At this early moment in Donald Trump’s second administration, all of the action has been in the executive branch. The various executive orders he has issued (generally sadistic, unconstitutional, or both) have drawn great scrutiny. His empowerment of Elon Musk in the Department of Government Efficiency to bypass Congress and reshape the federal government however Musk wishes has ignited nothing less than a constitutional crisis. This seizure of power by the executive, and corresponding abdication of power by the Republican majority in Congress, is unprecedented.
Yet while all of the attention is on the actions of the administration, the normal work of politics continues in the legislature. Congress needs to pass a budget by March 14 to avoid a government shutdown. For months, Republicans have said that their budget will cut spending in order to pay for making permanent Trump’s tax cuts for the rich, which are set to expire this year. Their targeted proposed cuts: Medicaid, by over $200 billion over the next decade.
Defeating these Medicaid cuts is as urgent a priority as defeating Trump’s seizure of power. It’s a chance to defend the welfare state, to expose and deepen the fractures in Trump’s coalition, and to shatter the illusion that he can’t be stopped.
The GOP has had their eyes on Medicaid for some time. Part of the reason for this stems from the nature of the program. Medicaid is a means-tested program that people above a certain income (it varies from state to state) are not eligible for. Unlike Medicare and Social Security, which…
Auteur: Paul Heideman
