Be Smart. Stay Informed. Actively Dissent.
In Smart Dissent's Budget Cuts Series, we are examining the White House proposed budget cuts to learn what's hidden beneath the surface and later update based on Congressional budget proposals and actions. This post focuses on proposed significant cuts to our schools and Department of Education that we must Be Smart about and Actively Dissent.
Trump's budget proposal for fiscal year 2018...calls for a $9.2 billion, or 13.5 percent, spending cut to education.
Student Debt
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Television, print media, and the American public are not properly focused on the impact this administration is having on our standing in the world. This is due to an endless series of destructive executive orders, tweets with false accusations, attempted bans of Muslims, dismantling of healthcare, a terrible Supreme Court lifetime appointment..... and so much more.
The Economist does not mince words in their piece linked below: "Past presidents believed that American power should be used as a force for good in the world. Not Donald Trump."
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In early February, Betsy DeVos was confirmed as Education Secretary. Two Republicans, Senators Murkowski (AK) and Collins (ME), joined the entire Democratic caucus to force an historic tie-breaking vote from Vice President Pence. Read more at this link. Her installation to a position of power over our education system means she spends every day implementing policies with destructive consequences for our country.
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One of Trump's repeated promises (lies) during the campaign was to go after pharmaceutical companies and take action to lower prescription drug prices. Why would a White House owned by corporate interests do such a thing to help the American people? Turns out they won't, bowing to powerful industry as usual over the interests of the people they were elected to represent.
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Five people, including the head of Michigan’s health department, were charged Wednesday with involuntary manslaughter in an investigation of Flint’s lead-contaminated water, all blamed in the death of an 85-year-old man who had Legionnaires’ disease.