March 23: On This Day In 2018
It’s not just that Trump exhibits racist tendencies. It’s that his personal biases extend into the way he governs, contributing to the suffering of those he dislikes. Making life tougher for communities of color, he went after Blacks and other minorities from several angles.
As we saw in the March 9 OTDI, his draconian budget slashed funding for many low-income families. But since that’s not enough, he also went after Black schooling and Black business creation.
“Trump’s Budget Eliminates Key Resource for Black Entrepreneurs” reads the analysis from the US Black Chambers, the national voice of black businesses.
For example, his budget tried to eliminate the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) which, as CAP notes, “provides business consulting services to people of color who wish to start or expand their own businesses. The MBDA is the only federal agency focused on the development and growth of minority-owned businesses.”
(Btw, the Biden Administration rescued MBDA by getting it permanently authorized as part of their bi-partisan Infrastructure bill.)
He targeted the schools too. The “21st Century Community Learning Centers,” a Clinton Administration program, helps schools in low-income areas support students after school and on weekends. It provides more than $2 billion to 11,000+ schools across the nation.
In his 2018 budget, Trump tried to cut its funding by more than $1 billion. Fortunately, Congress wouldn’t let that happen. They stepped in to increase its funding, and the bill was signed OTDI 2018.
Sources/Links for further reading
American Progress details 52 ways Trump hurt Blacks just in his first year alone. If you have questions about Trump’s impact on Black communities, please take a look.
The MBDA talks about the Biden’s rescue of the agency
The US Black Chambers details Trump’s plan
The government outlines Trump’s budget
UFT reports on the funding for the educational program
Summary: Trump’s budget attacks communities of color. He slashes funding for Black and other minority-based programs.