Well, it’s the Kick in the Teeth du jour for our country’s neediest people. This time it’s courtesy of Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli:
On Friday, Cuccinelli’s office informed state officials that it has completed its review of a number of charities funded through the Virginia Department of Health, deeming some payments unconstitutional.~SNIP~
[T]he decision could endanger millions in funding slated for groups that work with some of the state’s neediest residents. The agency said it would not release the names of the groups affected until next week, as allowed under public information laws, to give time for its officials to deliver the news to affected groups.
While the review has been underway, suspended payments have included more than $500,000 to the Virginia Association of Free Clinics, a network of 60 medical clinics that served 72,000 patients last year.
CHIP of Virginia, an organization that works with low-income families and pregnant women, has also been told to expect no more funds until the issue is worked out. The group was so far awaiting $283,000.
State officials confirmed the Child Advocacy Centers of Virginia and Healthy Families of Virginia, groups that work to prevent child abuse, also will not receive further funds, pending the legal review.
I am actually beginning to believe that the GOP has a death wish. It’s not possible for me to believe that the voters of America, even Republicans, are (a) such heartless bastards that they would accept these attacks on our most vulnerable and (b) are so short-sighted as to not see that these actions end up costing the states MORE in the long-term.
A spokesman for Cuccinelli said the decisions are “being handled on a case-by-case basis, at the agency level”. This allows Governor Bob McDonnell to maintain distance from decisions while allowing Cuccinelli and his staff to cherry-pick the programs that get axed. Given Cuccinelli’s politics, we can assume that women’s health services will be front-and-center in this attack.
This photo says anything else I have to say on the matter for now:
I’m just sayin’…
