Instead of voting to pass health insurance for nearly half a million low-income families in our state, lawmakers in Lansing made a fast break for vacation.
In an effort to force a vote in the Senate on a bill that’s already passed the state House, the Senate Government and Operations Committee met today (video?) while the state Senate held session – but didn’t take attendance.
Hundreds packed the gallery at today’s Senate session, encouraging Senators to do their jobs:
The tragic part? By pointing fingers instead of working, Republicans have sentenced more than half a million Michigan families to unnecessarily suffer without health insurance. The Medicaid health care expansion would cover low-income families who make less than $15,282 a year.
A rally was held afterwards at the Capitol, with countless people calling on elected officials to do their jobs.
What are they doing instead of working? Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville held an elaborate fishing fundraiser in June that cost $400 a ticket, and Senator Judy Emmons held a golf fundraiser.
It’s clear our elected leaders aren’t getting the job done and focusing on only one thing: summer fun and their re-election campaigns.
Help us send a message to Lansing politicians that we can’t afford their inaction, and we deserve better. Low-income families in Michigan shouldn’t have to pay the price for ineffectual leadership and far-right ideology.
Conservatives have become the bought-for politicians who are the party of campaign contributors and the enemy of the working class. Whether or not they eventually accept federal dollars, dollars paid from working class taxes, and provide health care to the neediest among us, it is disgusting that they have not understood that health care is a necessity. Children who become ill and/or need vaccines must have health care to prevent more costly repercussions should an illness be neglected. If conservatives are morally unable to recognize that health care is a necessity then they certainly are opponents of, by, and for the people.
These same conservatives cut Michigan business taxes by 84% while raising taxes on the middle class, retirees and the working poor. So, it’s not costing their campaign donors anything to accept federal dollars to provide vital health care to those whose taxes were raised. (Don’t forget that the Conservatives have given huge tax cuts to American corporations and allow these same corporations to hide profits oversees to avoid taxes.) Conservatives have chosen winners and losers and their indifference to the working poor is an example of whom they’re chosen to be losers.