MSNBC 'Blasts' Trump over SNAP Cuts, Forgets Biden's Role
Wallace decries the cruelty of a shutdown impacting food assistance, framing it as uniquely Trumpian mischief. Yet, the erosion of social safety nets like SNAP is a feature, not a bug, of bipartisan austerity. Congress (including many Democrats) has consistently debated and often implemented cuts or stringent work requirements for programs designed to help the most vulnerable. While the 'crisis'
might be 'manufactured' by an administration, the underlying systemic willingness to balance budgets on the backs of the poor is a long-standing, cross-aisle tradition these outlets rarely scrutinize beyond partisan lines. (Remember the debt ceiling negotiations?) Highlighting Trump's role is easy, but how many segments did MSNBC run on the bipartisan consensus that prioritizes massive military
budgets—like the $886 billion defense spending bill passed in 2023 (GovTrack.us, S.2226)—over, say, ensuring no one goes hungry? It appears certain 'self-inflicted crises' are only newsworthy when they can be blamed on the designated villain of the week.