By V. Susan Hutchinson
President Trump’s proposed budget for 2020, released two weeks ago, includes massive cuts to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid, but that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Today Trump continued his war on Americans who aren’t wealthy with a plan to strike down the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in its entirety. The Department of Justice (DOJ), led by Trump’s Attorney General William P. Barr, agrees with a Texas federal judge that the ACA is invalid.
The effects of all this should be obvious to even the most loyal Trump supporter, although most are so brain-washed they don’t know how to connect the dots.
Losing the ACA means everyone else’s premiums will go up. No government subsidies and people not buying insurance because they can’t afford $1000+ a month in premiums, means insurance companies will lose millions, if not billions of dollars in revenue.
Someone has to pay for the loss because we all know making America great means the rich CEO’s get richer off the backs of the American worker.
The timing of this latest announcement is suspicious for two reasons. First, the Democratic controlled House of Representatives is launching a new healthcare bill that would lower costs and guarantee protection for people with pre-existing conditions.
We all know Trump promised to replace the ACA with a better and more affordable healthcare plan. To date he hasn’t delivered and, because he doesn’t like it when those pesky Democrats make him look foolish, he needs to do something to bring the focus back on him. It’s clear he is unable to do anything remotely like what his opposition can do when it comes to healthcare reform.
Or is the GOP actually unwilling to do that and was his promise just another one of his many lies to get votes?
The second reason the timing is suspicious is because Attorney General Barr has decided Trump not only did not collude with Russia, he didn’t commit obstruction of justice either. Trump, of course, is jumping up and down saying “I told you so” to anyone who will listen and is screaming for retribution against Democratic critics and the main stream news media.
As he is a very vindictive man, supporting the revocation of the ACA is just another way to get back at the Democrats and anyone who doesn’t support him. Unfortunately, it’s the American people who suffer because of his childish need for revenge against those who oppose him or try to block him in any way.
And Trump doesn’t care about the bodies that are left in his wake as long as his massive ego gets fed.
Seniors, low income individuals and those with ongoing health issues are the ones that are the targets if Trump is allowed to continue with this draconian agenda. There are a great many who will also lose their lives as a result of his goal to “keep America great”.
We must come together to keep Trump and the GOP from abolishing a law that has benefited over 12 million Americans and to prevent them from stripping millions of dollars from programs we have put money into.
Take A Stand in 2020!
Susan Hutchinson is retired from the clinical diagnostics industry and now spends her time working with HCDP to help turn South Carolina blue. She is currently part of the James E. Clyburn Fellowship class of 2019.
