Federal push back

Trump-era policies threaten to dismantle democracy. These are scary times, I’m afraid. From federal job cuts to funding cuts that affect everything from school lunches to our university’s ability to continue much needed and anticipated research, there are so many opportunities to worry that it’s hard to keep up. But it’s recent threats to sell public lands and slash Medicaid and SNAP benefits that keep me up at night.

When I was growing up, we didn’t have a lot. Family members survived on what we then called food stamps. Medicaid was the only option for health insurance and Head Start was daycare. These programs are still an absolute necessity for Montanans. If we cut SNAP benefits, children will go hungry. If we cut Medicaid, people will lose access to life-saving and life-sustaining medical treatment. If working families lose access to early literacy programs, we will all suffer. We have to push our legislative delegation to do the right thing. And if they don’t, we have to organize locally to protect our neighbors.