President Trump’s budget proposal this week is expected to seek cuts to the federal government workforce at historic levels.
Trump’s contraction of the workforce and cutting back on several government programs is being described by analysts as the biggest cutback since post-World War II.
Gary Cohn, the president’s National Economic Council Director, hinted that the cuts are necessary in order to rebuild our military strength after the disastrous Obama era.
“Unfortunately, we have no alternative but to reinvest in our military and make ourselves a military power once again,” he said.
“If you’re doing that in an area where you have to balance the budget and you cannot create a further deficit, you have to make cuts,” Cohn added. “It’s no different than every other family in America that has to make the tough decisions when they need to spend money somewhere, they have to cut it from somewhere else.”
Those cuts would appear to come from the federal workforce, and they are going to be at spectacular levels.
Via the Chicago Tribune:
President Donald Trump’s budget proposal this week would shake the federal government to its core if enacted, culling back numerous programs and expediting a historic contraction of the federal workforce.
This would be the first time the government has executed cuts of this magnitude – and all at once – since the drawdown following World War II, economists and budget analysts said.
The spending budget Trump is set to release Thursday will offer the clearest snapshot of his vision for the size and role of government. Aides say that the president sees a new Washington emerging from the budget process, one that prioritizes the military and homeland security while slashing many other areas, including housing, foreign assistance, environmental programs, public broadcasting and research. Simply put, government would be smaller and less involved in regulating life in America, with private companies and states playing a much bigger role. [Emphasis added]
Within days of being sworn into office, President Trump issued an Executive Order for a hiring freeze on federal employment.
Slashing federal bureaucracy is yet another campaign promise Trump seems intent on delivering.
“For too long, a small group in our nation’s capital has reaped the rewards of government while the people have borne the cost,” he said during his inaugural address. “Washington flourished, but the people did not share in its wealth.”
It’s time for the rest of America to flourish, and Washington to share some of the brunt of the costs.
Comment: Do you agree with Trump’s move to slash the federal workforce? Share your thoughts with us below.
