Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders declined to answer whether Democrats could have “do more” to cut wasteful government spending based on NBC News’ Biden Harris administration.
House Republicans took their first step on Tuesday, moving forward President Donald Trump’s first-year legislative agenda forward with a budget bill, approving a deficit increase of up to $4.5 trillion, pushing the target of Trump’s spending cut between $1.5 trillion and $2 trillion. In “Meet the Press,” NBC host Kristen Welker pointed to the budget bill, where Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke about cutting unnecessary spending, saying Medicare and Medicaid committed billions of dollars in spending errors in 2023. (Related: Dems over billionaires have been featured in Billionaire dolls for years)
“Senate Democrats were in charge for four years. Should Democrats do more to address some of these issues regarding bankruptcy in our qualification program?” Welker asked.
“And Trump was in power four years before,” Sanders replied. “If there is waste and fraud in the Department of Defense, the largest single budget item we fund, if we have not been able to do an independent audit in the past seven times, if there is massive waste and fraud, then get waste, fraud and abuse in all government agencies. There is no debate about that.”
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In the report Published On April 24, 2024, the Government’s Office of Accountability (GAO) found that both Medicare and Medicaid were “supported by payment errors” in 2023, imposing “inappropriate payments” of over $100 billion. The GAO report testified before Congress and said that despite proposing recommendations to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agencies did not take action. According to GAO, some of it may have saved Medicare.
Sanders goes on to argue that Republicans are trying to “massive cuts” to Medicaid through the budget bill, saying the cuts will only benefit “the wealthiest 1%.”
“But let’s be very clear. What Republicans are trying to do now is to make massive cuts of over $800 billion in Medicaid and cut nutrition programs that feed hungry children,” Sanders said. “Why are they doing that? Because they want to use those savings to provide tax cuts of over $1 trillion on the richest 1% in the world of Elon Musk, Zuckerberg and Bezos.”
“In my view, you don’t take food from your kids, you don’t take health care from people struggling to give billionaires tax deductions. Do we chase waste and fraud in all agencies of government? Yes, yes,” concluded Sanders.
Despite Democrats’ cries of Medicaid and Medicare cuts, Republicans say the GOP budget proposal doesn’t provide for specific spending cuts, even before the budget moves forward.
Before budget advances Tuesday, Democrats, including House minority leader Hakeem Jeffries, held a press conference outside the Capitol, claiming that “the budget represents the biggest Medicaid cut in history.”
“The reckless Republican budget hurts everyday Americans who rely on Medicaid, nutritional aid, and veteran aid,” Jeffries said. “It’s not a reality show. It’s no joke. It’s not politics as usual. It’s a matter of life and death.”
Following the approval of the budget, Democrats continued to push the topics around Medicaid and Medicare, with Jeffries telling Daily Caller News Foundation Andi Napier on Thursday that the budget will “allow a maximum of $880 billion to Medicaid by directing the Energy and Commerce Committee to find those spending cuts.”
Elon Musk, head of the government’s Department of Efficiency (DOGE), announced on February 3 that he and Trump agreed to overhaul the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Reports reveal that billions of taxpayer dollars have been wasted across various USAID programs. Part of it aims to advance the globally radical left agenda, but democratic lawmakers have filed dozens of cases in protest of Musk and Kudji’s involvement.
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