Koch-kissing, ALEC-loving PA Gov.Tom Corbett had the advantage of a weak opponent and that "vote for me, I was a prosecutor who was tough on crime!" routine the first time he ran for governor. But he's pissed off just about everyone since then by following in the wing-nuttiest footsteps of Wisconsin's Gov. Scott Walker.
Just like Scott Walker, Gov. Corbett will be getting much closer scrutiny. The newly-elected Attorney General Kathleen Kane has appointed a special prosecutor to look into how Corbett handled (or mishandled) the investigation of Jerry Sandusky, and I suspect that will rough him up when he runs for reelection. We're going to have to work hard to defeat this jackass, who just turned down the Medicaid expansion offered by the Affordable Care Act.
In the meantime, if you're a PA resident, call the Governor's office at 800-515-8134. (or email him) and ask him what you're expected to do without affordable insurance. Call your state senator and state representative, too:
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett (R) announced Tuesday that his state will turn down the Medicaid expansion, becoming the first governor of a blue state to officially say no to the coverage provision of the Affordable Care Act that the Supreme Court made optional.
The decision will please conservative advocates who are urging leaders to stonewall Obamacare implementation. But it’s a blow to the many thousands of uninsured Pennsylvanians who would have received coverage through the program, which extends Medicaid eligibility to Americans up to 133 percent of the poverty line for participating states.
The Medicaid expansion is a financially enticing offer for states: the federal government would pay the full cost for the first few years and 90 percent after 2020. Conservative opponents fret that the federal government won’t come through with the funds. Top Democrats in Pennsylvania are already demanding that Corbett reverse course.
“Governor Corbett chose to pander to the far right and willfully inflict damage on Pennsylvania’s economy - he has undermined any promises he makes about jobs,” said State Rep. Dan Frankel, the chair of the Democratic Caucus. “The federally funded Medicaid expansion would be a win-win for Pennsylvania. … Governor Corbett should reverse his job-killing decision.”
