Topic: Trump's budget

The President is required by law to submit a budget to Congress, which takes it into consideration then pulls the purse strings as it sees fit. Congress has the real budgetary power. For those concerned about programs that affect Kansas, Congressman Yoder’s response to the White House’s Budget Proposal seems like a generic political reassurance and a tactful dismissal of the proposal. We will have to see how our new Congress distributes money before criticizing Yoder directly, despite his characteristically vague and uninspired response to the proposal. That said, the proposal has generated some serious concerns about negligence and unfounded assumptions. These concerns can be relayed to Rep. Yoder, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee.

• The President’s budget proposal calls for drastic cuts to some key agencies:

Source: http://www.cnn.com/2017/05/23/politics/trump-budget-cuts-programs/

• On top of the fact that the Trump administration has been concerningly slow to appoint officials to key government positions, they’re exhibiting some combination of the desire to significantly shrink government responsibilities (even the State Dept. and EPA!) and a disinterest in carrying out the work of government.

• The budget also calls for serious cuts to social programs, notably the Earned Income Tax Credit (-8.3 %), Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (-13.1 %), Medicaid (-16.5 %), and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (-19.4 %).

• The proposal forecasts 3 % economic growth, the CBO estimates around 1.9 % growth in 2018.

• The administration asserts it will propose revenue neutral tax cuts, partially paid for by the high growth rate. But it also says the tax cuts will cause the high growth rate. The tax cuts cannot simultaneously be a cause and an effect of the growth rate.

• To quote Larry Summers, “the Trump administration has not yet made a significant economic pronouncement that meets a minimal standard of competence and honesty.”