Stephen Lendman

Supported by congressional hardliners, his agenda is all about benefitting Wall Street, war-profiteers and other corporate predators more than ever - at the expense of America’s most vulnerable.

His FY 2018 budget proposes enormous Medicaid and food stamp cuts, along with letting states cut safety net programs on their own.

His plan follows House members passing legislation to cut Medicaid spending by more than $800 billion over the next decade, ending benefits for at least 10 million impoverished Americans, endangering their lives.

Media reports suggest he wants $193 billion cut from the Supplemental Nutrition (food stamp) Assistance Program over the next 10 years, more than a 25% reduction in aid - on top of earlier Obama administration cuts, assuring food insecure households will have to be dependent on charity for much of their sustenance.

Many safety net programs run jointly by Washington and states require recipients to be employed to qualify - at a time of protracted Main Street Depression conditions, nearly a fourth of working-age Americans without jobs.

After entering office, Trump said “(w)e want to get our people off welfare and back to work…It’s out of control.” It’s because of federal thirdworldizing policies, compounded by force-fed austerity, creating an unprecedented wealth disparity, one of many national outrages.

Trump’s agenda, if passed by Congress, assures nightmarish conditions for tens of millions of Americans, better times than ever for business and high-net worth individuals.

Authorizing states on their own to cut or eliminate safety net programs jeopardizes the viability of what remains of social justice in America.

Will big Medicare and Social Security cuts follow? Both are insurance programs, not welfare, funded by worker/employer payroll tax deductions. They’re contractual federal programs for eligible recipients.

Hardliners in Washington want all social programs drastically cut or ended, Trump willing to go along. His proposed tax cuts, if enacted, will create a far greater wealth disparity than already.

According to Center on Budget and Policy Priorities president Robert Greenstein, “(t)he indications are strong this budget will feature Robin-Hood-in-reverse policies on an unprecedented scale.”

Trump saying his budget proposal enables balancing the federal budget in 10 years by tax cuts for the rich stimulating economic growth is utter nonsense.

Enough Republicans may join with Democrats in blocking parts of his draconian plan.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at http://www.sjlendman.blogspot.com.Progressive Radio Network.