The people of Chattanooga and its surrounding areas need support. Our current U.S. House of Representative, Chuck Fleischmann, is clearly not up to the task. His support of the recent “Big Beautiful Bill” is yet another example of how our representative has failed us.
As the great people of Chattanooga go through their lives being fiscally responsible, Mr. Fleischmann supports a spending bill that puts our country deeper in debt. He has clearly put his interests and the interest of one man before the interests of Chattanoogans and the majority of this country. Mr. Fleischmann has chosen to support billionaires over those struggling with everyday expenses.
Currently, there are over 300K uninsured citizens in Tennessee. That number is expected to double if this current bill remains as it is. These are the hard working, disabled, elderly people that depend on Medicaid and the ACA. Why does he favor billionaires over these people?
There is an estimated 20 percent of Hamilton County’s population over age 65. Many of these people need resources like SNAP. There are many children in this county that depend on SNAP services. These seniors and children will go hungry and for what? They will go hungry so that Mr. Fleischmann can support the highest 1 percent of the population.
This funding bill will trigger sequestration and mandate an estimated $535 billion in cuts to Medicare, yes Medicare. The party and the president said they would not touch Medicare. Mr. Fleischmann and his party have lied to us. Their reckless support of billionaires and cuts to seniors and children in need will cost seniors citizens services through mandated cuts in Medicare. Not only that, it is also estimated that 40 percent of rural hospitals are on the fringe of closing. Cuts to Medicare and Medicaid will likely push them over the edge and make them shudder their doors. That means farmers and others living in those rural areas will have even less healthcare than they currently have. Tennessee is already in the bottom 10 for maternity morbidity. We already have maternal deserts, areas without any healthcare for pregnant women. Now Mr. Fleischmann wants to make this scenario even worse. Why does he choose to support the rich over these people?
I am all for people’s rights to own firearms. I am not sure how a silencer is needed for your defense but it is a free country and if you feel the need to have one, so be it. I am also for sensible background checks. There was a $200 tax on silencers and for some reason, that was a priority to remove. Mr. Fleischmann and the GOP chose silencers for guns over supporting senior citizens and children in need.
They say we live in the Bible Belt and that the majority of us claim to believe in Christianity. Ask yourself, did Christ support the rich over the marginalized? Did Christ steal from the poor to give to the rich? Did Christ heal to sick and feed the poor? No, no, and yes. What you do for the least of my brothers, you do for me, Mathew 25:40. What was that about a camel and the eye of needle, Luke 18:25. I bring these passages up as they are in stark contrast to what Mr. Fleischmann and the GOP are giving to the good people of Chattanooga. It literally is anti or the opposite of being Christ like.
It is interesting when ordinary households prepare budget and need to make cuts, they look at what is their largest expenditures and start there. Why is it that our government refuses to do the same? The U.S. spends over $900 billion per year on defense. That is larger than the next nine countries combined. It sure seems like there could be waste and abuse found somewhere in that $900 billion. As families, we might also look to see how we can increase our income. Why then do we allow loopholes and the rich pay less in percentage than everyday Americans, teachers, police, firefighters, etc...? Why don't the rich keep paying into social security? Why is it capped at $176,100? I know some may say, "Well the rich will never see a return on the money they pay in to it." Yes, that is true. But rich pay taxes for road improvements that they will never drive on as well other infrastructure that their taxes support and will never use. This is about the good of our country. A country without struggling seniors, without hungry children, without marginalized families is a country that prospers for everyone. Even the rich benefit from such a country.
The people of Chattanooga need honest representation that reflects the core values of this great community. It would be one thing if Mr. Fleischmann and the GOP presented this great community with a balanced budget that required some cuts but they have not. Mr. Fleischmann and the GOP representation in the House have been measured and have been found wanting. This amounts to complete dereliction of duty. His one job is to represent us and he has failed miserably. Although I encourage you to reach out to Mr. Fleischmann, it is imperative that you reach out to our Senators Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty and express to them the need for honest representation for the good of all and not just the billionaires of the world.
Scott Tatum