The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is the most destructive bill imaginable, and our representative in the House, Mark Sanford, voted for it.

Sanford believes that individuals “can achieve when unhindered by government or society” (Newsweek, Oct. 29, 2009). His goal is to limit federal aid to states and needy individuals and to lower taxes for the people (identified by their wealth) who contribute to the success of our country. This is a goal Republicans have been struggling toward since FDR’s New Deal lifted people out of the Depression and angered the wealthy who resented paying taxes for programs that they did not need.

If the act passes, Sanford and the Freedom Caucus will be thrilled. The act will “unhinder” the “achievers” with an enormous tax break ($1.7 trillion) and by defunding the Affordable Care Act.

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The Republicans will use the burgeoning deficit to justify the elimination of Medicaid, followed by Medicare. Finally, they will satisfy their desire to privatize Social Security into dangerously fluctuating 401(k)s. Sanford believes that these programs should be handled at the state level. But without federal help, South Carolina simply doesn’t have the money.

Nineteen percent of South Carolinians (995,000 people) rely on Medicaid. Without Medicaid, what happens to disabled children, those in nursing homes, caretakers, the disabled unable to work, foster children, and low-income families? Without the Children’s Health Insurance Program, what happens to children? Without Medicare, how do most seniors pay ever-rising health care costs? With an unstable Social Security system, can they even survive?

Congressman Sanford has never answered these questions.

Denise Visconti

Bluffton

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