An earlier post of ours discussed what mihgt be WI governor Scott Walker’s motivation for eliminating bargaining right from the unions. Now, from Crooks and Liars, another take on the legislation from a different angle. Is Walker looking to simply eliminate Medicaid in general?

via What Are Gov. Walker’s Plans For The State ‘Badgercare’ Medicaid Program? | Crooks and Liars.

HuffPost’s Amanda Terkel on the plans to slash Wisconsin’s “Badgercare” Medicaid program. As I’ve said before, I believe this is part of a larger plan to undercut the use of the state programs as a safety net for the new national health care program:

WASHINGTON — So far, most of the attention on Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker’s (R) budget repair bill has focused on the section that would strip public employees of their collective bargaining rights. Less noticed is a provision in the 144-page piece of legislation that could dramatically change the state’s Medicaid program.

The bill would grant the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) sweeping authority to making changes to the state’s Medicaid program — which covers one in five residents — with virtually no public scrutiny. According to an analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau, Walker’s plan would use “emergency” powers to allow DHS to restrict eligibility, raise premiums and change reimbursements — all moves traditionally controlled by the legislature.

It should be fairly frightening to anyone that the governor would want to eliminate publilc programs without public scrutiny. In general, that should raise a red flag with lightning speed.

The more we hear about how Governor Walker wants to do things, the more insidious his plans seem.