Mike Johnson’s Budget: A Betrayal of His Constituents

The saying goes “people before politics,” but it seems like House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) and his deep-red congressional district have never heard of it. Shockingly, approximately one in four residents under the age of 65 in Johnson’s district rely on Medicaid for health insurance, while one in five residents depend on food stamps to afford groceries. Despite this, the budget resolution passed by the House last month on a party-line vote would cut Medicaid by $880 billion and slash food stamp spending by $230 billion.

Johnson’s budget, supported by Republicans, will not only hurt his senior citizens but also a large percentage of his voters. The Republican budget package would expand Trump’s 2017 tax cuts through Fiscal Year 2035, costing an estimated $4.5 trillion according to the Congressional Budget Office. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) has criticized this legislation as skewed towards the rich, expensive, and failing to deliver on its promises. The CBPP estimated that the richest households would receive more than triple the tax cuts compared to lower and middle-class households.

It is truly baffling that Johnson is voting for and promoting budget policies that would harm his own constituents. It appears that his voters are unknowingly voting against their own interests. The hypocrisy and disregard for the well-being of the people in his district is both shocking and disappointing.