The Arkansas Democratic Party has issued a statement blasting Donald Trump’s budget proposal. It will hurt Arkansans, the party said.

The Democratic Party of Arkansas today issued a response to the Republican budget proposal that totals $4.1 trillion in spending, while slashing major domestic programs such as Medicaid, highway funding, student loan subsidies, and safety nets for American farmers.

“The Republicans are going after a majority of Arkansans with this proposal,” Democratic Party Chairman Michael John Gray said. “Our farmers rely on crop insurance programs, like the one that’s being axed by this proposal. In a time when the agricultural economy is already suffering, further cuts will do nothing but drive farmers further into bankruptcy. Those in agriculture, our number one industry, will feel these cuts tremendously.”

This administration’s previous tax plan added $7.2 trillion to the deficit according to the independent Tax Policy Center. This plan increases the deficit while cutting $600 billion to Medicaid over 10 years, eliminating student loan subsidies, cutting $95 billion to highway funding, and cutting a popular crop insurance program.

“At a time when our roads look like patchwork quilts and the bridges our kids go over on school buses aren’t safe, you’re telling me they want to cut highway funding by $95 billion?” said Michael John Gray. “This budget really shows Republicans’ priorities are with big corporations and not the people. We must prioritize our farmers, our families, our students, and our kids in this state, and this Republican proposal does the opposite.”

As I’ve said before Trump won states like Arkansas by playing to the feelings of those who felt too much federal money goes to deadbeats. So talking farmers, highways and deficits is probably a better strategy than lamenting poor working people who might face loss of health coverage or food.

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Now, from the other side of the fence, some mush from Republican U.S. Rep. French Hill.

Today, after President Donald Trump released his proposal to balance the budget, Congressman French Hill (AR-02) stated: “I appreciate the president and his team for their hard work and commitment to tackling our Nation’s spending problems. Arkansans and people across the country have made it clear they want Congress and our president to work together to produce a balanced budget. While this proposal provides some guidance on how the president wants to accomplish this, it is ultimately Congress that decides the federal spending priorities. As we work through the budget process in the House, I remain committed to limited government that spurs innovation and economic growth, aids the most vulnerable parts of our population and most importantly strengthens our national security.”

Balance the budget? French Hill, nominally a banker by trade, might read up on the magic dust Trump is sprinkling to claim THAT. “$2 trillion in mystery money,” is how this in the Washington Post describes it.

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Trump won’t pass this budget, but it keeps his base happy.

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