Of Medicaid and Pork Belly’s

There is an old saying that’s been around in DC for years that goes something like,

Don’t tax you
Don’t tax me
Tax that man behind the tree.

So goes the thinking in private conversations around Washington about the duplicity of elected officials wanting to reduce constituents’ tax burdens while at the same time providing valuable public services to those constituents.

The simple reality is we will – eventually (next year? next decade?) have to pay the piper in the same way Greece has. To the extent that reality causes angst it’s understandable why a Federal budget proposing to slash millions in spending would be embraced.

The issue, of course, is whether and how spending reductions should be effectuated. With today’s release of the Administration’s “proposed” budget the gauntlet has not been laid down so much as the effort has been made to call attention to the man behind the tree.

The sad reality in our country is the Federal budget could very likely be cut by a third without touching Medicaid (might even be able to expand it). But then, at least half, if not more, of current members of Congress would likely lose their seats for failing to bring home the bacon.

Knowing their potential absence probably doesn’t bother most of us should tell you all you need to know about the huge systemic challenge we face in correcting the best form of government this world has ever seen.

Cheers,
~ Sparky

http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/trump-budget-cuts-600-billion-medicaid