Living

Cutting social support programs that help the most vulnerable in our society has always been a Republican blood sport. Most of those rich old white men have contempt for “those people” who live on handouts because they deem them too lazy to help themselves. It is an old trope. But now things have gotten worse.

The current Republican budget plan which looks likely to pass includes massive cuts to the Medicaid program.

Here is some context from the Center for American Progress. “Last week, House Republicans passed a budget resolution directing Congress to make cuts that would slash Medicaid funding and threaten health care access for millions in order to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy. Medicaid is the largest single health insurance program in the United States and covers 72 million Americans, including low-income kids and adults, pregnant women, seniors, and people with disabilities.”

If you think that the shouting match that unfolded between Zelensky and Trump in the White House was some sort of spontaneous, unexpected event then I have some oceanfront property in Nebraska I can sell you for a very low price.

Trump never intended to make a deal with Ukraine’s leader so he used his usual grifter/bully tactics to stage an event that would allow him to withdraw U.S. support from Ukraine. At least in his twisted, devious mind he would now be able to throw all support behind Russia.

The entire scene in the White House was bizarre from the start. It was billed as a deal-making event where Ukraine would agree to sell rare earth minerals to the U.S. in exchange for concessions in the Russia-Ukraine war.

I told myself I was going to try to keep away from writing about the madman who is running this country. All of us have to figure out a way to preserve our sanity for the next four years and retreat has become an option for many. But the future that I see unfolding demands to be talked about because all of our lives may be transformed in ways we do not welcome.

I got a call from a woman in Florida who is married to a Puerto Rican man and they have two small children. They are living in a state of heightened fear every day and they are looking for a safer place to live. She knew nothing about Brattleboro but happened upon our little town in the cybersphere and wanted to talk to someone who lives here.