Muskrats' Chainsaw; Dems buckle (Do Not Resuscitate #383)

For the week ending Feb 28, 2025, we look at how the Trump/Musk tag team is dismantling federal agencies while Democrats prepare to surrender, starting with the massive cut to Medicaid. There is also news of how the new weight-loss drugs are burdening state budgets and the Pharma-Government-Pharma revolving door wind tunnel.

If you would like to receive my written digest (lots more not included in the podcast), contact me at tfrasca@yahoo.com or check out the full archive of posts at www.nypan.org/single-payer-news 

Here are links to all the articles mentioned this week: 

Stephen Semler, “How Biden set the stage for GOP budget cuts,” Polygraph, Feb 15, 2025 https://bit.ly/3XjaaPH

Sahil Kapur, “Trump and Musk's slash-and-burn tactics are a sticking point in talks to prevent a shutdown, NBC News, Feb 26, 2025 https://bit.ly/41aWffC

Eli Hager, “Anxiety mounts among Social Security recipients as DOGE troops settle in,” ProPublica, Feb 22, 2025 https://bit.ly/3QwqHw2

Melanie Zanona, Sahil Kapur & Ben Kamisar, “House Republicans representing large shares of Medicaid, SNAP beneficiaries face tough budget test,” NBC News, Feb 21, 2025 https://bit.ly/3D7plER

Blake Jones, “Valadao treads lightly on Medicaid as Obamacare vote haunts him,” Politico, Feb 20, 2025 https://bit.ly/4bi7nvS

Allan Smith, Melanie Zanona & Laura Strickler, “USDA says it accidentally fired officials working on bird flu and is now trying to rehire them,” NBC News, Feb 18, 2025 https://bit.ly/3QAqzvB

Lizzy Lawrence, “Trump administration rehires some FDA employees it fired,” STAT, Feb 23, 2025 https://bit.ly/41yb90S

Megan Messerly & Adam Cancryn, “Trump officials defend HHS cuts as more methodical than the slashing at other agencies,” Politico, Feb 15, 2025 https://bit.ly/4hTpwTp

Usha Lee McFarling, Angus Chen & Sarah Owermohle, “Growing number of federal health agencies are combing grants for taboo words, unnerving researchers,” STAT, Feb 13, 2025 https://bit.ly/41lL6Jj

Alexander Tin, “Mental health agency loses 1 in 10 staffers to DOGE cuts, 988 hotline team impacted,” CBS News, Feb 21, 2025 https://bit.ly/4h3vBey

Annie Waldman & Duaa Eldeib, “They worked to prevent death. The Trump Administration fired them,” ProPublica, Feb 22, 2025 https://bit.ly/4klRGb9

Filip Timotija, “White House restores 9/11 health program funding after uproar,” The Hill, Feb 21, 2025 https://bit.ly/3DbahWI

David Lipschutz, “Threats to Medicare, Medicaid, and other health programs increasing, Center for Medicare Advocacy, Feb 20, 2025 https://bit.ly/3EUlD1X

Megan Molteni, Usha Lee McFarling & Angus Chen, “Graduate student admissions paused and cut back as universities react to Trump orders on research,” STAT, Feb 19, 2025 https://bit.ly/4bfIlxq

Sarah Todd & Lizzy Lawrence, “The ‘GRAS’ loophole lets untested additives into Americans’ food. Can RFK Jr. close it?” STAT, Feb 19, 2025 https://bit.ly/4bppkJ5

Anne Hultgren, “How one foundation changed its approach to diversify grant recipient institutions,” STAT, Jan 8, 2025 https://bit.ly/3EVeNJH

Kelly Hooper, “Diet drug boom weighs heavily on state budgets,” Politico, Feb 12, 2025 https://bit.ly/4i6Ellg

Matt Stoller, Monopoly Roundup, BIG, Feb 12, 2025 https://bit.ly/439CJmy

Adam Feuerstein, “Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla inflicts injury on his company—and all of pharma,” STAT, Feb 24, 2025 https://bit.ly/3DaCb5c