[StBernard] Does Bobby Have Any Shame?

Westley Annis Westley at da-parish.com
Fri Sep 21 17:38:17 EDT 2007


Cindy, I'm certain the Boasso campaign ran this attack against Jindal in
hopes that no one would remember why Louisiana had to cut back on its
Medicaid spending, but your comment tells me that many people remember. I
can recall Congressman Billy Tauzan on the tv talking about the Clinton cuts
to the Medicaid and Medicare systems. I thought that to be ironic his
making the cuts while Hillary as first lady was out promoting a socialized
medicine system.

Plus there's something that needs to be said even if it's taken as cold
hearted. Contrary to what we believe or think we believe, Medicaid and
Medicare are not entitlement programs. From their conception many moons ago
they were designed to be a perk program when the federal government had a
surplus of funds. It was never intended to be an everlasting program as it
has become. If you do a little research on the program you'll see what I
saying.

Too many people welch off the system which means those who truly need it end
up having their benefits cut. I believe that was the idea when Foster had
Jindal tighten the qualifications criteria nearly 10 years ago -
prioritizing. What I also find funny is Governor Blanco has had four years
to find or create additional funding for the state medicaid program, but did
she? No, she didn't. And what political party does she belong to? Isn't
it the party that supposedly "feels your pain?"

It might sound like I'm choosing sides here. I'm really not. I just don't
care for all this political bantering back and forth because it makes each
guilty of hypocracy. I am going to vote for Boasso. Why? My reasons are
selfish - I'm from St. Bernard so I have to believe we in St. Bernard will
benefit more from having him over Jindal. This doesn't necessary mean I
think Jindal isn't the better choice. I think he or Boasso will make a good
governor.

DEB



-----Original Message-----
Exactly, Deb
Cindy Meyers

-----------------------------------------------------
I might be one of the few who have a good memory to recall it was
President
Bill "I feel your pain" Clinton who made drastic cuts to the
Medicare/Medicaid system. Louisiana's funding for the program comes
strictly from Washington, DC. Medicaid is a "federal" program that
is
administered on the state level.

When Washington DC and Clinton cut funding nationally, it seriously
cut the
funds Louisiana got. As a result, I can remember Governor Foster on
tv
announcing the State would be forced to tighten the criteria to
qualify for
state Medicaid assistance. He said back then that good, deserving
people
would get cut from the program because of the severe funding cuts
from
Washington DC.

It sounds to me that Jindal only carried out the orders given to him
by his
boss Governor Foster and made sure only the most needy would be
gauranteed
of Medicaid assistance so the money would not run out. Otherwise the
system
would have gone bankrupt on each patient's needs and everyone on
Medicaid
would have been hurt by it. Maybe that's what many newspapers meant
when
they said Jindal's actions (or Foster's) actually saved the state's
Medicaid
system. I'm sure there were a lot more people than Mr. McNiece who
were
denied Medicaid assistance, but it wasn't Governor Foster or Jindal
who cut
the funding.

Remember, it was President Clinton, a democrat, who made the severe
funding
cuts to Louisiana's Medicaid system, not Governor Foster or Bobby
Jindal.
Those are the facts. Surely, the Boasso campaign has to know this.

DEB





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