Twitter Reacts to Betsy DeVos' Proposed Budget Cuts to Special Olympics: 'More Like Betsy DeVoid of Basic Human Empathy'

Education secretary Betsy DeVos appeared before a House education appropriations subcommittee Tuesday to defend the Trump administration's 2020 budget request, which includes substantial cuts to programs like the Special Olympics.

If passed by Congress, the proposed budget for the next fiscal year would cut almost $7 billion, the equivalent of 10 percent of total spending from the department. It would effectively gut the roughly $18 million set aside for the Special Olympics while allocating $60 million more to charter school funding.

When asked by Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) whether she know how many children the cuts would affect, DeVos told the subcommittee, "I don't know the number of kids." Pocan then asserted that roughly 272,000 would be impacted.

"We had to make some difficult decisions," DeVos responded. "I think Special Olympics is an awesome organization, one that is well supported by the philanthropic sector as well."

In @BetsyDeVosED’s budget, there are major cuts to programs like the Special Olympics. Sec. DeVos didn’t know the number of kids who would be hurt by that cut, so I made sure she now knows that 272,000 kids are seeing their support taken away. pic.twitter.com/6ZiOfDU4Ou

— Rep. Mark Pocan (@repmarkpocan) March 26, 2019

When news broke of the proposed budget cuts, Americans took to Twitter to voice their frustrations with DeVos and her decision to back Trump's proposal to end all funding for the Special Olympics.

Editor's note: Some tweets contain vulgarity.

"Plutocracy in a nutshell. Billionaire Betsy DeVos parlays her money and charity, which undercuts public education, into a cabinet post. She makes a show of donating her salary to the Special Olympics," Time editor at large Anand Giridharadas tweeted. "And she uses her position to cut funding for it on a vastly greater scale."

Liz Plank added: "Betsy DeVos donating a portion of her salary to the Special Olympics only to turn around and decimate the entirety of its funding is a special kind of plutocrat savior ableist bulls***t."

Betsy DeVos donating a portion of her salary to the Special Olympics only to turn around and decimate the entirety of its funding is a special kind of plutocrat savior ableist bullshit.

— Liz Plank (@feministabulous) March 26, 2019

"Apparently, harming the lives of disabled children is less tough to Betsy than, say, dipping into $2 trillion in tax cuts she and 1% got from Trump," author Kurt Eichenwald tweeted.

Betsy Devos, faux Christian, proclaims had to slash budget for Special Olympics cause they "had to make tough decisions."

Apparently, harming the lives of disabled children is less tough to Betsy than, say, dipping into $2 trillion in tax cuts she and 1% got from Trump.

— Kurt "Wear a Mask" Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) March 26, 2019

Democratic Coalition co-founder Scott Dworkin wrote: "Betsy DeVos cut funding from the Special Olympics. Because she's Betsy DeVos, and she's f***ing terrible."

Betsy DeVos cut funding from the Special Olympics. Because she’s Betsy DeVos, and she’s fucking terrible.

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 26, 2019

"Betsy DeVos? More like Betsy DeVoid of basic human empathy. Amirite?," television writer Sarah Watson tweeted.

Read some other tweets below:

Hi, Betsy DeVos can fuck right off and so can anyone who supports her. https://t.co/aBt3zweJ9x

— Aimee Stiegemeyer (@HoopCityHellCat) March 26, 2019

Betsy DeVos' has a net worth of $5.2 billion.
She could personally fund the special olympics with pocket change.
But the joy she gets in cruelty is priceless.
So this: https://t.co/L9z8bsAF1R

— Steve Marmel (@Marmel) March 26, 2019

DeVos testifying today admits the regime has cut federal funding for the Special Olympics. Every week, rights and protections are taken away from marginalized communities, women and the disabled. https://t.co/pA7wANRziW

— Amy Siskind (@Amy_Siskind) March 26, 2019

Betsy DeVos proposed cuts

•$51 million from Autism
•Eliminating all funding for Special Olympics
•$7.5 million from institute for the blind
•$5 million from books for the blind

“Don't tell me what you value, show me your budget, and I'll tell you what you value”. -Biden

— MommaT (@tweetmommybop) March 26, 2019

Betsy DeVos, on cutting funding to the Special Olympics:

"We had to make some difficult decisions."

The Special Olympics cost around $18 million, or about the same as five of Trump's golf trips to Mar-a-Lago.

It's not a difficult decision. It's an evil one.

— Nick Jack Pappas (@Pappiness) March 26, 2019

Shame on you, Betsy DeVos.

This is fucking embarrassing. https://t.co/catIVYCPwb

— ❄️🇳🇱Denouncing November Boom🇨🇿❄️ (@BoomsdayDevice) March 26, 2019

Student loan debt now exceeds $1 trillion in this country.

The American dream is falling further out of reach for the millennial generation.

But Betsy Devos wants to dramatically cut student loan forgiveness programs and slash Pell grant funding.

Why is she still around?

— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) March 22, 2019

The lady who says that $17.6 million is too much to spend on the Special Olympics owns a $40 million yacht. https://t.co/yGUfPuFiF7

— Brian Wilson (@bayouwilson) March 26, 2019

Just when you thought the Trump admin couldn’t possibly stoop any lower Betsy DeVos and Co. cut all funding for the Special Olympics.

There. Is. No. Bottom.

— Adam Best (@adamcbest) March 26, 2019

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