‘An Administration By and For the Powerful’: Merkley Nails Mulvaney Over Trump Budget
(COMMON DREAMS) Jake Johnson, February 15, 2018 — “Everything we see in this budget is about help to the powerful and an assault on working Americans.”
“Which is more important: educating our children or more money for the Koch brothers?”
—Sen. Jeff Merkley
That was how Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) characterized President Donald Trump’s newly-unveiled 2019 spending plan during a fiery exchange with White House budget chief Mick Mulvaney, who appeared before the Senate on Tuesday to take questions on the details of the administration’s fiscal blueprint.
“Let’s give $1.5 trillion in a tax bill to the wealthiest Americans and proceed to cut our health, our commitment to our seniors on health as well, cut the affordability of college, because the rich are okay, they can pay for their college, don’t worry about the rest of Americans,” Merkley said, summarizing the priorities expressed by the White House budget.
“Oh and by the way, the hungry in America? Too bad. Let those children go hungry,” Merkley added. “They’re from poor families, they don’t matter. What kind of message does this send about this administration?”
With a sign headlined “Trump Priorities” positioned behind him, Merkley went on to list the corporate gifts doled out by the Trump administration—including tax breaks to Wells Fargo and the Koch brothers—compared to the deep cuts the White House proposed for life-saving safety net programs.