Thousands could lose Medicaid coverage as states enforce work requirements

August 17, 2018 News, politics

Thousands of Americans could be at risk of losing Medicaid coverage as states implement work requirements approved by the Trump administration.

Trump administration reportedly poised to approve restrictive changes to Medicaid

August 17, 2018 health care, medicaid, News, politics

The Trump administration is preparing to approve a number of changes to Medicaid — the government health care program that provides coverage to low-income people — that could leave tens of thousands of people without coverage.

As Politico first reported Friday, the administration is set to approve waivers from some states that would impose work restrictions and allow questions about illegal drug use to be included on applications for Medicaid.

The report comes two...

Rep. Keith Rothfus’ constituents are fed up with his health care agenda

August 16, 2018 health, News, politics

ROSS TOWNSHIP, PENNSYLVANIA — It’s usually pretty quiet outside Rep. Keith Rothfus’ (R) Ross Township office.

But that changes every Wednesday, when dozens of the congressman’s constituents gather outside his nondescript doors to demand that he hold a town hall meeting. Each week, since February 2017, organizers have rallied about a different topic important to the people of the 17th district, which is made up mostly of the suburbs surrounding Pittsburgh. This week their focu...

Half of the Supreme Court’s liberal members are over 80 years-old

August 15, 2018 News, politics

Happy Birthday to Justice Stephen Breyer, who turned 80 on Wednesday. He joins Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is 85, as one of the Court’s two octogenarians. Ginsburg and Breyer are both left-leaning Clinton appointees.

That means that there is a very real chance that a member of the Court’s liberal bloc could be forced to depart the bench before Donald Trump leaves office, potentially giving Trump the opportunity to name a third member of the Supreme Court.

Pre...

Medicaid work requirements to cause over 5,000 low-income Arkansans to lose health care

August 15, 2018 health, health care, medicaid, News, politics

In Arkansas, residents on Medicaid need to report 80-hours-a-month of work or service online to keep their health insurance under new requirements. So far, more than 5,000 people have failed to do so, jeopardizing their continuous coverage.

About 5,426 people who qualify for the public health insurance program designed for low-income people failed to report 80 hours of work in June and July, according to the latest numbers from Arkansas’ Department of Human Services. If they f...

‘Fox & Friends’ dehumanizes Christine Hallquist

August 15, 2018 media, News, politics

On Tuesday night, Christine Hallquist won her Democratic primary election in Vermont, thereby becoming the first openly transgender gubernatorial candidate from a major political party in the United States.

ThinkProgress

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Randy Bryce wins Democratic primary in Paul Ryan’s home district

August 15, 2018 News, Paul Ryan, politics

Randy Bryce has won the Democratic primary in Wisconsin’s first district, beating public school teacher Cathy Myers. The district is currently represented by House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI), who announced his retirement earlier this year.

Bryce shot to national prominence last June, when his announcement video challenging Ryan to switch jobs with him went viral. He was endorsed by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), as well as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
...

BREAKING: Ilhan Omar wins primary to replace Keith Ellison in Minnesota’s fifth district

August 15, 2018 News, politics

Ilhan Omar has won the Democratic primary in Minnesota’s House race to replace Rep. Keith Ellison.

Omar, a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was the first Somali-American legislator in the United States. The district has been safely Democratic for decades, making a victory for Omar in November likely. She and Rashida Tlaib, who won her congressional primary in Michigan last week, will be the first Muslim women elected to the U.S. House.

Omar was endorsed by t...

BREAKING: Christine Hallquist wins primary, becomes first transgender gubernatorial nominee

August 15, 2018 lgbtq, News, politics

Gubernatorial candidate Christine Hallquist has won Vermont’s Democratic primary race, becoming the first openly transgender gubernatorial candidate from a major political party in the United States.

At the time of publication, she was leading the four-person pack by about 25 percent. She will face incumbent Republican Gov. Phil Scott in November.

BREAKING: Christine Hallquist wins Democratic nomination for governor in Vermont primary election. #APracecal...

The Myers-Bryce Online Personality Test for Wisconsin Democrats

August 14, 2018 House of Representatives, News, Paul Ryan, politics

JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN — “It’s funny living in the same town as Paul Ryan, because every time he burps or farts the media is all over us,” says Paula, a server at the Eagle Inn Family Restaurant.

Paula doesn’t have internet at home, and half-boasts that her cell phone is 16 years old. But when I tell her who I’m here to see, she nods knowingly.

Randy Bryce is just as familiar a name to her as it is to you, if not necessarily for the same reasons. His viral video campaign...