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Trump admin blocks Utah from expanding Medicaid

Submitted by scharrison on

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And they would likely do the same to North Carolina:

According to the senior officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, White House advisers argued that it did not make sense to approve generous federal funding under the ACA while the administration is arguing that the entire law should be overturned.

White House advisers on the Domestic Policy Council, Office of Management and Budget, and National Economic Council, which are controlled by conservative Republicans, were the staunchest opponents of allowing Utah to receive enhanced federal funding for its expanded Medicaid program.

For every action there's a reaction. It may not be equal and opposite, but it trends that way. Utah voters passed a ballot initiative to expand Medicaid, and Trump blocking that might just lose him that state in 2020:

The Trump Effect: Overt racism is becoming much more common

Submitted by scharrison on

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This is what happens when a President gives people a license to hate:

"There are still pockets of deep racism in this country," Neal said, "pockets, even here, even in 2019, in which people are still very comfortable using that kind of language to describe African-Americans." Goodman's attempt to control the women's behavior is indicative of a recent trend nationwide, he said.

"We’re in a moment where there are a lot of random white citizens that have been attempting to police black behavior, whether it’s in a restaurant or a swimming pool or a Starbucks," he said.

This trend is undoubtedly racist, but it also may be a narcissistic "bleedover" from Trump. His constant self-aggrandizement is leading many people to believe that they too are infallible, and that they are operating from a position of authority over minority populations. And it's not just the South where this is occurring:

Republicans try to defend the indefensible on gerrymandering

Submitted by scharrison on

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Denial is a river in Egypt:

Bell's testimony came Wednesday morning in the eighth day of a trial over the legislative voting district maps the Republican-controlled General Assembly approved two years ago. Common Cause North Carolina alleges that the maps are were drawn illegally into gerrymandered districts that favor GOP candidates.

Trying to maximize GOP seats in the House would dilute Republican strength in many districts and would wind up costing the party seats, he said. That, would cause a revolt in the House Republican caucus, which on the best of days is like trying to manage a wheelbarrow full of frogs, he said.

That little theory comes apart when you look at what actually happened: Republicans gained majorities in both houses after the 2010 (national) GOP Legislative wave, but they didn't achieve their Supermajority until after the maps were gerrymandered. And the Blue Wave of 2018, which flipped control of the U.S. House to a strong Democratic majority, still could not overcome those gerrymandered NC Legislative districts. So you can stick that "it wouldn't make sense for us to do it" argument where the sun don't shine, because we know you did it. And this makes even less sense:

Connecting the dots between climate change and flooding

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It's all about the evaporation:

“We are in part responsible for what’s going on in the context of fossil fuel combustion emissions that are leading to global warming. The ocean is a huge reservoir that is absorbing heat and seeing more evaporation. With more evaporation comes more rainfall.”

I've lost count of how many times I've had this conversation with people over the last year or two. But it's really a relatively simple concept/formula. Heat leads to evaporation leads to precipitation. Yes, silt and debris form choke points in our streams/rivers, and the water has to go somewhere. Yes, poor landscaping and over-development cause stormwater runoff. But the main driver of flooding is increased water vapor in the air. So the next time you're trying to explain to the dubious how climate change is causing this, don't waste time with stuff like "changing weather patterns" or other obscure references, just remember that formula above.

Tuesday Twitter roundup

Submitted by scharrison on

Hey Mark Johnson, the NC House has a message for you:

Unfortunately, it will likely not even get a hearing in the Senate, because Phil Berger just can't admit when a fellow Republican is wrong.

Sign the petition: Rescind the RNC 2020 contract for Charlotte

Submitted by scharrison on

Hat-tip to Jerry Wayne Williamson for leading the charge:

Activists think that the Republican National Convention will give Charlotte a black eye, if not a bloody nose, tarnish it's reputation as a progressive Southern city, roil racial animus, and spark a backlash. Those activists have mounted a petition drive to induce the Charlotte City Council to rescind its invitation. "President Trump’s re-election strategy centers on stoking hatred, resentment, fear, and division. For his personal political benefit, he is determined to stir-up his most ardent supporters in a way that will invariably lead to violence and destruction in our city," the petition reads in part.

You can sign the petition right here, and then spread the word. Charlotte already has enough challenges on the racial front, and the inevitable clash between anti-fascists and white supremacists will push CMPD well past their already questionable tolerance levels.

Folwell's Folly: Fractured networks could be very costly for state employees

Submitted by scharrison on

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Our incompetent Treasurer is playing Russian Roulette with health care:

Hospitals and providers were given a July 1 deadline to sign the Clear Pricing Project contract or be considered as out of network to SHP on Jan. 1, 2020. Folwell said Wednesday that 27,000 medical providers have signed the contract.

However, just three of the state’s 126 hospitals have done so. Cone Health of Greensboro said on July 1 that it would not sign the contract, saying it would cost the health-care system at least $26 million.

Still don't have a firm grasp of all the moving parts of this thing, but it's a good bet going through a medical procedure will be a lot more complicated if it isn't stopped. Some patients may end up spending less, but others will probably pay more, and the onus is on the General Assembly to throw the brakes on until we can assess the value/damage:

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