LOS ANGELES.–Chief Trump advisor Stephen Miller, 39, slammed GOP libertarians like Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) for opposing President Donald Trump’s big beautiful bill largely because he adds to federal budget deficits and the national debt. Miller thinks that Paul and Massie oppose spending more on border protection, costing the government more in border security and personnel. “The libertarians in the House and Senate are trying to take down this bill—they’re not stupid. The just don’t care,” Miller told conservative broadcaster Charlie Kirk. “Immigation has never mattered to the, it will never matter to them. Deportation have never mattered to then, it will never mattered to them. You will never live a day in your life where a libertarian cares as much about immigration and sovereignty as they do about the Congressional Budget Office,” Miller said.
Miller wants to make a point about the about libertarian budget priorities, not wanting to pay for programs that adds to deficits and the national debt. But Trump’s budget bill attempts to balance tax cuts on the backs of Medicaid recipients, the worst possible cuts to medical care to poor people around the country. Trump and his backers like Miller complain about illegal aliens draining the Medicaid system, something that happens mainly in California. Only 1.6 million illegal aliens are on medcare coverage for a cost of $9,500 per year, totaling $1.5 billion. So when it comes to slashing some $670 billion off Medicaid, Trump hopes to balance his budget but take health care away from poor people around the country. Damage to hospitals, nursing homes, clinics and laboratories would be catastrophic causing damage to the U.S. economy, defeating the purpose of the cuts.
Trump’s number crunchers got way too zealous finding the biggest, most conspicuous line item to go after in the budget. But most independents analysts now realize the catastrophic damage Medicaid cuts would cause to the health care industry, not to mention the 78.4 million that depend on Medicaid for health coverage. Where is Paul and Massie when it comes to slashing the Medicaid budget? Are they so “libertarian” that think that government has no business providing health care to poor people? So, Miller has a point about Paul and Massie but not for the reasons given that they only look at the budget. Well, they have no problem slashing the Medicaid budget even though illegal aliens about for less than one percent of the Medicaid budget. Miller hasn’t come to grips with the damage the big beautiful bill would do to the U.S. economy by slashing Medicaid funding.
Massie criticized Miller to selling Trump’s bill regardless of the consequences to the U.S. economy. “He’s got his job is to sell this bill and he’s trying to put lipstick on a pig, and Rand Paul and I are pointing out it’s a pig,” Massie said. Paul and Massie are so fixated on the fiscal side of the bill they can’t see the trade-offs to the economy. Paul and Massie could care less about slashing Medicaid as long as it cuts the deficit or debt. “They have given up arguing on the issue over our time, the debt, and have no descended to lies, innuendo and nonsense,” said Paul’s spokesman. White House Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson responded to libertarians. “Libertarians hate taxes which is why they’re going to love the One, Bid, Beautiful Bill that gives a 15% tax cut to working Americans while totally eliminating taxes on tips and overtime,” Jackson said. Miller seems fixated on what the bill does for the border but he should look at how Medicaid cuts would gut health care to the poor.
Trump’s big beautiful bill fails to increase taxes on millionaires making over $2.5 million a year in regular income, something that was eliminated from the bill. Wouldn’t it make more sense for Miller to urge Congressional Republicans to add the tax cut to millionaires rather than pick on Medicaid recipients, a group that lives hand-of-mouth, one step away from bankruptcy and homelessness from excessive medical debt. Trump wants to generate more revenue into government coffers by lowering corporate taxes or at least keeping them at the same level as his 2017 tax cut bill. While there’s nothing wrong with keeping stimulus in the business environment there’s something very wrong with slashing Medicaid funding. Whatever libertarians like Paul and Massie want in the big beautiful bill, it can all crash-and-burn if they don’t fix some key flaws with Medicaid cuts.
Stephen Miller like to go after any group that doesn’t back the current version of the big beautiful bill, knowing that certain objections must be reconciled or the bill doesn’t have a prayer of passing by July 4. Stephen Moore, a former economic advisor in Trump’s first term, said the tax cuts look very well in place but doesn’t see it passing by July 4. “I’d love to see that, but I think there’s too many differences right now to get it done by the Fourth of July,” Moore said. Moore didn’t think increasing the SALT [State and Local Taxes] deduction from $10,000 to $40,000 would fly in the current bill. Moore thinks establishment Republicans are too complicit with big government spending, anti-immigration, pro-union provisions entrenched in the federal government. Some big government spending like on Medicare and Medicaid are actually good for the economy in creating jobs.
About the Author
John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He’s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.
