They're going after Medicaid and SNAP - here's 3 things you need to do

If a country doesn’t help its people make ends meet, then that country should be ready to meet its end. Republicans announced they are looking for even more cuts to make in their quest to cut $1 trillion, which puts bigger targets on Medicaid and SNAP. This is while they still plan to give tax cuts to the richest people in history. This is at a time when medical debt and hunger are increasing.

Besides cutting the benefits part of the programs, they also seek to make the programs more complex, which ends up costing the government more money and is largely an inefficient strategy. These complexities impact state-level agency staff significantly and can lead to more errors. So the next time you see an elected official complain about overpayments, see what they’re doing to remove the program’s complexities to make it a more seamless program.

When you’re into paternalism, then cruelty is worth its weight in gold.

Here are three things to do:

1. Congress is in recess from February 14-21. That means your Congressmember will be back in the district, aka your home turf. You don’t have to go to Washington, DC, to meet them. Now is the time to set up a meeting with them. Schedule an appointment to meet them at their office or invite them to a group event. If they’re avoiding you, find out where the town halls will be and speak truth to power.

   1. Find your Representative’s contact here.

   2. Call their office to book with the scheduler and find out when the town halls will be. Don’t settle for lame telephone town halls. They typically pre-screen questions and keep it to softballs.

   3. If they’re going to be in the district and not do town halls, then write a letter to the editor and put them on blast.

2. Your state lawmakers are meeting right now. If your state is colored green on this map, they’re in session right now. The parties meet every day. If you and your friends drum up enough calls in your state, you can get the ball rolling. Don’t know who your state lawmaker is? Don’t worry - most people are entirely unaware that a state legislature even exists. Which is good because that means your calls have an even greater impact. Here’s how to find them and what to say:

   1. Visit this link.

   2. Enter your address.

   3. Scroll down to “state officials” and click on it.

   4. You should see “state delegate”, “state representative”, and/or “state senator” or similar language.

   5. Click their names to see their phone numbers.

   6. Call them and say something like this:

      1. Hi, my name is [your name], and I am a constituent (pronounced: con-stich-you-int). I would like to speak with [the Delegate/Senator/other title or available staff]. I am calling because I would like [Delegate/Senator/other title Last Name] to know that I am concerned with what is happening in Washington DC. The proposed cuts to the safety net to pay for tax cuts for the rich will impact us in [city] because so many households need the safety net to help make ends meet. What will [you/the lawmaker] be doing to raise your voice against that? How are [you/the lawmaker] planning to work with the Congressional delegation to work against these cuts?”

3. Advocacy is the most underfunded thing in the organization space. If there is an organization you appreciate that does advocacy, then support them financially. Oftentimes, we fall into a false sense of security and think these organizations don’t need funds. That leads to critical organizations like the Kentucky Equal Justice Center (click the link to send a donation) suspending operations due to a lack of funding. Don’t assume your favorite organizations have the resources to keep going. Looking for a good cause? Leave a comment and I’ll share some of my faves.