The Medicaid Expansion press conference held among some State Senate Republicans, their Democrat colleagues, and Democrat Governor Kelly on January 9, 2019 has created much confusion, disappointment, and bewilderment among rank and file Republicans.
The desertion among 11 Republican Senators who chose to place themselves above Party, principle, and policy is disgraceful.
Not only does their behavior demand answers, it brings to light the need to expose these renegade actions that violated the very Republican Party Platform they espoused to get elected into office, and further promised to honor while serving their respective constituents.
Article VIII Healthcare, Paragraph II
of the codified Kansas Republican Party Platform reads:
"We encourage the Governor, Attorney General, and/or legislature of Kansas to join all lawsuits that seek to restrain any federal action that infringes on the powers reserved to the states under the 10th amendment, or that exceeds the federal government's enumerated powers. We ask that the governor and/or legislators refrain from expanding Medicaid and other federal health care programs."
Not only a few Senate Republicans, but also some House Republicans as well, have decided to breach their obligations to serve the leadership and registered Republicans residing throughout our State.
Casting
to the wind; years of dedicated volunteers, donors, and people of goodwill (who depend upon their Party electeds) to carry forth their ideologies and interests.
Medicaid Expansion is financially breaking some states, and their legislatures are considering measures that would remove themselves from the program.
Under the current federal-matching rate schedule for new enrollees, the federally unpaid portion of Medicaid costs must be paid from the state general fund.
Medicaid Expansion is reliant upon a future federal funding schedule that is tenuous, unreliable, and designed to be continually modified; if not eliminated altogether.
Expansion creates potentially the largest unfunded mandate in the history of Kansas, and sets up the prospects of pulling the rug out from under citizens that had become exclusively dependent upon the government's care.
It will undoubtedly raid precious funds from other state agencies, and necessitate a sizable tax increase among the citizens of Kansas to maintain its expenditure load.
These are only some of the reasons Republican State Delegates duly responded to their constituents by including Article VIII in the State Party Platform.
We are a Party of limited and frugal state spending, and believe in rewarding hard workers of this State with lower taxes, less government intervention, and freedom to live the American Dream.
Medicaid Expansion remains the final vestiges of the failed Obamacare scheme for our nation. It was never designed by Republicans, nor will truly dedicated Republicans in this state support it.
We ask, and expect all Republicans elected to State office in Kansas to promote the Republican Party's Platform, and all that it represents. On an issue of this magnitude, any unfaithful dereliction of the fiduciary obligations to the 783,000+ registered Republicans of this State will be met with scorn and discontentment.
