SAVE MEDICAID!

It's So F***ing Obvious

By Steve Schear

This month, everyone opposed to Trump, Musk and MAGA can come together around a proposed outrage that is widely unpopular – cuts to Medicaid.

In every county of every state, Medicaid provides healthcare to the disabled, to children, to working class adults and seniors needing long-term care. But the GOP-led House hopes to enact deep cuts — up to $880 billion — by April 3. Fighting now to prevent these cuts, focusing our efforts on Republicans in purple congressional districts, makes sense for a lot of reasons.

It’s the Right Thing to Do

About 72 million Americans are on Medicaid. The program funds 40 percent of all births and 60 percent of long-term care at home and in nursing facilities. The Republican proposals would strip health insurance from millions. Some people will die, some will be permanently damaged, and many will be placed in desperate economic circumstances. Medicaid cuts will also cause rural hospitals across America, which rely heavily on Medicaid income, to shut their doors. 

Lots of Ways to Organize

Some groups have already started campaigns that others can emulate. In California, Health Access of California and SEIU have started a Fight For Our Health coalition that unites unions and non-profits. Town halls in California have already addressed the cuts. All the meetings were well attended, with Bakersfield’s attracting hundreds plus coverage in the New York Times. “Folks in the Central Valley are watching what we are doing,” said Rachel Gish, communications director for Health Access. “People are paying attention, and we are having an impact.”

Along with their own town meetings, groups in Fight For Our Health are planning press conferences to detail the cuts’ impact on the disabled, children, and seniors. Sit-ins and protests at congressional district offices can also draw attention. In Pennsylvania, protesters marched in front of the offices of Ryan McKenzie (PA-CD7) and Scott Perry (PA-CD10). At public protests, Medicaid recipients can tell why they need health insurance and the tragedies the cuts would cause.

We Have a Real Chance to Stop the Medicaid Cuts
In all, at least 17 House Republicans in purple districts will struggle for re-election if they vote the party line on Medicaid cuts. If we organize rapidly, we can put immense pressure on these Republicans.

For example, California Rep. David Valadao won his last election by just 11,461 votes. Nearly two-thirds of Valadao’s constituents are on Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. If Republican cuts go through, some 288,000 could lose their health insurance. Valadao, who campaigned on a promise of protecting health care, knows that a vote to cut Medicaid will endanger his re-election in 2026. That’s why he and five other Republicans from Latino-heavy districts signed a letter to House Speaker Mike Johnson opposing the proposed cuts.

In Valadao’s district, Protect Our Care, a national organization, has run this powerful TV ad. Protect Our Care also provides fact sheets on Medicaid that anyone can use. Another useful info-source is the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. However, no one needs to be an expert on Medicaid to use a simple message: “No cuts to Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for billionaires!” or “Call Congressman ___ and say, “Stop the Medicaid Cuts!”

And you don’t need to be in a group to fight this fight. Anyone can raise money for a billboard ($1,000 to $10,000 a month) or radio ads ($5 to $1,000 per spot.) Optimally, billboards and ads would be aired by local Democratic parties or clubs, enhancing Democrats’ reputation while also pressuring House members. 

More voters trust Democrats than Republicans on healthcare, and the unpopularity of Medicaid cuts, combined with the unpopularity of tax cuts for the rich, provides a golden opportunity. But we don’t have much time and we need to move quickly. Speaker Johnson wants a vote by April 3.  It might take longer, yet we probably have just 4-8 weeks to campaign against the cuts.

Help Take Back the House and Win Senate Seats

Whether or not we stop the Medicaid cuts, opposing them will help us a lot in 2026.  A January Navigator poll showed 81 percent of voters oppose cuts to Medicaid, including three-quarters of Republicans. And that was without tying the cuts to tax breaks for billionaires.

If only three House Republicans vote against Medicaid cuts, this latest GOP attack on health care will fail. If that doesn’t happen, and the cuts go into effect, then we can immediately tell voters that Republicans who slashed healthcare to pay for tax cuts for the rich are lap dogs for Elon Musk and the other MAGA billionaires now running the government.

Remember that in 2018, Democrats used Republican votes against the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) to gain 41 seats and win a big majority in the House. Likewise, fighting the Medicaid cuts now will help us in competitive 2026 House and Senate races.

Red Districts and States, Too

Although organizing against Medicaid cuts will be most important in the purple congressional districts held by Republicans, it can also target red CD’s and states. In the recent DNC election, there was a lot of talk about a 50-state strategy.  Fighting Medicaid cuts is a great issue to focus on in the 23 states with Republican trifectas where we haven’t made progress in recent years.

If Democratic Party leaders and grassroots groups mount a strong campaign against Medicaid, it will show voters that it is the Democrats who truly represent their interests. That will help repair the Democratic brand, which has been badly damaged by the Right-Wing Propaganda Machine.  

Campaigning to stop the Medicaid cuts can be the beginning of the end of MAGA domination of our government.

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