 |
 |
   Dan Savage, the brilliant and foul-mouthed sex columnist, has become one of the most important ethicists in America. Are we screwed?
 The federal government is supposed to issue new rules about debt levels for students in for-profit colleges. In the meantime, the states are working on their own regulations.
 There arent nearly enough counterterrorism experts to instruct all of Americas police. So we got these guys instead.
 Last year there wasn�t a single fatal airline accident in the developed world. So why is the U.S. health care system still accidently killing hundreds of thousands? The answer is a lack of transparency.
|
   |
|
|
September 7, 2010
PAWLENTY'S TIRESOME HEALTH CARE GAMES.... Last week, Minnesota, Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), desperate to pander to the party's base in advance of his presidential campaign, issued an order to state officials this week, demanding that they not seek grants through Affordable Care, even if the funding would help Minnesotans. Today, however, Pawlenty announced he'll seek Medicaid funding, approved in a recently-passed jobs bill. This isn't exactly a reversal -- though he did condemn the legislation that included the Medicaid funding the governor now wants -- because the governor only said he'd refuse funding from the health care reform law, and this money comes from a different law. But this, of course, once again raises the question as to why Pawlenty would be so irresponsible in the first place. Indeed, the governor's line -- he'll accept some, but not all, federal health care funding -- is increasingly incoherent. This petty little ideologue is willing to apply for money that will help his state, but only if it comes from laws signed by presidents other than Obama. Minnesota's largest newspaper slammed the governor's recklessness last week, explaining that his politically-motivated game will deny the state much-needed funds and have a "negative impact on Minnesota lives." Rochester's Post-Bulletin, which is generally very friendly towards Pawlenty, also let him have it over the weekend.
The Mayo Clinic, Minnesota's largest private employer, is unhappy with the consequences of Pawlenty's partisan games. The heads of Minnesota's most influential medical associations -- which nearly always keep political matters at arms' length -- also issued a sharp rebuke. "The governor's decision just doesn't make sense for Minnesotans," the Minnesota Council of Health Plans, the Minnesota Hospital Association and the Minnesota Medical Association said in a joint statement late Tuesday. Even Minnesota's Chamber of Commerce thinks Pawlenty should reconsider at least some of this decision. I don't doubt the governor will get a nice little talking point out of this, which may even impress GOP activists in Iowa and New Hampshire. But I wonder if Pawlenty knows or cares about the real-world effects of turning down health care funding in his state. As the Post-Bulletin editorial board asked, "[H]ow does diverting millions, and perhaps billions, of federal money away from the state of Minnesota help us out of our state's economic troubles, improve health care accessibility and move the state forward?" It doesn't, but since Pawlenty will be a former governor in about four months, he apparently doesn't care. —Steve Benen 3:30 PM Permalink | Trackbacks | Comments (14)
Comments
Maybe Pawlenty can do the good citizens of Minnesota a favor by pulling a Palin and quitting early so that he can get on with the business of campaigning. -Z Posted by: Zorro on September 7, 2010 at 3:40 PM | PERMALINKHe hasn't cared since he ran McCain's campaign. We have effectively been without a governor since then. I can hardly wait until he is gone. Posted by: Twin City Joan on September 7, 2010 at 3:47 PM | PERMALINKperhaps i'm naive, but in the age of youtube, won't all the pandering to the frothing irrational base of the gop come back to haunt candidates when they attempt to move back to the center during the general election? Posted by: dj spellchecka on September 7, 2010 at 4:41 PM | PERMALINKSome people will surely die, or at least die earlier than would have been the case had Pawlenty opted for the funds. This is poretty unconscionable, and shows the depths to which Palinism has dragged the GOP. Pawlenty is a nobody and this will cause needless suffering. Posted by: Mimikatz on September 7, 2010 at 4:45 PM | PERMALINKJoan: Can you give me some evidence that he cared before running McCain's campaign? I still remember him sending Light Rail money to Texas when he was still in the legislature. This is nothing new for him. dj: You may be naive. It only matters if you're a Democrat. If you're a Republican nothing you say before, during or after an election has to make any sense what-so-ever. No one ever checks. Posted by: Henk on September 7, 2010 at 4:49 PM | PERMALINKPawlenty refuses federal medical money. Christy's big mouth spits out federal education money. Is there a pattern here that Democrats could exploit? Along the following lines: "If you want your tax money to go to billionaires like the Koch Brothers instead of coming back to you and your state, then vote for ________ ." (Fill in the blank with Pawlenty, Christy, etc.) Posted by: Rong44 on September 7, 2010 at 4:58 PM | PERMALINKPawlenty is at one percent in Iowa despite being governor of a neighboring state. I think he call it quits before he wastes any more of his time or money Posted by: Sean Scallon on September 7, 2010 at 5:23 PM | PERMALINKWe've seen this before. Gov. Pawlenty will refuse to accept the funding and tell everyone with a camera or a notepad about his courageous stand. He will be a conservative hero!!! Then he will quietly apply for the funding after he has soaked up enough camera time and the political winds have calmed. His spokesperson will simply say "no comment" to any questions about his reversal and the whole thing will blow off into the ether. Posted by: danimal on September 7, 2010 at 5:25 PM | PERMALINK"This petty little ideologue..." http://tildology.com/2010/08/31/timmy-mcbridgefails-new-book-improved/ Posted by: m2 on September 7, 2010 at 6:53 PM | PERMALINKThose dead people were probably just going to vote for a democrat anyway. Talk about voter suppression... Posted by: paul on September 7, 2010 at 8:17 PM | PERMALINKTimmy is a Sarah Palin wannabe, except without the gonads. With his poll numbers in Iowa at 1%, my new theory is that all of Timmy's posturing is part of his campaign to be the second choice for vice-president . . . again. Posted by: DK on September 7, 2010 at 8:34 PM | PERMALINKMinnesotans should ask the Republican candidate for governor if he'll follow in Pawlenty's footsteps. The current poll has the race as a toss up. This is what happens When governing is a patronage. Posted by: m2 on September 8, 2010 at 12:28 AM | PERMALINKDoes the incoming Governor have time to apply for the funds? If so, Pawlenty is probably getting his talking points knowing that the next guy is going to clean it up. Posted by: Z. Mulls on September 8, 2010 at 6:36 AM | PERMALINK
May 2011
April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 |
|
|
    |
|
||||||
|
|
|||||||
|
||||||||
buy from Amazon and
support the Monthly
|
||||||||
