Nurses condemn Pawlenty refusal to accept federal health care funds

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.workdayminnesota.org/index.php?news_6_4607

ST. PAUL - The president of the 20,000-member Minnesota Nurses Association condemned Governor Tim Pawlenty’s recent Executive Order directing state agencies to refuse all “discretionary participation” in the federal health care reform law.

“This is truly an unconscionable decision by our governor. By doing this the governor will hurt Minnesota’s most vulnerable patients and undermine our efforts to save and create health care jobs in this state,” said MNA President Linda Hamilton. “Clearly, the actions by our governor put his political ambitions ahead of the health of Minnesotans.”

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, along with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, will both bring badly needed new federal health care dollars into the state, which is facing a huge budget deficit in 2011.

The governor’s refusal to accept assistance for the Medicaid program means Minnesota will lose out on $236 million in federal funds this year along with over
$1.4 billion in funds that could be used to help offset the state’s poorly-funded General Assistance Medical Care program, the union said.

FULL story at link.

[catgirl]

1. What an idiot n/t

[Bitwit1234]

2. Before Phewlenty took office we had

a very good Health Care Plan for citizens who could not afford to pay and for those who earned under a lower wage. Those who were unable to pay were not charged and the rest paid a nominal fee, with co pays for prescriptions and doctor and hospital visits. We had this plan for abut 35 years. Phewlenty slowly dismantled it, while cutting taxes for the rich and corporations. He just recently cut the medicaid out all together. This man like the rest of the republicans does not care for the needy and the poor as long as he can put millions in the pockets of the rich and corporations. I think someone should sue his butt, tie him up so bad he doesn't have time to make a fool of himself, or maybe they should let him make more of a fool of himself than he is. He has no chance to be a presidential candidate that my cat does.

[Enthusiast]

3. Pawlenty is running for president in 2012.

He is trying to maximize his appeal to the Teabagger/Republican base.

[Brickbat]

4. He is proving to the country what a good Republican he is -- take something that's working and wreck

it, all in the name of...well, something.