West County Democrats

Not all the details are out but the summary of the Trump Administration’s Fiscal Year 2018 Budget – and the blueprint for future years – can be downloaded from www.whitehouse.gov.

As expected, The Donald takes from the poor to give to the rich. Worse, instead of being a bastion of compassion, American foreign aid becomes strictly a political tool.

Of course, Congress seldom gives any president all they want. Yet, many items The Donald wants he’ll get.

Meanwhile, the budget has horrific implications for the State of Missouri:

► The state will have to pay 10% to 25% of the cost of Food Stamps — $120 million a year now, up to $225 million by 2023;
► The Children’s Health Insurance Program (which covers most of the 625,000+ kids in MO HealthNet) will disappear – think $1.5 billion a year in lost payments.
► Medicaid (MOHealthNet) will gain program flexibility – but Missouri’s payments will run around $2 billion a year below current funding.
► Temporary Assistance and other direct aid programs will be slashed – a loss of $100 million much needed dollars a year; and,
► Basic Federal money for roads, rivers and such will shrink – perhaps by $100 million a year, but, Missouri can compete for the new infrastructure funds if the legislature pays the required local match.

So, the legislature must find around $4 billion a year to these possible cuts, or, allow more suffering among our neediest neighbors – and everyone who ever uses a highway.

Additional cuts targeting Social Security Disability and Supplemental Security Income will take money out of the pockets of the most vulnerable Missourians. (Over 140,000 Missourians got federal disability payments in 2015 [ www.ssa.gov ]) The Trumpettes believe The Heritage Foundation and other hard-right groups: many able-bodied Americans choose to stay home because of the “generous” benefits. Take away the free money and they’ll flock to low-paying jobs.

I don’t know why that myth refuses to die. For the record, in 1980 just over 2% of all Americans received Social Security Disability payments or SSI. In 2016 about 3% of Americans received those benefits. [ www.ssa.gov/oact/STATS/OASIbenies.html ] Yes, that’s an increase of millions of people but it coincides with poor health and bad luck catching-up with baby-boomers and an intentional effort to make getting disability more available for those with AIDS, cancer and other nasty diseases.

Remember, 97% of the work force is not on disability!

And, the average Social Security disability payment is $1,171 a month ($14,052 a year) [ http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/how-much-in-ssd.html ]: that’s not enough to be a regular at Starbucks.

Again, the new budget also changes how we target our foreign aid. A new foundation that places America first by returning more American dollars home and ensuring foreign aid supports American interests and values.

So, we tell starving kids in Yemen that it’s not “in America’s interest” to feed them because we don’t like their militarized government?

Trump titles his budget plan, A NEW FOUNDATION FOR AMERICAN GREATNESS. It may not feel that way in Jefferson City or in Yemen.

Submitted by Glenn Koenen, WCD Member