Trump seeks to ax Appalachia economic programs, causing worry in coal country

So you didn't look at Trump's proposed budget, I gather? Seeing as how you didn't mention it in your...explanation and haven't refuted that fact, I'm going with no. I wouldn't expect you to actually understand or care because it doesn't affect YOU or YOUR community.

SSG Michael Hartsfield - Poor leap of logic on your part. You posted specifically about the ARC. I addressed the ARC. Millions of dollars spent for thousands of dollars of results, as far as I can see. If those "jobs" the ARC supposedly created and those skills it supposedly imparted to people were real jobs and real skills, they would go on and be in demand once the program ended. But like all other social spending it not only doesn't go away, it grows.

I have looked at the proposed budget, as an example my wife's company does about 2/3's of its business with the EPA. Under the proposed budget she may well lose her job. We have made that assumption and are adjusting our lifestyle accordingly. Since we are both in our 50's and live in a relatively rural community the possibility that she can replace a high income, for this area, is virtually nil. Starting over she would probably make $25k-$30k less, if she can find work in the same field. We would also probably have no choice but to relocate.

The government does not exist to make sure that I and my wife can continue to live a lifestyle to which we have become accustomed. Rather than seeking a government handout, we are trying to determine what other opportunities we can develop.

In my opinion the proposed budget does not go far enough, but I realize that we're going to have to wean entitlement junkies off of the entitlements slowly, or in many cases by attrition. I do not expect tax payers to pay my freight. The private sector is far more efficient, and gets better results. The only thing government shoud be involved I are those things that are beyond the scope of the private sector (Defense, and infrastructure e.g.)

Reuters has always been highly reputable and hasn't given me any reason to doubt their reporting to date. Nevertheless, the same thing is in his proposed budget

Trump has been so effective in his attacks on the media, that a segment of our population will no longer believe anything they report. This allows Trump to do or say anything he wants with total impunity. This is not a good thing....