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Republicans claim that Democrats are shutting down the government because they want to give free healthcare to immigrants in the country illegally. That is a lie. It has no basis in reality. Republicans are lying because they want to take away your healthcare, and they know that is unpopular. The major legislation Republicans passed this year, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” is designed to take healthcare away from millions of citizens and vastly increase the cost of health care for millions more. At the same time, it will give tax breaks to their millionaire and billionaire donors and balloon our national debt. According to the non-profit health policy research organization, KFF, healthcare plans could, on average, more than double next year—from $888 this year to $1,906 next year. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that 22 million people, including about 5 million small businesses and self-employed workers, will have their healthcare cost will skyrocket, or lose their coverage. Democrats are not asking to give healthcare to those in the country illegally.
Since January, when Republicans took control of the House of Representatives, the Senate and the White House they have cut healthcare, healthcare research and healthcare workers. They have terminated grants, even those that were approved by congress, in violation of the Impoundment Act. They have fired hundreds if not thousands of researchers. The CDC and NIH are now prioritizing political agendas over scientific research. Allie Sinclair, a scientist at the University of Pennsylvania, mapped out how research cuts affect communities. For example, according to her research, Claudia Tenney’s district would lose $64 million annually and lose 275 jobs. Nicholas Langworth’s district would suffer even more with a loss of 317 jobs and $74 million loss annually. Ms. Tenney and Mr. Langworthy could represent their constituents, but they chose to represent their wealthy donors. Remember, these cuts to healthcare, healthcare research and your healthcare policies are so that Republicans can give tax breaks to their millionaire and billionaire donors. Democrats’ only leverage is to force Republicans to negotiate some concessions. Democrats are not asking to give healthcare to those in the country illegally. That claim is outrageous and an obvious distraction from Republican healthcare cuts.
William Fine
Brockport
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Josh, I don’t know where you get your facts from, but I grew up in New York City. I’ve traveled to every county in the state. You have it backward. Upstate could never exist without the economic power of New York City. Having worked on several political campaigns, I can say firsthand that political candidates lay out an idealistic vision while campaigning, but once they are sworn in and take office, they more fully understand what’s required actually to govern—things like collective bargaining agreements, contracts, historic legal precedent, etc. Undoubtedly, corporations and high-net-worth individuals can and should do more to pay for all the benefits they garner from society. NY State has just under 20 million residents, with close to 8.5 million in NYC, generating 2/3 of the state’s revenue. And that’s not including the net positive revenue that NY sends to DC for use by poorer Red states, mainly in the south.
It is accurate to say that the eight or so “downstate” counties derive some significant benefit from “upstate,” like lower-cost nuclear and hydroelectric power, abundant agricultural products, and some manufactured goods, but, our schools, social welfare, law enforcement and a plethora of other benefits accrue to us as a result of NY Cities’ economic largess, mainly revenue from banking and wall street transactions and real estate taxs.
What’s happening with the current government shutdown in DC is simply the tyranny of a minority of MAGA loyalists and an out-of-control MAGA administration hell bent on anti-constitutional efforts to enhance the power of the executive. In contrast, the other coequal branches of government are willing to abrogate their sworn duty to the Constitution and the people to satisfy their vainglorious lust for power and money. Believe me, I understood the goals of traditional Republicans. But maliciously negating states’ rights, destroying the very fabric of government that the people and their representatives worked tirelessly for generations to build, to benefit as many citizens as possible, to satisfy a handful of tech-bro billionaires so they can build another mega yacht and avoid paying taxes, while lying at every turn, is just anti-democratic and unconstitutional. Ultimately, they will all be held accountable for their malfeasance.
What was it Cuomo said? Something about all the individuals with wealth leaving town. They are leaving. Our family has left. And then I always come back with the Rochester City School District (the worst in the State) and there you have your future. Everything is MAGA’s fault. Thank God you have the MAGA movement. It allows you to look into the mirror with the MAGA mask on. Underneath that mask is a State run by Democrats. Democrats are about to graduate and adopt a new level of governing in NYC. A free for all that has proven itself historically to fail time and time again. But this time we are going to do this socialistic/communistic thing the right way. And if it doesn’t work out….well….that’s MAGA’s fault. That’s the mental mindset of the governing behind the mask.
I think you’re all wrong. Stand by and see what NYC will accomplish with the new “sheriff” in town. While the Dems and Reps rip each other apart, NYC will show us how it’s done. The word free will have a whole new meaning. Of course the bill for the free stuff will be paid by Upstate NY. I mean the money has to come from someplace. It will take a few years, two or so, for the residents of NYS to realize that the spending of other people’s money will run out or the bill will go up annually. One thing is sure, NYC cannot go it alone. It needs the funding from upstate. I think upstate might work on a plan so break away from NYC or….or move out of NYS.
All of us will be judged by history and future citizens for the extreme partisanship, unbridled animus, and inability to seek or find compromise to benefit the majority of the people. Our founders had a vision for a democratic republic with educated citizens who actively participated in determining their own future. Suppose some of the more objective data is to be believed. In that case, the MAGA movement and the hardest-line, intractable drivers on the far-right are only about 30% of the people who actually voted. Yet, it is they who are responsible, but not accountable for their actions. Ultimately, everyone will suffer, and the political pendulum will swing in the opposite direction. Americans need to believe that they deserve better representation, but perhaps as the immortal cartoon Pogo once opined, “we have met the enemy, and it is us.”
This is all part of the Republican smoke screen to try and keep focus on anything but the Epstein Files. So they put it on the back burner and desperately hope that with time. It will magically burst into flames and disappear. A cheep side show act by a bunch of unqualified Buffoons. But make know mistake. These people are evil to the core. They must’be stopped.
There are a host of names on that list. I think the whole Epstein issue is disgusting. But then again, politicians (Dems & Reps) have a tendency to lean too far to one side or another far to often. I know you’d like to think it’s all Republicans, but there is enough to go around. Collectively…..collectively they have, of late, not done their job. Associating with one or the other with absolute support? Don’t disappoint yourself.
It will go down in history as “The Schumer Schutdown.” Period. Either that, or it’ll be almost completely forgotten by the day after the government “re-opens.” (Probably the latter.)
Well stated. Ever since the ACA was passed, MAGA and far-right Republicans have actively opposed it and used every trick available to try to do away with it. They keep repeating that Democrats are caving to “special interests” to keep health care for millions? If constituent citizens are special interests, then perhaps Mr. Johnson and his colleagues in Congress should also be representing their special interests, as about half of the citizens who will lose their coverage are in their “red” districts. Whatever happened to “representative” democracy?
I’ll play devil’s advocate here. The Democrats are lucky they are being given the opportunity to vote for a extended budget that they already voted for previously. If it was up to me, given the deficit, I would be forcing a lot more austerity on the budget process. The cry that Obamacare (ACA) is being taken away and everybody is going to die is false. The ACA tax credits (the offset against Obamacare insurance premiums which are awarded based on income) were expanded during the Covid emergency (expanded means you could have a higher income and still receive tax credits applied against your insurance premiums). All agreed that this emergency expansion of the tax credits for higher income recipients was a emergency measure and would sunset after the Covid emergency. The covid emergency is long over. Thus the emergency tax credits are set to expire which reverts Obamacare to its original standard form. The form which Mr Obama & Ms Pelosi bragged was such a achievement and significantly upped the percentage of people covered by health insurance. They were NOT saying back in 2010 we can’t wait to subsidize and add higher income people to the program. The talking points we hear that health care will be taken away from people are misleading at best. Ultimately they are false.