| This mailing from Virginians for Quality Healthcare starts with a great video about protesters un-barricading the Lincoln Memorial during the shutdown. The mailing goes on to evaluate what happened in Congress - "In the end, they demanded nothing and they got nothing for us." The mailing wraps up with information about Monday's meeting of Virginia's Medicaid Innovation & Reform Commission (MIRC), plus comments about what transpired at the MIRC public comment session earlier this week. Folks, we can win the fight against Medicaid expansion. Our intellectual case is stronger and now we have commissioners publicly discussing the need to consider alternatives to expansion. To join the battle, be at the MIRC meetings every two months and/or contact us at mail@alexandriateaparty.com for literature to hand out or to offer other assistance. The Commission might vote on the question at the December meeting, so it's getting to be crunch time. From Virginians for Quality Healthcare - In this email:
1. Update on Congress and Obamacare
2. Update on Medicaid expansion - next MIRC meeting and recap of yesterday
We thought you might want some inspiration today, so we recommend this YouTube video. Please pass it around. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kn7BFeg21n0 It is clear from today's events that it's up to We The People now to take America back to freedom. Republicans in Congress demonstrated today that they only have enough fight in them for a 16-day political war, even when Liberty is at stake and when capitulation means rewarding despotic actions and ensuring that despotism will rule this nation, at least as long as they are determined to not stand in its way.
To be sure, half of the Senate Republicans made it clear to their colleagues in the House that not only would they not support them, they would actively undermine any attempts to regain rights for the people. Meanwhile, the House returned to the capitulation course that they had intended to follow at the start of this exercise. They initially tried to tell us that the debt limit, not the CR, was the proper battle for fighting Obamacare, yet when the debt limit fight emerged, they withered away as they and we knew they would.
Despite conservative efforts to eliminate a debt limit issue by passing a short-term debt limit increase while continuing to fight on defunding Obamacare in budget bills, they combined the two and deliberately and unnecessarily put themselves in a corner so they could cave.
In the end, they demanded nothing and they got nothing for us. They may have even given the Democrat leadership more than before. Make no mistake, by pushing the next budget date to January 15, they have deliberately scheduled a supposed fight after the subsidies will have already flowed to the exchanges. They are already planning to surrender that one also.
Virginians for Quality Healthcare will inform you when we learn who, if any, of our Virginia legislators stood their ground, and we will be compiling a Congressional scorecard to go along with our Virginia General Assembly scorecard.
A few good things have come out of this struggle, however. First, it brought Obamacare's dangers into the public spotlight. It also demonstrated, for those with eyes to see, the pettiness, vindictiveness, and despotic nature of the Executive Branch today with its Senate collaborators. It also let us know who among Republicans has the courage of their convictions and who we can really count on.
Let's find more people with the courage of Joel Kurtinitis and press on.
Back to Richmond: ROUND 4: Richmond
MIRC Commission Regular Meeting
On Obamacare's Medicaid Expansion
Monday, Oct. 21, 2013
1 PM [General Assembly Building
Richmond] This time, our goal is to have OUR expert witnesses testify for our position. Up to this point, only proponents of expansion have been allowed to testify. There has been a move by Virginia Senate Republicans to silence us and not allow our witnesses. Whether or not we will be permitted to have a voice remains to be definitively seen, but we are optimistic.
Please come if you are able to support our cause.
Recap of [Oct 15th] public comment meeting:
Yesterday's comment hearing drew over 500 persons to Richmond, The main room was filled to capacity with about 50/50 split in the audience. Approximately 170 commenters signed in from both camps. Toward the end many who had high numbers had already exited the Commission meeting. Overall the day went smoothly, and we recognize we need to keep a full course press on to objectively educate the public and Commission that Medicaid Expansion doesn't make sense for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
If you made it to Richmond yesterday, and to our information center, you were also treated to a surprise visit by none other than E.W. Jackson, and a wonderful musical presentation by the Duggar family of TLC fame! Photos will be coming soon to our website.
Many thanks to all who were able to come, and we look forward to seeing you and others again next week!
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