1 March 2019 — 2011 mst
22 Democrats blessed GOP bill that attacks
the privacy rights of poor people — why?
What kind of unholy deal has the accommodationist wing of the Montana Democratic Party cut with the Republicans who want to shrink expanded Medicaid and in general, make life more miserable for low income people? Today, 22 Democratic state representatives voted for HB-433, a bill introduced by Rep. Eric Moore (R-Miles City, HD-37) — and co-sponsored by raw milk ringleader Mary Caffero and fellow Democrats Tom Jacobson, Mary McNally, and Marilyn Ryan — that grants the legislature’s fiscal analyst access to information that should remain private. There’s an excellent analysis at Wonkette, but here’s the language that does the damage:
4) (a) The department of public health and human services shall make the following information available by removing names, addresses, and social security numbers DIRECT IDENTIFIERS and substituting in their place a record identifier:
- (i) all Montana medicaid and children’s health insurance program claims information;
- (ii) all public assistance and health care enrollment information; and
- (iii) all child and family services division information.
Direct identifiers are defined as “postal address information, other than town or city, state, and zip code.” A nine-digit (Zip Plus 4) can narrow an address down to a post office box, so HB-433 doesn’t actually remove all direct identifiers.
Data for downloading. I’ve prepared a spreadsheet that displays how the Democrats in the MT House voted on HB-433, and also identifies those who voted to legalize the sale of raw milk. Two notes. First, Rep. Dudik voted No on the second reading, but mistakenly hit the Yes button on the third reading. She Tweeted apologies for her error. Second, Minority Leader Casey Schreiner voted No on the second reading and was Excused for the third reading. Presumably, he would have voted No on the third reading.
Schreiner, incidentally, seems to be losing control of his caucus.
Why any Democrat voted for this bill, which had enough Republican votes to pass, defies rational explanation. What benefit do these accommodationists think derives from becoming accomplices in a mean-spirited attack on the privacy of low income people? Do they think that by becoming partners in bashing the poor they somehow will propitiate the shrink expanded Medicaid caucus and prevent Montanans from being kicked off their health insurance? If so, they’re delusional.