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Politics: 2025Talks - July 1, 2025

© Arkadiusz Warguła - iStock-1890683226

(Public News Service)

Politics and views in the United States.

Audio file

NC Republican Thom Tillis denounces Medicaid cuts in Senate bill, over White House objections. NGOs say new work requirements for people in SNAP and Medicaid don't reflect reality. And President Trump says trade talks with Canada will restart.

TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to 2025 Talks, where we're following our democracy in historic times.

This bill in its current form will betray the very promise that Donald J.

Trump made in the Oval Office or in the Cabinet Room when I was there with finance, where he said we can go after waste, fraud, and abuse on any program.

North Carolina Republican Senator Tom Tillis was one of two Republicans to join Democrats in voting against advancing the budget reconciliation mega bill.

Speaking from the Senate floor, he said in spite of White House assurances, his independent investigation found it would cost nearly three quarters of a million people in North Carolina their health coverage.

The bill would cut almost $800 billion from Medicaid nationwide, taking 14 million people out of the program.

Tillis' vote is one of his last, since he says he won't be seeking re-election.

The White House was quick to counter the Republican stalwart's comments.

White House Press Secretary Caroline Leavitt says Tillis is just wrong about the bill's impacts.

It ensures able-bodied Americans who can work 20 hours a week are actually doing so, and that will therefore strengthen and protect those benefits for Americans who need it, cutting out the waste, fraud and abuse, as well as getting 1.4 million illegal aliens off of the program.

But people who work with Medicaid or SNAP recipients say proposed work requirements are out of touch with reality.

The bill would require proof of employment, volunteering or school up to age 64, limit waivers for areas with high unemployment and end many exemptions.

But Vince Hall with Feeding America says almost everyone on these programs who can work in is employed or looking for a job.

In fact, they often have a second or third job.

The bad news is their wages, even with sometimes two full-time jobs, are so insufficient that despite how hard they are working, they are still unable to afford the basics of rent, food and health care.

Cases of fraud and snap have grown in the last year, but still represent about 1.7 percent of transactions, and critics of the legislation argue the bill would do nothing to address the real problems, most often card skimmers or other point-of-sale theft.

Responding to the budget bill, Georgia Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock calls it reverse Robinhood, stealing from the poor to give to the rich.

I submit that a budget is not just a fiscal document.

A budget is a moral document.

Show me your budget and I'll show you who you think matters and who doesn't.

Budget watchdogs say the bill, as revised, would add $3.3 trillion to the national debt.

Meanwhile, Canada is rescinding a proposed digital services tax on American tech firms, which had been set to take effect Monday.

Donald Trump had threatened to end all trade talks with the country.

He says the U.S. relationship with Canada has been difficult, noting the country was foolish to implement this tax.

Economically, we have such power over Canada.

I'd rather not use it, but they did something with our tech companies today trying to copy Europe.

You know, they copied Europe.

It's not going to work out well for Europe either, and it's not going to work out well for Canada.

He says the 3 percent tax would have a severe impact on businesses, including Amazon, Google, and even though it would represent only a tiny part of their operating revenues.

I'm Edwin J.

Vieira for Pacifica Network and Public News Service.

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