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President Trump proposes major cuts to USCG,FEMA

Cuts would help border security, building wall
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We spoke with Donald Trump opponents.

"I think that's a horrible idea. I think the wall is a waste of good money and the Coast Guard seems like a much more effective use of money,” said David Buckley.

We also talked to Ken Pondelli who voted for the President.

"Building a wall was kind've a euphemism of let's get control of America. Let's make sure we have the right people coming in, for the right reasons,” he said.

Pondelli supports a wall but doesn't support a budget proposal to use $1.3 billion from the U.S. Coast Guard's total $8 billion budget to help fund it.

"Seems not a good idea-- that's one part of your defense,” said Pondelli.

"It kind've reminds me of when you have a muffler that's going bad and you get a little hole in the muffler and you patch that up and it just blows out a hole somewhere else,” said Reverend Dr. Suzi Schadle of Sarasota.

Today Republican Marco Rubio told WJNO,"I don't agree with everything that Donald Trump is for. You know, he's proposed some cuts to the Department of State and the Coast Guard that we're going to have an issue with."

Democratic U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, also the armed services committee senior ranking member, spoke against it too.  

"That plan just doesn't make any sense,” he said.

The U.S. Coast Guard also has a post in Clearwater which plays a key part in illegal drug seizures off Florida's coast.

Even Trump supporters like Pondelli believe it'll be a tough sell to Congress.

"$20 billion dollars to build a wall to protect the country might be just worth that but how they pay for it is the question,” he said.

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