In the world of running, there is a standard checklist that every runner goes through before hitting the pavement. From tying your shoes to making sure your phone is charged, there are essential steps to take before embarking on a run. But for women, there is another checklist that is all too familiar.
Before heading out for a run, women have to consider factors that men may not even think about. Is it light out? Is the route safe and free of solitary areas? Have you informed someone of your whereabouts? These are just a few of the precautions that women take to ensure their safety while running.
Unfortunately, the need for these precautions was tragically highlighted by the stories of Alyssa Lokits, Eliza Fletcher, and Laken Riley. Lokits, who did everything right to stay safe, was murdered while out for a run near her home. Fletcher and Riley also fell victim to violent attacks while running, with their attackers having prior offenses that should have kept them off the streets.
These heartbreaking stories shed light on the need for more accountability in the criminal justice system. Soft-on-crime policies and lenient prosecutors have allowed dangerous individuals to roam free, putting innocent women at risk. The consequences of these policies are devastating, with families left to mourn the loss of their loved ones.
But there is hope for change. Recent shifts in tone and policy, such as Mayor Adams’ tough stance on deporting migrants who commit crimes and the passing of Proposition 36 in California, show that voters are demanding a stronger approach to crime prevention.
See also Eliminating Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Medicaid My Administration has been relentlessly committed to rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse in Government programs to preserve and protect them for those who rely most on them. The Medicaid program was designed to be a program to compassionately provide taxpayer dollars to healthcare providers who offer care to the most vulnerable Americans. To keep payments reasonable, billable costs for such care were historically capped at the same level that healthcare providers could receive from Medicare. The State and Federal Governments jointly shared this cost burden to ensure those of lesser means did not go untreated. Under the Biden Administration, States and healthcare providers were permitted to game the system. For example, States "taxed" healthcare providers, but sent the same money back to them in the form of a "Medicaid payment," which automatically unlocked for healthcare providers an additional "burden-sharing" payment from the Federal Government. Through this gimmick, the State could avoid contributing money toward Medicaid services, meaning the State no longer had a reason to be prudent in the amount of reimbursement provided. Instead of paying Medicare rates, many States that utilize these arrangements now pay the same healthcare providers almost three times the Medicare amount, a practice encouraged by the Biden Administration. These State Directed Payments have rapidly accelerated, quadrupling in magnitude over the last 4 years and reaching $110 billion in 2024 alone. This trajectory threatens the Federal Treasury and Medicaid's long-term stability, and the imbalance between Medicaid and Medicare patients threatens to jeopardize access to care for our seniors. I pledged to protect and improve these important Government healthcare programs for those that rely on them. Seniors on Medicare and Medicaid recipients both deserve access to quality care in a system free from the fraud, waste, and abuse, that enriches the unscrupulous and jeopardizes the programs themselves. We will take action to continue to love and cherish the Medicare and Medicaid programs to ensure they are preserved for those who need them most. The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall therefore take appropriate action to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse in Medicaid, including by ensuring Medicaid payments rates are not higher than Medicare, to the extent permitted by applicable law. This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person. DONALD J. TRUMP
States like Florida have set an example by holding prosecutors accountable and ensuring that laws are enforced. Governor Ron DeSantis has taken action against prosecutors who neglect their duties, showing that there are consequences for failing to uphold the law.
It is time for more states to follow suit and for leaders like Mayor Adams to prioritize public safety. Voters have made it clear that they want a justice system that protects victims and punishes criminals.
Ultimately, women should not have to fear for their lives while going for a run. It should not be radical for a woman to be able to enjoy a run without the threat of violence hanging over her. By implementing stricter consequences for criminals and holding prosecutors accountable, we can create a safer environment for all runners.
