Bullock again urges continued Medicaid expansion in State of the State speech in Helena

[TexasTowelie]

In his last State of the State address, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock cast an eye back on his tenure in office, reflecting on passing some of his hallmark policies such as a pilot program for public preschool, and imploring lawmakers to continue a program he wants to see become a piece of his legacy — Medicaid expansion.

Bullock is a two-term Democrat governor termed out from running in 2020. He’s had a Republican majority in the Legislature for all of his six years in office, but has been able to get through some of his most sought-after legislation that he listed Thursday night.

That includes Medicaid expansion, passed in the 2015 legislative session as the Montana Health and Economic Livelihood Partnership (HELP) Act, carried by a Republican. In their rebuttal to Bullock's speech, Republicans expressed qualms about the federal money that helps fund Medicaid expansion.

Ever since the HELP Act went into effect, Bullock has been building statistics to make the argument Medicaid expansion has been a good deal for the state and should continue in its current form. A sunset in the original bill calls for it to expire this summer, unless lawmakers choose to extend it.

Read more: https://billingsgazette.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/bullock-again-urges-continued-medicaid-expansion-in-state-of-the/article_15edcb90-ee7a-587c-b868-8120919e130f.html

[2naSalit]

1. I hope he runs for Senator in 2020 so we can get rid of Stupid Daines.

Although, Daines did actually vote with Democratic Senators a couple times, well at least once that I saw, this past week. Daines is still a TP repug and friend/former business partner of our one House Rep., the body-slammer.

He's been a good governor and he got us the Medicaid expansion in spite of the assholes in the legislature. Without it, most of the residents in the state wouldn't have healthcare at all. He has the guts to do the right thing in the face of opposition. I hope he runs for Senate.

[irresistable]

2. There was talk that he might run for President in 2020.

[2naSalit]

5. I think he'd be spinning his wheels with such a large field

and he'd be one of the white males, probably won't get far. He'd be better suited in the Senate, Daines comes up for re-election in 2020 and I'd like to see Bullock run for that seat.

[irresistable]

6. We could use another Senate seat.

Last poll that I saw for Montana.

Bullock 54 approval
Daines 42 approval
Tester 52 approval

Looks like an easy win for Bullock.

[2naSalit]

7. Indeed. I hope he goes that route...nt

[Delmette2.0]

3. Bullock would be good in the Senate.

He is young enough to serve a couple of Senate terms, then see how a Presidential bid looks.

[2naSalit]

4. That's how I see it.

He's young and we need a strong Democrat in our other Senate seat. We have Tester, he's finally becoming a very good Senator, it's taken him a while to get there an there is one specific issue for which I will always hold a grudge... but it's not enough for me to vote him out. At this point, I would like to take a chance at meeting him myself to discuss this negative issue and what he might do to rectify the situation.