Medicaid is hanging by a thread, and this is the week that will decide if that thread breaks

[Tom Rinaldo]

No matter what news breaks regarding FBI investigations, no matter what the "Commander in Chief" tweets about North Korea, or how the pussy grabber degrades another woman, these things are all ongoing - but the future of poverty in America is being decided during this Congressional break

We can not allow the spotlight to be moved onto another deplorable object instead. Potential deals are being tendered during the time that it takes you to read these few sentences. Senate votes are being bought, or at least the price for those votes are under active negotiation.

The Republican donors have spoken - they want their tax breaks from Trumpcare now , and they want Medicaid slashed radically so that they can have even bigger tax breaks delivered during the next legislative go around. They have the personal cell phone numbers of all of the Republican Senators. We have their district phone numbers and addresses.

Our allies in the media scan this board to see what is foremost on our minds. That effects their reporting, and how they allot air minutes. So what is it then? The latest Trump tweet, or the looming threat of Trumpcare?

The die is in the process of being cast.

[LeftInTX]

1. Not even paying attention to theatrics

Spent entire week poring over this bill. Been faxing, emailing. Visited one of my senators yesterday. (Both big Rs)
I don't think it will change their minds, but at least this voter is expressing an informed opinion.

[LeftInTX]

2. I also found out that many of them are going to skip their recess to work on the bill

[Tom Rinaldo]

3. When they re-sprang the House Bill, it was all over in a flash

But many of us took solace in the belief that they would never get it through the Senate. Now the are closing in on just that - and the Senate bill appears to be virtually as cruel if not more so than the House bill, except they disguise some of the pain by extending it out with Medicaid caps that will increasingly bite as time passes. So ow it seems the Senate bill, should it pass, will not be so wildly off what the House passed originally.

$300 Billion stolen from the needy is a lot of money to pay bribes to a select few Senators with for votes. Doesn't surprise me that many will skip their recess, they don't want to be near their constituents right now.