Exercise Your Franchise, Cast Your Vote on Nov. 4th
Epigraph: “There’s no such thing as a vote that doesn’t matter”
[President Barack Obama. Remarks at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s 46th Annual Phoenix Awards.* 09/18/2016.] * The Phoenix Awards recognize significant contributions in literature and social justice within the Black community, with notable distinctions for children’s literature and achievements.
I was editing the final essay in my “Lest we Americans ever forget” series of “Views” just as Old Lyme’s DTC and RTC released their nominations for the upcoming election.
I decided to postpone “The Nixon Chronicles” and devote this “View” to CT’s municipal elections; — which are unique this year in that they occur amidst the financial fallout from Trump’s unrestrained vanity tariff war and the societal impacts from the passage and implementation of what he called the “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB).
Clearly, “beauty lies in the eye of the beholder.” Other descriptors include “cruel” and “harmful,” though I am satisfied with “mean-spirited.”
This “View” is a domestic “lay of the land,” and reflects my observations on what, in my opinion, an unprincipled Republican President, supported by a “look the other way” Republican Congress, can inflict on America.
The 119th United States Congress has been unwilling to impose even the most fundamental guardrails on the Trump administration.
I consider the OBBB version that Trump signed into law on July 4, 2025 in the following, and its impacts on both our neediest Americans and education in America. I present what I think are many of the key points of Trump’s OBBB, which was said to be about 1000 pages long, although this précis is considerably shorter.
I also consider the impacts of Trump’s tariffs.
Why it all Matters:
This will all be on my mind this November, and I am certain, may remain there for the 2026 midterm elections, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, which will be critical for shaping the makeup of the House of Representatives and the Senate and determining the political landscape of the country for the second half of Trump’s term.
I. OBBB—By the Numbers:
“These are the times that try men’s souls.”
[Thomas Paine. “The American Crisis.” The Pennsylvania Journal. 12/19/1776]
- OBBB imposes a nearly $1 trillion cut to Medicaid over the next decade, and substantial cuts to education, student loans, nutrition assistance, and green energy programs.
- Local green energy cuts: On Friday, August 22nd, The Day carried the headline, “Trump halts New London-based Revolution Wind project” Trump indicated that it was a national security issue, but did not say exactly what that issue was. (“need-to-know,” too?)
Senator Blumenthal called the decision to halt work on a fully-permitted project “insane,” and one that would likely be overturned in court.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP), a respected nonprofit and nonpartisan Washington-based policy group, indicates that “the ‘harmful’ Republican ‘mega bill’ gives huge tax breaks to wealthy individuals, businesses, and large corporations, while leaving behind or raising costs for millions of working families.”
Incredibly, VP J D Vance referred to OBBB as a “working families’ tax cut” on Aug. 21, 2025 at a speech in Peachtree City, GA.
- The Budget Lab at Yale University found that any OBBB tax benefits disappear for all but the wealthiest 10 percent when the rising consumer costs associated with Trump’s tariffs are considered.
- OBBB will reduce net federal tax revenues by an estimated $4.5 trillion, largely due to the extension of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) policies and the new changes in tax credits and deductions.
- National Debt: The Congressional Budget Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation, both non-partisan institutions working for Congress, estimate that the national debt will be increased by $4.1 trillion over the next 10 years.
In anticipation, OBBB included an increase in the statutory debt limit by $5 trillion, the largest in history; making the bill the most expensive law passed by Congress since the 2012 American Taxpayer Relief Act, which cost $4 trillion and made most of the expiring Bush tax cuts permanent.
Note that increases in the statutory debt limit require Congressional approval. Economists warn that expanding the national debt can eventually lead to stagnant wages, higher interest rates, rising inflation and a weaker U.S. dollar.
Trump has claimed that his tariffs will bring in so much revenue that they will pay down national debt and fund a “public “dividend.” Unfortunately, Treasury data show that, while substantial, the tariffs fall short of even covering monthly interest costs.
- A “Positive”: OBBB expands or extends the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program, Opportunity Zones, and New Market Tax Credits—which collectively can stimulate economic growth and investment in low-income communities and incentivize developer and investor interest to expanding affordable housing opportunities.
II. OBBB—Impacts on our Neediest Americans:
“Threw the Bums A Dime.” [Bob Dylan. (1965) “Like a Rolling Stone.”]
- Cuts to SNAP: OBBB cuts more than $279 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) over the next decade, which would also affect eligibility for free school meals. The Urban Institute, estimates that 18 million children will lose access to free school meals. SNAP is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and provides financial assistance to low- and no-income individuals and households for food. (aka “food stamps”)
- In FY 2024, 42 million Americans received SNAP benefits via an electronic benefits transfer card that enables the purchase of food locally at authorized grocery stores and markets.
- The program has eligibility requirements, including monthly income and assets limits.
- Under current federal rules, benefits are paid by the federal government but administered at the state level. At present, states pay one-half of the cost of administration.
- Shifting Costs to States: Notably, OBBB begins to shift SNAP costs to the states and requires them to contribute to benefit costs if their payment error rate exceeds 6 percent — the first time states will be responsible for paying a share of SNAP benefits. In addition, states will be required to pay 75 percent of administrative costs, up from the current 50 percent. (Also see “Impact on CT” below.)
- In FY 2023, the USDA reported a mean monthly SNAP benefit among all households of $332, where the average household had a monthly net income of $527.
- Cuts to Medicaid: As noted above, OBBB makes the largest cuts to Medicaid in the program’s history—a nearly $1 trillion cut over the next decade.
- Medicaid is a joint federal and state program that, together with the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), provides health coverage to over 77.9 million Americans, including children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.
- Planned Parenthood, or other “essential community providers” that offer abortion care will not receive reimbursement for any provided health service, extending their ban beyond abortions.
- Post-OBBB, Medicaid enrollees will face increased administrative hurdles when applying for or renewing coverage.
- Medicaid Work Requirements: OBBB mandates certain work requirements to maintain eligibility for both Medicaid and SNAP: “Able-bodied adults without dependents will be required to complete 80 hours of work or community service activities per month.” Additionally, the law requires that non-pregnant, non-disabled, childless adults between the ages of 19 and 64 complete at least 80 hours of “community engagement activities” prior to their initial application to be eligible for Medicaid.
- Note that the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), a respected independent health services research organization, reported that in 2023, 92 percent of non-disabled Medicaid enrollees under the age of 65 were already employed full- or part-time — largely in lower wage, or hourly jobs in manufacturing, agriculture, and the service or health industries, that either do not offer employer-sponsored health insurance or offer coverage that is unaffordable on limited income. Non-workers include those with caregiving responsibilities, illness, disability, or attending school.
- Premium tax Credits: OBBB ends the premium tax credit enhancements, which are vital in making health coverage in the Affordable Care Act marketplace more affordable. Without an extension of this credit enhancement, about 22 million people, including 4 million small business owners, will see their health coverage costs rise sharply.
- CBPP estimates that 4.2 million people will become uninsured by 2034 as costs rise to unaffordable levels — in some cases quadrupling.
III. Economic Impacts of Trump’s Tariffs:
Fortune referred to tariffs as “the equivalent of a national sales tax that will hobble U.S. economic growth.”
- Yale estimates that American consumers will face an overall mean effective tariff rate of 18.6 percent, the highest since 1933.
- Tariffs are anticipated to increase prices on everyday necessities like clothing, groceries, and electronics; and have a disproportionate impact on lower income Americans who may spend a larger portion of their income on consumer goods.
- Finally, Yale projects that the price increases from all 2025 tariff actions will result in an average income loss of $4,700 per household.
IV. Impacts on Education:
As an introduction to this section, wrestling billionaire Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, asserted in testimony before the House of Representatives that “federal education dollars are wasted on low-income students.” She also claimed that she has the power to defund programs for disabled American children.
- McMahon was charged by Trump via a March 20 executive order to “facilitate” the Education Department’s closure.
- Since then, the Department of Education (DOE) has cut half its staff, is withholding nearly $7 billion in grant funding to school districts for before- and after-school programs, teacher training, services for English language learners and other programs.
- Biden’s “Saving on a Valuable Education” (SAVE) plan is ending, and borrowers in SAVE will have to change plans by July 1, 2028, when SAVE will be officially shut down. If they wait, they will see their loans explode with interest.
Beginning July 1, 2026, new loans will be subject to new borrowing limits. Undergraduates won’t see any changes to their loan limits, but there will be significant limits for graduate students and parents using the Parents PLUS program.
Tax Credits for Private Schools K-12 Programs: Starting in 2027, taxpayers who earn up to 300 percent of their area’s median income can donate up to $1,700 in cash or marketable securities to an eligible “scholarship granting organization/ educational non-profit and receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit.”
The donation would be made in the form of a scholarship for private schools to fund tuition, boarding, books, and other expenses for a student.
The non-refundable credit would be available instead of a charitable contribution deduction.
States must opt in to the tax credit, so it may not be available everywhere.
Harvard et al: OBBB imposes higher “graduated” taxes and new reporting requirements on certain private post-secondary institutions, based on the value of their “net investment income,” which includes but is not limited to endowment funds.
The Department of the Treasury is directed to promulgate regulations designed to “prevent avoidance of such tax through the restructuring of endowment funds or other arrangements.”
Income-Based Repayment (IBR): In mid-July, without notice to borrowers or Congress, DOE stopped the student loan forgiveness program included in the IBR Plan, a federal program available to those facing financial hardship and designed to make student loan payments more manageable.
Suspension impacted about 3 million borrowers and reportedly created confusion for those who had made payments for decades and could result in denials of legally mandated relief or unexpected tax bills.
Note that more than 40 million Americans carry federal student loan debt, and the outstanding nationwide balance exceeds $1.7 trillion.
Perhaps by design, Connecticut’s Office of Higher Education announced in mid-August, that the Student Loan Reimbursement Program reopened for applications on Friday, August 15. The program provides up to $5,000 annually and a maximum of $20,000 over four years to eligible applicants. The program has been modified to enable greater access.
Connecticut Governor Lamontsaid that “We’re proud to reopen the doors to this impactful program. The adjustments made this year reflect our ongoing commitment to supporting those who choose to build their lives and careers right here in our state.”
Fare thee well, Bert, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Ernie, and Kermit:
On May 1st, Trump signed an executive order instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other federal agencies “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS”
He later posted on social media that the outlets “receive millions from taxpayers to spread radical, woke propaganda disguised as ‘news.’”
V. OBBB Impacts on CT:
In May 2025, 1,086,000 children and adults were enrolled in CT Medicaid (aka HUSKY) programs.
73 percent of adults were working, with 44 percent full-time.
Connecticut is projected to spend $11.6 billion on Medicaid this fiscal year, with the federal share accounting for 59% of that.
- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) projects that more than 170,000 Connecticut residents could lose Medicaid coverage and another 9,000 who receive subsidized care on the health exchange could lose coverage as premiums increase.
- Connecticut serves more than 391,000 residents annually through the SNAP, providing $894 million in benefits.
- As detailed below, Connecticut will be required to pay tens of millions extra to support SNAP benefits, while about 34,000 residents, including children, are at risk of losing assistance.
The actual costs will not be known for months.
- Connecticut OPM estimates the cost of administering SNAP will be an extra $32 million for CT in FY 2026, and nearly $43 million extra annually starting in FY 2027 because of the shift of administrative costs to the states (see above).
- Connecticut will also begin to pay for the benefit costs, beginning in October 2027; — up to $130 million annually, by 2029 or 2030, partially because OBBB tightened rules for states with higher “error rates;” i.e., how often they issue SNAP benefits to ineligible households, or how frequently they issue the incorrect amount.
- The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities projected that more than 170,000 CT residents could lose Medicaid coverage. Another projected 9,000 who receive subsidized care on the health exchange could lose coverage as their premiums increase.
Governor Lamont said that “We’re going to do everything we can to protect the most vulnerable,” “I think that’s sort of a core responsibility we’ve got.”
Connecticut Next steps:
This will be a huge and complicated endeavor for CT’s leadership.
State legislative leaders anticipate convening a late September or October special session to begin to respond to OBBB. Leaders have conceded that most of CT’s adjustments likely will not happen for months. Federal agencies have been slow to provide states with the information required to determine the full fiscal impact.
Author’s Comments: After bearing witness to what is approaching a year of unchecked retribution, I must say that I have not warmed to this President. I am very concerned why he seems to be bound and determined on redistricting in anticipation of the midterms. Redistricting and reapportionment generally take place following the decennial census that is mandated by the Constitution. Consequently, at this moment, I feel that my next “View” might be a primer on redistricting and gerrymandering.
In closing, I do not think that there has been a better time to consider the following axioms, which are not included in “The Naval Officer’s Guide” that I received after my commissioning.: “If you can’t salute the man, salute the rank,” and “the Presidency deserves respect, even when the President does not.”
Respectfully, “May God bless America and may God protect our troops.
Editor’s Note: This is the opinion of Thomas D. Gotowka.
About the Author: Tom Gotowka is a resident of Old Lyme, whose entire adult career has been in healthcare. He will sit on the Navy side at the Army/Navy football game. He always sit on the crimson side at any Harvard/Yale contest. He enjoys reading historic speeches and considers himself a scholar of the period from FDR through JFK. A child of AM Radio, he probably knows the lyrics of every rock and roll or folk song published since 1960. He hopes these experiences give readers a sense of what he believes “qualify” him to write this column.
Sources: “Exercise your franchise and cast your vote on November 4th”:
Carrillo, S. et al. “What the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ will change for students, schools and colleges.” NPR. 07/18/2025.
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “By the Numbers: Harmful Republican Megabill Favors the Wealthy and Leaves Millions of Working Families Behind.” 08/01/2025
Clausing, K. “Three ways the big budget bill fails Americans.” The Peterson Institute for International Economics. 07/02/2025.
Dylan, R. (1965) “Like a Rolling Stone.” [Lyrics] On “Highway 61 Revisited” [LP record]. Santa Monica, CA: Universal Music Publishing Group.
Editors. “Thomas Paine publishes “The American Crisis.” History. 11/13/2009.
Fenster, N. “Trump tariffs will cost average American family $4,700 per year, Yale study says.” CT Insider. 04/12/2025.
Goldman, R. “What is the “One Big Beautiful Bill” and Its Impact?” League of Women Voters. 07/25/2025
Hanke,S & Tully,S. “It’s time to unmask the Trump tariffs for what they really are: A giant national sales tax that will hobble U.S. economic growth.” Fortune. 08/26/2025
Hinton,E. & Rudowitz, R. “5 Key Facts About Medicaid Work Requirements. KFF Health News. 02/18/2025
Jiang, N. “Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill Adds Private School Tax Credit—Here’s How It Works.” Forbes. 07/14/2025.
Manuel, O. “Why Trump’s tariffs may hit low-income households hardest.” NPR. 07/15/2025.
Mascaro, L. “Trump signs executive order directing federal funding cuts to PBS and NPR.” PBS News.05/02/2025.
Minsky, A. “Department of Education Suspends Student Loan Forgiveness Under IBR.” Forbes. 07/21/2025.
Moritz, J. & Spiegel, J. Blumenthal: Trump decision to halt offshore wind project is ‘insane’.” CT Mirror. 08/25/2025.
Office of the Press Secretary. ”Remarks by the President at Congressional Black Caucus Foundation 46th Annual Phoenix Awards Dinner.” [Press Release] The White House. 09/18/2016.
Phaneuf, K. “Federal cutbacks could cost CT food stamp program $180M. CT Mirror. 08/08/2025
Phaneuf, K. “Legislators mull how Conn. should react to One Big Beautiful Bill.” CT Mirror. 08/10/2025.
Price, M. “Vance pitches Trump’s sweeping new law as a ‘working families’ tax cut’ in swing-state Georgia.” AP. 08/21/2025.
Pringle, B. “Trump’s Tax Bill Will Starve Public Schools. Kids are Next.” Time. 08/11/2025
Pringle, E. “In Trump’s year of cost-cutting and efficiency, national debt soars past $37 trillion.”Fortune. 08/13/2025.
Pringle, E. “ Trump says tariffs are going to be enough to pay down national debt. They likely won’t even touch the sides.” Fortune. 08/17/2025.
Schmerle, Z. “Amid Education Department cuts, Trump’s nominee to oversee schools faces lawmakers.” USA Today. 02/13/2025
Schultz, B. “Trump Order Tells Linda McMahon to ‘Facilitate’ Education Department’s Closure.” Education Week. 03/20/2025.
Sokoloff, N. “What to know about Connecticut’s expanded student loan reimbursement program.” CT Insider. 08/12/2025
Tait, K. “From one millennial to another: If you can’t salute the man, salute the rank.”The Hill. 11/17/2016
Tolbert, J. Understanding the Intersection of Medicaid and Work: An Update.” KFF Heath News. 05/30/2025.
Turner, C. “What borrowers should know about student loan changes in the One Big Beautiful Bill.” NPR. 07/24/2025.
Walrack, J. “Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Just Raised the Debt Ceiling by $5 Trillion: Here’s Why That Matters to You.” U.S. News & World Report. 08/11/2025
Wehner, P. “The Presidency Deserves Respect—Even When the President Does Not.” The Atlantic. 10/29/2019.
Wheaton, L. et al. “How the Senate Budget Reconciliation SNAP Proposals Will Affect Families in Every US State.” The Urban Institute. 07/02/2025.