The Hidden Catholic Social Justice Issue of the Health Care Bill

I say hidden because it is not being talked about or considered by many Catholic groups advocating for the Health Care Bill.

That is the cost to the States.

Why this issue is not talked about more is maddening!! We actually had to chances to examine this issue. That is over the issue of what was called the "Louisiana purchase" and the Nebraska deal. Sadly on my side of the conservative spectrum most bloggers and pundits missed the big issue.

The supposed Louisiana purchase was to correct a unforeseen consequence of Katrina and to close the gap on a 300,000 million Medicaid shortfall that came about as a result of a absurd rule. It was going to devastate the State budget.

The Nebraska deal was basically to shield the State of Nebraska from having to pay for the cost itself of the new provisions of the Health Care Bill.

There seems to be some belief that all this paid for by the Federal Govt!!! That is incorrect! State Governments are in fear of having to pick up a huge part of the tab. However the effect on the States (where a good bit of budgets can not be touched because of these obligations) is ignored.

See Blue state govs. rip Senate health bill

Also see Health care summit: Will Obama listen to governors?

This is not being talked about!!! Why?

The individual States of the Union cannot run debts like the United States Government. They have no magic money tree!! Mississippi and New Jerey cannot borrow from China.

So what shall be cut? What programs that serve the poor, that serve our elders, that educate high risk children, that do numerous things will get cut!!

This also will filter down to County/Parish/City Governments that will have to cut programs as the States struggle to make up this $26 Billion In unfunded Mandates at the very least!!! These programs will have their funding the get from the States slashed. So they cut funding for these programs and thus local Government is forced to cut more!!

This hidden cost does not go away because of the D.C. only focus on the health care bill.

These programs because of already strained state budgets will be right there on the chopping block along to cuts to higher ed and secondary education. I suspect the poor will get hurt the worse.

It is a issue of real Catholic Social Justice concern that is the elephant in the room. I am curious why on the etate level and local level I am not hearing local Catholic Social Justice groups bring up this problem. Are they aware of it? Do they think the Federal Govt is paying for all this and they will be unaffected on the State and local level as to crucial programs?

We recently saw some very progressive California Universities have riots and demostartions over cuts and tution hikes in higher ed. At the end of the day these students will put programs to immigrants, programs to the poor on the chopping block before their life is affected.

So it is a issue that cannot be ignored