As the graduate of two of America’s elite universities (Duke and the University of Virginia), I know Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., knows better. As a member of my church, First Presbyterian in ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä, I know she was raised better.
Capito must protect the interests of West Virginia and denounce President Donald Trump’s abhorrent budget and the subsequent current attacks on humanitarian aid and Public Broadcasting.
Despite Trump’s best efforts to hide his intentions, and in contravention of his claims, the bill Capito has enabled:
Guts Medicaid, causing financial distress for all medical providers and potential denial of medical care for nearly 500,000 of her constituents. Her voters don’t know that, but Capito does.
Requires Medicaid recipients to work, although nearly two-thirds already do and most of the rest are prevented from working by caring for children, elderly or disabled family members. The voters don’t know that, but Capito does.
Denies SNAP food assistance to nearly 278,000 of Capito's constituents. They don’t know that, but Capito does.
Provides tax benefits primarily for the upper 1% of all earners. The rest don’t know that, but Capito does.
Increases the federal debt by more than $3 trillion over the next decade. Capito's voters don’t know that, but she does.
Guts solar power in West Virginia, even though most nontourism West Virginia economic development (Nucor, Form battery plant, electric school buses) is directly related to solar power and other alternative energy generation; and residential electric rates are among the highest in the country. Tax breaks eliminated are minimal compared to the 150 years of tax breaks and subsidies given to coal, oil and gas. Capito's voters don’t know that, but she does.
Capito's political future, at age 70, cannot be of more worth to her than the substantial harm this bill will cause. Hundreds of thousands of Africans have already died and millions more will die because of Capito's deliberate actions. Is causing misery and disease not enough for Capito to stand up to an incompetent, impulsive, immature, ignorant, needy convicted felon?
No more party-line lies. Capito must do what’s right. Her grandchildren will thank her, and she will become a statesman, not a camp follower. It's worth the risk. For now, I am deeply disappointed and grieved by Capito's refusal to be independent of the most corrupt and incompetent administration in our history.
Sen. Capito has failed us all.
Jack Rogers is a ÂÒÂ×ÄÚÉä attorney and former state legislative staff counsel.
