Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear skewers McConnell and Paul over Obamacare

Fri Sep 27, 2013 at 05:01 AM PDT

Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear skewers McConnell and Paul over Obamacare in NYT op-ed

by TXdemFollow

 

My State Needs Obamacare. Now. That's the title of Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear's pugnacious NYT op-ed lambasting Washington Republicans, specifically his fellow Kentuckians Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, for trying to blow up the health care law.

Beshear begins by raising the disconnect between the partisan obstruction of Kentucky's dysfunctional duo in D.C. and the state's eager and steadfast implementation of Obamacare.

He points to the sad fact that Kentucky is among the sickest, most unhealthy states in the union and calls for "transformational change" to address that reality.

He credits the Medicaid expansion and Kynect health exchange for providing affordable coverage to more than 600,000 Kentuckians, creating 17,000 jobs, and saving the state $800 million.

Then the good governor delivers his blunt message to the turtle, his boss, and their fellow GOP extortionists:

As for naysayers, I’m offended by their partisan gamesmanship, as they continue to pour time, money and energy into overturning or defunding the Affordable Care Act. It’s shameful that these critics haven’t invested that same level of energy into trying to improve the health of our citizens.They insist that the Affordable Care Act will never work — when in fact a similar approach put into effect in Massachusetts by Mitt Romney, then the governor, is working.
So, to those more worried about political power than Kentucky’s families, I say, “Get over it.”
...
Get over it ... and get out of the way so I can help my people. Here in Kentucky, we cannot afford to waste another day or another life.

Steve Beshear isn't the ideal dkos Democrat, but he is delivering for his people. And he knows how to take it to the Republicans.

Similarly, we need to elect Terry McAuliffe this November and Charlie Crist next November so they can push through Medicaid expansion in Virginia and Florida, respectively.

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/09/27/1241757/-Kentucky-Gov-Steve-Beshear-skewers-McConnell-and-Paul-over-Obamacare-in-NYT-op-ed#