We all watched the dead being buried in Puerto Rico, post Hurricane Maria, more than two years ago. Yet now the island and its 3.195 million American citizens faces a greater crisis. Their President — Donald Trump, and the agencies he is in charge of, have continued to fail Puerto Ricans on the island, and Trump seems to do all he can to inflict more pain and suffering.
His latest salvo in this saga — is to slash hard fought for Medicaid funding.
I woke up to these headlines:
Trump slashed Puerto Rico’s Medicaid money as part of budget deal
President Donald Trump intervened to cut the federal government's Medicaid funding for Puerto Rico as part of a larger government spending deal, according to four sources with knowledge of the discussions.
The budget deal unveiled by lawmakers this week allocates up to $5.7 billion in Medicaid funds for the island over two years — instead of $12 billion over four years that Republican and Democratic leaders on two key congressional committees had endorsed after months of negotiating a long-term financial path for Puerto Rico.
Trump intervened to cut Puerto Rico's Medicaid funding in spending bill: report
A White House spokesperson told Politico that the Puerto Rico Medicaid funding agreement was a "win for President Trump and the American people."
Chase Jennings, a spokesman for the White House Office of Management and Budget, also told the news outlet that the final deal represented the administration's commitment to "properly prioritizing U.S. taxpayer dollars."
"With the historical waste we have faced in Puerto Rico, additional funding was not needed or fiscally responsible," Jennings said.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for further comment from The Hill.
This comes as yet another blow to Puerto Rico. FEMA and HUD have also played a key role in punishing the island.
I written about this here before:
Urgent! Help stop the looming Medicaid disaster in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands
Cutting off Puerto Rico's Medicaid is not a 'fiscal cliff.' It will push people off a cliff—to die
I also post daily updates in the comments section of Abbreviated Pundit Roundup.
I despair that what is happening to Puerto Ricans gets lost in the daily flood of news.
As far as I am concerned, there should be an article of impeachment for Trump’s vile treatment of Puerto Rico. He is truly the #PendejoPotus and this is his Katrina.
Pa’lante Puerto Rico.