At Least He's (Still) Not Your Governor (Again)

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by: Colorado Pols

Maine Gov. Paul LePage

Maine Republican Gov. Paul LePage has already been featured twice in our long-running series, “At Least They’re Not Your Legislator” (here, and here). Today marks the third mention for LePage, which is probably a record or something.

As The Hill reports:

Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) said Wednesday his administration will not expand Medicaid until the state finds a way to pay for it, a day after voters approved a ballot measure to broaden the program.

“Credit agencies are predicting that this fiscally irresponsible Medicaid expansion will be ruinous to Maine’s budget,” LePage said in a statement.

“Therefore, my administration will not implement Medicaid expansion until it has been fully funded by the Legislature at the levels [the Department of Health and Human Services] has calculated, and I will not support increasing taxes on Maine families, raiding the rainy day fund or reducing services to our elderly or disabled.”

Maine voters on Tuesday approved a ballot measure calling for the state to expand Medicaid under ObamaCare, the first state to do so through a referendum.

Maine voters didn’t just approve a Medicaid expansion — they overwhelmingly supported the proposal. The measure passed on Tuesday by a 59-41 margin.

As the Washington Post explains, it doesn’t look like LePage can legally follow through with these threats:

Supporters of the ballot measure say that LePage has no choice but to implement it. The measure dictates that the state has until mid-August to get its Medicaid expansion plan approved by the federal government. After that date, a new group of qualifying Mainers should be able to enroll in Medicaid.

If they can’t, LePage could open himself up to a lawsuit. Once a state elects to participate in the Medicaid program, as Maine has, that state is legally bound to comply with federal law.

Thankfully for Mainers, LePage is term-limited out of office in 2018.

11 thoughts on “At Least He’s (Still) Not Your Governor (Again)”

Moderatus says:

November 8, 2017 at 1:59 pm

Responsibility. It's a bitch. Stay the course! Pay for your pie in the sky plans.

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1. unnamed says:
  
  November 8, 2017 at 2:23 pm
  
  Is that why Trump avoids responsibility?
  
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2. MichaelBowman says:
  
  November 8, 2017 at 2:38 pm
  
  Speaking of paying for your 'pie in the sky' plans….
  
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3. Phoenix Rising says:
  
  November 8, 2017 at 4:57 pm
  
  Or, in the case of LePage's demand, over-pay. (His DHHS estimate is considerably higher than the independent budget estimate.)
  
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4. JohnInDenver says:
  
  November 8, 2017 at 6:07 pm
  
  Why is it that paying for health insurance is "pie in the sky" while paying for the DoD's additional $70 Billion over the 3% rise requested by President Obama gets a pass?
  
  Why is a budget resolution that "only" wants to increase the ten year deficit by $1.5 Trillion (by "official" — aka fudged — economic calculation) and by an INCREASING amount after those 10 years somehow considered "good governance" by the Grifting Old Politicians party?
  
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rathmone says:

November 8, 2017 at 2:01 pm

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1. mamajama55 says:
  
  November 8, 2017 at 6:44 pm
  
  Wow…who knew LePage moonlighted as an actor and/or supervillain?
  
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  1. MADCO says:
    
    November 8, 2017 at 6:55 pm
    
    Hey!
    make up yer dam mind – either appearance is fair game, or not.
    
    But when that other one looked just like my favorite martian (Ray Walston) weren;t you there to point out that her appearance had nothing to do with anything>
    
    You're right – this guy kinda looks wayy too much like Oswald Cobblepot. But he'd be just as douchey if he looked like JFK, Jr. (when he was alive)
    
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    1. mamajama55 says:
      
      November 8, 2017 at 7:20 pm
      
      That wasn't me with the favorite Martian. (Vickie Marble?) But I do notice appearance… I'm trying to practice cartooning again, so I'm sketching, with an eye for the ludicrous.
      
      I just think it has to be equal opportunity critique. Females do tend to be judged more harshly on clothes, hair, makeup, etc.
      
      For example, how far do you think a female Bernie Sanders would get? Or a female with Donald Trump's face, hair, and apple-pie figure?
      
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Phoenix Rising says:

November 8, 2017 at 4:56 pm

Unfortunately for Mainers, it looks like the state is on track to elect another Republican governor, with two Independents on the ballot to split off the center/center-left vote.

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MADCO says:

November 8, 2017 at 6:38 pm

Local control! States Rights!

Untill they do something I don't like. Then fuck that- the ~~King~~ gets to decide.

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