Sources have stated that Trump administration unveiled a budget for 2018 on Tuesday that seeks to overhaul many of the country's safety-net programs for low income and struggling Americans. Though these cuts are popular among Republican lawmakers, they affect programs that are actually more commonly used in Republican-leaning states than in Democratic ones, and that in many cases benefit white voters without college degrees a demographic group that strongly supported President Donald Trump in the 2016 election.
Meanwhile the programs experiencing the deepest cuts provide assistance for health care services to children, the poor and disabled, and that supplement food and housing for those with low incomes. Most of the programs were created decades ago by Democratic presidents.
It was stated that the president's budget reduces funding to the current
welfare system and would impose more stringent work requirements as a condition
of receiving benefits. The work requirement is popular among conservative think
tanks and has been frequently promoted by House Speaker Paul Ryan. The
budget remains a wish list, however; many of its more draconian provisions are
not widely popular in Congress and are considered likely to be rejected or
changed.
The budget is not specific on how the work requirements will be implemented, but past examples cited by conservative think tanks provide a guide. All states in fact already have a work requirement for food stamps, though some have been granted waivers. Reforms to work requirements have focused on making requirements stricter, similar to Maine's recent policy changes, or nullifying waivers given to areas with higher unemployment.
