President-elect Trump and Speaker Mike Johnson have agreed to a deal that would fund the government now but raise the debt ceiling by $1.5 trillion and cut $2.5 trillion in spending, which looks like cuts to healthcare.
Jake Sherman of Punchbowl News posted:
IN THE GOP MEETING — GOP leadership has a slide up that has an “agreement” on the debt limit
The “agreement” says that House Republicans will raise the debt limit by $1.5T in the “first reconciliation package” alongside a promise to CUT $2.5T in “net mandatory spending in the reconciliation process.”
Rep. Jerry Nadler pointed out:
You can’t cut $2.5 trillion in mandatory spending without substantial cuts to Social Security and Medicare.
I will stand with @HouseDemocrats to fight back to against these cruel and harmful cuts.
In case you are wondering what mandatory spending is, here’s a chart:
Here’s what’s in “mandatory spending,” per CBO https://t.co/4WBg2xqlqL pic.twitter.com/ZW88P7bbKA
— Jeff Stein (@JStein_WaPo) December 20, 2024
Since Trump has reportedly told Johnson that Social Security is off the table, that means cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, and Veterans’ healthcare. Specifically, Republicans are going to look to gut Medicaid.
Rep. Nadler is correct the only way for Republicans to reach their goal on mandatory spending cuts is to gut Social Security and all major healthcare programs. That is the only way to cut $2.5 trillion in mandatory spending.
Trump, Musk, and the Republicans are putting a plan in place that would wreck the nation’s healthcare system in exchange for tax cuts for the rich.
All of those people who voted for Donald Trump because they thought that he would lower prices may end losing their Medicare and Social Security.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association