Kaine's Famis Claims Review

Touting new figures on enrollments in Virginia's Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program, Governor Kaine claimed his priority efforts to get more uninsured but eligible children enrolled in Medicaid and to cover more pregnant women through Medicaid and FAMIS MOMS were succeeding. Succeeding is relative of course. What has succeeded is moving 1,200 mothers from independence to dependence, and requiring them to obtain their health care from only those practitioners willing to serve Medicaid clients. While the Governor remains hopeful that dragging more mothers into dependence on a government health program will increase the number of healthy infants born in the Commonwealth, he does not present any evidence of that in the press release. One may assume that the absence of any data to buttress this claim is based on the non-existence of data supporting the claim.


A closer look (below the fold) at the numbers however is revealing.

The press release notes enrollments of pregnant women in FAMIS MOMS increased by 1,200 since January 2006. For the 24 month period this is an average of 50 enrollments per month statewide. The release also reveals that this was accomplished by increasing the income level of those eligible from 150 percent of Federal Poverty Level to 185 percent. In plain talk this means that even by increasing the income eligibility level from covering all those single mothers with less than $21,000 annual income to all with annual income less than $25,900 this resulted in a total of 1,200 women signing up for FAMIS MOMS in two years. FAMIS MOMS coverage is not permanent. Sixty days after delivery the coverage ends. The increase in enrollment of 1,200 mothers is a point in time. At the end of at most 11 months, they will no longer be eligible, unless they become pregnant again. At that point their income could increase to $32,560 and still be eligible.

The governor also claims expanded marketing efforts in English and Spanish increased enrollment in FAMIS and Medicaid by more than 24,000 in two years. We do not get a breakdown of which program they enrolled in. FAMIS does not serve those who are the poorest. It serves those who are not eligible for Medicaid because their household income is above the 85% of poverty covered by Medicaid. It is entirely possible that the increased enrollment has come about from the higher eligibility limits and the proportion of truly poor children without health insurance has not been diminished. Also included in the Medicaid enrollment are the 7,750 children currently in state custody who the state covers through that program.

One more comparison, the governor claims a total of 450,000 children and 17,500 moms are participating in one of the state health insurance programs, but this is less that the total number on food stamps alone currently with many of those children and moms in households ineligible for foods stamps. The Virginia Department of Social Services reports 550,000 current food stamp participants. In other words the "successful" effort to enroll more children and mothers in a state health insurance program still leaves at least 80,000 food stamp eligibles out of the health insurance program intended to serve them first.

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KC4AG Heller Party

Senator Ken Cuccinelli (SD37) gathered friends and supporters at Fuddruckers in Richmond this afternoon for a victory celebration of DC v. Heller the recent 2nd Amendment Supreme Court decision. A large group of Virginia Citizens Defense League members were in attendance (most armed). The average number of weapons per person was higher than average for a political event, adding to the jaunty 2nd amendment atmosphere.

(A great interview by James Taranto with attorney Alan Gura, who worked together at Sidley & Austin in Washington D.C. and was a debate partner of Senator Cuccinelli, who took this case through to success before the Supreme Court is in Saturday's Wall Street Journal)
See more below the fold.



Senator Cuccinelli invited VCDL President Phil Van Cleave to make a few remarks to the gathering. Van Cleave noted "this is a good time for gun owners. We have changed the whole discussion and in many ways Virginia has led the way. Virginia led the way 200 years ago and it will lead today." A listener reminded the audience of the words emblazoned on the seal of Virginia: Sic Semper Tyrannis.

Cuccinelli noted his interest in Heller around the issue of trigger locks. He observed that it was nice to know that any such legislation in Virginia would be dead on arrival. Another area of interest was the extensive 'keep and bear arms' and self defense history detailed in Justice Scalia's majority opinion. It is a reminder that there is a federal election this year. With only a 5-4 majority of justices for 2nd Amendment rights. As with pro-life issues, every Supreme Court and Appealate court appointment will be critical to the law. The appointment and confirmation of sound judges will be more and more important as the assault on the constitution proceeds.

An important aspect of Justice Scalia's opinion was the recognition that the right to self-defense predated the constitution and that the governments exists to protect those rights. The right to self-defense is a fundamental human right.

Cuccinelli noted that we can see in the next few years that there will be a changeover of the judges. Supreme Court case law precedents do get overturned. The battle is not won or lost at a single case but it goes on forever.

He also remarked that it is worth noting, the (Heller) decision was quite narrow. Alan Gura will be able to make a career out of this. There will be lots of places in the country to work on this. If this is a fundamental right as suggested in the opinion, the language of Heller suggests government restrictions on this right should receive strict scrutiny. The narrow decision is a strong victory. The small items which we may worry about are in the dicta, non-binding. The boundaries of this will be set later, and probably not in Virginia. The Virginia environment in the last 15 years has improved.

In other comments Senator Cuccinelli referred the audience to a YouTube capture of Senator Dick Saslaw (SD35)on the floor of the Virginia Senate expressing his opinion that property rights just do not belong in the Virginia Constitution. A must see to believe.

By the way Senator Cuccinelli is running for Attorney General to succeed Bob McDonnell. The nominee is to be selected at a state convention next year. Senator Cuccinelli is recruiting delegates supporting his nomination for the convention in 09. If you are interested in signing up to be a delegate or to help Senator Cuccinelli's AG campaign see his campaign website.

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Walking a mile in her shoes

The Daily Press caught your humble correspondent in the act this weekend. The Center for Sexual Assault Survivors organized its second annual "Walk a Mile in Her Shoes: The Men's March to End Sexual Violence" at Patrick Henry Mall in Newport News this weekend, and we had the opportunity to participate. A fun time was had by all.

On a more serious note we would encourage all of our readers to participate where possible in helping develop a society where family violence was unknown and unacceptable, and where healthy relationships were developed based on mutual respect and dignity.
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O bury me not on the lone prairie

The Jerusalem Post reports on Palestinian Authority demands for the remains of terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, a Palestinian woman who participated in the murder of 36 and the wounding of a further 71 in 1978. While the highlight of the report was the intent of the Palestinians to celebrate Mughrabi with a huge funeral, the story provides a very interesting side note.

Azzam al-Ahmed, a senior Fatah official closely associated with PA President Mahmoud Abbas, described Mughrabi, whose family originally came from Jaffa, as a "the first Palestinian woman to carry out one of the most courageous operations in Israel." He claimed that in her will, Mughrabi, who belonged to Fatah, had asked her family to see to it that she was buried in "Palestine."

Mughrabi's remains are currently in Israel. The Palestinian Authority, Hamas, and Hezbollah claim all of the terrritory of Israel as part of Palestine. If their contention is true why would they need to rebury her near Ramallah to fulfill her will to be buried in "Palestine".

al-Ahmed also explained, "We want to turn Dalal's funeral into a national wedding, a major celebration." Is necrophilia part of the Palestinian religion?
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Anatomy of an Apology

The Chicago Tribune carried the text of Jesse Jackson's remarks concerning his hot mic captured comments referring to Senator Barack Obama. Jackson who is believed to have said he (Obama) is talking down to black people, I want to cut his nuts off.

"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," the statement from the Operation Push president begins. "My support for Senator (Barack) Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. I cherish this redemptive and historical moment...."

"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility.

"That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms."

Lets do a little closer analysis below the fold (my interepretation in parentheses)


"For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize," (I only apologize for the harm, but not for making the remark)

"My support for Senator (Barack) Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal. (Unequivocally what? Positive, negative?)

I cherish this redemptive and historical moment...." (I am thankful the Senator hasn't yet done to me what I wanted to do to him and so for the minute I am redeemed.)

"My appeal was for the moral content of his message to not only deal with the personal and moral responsibility of black males, but to deal with the collective moral responsibility of government and the public policy which would be a corrective action for the lack of good choices that often led to their irresponsibility. (Meaning of this unknown, but I am just guessing here, we need more government handouts for those who make bad choices, and everyone else should feel guilty if the handouts are not enough.)

"That was the context of my private conversation and it does not reflect any disparagement on my part for the historic event in which we are involved (My desire to cut his nuts off should not be taken as disparaging, I mean at least I admit he has something there to lose.)

or my pride in Senator Barack Obama, who is leading it, (Barack is leading a historic event which gives me pride)

whom I have supported by crisscrossing this nation in every level of media and audience from the beginning in absolute terms. ( I absolutely support his castration)"



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Affirmative Action Awry?

Monday's Washington Post carried an article, At Magnet School, An Asian Plurality. Reporting about the entering class at Thomas Jefferson High School, the article noted:

At Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in the Alexandria area this year, more than 2,500 applicants vied for 485 seats. Asian American students got 219, or 45 percent of the total, while white students got
205, or 42 percent. About 38 percent of the school's students were Asian American in the past school year.

The thrust of the article was the discontent of the black and
Hispanic communities over the few black and Hispanic students admitted
compared to the number of 'Asian Americans', and whether the Fairfax
school board should set a different admission standard for them. Of
course the two 'Asian Americans' highlighted in the article were not
born in the U.S. so I am not sure they qualify as 'Asian Americans' to
the same extent that members of the black community would consider
immigrants from Nigeria or Senator Obama's father 'African Americans'.
One of the two highlighted students was from China and the other from
Korea. I doubt either of them would have considered themselves members of the same group at all. I will leave to you, dear readers, to ponder what decision you would make as a member of the Fairfax school board. The black and Hispanic students that did gain admission under the same exacting standard, will be able to compete fully with their peers and will be recognized for their diplomas as earned, and will be sought after by elite colleges on the same basis as their peers, for their recognized achievement.

On a more personal note below the fold:

The rising concentration of Asian Americans at T.J. (Thomas Jefferson) mirrors demographic trends in other elite math and science magnet schools. In New York, the selective and specialized Stuyvesant High School, Bronx High School of Science and Brooklyn Technical High School have Asian American majorities, although about 10 percent of the metropolitan population is of Asian descent.

I graduated from Bronx Science with the class of 1964. Admission then as now is by competitive examination. Only about 10% of the applicants were admitted that year for the approximately 800 openings. At the time there was a New York State Regents scholarship also awarded by competitive examination. It was intended to provide a stipend to the highest ten percent of graduates statewide and covered about one year of tuition at a New York state university. Nearly 95% of my classmates and I were awarded these scholarships, incredible odds that 95% could be in the top ten percent state wide.
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Obama on "National Service"

The Washington Post reports on Senator Obama's speech Wednesday in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
During that speech Senator Obama uttered the following:

"We were ready to step into the strong current of history and to answer a new call for our country, but the call never came," he said. "Instead of a call to service, we were asked to go shopping."

Of course the greatest danger to the nation after the attacks on 9/11 was that the economy would collapse because aircraft travel had been curtailed and citizens were unsure about leaving their homes. A collapse of the economy would naturally have had a devastating effect and was the kind of force multiplier that al Qaeda was seeking with their 9/11 attacks. The exhortation to 'go shopping' was a request for direct and effective personal action which more than any other could and did counteract the threat posed by the attacks. Either Senator Obama is incapable of recognizing this or is deliberately distorting the meaning of those events.

On a greater scale, democrats have used this line to try to get the administration to demand more sacrifices from the American people, not for the value of the sacrifice but to engender greater opposition to the war. The ultimate poster child for this greater sacrifice was to reinstitute the draft. This was the gold standard for rapidly increasing opposition to the war and recreating the conditions the left recalled so fondly from the 60's. That Obama reintroduces this canard here, betrays his close tie to the extreme left both in political and military terms. Patriotism indeed.


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