Rick Perry ‘proudly’ refuses health care to 1.2 million low-income Texans

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

What tax cuts? The only tax cuts in recent history currently in effect were signed by Barack Obama.

I never said anything about Obama.  The top tax rate used to be 70% or more, now it isn't.  That's the problem.

Are you referring to prior times when the federal government collected less revenues and spend less money than it did during the Bush administration?

Are you going by absolute numbers? Lol.

No, as a percentage of gross domestic product. I use the charts here.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals

For instance, in 1965, federal receipts and outlays were 17% of GDP. I wonder if that is what opebo prefers.

1965 also saw a very young population and pretty good private-sector welfare with extensive unionization.

[BaldEagle1991]

Good for Rick.  Good for Texas.  Good for Common Sense.

Down here, we don't like using our childrens' credit card to borrow money for handouts.

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

[Return of the Mack]

Good for Rick.  Good for Texas.  Good for Common Sense.

Down here, we don't like using our childrens' credit card to borrow money for handouts.

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

[Franzl]

Good for Rick.  Good for Texas.  Good for Common Sense.

Down here, we don't like using our childrens' credit card to borrow money for handouts.

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

On average, the rich aren't usually the ones dying from being too fat. But sure, obesity is one of the things Texas is good at, yes.

[Miles]

Good for Rick.  Good for Texas.  Good for Common Sense.

Down here, we don't like using our childrens' credit card to borrow money for handouts.

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

If you're complaining about the high obesity rate in TX, then I'm sure you're a big fan of the FLOTUS and her efforts to increase healthy eating habits and promote fitness.

[Oakvale]

It's sad that I don't even find this remotely surprising.

[Return of the Mack]

If you're complaining about the high obesity rate in TX, then I'm sure you're a big fan of the FLOTUS and her efforts to increase healthy eating habits and promote fitness.

I didn't say I was complaining, just stating a fact - a lot of people have health problems because they eat too much and move around too little.  And I support Michello O raising the obesity issue, but that doesn't mean I am willing to mortgage the future to pay for the what should have been unnecessary health care needs of masses of lazy gluttons.

[Miles]

If you're complaining about the high obesity rate in TX, then I'm sure you're a big fan of the FLOTUS and her efforts to increase healthy eating habits and promote fitness.

I didn't say I was complaining, just stating a fact - a lot of people have health problems because they eat too much and move around too little.  And I support Michello O raising the obesity issue, but that doesn't mean I am willing to mortgage the future to pay for the what should have been unnecessary health care needs of masses of lazy gluttons.

I feel you on that; I see it here as well. Good, as long as you're consistent.

[krazen1211]

What tax cuts? The only tax cuts in recent history currently in effect were signed by Barack Obama.

I never said anything about Obama.  The top tax rate used to be 70% or more, now it isn't.  That's the problem.

Are you referring to prior times when the federal government collected less revenues and spend less money than it did during the Bush administration?

Are you going by absolute numbers? Lol.

No, as a percentage of gross domestic product. I use the charts here.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/Historicals

For instance, in 1965, federal receipts and outlays were 17% of GDP. I wonder if that is what opebo prefers.

1965 also saw a very young population and pretty good private-sector welfare with extensive unionization.

That is very true. What 1965 did not see is the revenue structure required to pay for the extensive public-sector welfare system that opebo, Obama, and perhaps you support. Which makes me wonder why one would see such a 1965esque revenue structure.

[Green State]

I'm not surprised with Rick Perry's stance on health care.

But then again he can't be taken seriously given that he has made a big fool out of himself anyways during the GOP nominating process.

[Indy Texas]

A family of three can only make $188 per month or less to qualify for Medicaid in Texas?  Holy crap.

This is why I have soured on the notion that every program would be better off just getting block-granted to state government. Because to Rick Perry and other public officials like him, running programs "more efficiently" essentially means not running them at all and then shifting the funds to pay for other things (as was the case with the education money we received from the feds last year).

Meanwhile, we'll be spending more money unnecessarily since Rick and other members of the Hamas wing of the Texas Republican Party can't abide any public health funds going to Planned Parenthood and we can't get federal funding for women's health as a result.

[BaldEagle1991]

Good for Rick.  Good for Texas.  Good for Common Sense.

Down here, we don't like using our childrens' credit card to borrow money for handouts.

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

Rich? No not really. Parts of the state are lacking indoor plumbing.

[opebo]

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

Actually it is precisely accurate to say that they are poor and fat.  Poverty=obesity.  It is a servile condition which causes the citizenry to be fattened like beeves by the corporations.

[Green State]

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

Actually it is precisely accurate to say that they are poor and fat.  Poverty=obesity.  It is a servile condition which causes the citizenry to be fattened like beeves by the corporations.

[Simfan34]

The thing that's interesting about all these high-profile conservative governors refusing to implement the ACA is that it's only a certain type of governor doing so. In fact, I can list the governors who have publicly refused the ACA (with a little bit of searching): Perry, Jindal, Scott Walker, Mitch Daniels, Rick Scott, Sam Brownback, Terry Brandstand, Denis Daugaard, Chris Christie, and Nikki Haley (so far).

In other words, they feel this is the direction conservative thought shall be taking in the years to come?

And yet the state is poor and people are dying and starving.

No, the state is rich and people are dying from being too fat.

Actually it is precisely accurate to say that they are poor and fat.  Poverty=obesity.  It is a servile condition which causes the citizenry to be fattened like beeves by the corporations.

Such a perverse inversion of prior custom!

[greenforest32]

It's now official.

http://www.npr.org/2013/05/23/186303141/health-officials-decry-texas-snubbing-of-medicaid-billions

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[Small Business Owner of Any Repute]

The best place to save the government's money is to make sure poor people die of treatable diseases. Poor people just aren't worth saving, otherwise they'd have more money. Right? That's how it works in this country, right?

[tik 🪀✨]

How is this even remotely defensible? Seriously, it seems like the only benefit is for the politicians who want to maintain their conservative credentials. A purely political maneuver with the potential cost measured literally in death. They have come full circle - they are the death panels they themselves warned us of.

[anvi]

So, thousands of *working* parents of Texas families will, both for themselves and for their children, have to go without routine or specialized health care, and state hospitals will lose money, just so Rick Perry can brag to TEA-Partiers in 2016, only to lose the primary miserably...again?  

Dear Governor Perry, go f yourself.  Thanks.

[perdedor]

This travesty that some claim to be happening has just been voted by a bunch of media and academia lib's that Texas is the # 1 state. CNBC

Number one in the availability low-paying service and retail jobs, perhaps. That, however, is useless should you posses even a molecule of self respect. We are probably number one for most regressive tax system...which naturally appeals to businesses.

I love Texas, but to be honest - it's a socioeconomic wasteland. The wealthy come to Texas to take advantage of its regressive economic culture. The working people only stay because they love their state on a quasi patriotic level.

So long as we empower people like Rick Perry to thumb his nose at federal legislation that benefits the poor, Texas will never change.

[Modernity has failed us]

Too bad I won't be living in Texas in 2014. I'd much prefer to vote against Rick Perry than Tom Corbett.

[King]

Rick Perry isn't going to win re-election and while the next Governor will be Republican, too, by Inauguration Day 2015 the advantages economically the ACA states (especially California, who Texas likes to compete with) are getting by the boom in the healthcare industry from more consumption and increase in disposable income from those who already have care, will be so apparent that Texas will probably expand in 2016.

[PJ]

Looking at some of the older replies, I have to ask: in general is the forum more liberal than it was a year ago?

Rick Perry isn't going to win re-election and while the next Governor will be Republican, too, by Inauguration Day 2015 the advantages economically the ACA states (especially California, who Texas likes to compete with) are getting by the boom in the healthcare industry from more consumption and increase in disposable income from those who already have care, will be so apparent that Texas will probably expand in 2016.

What about Castro?

[All Along The Watchtower]

well poor people need to stop eating junk food and having anchor babies. But Obummer wants the parasitic class to be permanent so the lazy bums and welfare cheats will vote for Democrats forever.

[King]

What about Castro?

Depends.  If Obama and his campaign side take their voter roll database and do an early voting campaign similar to 2008 and 2012 to get minorities and youth to vote in the midterms, Castro could win.  Given normal midterm turnout, he'd lose by the standard 55-45 Texas election result.