Trump wants to change how poverty is calculated — to make fewer people eligible for benefits

The Trump administration has been incredibly consistent, from day one, about its desire to slash benefits for poor Americans, including Medicaid and food stamps (aka Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP). But with the threat of Democratic filibusters and now a Democratic majority in the House, Trump’s efforts to make those cuts a reality have been repeatedly stymied.

That hasn’t stopped the administration from coming up with new attempts, and the latest is subtle but profound: changing the inflation rate used to update the poverty line.

That might sound like...