I am Too Afraid to Say “No, to Trump” Category, So, Do Something to Save WI Constituents!
WI Representative Derrick: And “yes” just so you know, I did vote for the bill even though I knew it might endanger Wisconsin citizens and Wisconsin rural hospitals may be forced to close.
AB: Wow, what an upright guy! Republican Congressional Representative Derrick warns Democrat Governor Tony Evers he has to do something. Bur the something is “not opposing Trump when he can stiff constituents.
Republican Rep. “Derrick” Van Orden of Wisconsin wrote a letter urging his state’s Democratic governor to take steps to protect rural hospitals from the fallout of Republicans’ widely reviled budget bill — for which “Derrick” Van Orden voted “yes.”
Van Orden’s urgent letter, which was dated Wednesday ahead of the bill’s Thursday passage, added to the list of Republicans who have effectively acknowledged the legitimacy of widespread fears. Republicans’ Trump-backed budget will harm some of the most vulnerable Americans — even as many Republicans have suggested it won’t.
Van Orden’s letter essentially called on Gov. Tony Evers to hurry up and sign the state budget, in order to protect rural hospitals from some of the steep Medicaid cuts that are likely to be triggered by congressional Republicans’ megabill.
“I cannot emphasize enough the importance of signing the proposed state budget into law without delay,” Van Orden wrote. “As you are aware, timely enactment is especially critical this year due to the proposed increase in the state provider tax, which must be effectuated before the anticipated signing of the One, Big, Beautiful Bill on or around July 4, 2025.”
Van Orden’s letter included flowery, Orwellian language touting the GOP bill as ensuring the solvency of BadgerCare, the name of Wisconsin’s Medicaid program, and “bolstering our rural healthcare systems,” but the gist of it was clear:
The GOP budget is a threat to Medicaid and rural hospitals, and Wisconsin ought to act accordingly.
AB: To be filed this in the; “I am too afraid to say no to Trump folder in drawer 3 as the two other drawers are full with similar letters.”
On a good note: Gov. Tony Evers and state lawmakers did rush to enact changes that will help Wisconsin’s rural hospitals.
Wisconsin lawmakers and Gov. Tony Evers raced Wednesday and into Thursday to enact a state budget before President Donald Trump could sign his sweeping budget bill into law.
The stakes were high. If Congress’s budget had become law first, Wisconsin could have lost out on more than $1 billion in federal funds to help the state pay for its BadgerCare medical assistance program and help hospitals offset losses from treating low-income patients. That’s because of sweeping changes to Medicaid in the federal bill.
One needn’t merely take liberals’ word when it comes to assessments of the mega bill’s potentially catastrophic impacts on the country. Many Republicans themselves (“Van Orden included”) seem to understand the bill is primed to cause a great deal of harm.
AB: I am not sure how we should classify Republican Rep. “Derrick” Van Orden, His vote against Trump robbing the United States citizenry may have stopped the bill cold if others participated. His vote could have said “no” I will not be a part of this. And yes, there are consequences; but, you do what is right and not cave.
Van Orden is hardly the worst GOP member of Congress, but he is up there. He barely was elected to Ron Kind’s seat in 2022 and had an even narrower victory over Rebecca Cook in 2024, who ran ahead of both Harris and Baldwin in the only competitive district in Wisconsin. Cook has been running for the seat in 2026 almost since she lost. She will face a primary challenge but will win if a few more hospitals shut down in the largely rural district and Van Orden knows this. His letter was entirely self serving.