Thank you for your article. I know all of the factual information, because I've researched it. But, I didn't think about the importance of stories, which could really work. It’s a wonderful idea. I have no contacts, and only recently started writing on Substack, so my audience is very small. The problem, as I see it, is that it needs to be a campaign, like "Faces of Medicaid,” which was the title on the photo Rep Barragan was holding, rather than isolated stories throughout the country. Is this something your organization could do with the help of others? I imagine there need to be outlets throughout the country for people to send their photos, emails, videos etc. And a group of people need to edit them, write or rewrite the copy, plus handling all of the legal clearances. I'm sure you know more about this than I do.
It would be great for someone or a group of organizations to start collecting stories, photos, and letters, and develop and implement a media strategy so they can be seen and heard. I would write to my politicians about this, but from my experience, I know nothing will happen.
And the constant problem is that is that Republicans are lying about this over and over as Representative Crenshaw did during the hearing, and I’m sure many Republicans did as well. But, if Medicaid and SNAP are destroyed, not only will people die, but their lives will be destroyed. And, it will cause untold chaos throughout the country, which is what Trump and Republicans want. If you read this, I am thanking you in advance!
This is a very important story. The Democrats need to pick several vignettes and storm media as if they were election ads! These stories could then become so familiar, hopefully the masses will be voicing their outrage and contacting their legislators to vote against the craziness.
I think The Contrarian would also be a great place to highlight actual impacts from the Trump regime. Kind of like the Democracy Index. There must be people with researched information to support any counts. This may also be especially important if The Big Ugly Bill passes.
I've been a public communications professional for nearly 40 years and firmly believe in the power of good story telling to animate any issue. But just HOW do you propose to collect these stories and even more importantly HOW do you get them to the ears of those who can make a difference? It's all very fine to say, "in social media posts, interviews with local and national media and content creators, in op-eds that name their representatives, at town halls, and, yes, even in the Congressional Record. How do you advise anyone, who isn't a PR pro, to achieve such success with the media? You state that there are only 2 months to get these stories out. YOU need to connect with some good grassroots organizations to learn how to effectively and efficiently roll out your idea. It's a good idea - but if it can't be effectively executed...
I also wonder "HOW do you get them to the ears of those who can make a difference?" But I am more pessimistic about changing GOP Congressmembers. They will continue to follow "the leader" not the stories. At best, these stories can be their shame and lead to their loss in elections.
I don't believe Congressional Republicans will change either. They seem to fear Trump more than they care about their constituents. It's ironic that one of the states that will be hit the hardest is Louisiana, in which 31.9 percent of the population (the second highest percentage in the nation), is on Medicaid, and 20% is on SNAP, and food insecurity is already a problem. Yet, the two highest ranked men in the Republican Party, Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise are Louisiana Representatives. I wonder why Congressional Democrats don't talk about that.
Perhaps it is talked about but since GOP are in thrall or fear then it is still up to the voters, especially in Louisiana, to make the change. Scalise and Johnson seem to be the most vociferous cheerleaders as well.
Republicans heard these stories during their late-night sessions...yet still passed this MAGA Murder Bill.
That says to me that we need those stories amplified better...is there a way to put them here on Substack (for restacking) or create a YouTube where Democratic representatives read them aloud (again for restacking or posting on other sites)?
Once again, Trump and those in Congress who vote in favor of this monstrously disastrous bill, are all guilty of gross malfeasance and abandonment of fiscal responsibility. This bill was never designed to address fraud, waste or abuse. It's primary purpose was an attempt to justify further tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals and corporate interests in the country. The only waste and abuse being served by this legislation is to waste the help offered through medical care and food support being offered to the most needy, who are those being abused by this bill. The net result will be contributing multiple trillions of dollars to an already staggering National debt.
They can hear all the stories, but their response will be like the response of my congresscon, Nick Langworthy: No cuts are being made for people who NEED these things. Only healthy young people who are taking advantage of the system will lose benefits. They have to stop using the system and get jobs.
Not an exact quote but a condensed version of many missives from the "gentleman," in response to my questions and accusations.
Of course, as always, that is a lie. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 92% of people on Medicaid work, and those who don't are retired, can't find jobs, or there are other problems. There have been two mandatory work programs that failed.
In Arkansas, the court stopped the program in 2019, after a year, because "they cut 18,000 people off Medicaid, and 6 out of 10 reported they delayed taking medications because of cost. A Harvard Study confirmed it didn't boost employment."
In Georgia, the mandatory work program spent so much money on computer costs, and staffing a bureaucracy, that only a third of the money went to healthcare. And, there was so much red tape, that it was almost impossible for people to fulfill the requirements.
Our kiddo, my grandson, is autistic. We could never have afforded the care he needs in Florida, where I am from and vote. Because my daughter was born in London when I was a student, she and kiddo are British. Health care is free. He goes to the French Lycée (subsidized by the French government) with a learning assistant paid by the municipal council; he is bilingual and among the top pupils in his class. Education back home is lamentable. We simply could not survive in Florida or anywhere in the USA with an expectation of kiddo going to university (free or nearly so) and having a normal life.
A best strategy is to persuade Repbulican congressmen who are in vulnerable districts. The Medicaid cut would not take place until after 2026, so if DEMs can take back the House, the BBB can be stopped I believe.
I don't think you're right. Many of the cuts for the rich will expire at the end of 2025 if this bill isn't passed. If it is passed, they will become permanent!
Thanks for correcting me. I was focusing on Medicaid cuts. I see no justification for extending tax cuts for wealthy as it would not result in an increase of income for the working class generating demands.
You’re welcome! Everything about Trump’s budget is awful. But, the tax cuts for the rich are among the worst because Republicans are using that as the excuse for cutting Medicaid, SNAP, and so many of the social programs. And, periodically, Trump says something, like, “Don’t cut Medicaid, but it’s purely for deniability.”
That was a beautiful story about your Mom! I can so very much relate to it!!! My mother was a saint!!! In so many ways!! Starting with her name: (Saint) Cecelia, She was raised without a father, she and Aunt Louise cleaned houses for years with Grandma until the depression and in 1932, . they were sent to Hamilton, Ohio , and were given room and board while living in the attic at Mercy Hospital to become nurses! The attic housed approx. 12 nursing students who were all working their way through nurses’ training! This was the depression and there was no money anywhere and Hamilton was known as Little Chicago!!! ( because of it’s corruption)!! And believe me the Nuns were incredible teachers! Mom became an incredible nurse too!! The stories we were told about what came into the ER at Mercy Hospital would make you sick and or cry!! When I was growing up, she got all of the nurses in Union County, Indiana together and they vaccinated all of the school children in the county for Polio! They lined us up in the cafeteria and shot us in the arm!! We all went back to class. And that was that!!! I think the year was 1955 or 6!! We have come a long way since then!! I would sure hate to think we would dishonor our heritage by allowing this Country to slide back to the Great Depression!! You can’t imagine what could happen without the strength and courage of the American people back then!!!!!!!
My mother was Irish and father was British and people would laugh and say “well, the English and the Irish are fighting again!! However it has been documented that my 9th Great Grandfather came over on the Mayflower! Yes!!! But I am pretty sure my Mother’s relatives came directly over during the Potato Famine in Ireland around the mid 1800’s!!
Thank you for your article. I know all of the factual information, because I've researched it. But, I didn't think about the importance of stories, which could really work. It’s a wonderful idea. I have no contacts, and only recently started writing on Substack, so my audience is very small. The problem, as I see it, is that it needs to be a campaign, like "Faces of Medicaid,” which was the title on the photo Rep Barragan was holding, rather than isolated stories throughout the country. Is this something your organization could do with the help of others? I imagine there need to be outlets throughout the country for people to send their photos, emails, videos etc. And a group of people need to edit them, write or rewrite the copy, plus handling all of the legal clearances. I'm sure you know more about this than I do.
It would be great for someone or a group of organizations to start collecting stories, photos, and letters, and develop and implement a media strategy so they can be seen and heard. I would write to my politicians about this, but from my experience, I know nothing will happen.
And the constant problem is that is that Republicans are lying about this over and over as Representative Crenshaw did during the hearing, and I’m sure many Republicans did as well. But, if Medicaid and SNAP are destroyed, not only will people die, but their lives will be destroyed. And, it will cause untold chaos throughout the country, which is what Trump and Republicans want. If you read this, I am thanking you in advance!
This is a very important story. The Democrats need to pick several vignettes and storm media as if they were election ads! These stories could then become so familiar, hopefully the masses will be voicing their outrage and contacting their legislators to vote against the craziness.
I think The Contrarian would also be a great place to highlight actual impacts from the Trump regime. Kind of like the Democracy Index. There must be people with researched information to support any counts. This may also be especially important if The Big Ugly Bill passes.
I've been a public communications professional for nearly 40 years and firmly believe in the power of good story telling to animate any issue. But just HOW do you propose to collect these stories and even more importantly HOW do you get them to the ears of those who can make a difference? It's all very fine to say, "in social media posts, interviews with local and national media and content creators, in op-eds that name their representatives, at town halls, and, yes, even in the Congressional Record. How do you advise anyone, who isn't a PR pro, to achieve such success with the media? You state that there are only 2 months to get these stories out. YOU need to connect with some good grassroots organizations to learn how to effectively and efficiently roll out your idea. It's a good idea - but if it can't be effectively executed...
I also wonder "HOW do you get them to the ears of those who can make a difference?" But I am more pessimistic about changing GOP Congressmembers. They will continue to follow "the leader" not the stories. At best, these stories can be their shame and lead to their loss in elections.
I don't believe Congressional Republicans will change either. They seem to fear Trump more than they care about their constituents. It's ironic that one of the states that will be hit the hardest is Louisiana, in which 31.9 percent of the population (the second highest percentage in the nation), is on Medicaid, and 20% is on SNAP, and food insecurity is already a problem. Yet, the two highest ranked men in the Republican Party, Speaker Mike Johnson and Majority Leader Steve Scalise are Louisiana Representatives. I wonder why Congressional Democrats don't talk about that.
Perhaps it is talked about but since GOP are in thrall or fear then it is still up to the voters, especially in Louisiana, to make the change. Scalise and Johnson seem to be the most vociferous cheerleaders as well.
Republicans heard these stories during their late-night sessions...yet still passed this MAGA Murder Bill.
That says to me that we need those stories amplified better...is there a way to put them here on Substack (for restacking) or create a YouTube where Democratic representatives read them aloud (again for restacking or posting on other sites)?
Once again, Trump and those in Congress who vote in favor of this monstrously disastrous bill, are all guilty of gross malfeasance and abandonment of fiscal responsibility. This bill was never designed to address fraud, waste or abuse. It's primary purpose was an attempt to justify further tax breaks to the wealthiest individuals and corporate interests in the country. The only waste and abuse being served by this legislation is to waste the help offered through medical care and food support being offered to the most needy, who are those being abused by this bill. The net result will be contributing multiple trillions of dollars to an already staggering National debt.
They can hear all the stories, but their response will be like the response of my congresscon, Nick Langworthy: No cuts are being made for people who NEED these things. Only healthy young people who are taking advantage of the system will lose benefits. They have to stop using the system and get jobs.
Not an exact quote but a condensed version of many missives from the "gentleman," in response to my questions and accusations.
Of course, as always, that is a lie. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, 92% of people on Medicaid work, and those who don't are retired, can't find jobs, or there are other problems. There have been two mandatory work programs that failed.
In Arkansas, the court stopped the program in 2019, after a year, because "they cut 18,000 people off Medicaid, and 6 out of 10 reported they delayed taking medications because of cost. A Harvard Study confirmed it didn't boost employment."
In Georgia, the mandatory work program spent so much money on computer costs, and staffing a bureaucracy, that only a third of the money went to healthcare. And, there was so much red tape, that it was almost impossible for people to fulfill the requirements.
Our kiddo, my grandson, is autistic. We could never have afforded the care he needs in Florida, where I am from and vote. Because my daughter was born in London when I was a student, she and kiddo are British. Health care is free. He goes to the French Lycée (subsidized by the French government) with a learning assistant paid by the municipal council; he is bilingual and among the top pupils in his class. Education back home is lamentable. We simply could not survive in Florida or anywhere in the USA with an expectation of kiddo going to university (free or nearly so) and having a normal life.
The black-and-white photo that precedes this story is reminiscent of the photos during the Great Depression. I assume that was deliberate...
A best strategy is to persuade Repbulican congressmen who are in vulnerable districts. The Medicaid cut would not take place until after 2026, so if DEMs can take back the House, the BBB can be stopped I believe.
I don't think you're right. Many of the cuts for the rich will expire at the end of 2025 if this bill isn't passed. If it is passed, they will become permanent!
Thanks for correcting me. I was focusing on Medicaid cuts. I see no justification for extending tax cuts for wealthy as it would not result in an increase of income for the working class generating demands.
You’re welcome! Everything about Trump’s budget is awful. But, the tax cuts for the rich are among the worst because Republicans are using that as the excuse for cutting Medicaid, SNAP, and so many of the social programs. And, periodically, Trump says something, like, “Don’t cut Medicaid, but it’s purely for deniability.”
That was a beautiful story about your Mom! I can so very much relate to it!!! My mother was a saint!!! In so many ways!! Starting with her name: (Saint) Cecelia, She was raised without a father, she and Aunt Louise cleaned houses for years with Grandma until the depression and in 1932, . they were sent to Hamilton, Ohio , and were given room and board while living in the attic at Mercy Hospital to become nurses! The attic housed approx. 12 nursing students who were all working their way through nurses’ training! This was the depression and there was no money anywhere and Hamilton was known as Little Chicago!!! ( because of it’s corruption)!! And believe me the Nuns were incredible teachers! Mom became an incredible nurse too!! The stories we were told about what came into the ER at Mercy Hospital would make you sick and or cry!! When I was growing up, she got all of the nurses in Union County, Indiana together and they vaccinated all of the school children in the county for Polio! They lined us up in the cafeteria and shot us in the arm!! We all went back to class. And that was that!!! I think the year was 1955 or 6!! We have come a long way since then!! I would sure hate to think we would dishonor our heritage by allowing this Country to slide back to the Great Depression!! You can’t imagine what could happen without the strength and courage of the American people back then!!!!!!!
My mother was Irish and father was British and people would laugh and say “well, the English and the Irish are fighting again!! However it has been documented that my 9th Great Grandfather came over on the Mayflower! Yes!!! But I am pretty sure my Mother’s relatives came directly over during the Potato Famine in Ireland around the mid 1800’s!!
What a lovely story! Thank you for sharing!