When Republicans passed the One Big Bust of a Bill Act last year, they killed ACA enhanced subsidies and took a chunk out of Medicaid funding, leaving the programs gasping on the floor.
Now that Donald Trump has decided on a stupid, unnecessary war in Iran, the first place Congress is looking under the cushions for money is health care, since Democrats are not inclined to give them a blank $200 billion check.
See, we could have Medicare for All but Republicans would rather rain death and destruction on a country halfway around the world than take care of people at home.
So here’s the problem: They’ve already gutted the ACA and Medicaid. There’s only one program left for them to gut for significant savings. So far, according to TNR, House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington is looking to revive cost-sharing reductions. Cost-sharing reductions cover part of the high deductibles for medications and medical treatment. That move would save $30 billion.
TNR reports that Arrington is selling the move as “fraud prevention.”
Let’s talk about fraud prevention, shall we? We spend $700 billion to around $1trillion on defense spending now. And we know there’s a TON of waste, fraud and abuse. So why not trim some of that fat? I think we all know the answer to that question.
Where, oh where, do Republicans expect the other $170 billion in health care cuts to come from for Trump’s little “excursion” in Iran? I can only think of one place, and if they go after Medicare, they won’t have to worry about keeping their seat, because people will be in the streets rioting. I’ll lead the damn way.
I am so damn tired of Republicans saying we can’t afford Medicaid and SNAP and we can’t afford enhanced subsidies for the ACA and we can’t afford Medicare for All.
We can afford all of it, and only Republicans are standing in the way.
Make them irrelevant in November.
