5/14/25 - Medicaid emergency links
Nobody does civil disobedience quite like a focused, well-organized group of disabled people with (literally) skin in the game.
Disability Thinking Weekday is still on a maintenance break this week. But with some new developments happening on Medicaid in the U.S., I thought it would be better to share a few links on them now, rather than wait until Monday.
'No cuts to Medicaid!' Disabled protesters shut down GOP House hearing
David Edwards, Raw Story - May 13, 2025
"'I have no doubt that we'll have some robust discussions today about these proposals,' the chairman noted as a protest broke out in the committee room, shutting down the hearing ... 'No cuts to Medicaid! No cuts to Medicaid!' the protesters chanted."
Medicaid cut protesters disrupt GOP megabill markup, 25 arrested
Ben Leonard and Hailey Fuchs, Politico - May 13, 2025
"'I’m weary of fighting for the right to exist,' she said. 'We have been fighting for making the system better, and now we have an administration that completely wants to dismantle all of the spider web of support that we have.'"
House Energy & Commerce Committee's Budget Reconciliation Threatens the Lives of 13.7 Million Americans
Jess Davidson, American Association of People with Disabilities - May 12, 2025
"AAPD President and CEO Maria Town stated, 'The proposed Medicaid cuts will dismantle a lifeline that supports disabled individuals’ access to critical healthcare services, assistive technologies, and long-term care. Without Medicaid, countless disabled people will lose their independence, their dignity, and far too often, their lives. Hospitals will close, community living infrastructure will deteriorate, premiums will skyrocket, and families will be forced into crisis.'” ... Town continued, 'Some are trying to paint this so-called plan as some sort of middle ground. There is nothing reasonable or middle ground about ending access to care for millions of people, cutting payments to providers, and shifting costs to states.'"
There are several more articles along these lines that will probably show up here next week.
I have complicated feelings about this kind of live protest – disabled people arrested and dragged away, and all of the powerful, but sometimes ambiguous messaging that goes with it. But while this sort of protest isn't my personal favorite form of activism, it's hard to deny that it's effective, and in situations like defending Medicaid, absolutely worth doing. Nobody does civil disobedience quite like a focused, well-organized group of disabled people with (literally) skin in the game.
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