Last week, the Trump administration released its much-anticipated budget blueprint, calling for $54 billion in cuts to federal programs while putting a renewed emphasis on America’s military and national security priorities.
Among the $54 billion in cuts include liberal’s worst nightmares like a $2.6 billion reduction in the EPA’s budget, eliminating payments to the UN’s global warming programs, eliminating funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
But there is one program, Meals on Wheels, which liberals have falsely claimed will be destroyed thanks to the president’s proposed budget cuts.
Meals on Wheels IS NOT a federal program, but rather a nationwide non-profit. Trump’s budget does call for the elimination of a block grant program, which in some states gives money to some of the 5,000 Meals on Wheels programs across the country, but it is incorrect to claim that the president’s budget guts Meals on Wheels.
From USA Today:
Trump’s budget calls for the elimination of one program that some of the nation’s 5,000 Meals on Wheels groups rely on: Community development block grants, a $3 billion program that started in the Ford administration to give states and cities more flexibility in how they combat poverty.
In fact, the money that Meals on Wheels gets from some states as a result of federal government represent a mere 3.3% of the organization’s entire budget.
From Fox News:
A glance at the program’s 2015 financial statement shows the program brought in just over $7.5 million in funding that year, mainly from corporate and foundation grants making up $5.15 million.
Government grants made up just $248,347 of the funding – or 3.3 percent of total funds.
Still, Trump’s call to cut the program fed into the outrage Thursday over a multitude of reductions that the president has in store. Trump’s budget blueprint calls to slash programs within the State Department and Environmental Protection Agency, among others, in order to pump more money into defense.
Proposed cuts to the federal housing department include abolishing the Community Development Block Grant – a portion of which goes to fund the program delivering meals to the homebound elderly.
Unsurprisingly, liberals have taken to Twitter, blasting the cuts to Meals on Wheels:
Trump’s budget slashes funding for meals on wheels that helps feed senior citizens. He has updated “let them eat cake” to let them starve
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@Deanofcomedy) March 19, 2017
Con man trump claims to love veterans but his cuts to Meals on wheels takes food from 500,000 veterans.
— (((DeanObeidallah))) (@Deanofcomedy) March 19, 2017
Meals on Wheels is a lifeline.
Which members of Congress are willing to go into 2018 voting to starve seniors?
Dems, start your campaigns. pic.twitter.com/DfykE1UhB5
— David Yankovich (@DavidYankovich) March 19, 2017
Hey, you Meals on Wheels users who voted for Trump! How’s that working’ out for ya?
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) March 19, 2017
Ironically, liberals freaking out over the Meals on Wheels cuts have just proven the conservative argument that the program will be just fine without federal funding. After the president’s budget was released, the organization saw donations and volunteer sign-ups surge in recent days, specifically “50 times the typical amount of daily donations on Thursday.”
This program, which most Americans agree is important, will survive due to the generous private donations of private citizens, not the federal government. Of course, the left won’t tell you this, and instead will continue to spread the lie that federal cuts to community development block grant programs will gut Meals on Wheels.
Do you agree that liberals have for too long been lying about Trump’s budget to scare the American public into thinking he is cutting Meals on Wheels? Share your thoughts below!