President Trump’s proposal to cut federal spending by more than $3.6 trillion over the next decade — including deep reductions for programs that help the poor — faced harsh criticism in Congress on Tuesday, where even many Republicans said the White House had gone too far.
While some fiscally conservative lawmakers, particularly in the House, found a lot to praise in Trump’s plan to balance the budget within 10 years, most Republicans flatly rejected the White House proposal. The divide sets up a clash between House conservatives and a growing number of Senate Republicans who would rather work with Democrats on a spending deal than entertain Trump’s deep cuts.
“This is kind of the game,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.). “We know that the president’s budget won’t pass as proposed.”
Instead, Cornyn said he believes conversations are already underway about how Republicans can negotiate with Democrats to avoid across-the-board spending cuts that are scheduled to go into effect in October. Those talks could include broad spending increases for domestic and military programs that break from Trump’s plan for deep cuts in education, housing, research and health care.
“I think that’s the only way,” Cornyn said of working with Democrats on spending. “It would be good to get that done so we can get the Appropriations Committee to get to work.”
Finally, something to get Democrats and Republicans to work together towards a common goal. Should we send Trump a thank you note?
The cuts are draconian and target children and poor people. Cuts in food and medical care are simply not acceptable cuts. Food and medical care are basic human rights.
I don’t want a high tech glossy military. We aren’t North Korea or Russia. We need a military for our basic protection. We don’t need to spit and shine.
On the other hand, people die from lack of food and from not having medical care. Of course wealthy people like Trump don’t think of these necessities because he has never had to go without. Anyone who thinks that someone on food stamps or the SNAP program is eating off the fat of the land is sadly mistaken. SNAP allows for $194 per month for one person. Additional family members are allotted for at a reduction. No one is eating well on the SNAP program.
The administrative budget proposal is just plain old mean-spirited. It seems to take a particular hard swing at the poor. Perhaps they should just all die and go away, in the eyes of Trump.
The Senate Republican Whip says that this budget is dead on arrival and I saw John McCain say it on video today. It makes me wonder if this was just an attempt to change the subject from the Russian connection investigation but I know that they have to put out a proposal. So why did it come out now while the president is out of the country?
Maybe it’s better to be grateful that it won’t pass and turn to the CBO scoring of the Trumpcare bill and the Montana GOP congressional candidate’s altercation with a reporter on election eve.
The Fox News crew on the scene in Montana is backing up the reporter and not the Republican candidate’s version of the story. That’s significant.
Well if Gianforte loses tomorrow he can always count on a job with the president of Turkey.