Name:   GoneFishin - Subject:   The Republican Dilemma Date:   3/28/2023 2:35:54 PM

I read an interesting article by David Leonhardt about the dilemma facing the Republicans as they seek to cut Federal spending. The major areas that they will not cut are Social Security, Medicare, Veteran Benefits, and Military. They can’t cut interest on the debt. These items represent 2/3 of the spending.

So, that leaves them cutting benefits that benefit the lower and middle class such as Medicaid, Obamacare, and Food Stamps.

These cuts are a problem for the New Republican Party. With the shift in Republican demographics, these programs now benefit their base more than they do Democrats.

“As The Atlantic’s Ronald Brownstein recently wrote, “The escalating confrontation between the parties over the federal budget rests on a fundamental paradox: The Republican majority in the House of Representatives is now more likely than Democrats to represent districts filled with older and lower-income voters who rely on the social programs that the G.O.P. wants to cut.”

Almost 70 percent of House Republicans represent districts where the median income is lower than the national median, according to researchers at the University of Southern California. By contrast, about 60 percent of House Democrats represent districts more affluent than the median.“

It will be interesting to watch how McCarthy and the Freedon Caucus deliver on their promise to reduce spending and also avoid raising taxes on their other base...the wealthy.