Unlike other GOP Governors who are taking a critical look at the bills coming out of D.C., Reynolds is abandoning Iowans for her party.
In a press conference today, Reynolds once again refused to propose any tangible solutions or support a specific policy that would protect Iowan health care in the face of deep uncertainty in Washington over the fate of health care reform. Instead, she repeated her talking points that claim that the ACA is failing and reasserted her support for repeal.
She went on to imply that she should not be expected to weigh in on the changes to health care bills in Washington:
“This changes every day, you all are constantly asking me to weigh in on whatever the proposal of the day is for each and it fluctuates even within a day.”
Unfortunately for Governor Reynolds, part of her job is to tell the people of Iowa her plans, especially when it impacts their access to life-altering care, their finances, and a significant portion of the state’s economy.
When Reynolds has seen fit to make her position on the health care plan known, she has been in lock step with Washington Republicans. Earlier this month she voiced her support, under no uncertain terms, for Congress to repeal and replace the ACA. The AP Reported:
“Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds says she wants Congress ‘to get something done’ on repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, but she declined to offer specifics.”
While Kim Reynolds has been fully on board with her Republican allies in D.C., many other Republican governors, including John Kasich of Ohio and Brian Sandoval in Nevada, who have both taken a far more cautious and critical approach to the deals being cut in Washington.
Much like her ideologically motivated approach to the state budget, Reynolds is wholly focused on sticking to her party line rather than taking the time to consider the consequences of her actions.