Gov. Deal (GA) refuses 50,000 petitions asking him to expand Medicaid

Deal refuses 50,000 petitions asking him to expand Medicaid (Update)
Posted by Max Blau @maxblau on Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 12:14 PM


The Rev. Raphael Warnock; state Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, and other local leaders attempt to deliver Medicaid expansion petitions to the governors mansion.



Approximately 300 activists rallied outside Gov. Nathan Deal's mansion as part of an attempt to deliver 50,000 petitions calling on him to support Medicaid expansion in Georgia.

For two hours yesterday evening, Moral Monday Georgia protesters urged Deal to expand the federal healthcare program for people living on low incomes. Since August 2012, Deal has staunchly rejected doing so - and, in the process, the more than $33 billion in federal funding that would accompany the move. Expanding Medicaid in Georgia, supporters say, would potentially provide more than 500,000 uninsured Georgia residents with access to medical coverage.

Yesterday's demonstration conveyed a different tone than previous protests, including the wave of disobedient acts under the Gold Dome three weeks ago that resulted in 39 arrests. No activists were arrested outside the Governor's mansion, which Franzen said was the original plan. Protesters held signs, chanted, sang, and prayed outside the Buckhead mansion.

However, Deal's security staff refused to accept a box filled with petitions despite multiple requests from local politicians, religious leaders, and advocates to peacefully deliver the signatures.

"These are working people, these are unemployed people, white, black, gay, straight, male, female, young, old, rich, and poor," the Rev. Raphael Warnock of Ebenezer Baptist Church told reporters. "We're saying that Georgians deserve better. We are disappointed by this terrible exercise of power yet again this evening. We have come to bring the petitions of the people, but they have refused to open the gate."

Activists also called upon the governor to veto House Bill 990, which would make expansion harder to accept in the future. If signed by Deal, he would effectively strip himself of the sole power he currently possesses to expand Medicaid.


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http://clatl.com/freshloaf/archives/2014/04/08/deal-refuses-50000-petitions-asking-him-to-expand-medicaid