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G_j

(40,366 posts)
Sun Jun 8, 2014, 12:07 PM Jun 2014

“I am a Republican. I am standing amongst a bunch of Democrats,”

http://m.dailykos.com/story/2014/06/05/1304573/-This-Southern-Republican-defies-GOP-in-coming-out-for-the-Medicaid-Expansion-to-Obamacare

This Southern Republican defies GOP in coming out for the Medicaid Expansion to Obamacare
Jun 05, 2014 6:35am PDT by Egberto Willies

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ynabv_southern-republican-defies-party-to-come-out-for-medicaid-expansion-to-obamacare_news

Many have been saying this would happen. As reality meets rhetoric, reality ultimately wins. Sometime one must bring reality into the fold kicking and screaming. A few months ago I wrote the article "When does lying about Obamacare become immoral and evil?" The simple answer is now. Waiting until people die makes it effectively murder.

Republicans are starting to feel the pain of their intransigence and spite. A few months ago a self-described Republican Fox News addict from North Carolina urged Americans to sign up for Obamacare. Yesterday Belhaven, North Carolina Republican Mayor Adam O’Neal flanked by Moral Monday’s leader Rev. William Barber urged his fellow Republicans to take the Medicaid Expansion to Obamacare.

“I am a Republican. I am standing amongst a bunch of Democrats,” Mayor O’Neal said. “No party is right all of the time. We all make mistakes.” The mayor went on to say that he was proud to team up with Rev. Barber and other Democrats to change course. He wants Republicans in North Carolina to take the Medicaid Expansion to Obamacare.

“The path the legislators are on right now has already caused stress on our hospitals; and especially rural hospitals,” Mayor O’Neal said. “Our rural hospitals could hardly survive in the past due to the reimbursement for indigent care. Without Medicaid Expansion the reimbursements are falling and hospitals like the one in my hometown are on the brink of possibly even closing. ... If you do not have critical access hospitals, people needlessly die. That’s a fact.”

Mayor O’Neal is correct. One need just remember Charlene Dill’s story as a vivid example. There are studies that quantify how many will die in states that refuse the Medicaid Expansion to Obamacare. But it need not be. Mayor O’Neal sums it up well.

“I hope they reconsider and decide to focus on federal reform too meet our concerns and don’t let our rural hospitals suffer and our poor suffer,” Mayor O’Neal said. “Don’t let our hospital close. Rural citizens dying shouldn’t be soldiers of our legislature's defiance."
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“I am a Republican. I am standing amongst a bunch of Democrats,” (Original Post) G_j Jun 2014 OP
I hope to see this in GA too. K&R nt brer cat Jun 2014 #1
I'll bet mayors take a lot of heat, and so it's probably tough to stand firm politically as a mayor. tofuandbeer Jun 2014 #2
They are often more accessible and, if not corrupt, not as beholden to campaign funders. Zipgun Jun 2014 #3
That took guts. Curmudgeoness Jun 2014 #4
"When does lying about Obamacare become immoral and evil?" arcane1 Jun 2014 #5
yep, G_j Jun 2014 #6
DO IT! and Virginia and other states too. nt IronLionZion Jun 2014 #7

Zipgun

(176 posts)
3. They are often more accessible and, if not corrupt, not as beholden to campaign funders.
Sun Jun 8, 2014, 02:17 PM
Jun 2014

Not as removed from reality, unless they are willfully ignorant.

Curmudgeoness

(18,219 posts)
4. That took guts.
Sun Jun 8, 2014, 02:23 PM
Jun 2014

I hope that a lot more Republicans will also open their eyes.

Maybe there is hope for this country if more Republicans will follow this man's lead.

 

arcane1

(38,613 posts)
5. "When does lying about Obamacare become immoral and evil?"
Sun Jun 8, 2014, 02:34 PM
Jun 2014

That's it, right there. If that isn't a campaign ad then we deserve to lose.

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