Two million people are slowly starving to death in Gaza. There are 500,000 in immediate danger of death. The Israelis are not allowing enough food in. They have cut off the water supply. They are shooting at people looking for food. Before the war 500 trucks a day were delivering food to Gaza. Now it’s less than 100.

As people die their relatives in other parts of the world are becoming increasingly desperate. Lone wolf attacks will become more frequent. There is no way to prepare for someone losing their mind with grief. All of our interests all over the world are at risk.

Bombing Iran has also put us in greater danger. President Donald Trump announced that we had “obliterated” their nuclear capabilities. Photos prove he was wrong. This is important because facts matter.

The deliberate lies that Trump spreads have real consequences. When he was campaigning he claimed there were thousands of illegal alien criminals terrorizing the country. He promised to deport thousands of people.

Suddenly we find there are not enough criminals. His ICE agents have been raiding workplaces and picking people up at their immigration hearings. People are going to court to fulfill their obligations and getting kidnapped by masked men. Trump is putting Judges in jail for trying to keep their courtrooms safe. This is a direct attack on the co-equal status of our three branches of government.

The people who wrote our founding documents were doing something completely new to the European mind. “We the people” lifted directly from the Haudenosaunee “Great Law of Peace” The idea that people can govern themselves not owe allegiance and obedience to a king. A king could raise tariffs, throw anyone they liked in jail and didn’t have to answer to anyone.

The colonists wanted representation in the British Parliament. It was only after they were turned away that they decided they could do it for themselves.

They were like, “If the natives can do it for themselves we can do it for ourselves too.”

They gave careful thought to the problem of keeping anyone from assuming the role of king. They devised the three equal branches of government. The President, the Judiciary and the elected representatives. Each branch jealous of its own power.

The “power of the purse” belongs to Congress as does the power to declare war and make tariffs. Congresspeople have to face their constituents every two years. They will be up for election in 2026. If we have meaningful elections in 2026. We can vote our current Representative out. He has supported Trump at every turn. The vision the Republicans have for our future is very grim.

The “Power of the Purse” means that Congress makes the budget. The budget they are debating now is a doozy. One-fifth of the U.S. population is currently insured through Medicaid. The plan is to kick people off by making it so hard to meet the requirements that millions of people will lose their health insurance. Some of them will die. They will all be poorer and in ill health. Their productivity and earning potential will go down. Without WIC or SNAP they will have less to eat. Yes, I am a bleeding heart and I believe what Jesus said in Matthew 25:35, “I was hungry and you gave me something to eat.”

We do not have to walk into the miserable future the GOP has planned for us. It does not have to be this way. We can adopt Medicare for all. It will be cheaper than paying insurance companies and lift a significant burden on small businesses. Rural hospitals will benefit because most of their service population is on Medicaid and Medicare pays better. It could keep them from closing. Plus, the hospital has to provide emergency care for everyone regardless of their ability to pay. If everyone was covered they would always get paid. Right now Brooks-TLC Hospital is owed a substantial amount by people who have died.

We have a situation in which the Republicans in Congress have given all their power to a President who would like to be a king. He would like the power to lock people up and dictate what will be on the news.

He would like to shut up anyone who is telling the truth. His reaction to CNN’s report on the bombing of Iran was anger and denial. He attacked the messenger. The truth is important. Trump lies constantly. He wants us to believe “The truth is what he says it is.” Whatever that might be. It changes constantly. He is trying to keep us off balance. To throw so much at us at once that we give up.

“The Big Beautiful Bill” will bankrupt us with Tax cuts for the richest people and tax increases for the rest of us. Call U.S. Rep. Nick Langworthy at (716) 488-8111. Tell him how you feel about death in Gaza and about the budget.

Marie Tomlinson is a Fredonia resident. Send comments to editorial@observertoday.com.