Top MAGA influencer Steve Bannon is warning the Republican Party about targeting Medicaid in its efforts to find money to fund its extension of the 2017 tax cuts.
As reported by Fortune, the former Trump White House political strategist said on his "War Room" podcast recently that taking an ax to Medicaid could be a major mistake that could hurt the party among key voters.
“Medicaid, you gotta be careful,” Bannon said on his Thursday podcast. “Because a lot of MAGAs are on Medicaid, I’m telling you. If you don’t think so, you are dead wrong.”
The report goes on to add that Bannon's concerns are being reflected in statements being made by vulnerable swing-district Republicans who also have many constituents who are on Medicaid.
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"Republican Representative Brian Fitzpatrick pleaded with his colleagues recently to protect their working-class and low-income constituents as Musk scoured the federal budget for savings," Fortune writes. "The Pennsylvania lawmaker, who represents economically diverse Bucks County, is one of about a dozen House Republicans urging the party to protect Medicaid, food aid and other social safety-net programs."
While Republicans had previously pitched a block grant scheme that would cap Medicaid spending to save money to fund tax cuts, Punchbowl News has recently reported that "House GOP negotiators now believe they will have to dig deeper into Medicaid spending to meet those targets, including potentially cutting benefits for enrollees."
