Today Donald Trump released his budget which included billions of new dollars for defense while cutting money for schools, the EPA, the State Department, Housing and Urban Development, and eliminating the National Endowment for the Arts and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
The military increase comes at a time when our military budget is not only the largest in the world, but it is larger than the next 8 nations combined. Donald Trump has previously taken about increasing our nuclear capability, and building sophisticated weapons like nuclear warheads requires a large amount of money. This budget help pay for that. Money for Homeland security has been set aside to build the wall between the US an Mexico. I guess Mexico is not paying for the wall after all – we are. Color me unsurprised.
The program cuts will most likely effect the American people in more ways than they currently realize. The National Institute of Health, which provides research funding into curing illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, will see it’s budget cut by 6 billion. Services that provide training for the unemployed and housing for the poor will have their budgets slashed also. Even Sesame Street gets the cut. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will see it’s money from the Federal government cut 100%. Bye Bye Big Birdie.
It is unknown how much of this budget will actually be implemented as law since Congress will get it’s chance to weigh in on things. However, the president sets the agenda, and with a Republican controlled House and Senate, we are most likely looking at a fundamental shift in our priorities as a nation. Americans have long taken for granted such important things as clean air and water, government sponsored science, and a social safety net that helps the poor. Not any more. All Americans will suffer with these eliminations and cutbacks, but the poor, unemployed, and vulnerable will suffer the most. Trump has shown us his true priorities and has inadvertently given us a clear view of his character. It is not pretty.
