Home Republicans shot themselves within the foot by voting for a “budget blueprint” that may lower $880 billion from Medicaid over the subsequent 10 years, paving the way in which for one more tax lower for Elon Musk and his billionaire friends.
It was a vote so transparently poisonous that “moderate” Republicans justified their vote by claiming it’s only a “starting point,” not an precise funds lower. In the meantime, rabid far-right Republicans demanded even deeper cuts to Medicaid.
You assume voters are going to know the distinction between a “budget blueprint” and a last invoice when Democrats run adverts telling voters that their representatives voted to chop Medicaid?
Regardless, Republicans gained’t have the ability to obtain their tax cuts with out slicing Medicaid, as was confirmed Wednesday by the Congressional Price range Workplace.
So are we presupposed to consider that “moderate” Republicans will finally vote in opposition to Medicaid cuts in a last invoice, with President Donald Trump and MAGA respiratory down their necks?
They’ve proven zero means to withstand far-right strain. In truth, they stay in terror of bodily threats from the unhinged MAGA cult, they usually’re already getting attacked by Democrats for voting to intestine Medicaid. So what have they got to lose ultimately?
Properly, reelection, for one.
A new ballot from KFF Well being Information confirms simply how idiotic and politically harmful the GOP’s Medicaid cuts are.
Simply 5% of Democrats and 14% of independents need Medicaid funding decreased. And amongst Republicans, simply 33% need Medicaid decreased, 24% need it to be elevated, and 43% are pleased with the way in which it’s now.
However right here’s the kicker: Amongst rural voters, simply 23% need Medicaid funding decreased, and amongst rural Republicans, that quantity is simply 35%. And it’s no shock, since Medicaid is disproportionately a rural program.
Amongst rural voters, 75% say Medicaid is “very important” to their communities, and 23% say it’s “somewhat important.” And amongst rural Republicans, 95% say Medicaid is both “very” or “somewhat important.” Holy moly!
None of this must be significantly stunning, given how helpful to Republicans Medicaid has confirmed to be.
In 2023, a Georgetown College report discovered that six states—New Mexico, Louisiana, Arizona, Florida, South Carolina, and Arkansas—had at the very least half of youngsters dwelling in rural areas and small cities coated by Medicaid. 5 of those are purple states—4 strong purple.
And the ten states with probably the most youngsters on Medicaid in small cities and rural areas have been all deep purple: Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Ohio, Arkansas, and Indiana.
“Non-elderly adults and children in small towns and rural areas are more likely than those living in metro areas to rely on Medicaid/CHIP for their health insurance. As a consequence, reductions in federal Medicaid funding being contemplated in Congress are more likely to cause greater harm to rural areas and small towns than metro areas,” the report mentioned.
And it’s inside that context that Republicans voted to intestine this system.
As I famous earlier this week, there was a historic reversal in voting habits within the 2024 election. Trump gained voters making lower than $50,000, whereas Kamala Harris gained these making over $50,000, signaling that Democrats have turn into the social gathering of the educated whereas Republicans are the social gathering of the poor.
However as efficient as their tradition warfare has been in shifting low-income demographics of their route, GOP insurance policies aren’t following go well with.
Trump is fixated on inflation-fueling commerce wars and mass deportations, crypto bros, vulgar Gaza fantasies, gutting the federal workforce and applications that immediately assist folks, and—in fact—tax cuts for billionaires.
Republicans realigned the working class and made them theirs, however now they’re giving them nothing in return.
Democrats’ future electoral prospects rely on holding their present coalition whereas clawing again among the working class. Sure, most are deep within the cult and aren’t going wherever. However bear in mind, flip simply 10% of Trump voters—or activate 10% of non-voters—and it’s a very totally different election.
That’s the problem. Now we have to make it occur.
