Having just thrown the state’s health care law under the bus, it’s hard to imagine that Tim Cahill thinks he can win the Democratic nomination for Governor. After all, the concept of universal health coverage is pretty important to most Democrats, especially those who vote in primaries.
State Treasurer Timothy P. Cahill has come out strongly against the $1 billion in tax increases approved by the Legislature, proposing instead deep cuts in the state’s landmark effort at universal healthcare, calling it a luxury taxpayers can no longer afford.
A “luxury”? Good grief. Tell that to the folks who have insurance now, but who didn’t a couple of years ago.
“Everyone wanted it to pass, to get it on their resume,” Cahill said of the state’s 2006 healthcare law. “Nobody asked the tough questions. It was expensive, even in good times. In tough times . . . it just doesn’t seem doable.”
Putting aside Cahill’s revisionist history on how the health care law came into being, that’s quite a remarkable statement. ”Just doesn’t seem doable.” So, I guess we should what, repeal the law and go back to letting the uninsured fend for themselves? Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, there will be cuts. But that doesn’t mean you give up.
And get this:
“We’re all still waiting for the savings,” Cahill said. “Universal healthcare was supposed to eventually save us money.”“It’s a warning for the federal government as it looks to do something similar,” he added. “I’m not saying we can’t afford any of it, but it certainly doesn’t appear that we can afford all of it.”
Perhaps some of our health care experts could weigh in on whether and how having everyone covered can “save us money.” And now, apparently, Cahill is running against President Obama as well as Governor Patrick. Curiouser and curiouser…
Discuss
76 Comments . Comments are closed.Health reform was enacted without reality
The only way that more money could reasonably be spent on healthcare was to increase the productivity of low-wage workers so they could support an additional $300/month being taken out to spend on health care.
What the reform law basically did was say that now, a chunk of money that was being spent on something else, will now be spent on healthcare.
There is a reason people were not spending this money before -- because they did not foresee a return on having health insurance that justified denying themselves something else they needed more.
The reform law simply demanded that this money be spent without supplying a new source for it. The justification that people would be healthier and that would pay off down the road does not stand up to any kind of logic.
Nah
He'll run as a DINO, if he runs, and hope to siphon off people to the right who know any Republican nominee will be dead in the water even two years after Bush-Cheney destroyed their party in the Northeast.
No We Don't Know That
Christy Mihos is going to be the Republican nominee. Mihos is a man of the people. We still remember "Cadillac" Deval's "Yes we can" line, which translated in to regular english, means "you do it for me I'm too pompous to get my hands dirty". To quote The Who song "We won't get fooled again!" You dems have screwed with our wallets and pocketbooks enough. We commoners can put up with a lot, but not to your extremes. Go ahead Timmy Cahill: aplit your party right down the middle! Remember: Deval rhymes with GALL!
What car does Christy drive?
I like how a grocery tycoon worth tens of millions of dollars is suddenly "a man of the people".
Or how a
High powered attorney with a compound in the berkshires considers himself a man of the people?
The whole $quot;man of the poeple$quot; thing is overrated anyway
I'd rather have good governance, even if it is from an "elitist" "limousine liberal" "capitalist pig" "insert your epithet here".
$quot;Yes We Can$quot;
Means "you do it for me, I'm too pompous." The so-called leader of the Massachusetts democratic party only votes in an election less than 30" of the time Somebody want to explain to him about absentee ballots? Is Deval (Rhymes with gall) an "outsider?" Can an outsider lead your party? It's ok, nobody ever answers my posts.
Chevrolet
Christy is a political GENIUS!
That's why he ran such a great campaign last time. Oh, wait, he didn't?
Christy
Is a stubborn b*#@ard. I like his ability to relate to people. How's President Obama doing on gay rights issues these days? Don't worry dems, everything is wonderful! Keep thinking that.
$quot;Stubborn B*#@ard$quot;??? Kinda like a...
Republican trolling on BMG. Honestly, do you think saying that "'Yes We Can' means 'You do it for me, I'm too pompous'" is going to get you any friends around here? You think everyone here just went "OMG, billxi is SOOO cool for saying stupid stuff like 'You have no priniciples'." or something?
Listen, once you snap out of your reliving of 7th grade, you might be to realize that 1. This isn't a "Massachusetts Policy Discussion Forum"...its called BLUE Mass. Group for a reason and 2. Even if it were that kind of a forum, if I were you, I would shut my trap until something that wasn't a failed attempt at a kind of idiotic conservative snark was produced by your near-dormant brain.
I don't think...
... he's looking for friends, just trying to accumulate experiences that he thinks validate his victimhood.
It's also called Reality Based.
I know you've only been here five minutes, Mr. Room, but you should be aware that the Three Amigos encourage conservative participation. I've been here five years, myself.
Did you blunder out of your echo chamber? Perhaps other traps need to be shut as well.
echo chamber?
As opposed to RedMassGroup? If it weren't for Festus/Frank, the only serious discussion over there would be which person hates Obama the most.
In any case, congratulations on your latest convert. Were you his maker or did you outsource it? I'm heartened to see that his respect for the truth almost approaches yours. Good luck!
Wow Guys and Gals
I have some governor appointed hack worrying about me. Nice to see I'm touching some nerves. In the interest of disclosure, I AM A REPUBLICAN! Just became one last week, June 16th to be exact. You dems in the state house have to be stopped. Since only a 6th grade education is needed, maybe I'll take your job!
Different game
Massachusetts is unusual in almost being a one party state. Blue Mass Group is unusual as a Democratic blog in that we have conservative and Republican participation — some of it quite robust. We seem to have attracted a number of conservatives, by the way, who will state, with some emphasis, that they are not Republicans.
That makes this very different from Daily Kos which aims to have a discussion just among Democrats. Since the editors (or hosts or "amigos" per PP) have welcomed in conservatives, you'll see that there is a very wide range of conservative participation. I've observed the following groups:
What's odd, I think, is that, if we want conservatives, we want a whole lot of the first category and not so much of the other four. Folks in the first category will be in the minority among all us liberals and it is easy to treat them harshly. But that's a problem: You want to encourage those guys.
The other four, well, most of the time ignoring them is useful. Sometimes they're good for our own debate-sharpening. But really, they're a distraction in this economy, with the current wars, with the threat of climate change, and with the difficulties of governing Massachusetts.
deja vu all over again
Funnily enough, your first several posts here were similar sloganeering for Jeff Beaty:
I'd actually been looking for this post on conservative activity at Framingham State... also found this bit of wishful thinking on McCain.
How long did you say you've been a
campaign workerRepublican, again?9 days now
Are citizens not allowed to back a candidate? Or is that the fiefdom of democrat hacks whose jobs are on the line? Heck, I voted in the democratic primaries last year.
lots of Republicans vote in the Democratic primary
My point is that in the year you've been on here, you've consistently bashed Democrats and promoted Republican candidates. Your conversion is only a shock in the sense that you ever claimed to be anything else.
huh huh!
People registered with a party can ONLY vote in their party's primary. Unenrolled voters (as I was) may choose which party primary in which to cast their vote. I am not worthy of your praise by your obcessing over my every post. Please! Do yourself and the rest of us a favor: get a life. I took a second to find out you joined BMG ON 11/13/06. I joined BMG on 1/3/07. Gee, that's almost as long as you. Anything you want to know abour conservative student activism at Framingham State, just ask me, I will help in all seriousness. If you're looking for democratic or liberal activism, there is none. You can't find what doesn't exist.
back to the insults, I see
No obsessing. Just fact checking. I'm beginning to wonder if ANYTHING you post is true.
Everything I Just Said Is True.
I beg of you: prove me wrong! I'm sure you would if you could. But you can't. Now... do you posess the humility to admit I'm right?
I didn't think so.
Your credibility just took a major nosedive.
not responding between 9:30pm and 9:00am hurts my credibility?
I think we're done.
Ooops - Make that 10:30pm and 9:00am.... on a Friday night!
Sheesh.
Nice to see huh is well
But still no response to the FACTS. You guys used to be picky about that. huh: your credibility is now even more worthless. I would venture to say even less than a republican on BMG. NOW WE'RE DONE.
actually, none of what you said is true
People can switch affiliation at will. It's not like they're going to force you to remain a Republican.
The rest of it is just insults and assertions.
Citation please?
In other words prove it.
let me google that for you
here
Let me quote
"Caveat: if you are a registered Republican or democrat, you MUST vote in your party's primaryn- only those listed as 'Unenrolled' can choose either a democratic or Republican ballot. This is how Massachusetts is still referred to as a 'closed primary' There is no inter-party voting because only unenrolled voters can choose which ballot they want." Thank you for the link. I'm right, you're wrong. Now show some humility and admit it.
think it through
There's absolutely nothing to stop a person from registering as Unenrolled (or D or R), then changing back after the primary. It's not like they ask for a Party membership card.
Yo
There is a certain time frame involved. If you have a party designation, it is on the voter rolls. I know this from having worked in elections. There is usually a need for Republican and unenrolled poll workers to balance the plethora of dempcratic workers. Hmm... dems count, dems win... there's a pattern here.
I've been wondering...
if there's any "threat" that any states bordering MA will pass similar health care legislation. After all, the (small) but nonzero problem of people moving to MA to get the health care is mitigated if border states have a similar system. I'm not holding my breath for NH, but what about VT or RI? NY is a cluster of ugly right now, and CT has such a rich-white-suburb/brown city/eastern rural trichotomy that I can't imagine it happening there anytime soon.
But what about VT or RI?
People moving out of MA because of healthcare
Healthcare was a huge regressive tax on the lowest income workers and on business in the state. Massachusetts has unemployment almost double that of NH, people are moving out of here to get actual jobs in NH.
Your math sucks
NH Unemployment Rate: 6.5% MA Unemployment Rate: 8.2%
http://www.bls.gov/web/laumstr...
In what world is that "almost double"?
whatever
my point still stands.
No it doesn't
You have zero evidence that's it true. I agree with you, by the way, that the health insurance mandate fell unduly hard on working class folks. However, your claim that it caused the state to lose jobs or caused people to leave the state is ungrounded in fact.
People follow the jobs
The fact is that if you make it more expensive to do something, people will freely choose to find ways around the expense.
High rates of health care coverage like any other laudable liberal outcome come only from high productivity and wealth.
You can't prove this a priori
That's a valid argument why you might suspect job or population loss from the heath law, now go do research to confirm or disprove your hypothesis. So far, I haven't seen any economic data to suggest it has had such an impact.
not that interested
Nobody who moves to North Carolina is going to post his chart and graph reasoning here. I have however worked with people making $12/hour when the healthcare law passed and they were required to sign up for something they couldn't afford.
For comparision
The Unemployment rate in MA and NH were 4.8% and 3.4% respectively in April of 2006, when the health care measures were signed, so the while unemployment has risen in both states, the difference in the rates has not changed.
For MA: http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servle... For NH: http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servle...
Fraud
I haven't heard any talk of fraud investigations, but am aware of some questionable situations where people living in other states are claiming MA residency to take advantage of the Connector subsidy, yet they live in other states--not even border states. All they need is a MA address, and presto! Insurance cheap.
Can you get on the connector
without filing state taxes?
Sure, you may not owe, but do you have to file paperwork to MA DOR?
Connector
Connector requires income tax returns, but if you're a starving, just graduated student, making say $15K per year. File a Mass return; the Mass tax is minor-$550 or so, certainly less than the cost of insurance. There's no tax cost if you claim the MA tax paid as a credit against the home state tax.
Or else you're self-employed in CT, RI... File a bogus return in MA claiming MA source income and take the MA state tax paid as a credit against the tax in the state where you really live.
That's just a couple of ways to scam the system.
Each of those scams...
requires more data handed to the Commonwealth, which allows for more opportunities for the Commonwealth to cop on in an audit. I don't know what the penalties are or the value in pursuing a single RI health care low-cost-loader*, but the chances and the penalty are certainly non-zero, no?
* it ain't free after all
Speaking sincerely here
I live in MA. My address is in MA. I'm on SSDI, Medicare and Masshealth. Who is to know that I actually live here. I know where loopholes in our state programs are, I use them.
Cahill as an Independent?
Is it possible?
I hear the Republicans have begun raising money for Charlie Baker, who appears to be definitely in.
Charlie who?
I have attended a couple of Republican events recently. I have seen Christy Mihos at both, I haven't heard of a Charlie at all.
Mihos may well do worse in the Republican Primary
than he did in the general election should he be up against Charlie and any other candidates. Sorry to burst your bubble.
Ryan - why do you think that? Asked any REPUBLICANS?
Nope
I don't need to ask a Republican if I see a political loser. Political loserism has much less to do with Republican/Democrat than it does a general talent for politics. Mihos, simply put, is not a very good politician. The skills and traits that make him an interesting person will not help him win an election. They're actually a liability.
Now, there's always the chance that he decides to hire the best campaign talents... and a smaller chance that he actually listens to them... but if he does, he'll have improved his raw political skills. Honestly, I hope he does -- for while I'd much prefer Patrick to any of them, I'd prefer Mihos to Charlie Baker any day of the week. One stood up against the Pike and Big Dig, the other was an accomplice.
Ryan - he has hired the help.
Dick Morris (who worked with Barbara Anderson on Prop. 2 1/2, ran Ed King's campaign AND got Bill Clinton elected Gov. of Arkansas) has been hired to be campaign coordinator. Cynical side - he probably thinks getting Corner Ofice in ultra-blue state is good for national image, esp. when he can take out a Friend of Obama's at the same time.
I AGREE with you about the 'listening' part. :~)
Mihos knows what he's doing
I know who his campaign staffers are. They convinced me to become a Republican. He kissed and made up with the State Committee on Tuesday 6/23. Everything is going well from my vantage point. I'm kind of looking forward to becoming involved. Dick Morris ran Clinton's re-election campaign in 1996. I'd still like to know who this Charlie Cook is that you dems mention.
try google...
You don't know either.
That's ok, we never heard of Mark Roosevelt until he was the democrat's sacrificial sheep in 1994. democrats, sheep... sounding synonymous. There is a pattern showing here.
no, really
Now that you're a Republican, you should know these things. Otherwise, it makes you look like you've just found a new excuse to bash people here.
Hint: It's Charlie Baker, not Charlie Cook.
It's curious that someone who purports to know as much about healthcare as you do wouldn't know who Mr. Baker is.
I'm on Medicare and Masshealth
Obama Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebellius(sp) is the ultimate head I guess. I can't say I've met her. Cook, Baker, Candlestick-maker, excuse me, I just joined the Republican party last week. All I want to do is meet the elusive Peter Porcupine. So who's this Baker dude? Is he a democrat? Why should I know him? I must say the fellow BMG'ers I have met are very nice people.
try clicking on the links
I think you're in for a surprise when you meet "Peter Porcupine." Again, google is your friend.
As for nice people: I think you'll find people are much nicer if you stop insulting and lying to them. Just a thought.
PP's not that elusive :p
Do you really not know who Charlie Baker is? Or are you kidding?
I don't think you're being serious.
I didn't say he was going to be pleasantly surprised ;p
Don't you just have to chant her name 3 times or something?
I agree that he's almost certainly
dissembling"not being serious" about Charlie Baker.I'll believe it when I see it.
I don't know Christy Mihos. I'll take your word that he's hired the best and brightest. For all I know, he'll listen, but everything I've seen, read and heard about him makes me think otherwise.
I actually like the guy, PP, and think he's been right on many occasions. Unfortunately, I think he suffers the same fate as many lefty figures... they were right at the wrong time, when no one else would listen, believe or do anything about what was going wrong. The fact that Mihos is a bit of a character doesn't help him, in my book, but maybe these bright talents surrounding him will make that work. If he's your candidate, I sincerely and honestly wish him good luck ;) I'd love for him to make it past the Republican Primary.... so Deval Patrick can stomp him.
the oompa-loompa problem
No amount of hired helped is going to help Mr. Mihos overcome the fact that he comes off like an Oompa-Loompa on crack. He makes Jesse Ventura look slick. Maybe a little less bronzer, but I doubt even that would help.
Of course Dick was able (for a few short seconds) to make Barbara Abderson look like she wouldn't throw Mother Theresa under a bus for the tax break, so miracles may happen.
$quot;Ain't how they look...
It's how they treat ya" I'd like to know what you call your "friends" on BMG" under your breath. You've proven again that your nick really desvcribes you.
huh?
I'm guessing you didn't watch the gubernatorial debates. I'm not the only one who made the comparison. Here's Hub Politics just for one example:
They go on:
Christy may be a nice guy (never met him), but he's a trainwreck as a candidate.
The Lord helps those who help themselves...
Interesting that you 'hear' these things, Sue. Is it Republicans speaking, or Democrats imagining? Pls. advise where Baker has announced he's in, as opposed to Dems who HOPE he's the candidate.
Christy has announced that he will not take any money from the State party, adn asks that all funding/fundraising be directed to Lege candidates. He'll spend $8 - $12 million, but won't tap into the MAGOP for money. So he's not asking the Republicans to raise money for him.
Actually, that might...
... put him over the edge. The cost of campaigns has led to a situation where self-funders have continually grown in attractiveness (to both parties). Mark Green had a section about the phenomenon in his book.
Sorry Peter
Correction here:he'll only spend $8-10 million. BMG requires accuracy.
wishful hearing
Where I grew up, a politician's denial was as good as a confirmation. I guess I'll have to add Ms. Porcupine snarking about a subject into that category.
Here's Mr. Baker himself, from PP's beloved Herald:
As I'm sure PP already knows, he's talked about it A LOT.
OH!
So that's who he is. I'm not rich enough to have Harvard-Pilgrim, but I don't think he covers for the receptionist on lunch breaks either. Is he going to be Ted Kennedy's hand-picked choice to lose? Like Jim Ogonowski was to Nicki Tsongas? Jim should have listened to his own party. He'd be in DC if he had. So I attended the Republican Assembly at Holy Cross last Saturday. Cristy Mihos was there. I met several candidates for office. Very nice people, everyone. Mihos spoke at the event. But not even a mention from anyone at all about Charlie Baker. I was invited to observe the Republican State Committee meeting on Tuesday night. I have no idea how districts are organized, but I hope to catch on quickly. Again Christy Mihos was there. He led us in the Pledge of Allegiance. I was told they don't let just anyone do that. Christy made up with the state GOP. Of course I met several nice people there too. Thank God for business cards. Christy Mihos spoke to this gathering too. Alas again, no Charlie Baker. Not a word about him either. But the best thing of all: both events were wheelchair accessible, and I was welcomed! That is a good feeling.
In or Out, who knows...
Whether he's in our out as a D, I don't know, but politics is a numbers game. The vast, vast majority of people had health insurance before health care reform... only a small fraction have been helped by this plan. When you're looking for a plurality of votes (imagine a 3 way race) you aim for the middle on a bunch of big issues, and you're halfway home.
Apparently, living is a luxury
I bet it would have been cheaper to create a Massachusetts public option, but Cahill isn't in favor of real reform. Just stone-aged reform. Like stripping the rights of Massachusetts citizens to survive if they're not rich, don't have insurance and get cancer. Who needs early treatment and coverage, anyway? Let's find out when it's too late.
Not only should Cahill apologize for this atrocious lack of political principals, but he should be ashamed of himself as a human being. We need politicians that have a human heart.
Permission to stone Tim Cahill ...
has been granted. But perhaps he should be indicted for murder first.
Talk about an ad hominem attack ...
if you support less people having insurance
you support more people dying, by default.
I've known at least one person who died because they didn't have health insurance. She got breast cancer, something that would have been almost certainly treated and beaten if she had health insurance and were able to get so much as a mammogram. I'm sorry, but I just can't tolerate politicians that don't support universal health care. Supporting the status quo is more expensive for society and gets thousands of people killed every year. You can call it whatever you want, but Cahill needs to hear the people loud and clear.
I am sorry about your friend
Sincerely. I had kidney failure and rapidly learned to sacrifice my beliefs for life. If you ever need help in working the system, call me. No one should have to die for lack of medical insurance. Life is better than it's alternative.
So far, MA Health Care Reform a giveaway to BCBS and big Hospitals
While I'll never be with Cahill...I share is concern about this so-called health care reform. Ya, it's is a real positive that 98% are know insured. But really, this program has mostly benefitted the insurers' and the big hospitals and has so far done NOTHING for improving care or reducing costs.
I agree with you
but you don't see him pushing for ways to either pay for it or reform it in such a way that it's not a health care giveaway.
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