Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Ross.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
That's Gina, and Dragon's behind the glass and we've got
on our koa common spirit health hotline. Dick Watams, former
chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, longtime Republican strategist, and
the man.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Who helped UH.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It was John Thune, wasn't it, Dick, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So the guy who is now the Senate Majority Leader
UH won his election over at that time Senate Majority
Leader Tom Dashel thanks to the help.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Of Dick Watams.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
For people who are interested in their political history, it
was a heck of a thing.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
So Dick Watums the giant Killer.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So Dick wrote a piece for the Denver Gazatt entitled
Bennett Won't blame police for Medicaid cuts. And there's a
lot of interesting stuff in here about Medicaid, interesting stuff
about next year's governor's election. And Dick, well, Gina and
I have some questions for you, all right, you bet,
I'm gonna I'm gona leave most of the election questions
(00:59):
to to Gina. I want to I want to talk
with you about Medicaid. I'm just I'm gonna ask you
one very very quick election question, and I just want
to I want a one word answer. If you had
to bet money right now on the last name of
our next governor. What's what's the last name of our
(01:21):
next governor at this moment, Dennis Okay, I had Barb
Kirkmeyer on the show who I think is the likely
and probably best at this point Republican candidate for governor.
And as you are well aware, she and many many
others have been critical of Governor Poulos's budget proposal that
(01:45):
would allow Medicaid to grow around six percent rather than
around twelve percent.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
And Barb was very, very critical of that.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
And in your note for the Denver Gazette, you let's
see you right. While Polus and Bennett wail about these
federal reforms Medicaid stuff in the big Beautiful Bill and
so on, Polus, with the tasted support of Bennett, is
undercutting the ability of families caring for adult children with disabilities.
Polus dangerous healthcare providers across the state by cutting Medicaid
(02:17):
reimbursement rates that will imperil their ability to treat all patients.
So here's my question for you, Dick, and it's the
same thing I asked Bob Kirkmeyer. Why are you and
she not saying we must slash medicaid right, And to me,
when I hear these complaints, it sounds like Democrats saying, oh, gush,
(02:39):
we can't cut stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And I find it very frustrating.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
No, I understand what you're saying, Ross, that the Democrats
have basically put Colorado in this position of Medicaid taking
increasingly a higher share of the state budget. Remember they
expanded Medicare of Medicaid during the Obama administration, and uh,
and so we've had this this, this, this, this huge increase.
(03:06):
But where we are at this point right now, Ross,
the governor could have submitted the budget and the Democrats
and the legislature that that that took a swipe at
other parts of the state budget. The number of state
employees have has grown exponentially. And rather than in fact,
even in this budget, he continues to increase the number
(03:28):
of state employees by two hundred I believe. And so
rather than than than taking some cuts from other parts
of the budget to in order that the most vulnerable
can be deferved, he decided to cut to reduce the
increase in Medicaid. And the other thing, Ross is that
it hurts, it ends up hurts every call read because
(03:50):
when you reduce the reimbursement rate, and I know expert
on medicaid, barb is as you. As you reduce the
the reimbursement rate for providers, many of these providers are
going to leave the Medicaid program and that and or
they're going to cut back services elsewhere in their practices,
and that affects everybody. So I understand what you're saying,
(04:13):
but we have to deal with the reality of right now.
And Bard is on the Joint Budget Committee, and she
is seen as that post and personal now the Democrats
have spanned every other part of the budget, and all
of a sudden, Polish wants to balance to cut the
budget on the backs of the Medicaid program.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So I'll just say, and then I want Gina have
time to vulnerable people, right. I want you to have
time to get some questions in here. But I'll just say, look,
I understand that there may be better and worse ways
to cut Medicaid, but I'm very, very frustrated by hearing
Republicans essentially saying.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
No, don't cut Medicaid.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Medicaid absolutely must be cut, and it must be cut
a lot. And we also must stop the growth of
the state government. But you got to go where the
money is, and it's it's in medicaid. Gina, what you
got for Dack?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Hey?
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Okay, so your your one word, last name answer that
you got from Ross earlier. I'm curious because John Caldera's
article in the Denver Gazette says why Wiser has an
advantage over Bennett to become Colorado's next governor.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
So why do you see it differently?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Well, remember Ross asked me the question right now. Right now,
what I see, Gina is that Bennett has a is
going to have a huge financial advantage over Wiser in
this primary. He is, and I include, by the way
independent expenditure spending. Bennett recently took up five hundred thousand
(05:34):
dollars contribution from uh, the former mayor of New York Uh.
And so uh, he's gonna he's gonna end up as
a as an incumbent United States senator. He's going to
raise millions of dollars and it was going to swamp
Wiser in the primary. I agree with John Caldera that Wiser,
I think he's going to run a much more competitive
(05:55):
race than that. It may be people fought, and I
think Bennett is a horrible candidates out in that piece
today or yesterday, this guy has said nothing specific about
any issue other than I'm going to appoint mix successor.
So I think Wiser has an opportunity talking about I
think Bard Kirkmeyer would be a very strong challenger in
(06:18):
the general election if she wins the nomination. So, while
I was answering Ross's question right now, I think Bennett
is probably the front runner overall, the dynamics of this
race could change, and I think that Senator Kirkmeyer could
run a very competitive race against either of these guys,
(06:38):
because they both really are offering nothing more than the
same of what we've had for the last eighteen years
under democratic governors, and that you look at where the
state is today.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Dick thinks it's a very interesting conversation. We'll have to
have you back because this is going to be going
on for a while as those dynamics change. Dick Wadham's
piece in the Denver is that Bennett won't blame Polus
for medical cuts. But there's a lot more in the
article than just about medicaid, and it's well worth your
time to read.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Thanks for your time as always, Dick.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Thank you, Rod, thank you Gina. Nice fuck you guys,
I'm Ross.
Speaker 2 (00:00):
That's Gina, and Dragon's behind the glass and we've got
on our koa common spirit health hotline. Dick Watams, former
chairman of the Colorado Republican Party, longtime Republican strategist, and
the man.
Speaker 1 (00:12):
Who helped UH.
Speaker 2 (00:14):
It was John Thune, wasn't it, Dick, Yeah, yeah, yeah.
So the guy who is now the Senate Majority Leader
UH won his election over at that time Senate Majority
Leader Tom Dashel thanks to the help.
Speaker 1 (00:30):
Of Dick Watams.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
For people who are interested in their political history, it
was a heck of a thing.
Speaker 1 (00:35):
So Dick Watums the giant Killer.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
So Dick wrote a piece for the Denver Gazatt entitled
Bennett Won't blame police for Medicaid cuts. And there's a
lot of interesting stuff in here about Medicaid, interesting stuff
about next year's governor's election. And Dick, well, Gina and
I have some questions for you, all right, you bet,
I'm gonna I'm gona leave most of the election questions
(00:59):
to to Gina. I want to I want to talk
with you about Medicaid. I'm just I'm gonna ask you
one very very quick election question, and I just want
to I want a one word answer. If you had
to bet money right now on the last name of
our next governor. What's what's the last name of our
(01:21):
next governor at this moment, Dennis Okay, I had Barb
Kirkmeyer on the show who I think is the likely
and probably best at this point Republican candidate for governor.
And as you are well aware, she and many many
others have been critical of Governor Poulos's budget proposal that
(01:45):
would allow Medicaid to grow around six percent rather than
around twelve percent.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
And Barb was very, very critical of that.
Speaker 2 (01:55):
And in your note for the Denver Gazette, you let's
see you right. While Polus and Bennett wail about these
federal reforms Medicaid stuff in the big Beautiful Bill and
so on, Polus, with the tasted support of Bennett, is
undercutting the ability of families caring for adult children with disabilities.
Polus dangerous healthcare providers across the state by cutting Medicaid
(02:17):
reimbursement rates that will imperil their ability to treat all patients.
So here's my question for you, Dick, and it's the
same thing I asked Bob Kirkmeyer. Why are you and
she not saying we must slash medicaid right, And to me,
when I hear these complaints, it sounds like Democrats saying, oh, gush,
(02:39):
we can't cut stuff.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And I find it very frustrating.
Speaker 3 (02:43):
No, I understand what you're saying, Ross, that the Democrats
have basically put Colorado in this position of Medicaid taking
increasingly a higher share of the state budget. Remember they
expanded Medicare of Medicaid during the Obama administration, and uh,
and so we've had this this, this, this, this huge increase.
(03:06):
But where we are at this point right now, Ross,
the governor could have submitted the budget and the Democrats
and the legislature that that that took a swipe at
other parts of the state budget. The number of state
employees have has grown exponentially. And rather than in fact,
even in this budget, he continues to increase the number
(03:28):
of state employees by two hundred I believe. And so
rather than than than taking some cuts from other parts
of the budget to in order that the most vulnerable
can be deferved, he decided to cut to reduce the
increase in Medicaid. And the other thing, Ross is that
it hurts, it ends up hurts every call read because
(03:50):
when you reduce the reimbursement rate, and I know expert
on medicaid, barb is as you. As you reduce the
the reimbursement rate for providers, many of these providers are
going to leave the Medicaid program and that and or
they're going to cut back services elsewhere in their practices,
and that affects everybody. So I understand what you're saying,
(04:13):
but we have to deal with the reality of right now.
And Bard is on the Joint Budget Committee, and she
is seen as that post and personal now the Democrats
have spanned every other part of the budget, and all
of a sudden, Polish wants to balance to cut the
budget on the backs of the Medicaid program.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
So I'll just say, and then I want Gina have
time to vulnerable people, right. I want you to have
time to get some questions in here. But I'll just say, look,
I understand that there may be better and worse ways
to cut Medicaid, but I'm very, very frustrated by hearing
Republicans essentially saying.
Speaker 1 (04:45):
No, don't cut Medicaid.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Medicaid absolutely must be cut, and it must be cut
a lot. And we also must stop the growth of
the state government. But you got to go where the
money is, and it's it's in medicaid. Gina, what you
got for Dack?
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Hey?
Speaker 4 (04:57):
Okay, so your your one word, last name answer that
you got from Ross earlier. I'm curious because John Caldera's
article in the Denver Gazette says why Wiser has an
advantage over Bennett to become Colorado's next governor.
Speaker 1 (05:10):
So why do you see it differently?
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Well, remember Ross asked me the question right now. Right now,
what I see, Gina is that Bennett has a is
going to have a huge financial advantage over Wiser in
this primary. He is, and I include, by the way
independent expenditure spending. Bennett recently took up five hundred thousand
(05:34):
dollars contribution from uh, the former mayor of New York Uh.
And so uh, he's gonna he's gonna end up as
a as an incumbent United States senator. He's going to
raise millions of dollars and it was going to swamp
Wiser in the primary. I agree with John Caldera that Wiser,
I think he's going to run a much more competitive
(05:55):
race than that. It may be people fought, and I
think Bennett is a horrible candidates out in that piece
today or yesterday, this guy has said nothing specific about
any issue other than I'm going to appoint mix successor.
So I think Wiser has an opportunity talking about I
think Bard Kirkmeyer would be a very strong challenger in
(06:18):
the general election if she wins the nomination. So, while
I was answering Ross's question right now, I think Bennett
is probably the front runner overall, the dynamics of this
race could change, and I think that Senator Kirkmeyer could
run a very competitive race against either of these guys,
(06:38):
because they both really are offering nothing more than the
same of what we've had for the last eighteen years
under democratic governors, and that you look at where the
state is today.
Speaker 2 (06:48):
Dick thinks it's a very interesting conversation. We'll have to
have you back because this is going to be going
on for a while as those dynamics change. Dick Wadham's
piece in the Denver is that Bennett won't blame Polus
for medical cuts. But there's a lot more in the
article than just about medicaid, and it's well worth your
time to read.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
Thanks for your time as always, Dick.
Speaker 3 (07:06):
Thank you, Rod, thank you Gina. Nice fuck you guys,
The Ross Kaminsky Show News
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