AGREE TO AGREE

by Paul Gibbs

Governor Herbert's announcement yesterday that he and the federal government had reached a "conceptual agreement" on Healthy Utah is big news. Big to all of us who have been fighting for it. Certainly to those who need it to get healthcare that will save their lives or quality of life. The much-maligned federal government has proven they care enough about the people of Utah to compromise and reach a solution. It's up to our legislature to do the same.

True, we have not yet seen the details of this agreement. But we know that it is satisfactory to both the Obama administration and our governor's office, and in our current political age it's never short of amazing when parties on opposite sides of the fence reach any sort of agreement. We do need to see details, of course, but there is every reason to be encouraged. And it is absolutely time for all those who want a solution to Utah's coverage gap issue to come together. We stll have a huge battle ahead of us in trying to get this past legislators like Allen Christensen who makes a blanket stand that "takng federal money is wrong", or Mike Kennedy, who stated with a straight face that sometimes access to healthcare kills people.  We have to stand united for the best chance we have. And it's a better chance than ever before.

The failed efforts of Virgina governor Terry McAuliffe to stand against a partisan legislature and unilaterally expand Medicaid highlight how wrong it is now to keep insisting the governor should (or even can) still take the full expansion. That ship hasn't just sailed, it's docked in its port of destination. We'll get our chance to register our displeasure with Herbert's previous indecision at the next election. For right now we're on the same side, and to refuse to accept that is to stand in the way of healthcare for tens of thousands of Utahns. I'm begging all those who believe the poor deserve healthcare: stand together.  We have a chance to put pressure on the the legislature like never before. Let's do it.

And to our legislature and any others in opposition: the facts are in. The people of Utah agree, and the compromise has been made. Will you continue to stand in the way of saving lives just to hold your ideological ground and score political points with the farthest of the far right? Or will you finally serve those you were elected to serve? Will you be statesmen, or mere politicans?

We're on the brink of writing a major chapter in the history of this state. I sincerely and fervently pray that will all do our part to write it well.