Sen. Landrieu: Obamacare and Medicaid Benefits "Worth Fighting For"

Generally, Louisiana Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu isn't a Democrat we quote approvingly, but in an interview with Greg Sargent, Landrieu comes out swinging in favor of Medicaid expansion in Louisiana and supporting (but "fixing") Obamacare.  Here's a portion of the interview (our emphasis added):

"[Not expanding Medicaid] would be a real setback for the people of Louisiana, many of whom are working 30, 40, 50 hours a week but find themselves caught in the Jindal gap because the state refuses to expand health care options to the working poor at little to no expense,” Landrieu told me, referring to Governor Bobby Jindal’s opposition to the expansion. [snip] 

“[Obamacare's] a solid law that needs improvement,” Landrieu said. “My opponent offers nothing but repeal, repeal, and repeal. And even with all the law’s setbacks, we’re seeing benefits for thousands of people in Louisiana.” 

“I think the benefits that people have received are worth fighting for...”

That's right, Senator, they ARE worth fighting for.  Let's hope you and other Democrats up for election this year (or not) fight for these humane and progressive laws and benefits, because that's a winning strategy.

Medicaid Expansion: Rethug's Achilles Heel?

Amid all of the real and manufactured problems with the Affordable Care Act roll out, the expansion of Medicaid as part of the law is having an impact on low-income working families.  States that are taking advantage of the expansion are able to cover more working poor.  Oddly, many Rethug politicians think they have a 2014 winner in bad-mouthing Medicaid expansion.  Case in point:  Rethuglican Senate Minority Leader and turtle/human hybrid Mitch "Missy' McConnell.  Missy, who is being challenged by a tea bagger for the Rethug nomination, and who faces a tough general election challenge in Dem Alison Lundergan Grimes, isn't taking any chances in bashing the working poor to appeal to the far right wingers:

“Well look, if I went out here on the street today [and said], ‘You guys want free health care?’ I expect you’d have a lot of signups."

"Free health care." The irony in Missy's statement is that people without health insurance or Medicaid end up in the emergency room for their health care, which is "free" to them, but which costs everyone with health insurance because those costs are absorbed by them.

So Missy thinks he has a winning, appeal-to-teabagger-anger case.  Not so fast, says Greg Sargent in the formerly great Washington Post Bezos Bugle.  The Dems can appeal to low income working voters who may align culturally with the Rethug message on, say, immigration or marriage equality by providing expanded Medicaid coverage and easing their health care burden.  Eighty-five percent of new signups for health care in Kentucky are under the expanded Medicaid program, and those are often  the independent or Rethug-leaning lower income working voters struggling in an economy where wages are stagnant and health care costs (and the incomes of the top 1%) are growing.  The Dems would be wise to take that on.

(Slow is his M.O.)