By CAP Action War Room    … a repost

Florida Governor Threatens State Shutdown Over Medicaid Expansion

Here’s a story we’re all familiar with: a GOP Governor refuses to expand Medicaid for his own political gain, hurting the state’s economy and leaving thousands of low-income constituents in the coverage gap. But in recent days, Florida Gov. Rick Scott, who has flip flopped multiple times on Medicaid expansion, has taken this mission to extreme lengths. Gov. Scott warned state agencies yesterday to prepare for a possible government shutdown because state lawmakers can’t agree on Medicaid expansion.

Why can’t they agree? Probably because Gov. Scott, beyond flip-flopping, has shown irresponsible leadership on the issue. The governor filed a lawsuit against the federal government for note extending federal funding for the Low-Income Pool (LIP), a fund that has been set to expire this year because Medicaid expansion is a smarter, more cost-effective replacement. Texas, Tennessee and Kansas, which all have large uninsured populations like Florida, also have refused to expand Medicaid, and also are about to see their LIP funding expire. Officials in Texas and Kansas have joined Gov. Scott’s political games by filing amicus briefs supporting Florida in its lawsuit.

Medicaid expansion under the ACA has always been common sense. In addition to creating jobs and supporting economic growth, Medicaid expansion greatly reduces the uninsured population, which drastically reduces the need for LIP funding. Here are just a few of the costs associated with these four states not expanding Medicaid:

• More than 1.8 million people are uninsured because Florida, Texas, Tennessee and Kansas refuse to expand Medicaid.

• These states have forfeited billions in economic growth. Florida alone, could have seen $8.9 billion in increased economic activity in just two years if it had expanded Medicaid in 2014.

• Not expanding Medicaid has cost 165,000 new jobs in these four states.

• Hospitals have lost more than $65 billion in reimbursements because lawmakers in these states would not expand Medicaid.

That’s just a glimpse of what the 20 states that have not expanded Medicaid are already facing. But a new report, out today, found that the situation could get even worse for these if the Supreme Court rules against the law in the upcoming case King v. Burwell. According to the report, in the 20 states that have not expanded Medicaid, 9.8 million people will go without insurance in 2016 if the court rules against the law.

Refusing federal funding to close the coverage gap isn’t the only way conservative state officials are attacking working Americans. On Wednesday, Missouri state legislators passed Right-to-Work legislation that weakens unions and inhibits workers from bargaining for better wages and benefits. The ability to advocate for fair wages and benefits along with access to affordable health care are essential to helping workers get ahead, yet conservative lawmakers continue to advance policies that make it harder for these Americans to make ends meet.

BOTTOM LINE: Following the lead of Gov. Rick Scott, conservative lawmakers across the country continue with their irresponsible attempts to dismantle the Affordable Care Act, regardless of the costs. It’s time for conservative leaders to stop playing politics with the health care of millions of Americans and realize what’s at stake.

It seems that Waller County officials are trying to cover up Sandra Bland’s tragic death:

• District Attorney Elton Mathis has not filed any criminal charges against Texas State Trooper Brian Encinia despite a video that shows him violently attacking and wrongfully arresting Sandra. Officer Encinia also falsified his police reports.¹
• DA Mathis and Sheriff Glenn Smith have failed to provide Sandra’s family with key documents concerning her death, choosing instead to manipulate the press by leaking selective information.²
• There are clear discrepancies between jail documents leaked to the public and those on record.³
• Both DA Mathis and Sheriff Glenn Smith have refused to step off the case despite a long histories of racism and corruption.⁴

ACT: This Thursday, we are delivering more than 500,000 voices to the Department of Justice demanding justice for Sandra Bland. Add your voice day today.

Our only shot at knowing what happened to Sandra and holding those responsible accountable is for the Department of Justice to intervene. Yesterday, after growing public pressure, Attorney General Loretta Lynch acknowledged Sandra’s death, but fell short of launching an independent investigation.⁵ Now is the time to ramp up our pressure and calls for justice. It’s the Department of Justice’s job to prosecute cases of systemic abuse and civil rights violations targeting Black communities.

Attorney General Lynch will only take action if enough people refuse to be silent and demand her leadership. Raise your voice today.

Thanks and peace,

Arisha

1. “Sandra Bland Laid to Rest; First Black Judge in Waller County Demands Sheriff Resign over Her Death,” Democracy Now! 07-28-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5068?t=4&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

2. “Sandra Bland’s Sister Responds to Suicide Allegations, Lawyer Says Waller County Withholding Details,” Democracy Now! 07-24-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5069?t=6&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

3. “Sandra Bland’s Autopsy Report Called into Question,” Vanity Fair 07-23-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5070?t=8&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

4. See Reference 1

5. “U.S. AG Loretta Lynch Speaking Out About Sandra Bland’s Death,” ABC 13 07-28-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5071?t=10&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

6. See Reference 1

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“You just slammed my head to the ground. Do you not even care about that?”

These were some of the last words of 28-year-old Sandra Bland. On Friday, Texas State troopers pulled Sandra over as she was driving to her new job for allegedly not using the turn signals during a lane change.¹ What happened next was all too familiar and terrifying.

An eye-witness says police ripped Sandra out of the car, violently slammed her on the ground, and arrested her as she screamed for help. Just 72 two hours later, she was dead.² Police are claiming Sandra took her own life, but her family and friends don’t believe it. Local District Attorney Elton Mathis has already said he has no reason to expect foul play and handed over the investigation to the same police agency that arrested Sandra.

Police cannot police themselves. Urge Attorney General Lynch to thoroughly investigate Sandra’s death and hold all those responsible fully accountable.

DA Mathis said there was no reason for concern, despite the fact that an allegedly routine traffic stopped turned into a violent arrest is itself a cause for concern.³ Sandra’s family says that Sandra would never kill herself and that police seem to be covering up her death.⁴ We must demand that local officials release all video, information and photographs relating to Sandra’s unjust arrest, imprisonment and death.

The local police department and prosecutor’s office have a long history of racism and corruption. Last year, DA Mathis threatened a local Reverend who spoke out about racist prosecutions, saying he would release his “hounds” on the Reverend.⁵ Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith was fired from the police department in Hempstead, Texas for documented cases of racism.⁵

According to her loved ones, Sandra Bland was a loving, compassionate woman, with a bright future ahead.⁶ Today would have been the first day at her new job working student outreach at her alma mater, Prairie View A&M University. Loved ones described her as bright, spirited, and having a thirst for life. She was also a vocal advocate against police brutality and often spoke about ending racism and police violence. Our hearts and minds are with her friends and family as they move through this unimaginably hard time.

But in a world where Black people are stereotyped as “violent” and police exist to enforce the boundaries of a deeply divided and racist society, who Sandy was or the life she was creating, did not matter. What mattered is that she was Black, and therefore, in the eyes of the law, she didn’t deserve respect, didn’t deserve her civil rights, her freedom, or her life. To be Black in America, is to be safe nowhere. Black women are 3 to 4 times more likely to be targeted by police and incarcerated than white women.⁷

The Department of Justice and Attorney General Lynch have the power and responsibility to address the systemic police violence targeting Black communities. The reality is, racism, corruption and a deep-seated culture of secrecy prevents local and state police from holding themselves accountable. Without independent oversight, police will continue to kill and prosecutors will continue to do nothing. We should not have to demand justice, every time a Black person is murdered, but we will continue to do so until the justice system respects Black lives.

Urge US Attorney General Loretta Lynch to secure justice for Sandy and help end discriminatory police violence targeting Black people in Texas.

Thanks and peace,

— Rashad, Arisha, Shani, Lyla and the rest of the ColorOfChange.org team
July 28th, 2015

References,

1. “Sandra Bland Drove to Texas to Start a New Job, so How Did She End Up Dead in Jail?”, 07-16-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5001?t=15&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB?

2. “Family says woman found dead in jail cell would not kill herself; Texas Rangers investigating”, 07-16-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5002?t=17&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

3. See reference 2.

4. See reference 2.

5. “Pastor says Waller DA threatened him”, 06-03-14
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5003?t=19&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

6. “The Texas Sheriff Where Sandra Bland Died Was Previously Suspended for Racism”, 07-16-15
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5004?t=21&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB

7. “Incarcerated Women”, The Sentencing Project 08-2015
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/5005?t=23&akid=4607.1174326.kO9VYB