Courtesy of Del. Ken Plum, this is the "mentality" level (using the word "mentality" very loosely) of House Republicans and their "fraternity house" behavior. I've asked this many times before, but I'll ask it again: why on earth does ANYONE vote Republican?
A Startling Display of Arrogance!
In a display of gross arrogance, the Republican leadership of the House of Delegates under the direction of the Speaker of the House marched across the Capitol with the House passed budget to the Senate Chamber that they knew would be dark as the Senate had adjourned in order to give the public an opportunity to testify on the Governor’s proposed budget.Amid laughter and clapping, this fraternity house gesture may have seemed to the participants as a sign of their legislative power. To others observing their shenanigans, however, the weakness of their position of refusing to provide medical care to the working poor and the pathetic lack of responsible leadership among the House senior membership were evident.
The rush down the hall to the Senate was symbolic of the House’s insistence on passing a bill quickly and without a discussion of a program that absorbs more than 20% of the budget. Clearly they are in a panic with what happens when the general public becomes aware of the positive implications to the entire budget with an expansion of the Medicaid program.
As Governor McAuliffe’s budget clearly shows, Medicaid expansion frees up a net of $225 million of current dollars that can be used to give a long-overdue two percent increase for state employees, K-12 teachers and support personnel, and college and university faculty; $17 million for the line of duty act for families of first responders lost in duty; an additional nearly $9 million for mental health; more than $7 million for pre-K funding and a like amount for land conservation; over $5 million restored to Northern Virginia schools; and others.
Most significantly the Governor’s budget provides medical insurance coverage for up to 400,000 working poor Virginians and brings back to the state $5 million a day in federal taxes paid by Virginians.
When compared with the Governor’s budget, the budget pushed through by the House Republican majority is woefully deficient. Though not their intent, it was fitting that the House Republican leaders delivered their budget to an empty Senate Chamber in the night.
P.S. For more idiotic, puerile behavior by Virginia House Republicans, check out the video they posted earlier today entitled, “Ken Plum Whines.” Other than demonstrating that Virginia House Republicans have the emotional maturity of 7th grade boys, they manage to completely mangle the English language at the end of their video. Check it out:
“…maybe next time he will should read the bill he and his colleagues are presenting…”
What the heck does “will should read” mean?
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