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Fake News: Nets Push Myth of Trump Spending “Cuts”
Newsbusters.org ^ | May 26, 2017 | Rich Noyes

Posted on 05/26/2017 11:22:00 AM PDT by Kaslin

>In covering the President’s proposed budget this week, network reporters unanimously claimed it “cut” or even “slashed” federal spending. An MRC analysis of ABC, CBS and NBC morning and evening news coverage since Monday (May 22) finds that not a single reporter ever told viewers that overall federal spending would actually RISE under President Trump’s planned budget — just not as much as forecast under the budget baseline Trump inherited from President Obama back in January.

In 13 news stories from May 22 to May 25, network journalists made 30 references to “cuts” in federal spending, either referring to specific programs or more generally. While the budget was not released until Tuesday morning, the coverage began on Monday, with ABC’s Mary Bruce warning viewers on Good Morning America that the budget “will reportedly slash these safety nets by $1.7 trillion, including massive cuts to Medicaid, food stamps and other anti-poverty programs.”

On that night’s CBS Evening News, correspondent Nancy Cordes said the White House planned “deep cuts to social programs,” while on Tuesday’s CBS This Morning, co-host Charlie Rose said there would be “deep funding cuts in many social safety net programs.”

On Tuesday’s NBC Nightly News, anchor Lester Holt said Trump’s plan “would slash federal spending by $3.6 trillion over ten years.” Talking about Medicaid spending a few moments later, correspondent Kasie Hunt said “the cuts would devastate Americans like Adrien Gunter, who has multiple sclerosis.”

But the Trump budget calls for INCREASING federal spending by more than 40 percent over the next ten years, from an estimated $4.062 trillion this year to $5.708 trillion in 2027. If Trump’s plan is enacted without changes, overall federal spending over the next ten years would be $48.9 trillion, compared to $35.66 trillion over the past ten years.

The only way journalists can claim Trump is cutting spending is by comparing his plans to the baseline of federal spending, which incorporates even bigger increases over the next decade. If spending proceeds as assumed by the last Obama budget, spending in 2027 would be $6.548 trillion, or about $800 billion more than Trump now recommends.

It’s accurate to say that Trump plans to reduce the extravagant increases in spending incorporated in current law, and some programs will see an actual reduction in their spending (after years of increases under Obama). But to repeatedly suggest that there will be “deep cuts” or some kind of “slashing” of federal spending creates a false narrative designed to bully politicians into backing away from a responsible spending plan.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; Government
KEYWORDS: amyrobach; barackhussein0bama; budget; cyperalerts; kasiehunt; lesterholt; marybruce; nancycordes; presidenttrump; research

1 posted on 05/26/2017 11:22:00 AM PDT by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Why aren’t there any spending cuts? How come we don’t have any elected officials that will actually support spending cuts?


2 posted on 05/26/2017 11:24:58 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Kaslin
So.. it's fake.. and "Nets AREN'T Pushing Myth of Trump Spending “Cuts”?

Because the story is about how they are.

But it's fake.. so.. they aren't?

It's so confusing, all this fake news labeling.

3 posted on 05/26/2017 11:25:56 AM PDT by humblegunner
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To: Kaslin

Even if there were outright cuts to the budget, it is financed by the taxpayer and why shouldn’t the givernment, as the world largest and monopolistic corporation, return dividend like reductions to their tax burden, if only to prove it is a caring and compassionate givernment?


4 posted on 05/26/2017 11:30:41 AM PDT by Vendome (I've Gotta Be Me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wH-pk2vZG2M)
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To: Vendome

It sure sounds like it.


5 posted on 05/26/2017 11:32:29 AM PDT by Kaslin ( The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triump. Thomas Paine)
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To: nickcarraway
It depends on what the spending increases are for.

For example he wants to give the military pay increases. I hope deny them that. They deserve every pay raise they get, plus more.

6 posted on 05/26/2017 11:41:18 AM PDT by Kaslin ( The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triump. Thomas Paine)
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To: nickcarraway
How come we don’t have any elected officials that will actually support spending cuts?

Because neither party will allow one to be elected.

7 posted on 05/26/2017 11:42:08 AM PDT by henkster (Orwell, Rand and Huxley would not be proud of our society, but they'd have no trouble recognizing it)
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To: Kaslin

So that means every part of government funding should raise exponentially? They won’t cut anything. And Steve Bannon is bragging about raising everything by trillions/.


8 posted on 05/26/2017 11:43:27 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: henkster

Yes, conservatism is dead. And religion is dead, because people will only worship government now.


9 posted on 05/26/2017 11:48:05 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: Kaslin

They keep telling us that annual inflation has only been at about 2.8%-3% for years, but now they are calling a 4% projected increase in spending as “deep cuts” and “slashing” the budget.


10 posted on 05/26/2017 12:24:31 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Kaslin

These lying bastard seditionists are dangerous. They need to be the one’s investigated. Who is paying for their treason?


11 posted on 05/26/2017 12:44:04 PM PDT by WKUHilltopper (WKU 2016 Boca Raton Bowl Champions)
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To: Kaslin

Sure is a lot of lying going on about Trump. I don’t trust the commie news networks. Fox has gone to the left.


12 posted on 05/26/2017 12:56:37 PM PDT by mountainlion (Live well for those that did not make it back.)
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To: Kaslin

Why isn’t spending being cut?


13 posted on 05/26/2017 1:34:50 PM PDT by TBP (0bama lies, Granny dies.)
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