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Most people have heard the legend of the Trojan horse<\/a>: The fabled tale in which Odysseus<\/a> and the Greeks<\/a> presented a wooden horse to their enemies \u2014 the Trojans \u2014 as a gift. The Trojans, confident of their victory, accepted the horse, not realizing there were Greek soldiers hidden inside ready to burn Troy to the ground. In the end, it\u2019s easy to dismiss the Trojans as too foolish to spot the obvious catch in this implausible gesture. For most of us, it\u2019s hard to imagine a world where a similar story could ever come true.\u00a0<\/p>\n That is until<\/a> late April when President Donald Trump\u2019s administration presented a gift to the American people that would make even Odysseus blush. Calling it<\/a> \u201cOne, Big, Beautiful Bill,\u201d the act claims<\/a> to be a collection of Trump\u2019s economic promises<\/a> made on the campaign trail. It includes<\/a> pledges to boost border security<\/a>, eliminate the tax on tips<\/a> or social security checks and give tax breaks<\/a> to businesses in hopes of strengthening the economy. To pay for these provisions, the bill proposes a number of cuts ranging from Medicaid<\/a> to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program<\/a> funding. The bill has faced bipartisan opposition<\/a>, even sparking the official end to the bromance<\/a> between President Trump and Elon Musk in a dramatic Twitter feud<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Despite these flaws, the bill narrowly passed<\/a> the House of Representatives 215-214. Now, as it makes its way to the Senate<\/a>, Americans are pleading with our lawmakers to prevent the passage of this bill. Even so, it maintains a 76%<\/a> approval rating among Republicans. A new oversight of Trojan proportions is taking place among the right. And yet, as the bill wheels itself through the legislative gates toward the White House, Republican lawmakers still have time to act before some of our most fundamental social programs are sacked and burned.\u00a0<\/p>\n As of now, Medicaid is front and center in Trump\u2019s crosshairs. Established by the Medicare and Medicaid Act<\/a> in 1965 and passed with bipartisan support<\/a>, former President Lyndon B. Johnson spearheaded the program to provide<\/a> health insurance to low-income people and those with disabilities. The passage of the Affordable Care Act<\/a> in 2010 gave states the option to expand<\/a> their Medicaid coverage further with federal funds. Since then, 41 states<\/a> have expanded their Medicaid programs. Medicaid now covers 72 million Americans, or about a fifth<\/a> of our population. Interestingly enough, of the seven states with 25% or more of their population on Medicaid, four<\/a> voted for Trump in the 2024 election.\u00a0<\/p>\n