Action 69 Defend MaineCare

Background:  Everyone reading this is a friend of someone who depends on MaineCare, whether you know it or not!

 If you aren’t getting a newsletter from your representative and senator in Augusta, contact them and sign up!  Contacts below. The Democratic newsletters this morning describe the following situation: After negotiating in good faith to come up with a bipartisan solution that would protect MaineCare, supported in the Maine house by a vote of 113-27, the Maine Senate Republicans (except for Moore and Bennett) pulled a switcheroo and withheld support, turning their backs on an agreement they made.  So, the bill failed to achieve the 2/3 majority needed to pass as an emergency measure. Nina Milliken’s newsletter says “But while their actions are deeply discouraging, they are becoming less and less surprising... These obstructionist, D.C.- style chaos tactics are causing harm to health care providers and patients throughout our state.”   Some are attributing the obstructionism to a Republican hissy fit over the well-deserved censure of Laurel Libby, who has yet to apologize for her criminal mischief in doxxing a minor, and thus has lost her right to speak or vote.  (See Action #50). So, for that, the Republicans are willing to sacrifice the health and perhaps lives of our most vulnerable, and the livelihood of the people who care for them. 

Action:  Nina says “I encourage you to contact the Republican Senators who voted against this bill and urge them to join their House Republican colleagues in support of this must-pass supplemental budget. You can find the contact information for the Senate Republican Office here.”  Note: Sen. Haggan was absent from the vote. 

 Urgency:  in the next couple of days, when you feel you can have a civil conversation.

 Extra Credit:  Mehmet Oz’s confirmation hearing is tomorrow starting at 9.  Physicians for a National Health Program (PNHP) is having a “shadow hearing” where you can watch the proceedings.  Oz is the deeply compromised dude that Trump appointed to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We wrote about him in Action #14.  PNHP says the Trump Administration is “taking aim at Medicare, Medicaid, and the promise of public health care in the United States.” Register for the shadow hearing at:  https://pnhp.salsalabs.org/DrOzHearingRegistration/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=74d6cfb1-2390-47c1-86b5-4d3df3efb1bd