Report: Trump Team Wants to Slash Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and Everything Except Defense

[n2doc]

Here's the latest news on squeezing our bloated government down to size:

Donald Trump is ready to take an ax to government spending. Staffers for the Trump transition team have been meeting with career staff at the White House ahead of Friday’s presidential inauguration to outline their plans for shrinking the federal bureaucracy, The Hill has learned....Overall, the blueprint being used by Trump’s team would reduce federal spending by $10.5 trillion over 10 years.

This is terrifying, of course, but it's also puzzling. $10.5 trillion over ten years? That's a trillion dollars a year. If you eliminated the domestic discretionary budget entirely, you'd only save half a trillion bucks. So how do they do it?

Well, we're told that the proposed budget cuts "hew closely" to a recent Heritage Foundation report, so I went and took a look. The answer, of course, is that the only way to cut that kind of money is to take a meat axe to everything, including Social Security and Medicare. Here's a chart:


more
http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2017/01/report-trump-team-wants-slash-social-security-medicare-medicaid-and-pretty-much-e

[Jacob Boehme]

1. The reality of the matter is...

That tRump can propose whatever he likes. But the truth of the matter is tRump has zero spending authority of his own accord; not a dime.

It is in Congress where all the dirty deals are made; because Constitutionally, they have the 'power of the purse'. Congress can grant tRump spending authorization as they appropriate it in the budget, but all of tRump's flailing about cuts mean zip unless Congress approves them.

That's why it's important for We The People to demand accountability from our elected reps and carpet them with e-mail, mail, tweets and phone calls until they get the message.

[titaniumsalute]

2. Yeah tell seniors that their Medicare will be cut 41% and SS 8%

Then give them the address of the US Rep's office. They might storm it with pitchforks and wheelchairs.

[shraby]

4. Hell, we have the time, we'll just go to Washington with the pitchforks, torches and wheelchairs.

[In_The_Wind]

3. Retired folks, like me, won't survive without our Social Security Benefits.

[octoberlib]

5. Defense discretionary- only 1%

The most bloated department gets the least cuts, of course.

[n2doc]

8. There will be no cuts there

McCain is already planning on major increases

http://thehill.com/policy/defense/314550-mccain-proposes-640b-defense-budget-for-2018

[KingCharlemagne]

6. In positive news, economists are rejoicing at the chance to

see whether such cuts to government spending will actually result in 25% unemployment. Keynes' General Equation never got a real-world test. . until now, that is.

[anarch]

7. so basically, a dismantling of society

Dems: "We're all in this together; let's all cooperate to maintain a functioning society where we take care of our own and we can all live with dignity."

Repubs: "Fuck it all, everyone for themselves and devil take the hindmost!"


I suppose they'll want to keep plenty of funding to prosecute people for "immoral" acts, though. "Small government," except when it comes to legislating morality.

[ibeplato]

9. missing about $900 billion

the specific discretionary cuts drum lists barely adds up to $100 billion, where's the other $900 billion a year?

[jodymarie aimee]

10. Have you met our Paul Ryan

he has had a hard on for doing this since he was born.

[Ilsa]

11. There goes the economy.

People won't be spending a cent on snything but essentials. Those upscale retail stores and upscale grocery stores will lock their doors. I guess the billionaires will go shopping in Paris and Milan.