Yesterday, Americans for Prosperity-Virginia launched their ground campaign against Medicaid expansion in the state. The expansion represents the most expensive provision of the new health care law. So far, the Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission has held hearings about accepting federal money that would enroll an additional 400,000 Virginia residents into the program. Yes, more people would be covered, but at the cost of quality health care.
In the shadow of Richmond’s Capitol, activists from across the Commonwealth went into the backyards of Delegates John O’Bannon and Jimmie Massie urging them to reject Obamacare in Virginia. To kick off the event, conservative commentator – and elite freedom fighter – Dana Loesch rallied the troops for war in this fight. ”
“This isn’t just knocking on someone’s door,” said Loesch. “You guys are foot soldiers! You’re the first contact in this!” Right now, almost a quarter of all doctors in Virginia aren’t accepting new Medicaid patients. People enrolled in the program haven’t experienced greater quality health care. And the uninsured – the targets of this new law – are 13% less likely to die than those enrolled in this defective government program.
AFP-VA state director Dave Schwartz also issued a call to arms stating,”This is about care, not about coverage. This is not about money; it’s about human beings.” There’s nothing moral about adding 400,000 new Virginia residents to an inadequate health care system. It’s unconscionable to ask the rest of the state to subsidize a shoddy health care system. How do we respond to this massive federal takeover? Loesch had a simple message: Get mad! “We’re not here to be friends with politicians, she said. They’re our employees!”
Dana has also waged this fight in her state of Missouri, where the Republican state legislature was mulling expanding Medicaid coverage. Like in Virginia, the provision will not help the Show-Me state’s poorest residents.
All eyes are on Virginia in this fight. We need to hold the line on Obamacare in Virginia. From Dana Loesch to Michelle Malkin, activists from all over the country are doing their Paul Revere rides concerning this bill. It’s time we adhere to this call to arms.
Full disclosure: I do social media work for AFP-VA.
*Yes, I know the true hero is Israel Bissell, not Paul Revere, but Paul sounded better.
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