And nearly half of those who will lose coverage are children.

I’ll nominate this for least surprising headline of the day.  And yet, despite major concessions on the part of Democrats, Republicans still aren’t satisfied.

Although the new plan thus moves considerably closer to Republican positions than any of the bipartisan plans, Republicans have been quick to reject it.  The counter-offer by Republican members of the supercommittee, reflecting little or no movement on tax increases and calling for even deeper spending cuts than in the Democratic plan — including severe Medicaid cuts that would impose significant harm on low-income children, parents, and elderly and disabled people — appears to leave little room for progress.

Today, Republicans on the Joint Finance Committee passed a budget amendment that will have devastating repercussions for Wisconsinites.

• Eliminated: Wisconsin’s only women’s health and family planning program
• Eliminated: Access to BadgerCare Family Planning program for men
• Reduced: Medicaid funding.  By $500 million. With no specification about which programs will be cut.

You can learn more here.

…so I’m spreading the word.  Wisconsin’s Joint Finance Committee votes tomorrow on budget issues that will have a major impact on reproductive health in Wisconsin.  Walker’s budget:

• Eliminates the state’s only women’s health and family planning program
• Kicks men out of the BadgerCare Family Planning program
• Reduces Medicaid funding by $500 million

What can you do?  Go here to learn more.  You can also meet at the capitol tomorrow morning at 11:00 to join people from Planned Parenthood and others opposing Walker’s budget. 

If your representative is on the Committee, give them a call.  A list of the committee members and their phone numbers is attached after the jump.

Read More

Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) introduced the GOP’s “Path to Prosperity” in this Wall Street Journal Op-Ed.  He relies upon analysis from the Heritage Foundation.  Seriously. 

The League of Women Voters has announced that calls coming from the right-wing League of American Voters (a Washington-based group that is in no way affiliated with the League of Women Voters) has been making robo-calls in Madison & Milwaukee, claiming 1) that the calls are from the League of Women Voters and 2) that the League of Women Voters supports Scott Walker’s anti-union, anti-Badgercare bill.  In actuality, the calls are NOT from the League of Women Voters and the League of Women Voters does NOT support this bill.  The League of Women Voters has previously had to issue a cease & desist against this group when they utilized the same tactics.

Please help clear this up should you hear someone mistakenly claim the League of Women Voters favors this bill.  The LWV has been an outspoken opponent of this bill from the very beginning and the League of American Voters is a fringe group using dishonest means to intervene in Wisconsin politics.

Today’s recommended reading: Disability Rights Advocates Protest at WI. GOP Headquarters

It is small as protests go these days in Madison. A line of advocates, activists, and people with disabilities, some in wheelchairs, maneuvers its way through the slush Thursday, past honking horns and over puddles, from Capitol Square to a squat, nondescript office building at 149 E. Johnson. “Our homes, not nursing homes!” the protesters shout. Bringing up the rear on crutches, his right leg amputated below his knee, is John Nousaine. He has driven down from Superior to join this mission.

Here’s the scene from the Wisconsin Assembly after Republicans voted to pass Scott Walker’s budget repair union-busting bill that would give sweeping control to the state’s executive branch.  Republican Rep. Kramer called the vote and it was announced within seconds that the “ayes” had it…before 28 members of the Assembly had a chance to vote.

Do the Republicans voting for this know that they voted to strip the legislature of some of its power?  Notably, the bill could dramatically change the way Medicaid functions in Wisconsin.  Walker’s plan would take power traditionally granted to the legislature and shift it to the state’s Department of Health Services.  Thanks to Scooter, the Department is headed by the Heritage Foundation’s own Dennis Smith, who has written extensively about his extremist position on having states end Medicaid, among many other things.  So much for checks & balances.