The President’s Budget Proposal
The White House released its 2020 fiscal year budget, a $4.75 trillion dollar plan that elicited criticism from many members of Congress. According to the New York Times, Mr. Trump’s budget, the largest in federal history, includes a nearly 5 percent increase in military spending — which is more than the Pentagon had asked for — and an additional $8.6 billion for construction of a wall along the border with Mexico.”
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Links
“Education Dept. faces 10% funding cut under Trump’s 2020 budget proposal”
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/11/trumps-budget-proposal-would-cancel-public-service-loan-forgiveness.html
“Trump’s budget request slashes retirement benefits for 2 million federal workers”
https://www.vox.com/2019/3/12/18261739/trump-budget-2019-federal-workers
“President Trump’s budget increases defense spending, slashes domestic programs, including for Chesapeake Bay”
https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/environment/bs-md-trump-budget-chesapeake-bay-20190311-story.html
“Trump 2020 budget projects big deficits despite spending cuts”
https://www.cnn.com/2019/03/11/politics/trump-fiscal-2020-budget-what-we-know/index.html
“Budget proposal to slash Medicare, Medicaid unlikely to fly”
https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2019/medicare-medicaid-trump-budget.html
“Trump’s budget tells us that the president’s priority isn’t to protect the most vulnerable among us”
https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/trumps-budget-tells-us-that-the-presidents-priority-isnt-to-protect-the-most-vulnerable-among-us
“Trump’s 2020 budget proposal seriously cuts the nation’s safety net”
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/3/11/18259789/trumps-2020-budget-proposal-cuts
“Trump’s 2019 budget proposal is dangerous – and right in line with Republican values”
https://psmag.com/ideas/trumps-2019-budget-proposal-is-dangerous-but-for-normal-republican-reasons
“Trump’s tell-all budget – three big lines in the sand separate the president from the progressives”
https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/commentary/trumps-tell-all-budget-three-big-lines-the-sand-separate-the
Assessment
- Writing: What does President Trump prioritize in his budget?
- Debate: Mandatory programs such as Social Security and Medicare should not be cut in order to achieve a balanced budget.
- Poll: Do you believe that large elements of the president’s budget proposal will survive the budget process in Congress?
- Short Answer: Why is Congress often unable to finish the budget process by October 1?
Current events quiz:
1) The President’s budget proposal totals how much money?
a. 5.54 billion
b. 10 billion
c. 2.5 trillion
d. 4.75 trillion
2) Which one of these departments or programs would not lose money under Trump’s budget?
a. Medicare
b. Defense
c. Federal worker retirement benefits
d. Medicaid
3) President Trump is seeking how much money for the proposed border wall alone?
a. 8.6 billion
b. 6.4 billion
c. 3.1 trillion
d. 7.9 billion
4) Democrats are worried that President Trump’s budget proposal would severely cut domestic programs, particularly ones that act as a safety net for the nation. (T/F)
5) President Trump is proposing budget slashes to departments including, but not limited to, the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department, and the Department of Education. (T/F)
6) Despite the widespread criticisms coming from the media regarding the president’s 2020 budget proposal, Fox News is backing the POTUS by fiercely defending the proposal. (T/F)
Answers:
1) D
2) B
3) A
4) True
5) True
6) False
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