Hey Liberals: Stop Saying That Trump's Budget Will Kill Meals On Wheels

[SirLinksALot]

SOURCE: FORBES

URL: https://www.forbes.com/sites/eriksherman/2017/03/16/liberals-stop-saying-that-trump-will-kill-meals-on-wheels/#cd535af3395a

by Erik Sherman


There is much about the Trump administration's actions and decisions that could reasonably concern one. The latest block of information to digest has been the budget blueprint, which is an unrealistic fiction of what the country needs and where to most effectively spend money.

Criticism is fine and necessary. However, there is a tendency for people who oppose Trump, and, sadly, for journalists covering the administration, to jump into every utterance and decision with, as a public policy Spinal Tap think tank would say, the dial turned up to 11. A clear example is the claim in some media outlets that the proposed budget would kill Meals on Wheels.

The relevant Department of Housing and Urban Development section of the budget contains the following language:

"Eliminates funding for the Community Development Block Grant program, a savings of $3 billion from the 2017 annualized CR level. The Federal Government has spent over $150 billion on this block grant since its inception in 1974, but the program is not well-targeted to the poorest populations and has not demonstrated results. The Budget devolves community and economic development activities to the State and local level, and redirects Federal resources to other activities."

Meals on Wheels, a program that supports the delivery of meals to seniors who cannot afford food or cannot prepare it, started in Australia and has been in the United States since 1954. The program serves 2.4 million seniors every year and does get funding from the Community Development Block Grant program.

But the situation is complicated and saying that the budget eliminates the Meals on Wheels program is factually incorrect. According to the Meals on Wheels annual IRS filing for 2015 (it isn't a government program), approximately 3.3 percent of its funding comes from government sources.

Most is from corporate and foundation grants, with individual contributions the second largest source. Government grants are actually the fifth largest source of revenue.

If its portions of block grants were eliminated, the program wouldn't suddenly disappear. However, the organization says that it already cannot keep up with growing demand from seniors who need help. In addition, Meals on Wheels passing funding down to 5,000 local groups that provide food, and they additionally might be affected by the funding cut.

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[Idaho_Cowboy]

approximately 3.3 percent of its funding comes from government sources.

Can't be. I've been assured by members of this fine website only government has pockets deep enough to help people.

[Emjay]

approximately 3.3 percent of its funding comes from government sources.

Can't be. I've been assured by members of this fine website only government has pockets deep enough to help people.

I don't know which is worse.  Killing Big Bird or taking food out of the mouths of seniors.

[Idaho_Cowboy]

I don't know which is worse.  Killing Big Bird or taking food out of the mouths of seniors.

Let them eat big bird.