President Donald Trump on Wednesday endorsed the Home Republican price range plan, which might decimate Medicaid, the federal medical insurance program that covers 72 million disabled and low-income Individuals. What do Republicans get in return? Tax cuts that overwhelmingly profit the wealthy.
In a rambling submit on X, Trump wrote: “The House and Senate are doing a SPECTACULAR job of working together as one unified, and unbeatable, TEAM, however, unlike the Lindsey Graham version of the very important Legislation currently being discussed, the House Resolution implements my FULL America First Agenda, EVERYTHING, not just parts of it! We need both Chambers to pass the House Budget to ‘kickstart’ the Reconciliation process, and move all of our priorities to the concept of, ‘ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL.’ It will, without question, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
The price range Trump endorsed would require cuts to Medicaid so excessive that it will absolutely power states—which administer this system—to both make up for the lack of federal subsidies or kick many recipients out of this system. These cuts would then be used to assist prolong the tax cuts Republicans handed in 2017, which primarily benefitted the rich.
In response to a July 2024 report from the Middle on Finances and Coverage Priorities, a left-leaning suppose tank:
Households with incomes within the prime 1 % will obtain a median tax reduce of greater than $60,000 in 2025, in comparison with a median tax reduce of lower than $500 for households within the backside 60 %, in accordance to the Tax Coverage Middle (TPC). As a share of after-tax revenue, tax cuts on the prime—for each households within the prime 1 % and the highest 5 %—are greater than triple the overall worth of the tax cuts obtained for individuals with incomes within the backside 60 %.
Trump’s endorsement of the Home GOP price range plan got here simply hours after he stated in an interview with sycophantic Fox Information host Sean Hannity that he would not contact Medicaid.
“Medicare, Medicaid—none of that stuff goes to be touched,” Trump stated, an obvious lie if he needs the Home Republican price range to go.
“It’s difficult to reconcile President Trump’s vow to ‘love and cherish’ Medicaid with his endorsement of the House budget that would cut over $800 billion from the program. Cuts of that magnitude go well beyond eliminating fraud and abuse,” Larry Levitt, govt vice chairman of well being coverage at KFF, stated in a submit on X.
Earlier than Trump’s endorsement, the Home price range seemed to be in hassle, with a number of GOP lawmakers in aggressive Home seats balking on the concept of stripping well being care away from their constituents, Politico reported.
From Politico’s report:
The susceptible incumbents cautious of slashing Medicaid providers embody Reps. David Valadao of California, Don Bacon of Nebraska, Rob Bresnahan of Pennsylvania. Others like Nicole Malliotakis of New York from redder districts have additionally raised considerations. They had been usually blindsided by the deeper stage of proposed cuts, a Republican stated, as that chance by no means got here up in earlier discussions with GOP leaders.
With the slender majority Republicans have within the Home, they will afford to lose only one vote and have the price range go.
The truth is, Senate Republicans are holding again on confirming Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York as Trump’s United Nations ambassador as a result of Home Republicans want her vote. (With out her within the Home, the get together may lose no votes within the chamber since a tie ends in laws failing.)
After all, Trump’s endorsement of the proposed price range may breathe life into Home GOP management’s efforts since Republican lawmakers have to date refused to face as much as Trump out of worry.
Even when the invoice does go the Home, it will then need to go the Senate, the place Republicans are additionally criticizing the Home invoice.
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri advised HuffPost on Tuesday that he doesn’t assist the type of huge Medicaid cuts that the Home price range requires.
“I would not do severe cuts to Medicaid,” Hawley stated of this system, which voters in his deep crimson state voted in 2020 to increase to cowl an extra 460,000 individuals within the state.
In sum, Republicans are in disarray. Who may’ve seen that coming?
