Republican aide resigns over Obama daughters row
A Republican Congressional staff member has resigned after accusing US President Barack Obama #39;s daughters of lacking class. Elizabeth Lauten, communications director for congressman Stephen...
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Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead (R) was once among the handful of state executives to sue the federal government over the Affordable Care Act. Now, he says he wants his state to expand Medicaid under the ACA to cover thousands of low-income residents.
In a Monday press conference, Mead said he would press the state legislature to act on a Medicaid expansion plan put forward last week by the state Department of Health.
I agree it is not a good piece of legislation, but, as I see where we are, I think we have to be realistic and say this is the current law of the land and we need to either go forward with this or if the legislature wants to come up with a different plan, I certainly would be open to that, Mead said Monday, according to the Casper Star-Tribune. But I dont think we can say to those people in Wyoming who are working who cannot get insurance that were not going to do anything.
Wyoming is one of a handful of Republican-led states that has negotiated with the federal Department of Health and Human Services to come up with their own version of Medicaid expansion. The Wyoming Health Departments plan, called the Strategy for Health, Access, Responsibility and Employment, would set up two tiers for Medicaid recipients: All participants would make co-payments, and those with higher incomes would pay monthly premiums of $25 to $50. Participants would have access to employment assistance programs like job search services and vocational rehabilitation programs.
The SHARE plan would cover an estimated 17,600 low-income Wyoming residents and help reduce the $200 million in uncompensated care state hospitals provide. The Health Department said it would add 800 jobs without any additional costs to the state. Accepting federal funding would mean up to $100 million for the state.
Republicans who control the state legislature have been extremely skeptical of Medicaid expansion plans. The state Senate voted 21-9 against expanding Medicaid in February, though they did allow the Health Department to negotiate with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to seek a waiver to conduct the program their own way.
Mead himself said last December he didnt want his state to accept federal money to expand the program, in the wake of the ACAs disastrous roll-out.
Theres no guarantee legislators will go along with the Mead-backed plan. State Sen. Charlie Scott (R) said a preliminary committee, meeting in advance of next years legislative session, will take up a version of Medicaid expansion that would use federal dollars to create health-savings accounts, similar to an approach taken by Arkansas last year.
So far, 27 states and the District of Columbia have agreed to expand Medicaid to cover low-income residents, including nine states with Republican governors. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) and North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory (R) have also said they will consider ways to expand the program.
Many of those Republican governors, facing reluctant state legislatures, have negotiated with HHS to expand Medicaid in unique ways, often by calling expansion something else. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) sought and received a waiver that allowed federal money to expand the Healthy Indiana Plan, which creates personal health funds linked to insurance plans with high deductibles. Outgoing Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) sought a waiver that would have included work requirements.
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GovBeat: Wyomings Republican governor will push to expand Medicaid
Republicans now control 69 of the 99 legislative chambers in the states. It may be the greatest Republican dominance since Reconstruction. Democrats control both houses in only seven states. Republicans managed to capture 11 chambers in this past election, including several in decidedly blue states.
I have some advice for the tax leadership in the new Republican majorities. The advice is consistent with both their conservative philosophical leanings and sound tax policy. I have offered this advice before. But given the election results, it bears repeating.
First, no matter your views on the size and role of government, citizens want a certain level of public services. No amount of bluster and hyperbole about government being the problem will change that. Citizens will demand and receive services, whether they are roads, schools, or police officers. The new GOP majorities should embrace that fact. But in doing so, they should demand that citizens pay for those services with real, broad-based taxes. Conservatives have too often proclaimed their opposition to taxes. But they let the government grow by acquiescing to gambling, excise taxes, and other gimmicks. If you are going to have government and we will then pay for it. Dont pledge never to raise taxes and then foist the costs of government onto a small subset of people who are usually poor, addicted, or unaware. Besides, if we as a people were actually paying for government with real taxes, we might want a little less.
Second, conservatives should recognize that good tax policy is consistent with their belief system. Republicans should become the party of virtue, courage, and honesty when it comes to taxes. They should fight crony capitalism, as there is nothing more abhorrent to the free market than the government picking winners and losers. Yet state governments do just that all the time. The proliferation of tax incentives represents horrible tax policy. That politicians can decide economic policy through tax incentives is more akin to a Soviet five-year plan than to Adam Smiths invisible hand. True conservatives should fight attempts to use tax policy to further economic objectives. Broad-based taxes and low rates will always serve the conservative cause better than the existing nonsensical tax laws. Standing on principle to ensure a broad tax base is hard and neither party has been able to do it. But it is a stand worth taking.
Third, Republicans should take an aggressive role in reforming state tax systems. For example, everybody agrees that business inputs should generally be exempt from sales tax. Liberals will never fight for repeal or reform because of their misguided belief that business should be paying taxes. This is the perfect issue to use in order to advance a conservative objective. Taxing business inputs results in hidden taxes on consumers. Transparency is and should be a conservative virtue. Similarly, Republicans should take advantage of their new power and lead the repeal of state corporate income taxes. The corporate income tax is a terrible way to raise revenue. Its true beneficiaries are the lawyers and accountants who assist corporate America in avoiding the tax. This tax cant be fixed, and Republicans can prove that we are merely pretending the tax matters when it doesnt.
And conservatives should lead the fight against special excise taxes on fatty foods, sugary drinks, violent video games, e-cigarettes, guns, and other such nonsense. Attempts to tax those products, which have no discernible unique externalities, are wrong. They are grounded in the beliefs that (1) it is OK to persecute minorities, and (2) it is OK to use the power of government to impose your views on people. If Republicans really want to be the party of freedom and limited government, they should start here.
Finally, conservatives should give some serious thought to greater reliance on the property tax. Yes, I know people hate the tax. I also know that politicians find it advantageous to attack it. But the property tax revolts of the late 1970s and 1980s have done much damage to the fiscal structure of state and local governments. There was a time when schools and most public safety services were funded locally through the property tax. The property tax revolts and the ensuing limitations shifted that funding to the states. But state government responsibilities for healthcare and transportation were growing. Now the states have a greater role in financing education but cannot afford to do so. A stronger property tax would alleviate pressure on state finances and more importantly, return greater autonomy to local governments. That is a conservative value.
A version of this post first ran inState Tax Notesmagazine.
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Advice For The New Republican Legislative Majorities
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CNN) -- The Republican 2016 presidential field is starting to come into focus with potential contenders making notable moves this week.
Here's a breakdown of the latest headlines starting to shape the early race for the Republican nomination.
Portman is out
Pollsters can cross one name off their long list: Rob Portman. The Ohio Republican announced Tuesday he's running for re-election to his Senate seat.
Portman was vetted, but ultimately not picked, to be Mitt Romney's running mate in 2012, and he would have been the first pro-same sex marriage Republican presidential candidate if he ran this cycle.
He said as recently as two weeks ago that he was considering a presidential run, telling CNN's Erin McPike that he "probably (has) more experience than other people who are running or thinking about running."
Instead the senator will seek a second term in the Senate, where he thinks he can "play the most constructive role."
Bush is "thinking"
Jeb Bush reiterated that he's still considering a presidential run, revealing more details Monday about his decision-making process.
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2016 is everywhere this week. Here's why.