Republicans once maligned Medicaid. Now some see a program too big to touch

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Every time a baby is born in Louisiana, where Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson handily won reelection last year, there’s more than a 60% chance taxpayers will finance the birth through Medicaid.

In Republican Rep. David Valadao ’s central California district, 6 out of 10 people use Medicaid to pay for doctor visits and emergency room trips.

And one-third of the population is covered by Medicaid in GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s Alaska, one of the nation’s costliest corners for health care.

Each of these Republicans — and some of their conservative colleagues — lined up last week to defend Medicaid, in a departure from long-held GOP policies. Republicans, who already have ruled out massive cuts to Social Security and Medicare, are turning their attention to siphoning as much as $880 billion from Medicaid over the next decade to help finance $4.5 trillion in tax cuts.

https://apnews.com/article/medicaid-cuts-budget-republicans-health-care-4a13fc3528d7bf20ea52db4a5551c8bf

Not enough do.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Why don't they see Medicare and Social Security the same way:

Too big to dismantle?

[valleyrogue]

7. Medicare and SS are funded separately.

They have separate taxes. Medicaid and SSI are part of the regular budget.

[Lovie777]

2. Seniors, children, the sick, etc....

shithole musk republicans don’t give a shit.

But playing golf, and taking a Vermont vacation, and lying to the American people while firing a lot of people, and stealing from the USA treasury and corporate looks the other way. Oh DEI and woke will overcome.

[SWBTATTReg]

3. Damn right! When will republicans realize the true amazing value of Medicare, Social Security, and other such

helpful programs to literally 70 million people and their families, which pushes the number of people impacted if we apply a multiplier of the avg. family size of 2.5, so 70 million times 2.5, is 175 million people are impacted by one of the most successful government programs ever in this Country. It's helped literally millions of us from starving, going hungry, and getting precious medical care. Not all of us can be $billionaires or $millionaires.

This singular hate that republicans have for these programs is ungodly and certainly not being the creed that America used to stand as a beacon to the world, to help fight hungry, feed the poor, help the disadvantaged, in effect, do as God tells us, do unto others as you wish for yourselves. This singular hatred ... where in the hell does it come from? Jesus...tax rates are already very low, business-wise and capital gains, Jesus, they only incur if they ever sell their stock or businesses, most of them never do sell these assets so they never incur any taxes anyways. So, what the hell are they complaining about?

With Social Security, there are limits in paying these taxes, and once you reached the limit, you're done paying these for the year.

I guess if republicans insist on removing these sorts of taxes, we'll have to impose significant wealth taxes then. And I mean significant %s. Scumbags. This country relies on everyone when they can, pay their fair share.

[Skittles]

8. repukes do not CARE about helping people

unless they are THE MONEYED CLASS

[dalton99a]

4. Kick

[hatrack]

5. It doesn't matter. Orange Hitler will fart, and they'll swoon at the exquisite aroma . . .

They'll write sonnets and symphonies about it, and go on Fox and OANN to discuss its bouquet, with just a hint of lavender and pine needles.

And then they'll all fall in line and vote to gut Medicaid, because they can, and because they enjoy hurting people.

[valleyrogue]

6. This isn't about baby mamas with ten kids, FFS.

The great bulk of Medicaid payments go to nursing homes not just to those too poor for any alternative but also many formerly middle class or even wealthier people who rely on it after they spend down all their assets.

To tamper with it would destroy the nursing home industry, damage beyond belief the healthcare system.