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Wyoming legislators wage war on poor
I remember this attitude well. "Oh, those lucky devils, the poor. Those freeloaders should have some skin in the game."
Fuck those sanctimonious ideologues in Cheyenne.
Wyoming legislators wage war on poor
Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you,” adding, “and you can help them any time you want.”
Wyoming legislators are not interested in Jesus’ invitation to “help them any time you want.” They are doing what they can to make certain the poor always will be with us.
It is troubling that those elected to serve the people can look right past those most in need.
Truthfully, they don’t look right past the poor. Sadly, they target them. In times of sacrifice it’s the poor who have to step up.
Look at the numbers. This is what the Legislature left in its wake following its recent budget session.
The majority left 20,000 Wyoming working people without health insurance. By expanding Medicaid as Gov. Matt Mead recommended, the Legislature could have provided health insurance for these folks and saved more than $33 million dollars.
Mr. Mead proposed a budget that would have rendered unnecessary the cuts to programs for low-income families. Those harmful cuts could have been avoided.
“Are we willing to cut nearly $33 million from literacy, tourism, local government, senior centers and early childhood development just so we don’t have to expand Medicaid?” Mr. Mead asked in his State of the State Address.
“You betcha,” said his party’s legislative leadership.
Then they noticed programs serving the poor and went after them with a vengeance.
Legislators deprived 6,000 citizens of a refund of sales and use taxes paid by the lowest income families.
Low-income families have received this refund annually since 1976. Not even in the darkest days of the 1980s budget crisis did anyone attack this meager benefit, which annually averages just $625 per household and is provided to those making less than $17,500. Most of these folks live off little more than a Social Security check.
Legislators didn’t even have the courage to notify the elderly and poor who were expecting a check that one wasn’t coming this year. They passed that unhappy task to the Wyoming Department of Health, which administers the program.
Legislators didn’t stop there.
Jesus said, “The poor you will always have with you,” adding, “and you can help them any time you want.”
Wyoming legislators are not interested in Jesus’ invitation to “help them any time you want.” They are doing what they can to make certain the poor always will be with us.
It is troubling that those elected to serve the people can look right past those most in need.
Truthfully, they don’t look right past the poor. Sadly, they target them. In times of sacrifice it’s the poor who have to step up.
Look at the numbers. This is what the Legislature left in its wake following its recent budget session.
The majority left 20,000 Wyoming working people without health insurance. By expanding Medicaid as Gov. Matt Mead recommended, the Legislature could have provided health insurance for these folks and saved more than $33 million dollars.
Mr. Mead proposed a budget that would have rendered unnecessary the cuts to programs for low-income families. Those harmful cuts could have been avoided.
“Are we willing to cut nearly $33 million from literacy, tourism, local government, senior centers and early childhood development just so we don’t have to expand Medicaid?” Mr. Mead asked in his State of the State Address.
“You betcha,” said his party’s legislative leadership.
Then they noticed programs serving the poor and went after them with a vengeance.
Legislators deprived 6,000 citizens of a refund of sales and use taxes paid by the lowest income families.
Low-income families have received this refund annually since 1976. Not even in the darkest days of the 1980s budget crisis did anyone attack this meager benefit, which annually averages just $625 per household and is provided to those making less than $17,500. Most of these folks live off little more than a Social Security check.
Legislators didn’t even have the courage to notify the elderly and poor who were expecting a check that one wasn’t coming this year. They passed that unhappy task to the Wyoming Department of Health, which administers the program.
Legislators didn’t stop there.
http://blowinginthewyomingwind.blogspot.com/2016/06/wyoming-legislators-wage-war-on-poor.html