Advertisement

Trump's Budget Cuts Safety Net Spending

47:05
Download Audio
Resume

With guest host Jessica Yellin.

The President’s budget is out. Though the rollout is quiet, the impacts would be huge. $800 billion slashed from Medicaid for starters. We’ll take a look.

White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, holds a copy of "Budget of the U.S. Government A New Foundation For American Greatness Fiscal Year 2018" as he inspects the production run of President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 federal budget, Friday, May 19, 2017, at the U.S. Government Publishing Office's (GPO) plant in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
White House budget director Mick Mulvaney, holds a copy of "Budget of the U.S. Government A New Foundation For American Greatness Fiscal Year 2018" as he inspects the production run of President Donald Trump's fiscal 2018 federal budget, Friday, May 19, 2017, at the U.S. Government Publishing Office's (GPO) plant in Washington. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

President Trump is out with his first budget. And it is a stark break from the past. He’s looking for a big increase in defense spending. New money to build a wall with Mexico and massive tax reform. But it’s the cuts that are making headlines. $800 billion slashed from Medicaid. Food stamps, elder care, student loan support and EPA programs on the chopping block. This hour On Point, new priorities for a new era in Washington. -- Jessica Yellin

Guests

Nicholas Johnston, editor of the online media company Axios. (@AxiosNick)

Romina Boccia, deputy director of the Heritage Foundation’s Institute for Economic Policy Studies. (@RominaBoccia)

Harry Stein, director of fiscal policy at the Center for American Progress. Former legislative assistant to Democratic Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, where he focused on the federal budget, tax policy and national security. (@HarrySteinDC)

Allison Jordan, executive director of Children First/Communities In Schools of Buncombe County in North Carolina. (@All_is_onJordan)

From The Reading List

New York Times: Trump’s Budget Cuts Deeply Into Medicaid and Anti-Poverty Efforts — "The document, grandly titled 'A New Foundation for American Greatness,' encapsulates much of the 'America first' message that powered Mr. Trump’s campaign. It calls for an increase in military spending of 10 percent and spending more than $2.6 billion for border security — including $1.6 billion to begin work on a wall on the border with Mexico — as well as huge tax reductions and an improbable promise of 3 percent economic growth."

NBC News: Trump’s Budget Will Hit These States the Hardest — "The Trump administration unveiled a budget for 2018 on Tuesday that seeks to overhaul many of the country's safety-net programs for low-income and struggling Americans. Though these cuts are popular among Republican lawmakers, they affect programs that are actually more commonly used in Republican-leaning states than in Democratic ones, and that in many cases benefit white voters without college degrees — a demographic group that strongly supported President Donald Trump in the 2016 election."

Washington Post: Trump's new budget proposal: What's in and what's out

Read The Full Budget Document

This program aired on May 24, 2017.

Advertisement

More from On Point

Listen Live
Close