Yesterday’s Wall Street featured a scathing editorial on Arizona Governor Janet Brewer’s emphatic call for the state’s participation in Obamacare’s Medicaid expansion. Arizona, you’ll recall, was among the states that litigated against the Medicaid expansion in NFIB v. Sebelius, and it’s supposed to be ground zero for resistance to federal overreach in general (e.g., on immigration). However, under a “provider tax” scheme cranked up by the health care provider lobby (and practiced by most other states), Arizona has figured out a way to make money on federal Medicaid grants. Too good to pass up. Notes the Journal:
Ten other GOP Governors have rejected Mr. Obama’s Medicaid bribe, with another 20, Democrats and Republicans, undecided. Twenty are expanding, including Republicans Brian Sandoval of Nevada, Susana of New Mexico, Jack Dalrymple of North Dakota and even, on Monday, Ohio’s John Kasich. Thus does modern government create the carrots and sticks of ever-larger government.
