The White House releases budget blueprint

    Earlier today the White House released its budget blueprint. Of course it is still short on details, that will have to be worked out by the Congress, but we are beginning to get a grip on Donald Trump’s ideas on the national budget and it looks to me as if there are things in there which will make conservatives happy as well as things that will not make them happy. The same might be said for the left but the party of no is just not going to admit it might not be all bad. (IE no cuts to Social Security or Medicare)

  Donald Trump intends to increase spending on the military (although not enough for warmonger John McCain’s liking) while offsetting the spending with domestic cuts to the State Department, the EPA, and other agencies while leaving Social Security and Medicare alone. Here is more:

The White House took its first steps Monday toward what would be a dramatic reshuffling of the $3 trillion-plus federal budget, sending guidance to agencies that calls for a $54 billion increase in defense spending and corresponding reductions to most non-security agencies.

While Office of Management and Budget officials briefed reporters on the plan this morning, President Donald Trump publicly explained his proposal to focus federal spending on national security, including boosts to the military, local law enforcement and the Border Patrol, while cutting domestic programs and foreign aid. Trump has said his budget will not include cuts to Medicare or Social Security, the usual targets of Republicans trying to trim federal spending.

Trump said the proposed increase in military spending “will be offset and paid for by finding greater savings and efficiencies across the federal government.” He didn’t offer specifics, though he pointed to recent attempts to negotiate military contracts, adding, “We cut the hell out of the prices.”

  I like the idea of streamlining the Federal agencies to save money, it will be interesting to see if he can actually pull it off, but while he is at it he should not ignore the Pentagon. Back in 2015 a report was released which found the Pentagon could slash $125 billion in spending over 5 years by streamlining the bureaucracy but the report was covered up by the Pentagon because they did not want to see the budget cut.

  Before more money is spent on national defense this report needs to be looked into. It seems to me that instead of increasing the military spending by $54 billion the wasted money already allotted to the Pentagon could be better spent–if these numbers are correct the Pentagon could cut its funding and still have more resources. But I am not holding my breath…

malo periculosam libertatem quam quietum servitium