Trump’s Slash And Burn Continues

Yesterday, Trump announced a spending freeze to Federal Government aid programs. These programs, such as Medicaid, Head Start, work-study, title one programs, school meals, meals-on-wheels are all scrambling to understand how it will affect the funds they recieve. There’s an enormous amount of uncertainty and its unclear if this move is legal. The administration had its first press conference today, and Karoline Leavitt (with a cross around her neck prominently displayed) defended what she described as a “review of federal spending and promised that direct aid to individuals would not be affected by the freeze.” However, a lot of federal money goes to states and other organizations that provide individuals with aid, and it’s not clear whether that would be suspended.

I admit I don’t understand it. Jake Tapper on CNN had a guest on yesterday evening who suggested that Trump may have bit off more than he intended. But Steven Miller, White House Chief of Staff for Policy, followed on CNN and stated that these cuts will “not affect individuals.” He continued to explain that we need to “get control of government spending, and stop left-wing NGO’s from funding pet projects.” In a combatative exchange with Jake Tapper, Miller kept asserting the reasons for the freeze, attacking liberals and avoiding effort to clear up the confusion. Here are some snippets: