Medicaid Expansion Lacks Real Compassion

Why should someone who works and cannot afford insurance pay for the insurance of someone else who does not work at all? Medicaid already covers people who cannot work. Medicaid Expansion is a deceptively named redistribution scheme that takes taxpayer money to give healthcare to other Montanans; many of which are not working.

Offering a prize for not working will never raise people out of poverty or the cycle of addiction. Real compassion would be rewarding a single mom who sacrifices time away from her kids at a second job or rewarding a dad who loves his family so much he endures a job he hates.

Some “Solutions Caucus” Republicans are even bragging about economic benefits of this redistribution program. What? Of course some industries would benefit in the short term; i.e. even bank robbers have to spend the loot somewhere. However, when has taking from more productive individuals and giving to less productive individuals ever provided long term economic benefits?

Are these rogue Republicans so egocentric they actually believe punishing workers for the benefit of rewarding able-bodied nonworkers is a solution? That sounds like a Venezuelan solution to me.

— Dusty Weber, Hamilton