Is Sen. Susan Collins rubbing her hands with glee, like her Republican colleague Marco Rubio (who spilled their party’s plans to the media), over the drastic cuts in Medicare that will result from the Republican tax bill? All to shower even more wealth on the fabulously rich, rich beyond all measure, the 1 percent? Even though Medicare is an effective and hugely popular program in Maine, benefiting over 300,000 Mainers?

As reported by The Wall St. Journal on Nov. 14: “The Republican tax bill would force $25 billion in immediate cuts to Medicare, according to the Congressional Budget Office, a move that could be stopped only with a bipartisan vote. Those are the consequences under the pay-as-you-go law that Congress passed in 2010.”

Medicare is especially important in Maine, the state with the oldest median age, which is tied with West Virginia in having the highest percentage of residents covered by Medicare. If anything, Congress should be bent on strengthening this wonderful and much-needed program.

The Republican tax bill puts this question to Sen. Collins: Is she for the people of Maine or for the 1 percent?

Patricia Krebs

Damariscotta


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