Response to Kerry's attack on Dean's medicare record
Tonight during the Presidential debate on CNN, something unprecedented occured. John Kerry's staff issued a press release attacking Dean's health care record and it was passed on to moderator Judy Woodruff. Woodruff interrupted Dean (who was at the time answering a question) and read the release. I cannot reproduce the question verbatim, as nothing is currently posted on the Kerry blog or the press release section of Kerry's website. To paraphrase, Kerry's camp accused Dean of cutting health care and threatening to kick seniors off of medicaid while Dean was governor of Vermont.
Here is a lengthy explanation of what transpired in Vermont. Essentially, a decline in revenue combined with an increase in demand for government resources led to a situation quite similar to that which Vermont faced during the first Bush recession. Tough budget choices had to be made in order to maintain a certain level of service to Vermont's neediest citizens. Dean proposed raising the cigarette tax in order to prevent cuts in the state's Medicaid program, and the legislature resisted. The Governor also intended to preserve the state's rainy day fund, which he created during his tenure. The rainy day fund was designed to pay down Vermont's state debt or be tapped should a dire fiscal crisis arrive. When it became apparent that the leg was either going to have to cut peoples' health care or enact a sin tax, they quickly voted in favor of raising the cigarette tax.
All this really does is prove that Dean can make the tough choices, and that he can get things done. This doesn't change anything. Dean did what he had to do to ensure that Vermont's seniors didn't lose their coverage. Dean demonstrated courage by standing up to the legislature, and he forced them to do what was right, which was to preserve medicaid in Vermont by any means neccessary.
What's really sad about this situation is that Judy even took the question in the first place. That was an ambush, pure and simple. But unlike some of the commenters over at the O-blog, I'm glad she did it. If we are going to go up against Bush, we have to be prepared for these kinds of attacks. In addition, it gives us a preview of what topics we'll be attacked on. These are the kinds of moments that make us stronger. I would advise (again, contrary to some of the commenters on the o-blog) that if you send feedback, don't bite Judy's head off. That's not going to help either. Just take this debate as a learning experience, and be better prepared next time.
Here is a lengthy explanation of what transpired in Vermont. Essentially, a decline in revenue combined with an increase in demand for government resources led to a situation quite similar to that which Vermont faced during the first Bush recession. Tough budget choices had to be made in order to maintain a certain level of service to Vermont's neediest citizens. Dean proposed raising the cigarette tax in order to prevent cuts in the state's Medicaid program, and the legislature resisted. The Governor also intended to preserve the state's rainy day fund, which he created during his tenure. The rainy day fund was designed to pay down Vermont's state debt or be tapped should a dire fiscal crisis arrive. When it became apparent that the leg was either going to have to cut peoples' health care or enact a sin tax, they quickly voted in favor of raising the cigarette tax.
All this really does is prove that Dean can make the tough choices, and that he can get things done. This doesn't change anything. Dean did what he had to do to ensure that Vermont's seniors didn't lose their coverage. Dean demonstrated courage by standing up to the legislature, and he forced them to do what was right, which was to preserve medicaid in Vermont by any means neccessary.
What's really sad about this situation is that Judy even took the question in the first place. That was an ambush, pure and simple. But unlike some of the commenters over at the O-blog, I'm glad she did it. If we are going to go up against Bush, we have to be prepared for these kinds of attacks. In addition, it gives us a preview of what topics we'll be attacked on. These are the kinds of moments that make us stronger. I would advise (again, contrary to some of the commenters on the o-blog) that if you send feedback, don't bite Judy's head off. That's not going to help either. Just take this debate as a learning experience, and be better prepared next time.
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