Trump's budget proposal is pretty simple to understand. He increased the defense budget substantially. He did so because he promised to make fearful Americans safe again. He also assumes that military weapons are our best defense against terrorism which is really based on ideological warfare. In any case, its not possible to increase the defense budget without cutting non-defense spending. Consequently, he has made huge cuts in the science budget. Most of the basic research in America is funded by the federal government. This article shows how Trump's budget will reduce basic research conducted by the National Instituted Of Health (NIH). That will not affect our nation during Trump's term in office because it takes time for basic research to filter down into practical applications such as new drugs and medical devices that will improve the future health of our nation. Similarly, Trump has decimated the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) budget. The quality of the air that we breath and the water that we drink will decline, at no cost to Trump, but we will be less healthy as a result. The EPA has also been at the forefront of our efforts to deal with global warming. Trump gets some immediate impact from cutting the EPA budget because energy companies will produce more fossil fuels. That makes him popular in oil producing states and in coal mining states. On the other hand, the environment we leave to our children and grandchildren will suffer and the cost of dealing with effects of global warming will be passed on to future generations. This article suggests that Trump is cutting the EPA budget because he does not believe in global warming. I have a different explanation. Trump does not believe in anything that that does not affect him personally and in the present. He is not driven by ideology. He uses ideology to defend decisions that have an immediate impact on his current goals. One of Trump's mega financial supporters is also opposed to the EPA.
Trump's actions will probably stimulate the economy in the short term. However, our economy is based upon our leadership in science. The major assets of our largest and most competitive firms consists of intellectual properties such as patents, copyrights and trademarks. That has been accomplished by our ability to attract brilliant students from across the globe to our universities and fund their research with federal grants. Those who graduate from these programs are at the leading edge of new business development that will contribute to future generations. Trump[ has no interest in our future welfare.
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