[KARAH RUCKER]
YOU WANNA KNOW **WHY THE GOVERNMENT IS SHUT DOWN?
WELL TO GET TO THE FACTS –
YOU’VE GOTTA FILTER OUT THE NOISE AND NARRATIVES.
WE’RE GOING TO PEEL BACK THE TALKING POINTS –
AND EXPOSE THE MEDIA SPIN TO THIS MAJOR STORY.
THERE’S A LOT OF FACTS TO TALK ABOUT TODAY TO GET TO THE WHOLE TRUTH –
WHILE THE PARTISAN MEDIA – IS ONLY PROVIDING YOU WITH **HALF.
WELCOME TO BIAS BREAKDOWN.
[he’s trying to frame this shutdown as a democratic shutdown he also falsely claimed democrats want to give healthcare to illegal immigrants, that is not true.”
that can go to illegals in emergency hospitals and things like that democrats are saying that is not true when you actually dive in the numbers there, it is true.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
LET’S QUICKLY GET THROUGH SOME OF THE LOGISTICS –
SO THEN WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS HEALTH CARE STICKING POINT THAT IS CREATING THESE OPPOSING NARRATIVES.
THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN LAST WEDNESDAY AFTER A VOTE ON A CONTINUING RESOLUTION FAILED TO PASS.
THE CONTINUING RESOLUTION WOULD’VE KEPT THE GOVERNMENT OPEN AT CURRENT SPENDING LEVELS.
[KARAH RUCKER]
IT HAD ALREADY PASSED ONE CHAMBER OF CONGRESS – IN THE HOUSE.
BUT IN THE SENATE – IT NEEDED 60 VOTES TO PASS.
REPUBLICANS HOLD 53 SENATE SEATS. DEMOCRATS 45.
WHILE REPUBLICANS HAVE THE MAJORITY – THEY DON’T HAVE A LARGE ENOUGH MAJORITY TO DO THIS ON THEIR OWN – THEY NEED SOME DEMOCRATIC SUPPORT.
AND THEY DIDN’T GET ENOUGH OF IT.
THE RESOLUTION RECEIVED 55 VOTES.
ONE REPUBLICAN VOTED AGAINST IT. 3 WHO CAUCUS WITH DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR IT.
SEVERAL VOTES HAVE BEEN HELD SINCE THE INITIAL ONE – BUT THE NUMBERS ARE STILL NOT THERE.
DEMOCRATS DO HOLD LEVERAGE – KNOWING THAT REPUBLICANS NEED 7 OR 8 OF THEM TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN.
SO SENATE DEMOCRATS WANT A HEALTH CARE-PROVISION-PASSED IN EXCHANGE FOR **THEIR VOTES TO KEEP THE GOVERNMENT OPEN.
AND **THIS IS WHERE WE GET TO THE MEAT OF THE STORY.
RIGHT-LEANING MEDIA ARE ECHOING REPUBLICAN CONCERNS OVER A DEMOCRAT DEMAND– WHICH INVOLVES REPEALING A PROVISION OF THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL WHICH LIMITED MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FUNDING TO STATES FOR IMMIGRANTS HERE ILLEGALLY AND FOR NONCITIZENS.
they’re asking donald trump who ran and won on fighting illegal immigration, to give 200 billion dollars of free healthcare to illegal immigrants.” 12:50-A couple of democrats admitted that’s what they’re doing. The others keep claiming it’s a lie.”
Illegals are in fact receiving healthcare paid for by the american people. Fact. some states are more open about it than others, but it’s happening.
they’re telling you that they don’t want taxpayer funded healthcare for illegals. When you hear this, understand you’re being lied to at a very high level. I don’t like being lied to.
[KARAH RUCKER]
BUT THE BIG THREE NETWORKS – LEFT-LEANING CBS, NBC, AND ABC – HIGHLIGHT IMMIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY WOULD NOT RECEIVE MEDICAID BENEFITS UNDER THE DEMOCRAT’S PROPOSAL.
“The bottom line here is people who are here illegally – if they have not been granted any sort of legal status by the u.s. – cannot be eligible for medicaid.”
Undocumented immigrants who came across the border who’ve been flagged for deportation, they cannot get medicaid. They cannot get medicaid, that is not legal. Democrats are not trying to change that.”
“here are the facts, the proposal does not provide healthcare for illegal immigrants. Illegal immigrants cannot buy healthcare under the affordable care act. They cannot receive healthcare subsidies.
the democratic bill does not make them eligible.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
IF LEFT AND RIGHT-LEANING MEDIA ARE TELLING YOU TWO COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THINGS –
AND SOMETIMES SO **PASSIONATELY MAKING THEIR CASE –
THEN YOU’RE LEFT WONDERING – **WHAT IS THE TRUTH?
ARE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS GETTING FREE HEALTH CARE?
IT’S A MAJOR FLASHPOINT BETWEEN REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS RIGHT NOW –
AND THAT SAME DISCOURSE AND DIVIDE IS SHOWING UP IN NEWS COVERAGE THAT IS SUPPOSED TO HELP US MAKE SENSE OF IT ALL.
AND I’LL TELL YOU – BEFORE RESEARCHING THIS STORY – THIS BACK AND FORTH FROM THE TELEVISION HAD **ME CONFUSED.
I ASKED MYSELF – HOW CAN MEDIA OUTLETS STATE SO MATTER OF FACTLY – TWO OPPOSITE “TRUTHS” ABOUT THE SAME ISSUE?
I FOUND OUT – THE MEDIA IS SLANTING THE STORY – WHICH IS A FORM OF MEDIA BIAS.
SLANT IS WHEN “JOURNALISTS PLAY UP ONE PARTICULAR ANGLE OR PIECE OF INFORMATION”.
“THROUGH CHERRY-PICKING INFORMATION” – “SLANT PREVENTS READERS FROM GETTING THE FULL STORY.”
THIS FORM OF BIAS IS “CLOSELY LINKED TO BIAS BY OMISSION.”
IN THIS CASE HERE, BOTH SIDES LARGELY DOWNPLAY THE FACTS THAT WOULD CHALLENGE THEIR CLAIMS, WHICH IS WHAT FUELS THESE TWO OPPOSING NARRATIVES.
WE’RE GOING TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE WITH THE FULL FACTS —
WHAT EXACTLY ARE DEMOCRATS DEMANDING IN THEIR PROVISION —
THE ONE THEY SAY **MUST PASS BEFORE THEY’LL AGREE TO REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT?
ON PAGE 56 OF DEMOCRATS’ SENATE BILL –
UNDER SECTION 2,141 – THE DEMOCRATS REFERENCE “PUBLIC LAW 119-21” –
WHEN YOU LOOK THAT UP –
THAT’S THE TEXT TO WHAT IS ALSO KNOWN AS “THE ONE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ACT” –
WHICH WAS PASSED BY REPUBLICANS AND SIGNED INTO LAW ON JULY FOURTH THIS YEAR.
DEMOCRATS’ SENATE BILL – LOOKS TO REPEAL (highlight subtitle b of title vII and “is repealed” and “as if such subtitle” “had not been enacted” all on page 56) “SUBTITLE B OF TITLE SEVEN” OF THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL –
AND MAKE IT AS IF THIS PORTION – WAS NEVER “ENACTED” OR PASSED AND SIGNED INTO LAW.
SO WHAT IS THAT PORTION OF THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL?
HERE IS “TITLE SEVEN” – “FINANCE.”
AND “SUBTITLE B” OF THIS SECTION? (page 220 highlight subtitle B health and chapter I medicaid)
IS HEALTH – MEDICAID.
THIS IS A LARGE PORTION.
BUT THE PART OF IT RELATIVE FOR THIS IS –
“ALIEN MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY” –
WHICH OUTLINES “payment will not be made to a state to cover medical assistance for individuals unless the individual MEETS A LIST OF CRITERIA OF BEING A CITIZEN OR “**lawfully residing in the u.s.” UNDER THESE LISTED EXEMPTIONS.
THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ALSO “LIMITED EMERGENCY MEDICAID” USING THE SAME LEGAL STATUS DEFINITION AS ABOVE.
MEANING THIS PORTION OF MEDICAID FUNDING FOR STATES – UNDER THE NEW BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL – WILL BE **SMALLER.
DEMOCRATS WANT THIS REPEALED.
THERE WAS A LOT OF LEGAL JARGON THERE, I KNOW —
BUT GOING STRAIGHT TO THE ORIGINAL SOURCES IS WHERE YOU CAN SEE THESE POLITICAL – AND **MEDIA – NARRATIVES ORIGINATE FROM.
THE FACT IS –
THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL CLOSED OPPORTUNITIES FOR FEDERAL DOLLARS TO COVER CERTAIN STATE MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR IMMIGRANTS HERE ILLEGALLY.
REPEALING THAT – WOULD OPEN THE DOOR BACK UP FOR STATES TO RECEIVE FEDERAL MEDICAID FUNDING TO COVER CERTAIN MEDICAL EXPENSES FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
SOME IMPORTANT CONTEXT HERE –
A LAW WAS SIGNED BY PRESIDENT REAGAN IN 1986 – THAT STATES EMERGENCY HOSPITALS ARE NOT ALLOWED TO TURN AWAY PATIENTS BASED ON THEIR INSURANCE STATUS OR ABILITY TO PAY.
THAT ALSO MEANS NO MATTER YOUR LEGAL STATUS IN THE COUNTRY –
MEDICAL **EMERGENCIES MUST BE TENDED TO.
AND UNDER “EMERGENCY MEDICAID” – STATES MUST REIMBURSE THEIR LOCAL HOSPITALS FOR ANYONE WHO WOULD BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID.
AND NOW THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT’S REIMBURSEMENT PERCENTAGE IS LOWER UNDER THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL BECAUSE IT REQUIRES THE HOSPITALS TO CONSIDER LEGAL STATUS OF THE PATIENT.
DOES ANY OF THIS MEAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WILL DIRECTLY RECEIVE MONEY IN HAND OR QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL HEALTHCARE PROGRAMS? NO.
THERE ARE FEDERAL STATUTES THAT MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO QUALIFY FOR FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE.
THAT – IS NOT CHANGING.
THE TWO POLITICAL SIDES OF THE MEDIA AREN’T MAKING THESE THINGS CLEAR BECAUSE THEY’D RATHER **SLANT THE STORY IN A WAY THAT SUPPORTS THEIR POLITICAL SIDE DURING THIS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN.
THIS EXCHANGE BETWEEN CNN’S ANCHOR KAITLAN COLLINS – AND THE NETWORK’S CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL COMMENTATOR SCOTT JENNINGS –
IS A GREAT EXAMPLE OF HOW THE LEFT AND RIGHT EVEN IN THE MEDIA ARE **SELECTIVELY CHOOSING THEIR TALKING POINTS AND OFFERING PARTIAL TRUTHS.
Can i say one thing that people in the country illegally cannot get these subsidies you’re talking about.
Sure they can.
No they can’t, its federal law, scott.
Who do you think pays when they go the emergency room? Its the medicaid emergency program.
Going to the emergency room is not getting an obamacare subsidy.
You guys are conflating this issue. :23
1:01- people in the country illegally also can’t get medicaid. That’s against federal law. Sure they can. 1:04
1:18- you can run cover from them if you want but they do get federal tax money.
Its just the facts.
[KARAH RUCKER]
IT IS TRUE THAT UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS ARE NOT GETTING ON MEDICAID.
IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT STATES CAN BE REIMBURSED MORE FEDERAL TAX DOLLARS TO COVER EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE FOR IMMIGRANTS HERE ILLEGALLY **IF DEMOCRATS SUCCESSFULLY REPEAL THIS BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL PROVISION.
WE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT HOW THIS RHETORIC IS AN EXAMPLE OF MEDIA SLANT.
BUT IT ALSO QUALIFIES AS BIAS BY **SPIN.
BECAUSE JOURNALISTS ARE **SELECTIVELY CHOOSING WHICH FACTS TO PRESENT TO SUPPORT THEIR PARTICULAR NARRATIVE.
STAY WITH ME HERE.
I KNOW THIS IS A LOT.
WHAT WE’VE BEEN DISCUSSING IS THE MEDIA’S FRAMING OF HEALTH CARE FOR IMMIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY **ILLEGALLY.
BECAUSE THAT’S WHERE MOST OF THE MEDIA FOCUS HAS BEEN.
HOWEVER.
THERE’S ANOTHER CAVEAT TO THIS STORY’S COVERAGE THAT IS WORTH POINTING OUT.
THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL ALSO TIGHTENED DOWN WHICH IMMIGRANTS HERE ON SOME SORT OF PROTECTED STATUS CAN BE ELIGIBLE FOR MEDICAID.
DEMOCRATS WANT TO RESTORE COVERAGE ELIGIBILITY TO THE GROUPS OF NONCITIZENS HERE UNDER CERTAIN PROTECTIONS –
SUCH AS REFUGEES. THOSE GRANTED ASYLUM OR DACA RECIPIENTS.
“What they are trying to do is reverse a piece of president trump’s so-called bi beautiful bill that would take away health care eligibility for those 1.4 million people who are lawfully present in the country.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
RIGHT-LEANING OUTLETS AT TIMES – DID **NOT MAKE THE DISTINGUISHER –
BETWEEN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS AND OTHER NONCITIZENS.
they’re asking donald trump who ran and won on fighting illegal immigration, to give 200 billion dollars of free healthcare to illegal immigrants.”
[KARAH RUCKER]
THAT 200 BILLION DOLLAR FIGURE COMES FROM THIS CHART –
WHICH SHOWS AMERICA WOULD SAVE NEARLY 200 BILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS NOT JUST BY REMOVING STATE FUNDS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CARE – BUT THE MAJORITY OF THOSE SAVINGS ARE FROM MEDICAL BENEFIT CUTS FOR THESE SUBSET GROUPS OF IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE NON-CITIZENS –
BUT IN THE U.S. UNDER CERTAIN PROGRAMS PROTECTING THEM FROM DEPORTATION.
SO FOX’S COVERAGE THERE – WAS MISLEADING – BY NOT INCLUDING THE CAVEAT THAT THIS NUMBER INCLUDES NIXING CERTAIN NONCITIZEN COVERAGE TOO.
SOMETHING EVEN THIS WHITE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE DOES DIFFERENTIATE.
ALL IN ALL — THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION SURROUNDING THIS TOPIC.
WE DIDN’T EVEN GET INTO OTHER PARTS OF THE DEMOCRATS’ SENATE BILL —
LIKE THE OTHER MEDICAID SUBSIDIES THEY WANT REPEALED OR THEIR PUSH TO EXTEND OBAMACARE SUBSIDIES.
THERE’S JUST BEEN SO MUCH NOISE AROUND “ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HEALTH CARE” —
AND NOT A LOT OF CLARITY.
LEFT- AND RIGHT-LEANING MEDIA EACH LEAN ON FACTS THAT SUPPORT THEIR SIDE.
IT’S TRUE — ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DON’T QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID BENEFITS.
BUT IT’S ALSO TRUE THAT THE “BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL” INCLUDED LANGUAGE
LIMITING FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENTS TO STATES FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS’ MEDICAL EXPENSES.
AND THE DEMOCRATS WANT THAT REPEALED.
INSTEAD OF LAYING OUT THAT FULL PICTURE,
EACH MEDIA ALIGNING WITH EITHER SIDE OF THE PARTISAN DIVIDE WENT ON THE ATTACK — CALLING THE OTHER LIARS LIKE HOW YOU HEARD OFF THE TOP OF THIS STORY.
BUT WHEN YOU POKE HOLES IN BOTH NARRATIVES,
YOU SEE EACH ONE LEAVES OUT KEY FACTS TO FIT A POLITICAL AGENDA.
THAT’S THE POWER OF SPOTTING MEDIA SLANT.
YOU REALIZE THERE’S MORE TO A STORY THAN WHAT YOU’RE BEING TOLD.
AND THAT’S YOUR BIAS BREAKDOWN.
THANKS FOR WATCHING THIS WEEK’S EPISODE.
I FEEL LIKE THIS WAS A LITTLE BIT OF “INFORMATION OVERLOAD” IN THIS WEEK’S STORY – BUT I REALLY HOPE THAT AT LEAST SOME OF IT WAS DIGESTABLE.
IT’S A BIG TOPIC.
AND I REALLY SEE THIS AS THE BEGINNING OF A MAJOR HEALTH CARE DEBATE.
I DO SEE US POTENTIALLY COVERING THIS TOPIC MORE IN DEPTH ON A BROADER SCALE OUTSIDE OF THIS DEMOCRATIC PROPOSAL –
BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME MAJOR CHANGES ON THE HORIZON IF CONGRESS DOESN’T ACT ON THE HEALTH CARE FRONT.
SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE FOLLOWING US ON YOUR PREFERRED PODCAST PLATFORM SO YOU NEVER MISS AN EPISODE!
JOIN IN ON THE CONVERSATION IN OUR COMMENTS ON SPOTIFY OR ON YOUTUBE!
I’M USUALLY BOUNCING AROUND IN BOTH COMMENT SECTIONS TRYING TO RESPOND TO SOME OF YOU –
SO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR FEEDBACK – I’M ALL EARS!
AND FOR THOSE OF YOU LEAVING POSITIVE NOTES FOR ME AND THE TEAM –
IT REALLY DOES MAKE MY DAY READING THOSE.
I LOVE WHAT I DO – I LOVE GETTING TO BE HERE WITH YOU IN THIS SPACE.
I ALSO HAVE THE BEST SUPPORT SYSTEM BEHIND ME –
WITH IAN KENNEDY AND ALI CALDWELL WORKING ON THE VIDEO EDITS AND GRAPHICS FOR US HERE EACH AND EVERY WEEK.
SO BIG THANK YOU TO THEM –
AND TO YOU FOR LISTENING AND WATCHING AND TUNING IN!
I’LL SEE YA NEXT TIME!
