Nurse Judy: Shove It

Take your offer and....

Assembly Republican leaders rejected a $1 billion package of tax increases and other funding programs that Senate Democrats said they need to drop their universal health care plan from the overdue state budget.

"I am providing you nothing in return," said Assembly Speaker Mike Huebsch (R-West Salem). He said Healthy Wisconsin, which would provide universal health care by 2009, should have never been added to the state budget by Democrats who control the Senate.

"This is a significant tax increase," said Republican Rep. Kitty Rhoades of Hudson, co-chairman of the Legislature's Joint Finance Committee.

Today, Senate Democrats said they would drop the Healthy Wisconsin plan, but only if Assembly Republicans ageed to raise the 77-cent cigarette tax by $1.25, levy a surtax on hospital revenues to attract more federal aid and transfer $175 million from the Patients Compensation Fund that helps pay medical malpractice damage awards."This is a complete offer," Senate Majority Leader Judy Robson (D-Beloit) told Huebsch. "You don't get to pick and choose what you like, and what you don't like."

Thanks, Rep. Huebsch, for 'picking and choosing' the right answer: NO!