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?