We often find ourselves looking for ways to explain — or more aptly, rationalize — the behavior of our political leadership. After so many years of witnessing the same terrible treatment of the poor, the natural conclusion is that it is Trump being Trump — and his unquenchable thirst for power and money. But it’s more nuanced than that. New York Times columnist David Brooks had a thoughtful take on the supposedly conservative president: “And when I look at the Trump administration, I see a massive attempt to return us to the life of dog eat dog, life of nasty, brutish, and short, where gangsters have maximum freedom to do what they want to do,” Brooks said on a podcast with Scott Galloway. “And that is the evisceration of all the values of civilization that conservatism is supposed to transmit and preserve. And I think the raw lust for power that Donald Trump embodies has not only eviscerated conservatism, it’s eviscerated Christianity. Christianity is a system designed around the meek and service to the poor. Jesus never embraced worldly power; Donald Trump is completely about worldly power — for him it’s about domination.” And so it’s always about getting his way — with everything, no matter the consequences to others. Despite Republicans’ best efforts to spin it, Trump and the Republican House just dealt a devastating blow to America’s poor. At dawn on Thursday, the House narrowly passed a budget bill, 215 to 214, that strips away hundreds of billions of dollars in health care and food assistance to those who need it most. It is difficult to overstate the negative impact of this legislation, especially on women and children. The bill now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate, where it will likely face some changes. But the basic spirit, tone, and substance of it figure to remain what Trump demanded and got from the House. You will read and hear much in the coming days about Trump’s so-called “big, beautiful bill.” At its core, the bill is Trump’s unchained, no guardrails remake of domestic policy, where the really rich get even richer and the poor are more than just collateral damage — they are squarely in the crosshairs. Despite promises by Trump not to touch Medicaid, that’s exactly what he did. Maybe he thinks that by saying he wouldn’t touch it, people will believe him? It wasn’t just touched — it was torched. Health care for America’s poor will be slashed by nearly $700 billion. What does that mean? The Republican proposal would mean an estimated enrollment drop of 8 to 15 million people, according to KFF, a nonpartisan health group. For millions of our fellow Americans, it’s so much more than just a number. Even more shamefully, if that’s possible, $250 billion would be cut from federal food assistance, the SNAP programs, once called food stamps. Every day, 42 million Americans rely on SNAP funds to put food on the table. Parents of dependent children under 18 are currently exempt from working. The new bill drops that age to seven. Many women would be hurt by a major defunding of Planned Parenthood. The organization is already prohibited from using federal funds for abortions, but Republicans want to ban federal money for women’s general care provided by Planned Parenthood, like pap smears, mammograms, other cancer screenings, and STD testing. “Simply put, House Republicans are walking away from a 50-year, bipartisan commitment to ensure that children in families with low incomes get the help they need, no matter what state they live in — with potentially devastating impacts on their health, education, and future success,” said Sharon Parrott, president of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “This is the day the Republicans lost the majority,” Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries predicted in a press conference after the pill passed the House. This is also the day Trump gave up any pretense of neutrality for those who have less than he does. We can’t even speak of compassion — it is a concept Trump does not comprehend. Today’s bill proves that his contempt for those who have less is endless. He isn’t content to let laws that help the poor stand. He feels the need to go after programs that are, in some cases, the difference between life and death. And if someone makes the argument that it will save the federal government billions, that’s untrue. Remember, the bill provides tax cuts for the wealthy. Overall, the Congressional Budget Office estimates the deficit will balloon by $3.8 trillion. But this isn’t just about dollars. This is about a society that is choosing to erase years of legislation meant to help those at the bottom of our socioeconomic system. Let’s not forget that it is the middle and working classes that keep this country going — the nurses and the teachers, the farmworkers and the shelf-stockers. If they now get sick or can’t feed their families, what will happen? Sometimes, through no fault of their own, they need help. Especially as the specter of Trump’s tariffs bears down on everyone, but on the poor most of all. This nation’s strength has always been to step up and answer that call. There has long been national agreement that we should not punish anyone for being poor. Apparently not any more. During his inaugural address in 1937, President Franklin Roosevelt expounded on the political philosophy of our country. “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” As a result of what happened today, those who have too little will now have even less.
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