And can you believe it, folks, Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas just gave us the most epic moment of U.S. President Donald Trump’s address to a joint session of Congress – I mean, who needs coffee when you have politicians throwing shade like this? But, seriously, Green’s cane-shaking, Medicaid-defending protest was everything and more, earning him praise online and probably a few extra grey hairs from the stress of it all (check out the details on The Hill).
Now, I know what you’re thinking – what’s the big deal about Medicaid, right? Well, let me tell you, it’s a huge deal, especially when Republicans are trying to cut it left and right (no pun intended), and you can read all about their shenanigans on Common Dreams). But, back to Green – his protest was a beautiful thing to watch, like a symphony of sass and determination, with him shouting that Trump has “no mandate to cut Medicaid” – I mean, can you feel the passion?
And, of course, the internet was loving it, with people like Sam Weinberg, the executive director of Path to Progress, saying that “Al Green understood the assignment” (check out his post on Bluesky), and Ezra Levin, co-founder of Indivisible, chiming in with “Al Green stood up” (see his post on Bluesky), because, let’s be real, who doesn’t love a good underdog story?
But, I digress – the real question is, will this protest actually make a difference, or is it just a publicity stunt? And, more importantly, can someone please explain to me why Republicans are so obsessed with cutting Medicaid – is it because they hate poor people or something (just kidding, or am I)? You can read more about their budget resolution, which includes trillions of dollars in tax cuts, on Common Dreams, and let me tell you, it’s a real doozy.
And, on a completely unrelated note, has anyone tried those new coffee-flavored energy drinks – I swear, they’re like a shot of espresso and a punch in the face at the same time (just what I need to stay awake during these long congressional sessions). But, back to the matter at hand – if you want to learn more about the Medicaid program and why it’s so important, you can check out this search results page on Amazon, which has all sorts of books and resources on the topic.
Now, where was I – ah yes, the protest – so, Green was led out of the chamber by the sergeant-at-arms after being told to sit down by House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.), because, you know, someone’s got to keep the old folks in line (just kidding, kind of). And, of course, the Republicans were cheering, because, why not – it’s not like they have anything better to do, like, I don’t know, actually governing the country.
But, in all seriousness, this protest was a big deal, and not just because it was a dramatic moment in an otherwise snooze-fest of a speech – it was a show of resistance, a declaration that, no, we won’t stand idly by while you cut our social programs and gut our climate initiatives (looking at you, Trump, and your Social Security lies).
And, as if all this wasn’t enough, former Congressman Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.) was tweeting his support for Green, saying that all the Democrats in the room should have left with him – because, why not, right – it’s not like they have anything better to do, like, I don’t know, actually passing legislation or something (check out his tweets on X).
But, what really gets my goat is that Trump’s speech was all about gutting climate initiatives and ending “the tyranny of so-called diversity, equity and inclusion policies” – I mean, seriously, who comes up with this stuff – it sounds like something out of a bad sci-fi movie (you can read more about his speech on The New York Times).
And, on a final note, if you want to learn more about the budget resolution and how it will affect Medicaid and other social programs, you can check out Common Dreams, which has all sorts of articles and resources on the topic – and, trust me, it’s not pretty – it’s like they’re trying to squeeze every last penny out of the poor and vulnerable, while giving tax cuts to their rich friends (but, hey, what’s new, right).