Hi there, Sen. Breske. It's me, the Recess Supervisor. How are you? I'm guessing well. You probably voted for Decker a few days ago, so maybe you'll get an improved committee assignment or something. Good job.
Hey, I wanted to touch base with you about this bill you're introducing to revive the hospital tax proposal that got axed out of the budget. I think you're going to have problems getting that through the Assembly. Apparently their leadership would rather raid the PCF than pay for anything legit. But I have an idea that could at least make for some good entertainment.
I think you should include two things in this bill that might actually get it through the Assembly and would put the Assembly Republicans totally between a rock and a hard place.
First, you should include language that uses a portion of the increased federal funds to pay back the PCF for the money taken from it. If you can't do it directly, talk to DHFS and find a way to make it work. Money is fungible, after all.
Republicans are hot and bothered about that PCF transfer, you know. If you included that language, the doctors would be on board your bill 100%, and it would totally turn the AssGOP into the bad guys in the medical community. You'd still have more money for hospitals, just a little less of it. Plus, the doctors would be pushing it because they'd get their PCF monies back. That'd make their premiums lower, which in turn would lower health care expenses for average joes. And it'd give Sheldon Wasserman another potential weapon to use against Alberta Darling.
Secondly, if you want to drive a wedge between the southeastern part of the AssGOP delegation and the rest of them, include a modest increase in reimbursement for MA dental. You've got a rural district there, Senator. You know how many dentists can't afford to take MA patients because the reimbursement rate is so terrible. Find a way to do that, and you'll have the dentists on board, along with all the public health groups.
It might help you get the votes you need, and if it doesn't, boy will some of those outstate leggies have to sweat this. Passing on a chance to provide better health care to poor kids in their rural districts? Man, I'd hate to see that on a hit piece if I were Mary Williams or Lee Nerison.
Just something to think about. Hope you have a good weekend.
Sincerely,
RS
Hey, I wanted to touch base with you about this bill you're introducing to revive the hospital tax proposal that got axed out of the budget. I think you're going to have problems getting that through the Assembly. Apparently their leadership would rather raid the PCF than pay for anything legit. But I have an idea that could at least make for some good entertainment.
I think you should include two things in this bill that might actually get it through the Assembly and would put the Assembly Republicans totally between a rock and a hard place.
First, you should include language that uses a portion of the increased federal funds to pay back the PCF for the money taken from it. If you can't do it directly, talk to DHFS and find a way to make it work. Money is fungible, after all.
Republicans are hot and bothered about that PCF transfer, you know. If you included that language, the doctors would be on board your bill 100%, and it would totally turn the AssGOP into the bad guys in the medical community. You'd still have more money for hospitals, just a little less of it. Plus, the doctors would be pushing it because they'd get their PCF monies back. That'd make their premiums lower, which in turn would lower health care expenses for average joes. And it'd give Sheldon Wasserman another potential weapon to use against Alberta Darling.
Secondly, if you want to drive a wedge between the southeastern part of the AssGOP delegation and the rest of them, include a modest increase in reimbursement for MA dental. You've got a rural district there, Senator. You know how many dentists can't afford to take MA patients because the reimbursement rate is so terrible. Find a way to do that, and you'll have the dentists on board, along with all the public health groups.
It might help you get the votes you need, and if it doesn't, boy will some of those outstate leggies have to sweat this. Passing on a chance to provide better health care to poor kids in their rural districts? Man, I'd hate to see that on a hit piece if I were Mary Williams or Lee Nerison.
Just something to think about. Hope you have a good weekend.
Sincerely,
RS
2 comments:
I can understand why your tenure as a legislative staffer is at least one career-change behind you. Throughout the budget process, you have consistently misread the playground. You still just don’t seen to get it. The kids on the playground have truly confounded you.
It may be time for a new supervisor.
I always find it humorous that so many people think I'm wrong pretty much 100% of the time and yet if I look through the archives, I'm right way more than I'm wrong.
Heck, if I read the blogs, wingnuts tell me that Huebsch caved, which by their definition, is true. Doyle played the grown-up card and got 95% of what he wanted. Also true. Republicans were getting their ass kicked on message. Again, the polling says true.
Yeah, I misread the tea leaves. I suck.
But maybe you actually believe that the GOP is doing a fantastic job of selling its message. And hey, maybe that near-20 percent approval rating they've got is totally inaccurate.
Me, I'll trust the polls, thanks. But you, of course, are welcome to disagree.
Tell me this, though. Do you really think a vulnerable outstate Republican would be better off opposing increases in MA dental and salvaging PCF and opposing a tax that nobody outside the Capitol can explain and that the industry being taxed doesn't oppose?
Personally, I think people get smarter the further they get from their political careers. They regain some concept of reality.
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