This is the “choice” Congressman Tom Kean, Jr., a proud member of the Problem Solvers Caucus, has laid before us through his support of H.R. 2811, the "Limit, Save, Grow Act," sponsored by McCarthy’s right wing fringe:
Either we can default on our debt and (according to the Council of Economic Advisers) 8.3 million people will lose their jobs and the stock market will fall by 45%.
Or we can accept the draconian cuts demanded in H.R. 2811. The targets of these cuts are not revealed, allowing displays of Republican righteous indignation and stout denial that such a thing could ever be contemplated when confronted by the stark facts the cuts demand. Congressman Kean himself engages in this sleight of hand, as this Tweet of his shows.
What does he mean by DOES NOT? “Does not specifically say …”? “Does not yet …”? Or “will not result in …”? Congressman Kean has NOTHING TO SAY on what he plans to cut.
The Department of Veterans Affairs projects that Kean’s vote will reduce its budget by 22% and immediately rescind $2 billion in funding to support veterans. It will likely lead to 30 million fewer veteran outpatient visits and significantly increase the backlog of veterans’ benefit claims. These cuts will affect housing support for 50,000 veterans, prevent the construction of healthcare facilities, delay the opening of five new national cemeteries that serve veterans, and deprive veterans of mental health, substance use, and other health services.
The White House yesterday released a fact sheet outlining the cuts Republicans are demanding before they will agree to raise the debt ceiling. In addition to costing jobs and throwing the nation into a recession, their demands will cut nearly 7,500 rail inspection days, shut down at least 375 air traffic control towers, and cut $5.2 billion from highway infrastructure projects. The cuts will eliminate nearly 200,000 child care slots, cut 1.7 million people from food security programs, and remove rental assistance from nearly 600,000 families.
Although Kean wants you to believe that he is being moderate, he is not. . He is voting to cut spending that we count on. Instead, he should be helping us recover from the Trump tax cuts and build for the future.
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