2014 Utah Legislative Update: Full Medicaid Expansion Dies in Committee

"Conservative" ideology again "trumps" financial prudence and common sense

Via a sharp-eyed and alert friend of Weber County Forum:

Wonk alert. Tragic. Senator Gene Davis's "Accept the Full Medicaid Expansion" SB272 effectively died in Committee on a 2-1 vote late yesterday afternoon. A Senate Committee heard the common sense, Democratic proposal that would have brought life saving, already paid-for health care to 123,000 Utahns. Sad, sad, sad day. Ideology wins over people.

For those reader "keeping score," be sure to take note that Weber County's own State Senator Allen Christensen (R) - District 9 is one of the two committee members who voted a thumbs-down on this bill, a fact which we're hoping all Weber County political wonks will remember well, the next time Christensen stands for re-election, claiming to represent the interests of "financial prudence."

By way of background, and to bring everyone up to speed, Standard-Examiner heavy-weight columnist Don Porter skillfully articulated and distilled the common sense argument in favor of this bill only last week, providing an essential, financially prudent rationale which the Senate committee "conservative" majority neverless ignored, thus depriving Utah State Legislators of the opportunity to debate the full "merits" on the House and/or Senate floors:

• 'Conservative principles' may cost Utahns more than $800M

Yep, that's right.... Utah again demonstrates that it's the "Best-managed State in America", as a measly two "conservative" (so-called) legislative committee members succeed in taking one demonstrable financially prudent health care measure completely off the table.

And the beat goes on... as Utahns blindly persist in voting for candidates simply because they sport the "magic" "R" behind their names.

Sad, very sad, indeed.

Update 3/10/14 7:23 a.m.:  Most excellent morning graphic via the Trib's Pat Bagley: