🏛️ What’s Happening to America?
I’ve been asking myself a question that’s hard to shake: Why is this happening to the United States? Is it the work of one man and one administration, or has it been unfolding for much longer?
I’ve always considered myself pretty moderate. I don’t believe the government can—or should—give everything to everybody. But I also believe it should not serve the wealthiest at the expense of those who have little. Since the days of FDR and the Great Depression, the federal government has had a responsibility to provide relief for those who, for one reason or another, cannot do for themselves. That’s not radical. That’s the foundation of a compassionate society.
Beyond our borders, the U.S. has long played a role in global humanitarian aid. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy established the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to promote global health, education, and democracy.
But now, with legislation like the so-called “Great Big Beautiful Bill,” and sweeping budget and workforce cuts driven by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), we’re seeing a massive transfer of wealth from the middle and lower classes to the ultra-wealthy. The bill permanently increased estate and gift tax exemptions to $15 million per person, extended top income tax cuts, and preserved loopholes that overwhelmingly benefit high-net-worth individuals.
And it’s not just about money—it’s about health. People who rely on federal assistance for healthcare are losing it. Programs that once offered a lifeline—Medicaid expansions, ACA subsidies, community health grants—are being gutted or quietly defunded.
Even more alarming, funding for cancer research has been slashed. Grants to universities conducting vital medical research—on everything from rare diseases to public health infrastructure—are drying up. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) faces a proposed $5 billion budget cut, which would eliminate thousands of jobs and reduce readiness for disease outbreaks, vaccine development, and chronic illness prevention.
And now, the government is shut down. The impasse? Democrats are fighting to restore healthcare funding for citizens, while Republicans refuse to budge—claiming the money would go to undocumented immigrants. But that’s a false narrative. By law, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, or ACA subsidies. The people losing coverage are citizens—working families, seniors, and vulnerable communities who need help and are being denied it.
These aren’t abstract budget lines. They’re the difference between breakthroughs and stagnation, between treatment and silence, between hope and despair.
Why are we doing this? Why are Trump and the GOP pushing policies that seem to abandon the very idea of shared responsibility?
The right often claims a monopoly on Christian values—invoking faith as a moral compass, a cultural identity, even a political brand. And yet, many of the policies they support are characteristically un-Christian. Cutting healthcare for the poor, defunding cancer research, and slashing aid to vulnerable communities—these actions contradict the very teachings they claim to uphold.
So what’s really happening here?
Are they tossing aside their religion to serve the wealthy?
Are they idolizing the golden calf—choosing power and profit over compassion and care?
Christianity, at its core, calls for mercy, healing, and justice. But these policies do the opposite. They strip away support from the sick, the poor, and the vulnerable—all while protecting the wealth of those who already have more than enough.
I don’t speak from doctrine. I can’t quote scripture, song, or verse. But I do speak from conscience. And I believe morality—whether rooted in faith or humanity—demands better than this.
We, as citizens, cannot let this happen.
We are better than this—as neighbors, as voters, as a society. This isn’t Trump’s wallet. It’s ours. It’s our tax dollars, our labor, our future. And we should have a say in where that money goes. Not to the 1% who already hold nearly one-third of all U.S. wealth, but toward the common good: healthcare, education, infrastructure, opportunity.
Democracy isn’t just about casting a vote every few years. It’s about staying awake. It’s about asking hard questions and demanding better answers. It’s about refusing to accept policies that strip away compassion and concentrate power.
If we don’t speak up, if we don’t push back, then silence becomes complicity. And I don’t believe most Americans are okay with that.
🧾 Fact Check & Sources
1. “Great Big Beautiful Bill” and Wealth Transfer
This legislation increased estate and gift tax exemptions to $15 million per person, extended top income tax cuts, and preserved loopholes benefiting ultra-wealthy individuals.
Source: Congressional Budget Office analysis, 2025
2. DOGE Budget & Workforce Cuts
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), originally led by Elon Musk, has eliminated over 200,000 federal jobs, including healthcare and research positions. Estimated taxpayer cost: $135 billion in lost productivity and rehiring.
Source: Government Accountability Office (GAO), September 2025
3. Cancer Research Defunding
NIH and CDC research grants have been slashed by over 40%, affecting cancer trials, vaccine development, and rare disease studies.
Source: American Medical Association, August 2025
4. Shutdown Staffing Disparities
While essential services are furloughed, 45 DOGE staffers remain active and exempt from shutdown protocols.
Source: Office of Personnel Management, October 2025
5. Healthcare Eligibility for Undocumented Immigrants
By law, undocumented immigrants are not eligible for Medicaid, Medicare, or ACA subsidies.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services