The Democrat attack on the Republican version of Medicaid reform is taking a slight pause at State Capitol after almost ten hours of a Senate filibuster. Filibusters are the minority’s biggest weapon against majority domination – but they work best when time is precious. The Legislature has not reached that stage of the session yet, and Republicans think they can wait out democrat protests without compromising. Senator Chuck Purgason of Caulfield is the sponsor of the bill that he says reigns in a medicaid system that is out of control. The bill eliminates some entitlements and makes them subject to legislative appropriation. It also changes some eligibility standards – which Democrats say will kick almost 90,000 people out of the Medicaid program. But Republicans such as Matt Bartle of Lee’s Summit say the state has no choice but to make painful cuts beause voters have said time and again they won’t want more taxes. It’s a question for which democrats won’t give an answer and Republicans say there isn’t one – except for what they propose.
