To the Editor:
This government shutdown is about our healthcare. Make no mistake: the Republicans are totally responsible for it. First they forced legislation with massive cuts to Obamacare, Medicare and Medicaid. Now they are insisting those cuts remain in place. They can do this because they control all three branches of the government. In the leadup to a shutdown in 2011, according to CBS news, Trump said: “I actually think the president should be blamed... If there is a shutdown...it would be a tremendously negative mark on the president... He’s the one that has to get people together.”
But this time MAGA Republicans don’t care about a shutdown. They want to cut billionaires’ taxes and are unconcerned about the health of ordinary Americans.
The Democrats want to protect us from these devastating cuts to our healthcare. In Congress, they are demanding that the cuts be rescinded to prevent the shutdown. In response, Trump ordered Congressional Republicans not to negotiate with Democrats. He canceled a meeting with Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer and House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries. He told Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to call the House into recess. He has threatened to fire more government workers (which he will probably do anyway).
We need to hold the president and all Republicans to account for their actions. Contact Schumer at (518) 431-4070, Jeffries at (202) 255-5936 and your House Representative to tell them you support a continuation of our healthcare benefits NO MATTER WHAT.
Nora Staffanell
Monroe