[Meroy Susanna]

#biguglybilltrump #bitcointrump The "One Big, Beautiful Bill": A Disaster for Working - Class Americans

The so - called "One Big, Beautiful Bill" that has made its way through Congress is, in reality, a brazen robbery of working - class Americans. It should be aptly renamed the "Billionaire Bailout Bill," as it represents a callous trade - off: slashing Medicaid to take healthcare away from millions in exchange for tax breaks and corporate handouts to the top 1 percent. This bill orchestrates a massive transfer of wealth from those who can least afford it to those who need it the least, and it is a clear betrayal of the working families, rural communities, seniors, and people with disabilities who rely on Medicaid for survival.

The bill's proponents claim it is a "fiscally responsible" package, but this is a farce when it adds a staggering $3 trillion to the deficit. The truth is that this legislation demands sacrifice only from one side of America. Working families struggling to make ends meet, rural communities often left behind, seniors who have contributed to society for decades, and people with disabilities facing daily challenges are all being asked to bear the brunt. Meanwhile, the wealthy and corporations are given a free pass.

By capping Medicaid spending and shifting costs to states, the bill paves the way for devastating consequences. Coverage losses will become commonplace, wait times for medical services will skyrocket, and the range of available services will shrink. These cuts are not about improving efficiency; they are a deliberate attempt to free up space for massive tax breaks for the rich. While families are forced to choose between paying for essential medications or mental health care, the wealthiest Americans and the corporations they own are showered with billions in tax giveaways. This is a familiar pattern, where those in power claim the country "can't afford" to care for the most vulnerable, yet somehow always find money for private jets and stock buybacks.

Medicaid is not a charity; it is a lifeline for nearly 80 million Americans. It includes children who need regular check - ups, pregnant women who require prenatal care, people with disabilities who depend on it for daily support, the elderly who may not have other means of healthcare, and workers in low - wage jobs that don't offer health insurance. Slashing this program has far - reaching consequences. It weakens hospitals, especially in rural areas where Medicaid dollars are crucial for keeping the facilities operational. Families are forced into impossible choices between buying medicine and putting food on the table, and the very foundation of public health is eroded.

In return for these devastating Medicaid cuts, what do we get? The Billionaire Bailout Bill is riddled with loopholes and giveaways to industries that are already making record profits. Hedge funds, private equity firms, and pharmaceutical giants receive sweetheart deals, while community clinics, which are often the first line of healthcare for many, prepare for layoffs and service cuts. Private - equity moguls, despite Trump's promises to target them, still enjoy lower tax rates than truck drivers and nurses. This is not just bad policy; it is outright theft, taking from those with nothing to spare and giving it to those who already have everything.

This wealth transfer is not accidental. According to Americans for Tax Fairness, "The tax provisions of this legislation cannot be viewed in isolation from the rest of the legislative package. In its entirety, this reconciliation package proposes the most radical transfer of wealth from low - and middle - income families to wealthy households in American history." And with the bill adding trillions of dollars to the national debt, it is the younger generation that will be left to pick up the tab.

We should be outraged not only by the content of the bill but also by the process that led to its passage. Billion - dollar policies are being rushed through with little scrutiny, and our representatives are acting without remorse in the face of the hardship they are inflicting on the American people. For example, Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst told her constituents, "We all are going to die" when questioned about the life - threatening effects of Medicaid cuts. Real democracy requires elected officials to face the public, explain their votes clearly and honestly, view healthcare as a human right rather than a budgetary issue, and put an end to backroom deals that enrich the few at the expense of the many.

The Catholic bishops have rightly condemned the bill, stating that "The Catholic Church's teaching to uphold human dignity and the common good compels us to redouble our efforts and offer concrete help to those who will be in greater need." The "One Big, Beautiful Bill" may be a dream come true for multinational corporations and CEOs, but for the rest of us, it is a disaster. We must stop accepting austerity for the poor and abundance for the rich as "reform" and recognize it for what it truly is: theft.

www.timesfreepress.com...g-working/