Don't Overreact to Texas House Medicaid Shenanigans

Sigh, of course they did.

Last night, during the budget debate, Texas House Republicans played a dangerous game with Medicaid expansion.  Thankfully, they backed down before they did any damage.  The true colors of the Republican caucus in the Texas State House are, yet again, on display to anyone paying attention.

That being said, there is too much doom and gloom today; while many are guilty, this hysterical post from Erick Erickson at Redstate takes the cake:

Late Thursday afternoon, the Republican-controlled Texas House of Representatives took the first step toward capitulation on the Obamacare Medicaid expansion. A few hours later, the amendment directing the Texas state healthcare bureaucracy to start preparing for the expansion was reconsidered and rescinded after a handful of conservatives scrambled to rescue the situation — but the fact that it passed at all is a wake-up call.

Here’s the bottom line: Texas is closer to caving on the Obamacare Medicaid expansion than people realize. It’s no surprise that Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, elected with the votes of Democrats and liberal Republicans, would let this happen.

.....

There’s no excuse for this happening in Texas. It’s time for Texas conservatives — and their conservative Governor — to wake up and take the reins before the 83rd Texas Legislative session spirals completely out of control.

Everyone needs to calm down.  Nothing new happened last night.  We've known that Joe Straus sucks for quite some time.  That Texas House Republicans are a bunch of cowards also isn't news.  While the Texas Senate and the Governor leave us cautiously optimistic, conservatives have known we would have to fight tooth and nail in the House since the beginning of the session.

So what, pray tell, is new here?!?

Also, for the record, Rick Perry outlined his Medicaid alternative at CPAC.

People need to pace themselves.  The real work of the session happens in May.  Wasting energy on a tempest in an April teapot won't accomplish anything.  It's a beautiful day in Austin.  Enjoy your weekend.

Update: Erickson has backed off from the Ledge.

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Comptroller Susan Combs: John Galt is Alive and Well and He's Living in Texas

Great CPAC panel featuring Texas Comptroller Susan Combs: Has Atlas Shrugged?!? Business in Obama's America:

Highlights:

• Technology has altered the pace of change.
• Overwhelms Centralized Bureaucracy

• Small Businesses innovate 11x faster than Big Businesses.

• Under Obama, fewer small businesses have been formed and more have failed than at any time in 40 years.

• Big business and big labor can navigate big government; small business cannot.

• We spend more money on education than any other country for worse results.

• Susan Combs:
• "John Galt is alive and well and he's living in Texas."
• Some parts of the Federal government (like the EPA) just don't like successful people.
• Texas has a diversified economy.
• We love to sue the federal government in Texas
• Big government is not your friend if you're a risk taker.

• Jeanette Prenger
• Her current Health Care bill is $21,000 per month; under Obamacare it will go up to $58,000.

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By Popular Demand: Governor Rick Perry -- CPAC 2013

Governor Perry gave a barnburner of a speech today in Washington where he also tipped his hand about the coming fight in Texas over Medicaid:

Highlights:

• Releasing dangerous foreign nationals into the United States and blaming the sequester was a 'federally sponsored jailbreak.'

• "There's nothing free that comes from Washington."
• Me: Amen to that!!!

• "All we have is a promise from a Federal Government that apparently can't afford to lock up dangerous criminals."

• After repeating his unwavering opposition to expanding Medicaid under Obamacare, Governor Perry then laid out his alternative in more detail than I've heard before:
• Patient-Centered Reforms
• Flexibility for States to Innovate
• Higher co-pays for Medicaid services to discourage overconsumption
• Asset tests for Medicaid benefits.
• HSA's for the poor.

•  "We care about the Health of our citizens more than Washington."

• On Economic Growth: "It just so happens that balanced budgets and one of the lowest tax and spending burdens in the nation corresponds with our #1 ranking when it comes to jobs created."

• We don't believe growing government grows the economy.

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