Governor Holcomb: “I won’t go through the rankings. We’re going to have to do something different if we want a different outcome.”
ICYMI: Todd Huston and Rodric Bray signal they will not follow recommendations by taxpayer-funded health care commission
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Democratic Party, the organization that advocates for the future of Indiana and its families, highlighted the main point from Governor Eric Holcomb’s 2023 “Next Level” agenda rollout: admitting the Indiana Republican Party has failed families across the state. During his announcement, Holcomb admitted Hoosiers are burdened by high childcare costs, a burgeoning state brain drain, a struggling education system, and dismal healthcare and maternal mortality rankings – all of which happened under Republican leadership over the last two decades.
It’s simple: Republicans have failed Hoosiers and are diminishing Indiana’s future.
In fact, Republicans failed to give teachers a pay raise (until the American Rescue Plan became law), adequately fund Indiana’s education system (until the American Rescue Plan became law), provide legitimate workplace accommodations for pregnant women, and adequately fund the state’s health care system. Instead, Republicans have put their special interests and extremism first – which has put the state’s brain drain in overdrive.
“It’s encouraging to see Governor Holcomb finally admit the truth: Republicans have let Hoosiers down. Our families have a poor quality-of-life, a limited workforce, an inadequate education system, and dismal maternal mortality rates and pollution ratings – and it all falls on Republicans’ shoulders,” said Mike Schmuhl, Chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party. “After nearly twenty years of Republican administrations, it’s past time to hold them accountable. Hoosiers should never have to accept being at the back of the pack.”
Eric Holcomb is now the third GOP politician to admit Republicans have failed Hoosiers. He joined Suzanne Crouch and Mike Braun who cited Indiana’s failing rankings for their campaigns for governor.
As a reminder, here’s where Indiana stands on issues like quality-of-life and education – thanks to the Indiana GOP:
Quality-of-Life
Eric Holcomb, 4.4.2023: “We need to get healthier as a state. There’s no two ways about it.”
GRADE: F Rated Quality-of-Life
Education
Eric Holcomb, 4.4.2023: “We need to lean in on our literacy deficiencies – the work that we need to do. Currently we are 81.6% right now at the third grade literacy level, and we want that to be at 95%.”
GRADE: C- Rated Education System
Brain Drain
Eric Holcomb, 4.4.2023: “We’ll be looking at performance funding focused on keeping the students that are coming to our state, here in our state – making sure our campuses are truly pockets of brain gain, not brain drain.”
GRADE: D- Rated Workforce
Maternal Mortality Rate
Eric Holcomb, 1.4.2023: “Something I am passionate about…in terms of building out our My Healthy Baby program. We’re at 82 counties right now, we’ve got ten to go.”
GRADE: Third Worst Maternal Mortality in USA
###
