In Defense of Michelle Bachmann Against Salon On-Line Magazine

Yes, That’s Correct

Republican Presidential candidate and conservative activist Michelle Bachmann has recently come under fire for accepting government funds from programs she has denounced.  Ms. Bachmann has invited much of the ridicule on herself by trying to talk her way out of this, instead of just saying “Yes, we benefited from those programs, but I oppose them as policy and will work to end them”.  The programs included assistance from the Agriculture Department for a family farm in which Ms. Bachmann is a partner, and for employee training support for her husband’s clinic.

Also included in the charges is the fact that Ms. Bachmann’s husband received payments from Medicaid,

“Bachmann clinic got $137,000 in Medicaid funds

The GOP presidential candidate's claims that her family received no federal support are unraveling “

 

the above headline being from Salon for a piece written by the usually intelligent and articulate Joan Walsh.  In this case Ms. Walsh is dead wrong. 

Payments for health care services for Medicaid patients are not a government handout.  Furthermore given the low reimbursement rate that Medicaid provides, the health care providers that treat Medicaid patients are to be commended, not condemned.  Ms. Walsh, there is plenty to charge Ms. Bachmann and her family with in the issue of right wing hypocrisy.  This is not one of them.

[Disclosure alert:  The Dismal Political Economist has a disabled adult dependent.  He is intimately familiar with Medicaid issues and the fact that Medicaid is a vital program for the health of low income and disabled persons. That anyone would imply that by accepting Medicaid payments health care providers are somehow getting "federal support" is one of the more highly offensive ideas he has seen, at least so far today.]