The cuts are part of a budget blueprint for the upcoming fiscal year that amount to a dramatic restructuring of the government, with protection for retirement programs for the elderly, billions of dollars more for the military and the rest of the government bearing the bulk of the reductions.
The plan was outlined in White House summary documents. It will be officially released on Tuesday - The Associated Press
Robert Reich responds:
People in regions of the country with chronically high rates of unemployment are temporarily exempt from the requirement that they be working in order to get food stamps. But Trump’s budget would eliminate or curtail these unemployment-rate waivers – cutting off food stamps to unemployed adults in areas where few jobs are available.
Many of these people were Trump voters.
A 49-year-old man, who could not afford a doctor to verify his disability status, and is thus considered able-bodied, described his diet in the months since he’d been kicked off food stamps: “I was eating what I could find, and borrowed from friends and strangers,” he said. “It turns out that red squirrel is a little tastier than one might think. There were many times ... when I would go two or even three days without food. If one was inclined to lose a lot of weight, I could recommend this diet wholeheartedly.”
May I remind you America is the richest nation in the world – richer than this nation has ever been? Why are we even considering taking food stamps away from people unable to find jobs? Where is this cruelty coming from?
Associated Press
