in Politics 402 Words

I did not plan to blog today

I was determined not to blog today. I had already planned a post for tomorrow, and I will leave it for then.

Last night I read an article by Lisa Desjardins, a correspondent for PBS NewsHour. I felt it was important to share with you what she reported. I received it in an email as a subscriber, so I cannot in good conscience copy it and post it here.

Here is the link she provided for the “Technical Supplement to the 2026 Budget Appendix” from the Office of Management and Budget: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BUDGET-2026-APP/pdf/BUDGET-2026-APP.pdf?utm_source=PBS+NewsHour&utm_campaign=968c809e4c-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_05_14_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_47f99db221-968c809e4c-504663930. It is 1,215 pages, but it includes an index. The table of contents gives the page numbers for each federal department.

A computer-generated photo of a stack of blue dollar signs
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash

Lisa Desjardins’ email listed 46 agencies and programs President Trump wants eliminated. Some of them are:

Economic Development Administration.

Job Corps;

AmeriCorps;

Minority Business Development Agency;

NASA’s Office of Science, Tech, Engineering and Math Engagement;

Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (a watchdog to make sure there is no discrimination in federal contracts);

Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board;

Administration for Community Living (which assists older adults and disabled individuals live independently);

Department of Health and Human Services’ Prevention and Public Health Fund;

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program;

Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve; Legal Services Corporation (a funder of civil legal aid);

US Agency for Global Media (includes Voice of America, Radio Free Asia, and Radio Free Europe);

Corporation for Public Broadcasting (National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting System);

Educational and Cultural Exchange Programs;

National Endowment for the Arts;

National Endowment for the Humanities;

Institute of Museum and Library Services;

Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development;

State and Tribal Wildlife Grants Program;

Cooperative Endangered Species Conservation Fund; and

Marine Mammal Commission.

Lisa Desjardins’ email states, “Congress must pass the next funding bill by Sept. 30 to avoid a government shutdown.”

It’s unfortunate that the US Congress can only figure out a budget three months at a time. I should be so lucky.

Until my next blog post

Keep reading and watching reputable news reports.

Always have a good novel within arm’s reach.

Remember the people of Ukraine and western North Carolina.

Janet

10 thoughts on “I did not plan to blog today”

  1. And I bet the cost of all these things is peanuts in terms of the overall budget. Have you been enjoying Musk turning on his best buddy? One of the shortest love affairs of all time!

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  4. I tried to comment on the blog but it keeps sending me back to go. WP refuses to remember my password. I said that you could blog 24/7 and not plumb the depths of this regime’s evil.

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  5. All three of your comments came through, Vicki, so I don’t know what’s going on with WP today. Half the time when I click on the button to “like” someone else’s comment, nothing happens. It’s frustrating when you’re trying to like or leave a comment and it doesn’t work. I don’t know how to get around it, but thank you for being persistent. You’re right. I could blog around the clock and still not keep up. I’m exhausted. I wish my political science background would stop compelling me to blog about the demise of our democracy. I would much prefer to be exhausted from writing historical fiction. The novel I was writing seems like a distant dream.

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  6. Yes, each one is a miniscule part of the budget… as is his $45 million military parade on his June 14 birthday. Now there’s speculation that Musk was on drugs when he lashed out against the “big, beautiful” bill, but I say he finally had a fleeting moment of clarity! Musk bought the White House for Trump, and he is now learning what happens to people who do favors for the orange one. They all get kicked to the curb eventually. Each oligarch thinks it won’t happen to him.

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  10. He was born above the law and has never gotten over his entitltment. All the people who think they would be so important if they could only move in the same circles as Trump have obviously not paid attention to how he kicks his friends to the curb as soon as he’s through with them. Sheep to the slaughter… and happy to go there for him.

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