You know a piece of legislation is in trouble when lawmakers start backtracking just weeks after passing it. But with far more Americans opposed to the reconciliation bill President Trump signed earlier this month than in favor of it, GOP politicians are moving to limit the political blowback. Republicans are trying to convince voters that the bill that guts social programs like Medicaid and SNAP actually helps working families. Speaking in Pennsylvania on Wednesday, for example, Vice President JD Vance all but ignored the massive reductions to social programs that made up most of the bill's spending cuts. Instead, he argued the law's provisions were pro-children and plugged its childcare-related tax credits. "Whether you're working at Don's Machine [Shop] or you're the vice president," he said, "it's all in the service of giving our kids the incredible opportunities that we've had." It's true that the bill will provide modest support for childcare costs for some families. But, the larger truth is, the amount of money most families will actually get from these measures is peanuts compared to the astronomical costs of childcare, let alone the totality of household expenses. This is a preview of Suzanne Kahn and Lena Bilik's latest column. Read the full column here. |
