I wish I could share your optimism that the GOP will pay a price for the Medicaid cuts, but as a life long southerner, LBJ said it best, "“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”
That is the MAGAgot strategy, and it has worked for Democrat states rights demagogues who ran around shouting the N-word, and it will work for Trumpists bowing to their corporate oligarchs.
You’ve identified a thread that cuts across partisan lines—a tactic first honed by Republican strategist Lee Atwater, later revived by Trump, and once wielded by Hitler and his cruel followers. Before long, those nostalgic “good old boys” will be left unemployed and without health care. Never forget: at its heart, it’s nothing more than old-fashioned racism and ignorance.
Interesting side note: Interesting twist the June jobs report: the U.S. private sector shed 33,000 jobs—the first monthly drop in over two years. Maybe, just maybe, the much-maligned Biden administration had the economy humming better than folks gave it credit for. We saw four years of consistent job growth... can’t say the same for Trump’s track record.
Today, I heard Fred Lewis speak about his outreach with Carolina Forward to target Tillis specifically regarding the Medicare cuts. Almost 40% of NC Medicaid recipients are rural. Fred's project along with pressure from countless others resulted in Tillis not seeking re-elections and voting against the Big Ugly Bill. His project involved targeted Facebook ads in rural areas of NC to tell people what the Medicaid cuts would mean especially for rural hospitals .They tired almost a dozen ads and were able to tell which ones were effective and which ones were not. Enough of the right people can be reached. At least enough for Tillis to reconsider running for re-election.
One thing for certain, it is not possible to be a caring honest individual with integrity and be republican politician. A pox on them and all who support the GOP.
Trump's latest crudity, carried out in the name servicing the tax concerns of his Fat Cat Friends could be the straw that broke the camel's back. There are just to many folks who rely on Medicaid. To ignore the needs of these voters is politically stupid. The midterm,s may be Trump's downfall.
You're absolutely right that red parts of the country will get the worst of this bill. It's true for Medicaid cuts and it's true for renewable energy. Most of the wind and solar is built in rural/red areas and those areas are going to lose investment and taxes due to this. This whole thing is really a huge middle finger to Trump's voters and most of them may not realize it. Democrats need to hang these cuts on every Republican who voted for this.
They'll blame it on the Democrats no matter what happens. They'll blame it on Biden. The whole lot of the Republicans are destroying our state, our country and our world.
Ruth, There’s little doubt that Trump’s highly touted bill will alienate a significant portion of his base. The numbers are simply too large to ignore. It’s only a matter of time before the consequences begin to hit home
It seems Donnie is largely unaware of much happening within his own administration—unless someone flags it for him. Then, he deflects by dismissing it as a left-wing conspiracy. Unfortunately, many of his supporters appear equally uncritical.
I called Budd before the vote and asked him to follow Tillis and vote no. Today I called his office to say how dismayed and angry I am that he voted yes. I also called Tillis to thank him.
Tillis did the right thing only because he’d already decided to pull the ripcord and get out of the Senate. If he’d had any further political ambitions, he’d have done what he always did. And he may yet, if not on this bill on the next one or the ones to come after that. He has almost 2 years left, and he is just that feckless.
But if we are expecting the voting public to hold their elected Republican officials to account because they got fucked — again — without every Democrat and Dem leaning independent spelling it out for them in crayon for the next year and a half, we’re going to get what we’ve always gotten. “The Republicans are lousy, but my guy is okay”. They need to be told — loudly and often — that “their guy” is NOT OKAY. He (or she) is just as culpable as the rest, and they do not have your best interest at heart. And the legacy media is not going to aid in this cause. This is going to mean getting it in front of them where they live — and where they work, play, shop, walk, eat, sleep and whatever else they do. A 100-county full court press, even in the reddest — maybe especially in the reddest — of districts and counties. And we need to name names:
“____ voted for the bill that used your misfortune to grab more power for the GOP, and left you holding the bag”.
“Wondering where that disaster aid went? News flash: It was never coming. ____ lied to you.”
“_____ voted to throw you under the bus. In November, you can return the favor.”
It might be possible to convince enough of the voters who aren’t completely Borged into the Q-Consciousness to pull off a turning of the tide. But that’s only the beginning. Winning is the start of it. Then you have to deliver on what you won on. And that’s the hard part.
I’d prefer to offer a more generous appraisal of Tillis, but the record won’t allow it. At 64, with retirement on the horizon, he appears intent on exiting the stage with flair. Yet flair alone doesn't make a states person.
For decades, Tillis has built a career more on party obedience than on principled stands. He may be making headlines now, but he's no profile in courage—at least not by Kennedy's definition.
His enduring political value to the GOP lies in his loyalty, not leadership. Repeatedly, he’s aligned himself with legislation favoring entrenched wealth and powerful interests over ordinary Americans.
North Carolina is one of 27 states with "filial responsibility" laws - in other words, if your parents are old and cannot take care of themselves, you are legally responsible to take care of them (food, clothing, shelter, etc.). You can find it at North Carolina General Statute § 14-326.1, and note that this is a criminal statute with criminal penalties. With the Medicaid cuts, lots of nursing homes are going to go out of business and then the children of the residents there are in for a rude awakening.
Tillis knew that the Republicans could lose three votes and he could be one of them. If they needed him to vote YES he would have, just like Murkowski. He doesn’t really have a conscience.
Only if those voters in RED counties see the suffering of people who are their neighbors and get hit in their own pocketbooks will there be buyer's remorse. US Representatives who object will be "Murkowskied".
I wish I could share your optimism that the GOP will pay a price for the Medicaid cuts, but as a life long southerner, LBJ said it best, "“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”
That is the MAGAgot strategy, and it has worked for Democrat states rights demagogues who ran around shouting the N-word, and it will work for Trumpists bowing to their corporate oligarchs.
You’ve identified a thread that cuts across partisan lines—a tactic first honed by Republican strategist Lee Atwater, later revived by Trump, and once wielded by Hitler and his cruel followers. Before long, those nostalgic “good old boys” will be left unemployed and without health care. Never forget: at its heart, it’s nothing more than old-fashioned racism and ignorance.
Interesting side note: Interesting twist the June jobs report: the U.S. private sector shed 33,000 jobs—the first monthly drop in over two years. Maybe, just maybe, the much-maligned Biden administration had the economy humming better than folks gave it credit for. We saw four years of consistent job growth... can’t say the same for Trump’s track record.
Today, I heard Fred Lewis speak about his outreach with Carolina Forward to target Tillis specifically regarding the Medicare cuts. Almost 40% of NC Medicaid recipients are rural. Fred's project along with pressure from countless others resulted in Tillis not seeking re-elections and voting against the Big Ugly Bill. His project involved targeted Facebook ads in rural areas of NC to tell people what the Medicaid cuts would mean especially for rural hospitals .They tired almost a dozen ads and were able to tell which ones were effective and which ones were not. Enough of the right people can be reached. At least enough for Tillis to reconsider running for re-election.
Good riddance to Thom Tillis.
One thing for certain, it is not possible to be a caring honest individual with integrity and be republican politician. A pox on them and all who support the GOP.
Trump's latest crudity, carried out in the name servicing the tax concerns of his Fat Cat Friends could be the straw that broke the camel's back. There are just to many folks who rely on Medicaid. To ignore the needs of these voters is politically stupid. The midterm,s may be Trump's downfall.
You're absolutely right that red parts of the country will get the worst of this bill. It's true for Medicaid cuts and it's true for renewable energy. Most of the wind and solar is built in rural/red areas and those areas are going to lose investment and taxes due to this. This whole thing is really a huge middle finger to Trump's voters and most of them may not realize it. Democrats need to hang these cuts on every Republican who voted for this.
They'll blame it on the Democrats no matter what happens. They'll blame it on Biden. The whole lot of the Republicans are destroying our state, our country and our world.
Ruth, There’s little doubt that Trump’s highly touted bill will alienate a significant portion of his base. The numbers are simply too large to ignore. It’s only a matter of time before the consequences begin to hit home
Doug, I hope you are right.
Republicans erred by targeting Medicaid recipients. There will be a price for their mistake.
And the Felon-in-Chief didn't even know that was in his BBB.
It seems Donnie is largely unaware of much happening within his own administration—unless someone flags it for him. Then, he deflects by dismissing it as a left-wing conspiracy. Unfortunately, many of his supporters appear equally uncritical.
I called Budd before the vote and asked him to follow Tillis and vote no. Today I called his office to say how dismayed and angry I am that he voted yes. I also called Tillis to thank him.
Tillis did the right thing only because he’d already decided to pull the ripcord and get out of the Senate. If he’d had any further political ambitions, he’d have done what he always did. And he may yet, if not on this bill on the next one or the ones to come after that. He has almost 2 years left, and he is just that feckless.
But if we are expecting the voting public to hold their elected Republican officials to account because they got fucked — again — without every Democrat and Dem leaning independent spelling it out for them in crayon for the next year and a half, we’re going to get what we’ve always gotten. “The Republicans are lousy, but my guy is okay”. They need to be told — loudly and often — that “their guy” is NOT OKAY. He (or she) is just as culpable as the rest, and they do not have your best interest at heart. And the legacy media is not going to aid in this cause. This is going to mean getting it in front of them where they live — and where they work, play, shop, walk, eat, sleep and whatever else they do. A 100-county full court press, even in the reddest — maybe especially in the reddest — of districts and counties. And we need to name names:
“____ voted for the bill that used your misfortune to grab more power for the GOP, and left you holding the bag”.
“Wondering where that disaster aid went? News flash: It was never coming. ____ lied to you.”
“_____ voted to throw you under the bus. In November, you can return the favor.”
It might be possible to convince enough of the voters who aren’t completely Borged into the Q-Consciousness to pull off a turning of the tide. But that’s only the beginning. Winning is the start of it. Then you have to deliver on what you won on. And that’s the hard part.
I’d prefer to offer a more generous appraisal of Tillis, but the record won’t allow it. At 64, with retirement on the horizon, he appears intent on exiting the stage with flair. Yet flair alone doesn't make a states person.
For decades, Tillis has built a career more on party obedience than on principled stands. He may be making headlines now, but he's no profile in courage—at least not by Kennedy's definition.
His enduring political value to the GOP lies in his loyalty, not leadership. Repeatedly, he’s aligned himself with legislation favoring entrenched wealth and powerful interests over ordinary Americans.
North Carolina is one of 27 states with "filial responsibility" laws - in other words, if your parents are old and cannot take care of themselves, you are legally responsible to take care of them (food, clothing, shelter, etc.). You can find it at North Carolina General Statute § 14-326.1, and note that this is a criminal statute with criminal penalties. With the Medicaid cuts, lots of nursing homes are going to go out of business and then the children of the residents there are in for a rude awakening.
Tillis knew that the Republicans could lose three votes and he could be one of them. If they needed him to vote YES he would have, just like Murkowski. He doesn’t really have a conscience.
Only if those voters in RED counties see the suffering of people who are their neighbors and get hit in their own pocketbooks will there be buyer's remorse. US Representatives who object will be "Murkowskied".
Well, that it will affect Republican areas, and voters the most, I must say, they should benefit from their votes.