Indiana Defunds PP: 'OK' to Lose Medicaid Funding.

[Thejebusfire]

Jun 5, 2011 18:56:42 GMT -5 clockworkgirl21 said:

Because poor people being sick is okay as long as fetuses are saved?

As long as the fetus is born, who cares what happens to it afterwards.

[wmdkitty]

If you're pre-born, you're fine. If you're pre-school, you're fucked.

[rookie]

At this point, I've had it with both parties. I am going to make popcorn and watch the show. Hell, this level of governmental drama beats anything on daytime basic cable. With casts that include Wiener displaying his wiener, GOP members doing their best Snidley Whiplash, Obama and Co. leading the hopelessly idealistic yet fatally naive. Yup. I have my new favorite soap opera.

[kristine]

Jun 5, 2011 18:33:23 GMT -5 Mr. Nnamdi said:

Yay! I have more news to break your faith in Humanity; apparently, Indiana has defunded Planned Parent (I totally missed, maybe just me).

The Department of Health and Services has stated that the government cannot selectively defund health agencies that provide legal services, and The Obama Administration is against it due to its effects on approximately 1,000,000 poverty stricken citizens. In response, The Obama Administration is threatening to defund 4.3 billion dollars in Medicaid funding to Indiana if they don't back down on Planned Parenthood.

And - surprise - some of the Republicans or 'OK' with Medicaid being defunded, so long as they can keep Planned Parenthood defunded.

Here's an excerpt:

INDIANAPOLIS — A looming showdown over Indiana's new law that cuts funding for the Planned Parenthood organization may test how far Republican-led states are willing to go in pressing their tough new anti-abortion agendas. The stakes are high. The future of health care for more than 1 million poor and elderly Indiana residents hangs in the balance.

Indiana became the first state this year to cut off all government funds to Planned Parenthood, fulfilling conservatives' goal of financially weakening organizations that provide abortions. Other conservative states have considered such action in recent years but backed away under the threat of loss of all federal money for their Medicaid programs.

The willingness of Indiana, led by a Republican governor and GOP-controlled Legislature, to challenge the federal government and risk a huge financial penalty could take the issue into uncharted legal and political territory. Conservative leaders in other states will be watching the confrontation as they plan their own action on abortion and other social issues.

"I think this is an instance in which a state is really trying to overturn national policy and in so doing is likely to forego federal funding," said Christopher Arterton, professor of political management at George Washington University and an expert on federal-state issues.

Is Indiana willing to risk $4.3 billion in Medicaid money to strike a blow for the right-to-life movement? Some conservative members of Republican-controlled legislatures argue it's time for states to risk serious penalties to defend their principles and throw off federal mandates. And the Medicaid program, with its rising costs and strict rules, has been a particular target of ire...

Rest of Article here: www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/05/indiana-abortion_n_871526.html

Hmm... we got another game of chicken here. Except that if Obama backs down or the Republicans don't, the poor lose.

Great.

Thoughts?

I suggest some of the 1,000,000 poverty stricken citizens and/or their friends pay the state of Indiana's representatives a visit.