been positive; sometimes not so good. For example, a 2009 study by Stanford University reported that “… in the aggregate, students in charter schools [are] not faring as well as students in traditional public schools” (New Stanford Report Finds Serious Quality Challenge in National Charter School Sector, 2009). The success of individual schools depends upon the adults who are in charge.
Charter schools are an education tool Mississippi should explore. We should give our current parent trigger law time to work, and we should look for opportunities for start-up charters. However, charters are not a silver bullet and we should continue to support all efforts to fund and improve our existing public schools.
Rep. Cecil Brown
District 66
Jackson
Filed under Education, Mississippi, Mississippi State House, Opinion, Politics, State Government, Teachers
