Paul Ryan’s 2012 Budget Slightly Less Appalling Toward the Poor

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Sorry. Turns out I was totally wrong about Paul Ryan’s budget. It really is different from last year’s.

As you can see from the chart on the right, his 2012 budget gets 62% of its cuts from programs intended to help those with low-incomes. According to CBPP, this includes $2.4 trillion in reductions from Medicaid and other health care program; $134 billion in cuts to SNAP (food stamps); at least $463 billion in cuts to mandatory programs serving low-income Americans; and at least $291 billion in cuts in low-income discretionary programs.

But here’s the thing: last year’s Ryan budget got 65% of its cuts from programs for the poor. Progress! Who says Paul Ryan doesn’t care about America’s non-rich?

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And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

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