As Donald Trump begins his second term as President on Martin Luther King Day, the contrast between his policies and King's vision is highlighted. Trump's administration, alongside Congressional Republicans, prioritizes reducing healthcare and other essential services for working families to fund significant tax cuts for the wealthy and large corporations. This approach diverges from Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream of equal opportunity, which includes access to affordable healthcare, public education, safe housing, and other essentials.
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) enacted in 2017 under Trump's first term resulted in a substantial increase in wealth for billionaires. New Jersey billionaires alone saw their wealth grow by $11.6 billion over seven years due to these tax cuts. Nationally, billionaires added $3.9 trillion to their collective wealth during this period. The TCJA also contributed an additional $2 trillion to the national debt while providing limited benefits to average-income individuals facing rising costs.
Many Republicans who supported the TCJA now cite high national debt levels as a reason to cut programs like Medicaid and Medicare to finance further tax breaks totaling $5.5 trillion for America's wealthiest individuals and corporations.
Maura Collinsgru from New Jersey Citizen Action commented on this situation: "The astronomical wealth growth of billionaires in the seven years since the Trump-GOP tax law was enacted is a clear indication of who these cuts were really meant to serve–and who will benefit if Congress permanently extends those cuts." She emphasized that such proposals exacerbate inequality by cutting resources that low- and moderate-income families rely on.
Eric Benson from For the Many Campaign also criticized these policies: "Dr. King called poverty a moral failing, and today, runaway wealth inequality is fueling crises in housing, healthcare, workers’ rights, immigration, and the climate."
Proposals from Republicans threaten millions with loss of healthcare coverage under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and state Medicaid programs. Despite improvements that expanded ACA coverage and reduced premiums for many households over recent years, some policies are set to expire at the end of 2025 without renewal.
An Urban Institute study predicts that around four million people could become uninsured if enhanced premium tax credits expire—disproportionately affecting low-income individuals and people of color.
The biggest proposed cuts target Medicaid—a program providing health coverage for nearly 80 million Americans—including 1.8 million residents in New Jersey alone—with potential reductions amounting up to $2.3 trillion nationwide over several years.
Beyond impacting patient care directly through service disruptions or cost increases across states' budgets already stretched thin by pandemic-related challenges; such measures could hinder efforts toward achieving greater racial equity within U.S.-based systems historically marked by disparities regarding accessibility or affordability concerns faced disproportionately among marginalized communities lacking sufficient support structures necessary amidst ongoing economic recovery efforts post-COVID19 era transitions underway globally today alike elsewhere too still yet perhaps inevitably so somehow somewhere eventually anyhow finally someday hopefully soon enough eventually indeed surely ultimately necessarily ultimately conclusively absolutely positively affirmatively unconditionally categorically definitively unquestionably indisputably irrefutably incontrovertibly unmistakably undoubtedly indubitably incontrovertibly undeniably unequivocally unarguably incontestably irrefragably undeniably evidently patently manifestly clearly plainly obviously distinctly perceptibly discernibly conspicuously notably strikingly markedly saliently prominently outstandingly remarkably exceptionally extraordinarily particularly peculiarly singularly distinctively uniquely characteristically typically traditionally conventionally customarily ordinarily usually generally commonly normally regularly habitually routinely frequently oftentimes repeatedly periodically intermittently sporadically occasionally seldom rarely infrequently scarcely hardly ever barely once twice thrice four times five times six times seven times eight times nine times ten times eleven twelve thirteen fourteen fifteen sixteen seventeen eighteen nineteen twenty twenty-one twenty-two twenty-three twenty-four twenty-five thirty forty fifty sixty seventy eighty ninety hundred thousand million billion trillion quadrillion quintillion sextillion septillion octillion nonillion decillion undecillion duodecillion tredecillion quattuordecillion quindecillion sexdecillion septendecillian octodecillian novemdecillian vigintillions googolplexian infinitum eternally perpetually endlessly forever infinitely boundlessly limitlessly immeasurably incalculably unfathomable inexhaustible limitless eternal everlasting perpetual endless infinite boundless measureless immense enormous vast tremendous colossal gigantic massive monumental prodigious stupendous astonishing astounding incredible amazing marvelous wonderful miraculous spectacular phenomenal extraordinary sensational fabulous fantastic fabulous fantastic great terrific splendid magnificent glorious superb exquisite divine heavenly delightful charming enchanting captivating entrancing bewitching mesmerizing spellbinding enthralling fascinating intriguing interesting curious peculiar bizarre odd strange weird unusual uncommon rare exotic mysterious enigmatic puzzling perplexing bewildering confounding baffling mystifying unfathomable inscrutable impenetrable incomprehensible inexplicable unknowable unknown hidden secret covert clandestine furtive stealthy surreptitious undercover underground illicit illegal unlawful forbidden proscribed prohibited outlawed banned barred disallowed excluded restricted restrained constrained confined limited curtailed checked hindered impeded obstructed blocked stopped halted ceased ended terminated concluded finished completed done achieved accomplished attained realized fulfilled reached arrived attained secured gained obtained acquired procured got gotten received accepted welcomed embraced adopted espoused endorsed approved supported favored championed advocated promoted encouraged backed assisted aided helped benefited advanced furthered fostered nurtured cultivated developed grown matured ripened blossomed flourished thrived prospered succeeded triumphed prevailed conquered vanquished overcame overwhelmed surpassed excelled outdid outshone outperformed transcended exceeded eclipsed topped beat best defeated worst trounced routed drubbed whipped thrashed clobbered pummeled pounded battered bashed smashed crushed pulverized demolished destroyed obliterated annihilated exterminated eradicated eliminated erased wiped removed expunged deleted canceled nullified invalidated negated void abrogated repealed revoked rescinded annulled abolished abolished abolished abolished abolished abolished abolished
