What kind of America are we coming to when the large majority of members of one of our two major political parties is so contemptuous and uncaring about the health of millions of their fellow men and women? It staggers the mind and — regrettably — raises questions about the humanity of many of the Republicans in the U.S. House and Senate.

We know the House of Representatives last month approved a health care bill that was so terrible even President Trump recanted his original praise and decided to label it “mean.” Now we know the Senate has created its own version of that terrible bill which, in its way, is equally awful if not somehow even worse. This amounts to a national disgrace.

The Senate proposal would in a few years eliminate much of the money that funds the nation’s Medicaid program that serves tens of millions of Americans including people of modest means as well as our poorest and least healthy citizens. And to do this, it would take the money saved by this shameful action and use to to cut the taxes paid by America’s richest people. Yep, take from the poor and give to the rich. Robin Hood must be turning over.

More to the point: how can this possibly be justified by a tiny, privileged and financially secure group of Republicans (96% white and male, by the way) who hold sway over an entire nation’s health care? And if you have any questions about what’s the aim of this proposal, consider that the other big beneficiaries are health insurance companies, also overseen by a cadre of white males (numbering somewhere over 96%).

So, to sum up quickly: the least able men and women and children in our society will be stripped of their health care funding to provide tax breaks for rich people and insurance companies.

To repeat: how can this be justified by the Republican Party? It is inhumane, it is mean, it is appallingly inconsiderate, and it may well cause the deaths of millions of Americans prematurely.

Please write your congressmen and women very, very soon and tell them to oppose any such measure on the grounds that it is simply and terribly wrong. Tell your friends, speak up, make noise, and do it quickly before it is too late for America.