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By Nathan Thomas on May 14, 2013, 3:25pm
The AARP, the Iowa State Association of Counties, and the American Cancer Society "released a map today showing how much Iowans in each county will pay in property taxes to support the Republican alternative" to Obamacare's Medicaid expansion, according to Radio Iowa. The much-criticized GOP alternative, developed by Republican Gov. Terry Branstad, would cost Iowa taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars more than simply expanding Medicaid, while covering tens of thousands fewer families.
But in order to make the numbers work at all, Radio Iowa notes, "The governor’s plan is financed with $85 million in local property taxes," compared to $0 in property taxes under the Senate Democrats' plan. Property taxes have been an extremely contentious issue in Iowa in recent years, and if enacted, the Republican plan to siphon property tax revenue away from local governments would further complicate efforts to provide relief. AARP provides a helpful map showing how each county's property taxpayers would be affected.
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By Nathan Thomas on March 5, 2013, 5:15pm
Do you remember the original Republican objections to Obamacare - you know, the things they said before it became law? Besides the bizarre "death panel" histrionics and dishonest complaints about bureaucracy, the #1 Republican objection to Obamacare was its cost.
Iowa's 2010 GOP gubernatorial candidate Terry Branstad, in fact, complained that "more spending" was "not the solution" to high health care costs. But yesterday morning, now-Governor Branstad presented his alternative to Medicaid expansion under Obamacare - and revealed that under Branstadcare, the state of Iowa would spend more money to create more bureaucracy that delivers less health care to fewer people.
And with that, the Republican Party's pathological obsession with denying Obamacare's existence has officially jumped the shark.
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By Dan Roth on March 5, 2013, 4:02pm
Iowa House Republicans are at it again. They are not seeking to attract better jobs for working families in the state nor expand access to health care. Instead, they are again focusing their energy on writing discrimination against the state's gay and lesbian couples into the state's constitution.
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By Dan Roth on March 1, 2013, 1:21pm
While the Iowa legislature debates whether or not to expand health care coverage to over 100,000 working Iowans, a new poll out this morning shows Iowans by a significant percentage want their elected leaders to expand the program.
