Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, who has stayed out of the spotlight for the last few weeks, sent a letter to U.S. Senator Max Baucus yesterday outlining for him exactly why she thinks his healthcare-reform plan could be the straw that breaks Arizona's economic back.
In the letter, Brewer discussed the heavy toll unfunded mandates in the plan would have on states like Arizona, whose economies aren't exactly thriving.
"By way of background, Arizona is wrestling with one of the most challenging economic downturns in state history," Brewer says in the letter. "Arizona cannot afford our current Medicaid program, despite the fact that we have one of the lowest per member per year costs in the country."
Brewer, of course, is referring to the nearly $3 billion budget shortfall that is somehow still unresolved and has been for about four months.
Brewer says certain provisions of the Baucus plan place mandates on states that they don't have the financial means to adhere to.
"Considering this, it is incomprehensible that Congress is contemplating an enormous unfunded entitlement mandate on the states," the letter says. "The disconnect between policy makers in Washington and the reality of state and local government is disheartening."
Who woke Jan up?
The governor has been essentially sitting idle as members of her own party form search committees to try to dethrone her.
Since calling the capitol a "hell hole," Brewer has been a tough lady to track down and now this attempt at political might?
Hopefully Senator Baucus holds our politically blemished governor's opinion in higher regard than members of the Arizona Legislature, who seem to take her about as seriously as clown shoes.
