My guest today is Sarah Edmonds, the director of the Community Action Committee's food pantry in Sewanee, Tennessee. Several unique opportunities with the students and food services of the University of the South, a church, and a farmer's cooperative provide a variety of healthy food options to those in need. There are increasing barriers though from the state and Federal Governments. This is part 2 of the discussion regarding massive cuts to the Medicaid and SNAP programs proposed by the America (not Americans) First agenda. Common Sense Matters can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify,
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32:29
Medicaid Cuts? What?!
US congressional candidate Victoria Broderick joins me to discuss the draconian cuts proposed in the February Budget Resolution passed by the House of Representatives, including our own Congressman Scott Desjarlais, a fiscal conservative who believes in a balanced budget. The $880 billion would be taken from Medicaid or Tenncare, a state and federal program that provides needed health care services to children, pregnant women, the disabled, nursing home residents, and the elderly. The cuts are necessary to continue tax breaks for the wealthy and reduce the national debt. These 2017 tax breaks increased the debt by $7.8 trillion dollars, making Donald Trump the King of Debt. Representative Desjarlais and President Trump ask us to "tighten our belts" and "endure a little pain" for the country. It seems like the Medicaid recipients are already doing both. Common Sense Matters can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify,
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30:10
Repeal the Grocery Tax!
Rebekah Gorbea from Tennessee 4 All talks about their legislative agenda for 2025. The first is repealing the grocery tax in Tennessee, up for discussion for the second year. A regressive tax in which lower income families are more affected by rising prices than those who benefit from the absence of an income tax. Bills HB02 and SB02 would close corporate loopholes to offset the revenue loss.. The supermajority and the Governor are wary of upsetting the multimillion dollar corporations that pay little to no taxes and receive tax breaks and refunds. Other bills that would benefit working people are also discussed in the program. Participation in the legislative process is encouraged and Capitol.TN.gov is a resource. Common Sense Matters can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify,
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32:32
Medicare Advantage-Who does it Benefit?
Medicare Advantage has been a preferred option for many healthy seniors and millionaire private health insurance CEOs. It may not be good for seniors if they have a chronic illness, cancer, surgery, or a catastrophic episode, but it will still be a benefit to millionaire private health insurance executives. And it will never be a benefit to Medicare and the hundreds of thousands of seniors who depend on it. Carol Paris, MD, past President of the Physicians for a National Health Program, sounds the alarm. The trend that government is bad and business is good, is giving corporations the power and the money to take control, leaving many out in favor of profit.Common Sense Matters can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify,
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36:56
Common Sense Matters-Where Does all the Money Go?
The Tennessee Governor presented his State of the State address with a budget to support nuclear power, infrastructure, harsh immigration reform, corporate businesses, training programs, and a private school voucher. But what is missing? Consistently ranking low in health care outcomes, public education, low teacher pay, a rare tax on groceries, high numbers of guns and gun violence, and a high maternal mortality rate, programs for the people are lacking. A year ago, large, high-profit corporations with headquarters outside the state received millions of tax cuts without paying any actual, state taxes. Listen to what a supermajority legislature can do for you and your family. Common Sense Matters can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify,
A left-leaning look at politics, history, and culture in a red county , in a red state and now country, with a, male dominated, supermajority Republican legislature that lacks well, common sense. Our elected officials do not represent the people of our beautiful state on many issues. Common Sense Matters will present factual and fair, in-depth interviews and testimony as an alternative view of issues and concerns than is currently available.
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