Three: states are not in a position to absorb these major new cuts, either in good times or bad. For one, they have to balance their budgets. And also: their finances are already increasingly strained, a trend that would worsen if the economy tips further toward recession.

Over time, the bill’s health cuts would also lead to sizable new *indirect* costs for states & localities too, as more people lose access to coverage, let treatable conditions go untreated, & become likelier to show up at local emergency rooms & clinics w/out the ability to pay.

All states would soon have to pay at least 5% of food benefit costs, & in many cases states’ share could soar to up to 5x higher. But states simply can’t afford this: a 5% match in Michigan, for ex., is more than the state’s annual budget for agriculture & rural development.

What’s partly driving these budget cuts? A desire to also pass huge tax breaks for the wealthy, but that’s a bad deal. Eg. in Maine, the combo of #Medicaid & tax cuts would *reduce* income for the bottom 40% & give a windfall to the top 1%, shows @mecep.bsky.social. www.mecep.org/blog/propose...

Shifting more costs to states also comes at a bad time, since states are also facing lackluster revenues & - in many cases – swelling costs of reckless state tax cuts & new private school voucher programs. Case in point: North Carolina (@ncbudget.bsky.social). www.wral.com/story/alexan...

And in West Virginia, where federal funds account for *half* the state’s total budget, deep Republican cuts would jeopardize billions in support for economic development, infrastructure, & education – along with vital health & children’s services too. wvpolicy.org/federal-fund...

In Arkansas, meanwhile, massive cuts to food assistance would make it harder for the more than 400,000 people (nearly half of them children) who use #SNAP at some point in the year to afford groceries. www.aradvocates.org/medicaid-and...

In Nebraska, for ex, Republican budget cuts threaten #Medicaid coverage for about 465,000 people, most of whom are children, seniors, or working adults. And about a fifth of whom live in rural areas, via @openskypolicy.bsky.social. www.openskypolicy.org/medicaid/

Combined, the measures appear poised to make MD’s overall system fairer as well. Estimates show about 2/3rds of households would get a tax *cut*, partly b/c of an improved child tax credit, w/ nearly 40% of new tax revenues coming from the richest 1%. itep.org/maryland-gov...

Fed funds often aren’t talked about much in state spending debates, but they’re deeply embedded. *Every* state relies on them for things like public schools, health & child care, roads & clean water, etc. In 24 states the amount of federal funds spent *exceeds* state general fund spending.