Washington, D.C. — Neera Tanden, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, released the following statement today after President Donald Trump released his full budget proposal for fiscal year 2018.
The president’s budget release shows that Trump isn’t even trying to conceal his true motives: huge tax cuts for the richest Americans and big corporations, all to be shouldered by middle- and working-class Americans. Health care, public schools, affordable housing, medical research, Pell grants, on-the-job training for workers, and even Meals on Wheels are all on the chopping block—all so that the president and congressional Republicans can deliver enormous tax cuts to their wealthy supporters and Trump himself.
Trump promised not to cut Social Security, Medicaid, or Medicare yet this budget would slash Social Security benefits for disabled workers and decimates Medicaid. Trumpcare would directly rob revenue from the Medicare trust fund, and the massive tax cuts for the wealthy in this budget would inevitably threaten Medicare.
This budget is based on fraudulent claims and deceptive, concocted forecasts about economic growth. The $5.5 trillion tax cut that Trump is pushing is not accounted for in his budget, and there is no reason to believe that it would significantly increase either growth or tax revenue. None of these deficit numbers can be taken seriously.
Nothing in this budget is designed to create good-paying jobs or raise wages. The economic vision outlined in this budget betrays the vast majority of Americans who work hard to support their families, and it’s critical that people see once and for all whose side this president is on.
CAP and progressive groups representing a broad array of policy priorities have united to launch Hands Off, a coalition campaign dedicated to preventing the passage of any upcoming budget resolutions that include cuts to health care, disability benefits, nutrition assistance, or other basic necessities. The campaign will mobilize key grassroots constituencies to urge members of Congress to keep their hands off people’s basic living standards.
For more information or to speak with an expert, contact Allison Preiss at [email protected] or 202.478.6331.