Ohio Republicans are adamantly opposed to expanding Medicaid under Obamacare, but they are fans of using the savings from expanding Medicaid to fund a tax cut.
Republican Ohio state senators have introduced a bill that would take over $400 million in Medicaid savings stemming from the state’s recent decision to participate in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion and funnel it into an across-the-board four percent income tax cut. That amounts to using savings from a program that provides basic health benefits to the state’s poorest to fund a tax break that would almost exclusively benefit its most affluent.
The progressive policy group Policy Matters Ohio points out the proposed cut amounts to an average $1 tax cut for the poorest 20 percent of Ohio residents, but a $1,437 cut for the top one percent
What is it with the Republican obsession of turning any surplus or windfall they come across into a deficit-generating tax cuts?
They accuse Democrats of being big spenders, yet Republicans can hardly wait to pass tax expenditures. That $400 million is burning a hole in their pockets.
Why not bank the money and see where we’re at next year?
You could even use that money to improve essential services or — gasp — create jobs!
I know. That’s crazy talk.