Letter to the Editor 3-5-25

Wednesday, March 5, 2025
Dear Editor:
The Budget Steal
Towards the end of February, the Republican controlled House of Representatives passed a budget bill
that the President called a “Big Beautiful Bill”. This bill, is not definitive, but instead sets a framework
for lawmakers to move forward with significant cuts to the federal budget. Such a bill would not be
subject to delays caused by the filibuster or other political maneuvers. The “Beautiful” part would be
that it would only require a simple majority to be passed.
The House bill that was passed is only considered a “framework” for a budget since cuts have not been
defined. The budget cuts amount to $880 billion over 10 years. This is the problem the Congress faces.
What, where and who to cut is the dilemma. The only places that significant cuts can be made from are
Defense, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Defense, Social Security, and Medicare are considered
off limits. That remains to be seen. But Medicaid is being singled out as a place where there is significant
fraud. Using the guise of “significant fraud”, the Administration will cut benefits, programs, and
employees.
According to NBC news “In 2023, Medicaid covered nearly 4 in 10 children, including over 8 in 10
children in poverty, 1 in ten adults, and almost half of adults in poverty, according to KFF (health news).
The program covers more than 1 in 4 adults with disabilities and provides coverage for 41% of all births
in the US.” This is a very pervasive, important, life-saving program across the country and in Jefferson
County. The question that arises: Is Congress going to actually find significant fraud or they going to
borrow Elon’s chainsaw and cut Medicaid to pieces? My guess is that it will be a chainsaw.
Currently, the Federal Government pays around 50% of the cost of Medicaid, the balance is paid by the
States. When Federal money is reduced, the burden falls to the States to pick up the difference. Cuts to
States means that the burden to the States is increased. Cutting Medicaid would be devastating to State
budgets, would impoverish many of our friends and neighbors, would result in a much less healthy
population, and would endanger the sustainability of nursing homes and hospitals especially in rural
areas like Jefferson County.
Please understand that the main reason they are considering cuts to social programs is so that they can
continue the large tax breaks to millionaires, billionaires and large corporations. Government of the
few, by the few, for the few is the mantra of the current Administration.
Patrick Fleckenstein