WASHINGTON — Details of President Donald Trump’s proposed budget have circulated for weeks. In late May, CNN Money reported an estimated $3.6 trillion would be saved over a decade if the president’s plan is implemented.
However, many in Minnesota are concerned over the well-being of thousands of Minnesotans who rely on food stamps, also known as the SNAP program.
The Star Tribune reports local groups in Minnesota are trying their best to advocate against the proposed cuts to SNAP benefits.
However, Trump’s cut of the SNAP program, or his budget in general, might have a hard time making it through congress.
“He [Rep. Collin Peterson] thinks Trump’s proposed food stamp cuts will have trouble getting through congress,” Maya Rao of the Star Tribune wrote.
Peterson is not the only lawmaker to have shown skepticism towards Trump’s budget. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told The Hill the president’s budget was “dead on arrival.”
People in the state of Minnesota tend to use more food stamps according to the Star Tribune. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, approximately 14 percent of participants in the SNAP program are from Minnesota.
Currently, nine percent of the state’s population is on SNAP, with the state receiving $353 million annually from the SNAP program. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities notes that $1 provided in SNAP benefits equates to $1.70 in economic benefits for a given state. The use of SNAP benefits in Minnesota results in more than $600 million into the state’s economy
Minnesota, whose national representation is 70 percent Democrat, will most likely vote against a cut in SNAP benefits.
However, Republicans will also be more inclined to vote against the 25 percent cut into the SNAP program, as it potentially harms their constituents.
A 2017 study by WalletHub shows red states to be more dependent on the federal government.
The state of Kentucky, a red state, was ranked number one in federal dependency. Kentucky is also home to one of the poorest counties in the nation. Owsley County, which is 98 percent white, has a median income of $19,146, with more than half of its population receiving food stamps according to Al Jazeera. Politico’s interactive map of the 2016 election shows 83.8 percent of Owsley County voted for Trump.
Despite popular belief, Republicans are more likely to not favor a 25 percent cut into the SNAP program. So while, Minnesotans may be feeling the pressure of a possible cut, the political reality makes the cut in food snaps unlikely to occur.
Preya Samsundar
Preya Samsundar was born and raised in Minneapolis, MN. She graduated from the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities this Spring with a B.A. in Political Science and Sociology, with a minor in Strategic Communications. Preya has previously worked on several State Campaign Races.
