"You can’t teach an old dog new tricks”

You’ve got to admit Louisiana legislators may be some of the luckiest people in the world.  Just as this state is facing one of the most serious financial crisis in its history thanks to our leges’ fiscal mismanagement, along comes some more one-time money, the BP Settlement.

Louisiana’s share, a whopping $6.8 billion is the largest among the 5 coastal states.  Five billion of that is ear-marked for coastal restoration.  Just how much of the money will actually be used for this purpose without some budgetary trickery remains to be seen.

However, since $1 billion can be used to cover the state’s economic losses, it would appear that any newly elected governor and our legislative minions could use these funds in conjunction with some of the restoration money to fund this state for yet another fiscal year with one-time money without enacting any sound fiscal stabilization legislative measures.  To their delight they might even be able to roll back some of the unpopular, pitiful, symbolic revenue generating measures they did manage to pass. 

One would hope that such a timely fiscal reprieve would allow our legislators to enact  fiscally responsible revenue generating policies that would once and for all end reliance on non-reoccurring funding sources.

But since 95% of those up for election this fall will most likely be given yet another chance to serve, by the voters of this state, the chances are slim to none that any real budgetary changes will occur.  They can simply continue ‘to kick the can down the road’ as they have done for the past 8 years and hope that some other one-time monies will materialize in the future.

You simply, “Can’t teach an old dog new tricks.”

The Affordable Care Act isn’t going away

Do you remember the saying “Too big to fail?” It was born during the bank and large investment firms meltdown several years ago.  AIG was one of the financial firms it aptly was applied to because that company was so large and financially intertwined throughout the world that its collapse would cause global financial disaster.  So it was bailed out.

It would appear that this term could be revived once again when it comes to the notorious Affordable Care Act, or more commonly called Obamacare.

 

The repeal of this act has become the centerpiece for all the Republican presidential candidate wanabees.  However, the reality is the Affordable Care Act has been quietly gaining steam and it’s probably too late to stop it because of the economic ramifications.

Over 9 million formerly uninsured persons are now insured, including those with preexisting conditions formerly unable to get health insurance.   Young people are permitted to continue coverage under their parents’ plan until age 26 giving them time to find employment and get their own coverage. Thirty-one (31) out of the 49 states have bought into the Medicaid expansion funding under Obamacare.  And last, but by far the most important, insurance companies throughout our nation have spent millions of dollars devising new plans to accommodate the changes and have adjusted their premiums accordingly.

Do you really believe all these changes would not create major economic problems and even louder public outcry if the Affordable Care Act were suddenly defunded as promised?  It would cause some serious economic problems not only for the insurance companies but for the 31 states already invested in the increased Medicaid funds.  Additionally, it would harm those presently involved in the system.  Do you really believe the insurance companies would roll back the premium increases they attributed to Obamacare if the plan were wiped out?  And what about all the Medicaid recipients who would no longer be eligible for medical services under the expanded funding?  Hospitals would again be forced to service these individuals in emergency room settings with NO compensation.

Talk is cheap and to state that if a Republican were elected Obamacare would be totally defunded is total deception on the part of the potential candidates.  It has a nice ring for a political buzz phrase, but that train left the station about three years ago.  It’s simply “Too big to fail,” and to advocate otherwise is blatant political hogwash.

Besides, contrary to what the candidates would prefer, though the precise numbers vary a bit from survey to survey, the majority of the public doesn’t support repealing the concept of the law.  Some people who are included in the disapproval category of the present Affordable Care Act, like the idea, but wish it went even further. Additionally, many reporting dissatisfaction don't even participate in it but simply want to jump on the fashionable anti-Obama train.

I hope all the potential presidential candidates will eventually get around to telling us how they will solve the major issues this country faces worldwide, and how they intend to end the politically created divisiveness that has polarized our citizenry and is destroying our nation.   But please remember not to be disappointed if a Republican takes over the reigns as President, and most of the Affordable Care Act remains.