Blog Stage 3: Republicans Craft Health Care Plan To Screw Trump Voters

In the Huffington Post opinion article published on July 3rd, 2017, Republicans Craft Health Care Plan To Screw Trump Voters, economist Dean Baker argues that the repeal of the Affordable Care Act with the intention to replace it with the American Health Care Act, adamantly supported by President Trump, would be detrimental to a large number of Trump voters. In the piece, Baker argues that it is ironic that in the states where he won by the largest margins, many of Trump's voters would be negatively affected by the repeal and potential replacement, which would reduce the number of Americans with access to Medicaid. Trump carried white working class men 71 to 23 percent. However, this demographic has benefitted immensely since the expansion of Medicaid under Obamacare, particularly in red states like Kentucky and West Virginia. Baker claims that "no one is angrier at the white working class than Republicans in Congress."

Although this article is only Baker's opinion regarding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act, his argument is not groundless. He provides plenty of statistical evidence correlating the demographic of Trump's voters with their reliance on the current health care act. While the basis of his argument is strong, his analysis is surface level. Multiple times Baker explicitly states that the Republican party is purposely attacking its own voters without addressing, proposing, or analyzing a reason why the white working class voted for Trump in the first place. To take his argument a step further, Baker could have discussed the epidemic of uninformed voters or analyzed the ways candidates can deceive voters.

Baker's intended audience was likely Trump voters in general, as his argument implies that he wants them to realize that many of them aren't benefitting from Trump's policy, not limited to health care. However, given that this piece was posted on a left-wing blog, this article could be directed toward Democrats as well in order to paint Congress and President Trump in a bad light.

Baker is extremely well qualified to write a piece regarding the topic. According to his bio, Baker is an acclaimed economist and has been the co-director of the Center for Economic Policy Research since 1979. It is likely that his knowledge of economics and political policy helped him make the connection between the white working class and their dependence on Medicaid.

Overall, Baker's article is extremely insightful and shows a side of Trump voters that aren't often exposed in left or right-wing media. Additionally, it humanizes these voters and shows how their own candidate can leave a negative impact on their lives. While it lacks deeper analysis, it leaves room for the reader to investigate and form their own opinions on the reasons these voters were so blind to the consequences of electing Trump for president.