It’s like reading War and Peace or Les Miserables, which are more than 1,000 pages. The numbers almost blur before your eyes. But six Nobel economists have read it and note that not only will the bill remove medical care from more than 13.5 million of us, but as a result will disproportionately restructure U.S. income, tilting it towards the rich.
Medicaid, for instance covers over 41% of births in the U.S., over 50% in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Oklahoma. The federal portion of Medicaid accounted for 75% of spending for state Medicaid spending in 19 states. In addition, cuts in SNAP benefits will be covered by corporate tax breaks.
Just consider those poor billionaires who will benefit from this budget. And although not in the budget bill, there’s the military parade scheduled for next week with an estimated cost of $43 million. Looks like those old Soviet style parades with Uncle Joe standing and being saluted as the troops march by. Do we laugh – or cry?
Prayer for the Day
You call us to give justice to the poor, O God,
But our rulers want only to benefit the rich;
You call us to care for the vulnerable, O Lord,
But Congress forsakes its duty to the Nation.
Shake us loose from our lethargy and move us to action,
Lest we share the fate of other corrupt governments.
In the name of the One who calls us to do justice,
Even Christ Jesus our Lord, Amen.
Thoughts for the Day
Even after the biggest cuts to health care and food assistance in U.S. history, the Republican bill for billionaires would still add a historic amount to our debt — all to give the ultra-rich more tax breaks.
Brendan Boyle, Ranking Member House Budget Committee (D-Pa)
They don’t want us to talk about the particular people who will die. They say they’re cutting waste, fraud and abuse. So what they’re saying is, it’s wasteful to lift people, it’s fraudulent to help people live, and it’s abusive to make sure people have health care. Well, the truth is, it’s a waste not to do it — it’s fraudulent not to do it, and it’s a form of political abuse.
Rev. William Barber on June 2 before his arrest in the Capitol Rotunda
Will you not revive us again, so that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.
Psalm 85: 6-7