Let's talk about unplanned consequences of Trump's reconciliation package.... - Belle of the Ranch

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about unplanned consequences of Trump's reconciliation package.

In an effort to make sure immigration services don't get reformed, Republicans have gone out of their way to make sure funding isn't happening through normal channels. Instead, they're opting for a party line budget reconciliation package. That might give birth to something they aren't counting on. See, budget reconciliations aren't actual budgets. They're kind of amendments to the status quo, for lack of a better term. During the one Big Beautiful Bill, which was a budget reconciliation, Republicans went out of their way to block Medicaid funding for cancer screenings, birth control, and so on via Planned Parenthood.

However, to make sure it survived the Senate parliamentarian, they only blocked the funding for one year. I know, you're wondering why Republicans would deny cancer screenings to women. The simple answer is that they give the rich means and give the working class memes. The meme says that Planned Parenthood only does one thing, which is totally false. But hurting women appealed to the Republican base as long as it happened at a place that was memed about.

Let's be real. If Republicans blocked Medicaid funding for birth control and cancer screening at the hospitals, the country would immediately be irate and it wouldn't matter who else was treated for what at those hospitals.

So the defunding only lasts a year and in their attempt to keep the new proposed budget reconciliation bill simple, they aren't extending it.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley tried to include an amendment to extend it, but Republican Senators Lisa Murkowsky and Susan Collins joined with Democrats to block it. Some Republicans are actively working to get an amendment included, but it's unclear if they actually have the support to get it through, especially this close to the midterms. Without the amendment blocking funding for cancer screenings, Republican hardliners might oppose the reconciliation to message to their base. But if they get it, vulnerable Republicans who are already in an uphill fight might vote against it.

In news related to funding, Planned Parenthood has made some moves of their own to make up for some of the lost funding. Some of the clinics have widened their services beyond cancer screenings and birth control. The Sacramento clinic now offers Botox, IV hydration, and other services that don't fit within the meme. Of course, the meme says that women who need abortions are all irresponsible teens or early 20s. In real life, a majority are already mothers and more than a third of them are over 30.

The other services being offered certainly don't fit into the stereotype, but they do fit with demographic information of their clients. It's safe to assume you're going to hear about Planned Parenthood funding from now until the midterms. No matter how it plays out, it'll remain a story.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.