These are the times that try people’s souls and tax their faith in human nature. The House of Representatives just passed President Trump’s big bad bill that awards huge tax breaks for rich people and big corporations and rips a gaping hole in the social safety net that protects the poor in bad economic times. The draconian proposal undermines the already shaky health, wealth and wellbeing of millions of struggling American families.
The MAGA endgame is to fatten up a few big bankers and billionaires, starve the growing ranks of the working poor and hope the shrinking middle class doesn’t care. Be careful what you wish for. The Republicans may get what they wants, but they risk losing control of the House after the chaos created by this massive transfer of wealth from the poor to wealthy Americans.
An April survey from health policy research group KFF indicates the overwhelming majority of people oppose the Medicaid cuts in Trump’s bill, which is incredibly titled — not making this up — the “Big Beautiful Bill Act.” Just about every Democrat and four out of five independents oppose the proposal. Even most Republicans feel the cuts are a bad idea.
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office analysis indicates the House bill over the next decade would add $3.8 trillion to the federal budget deficit, increase the assets of the top 10 percent earners by 2 percent and reduce the resources of the bottom 10 percent by 4 percent. The proposal would deprive millions of Americans of medical care and many of food. The action will inevitably lead to the tragic deaths of many people and malnutrition for many kids. The cuts will disproportionately hurt residents of blue states which expanded health care opportunities under ObamaCare.
Who will take care of the ill and feed the hungry? Republicans just don’t care as long as the rich get even richer. The GOP response is that tax cuts for the rich will trickle down to working families and the poor. If you believe that, I have a bridge in Brooklyn that I would like to sell you.
These devastating cuts will create the perfect storm of suffering and despair. There will be more poor people because of Trump’s reckless economic policies and less aid to take care of them as they fall through the cracks. This will not end well for millions of struggling families, many of whom are Trump supporters.
Congress is in recess for the next two weeks, but the war of words continues. Then it’s the Senate’s turn to handle the hot potato. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has warned Senate Republicans not to alter the big bad bill but big changes are likely even if the president wants the House bill.
Consideration in the Senate will put vulnerable Republicans like Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Tom Tillis (R-N.C.) under the gun. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has already announced his opposition, and both Sens. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) take delight in tormenting Trump. Budget hawk Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) openly worries about the increase in the budget deficit, and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) is wary of the cuts to Medicaid. They will get little or no help for their dastardly deed from Senate Democrats.
The response to presidential pressure, the threat of a government shutdown and the Moody’s downgrade of the U.S. credit rating mean a budget bill will probably pass the Senate. But only God knows what it will look like. The Senate could still come back with a bill that has fewer tax cuts and tax breaks (like the increased write-off for state and local taxes) and restores some of the budget cuts. That will create chaos when the Senate version goes back to the House.
The battle over Medicaid is really a battle over the future of health care. We have a broken, expensive system that needs fundamental reform. Trump’s proposal will only make the problem worse. Democrats have a responsibility to make it better. The Republicans' cuts mean people will die for want of health care or develop long-term illnesses that will crush the system in the future. There will be an increased demand for free care that will decapitate already overwhelmed hospitals.
After Trump destroys it, it will be up to Democrats to rebuild the health care infrastructure when the party returns to power. The late great Democratic House Speaker Sam Rayburn once said, “Any jackass can kick down a barn, but it takes a carpenter to build one.” The Republicans' assault is an abrupt reversal of the trend created by Democratic presidents to improve health care for ailing Americans. President Lyndon Johnson gave us Medicare and Medicaid and Barack Obama improved on LBJ’s good works. Now it’s up to the next Democratic chief executive to take the next big step.
Fasten your seatbelts, we’re in for a long bumpy ride through the labyrinthine legislative process as it grinds its way up and down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Brad Bannon is a national Democratic strategist and CEO of Bannon Communications Research which polls for Democrats, labor unions and progressive issue groups. He hosts the popular progressive podcast on power, politics and policy, Deadline D.C. with Brad Bannon.
