WE THE PEOPLE are changing minds through our words and actions and by telling the truth to those we know. Follow the example of Carol Pomeroy and other local writers by reaching out to family and neighbors and having conversations about how government policy affects us in so many important ways.
We protest because President Donald Trump undermines the Constitutional rights and safety for most people living in this country. Exceptions are billionaires and corporations who enjoy tax breaks and favorable treatment for their loyalty and large donations.
Trump tries to discredit protesters calling them fascists, antifa, terrorists, communists and haters. By learning what these terms mean you would undersand they do not describe peaceful protesters. Then why is Trump doing this? It’s simple. Democracy doesn’t fear protests but dictators do. Protests make a difference. He’s afraid he’ll be held accountable for the illegal and immoral things he’s continually doing.
Why do you think Congress and Supreme Court Republicans support Trump’s illegal acts? He’s threatened their lives, the lives of their families and their positions in the government. They fear losing the perks, power, tax breaks and other benefits the president has promised if they remain loyal to him. They put their own self interests ahead of all the people they represent.
Why are Trump’s followers so willing to support him repeating verbatim the lies he constantly tells? They believe everything he says but pay no attention to what he’s doing. On day one, did your grocery prices go down? Have you benefited from his tariffs?
On day one, did he end the wars between Russia and Ukraine and Israel and Hamas where so many Palestinian men, women and children are being killed in Gaza and the West Bank?
Have you paid attention to Trump’s actions or is it just easier to believe lies? I spend many hours researching the truthfulness of the words that I say or write. Do you?
One example why we protest is because government did not need to be shut down. The proposed budget by Republicans calls for significant cuts to the ACA, Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, Social Security and federal programs that benefit low-income and middle-income families. Money saved by staff reductions and underfunding or eliminating essential programs provides money for billionaires and large corporations to receive additional tax cuts.
The shut down actually began Sept. 29 when House Speaker Mike Johnson refused to vote on Democrat bills to keep the government open. The House is still shut down because Johnson refuses to debate with the Democrats for a bipartisan budget that both parties could agree upon.
Sen. Van Hollen (D-Maryland) sponsored “The True Shutdown Fairness Act” to pay all federal workers, all military members, all federal contractors and prevent Trump from furloughing or firing federal workers during the shutdown. Two bills were submitted by Sen. Peters (D-Michigan). The “Shutdown Fairness Act” and the “Military and Federal Employee Protection Act.” All Democrat-sponsored bills were defeated. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wisconsin) sponsored the “Shutdown Fairness Act” that would only pay active-duty military members and federal employees required to work without pay during the shutdown. For these limitations it was defeated because it did not receive the necessary support from the Senate Democrats.
One provision in the proposed budget would cut $1.1 trillion from Medicaid and ACA market places according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Affordable Care Marketplace website is where families and small businesses can shop for and enroll in health insurance plans often with financial assistance (PTCs) based on income and other variables. FactCheck.org said the proposed ACA legislation would increase the number of uninsured people by at least 8.6 million.
The PTCs set to expire Dec. 31 would result in significant premium increases for thousands of people in 2026. Many low-income people in (red) states overwhelmingly voted for Trump in 2024. Why would they vote against their own best interests? Is it again the result of just listening to and believing Trump’s words but not actually knowing what he does?
This is why “We the People” protest.
Carol Pomeroy