Power Can Do Some Crazy Things To Your Mind!
Power can do some crazy things to your mind…
Just ask Louise Slaughter!
Last year, Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY) was a co-sponsor of the Medicaid Community-based Attendant Services and Supports Act (MiCASSA), which gives people with disabilities and seniors living in, or at risk of nursing home or institutional placement, the choice to live at home with the services and supports that they need.
Now, things have changed…
MiCASSA is now the Community Choice Act (CCA). It has been tweaked to make it easier to understand, and has been correctly scored to reflect that the cost of implementing the legislation is only a fraction of the original cost cited by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). You would think that with these positive changes, Rep. Slaughter would have co-sponsored CCA, but…
With Power comes “responsibility”
Congresswoman Slaughter is now the Chair of the very powerful House Rules Committee. One task of the Rules Committee is to bring legislation (bills) to the floor for action. Now that she has some power, Rep. Slaughter must “be careful”, and “rethink” whom and what she supports, and this includes the Community Choice Act. Now, instead of being a co-sponsor, she will “keep your views in mind should this bill be brought to the House floor for a vote.”
Why the flip-flop?
It’s odd that when Rep. Slaughter didn’t have much power, she was supportive of the right of people with disabilities and seniors to live in the community with the services and supports that they need. Now that she has some power, she’ll simply keep our views in mind. Why the change? Who is Rep. Slaughter beholden to, now that she is powerful? Inquiring minds want to know! Congresswoman Slaughter, don’t flip-flop! Don’t turn your back on people with disabilities now that you have power. Do the right thing, and co-sponsor the Community Choice Act today!