From the First Tuesday newsletter
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We did it … again! I may be sounding like a broken record, but at least we’re stuck on a good song. For the second month in a row, I get to use this column to celebrate a big win and thank you for all you did to make it possible. The efforts to replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have hit a major wall, and President Donald Trump and Speaker Paul Ryan are shelving the American Health Care Act (AHCA) that would have harmed millions of Michiganians.
In their haste and partisan vigor, federal elected officials made a few significant missteps. They underestimated how “complicated” healthcare is and how effective the Affordable Care Act has been overall, especially with the Healthy Michigan Plan here in our state. Most importantly, they underestimated the power people have beyond the election process.
The strategy for defending the ACA and protecting the related Healthy Michigan Plan was simple. First, arm people with information. Right out of the gate, we put together a fact sheet and blog outlining all the good the Affordable Care Act has done for Michigan residents. Economist and Board Chair Charles Ballard connected universal healthcare to our conscience, our quality of life and our economy.
We quickly analyzed alternative healthcare plans and shared our findings on their flaws. This included outlining the devastation proposed block grants or per capita caps on Medicaid would cause in Michigan and exposing the real potential impact of the AHCA: 24 million fewer people with health insurance, $880 billion in cuts to Medicaid, and $600 billion in tax cuts for the wealthy and big insurance and drug companies. And we made sure that this information was on the airwaves and in front of readers the week of the expected vote.
The next step was to engage and mobilize people into advocacy. We knew that the ACA had touched many lives and was important to many organizations, and that the more we could combine our efforts, the stronger we’d be. That’s why we were proud to be a part of the Protect MI Care Coalition, a diverse group of organizations and individuals working together to ensure all Michigan residents have access to high-quality, affordable health insurance.
Through the coalition, we worked to get the people involved who would be most affected by a repeal or replacement of the ACA. We helped gather the stories of real people who have benefited from the ACA, even those whose very lives were saved, and shared them with the media and elected officials. And we joined in an online advocacy effort that enabled people to email and call their U.S. Representatives and U.S. Senators to tell them to oppose the AHCA.
Similar efforts were undertaken by our various public policy partners at the national level and organizations similar to the League in other states. Collectively, those advocacy efforts worked!
The strong public opposition and political friction ground the bill’s progress to a halt. Despite the push from the President and pressure from the House Speaker, and despite their party having the majority, the bill did not have enough votes. When the bill’s supporters courted moderates, they lost conservatives. And when they courted conservatives, they lost moderates. This sunk the AHCA, but it also showed that Republicans in Congress will face a similar challenge with any other healthcare bill that significantly undermines or undoes the ACA.
That doesn’t mean they won’t try. This threat remains imminent and new discussions are already underway. But I hope you feel as empowered as ever that advocacy does work and that you can make a difference. We are lucky to have passionate and determined people like you on our side. The League will keep fighting and I know you will too. And together, we can keep winning.
— Gilda Z. Jacobs
Jay Cutler joined the League in March 2026 as the Kids Count Senior Data Analyst, where he collects, analyzes, and prepares data for Kids Count in Michigan.
Danielle Taylor-Basemore joined the League as the Development Data and Stewardship Coordinator in June 2025. She brings with her five years of nonprofit experience with a special focus on community engagement, data visualization and strategic programming. Prior to joining the League, Danielle served as the Business District, Safety, and Digital Manager at Jefferson East, Inc.
Scott Preston is a Senior Policy Analyst with the Michigan League for Public Policy, where he leads the organization’s immigration and criminal justice reform portfolios. In the three years prior to joining the League, Scott facilitated the Southeast Michigan Refugee Collaborative and managed a small business economic development program at Global Detroit. His work included launching Michigan’s first Refugee Film Festival and building on a trusted connector model that linked marginalized communities with crucial resources. Scott’s work at the League is informed by his background in journalism and research. He spent four years covering the Syrian refugee crisis in the Middle East for publications such as The Economist, and later worked with unaccompanied refugee minors through Samaritas. Scott holds a master’s degree in international migration and public policy from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Kate Powers joined the League as the Chief Development Officer in February 2025. Prior to joining the League, Kate held leadership positions at many Michigan nonprofit organizations, most recently serving as the COO and Chief Development Officer of Ele’s Place. Kate has spent the bulk of her career in fundraising, with a short stint in the state Legislature as a legislative aide to members in both chambers. Kate is a graduate of Michigan State University’s James Madison College with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Relations and has a certificate in fundraising management from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy at Indiana University. Additionally, Kate served on the East Lansing Public Schools Board of Education and is a past President of the Junior League of Lansing. In her free time, she enjoys traveling with her husband and her son and saving outfit of the day and home decor ideas on Pinterest. 
Nicholas Hess joined the League as the Fiscal Policy Analyst in September of 2024. In this role, Nicholas focuses on tax policy, government revenue, and their impact on working families and racial equity, including the effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC). Nicholas values the role that judicious fiscal policy can play in the improvement of people’s lives and the economy, alleviating inequities along the way.
Audrey Matusz joined the League as the Visual Communications Specialist in September 2024. She supports the team with implementing social media strategies and brainstorming creative ways to talk about public policy. She brings with her nearly a decade of experience in producing digital products for evidence-based social justice initiatives. 
Jacob Kaplan 
Donald Stuckey 
Alexandra Stamm 
Amari Fuller
Mikell Frey is a communications professional with a passion for using the art of storytelling to positively impact lives. She strongly believes that positive social change can be inspired by the sharing of data-driven information coupled with the unique perspectives of people from all walks of life across Michigan, especially those who have faced extraordinary barriers. 
Yona Isaacs (she/hers) is an Early Childhood Data Analyst for the Kids Count project. After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience at the University of Michigan, she began her career as a research coordinator in pediatric psychiatry using data to understand the impacts of brain activity and genetics on children’s behavior and mental health symptoms. This work prompted an interest in exploring social determinants of health and the role of policy in promoting equitable opportunities for all children, families, and communities. She returned to the University of Michigan to complete her Masters in Social Work focused on Social Policy and Evaluation, during which she interned with the ACLU of Michigan’s policy and legislative team and assisted local nonprofit organizations in creating data and evaluation metrics. She currently serves as a coordinator for the Michigan Center for Youth Justice on a project aiming to increase placement options and enhance cultural competency within the juvenile justice system for LGBTQIA+ youth. Yona is eager to put her data skills to work at the League in support of data-driven policies that advocate for equitable access to healthcare, education, economic security, and opportunity for 0-5 year old children. In her free time, she enjoys tackling DIY house projects and trying new outdoor activities with her dog.
Rachel Richards rejoined the League in December 2020 as the Fiscal Policy Director working on state budget and tax policies. Prior to returning to the League, she served as the Director of Legislative Affairs for the Michigan Department of Treasury, the tax policy analyst and Legislative Director for the Michigan League for Public Policy, and a policy analyst and the Appropriations Coordinator for the Democratic Caucus of the Michigan House of Representatives. She brings with her over a decade of experience in policies focused on economic opportunity, including workforce issues, tax, and state budget.
Simon Marshall-Shah joined the Michigan League for Public Policy as a State Policy Fellow in August 2019. His work focuses on state policy as it relates to the budget, immigration, health care and other League policy priorities. Before joining the League, he worked in Washington, D.C. at the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), providing federal policy and advocacy support to nonprofit, Medicaid health plans (Safety Net Health Plans) related to the ACA Marketplaces as well as Quality & Operations.
Renell Weathers, Michigan League for Public Policy (MLPP) Community Engagement Consultant. As community engagement consultant, Renell works with organizations throughout the state in connecting the impact of budget and tax policies to their communities. She is motivated by the belief that all children and adults deserve the opportunity to achieve their dreams regardless of race, ethnicity, religion or economic class.
Emily Jorgensen joined the Michigan League for Public Policy in July 2019. She deeply cares about the well-being of individuals and families and has a great love for Michigan. She is grateful that her position at the League enables her to combine these passions and work to help promote policies that will lead to better opportunities and security for all Michiganders.
Megan Farnsworth joined the League’s staff in December 2022 as Executive Assistant. Megan is driven by work that is personally fulfilling, and feels honored to help support the work of an organization that pushes for more robust programming and opportunities for the residents of our state. She’s excited and motivated to gain overarching knowledge of the policies and agendas that the League supports.
