The column below reflects the views of the author, and these opinions are neither endorsed nor supported by WisOpinion.com.

Nixon infamously said: “I’m not a crook.” However, a bipartisan majority of the House Judiciary Committee, including Wisconsin Democratic Representative Bob Kastenmeier and GOP Representative Harold Froehlich, voted to impeach Nixon. Senior GOP senators went to the White House and told Nixon that the Senate would convict him. Nixon resigned. Unthinkable today.

Trump’s motto should be: “I’m a crook.” NYT headlines said it all: “Trump pulled in at least $2 billion after returning to the White House; Crypto brought Trump a huge windfall, even as many investors lost big; Trump cuts big mine deal and sons stand to gain and $1.6 billion pact for Kazakhstan tungsten furthers pattern of self-enrichment.” Meanwhile, Trump said: “I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation.” The heartless truth.

While Trump is ripping off taxpayers enriching himself, his family and cronies, he is ripping apart healthcare affordability and coverage for millions. The so-called Big Beautiful Bill, supported by all Wisconsin congressional Republicans, cut taxes by $4.5 trillion, mostly for the wealthy, while slashing over $1 trillion from Affordable Care Act (ACA) private insurance and Medicaid.

Trump and/or the GOP-led Congress didn’t extend ACA enhanced premium tax credits, shortened the ACA enrollment period, cut enrollment assistance, created more red tape and ended ACA automatic enrollment. Further, the bill created roadblocks to states trying to pay Medicaid costs: burdensome Medicaid eligibility requirements and needless Medicaid work requirements (73 percent of Wisconsin adults covered by Medicaid work).

The results have been catastrophic: ACA enrollment has already dropped by about 5 million, including thousands of Wisconsinites, with many millions more to lose coverage (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and NYT). “Six ACA insurers have announced that they will exit ACA Marketplaces in 18 states next year… .” (Kaiser Family Foundation); junk insurance will be allowed with big out-of-pocket costs and sharply reduced healthcare benefits; Medicaid work requirements will force the sick (e.g., cancer) to work and Medicaid red tape will result in millions losing coverage.

By 2034, 15-17 million Americans, including 258,396 – 276,175 Wisconsinites, will have lost ACA or Medicaid healthcare coverage (Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and House Joint Economic Committee Democrats). More rural hospitals will close with 14 Wisconsin hospitals at risk (Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform). Inflation, fewer plans in ACA marketplaces and healthier individuals dropping now-unaffordable coverage (harder for sick people to do that) means healthcare premiums will soar as affordability and coverage implode. 

Wisconsin will require a governor to meet these challenges. Democratic Lieutenant Governor and gubernatorial candidate Sara Rodriguez is uniquely qualified to navigate the healthcare crisis. Rodriguez has real life experience as a nurse and healthcare leader and understands the complexity and knows the players. She has a plan for day one to fight for affordability and safeguard/expand coverage. Moreover, Rodriguez wants the federal billions left on the table by the GOP-led legislature to fund/expand BadgerCare (Medicaid).

Importantly, Rodriguez is not just a fighter. She will build a broad coalition to govern and get big things done for all of Wisconsin. 

Kaplan wrote a guest column from Washington, D.C., for the Wisconsin State Journal from 1995 – 2009.