A12 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 ••• RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH EDITORIAL PAGE HEALTH CARE Contraction? Over the course of Virginia’s protracted dispute about expanding Medicaid, Republican opponents repeatedly have warned about getting stuck with a big bill the state cannot afford to pay. Looks like they could be right. Under the Affordable Care Act, states could expand Medicaid coverage at nearly no direct cost to them: After picking up the full tab initially, Washington would gradually lower its funding support, but only to 90 percent. Even after the full phase-in, every state dollar spent on expansion would bring a $9 return. Seemed like a sweet deal. Thirty-one states took it. Virginia didn’t, thanks to GOP opposition. Democrats have made much of all the supposedly free money the state has left on the table, but of course the money isn’t free: It comes from the taxpayers. What’s more, there is no giant pot of dedicated federal expansion money that Washington divides among however many states expanded Medicaid. Virginia’s decision not to expand Med- icaid does not mean Virginia’s share of the pie goes to other states. It means the money the commonwealth would have received sim- ply goes unspent. With a Republican — at least a nominal one — in the White House and majorities in Congress, the GOP is now considering various ways to unwind the Affordable Care Act. A few concrete proposals have surfaced, but a consensus has yet to coalesce. One bone of contention concerns Medicaid. Some Republicans LETTERS TO THE EDITOR in Washington want to roll back Medicaid expansion. Last week Let’sendpoverty Republicans circulated a policy paper suggesting that the federal government gradually dial back the higher reimbursement rate for at itssource the expanded portion of Medicaid to the standard rate that applies EDITOR,TIMES-DISPATCH: Kremlindidn’t want tion’s sake, why in the world to the non-expansion portion. (In Virginia, that’s about 50 cents We read and hear almost Trumpto win would Russia want to upset daily of fighting to end poverty. on the dollar.) That would force expansion states either to drasti- the international apple cart? Let’s examine some of the rea- EDITOR,TIMES-DISPATCH: Look at what it has accom- cally increase spending or to contract Medicaid and throw people sons it continues to exist. Hav- The left’s about-face re- plished with Obama at the off the rolls. ing children one cannot afford garding Russia has been jar- helm — certainly a continu- Sound arguments for expanding Medicaid — both fiscal and hu- puts the burden on others. But ring. The false narrative that ation of his administration’s with so much help offered from somehow the Kremlin wanted feckless global detente would manitarian — still exist. And Democrats are right when they point so many sources, where is the Donald Trump to win the out that Virginia participates in many federal programs whose fu- incentive to not have these chil- presidency doesn’t pass the have suited the Russians far ture funding by Washington is not guaranteed either. Nevertheless, dren? There are shoe drives, smell test. From Hillary Clin- better than a loose cannon like Trump. Virginia Republicans’ warnings about the fickleness of federal policy coat drives, churches helping at ton’s Russkie reset to Presi- Thanksgiving and year ’round dent Obama’s whispered It’s clear that desperate are starting to look prescient — and they might prove true sooner with food and clothes. Free entreaties to Dmitri Medve- Democrats are loath to let than anyone could have expected just a few years ago. meals are provided at school dev, it was crystal clear that even a manufactured crisis and there is food to take home. the previous administration go to waste. I’ll leave you with Help is available from so many had nothing but warm fuzz- a 2012 quote from a noted sources, why save to provide for ies where Vladimir Putin was geopolitical expert, Barack EDUCATION your own children? These preg- concerned. Obama: “The 1980s are now nancies are intentional. Birth Now the usual suspects in calling to ask for their for- control is available but not used. Washington and the media eign policy back because the I am not suggesting we not have walking nightmares of Dean’s list Cold War has been over for 20 help the children already here Boris Badenov leaking emails but that the approach be con- and rigging elections. Other years.” TOM EATON. Anne Holton lived in Virginia’s Executive Mansion as the daugh- centrated on trying to end the than disruption for disrup- CHESTERFIELD. ter of a governor and as first lady. During her father Linwood’s continued creation of poverty. Most helping hands are down- gubernatorial term, she attended the city’s public schools. Other stream trying to rescue those in white families fled the city for the suburbs. Local schools prepared need. Go upstream and try to Our children deserve better. als With Disabilities Education Holton for academic rigor. She attended Princeton University and get those who are jumping off As lifetime educators, we’ve Act of 1975 (IDEA), a law that Harvard Law. In Cambridge she met Tim Kaine, her future husband. the bridge to change their be- learned that effective schools has guaranteed rights to stu- havior. This may give the school dents with disabilities for more The family settled in Richmond and sent their children to public benefit from research-based systems and taxpayers a chance policy and practice. No reli- than 30 years. To parents, edu- schools; the youngsters prospered there. Holton has devoted much to catch up. Otherwise, the situ- able, summative, national stud- cators, school board members of her life to education. As a young lawyer she clerked for Judge Rob- ation as it currently exists will ies show that choice efforts, and others: We fear Brat’s vision ert Merhige, author of the controversial busing ruling that sought continue. taken on the whole, yield more of choice, tax incentives and to integrate the region’s public schools via cross-jurisdictional We continually hear those productive outcomes than tra- vouchers will bring the same who help others in need say it ditional public schools. We chal- chaotic, failing educational en- transportation. The issue went to the U.S. Supreme Court. Holton makes them feel good. This may lenge Brat to provide evidence vironment of DeVos’ home state served as a judge on the juvenile and domestic relations court. Gov. be, but it helps those in need to otherwise. It is easy to cherry of Michigan right to the school Terry McAuliffe named her Virginia’s secretary of education. Al- continue creating that need. pick and promote model schools doors of the 7th District. GENE BARHAM. of any type, but what might We ask Brat to hold open, un- though she remained committed to academic rigor, she expressed RICHMOND. vouchers or charter schools re- staged, centrally located town her fears that schools were teaching to the tests rather than pursu- ally look like in the 7th District? halls to discuss public educa- ing a comprehensive approach. The testing regimen has indeed Russia wascaught We know such schemes would tion. We request that he conduct gone too far. Standards can be maintained without a plethora of offguard, too undoubtedly siphon funds from face-to-face interaction with tests that subtract from classroom time spent on creative instruc- already strained public educa- constituents in a large enough EDITOR,TIMES-DISPATCH: tion budgets. venue to accommodate them. tion. Holton resigned her position when Sen. Kaine became Hillary If the editors of The Times- Vouchers limit at-risk and dis- If he believes in these afore- Clinton’s running mate. Dispatch wish to advance the abled students and don’t pay mentioned economic notions McAuliffe has appointed Holton to Virginia’s Board of Educa- “Russia hacked the election” all the costs of private educa- so strongly, we challenge him to tion. She is an excellent choice. Her temperament and experience narrative (“Kremlingate”?), tion. Disadvantaged students debate us publicly and defend some more dot-connecting is in are typically screened out and them. qualify her for the job. Holton will assume her position as Virginia order. Missing from the picture frequently lack transporta- HAROLD “BUD”COTHERN, and other states adjust to the Obama administration’s rewrite of SUPERINTENDENT,RETIRED, is how Russia helped Donald tion. Those benefiting the most GOOCHLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS, George Bush’s No Child Left Behind approach. Betsy DeVos’ con- Trump in any meaningful way in often come from more affluent GLEN ALLEN. firmation as Donald Trump’s secretary of education ensures that an election where he did not win homes. SHARON DEFUR, the popular vote. Moreover, we must pro- PROFESSOR,RETIRED, the schools will serve as ideological battlegrounds. Kaine opposed COLLEGE OF WILIAM AD MARY. Also missing from the pic- tect students with disabilities HENRICO. DeVos’ nomination; Holton likely will oppose federal initiatives but ture are the millions of dollars from overzealous ideologues will do so, we believe, from a principled standpoint. DeVos supports Russia invested in Hillary Clin- monkeying with the Individu- school choice, a cause that has not caught on in Virginia. On this, ton via the Clinton Foundation. Immigrantsshouldn’tbe she represents the vanguard. The money spent by Russia on usedasafoil Clinton is well-documented in The governor also named Jamelle Wilson to the state board. Peter Schweizer’s book, “Clinton Contactus EDITOR,TIMES-DISPATCH: She, too, is a valuable addition. Her background includes time as Cash.” Not even a hint of a cor- I read your editorial “DEF- a teacher, principal and superintendent.