A Republican representative told his fellow party members Monday that they are committing political suicide by threatening to cut Medicaid.
Missouri Senator Josh Hawley wrote a New York Times op-ed Monday warning other Republicans that the Trump administration’s pursuit to axe support for the lower class is “both morally wrong and politically suicidal.”
Hawley’s essay was published only hours after Republicans announced new legislation that could sever millions of Americans’ only connection to essential healthcare. If the legislation takes effect, more than 8.5 million people would lose health insurance across the country.
Hawley’s op-ed, titled “Don’t Cut Medicaid,” questioned President Donald Trump’s “one big, beautiful bill,” asking, “Will Republicans be a majority party of working people, or a permanent minority speaking only for the C suite?”
The party’s “Wall Street wing” is taking over, added Hawley, and they’re ignoring Trump’s campaign promises to everyday Americans in order to further an agenda focused on “corporate giveaways” and “preferences for capital.”
Medicaid provides healthcare to over 70 million Americans. Hawley wrote that when Trump won the Missouri popular vote, voters also demanded that the state expand Medicaid coverage and “inscribe that expansion in our state constitution.” Now, Trump is violating his very oath to over a million Missourians.
“All of which means this: If Congress cuts funding for Medicaid benefits, Missouri workers and their children will lose their health care,“ wrote Hawley. ”And hospitals will close. It’s that simple. And that pattern will replicate in states across the country.”
Hawley, who has repeatedly opposed Medicaid cuts, called Trump out for falsely claiming the other week that the administration is doing “absolutely nothing” to hurt Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.
With more than 80 percent of Americans opposing significant cuts to Medicaid, wrote Hawley, “Republicans need to open their eyes: Our voters support social insurance programs,” he wrote. “More than that, our voters depend on those programs… our economy is increasingly unfriendly to working people and their families.”
The mega-bill proposed in the House aims to majorly slash Medicaid in order to conserve federal funding. The House Energy and Commerce Committee has been asked to find at least $880 billion in federal spending cuts over the next decade.
Many other Republicans have shown little interest so far in trying to interfere with Trump’s Medicaid plan, and legislation unveiled late Sunday would force states to make their own decisions about funding Medicaid by cutting benefits or increasing taxes.
The House will be discussing the drastic measures Tuesday, with talks likely stretching into Wednesday.
“If Republicans want to be a working-class party—if we want to be a majority party—we must ignore calls to cut Medicaid and start delivering on America’s promise for America’s working people,” Hawley wrote.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the Trump administration for comment.
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