To Comfort The Afflicted
And Afflict The Comfortable

To Comfort The Afflicted And Afflict The Comfortable

Friday, March 29, 2024

Observercast

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

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BY KENNY BELFORD

It’s certainly true that elections have consequences. Just look at the total lack of leadership present in our state government as we’ve elected all those Tea Party, uninformed and harmful state officials from the governor on down, and our representatives in Washington are no exception.

There is some new information about one of our Congressional representatives that presents a real threat to all Oklahomans.

James Lankford is the current Congressman representing the 5th District, which includes parts of the Oklahoma City area. He’s also an announced candidate for the U.S. Senate to take Tom Coburn’s seat. Most likely he will win that election.

Recently I was scanning the cable channels and saw him pop up as a guest on The Mike Huckabee Show on Fox. He was discussing a bill he’s authored that is another challenge to the Affordable Care Act [ObamaCare]. On the surface it appears to only be focused on ObamaCare, with a state-by-state opt out provision, but he told Mike Huckabee some of the additional details that are outrageous and a threat to seniors and the poor.

His bill is called “The Health Care Compact” and is based on a portion of the Constitution that allows states to create “compacts” usually used in areas such as sharing water resources, etc.

He described it in this fashion, “The Health Care Compact is a way for states to protect their residents from the top-down, one-size-fits-all health care ‘solutions’ that have been imposed from Washington, DC, including ObamaCare. The compact transfers health care decision-making authority and responsibility from the federal level to members states.”

According to Lankford, “Eight states have signed on to the Health Care Compact: Oklahoma, Georgia, Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina, Indiana, Texas and Utah. Another 12 states are considering the measure.” He added, “Congress can give interested states a way to solve their state’s health-care problems themselves. States that like ObamaCare can keep their ObamaCare. But states that don’t, can opt-out and create a customized system that better meets the needs of residents.”

Now for the scary part…

As Lankford discussed his “compact” bill with Mike Huckabee, he also mentioned that it would include Medicaid and Medicare. Let that sink in. He wants Oklahoma to opt out of Medicare and allow the Republican Tea Party members of our state Legislature to develop a program that would be administered by our Republican Tea Party governor.

Just look at the great record of Gov. Fallin. Even though it was federally funded, she blocked expanding Medicade for approximately 250,000 of our poorest Oklahomans. She also refused to create a healthcare exchange where Oklahomans could go online and do comparison shopping for health insurance plans.

Now Rep. Lankford want to pass a congressional bill to take away Medicare from Oklahomans and leave it up to the Tea Party Legislature, and Gov. Fallin to replace it with a state program.

What could possibly go wrong with that brilliant idea?

Kenny Belford lives in Tulsa, OK and is a frequent contributor to The Oklahoma Observer

 

1 COMMENT

  1. That is definitely a scary thought. I am sure that the “conservative right” has gone far from the original ideas of the Founding Fathers and their intent of what the government represented. I have just finished a book that talks about the original founders and their ideas that were eventually written down as our Constitution. The rhetoric of today is definitely off track.

Arnold Hamilton
Arnold Hamilton
Arnold Hamilton became editor of The Observer in September 2006. Previously, he served nearly two decades as the Dallas Morning News’ Oklahoma Bureau chief. He also covered government and politics for the San Jose Mercury News, the Dallas Times Herald, the Tulsa Tribune and the Oklahoma Journal.
Mark Krawczyk
Mark Krawczyk
March 9, 2023
Exceptional reporting about goings on in my home state as well as informative opinion pieces that makes people think about issues of the day...........get a SUBSCRIPTION FOLKS!!!!!!!
Brette Pruitt
Brette Pruitt
September 5, 2022
The Observer carries on the "give 'em hell" tradition of its founder, the late Frosty Troy. I read it from cover to cover. A progressive wouldn't be able to live in a red state without it.