Chad Bolt
@chadderr.bsky.social
Senior VP, Economic Security @firstfocus.bsky.social. Let’s give all kids a fair shot.
Children with disabilities have been left behind for far too long by existing federal policy, and these attacks further hurt them at a time when policymakers should be dedicating more support to their development. 8/
November 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Children with disabilities have been left behind for far too long by existing federal policy, and these attacks further hurt them at a time when policymakers should be dedicating more support to their development. 8/
And of course, all children remain in the Administration's crosshairs. Case in point: their effort this month to go all the way to the Supreme Court to deprive 16 million kids of food to withhold SNAP funding they’d earlier been compelled to release during the government shutdown. 7/
November 13, 2025 at 2:56 PM
And of course, all children remain in the Administration's crosshairs. Case in point: their effort this month to go all the way to the Supreme Court to deprive 16 million kids of food to withhold SNAP funding they’d earlier been compelled to release during the government shutdown. 7/
This comes on the heels of OBBB, which cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and CHIP. Together they cover about 2-in-5 children with special health care needs. Schools rely on Medicaid to cover IDEA-mandated supports, which could force elimination of other programs when Medicaid funding is gone. 6/
November 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
This comes on the heels of OBBB, which cut nearly $1 trillion from Medicaid and CHIP. Together they cover about 2-in-5 children with special health care needs. Schools rely on Medicaid to cover IDEA-mandated supports, which could force elimination of other programs when Medicaid funding is gone. 6/
In addition to these SSI changes, the Trump Admin's RIFs also gutted the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which is responsible for IDEA, the key law protecting the rights of students w disabilities - leaving the office less able to enforce protections for kid in schools. 5/
November 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
In addition to these SSI changes, the Trump Admin's RIFs also gutted the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which is responsible for IDEA, the key law protecting the rights of students w disabilities - leaving the office less able to enforce protections for kid in schools. 5/
This change in regulatory policy is a step backward. Lawmakers are building bipartisan support to update SSI's outdated eligibility rules for the first time in 40 yrs, so the rules stop punishing people for saving for emergencies and working part time if they're able. That's the right direction. 4/
November 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
This change in regulatory policy is a step backward. Lawmakers are building bipartisan support to update SSI's outdated eligibility rules for the first time in 40 yrs, so the rules stop punishing people for saving for emergencies and working part time if they're able. That's the right direction. 4/
SSA proposes to make the eligibility rules even MORE complicated and complex -- forcing beneficiaries to navigate more red tape and an agency that is already stretched thin to unnecessarily devote more time and bandwidth to administer the program that could be committed to higher priority needs. 3/
November 13, 2025 at 2:55 PM
SSA proposes to make the eligibility rules even MORE complicated and complex -- forcing beneficiaries to navigate more red tape and an agency that is already stretched thin to unnecessarily devote more time and bandwidth to administer the program that could be committed to higher priority needs. 3/
SSI is a lifeline for children with disabilities whose families have limited income and resources, helping cover the extra costs like medical care, therapies, adaptive equipment, and transportation. This new rule could hurt as many as 100,000 of those kids, by making it harder to qualify. 2/
November 13, 2025 at 2:54 PM
SSI is a lifeline for children with disabilities whose families have limited income and resources, helping cover the extra costs like medical care, therapies, adaptive equipment, and transportation. This new rule could hurt as many as 100,000 of those kids, by making it harder to qualify. 2/
Unlike the individual tax code, which uses progressive tax rates calibrated by income, import taxes—paid by U.S. companies, which could pass the costs onto consumers—work like flat sales taxes and are super regressive. www.piie.com/publications...
Why Trump's tariff proposals would harm working Americans
At the beginning of its history, the United States relied on tariffs—taxes on imported goods—as its major source of government revenue. That changed starting in the early 20th century, with the enactment of the federal income tax and the advent of a new consensus recognizing tariffs as regressive, burdening the working class while leaving untaxed much of the income accruing to the wealthy. At present, less than 2 percent of government revenue in high-income countries comes from import taxes.
www.piie.com
February 2, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Unlike the individual tax code, which uses progressive tax rates calibrated by income, import taxes—paid by U.S. companies, which could pass the costs onto consumers—work like flat sales taxes and are super regressive. www.piie.com/publications...
The only people asking for more tax cuts for billionaires... are billionaires. Republicans and Democrats alike should reject these shameless tax giveaways and show us whose side they're *really* on by building a tax code that puts workers first and supports kids and families. 6/6
January 31, 2025 at 3:02 PM
The only people asking for more tax cuts for billionaires... are billionaires. Republicans and Democrats alike should reject these shameless tax giveaways and show us whose side they're *really* on by building a tax code that puts workers first and supports kids and families. 6/6