Health Care: Reid Expanding Medicaid Aid, Including Aid for Katrina Victims, & Making Rethuglicans Look Ridiculous

Hehe. I told you our Harry knows how to legislate.

Separately, however, the bill includes $100 million for hurricane-hit Louisiana — an extra Republicans pounced on Thursday as special treatment for Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu, whom Reid has been courting as one of the final votes needed to advance the bill during Saturday’s vote.

Actually, as ABC News first reported, the $100 million goes for “certain states recovering from a major disaster” in the past seven years, noting that only one state fits that description.

In the halls this afternoon, the provision was being called the “Louisiana purchase.” [...]

Reid’s office dismissed the criticism, saying the Republican campaign arm is trying to have it both ways — criticizing Reid when he secured the deal, and again now for delivering full funding for all states, including hard-hit Louisiana.

“As a result of his work for Nevada, he was able to help the entire country,” [Reid spokesguy Jon] Summers said.

Oh, wow! I just want to see the Republicans whine and bitch and moan and complain about aid for Hurricane Katrina victims in Louisiana. What, are we supposed to forget how Dumbya Bush f*cked up the response to Katrina? Or that it's taken the federal government so damned long to deliver the aid promised to revive New Orleans?

I'm sure that will kill off whatever remaining appeal the Republican Party has to anyone with any sort of capacity for compassion.

Oh, and don't worry, the other states aren't being left out, either.

The increased Medicaid funding Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid initially scored for Nevada is now being proposed for all 50 states in his new health care bill.

The bill also includes a separate, $100 million bonus for hurricane-stricken Louisiana, the state whose senator is one of the Democratic holdouts on advancing the legislation.

Reid came under fire earlier from Republicans for having secured the special Nevada deal last month. But the majority leader proudly defended the move saying repeatedly he made “no apologies” for helping his home state with full Medicaid funding. Reid helped Nevada and three others suffering from high unemployment. [...]

Now, in the bill unveiled this week, Reid is offering 100-percent funding for Medicaid expansion in all states for the first three years of the program.

“As he worked on this issue for Nevada, he saw other states needed help as well,” said Reid spokesman Jon Summers. “The fact that he took action for Nevada and was able to extend it to other states is significant.”

Of course, known Nevada hater John "McBush" McCain whined and bitched and moaned and complained about the Medicaid funds for Nevada. So guess what? Arizona will be getting help, too! What say "Mr. Faux Maverick" now? Will he oppose help for his own state again like he did when he voted against the stimulus earlier this year?

I just can't wait for Rethuglicans to try to turn this into "corruption!" or somehow twist this into "ACORN!" Considering how Reid's designed this bill, the GOoPers look likely to self-destruct over trash-talking something that their very own states (especially Louisiana) so desperately need.