VIRGINIA HAS FINALLY VOTED IN FAVOR OF EXPANDING ITS MEDICAID
PROGRAM WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY COVER AS MANY AS 400,000
LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN THE STATE.
VIRGINIA WAS ONE OF THE STATES THAT REFUSE TO EXPAND ITS
MEDICAID EXPANSION UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT AND JUST TO
GIVE YOU A TIDBIT THAT BLOWS MY MIND, EXPANDING MEDICAID UNDER
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT WOULD PRIMARILY BE FUNDED BY THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
SO IT IS MONEY AND RESOURCES OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WAS READY
AND WILLING TO GIVE THE STATES TO EXPAND THEIR MEDICAID
PROGRAMS AND OFFER HEALTH INSURANCE.
BUT STATES LIKE VIRGINIA REFUSED UNTIL RECENTLY.
SO WHAT HAPPENED?
WHAT IS DIFFERENT?
ELECTIONS HAPPENED, THEY MATTER.
PREVIOUSLY YOU HAD WAY MORE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE OF
DELEGATES IN VIRGINIA.
BUT NOW IN THE HOUSE YOU HAVE ONE MORE REPUBLICAN COMPARED TO
DEMOCRATS AND SO THAT ONE VOTE ISN'T GOING TO MAKE MUCH OF A
DIFFERENCE.
LUCKILY THEY HAD ENOUGH VOTES TO FINALLY PASS THIS AND
EXPAND THE PROGRAM.
JUST TO LET THAT SINK IN FOR A SECOND.
FOR ALL THE STATES THAT REFUSE TO EXPAND ITS MEDICAID PROGRAM.
YOUR LAWMAKERS ARE SO EMBROILED IN RIDICULOUS POLITICS AND
HATRED THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO RISK YOUR LIFE AND DENY YOU
HEALTH COVERAGE JUST TO MAKE A POINT.
AND IT IS NOT TAXPAYER MONEY FROM THAT STATE, IT IS
FEDERAL MONEY.
AND THESE LAWMAKERS DENIED IT.
>>LET'S TALK ABOUT ELECTIONS AND THE CONSEQUENCES.
I AM NOT A BIG FAN OF RALPH NORTHAM BUT IS HE BETTER THAN
THE REPUBLICAN?
OF COURSE HE IS.
SO FIGHT FOR PROGRESSIVES IN PRIMARIES, THEY WILL GIVE YOU
BETTER RIGHTS, BETTER WAGES.
BUT BETWEEN A CORPORATE DEMOCRAT AND A REPUBLICAN, AS MUCH AS I
CAN'T STAND THE CORPORATE DEMOCRATS THEY ARE BETTER
BECAUSE A REPUBLICAN WOULD'VE KILLED US.
MORE IMPORTANTLY IS WHAT ANNA WAS TRYING ON.
BUT THEY
JUST GOT THEIR ASSES HANDED TO THEM.
A DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST BE ONE OF THE TOP DEMOCRATS IN VIRGINIA.
A TRANS-WOMAN WHO IS PROGRESSIVE JUST BE A REPUBLICAN IN
VIRGINIA.
AND THEY HAD HUGE LOSSES.
ALL OF A SUDDEN REPUBLICANS ARE LIKE DID WE SAY WE OPPOSE
MEDICAID EXPANSION.
WHAT DO POLITICIANS CARE ABOUT THE MOST?
THEIR OWN ASS.
YOU HAVE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST BEATING REPUBLICAN LEADERS IN
THIS STATE.
THEY ARE IN A COLD SWEAT PANIC.
THEY FINALLY EASE UP A LITTLE BIT AND LET YOU HAVE SOMETHING.
BUT YOU I GIVE YOU NOTHING, THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO.
PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOVE POVERTY
LEVEL, IT GOES TO.
HUNDRED AND 33% ABOVE POVERTY LEVEL SOUNDS EXTRAVAGANT ñ
SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING RUSH LIMBAUGH WOULD SAY.
SO PEOPLE MAKING $16,000 A YEAR GET TO LIVE.
THANK YOU ARE YOU NOT GENEROUS.
BUT WE WON IT, BECAUSE THEY ARE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR SEATS.
SO GET OUT THERE AND VOTE.
>>GET OUT THERE AND VOTE AND KEEP IN MIND THERE ARE STILL 17
STATES IN THE US, RED STATES, BUT HAVE REFUSED TO TAKE THAT
FEDERAL HELP TO EXPAND THEIR MEDICAID PROGRAM.
17 STATES.
AND IT IS ALL POLITICAL BECAUSE THEY HATE OBAMA CARE, THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT, AND THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE A STATEMENT.
THE ARE WILLING TO RISK THEIR OWN CITIZENS LIVES TO MAKE A
POLITICAL POINT AND IT IS DISGUSTING.
THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT IS STILL IN A LOT OF TROUBLE.
REMEMBER THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS DECIDED TO DO
AWAY WITH THE MANDATE WHICH GOES INTO EFFECT NEXT YEAR.
ONCE YOU DO THAT PREMIUMS GO UP AND I COULD ALSO PUT THE
RESOURCES FOR MEDICAID EXPANSION IN JEOPARDY.
BUT THERE IS NOW A WAVE OF RED STATES WHO ARE THINKING
ABOUT EXPANDING THEIR PROGRAM.
I DO WANT TO GIVE THEM SOME CREDIT AS WELL.
ONE FINAL POINT, REMEMBER DURING THE DEBATES FROM THE A CA IS
THAT DEMOCRATS WANT TO GET BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR DOCTOR, BUT
IN REALITY REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS WANT TO GET BETWEEN YOU AND
YOUR DOCTORS.
THEY WANT TO GET IN THE WAY BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR HEALTH
INSURANCE BECAUSE YOU ARE POOR AND CAN'T AFFORD HEALTH
INSURANCE.
>> THE POLITICIANS IN THOSE STATES SAY I WANT TO BLOCK EVEN
YOUR ABILITY TO VOTE ON WHETHER YOU CAN HAVE HEALTHCARE.
DO YOU BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY?
AND IF YOU GUYS ARE SO RIGHT, I'M
SURE PEOPLE WILL RISE UP IN THOSE DEEPLY RED STATES LIKE
IDAHO.
SO YOU SHOULDN'T FEEL THAT BALLOT REFERENDUM AT ALL, RIGHT?
YOU DO BECAUSE YOU ARE GOING TO WANT HEALTHCARE BECAUSE YOU
WANT TO LIVE.
AND THEY MAY DO THE SAME THING, AND PAUL LEPAGE HE WAS ANOTHER
BORDERLINE FASCIST JUST REFUSE TO IMPLEMENT IT.
HE SAID I'M GOING TO CRUSH YOU AND GIVE EVERYTHING TO MAKE
CORPORATE DONORS.
THE LAST THING IS IN VIRGINIA, EVEN IN THIS BILL
REPUBLICANS GOT A CONCESSION.
IT WAS YOU HAVE TO WORK.
DO I WANT PEOPLE TO WORK?
OF COURSE.
WE WANT PEOPLE TO BE PRODUCTIVE, AND A GOOD FUNCTIONING PART OF
OUR SOCIETY.
BUT WHAT IF SOMEONE'S KID IS SICK AND THEY COULDN'T FIND A
JOB?
WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO?
>>BUT IT IS THE DEMOCRATS THAT WANT TO GET IN BETWEEN YOU
AND YOUR DOCTOR.
AT LEAST THAT IS THE TALKING POINT THEY WILL REGURGITATE
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.