Conservatives have sought to end Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid from the moment the programs were signed into law. The enemies of these three programs have been persistent. The efforts feel like a relentless game of whack-a-mole: the American people whack one effort, and another immediately pops up.

The whack-a-mole phenomenon is on full display for those paying close attention. It is no secret that Republicans are determined to repeal and replace Obamacare. What has been less widely reported is that they are using that effort as a cover to also repeal and replace Lyndon Johnson-care (i.e., Medicare and Medicaid).

Just two days after the 2016 election, which handed control of the White House and Congress to the Republicans, Speaker Paul Ryan could not hide his eagerness. He dishonestly tied Johnsoncare to Obamacare, fraudulently claiming, “You have to deal with [Medicare and Medicaid] if you are going to repeal and replace Obamacare.”

Trumpcare is a massive transfer of wealth to millionaires and billionaires at the expense of the health of the rest of us. There is a reason that Senator Elizabeth Warren describes the bill as blood money. But it is more than blood money, transferring wealth, in reverse Robin Hood fashion, to those at the top. It is also the opening salvo in an effort to starve Medicare of needed revenue. Billions of dollars of the Trumpcare blood money are raided from Medicare.

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