Governor Scott Urged to Accept $51Billion in Federal Funding
- Details
- Category: Politics
- Published: Wednesday, 02 October 2013 00:15
- Written by Roger Caldwell
Jim Burkhart, President of Tampa General Hospital with many distinguished business leaders, and Deirde Macnab, President of the League of Women Voters of Florida, said to the governor at a press conference last week, “Sit down with us and work with us and let’s work out a solution.” I guess this is the highest level of politics, because I don’t understand how people in Florida can be so patient.
I was always one who believed in mobilizing and organizing the grassroots, and putting political pressure on our legislators. In Washington D.C. where I went to college, we were taught to write letters, sign petitions, organize churches, partner with political organizations, and call our representatives until there was a response from our elected officials.
In this case it would be Governor Scott, but it seems that Florida residents are giving him a free ride and no one cares about $51billion on the table.
It is absurd to me, that our business and political leaders are begging our governor to use common sense and take a gift of $51 billion, which is going to help the state financially. “The advantages of expanding the Medicaid program are two-fold: not only will the expansion provide a boost to Florida’s economy and to the businesses that anchor our state, it will also provide nearly 1 million of Florida’s citizens with access to much needed healthcare services,” says Jim Burkhart.
Even though Florida is run by Republicans, and they don’t like President Obama and the federal government, this Medicaid expansion will improve the lives of the residents of the state. If the politicians in the state believe their job is to help the residents in their district, they would vote yes for the Medicaid expansion.
But Will Weatherford, Speaker of the House refuses to budge on a decision he made last spring to reject $51 billion from the federal government. In his mind, he thinks that he is a visionary and he can look into the future. He thinks the federal government will run out of money and leave Florida holding the bag.
Related Story: Governor Scott Restarts Voter Purge In Florida
No matter how ridiculous we think his logic, he is stopping a state from moving forward and destroying 1 million residents who qualify for the ACA. Weatherford responded by saying the uninsured deserve private health care, not “government-run” health care.
It is clear all around the state that 1 million residents who are poor and millions more who can benefit from the Medicaid expansion do not agree with our legislators and our governor. Our governor and all the legislators who opposed the Medicaid expansion should be inundated with emails, letters, and phone calls telling them to change their vote and show they care.
Florida residents are being held hostage and embarrassed by our legislators and Governor Scott. It is critical that Democrats register more young people to vote and change the dynamics of the political landscape in Florida. Democrats in Florida can only win in 2014, if they register more new voters and they come to the polls and vote. Join the League of Women Voters in Florida and help them get Floridians registered to vote.