Politics As Usual
Cooper is uniquely prepared for this moment– a moment when health care is being ripped away from countless people, when costs are rising on the essentials, when things are getting a bit tougher each day for the working class as billionaires continue collecting massive tax breaks. Cooper comes from the working class. He fights for the working class. And he doesn’t just fight– he wins.
The MAGA budget slashes SNAP, the food assistance program that helps feed over 600,000 children in our state. It cuts Medicaid and CHIP, the health insurance programs that serve over 1.4 million NC kids. It even cuts funding for public schools– schools that are struggling to get by.
We’ll cover the impacts on health care, food access, and education very soon. But today, let’s take a look at some of the more subtle provisions hidden in this bill– the concealed cost increases for working families, the bizarre incentives for obscure projects, the billionaire boondoggles that feel like a total waste of money. These provisions are wide-ranging, but you’ll see a common theme: Republicans have prioritized billionaires over everyday people and working families.
Stein prevented three dangerous bills from becoming law: one that would have eliminated concealed carry permitting requirements, and two that would have forced local law enforcement to work closely with federal immigration agents.
Amidst the battle between two of the world’s biggest egos, we don’t want to lose sight of who will truly be bearing the brunt of this 1,100 page bill– you.
There’s a government agency with the sole purpose of advocating for consumers, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. They aren’t flashy. They don’t have a catchy name. But wow, do they deliver results for everyday people. And President Trump is trying to shutter it completely, calling it a “woke, weaponized” agency. Thom Tillis agrees, claiming that the CFPB is “pushing beyond its regulatory and jurisdictional boundaries.”
North Carolina would certainly feel MAGA’s Medicaid cuts, but layering SNAP cuts on top of it would be a devastating 1-2 punch to working class families who are already struggling to make ends meet.
MAGA lawmakers are looking to cut $300 billion from SNAP– the federal food assistance program that serves 42 million Americans– and $880 billion from Medicaid– the health insurance program that covers 1 in 5 Americans. Millions of working families would lose their health insurance. Millions more would struggle to put food on the table.
Charlotte constituents voiced their concerns over federal cuts to the things that matter most to them. The big problem? Their senator didn’t show. A cardboard cutout took his seat.
The theme of Stein’s State of the State address was “North Carolina Strong,” a motto Stein has used to rally North Carolinians who are in the midst of a hurricane rebuild, rising costs, and a chaotic presidential administration.
Stein contrasted the divisive national political scene with a more hopeful, bipartisan vision for North Carolina. He centered everyday people in each policy proposal and every argument. He even showcased his sense of humor while taking a shot or two at Elon Musk.