[blog](blog): 2025-05-24 (#1518)

RalphHightower · web-flow · commit cf025c11609c · 2025-05-24T21:32:20.000-04:00
Signed-off-by: Ralph Hightower &lt;32745442+RalphHightower@users.noreply.github.com&gt;
diff --git a/_posts/2025/05/2025-05-13-QatariLuxuryBoeingTrojanHorse.md b/_posts/2025/05/2025-05-13-QatariLuxuryBoeingTrojanHorse.md
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ For those interested in accountability and legal ethics, the good news is that [
 
 Indeed, it’s likely that the [attorney general](https://www.justice.gov/) will ignore the [senator](https://www.senate.gov/)’s letter — and there won’t be a whole lot he can do about it without the support of his [Republican](https://www.gop.com/) colleagues, which will almost certainly never materialize.
 
-Steve Benen
+Steve Benen<br />
 Steve Benen is a producer for "[The Rachel Maddow Show](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show)," the editor of [MaddowBlog](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show) and an [MSNBC](https://www.msnbc.com/) political contributor. He's also the bestselling author of ["Ministry of Truth: Democracy, Reality, and the Republicans' War on the Recent Past."](https://www.harpercollins.com/products/ministry-of-truth-steve-benen)
 
 ## [Trump's jet from Qatar is worrisome. What he’s giving in return is troubling.](https://www.msnbc.com/top-stories/latest/trump-qatar-jet-corruption-concessions-rcna206761)
diff --git a/_posts/2025/05/2025-05-22-TrumpsBiglyBeautifulBillCutsMedicare.md b/_posts/2025/05/2025-05-22-TrumpsBiglyBeautifulBillCutsMedicare.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 layout: post
-tags: [media, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC / Watch Rachel Maddow Live, Rachel Maddow Blog / The Rachel Maddow Show - MSNBC, Steve Benen, political parties, Democrat Party, Trump Party, Federal Government, Constitution of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), US Courts, Medicare, Medicaid, 2 USC Ch. 20A –  STATUTORY PAY-AS-YOU-GO, Congress, Senate, Text - H.R.1 - 119th Congress (2025-2026) –  One Big Beautiful Bill Act / Congress.gov / Library of Congress, House of Representatives, House Budget Committee, Brendan Boyle (D-PA2), President of the United States (POTUS), White House (WH), Donald J Trump, President Donald Trump (47), President Trump Administration (47), grift, politics]
+tags: [media, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC / Watch Rachel Maddow Live, Rachel Maddow Blog / The Rachel Maddow Show - MSNBC, Steve Benen, Washington Post, Center for American Progress, political parties, Democrat Party, Trump Party, Federal Government, Constitution of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), US Courts, Social Services Block Grant Program (SSBG) / The Administration for Children and Families, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Social Security Administration (SSA), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), Medicare, Medicaid, 2 USC Ch. 20A –  STATUTORY PAY-AS-YOU-GO, Congress, Congressional Budget Office (CBO), H.R.7130 - 93rd Congress (1973-1974) –  Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 / Congress.gov / Library of Congress, Text - H.R.1 - 119th Congress (2025-2026) –  One Big Beautiful Bill Act / Congress.gov / Library of Congress, Senate, House of Representatives, House Budget Committee, Brendan Boyle (D-PA2), President of the United States (POTUS), White House (WH), Donald J Trump, President Donald Trump (47), President Trump Administration (47), grift, politics]
 categories: [Donald Trump]
 date: 2025-05-22 5:23 PM
 excerpt: ''
@@ -11,6 +11,33 @@ title: "Trump’s One Bigly Beautiful Bill Will Cut $500 Billion In Medicare Eve
 ---
 
 
+## [Trump made a promise not to touch Medicare. His megabill just broke it.](https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-made-promise-not-touch-medicare-megabill-just-broke-rcna208518)
+
+*The [House](https://www.house.gov/) bill, as of now, would trigger massive cuts to the program.*
+
+May 23, 2025, 2:40 PM EDT
+
+By Alan L. Cohen], senior fellow at the [Center for American Progress](https://www.americanprogress.org/)
+
+As many [Americans](https://www.usa.gov/) were still sleeping Thursday morning, the [House of Representatives](https://www.house.gov/) passed a bill whose text they hadn’t read, [Donald Trump’s so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act](https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-senate-big-beautiful-bill-rcna208520). The bill’s [sweeping cuts to Medicaid](https://www.msnbc.com/opinion/msnbc-opinion/trump-medicaid-social-security-red-tape-rcna207999), contributing to 14 million fewer people having health coverage by 2034, have received wide coverage. Less well known, however, is the bill’s [dire implications for Medicare recipients](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/medicare-cuts-medicaid-republicans-reconciliation-bill-rcna208484). If the [House](https://www.house.gov/) version of the bill becomes law, [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) payments to medical providers would be slashed by more than \$500 billion over the next 10 years. This would have serious implications for tens of millions of older adults and providers and may even cause hospitals to close.
+
+Though the [GOP](https://www.gop.com/) bill doesn’t explicitly call for [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) cuts, it would trigger them under the [Statutory Pay-As-You-Go Act](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim). [Congress](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim) passed [Stat PAYGO](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim) in 2010 to discourage policymakers from enacting tax cuts and spending that would increase federal deficits.
+
+> *Shuttered facilities would threaten health care access for older adults and all community members alike.*
+
+Under [Stat PAYGO](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim), the [Office of Management and Budget](https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/) must keep [“PAYGO scorecards”](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim) for five-year deficit impacts and 10-year deficit impacts. [PAYGO](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim) stipulates that when any legislation is enacted, the average cost of the legislation for the next five years is entered into each year of the five-year scorecard and the average cost for the next 10 years is entered into each year of the 10-year scorecard. At the end of each session of [Congress](https://www.congress.gov/), if there is a cumulative deficit in that fiscal year on either scorecard, there is an automatic spending reduction (sequestration) to offset the larger of the two deficits. The [Congressional Budget Office estimates](https://www.cbo.gov/publication/61420) that the [House](https://www.house.gov/) [Republican](https://www.gop.com%) [bill](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text), if enacted, would increase the deficit by \$2.3 trillion over 10 years, and trigger sequestration.
+
+Some types of funding, including many mandatory spending accounts like [Social Security](https://www.ssa.gov/), are exempt from the automatic cuts, but [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) provider payments are not. Though there is a 4% limit on [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) cuts under sequestration, that still amounts to an estimated \$45 billion in fiscal year 2026 and roughly \$535 billion through 2034, according to the [CBO](https://www.cbo.gov/). This would make financially stressed [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) providers — including safety net hospitals and the more than 300 rural hospitals at immediate risk of closure — worse off than they already are. Shuttered facilities would threaten health care access for older adults and all community members alike.
+
+To make matters worse, because the \$2.3 trillion deficit increase averages out to \$230 billion a year, the cuts to [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) would still leave \$185 billion to be sequestered in fiscal year 2026. That money would have to come from all other nonexempt programs, including farm price supports, [Social Services Block Grant](https://acf.gov/ocs/programs/ssbg) funds and vocational rehabilitation programs, which support farmers, children, older people and people with disabilities. The [CBO](https://www.cbo.gov/) estimates, however, that the total funding for these other programs is only \$120 billion in that year. The funding for these other programs would be completely zeroed out, causing severe hardship to the many [Americans](https://www.usa.gov/) who are the beneficiaries of these programs.
+
+[Congress](https://www.congress.gov/) has various ways of preventing the cuts to [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/) and other programs from triggering. Lawmakers could change the budget scorekeeping rules or tell [OMB](https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/) to disregard the bill’s impact on the debt. But any attempt to get around [PAYGO](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim) inside of the [Republican](https://www.gop.com/) tax giveaway bill would violate the [Congressional Budget Act](https://www.congress.gov/bill/93rd-congress/house-bill/7130) and require 60 votes to waive in the [Senate](https://www.senate.gov/). While [Congress](https://www.congress.gov/) may find the votes to solve the problem in subsequent legislation, passage of a solution would be subject to filibuster in the [Senate](https://www.senate.gov/). Opponents of the bill could threaten to withhold their votes from passing the solution unless the bill were repealed or changed.
+
+Of course, if this ruinous giveaway to the rich were never enacted in the first place, such a solution would be unnecessary. But [Republicans](https://www.gop.com/) are eager to gut lifesaving programs that millions of [Americans](https://www.usa.gov/) rely on to give tax breaks to the ultra-wealthy. And if that includes [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/), well so be it.
+
+Alan L. Cohen<br />
+Alan Cohen is a senior fellow at the [Center for American Progress](https://www.americanprogress.org/).
+
 ## [It’s not just Medicaid: Why the Republicans’ bill would likely force Medicare cuts, too](https://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/medicare-cuts-medicaid-republicans-reconciliation-bill-rcna208484)
 
 *The [CBO](https://www.cbo.gov/) said the [GOP](https://www.gop.com/)’s megabill would lead to \$500 billion in cuts to [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/). Two days later, 215 [House](https://www.house.gov/) [Republicans](https://www.gop.com/) voted for it anyway.*
@@ -49,19 +76,26 @@ Steve Benen is a producer for "[The Rachel Maddow Show](https://www.msnbc.com/ra
 - [Rachel Maddow Blog / The Rachel Maddow Show - MSNBC](https://www.msnbc.com/maddowblog)
 - Steve Benen
 - [Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/)
+- [Center for American Progress](https://www.americanprogress.org/)
 - political parties
 - [Democrat Party](https://www.democrats.org/)
 - [Trump Party](https://www.gop.com/)
 - Federal Government 
 - [Constitution of the United States](https://constitution.congress.gov/)
 - [Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS)](https://www.supremecourt.gov/)
 - [US Courts](https://www.uscourts.gov/)
+- [Social Services Block Grant Program (SSBG) / The Administration for Children and Families](https://acf.gov/ocs/programs/ssbg)
+- [Office of Management and Budget (OMB)](https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/)
+- [Social Security Administration (SSA)](https://www.ssa.gov/)
+- [Office of Personnel Management (OPM)](https://www.opm.gov/)
 - [Medicare](https://www.medicare.gov/)
 - [Medicaid](https://www.medicaid.gov/)
 - [2 USC Ch. 20A: STATUTORY PAY-AS-YOU-GO](https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?path=/prelim@title2/chapter20A&edition=prelim)
 - [Congress](https;//www.congress.gov/)
-- [Senate](https://www.senate.gov/)
+- [Congressional Budget Office (CBO)](https://www.cbo.gov/)
+- [H.R.7130 - 93rd Congress (1973-1974): Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 / Congress.gov / Library of Congress](https://www.congress.gov/bill/93rd-congress/house-bill/7130)
 - [Text - H.R.1 - 119th Congress (2025-2026): One Big Beautiful Bill Act / Congress.gov / Library of Congress](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text)
+- [Senate](https://www.senate.gov/)
 - [House of Representatives](https://www.house.gov/)
 - [House Budget Committee ](https://budget.house.gov/)
 - [Brendan Boyle (D-PA2)](https://boyle.house.gov/)
@@ -72,6 +106,3 @@ Steve Benen is a producer for "[The Rachel Maddow Show](https://www.msnbc.com/ra
 - [President Trump Administration (47)](https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/)
 - grift
 - politics
-
-
-
diff --git a/_posts/2025/05/2025-05-24-TrumpTargetsActBlue.md b/_posts/2025/05/2025-05-24-TrumpTargetsActBlue.md
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 ---
 layout: post
-tags: [media, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC / Watch Rachel Maddow Live, Rachel Maddow Blog / The Rachel Maddow Show - MSNBC, Steve Benen, “All In with Chris Hayes”, New York Times (NYT), CNN, Media Matters for America, Leadership / Media Matters for America, Democrat Party, ActBlue — Billions raised online since 2004, Trumpian Party, Elon Musk, Elon Musk, The Boring Company, Neuralink, SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla, Twitter, X, xAI, Corporate Governance / Tesla Investor Relations, Robyn M. Denholm, Maryland.gov - Official Website of the State of Maryland, Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Office of the Governor / Governor Phil Murphy, Home / New York State Attorney General, Meet Letitia James / New York State Attorney General, House Judiciary Committee Republicans /, Governor Kathy Hochul, Constitution of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), US Courts, Department of Justice (DOJ), Criminal Division / Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit, Congress, Senate, United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Jamie Raskin (D-MD8), House Judiciary Committee, President Joe Biden, White House (WH), Trump Grift, Donald J Trump, President Donald Trump (45), President Donald Trump (47), President Trump Administration (47), Pam Bondi, grift, politics]
+tags: [media, MSNBC, Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC / Watch Rachel Maddow Live, Rachel Maddow Blog / The Rachel Maddow Show - MSNBC, Steve Benen, “All In with Chris Hayes”, New York Times (NYT), CNN, Media Matters for America, Leadership / Media Matters for America, Democrat Party, ActBlue — Billions raised online since 2004, Trumpian Party, Elon Musk, Elon Musk, The Boring Company, Neuralink, SpaceX, Starlink, Tesla, Twitter, X, xAI, Corporate Governance / Tesla Investor Relations, Robyn M. Denholm, Maryland.gov - Official Website of the State of Maryland, Office of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, Office of the Governor / Governor Phil Murphy, Home / New York State Attorney General, Meet Letitia James / New York State Attorney General, House Judiciary Committee Republicans /, Governor Kathy Hochul, Constitution of the United States, Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS), US Courts, Department of Justice (DOJ), Criminal Division / Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Unit, Congress, Senate, United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Jamie Raskin (D-MD8), House Judiciary Committee, President Joe Biden, White House (WH), Trump Grift, Donald J Trump, President Donald Trump (45), President Donald Trump (47), President Trump Administration (47), Investigation into Unlawful “Straw Donor” and Foreign Contributions in American Elections. April 24, 2025, Pam Bondi, grift, politics]
 categories: [Donald Trump]
 date: 2025-05-24 4:32 PM
 #excerpt: ''
@@ -99,6 +99,7 @@ Steve Benen is a producer for "[The Rachel Maddow Show](https://www.msnbc.com/ra
 - [President Donald Trump (45)](https://trumpwhitehouse.archives.gov/)
 - [President Donald Trump (47)](https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/donald-j-trump/)
 - [President Trump Administration (47)](https://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/)
+- [Investigation into Unlawful “Straw Donor” and Foreign Contributions in American Elections](https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/04/investigation-into-unlawful-straw-donor-and-foreign-contributions-in-american-elections/). April 24, 2025
 - [Pam Bondi](https://www.justice.gov/ag/staff-profile/meet-attorney-general)
 - grift
 - politics
