April 4, 2025

Last night, more than 20,000 people dialed into a Fair Share America-Families Over Billionaires town hall with U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley, ranking member of the Senate Budget Committee.

Callers listened in as Senator Merkley made clear that Republicans still intend to make massive, harmful cuts to Medicaid and other programs that will impact people and the services they rely on to survive:

“Medicaid isn't just about health care for low-income Americans…it is about long term care for seniors. A lot of nursing home bills are paid for through Medicaid. It is about programs that assist those with disabilities. It is a major component of what pays for drug addiction recovery programs so people can get off drugs. It is a major factor in the revenue stream of rural clinics and rural hospitals…”

Callers also shared their stories and top concerns. Kathy from West Virginia described how she is unable to get her 91-year old, disabled veteran father Meals on Wheels, which, she has been told, is no longer accepting applications or even waiting list members:

“What Trump has done to these veterans – and he didn’t even serve – is a shame and a disgrace. These men put their lives on the line for this country and this is the way they are being treated. I’d like to know: what can be done to help our veterans?”

Families Over Billionaires director Michael Linden responded:

“Why is there not enough money for [veterans health care or Meals on Wheels], but there's enough money to give another tax break to a giant corporation or to Elon Musk? That is not an accident…That is a choice, that is a choice that Congress is making, that is a choice that this President is making.”

Jessica from central West Virginia described how the state’s impoverished children (25% of children in the state) will be kept from healthy food:

“If we lose our free lunches that’s going to be very detrimental not only to my community but also to our entire state because we’re so impoverished and rural…We have so many families coming in [to our community food pantry] and there’s such a lack of food now and a lack of resources for us to be able to restock that pantry to meet the needs we are seeing.”

Interested in what they can do to oppose the Senate budget resolution expected to be up for a vote (or vote-a-rama) this evening, callers were encouraged to contact their Senators directly and urge them to vote NO on the current budget resolution, which Democrats on the House Budget Committee have described as “a level of economic recklessness we’ve never seen before.”

They were also invited to join Fair Share America’s April 10th fly-in day and rally in Washington, DC, where prominent members of Congress and storytellers will speak to a crowd of around 500 organizers and constituents from 30 states. The April 10th rally at noon ET is open to press.

If you’d like to speak to a source about the actions being taken around the country and in Washington to oppose harmful budget cuts in order to pay for tax handouts to the rich please contact Ashley@fairshareusa.org or Kristin@fairshareusa.org.

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Fair Share America supports the movement in the states and nationally to make wealthy individuals and the most profitable corporations pay what they owe so that all of us can thrive. We are a groundbreaking, federal and multistate initiative focused on building long-term civic engagement and political power to deliver lasting tax justice. Follow us on Bluesky, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.