Texas Legislature Quickly Getting To The Work Of Afflicting The Least Amongst Us

The newly empowered majorities in the Texas Legislature are considering pulling out of Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP).

Doing so would—In the view of the far-right— have the double-barreled effect of possibly saving money—If only in the short-term and at great human cost—and finding yet another way to stick it to Washington.

(Below–Double-barreled rifle. Photo by Commander Zulu. )

It is estimated that 3.6 million Texans use Medicaid and CHIP.

Here is the Texas Medicaid web page. Here is CHIP web page.

A state program would possibly be established to replace participation in federal programs.

Yet since leaving these programs would end the federal match, Texans would suffer.

Does anyone think that Texas would set up a program that would really help people?

Of course, the goal here is to save money and make a point that Texas can do whatever it wants no matter who it hurts.

Whether this would save money for cities and counties is another question. Who would care for people who need help?

Texas leads the nation in the percentage of people without health insurance.

This is what Texas has become. This is what our friends, family and neighbors who voted Republican asked for at the ballot box.

Maybe not every person who voted Republican understood what they were going to get, but these are the facts.

In the hard slog ahead, those of us who don’t want to live in a barbaric place are just going to have to do our best to spread the word.

Spreading the word involves communicating to those we know what is going on. This has to be a constant effort. Many people just pay attention at election time. People need to be aware of the facts before the heat of an election.

It would also be good if those who most need the help would better meet the personal responsibility of voting in every election.