It is unfortunate that some individuals can’t see the good in anything tied to President Trump. They protest at the sound of his name and are unable to see the positive actions he has taken to strengthen our country. It is always the same drumbeat, “the sky is falling”, “people will die”, and of course their favorite “it’s the end of democracy.” We recently saw this on full display when our whole New Hampshire federal delegation took advantage of people’s disdain of President Trump to whip up fear and anxiety related to the One Big Beautiful Bill. But in truth, the OBBB has many positives elements for families, for New Hampshire, and for the country.
The OBBB enacted into law the 2017 tax relief that was temporary and set to expire at the end of this year. This means that taxes will not increase back to prior levels. And in most cases, there is additional tax relief in the form of increased tax credit for head of house, child credit and SALT, and there are new tax credits for overtime, tips, Social Security, and auto loans. Additionally, there are new business tax cuts and credits that will allow for business expansion. Business expansion is necessary in order to meet the needs of reshoring American manufacturing and bringing back American jobs.
Medicaid is a critical safety net for our most vulnerable individuals. We must ensure its viability for them. The OBBB does just that. During the pandemic Medicaid enrollment increased by almost 30 percent. Currently, Medicaid enrollment is still 13 percent higher than pre-pandemic levels. Many sanctuary states allow illegal immigrants to be enrolled in Medicaid. That takes scarce public dollars away from our most vulnerable citizens to pay for illegal aliens who have not paid into our system and who have broken our laws. Under the OBBB, states are pushed to clean up their rolls of Medicaid recipients. If a state chooses to keep illegal aliens on their roll, then that state is 100 percent responsible for the cost. In addition, Medicaid recipients aged 19-62 years who are capable of working are required to either work, show that they are looking for work, volunteer or be in school for 80 hours per month (20 hours a week). This work requirement excludes pregnant women, children, and adults with disabilities or are on SSI or SSDI. The OBBB will help ensure that Medicaid remains viable for our most vulnerable citizens.
And finally, the OBBB ensures that we are funding the modernization of our air traffic control system and our military. It provides funding for the development of the Golden Dome missile defense system and for securing our borders. This funding is critical to the safety of all our citizens.
The OBBB is a necessary step forward to help ensure safety, prosperity and fiscal responsibility for our country. It may not be the whole answer to our current fiscal state, but it is one big, beautiful step in the right direction. So, despite the continued fearmongering, the sky is not falling, people will not die, and our democracy will continue.
