Press Release:UNITED UTAH PARTY TO LEGISLATURE: UPHOLD PROPOSITION 3
UUP calls on lawmakers to respect the will of the people
“The voters sent a clear message they wanted full Medicaid expansion. And the legislature replied: ‘We don’t care what you want.’ And they did so with a two-thirds majority to make sure the public could not overturn them through a referendum,” said Richard Davis, the United Utah Party chair. “If anyone wonders why so many people become cynical about politics, all they have to do is look at what the legislature did to Proposition 3.”
Some proponents of SB 96 admitted they were philosophically opposed to giving health care coverage to poor people, which Davis called a betrayal of Utah values. "The rest of the nation sees our legislature cutting Medicaid coverage to the poor and they must wonder about our attitudes towards caring for the poor and needy."
Other proponents of SB96 argued that the state could not afford full Medicaid expansion. Davis called that kind of thinking “shortsighted."
“Lawmakers are ignoring the research that shows the economic value of a healthy populace,” Davis said. “When people have access to health care, they go to work and pay their taxes. So they’re not just ignoring people in need; they’re ignoring the long-term positive effect on Utah’s bottom line."
Davis predicted that SB96 is likely to erode voter confidence for years to come. “Utah already has one of the highest hurdles for getting an initiative on the ballot,” Davis said. “So in the rare instances when an initiative makes it on the ballot and gets approved by the voters, that requires a tremendous commitment of time and resources by thousands of people. And then to see the legislature water down the people's will? There’s no question we need to fight that arrogance. That's why we formed the United Utah Party. “
“Lawmakers are ignoring the research that shows the economic value of a healthy populace,” Davis said. “When people have access to health care, they go to work and pay their taxes. So they’re not just ignoring people in need; they’re ignoring the long-term positive effect on Utah’s bottom line."
Davis predicted that SB96 is likely to erode voter confidence for years to come. “Utah already has one of the highest hurdles for getting an initiative on the ballot,” Davis said. “So in the rare instances when an initiative makes it on the ballot and gets approved by the voters, that requires a tremendous commitment of time and resources by thousands of people. And then to see the legislature water down the people's will? There’s no question we need to fight that arrogance. That's why we formed the United Utah Party. “
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