The other day I wrote a story about the Arizona legislature refusing to reauthorize KidsCare, a federally-funded program that provides affordable medical, dental and vision insurance for poor children under 19. Every other state in the nation offers the program because it costs them nothing—zip, zilch, nada.
That apparently was just too much money for the Arizona legislature to approve, especially because it helps poor families, and the KidsCare reauthorization bill went down 25-24 in the Senate. Eleven Republican cowards didn’t vote at all because they didn’t want to appear as cruel sons of bitches, but neither did they want to go against the Arizona GOP 11th Commandment: Thou shalt not accept federal money, especially from a black Democrat.
Not being on Facebook, I’m not sure how it operates, but once my little story hit that universe it had thousands of shares and ended up in a lot of other places. And there were many more pissed off Arizonans. Nearly every newspaper and website editorial blasted the legislative meanies for putting their sick political philosophy before sick kids.
They were shamed and shamed good, locally and nationally. So yesterday Republicans in the House brought KidsCare up for another vote and passed it, sending the bill to the Senate. That’s where it bogged down again, because one millionaire asshat, who happens to be Senate President, doesn’t believe in accepting federal funds and said he would not bring the bill to the floor, even though vote counters knew it would pass the Senate.
But this guy, Senate President Andy Biggs, didn’t even want to let his colleagues vote on it:
Yeah, it’s “unbelievable” all right: win $10 million then run for the legislature so you can screw over people who are not as lucky as you.
Even Republicans in the Senate were ashamed of Sen. Biggs’s callous bullshit, and today they passed an amendment, introduced by Republican Steve Pierce, that allowed them to suspend Senate rules and go over Biggs’s head:
But on a 16-10 vote, the Senate agreed to Sen. Steve Pierce's motion to suspend its rules and immediately vote on the bill the House of Representatives had voted on just 18 hours earlier.
The KidsCare reauthorization bill passed the Senate 16-12, with all 11 Democrats voting for it, joined by five Republicans. Now it sits on Gov. Doug Ducey’s desk, and as of this hour Ducey has said he’ll sign it! Congratulations to all the children’s advocates and families who kept the pressure on; until the ink is dry they’re still holding their breath and contacting the governor’s office. Please do so if you’re in Arizona, or send a thank you!
There’s so much these peckerheads have done this session to destroy the environment, dismantle schools and rob healthcare from vulnerable families that this little victory deserves a toast. Cheers!
UPDATE: Signed 4:14 PM!