In a move to protect healthcare amid growing tensions between President Barack Obama, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and other political leaders in Washington, D.C., members of the President’s home-state Democratic Congressional Delegation—and SEIU—are urging him to avoid Medicaid cuts that would impact 2 million Illinois residents.

Th politicians signed a letter drafted by the SEIU Illinois State Council, which sponsors this web site, calling for the President to avoid making cuts to Medicaid during debt ceiling talks at all costs. 

“We understand that as you work to address the long-term deficit, you are faced with extremely challenging decisions. However, these cuts will severely impact healthcare coverage for senior citizens, low income children, and adults, and children with disabilities,” reads the letter to the President. The message is signed by U.S. Reps., Jan Schakowsky (D-9th); Jerry Costello (D-12th); Danny Davis (D-7th); Luis Gutierrez (D-4th); Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-2nd); Daniel Lipinski (D-3rd); Mike Quigley (D-5th); and Bobby Rush (D-1st). The SEIU Illinois State Council was a key and early supporter of Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign for President.

The letter was signed by every Democratic Member of Congress from Illinois and calls on the President to avoid massive cuts to healthcare for working families and the poor; whether those cuts are part of ongoing negotiations with the GOP or separate plans on the debt ceiling.

Progressives have been consistent in letting the President know how they feel about the possibility of making health care cuts as a means to solving the country's money problems -- and they are warning him about the negative impact such a move could have on his 2012 re-election push. On July 15, members of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee converged upon Obama campaign headquarters in Chicago to deliver a pledge with more than 200,000 signatures of liberals vowing not to "donate or volunteer for President Obama if he cuts Social Security, Medicare, or Medicaid benefits" as a means to solving the nation's financial woes.

Image Courtesy of ThinkProgress.org.