Letter: No justification for Trumpcare
Congress’ Trumpcare/Republicare health bill has done a remarkable job of destroying support for our most vulnerable Americans. It slashes $839 billion from Medicaid for 72 million low-income Americans, including the elderly and disabled, and it jeopardizes health insurance for 9 million children. In addition, the new plan undermines protections for pre-existing conditions and permits the removal of basic care items, i.e. office visits, pregnancy/pediatric care, etc. from health-care plans (Healthcare, 3/21/17; Kaiser Family Foundation, 3/23/17). However, Trumpcare does provide a tax cut for those who make $200,000 or more (Business Insider, 3/22/17).
There is absolutely no moral or fiscal justification for this abominable plan. As a Republican, I am appalled by the new bill’s lack of compassion and its lies, fiscal cynicism and silly political expediency.
Republicans promised lower insurance premiums and deductibles, reduced taxes and government expenditures, and more choice with better coverage. See Scott Tipton’s slick mailers for more on that fairy tale. Anyone with a basic grasp of addition and subtraction could discern the fiscal impossibilities of “we promise much better health care, and it’ll cost a lot less.”
As a Christian, I am baffled that our Congress would treat our most vulnerable Americans so terribly and that this health plan could receive widespread support from people of faith. A recent Post columnist offered Matthew 25:40 as testimony that “the way we treat the least among us does matter.” There are no biblical verses, however, that can rationalize Trump/Republicare’s attack on our most needy citizens, while giving a tax cut to our wealthiest.
A nation with our vast blessings must take care of those less fortunate. Please contact Sen. Cory Gardner at 202-224-5941 while the Senate reworks this travesty of decency. Ask him to support the efforts of Susan Collins, R-Maine, Bill “Katrina” Cassidy, R-La., and others who are working to craft a more compassionate compromise that provides, not destroys, health care for Americans in need.
Cliff Colia
Glenwood Springs
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